KT 7-5-2012_Layout 1 - Kuwait Times

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Bahrain 

arrests rights 

activist 

Nabeel Rajab 

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40 PAGES NO: 15441 150 FILS 

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2012 JAMADI ALTHANI 16, 1433 AH www.kuwaittimes.net 

Clinton lands 

in India to 

breathe life 

into ties 

11 

Sky News 

Arabia goes 

on air, vows 

‘objectivity’ 

13 

Juventus 

champions 

as Milan 

lose derby 

19 

Socialist Hollande ousts 

Sarkozy as French leader 

Sarko concedes defeat, steps back from frontline politics 

PM gives access 

to probe panel 

By B Izzak 

KUWAIT: Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- 

Sabah has offered a parliamentary investigation committee 

full access to visit his offices or any government 

department in its probe over allegation of corruption, a 

leading MP said yesterday. MP Faisal Al-Mislem, who 

heads the committee probing allegations of transferring 

public funds into the private accounts of the former 

premier, said that Sheikh Jaber was very cooperative 

during a meeting with the panel late Saturday 

night. He said the committee complained to the premier 

that many government departments and authorities 

are refusing to cooperate with the investigation 

under a variety of pretexts, mainly that the information 

is classified. 

Mislem said the prime minister vowed that the committee 

will be assisted to complete its investigation in 

the allegations which are also being investigated by a 

special judicial tribunal and the Audit Bureau. On 

Thursday, the committee interviewed head of the Audit 

Bureau Abdulaziz Al-Adasani, who had declined an earlier 

summons by the committee. Mislem, who has 

already made an inspection visit to the foreign ministry, 

is expected to visit other departments this week. 

Continued on Page 13 

President-elect Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande waves as he 

arrives to give a speech after the results of the election yesterday in Tulle, 

southwestern France. (Inset) Defeated rightwing incumbent candidate 

Nicolas Sarkozy addresses his supporters after the results in Paris. — AFP 

Max 40º 

Min 25º 

High Tide 

00:42 & 11:51 

Low Tide 

05:44 & 18:47 

PARIS: Francois Hollande was elected France’s first 

Socialist president in nearly two decades yesterday, 

dealing a humiliating defeat to incumbent Nicolas 

Sarkozy and shaking up European politics. The result 

will have major implications for Europe as it struggles to 

emerge from a financial crisis and for France, the eurozone’s 

second-largest economy and a nuclear-armed 

permanent member of the UN Security Council. 

Hollande won the vote with about 52 percent, according 

to several estimates from polling firms based on ballot 

samples, becoming France’s first Socialist president 

since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995. 

Sarkozy quickly conceded defeat and signalled that 

he intends to step back from frontline politics. “The 

French people have made their choice... Francois 

Hollande is president of France and he must be respected,” 

the outgoing leader told an emotional crowd of 

supporters, adding that he had wished his successor 

well. “In this new era, I will remain one of you, but my 

place will no longer be the same. My engagement with 

the life of my country will now be different, but time will 

never strain the bonds between us,” he told supporters. 

Sarkozy stopped short of confirming his retirement, but 

leaders in his right-wing UMP party told AFP that he 

had told them he would not lead them into June’s parliamentary 

elections. 

Hollande thanked his supporters for electing him 

president and promised to be a leader to unite the 

whole country. “On this May 6, the French have just chosen 

change in bearing me to the office of president,” the 

57-year-old candidate declared before a wildly cheering 

Continued on Page 13

2 LOCAL 

Kuwait heading towards 

electing popular PM 

By Ben Garcia 

KUWAIT: Kuwait is heading 

towards forming a popularly 

elected government, said an academic. 

Speaking with Kuwait 

Times recently, University of 

Kuwait’s Political Science 

Professor Shafeeq Ghabra noted 

that Kuwait will surely set an 

unprecedented trend in the 

region as a result of popularly 

competitive elections held by 

political parties that will form the 

government. “Kuwait is heading 

to that direction; we cannot deny 

or stop that. This will result in a 

popularly elected prime minister 

being chosen. Maybe we are 

looking at less than eight years. 

It’s in the process now,” he said. 

His statement was revealed 

months back to the Kuwait Times 

even before the recent proposal 

put forward by MP Faisal Al- 

Yahya requests that Kuwait’s 

Constitution be amended to 

adopt a full parliamentary system 

where the Parliament’s majority 

can form the Cabinet. The proposals 

ultimately call for creating 

a system that promotes an elected 

prime minister; a sensitive 

topic here because only members 

of Al-Sabah ruling family, 

handpicked by HH the Amir, have 

become prime ministers in 

‘Turning point for the country’ 

Kuwait’s history. “There is no consensus 

yet, particularly with the 

elite and the Sabah family. It will 

be a turning point for Kuwait. 

What happened last year was a 

sign. The storming of the 

Parliament and bringing down 

the prime minister, a ruling family 

member who could become 

the Amir one day, set a precedent 

in Kuwait. These are all signs 

of where Kuwait is heading to,” 

he stressed. 

When asked if the so-called 

changes will be painful as being 

experienced by other countries 

in the Arab World, Ghabra pointed 

out that the road to change 

and reform has been painful and 

bloody as is the case with other 

nations in the Arab World. “It is 

not always easy to move into a 

democratic state if there is no 

consensus received from everybody. 

But Kuwait is historically 

known as being home to very 

peaceful people, very accommodating. 

Therefore, I do not see 

intense confrontations. 

Confrontation perhaps will take 

place, but this does not mean 

that it will be bloody. Taking 

Kuwait’s history into considertation, 

it has always been able to 

adjust to new conditions even 

after a period of refusal and 

anger,” he explained. 

KUWAIT: Some of the dead fish found near the bay. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat 

Ghabra reiterated that the 

labor strike that took place 

months ago was not just a ‘test.’ It 

may recur. “They may stop now, 

but they may resume a month 

later; they will try to get the maximum 

of demands. If they don’t, 

they may go back on strike 

tomorrow [implied next time],” 

he warned. 

In further comments broadcast 

by Al-Rai TV, Al-Yahya 

believed that if the Constitution 

grants the Parliament the authority 

to object to an individual 

nominated by the Amir for the 

Crown Prince’s post, the 

Parliament must have the 

authority to do the same regarding 

the Amir’s choice for prime 

minister’s post, or even nominate 

a person who lawmakers see is 

the best fit for the post. “What is 

more crucial, choosing the person 

who is in line to become 

Kuwait’s future ruler, or choosing 

the next prime minister?” 

Yahya is the first lawmaker to 

propose constitutional amendments 

even during election campaign. 

In the interview broadcast 

by Al-Rai TV last Thursday, Al- 

Yahya said that the step was 

being taken decades later, was 

supposed to be made a few years 

after the Constitution was drafted 

fifty years ago. “HH the Amir 

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- 

Sabah said two years ago that 

the Kuwaiti Constitution is a mixture 

of parliamentary and monarchy 

rule,” Al-Yahya said. “This situation 

creates conflict between 

the legislative and executive 

authorities.” 

The lawmaker also referred to 

a statement made fifty years ago 

by Dr Othman Khalil Al-Othman, 

one of the Constitution’s 

founders, who admitted that it is 

contradictory, “as we seek to 

achieve harmony between two 

conflicting systems.” 

He later indicated that a full 

parliamentary system be adopted, 

albeit a few years after the 

Constitution was enforced. The 

suggestion was never realized 

owing to political troubles during 

which parliamentary results were 

forged. 

“Creators of the 1962 

Constitution made a huge 

achievement during the beginning 

of Kuwait’s development,” 

Al-Yahya said, after examining 

the rocky history of Kuwait’s parliamentary 

system which featured 

five dissolved parliaments 

and thirty formed cabinets in five 

decades. “Fifty years later, we 

need a new quantum leap to be 

freed from the persisting crises in 

the political scene.” 

Fish kill scare along Kuwait bay 

By Nawara Fattahova 

KUWAIT: Fish have been dying in large numbers 

along Kuwait bay. This incident serves as 

an indicator of pollution or a major imbalance 

in marine environment, instilling fear of 

a possible fish kill. 

According to a local Arabic daily, Salah Al- 

Mudhi, General Director of Environment 

Public Authority (EPA) has accused people of 

spreading rumors most of the time. He said 

that dead fish could have been dumped into 

the sea by fishermen because most belonged 

to the ‘Giant Sea Catfish’ species. 

To assess the situation better, the EPA has 

requested the Public Authority for 

Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources 

(PAAAFR) to investigate the cause and supervise 

the area. “Since last Friday, when EPA 

sought our assistance, we have begun daily 

inspection tours in the Kuwait Bay area, notic- 

ing that the number of fish have reduced 

drastically compared to Friday. We are still 

inspecting to make sure that it is not ‘fish kill’ 

and prevent more cases from occurring,” 

Sharik Awadh, PR of PAAAFR told Kuwait 

Times yesterday. 

“We aim to limit the problem and prevent 

fish kill in huge numbers and different kinds 

of fish. For this purpose, we are conducting 

daily marine inspection in different areas, not 

only at the bay. We do not know the reason 

behind these hundreds of types of dead fish, 

although we saw red tide twice, which may 

be the cause of fish kill. There are different 

reasons for the fish kill besides red tide. It 

may be pollution or high weather temperature. 

So, we are observing the sea. I think that 

the situation is under control even now,” he 

added. Awadh did not agree with the possibility 

that the dead fish were dumped by fishermen. 

“It is not realistic that the fishermen 

Gulf Theatre offers Jordanians 

glimpse of Kuwaiti folklore 

AMMAN: The Arabian Gulf 

Theatre troupe of the State of 

Kuwait offers Jordanian spectators 

in the ongoing Free Theatre 

Festival here a glimpse of Kuwaiti 

folklore and traditions, along with 

groups seeking to introduce the 

audience to Tunisia, Palestine, 

Libya, the host state Jordan, 

Holland, and Austria. 

Abdullah Al-Aber, Director of 

the Kuwaiti contribution in the 

festival with a play called Al- 

Boshiyyah (the veil covering the 

face), said yesterday his play is an 

attempt to recapture Kuwaiti tradition 

and present it to the 

Jordanian audience within a modern 

approach. He said the play 

deals with social classifications. 

The script presents a society that 

unites against an “outsider” who is 

in fact a descendant of a “true 

member” of that same society. 

With 22 people acting, playing 

the music score and other technicians, 

the Director feels confident 

the play will be well received due 

to the great amount of shared values 

and cultural and social traits 

between Kuwait and the host 

state. The festival started on 

Saturday under the auspices of 

Princess Reem Ali at the Royal 

Cultural Center. 

Ali Elayyan, Festival Chairman, 

said theatre as an art form is a 

reading of history and a tentative 

forecast of the future. “It is an art 

form that keeps abreast of the current 

state of affairs and stays alive 

and thrives despite the great challenge 

of poor inadequate support,” 

he said. The first performance 

in the festival was a dance by 

a Palestinian Ramallah group. 

The festival lasts until May 10 

and the main activity and attraction 

includes a symposium on the 

theme “Is the golden triangle losing 

one of its components? 

Audience, Text, and Artist.” 

The Free Theatre’s troupe is also 

presenting two productions of its 

own during the festival, one called 

“Alzheimer” and “Hijrah”, Arabic for 

migration. —KUNA 

will throw such a huge number of dead fish 

into the sea. Furthermore, if the fishermen 

dump them, it would have been near the bay 

(Niga), a popular fishing spot, not deep 

inside the sea. So there is definitely another 

reason. But I’m optimistic and I hope it will 

not worsen,” he concluded. 

Khalid Al-Hajiri, Chairman of the Green 

Line Environment Group - Kuwait (GLEG) noted 

that the Group will collect information 

about the phenomenon. “To ascertain the 

exact reason, we have to do investigate the 

cause. We know that now one kind of fish has 

been affected, and we have to go back to history 

of fish kills in Kuwait, the area, circumstance 

and other situations. There is weakness 

in the Kuwait Bay area and in the past 

years, we have witnessed some fish kills cases 

which were not announced or published. So 

we need a few days to arrive at the final 

answer,” he pointed out. 

KUWAIT: Plans have been prepared to 

move Amghara scrap yard from its current 

place to a new location near the 

Salmi (west) border area, a senior official 

announced recently. 

Maj Gen Jassem Al-Mansouri, General 

Director of the Kuwait Fire Services 

Directorate (KFSD), made the announcement 

one day after a fire engulfed tires, 

wood and steel stored in an estimated 

6,000 square meter area in Amghara. 

“The new location will be more organized 

and takes into account all environmental 

standards”, Al-Mansouri said, 

adding that the relocation process will 

take place on a gradual basis. 

The Amghara scrap yard is currently 

divided into 771 units, the majority of 

which are in violation of safety and security 

conditions. Al-Mansouri said the 

units will be individually fenced from 

three directions “as a precautionary 

measure to prevent fires from spreading”, 

during the wait for relocation. Amghara’s 

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2012 

Scrap yard to 

be relocated 

KUWAIT: The Criminal Evidence General 

Department carried out all necessary measures 

within its jurisdiction in a case 

exposed recently by MP Mohammad Al- 

Juwaihel, regarding a Kuwaiti citizen whose 

body was handed to his relatives two 

months after his death. This was confirmed 

in a report sent by the department to a 

committee formed by Minister of Interior, 

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, to 

investigate the death of citizen Nawaf Al- 

Azmi. 

“After the department was notified on 

Feb 14, 2012 about a dead body found 

inside an apartment, criminal evidence personnel 

were sent to the scene”, says the 

report which details the steps taken by the 

department regarding the case. 

According to the report, investigators 

found no bruises on the victim’s body at 

the scene. It was then taken for an autopsy, 

which later confirmed that the body carried 

no evidence of physical assault. 

In the meantime, the report refutes allegations 

which indicate that criminal evidence 

investigators failed to recognize the 

victim. “The deceased was identified on the 

same day that the body was found, and the 

department personnel tried to contact the 

address registered in the database for his 

blaze came shortly after a massive inferno 

that took place at Rahaiya (5 kilometers 

from Jahra) where at least five million 

used tires are dumped. Ahmad Al- 

Sabah, Director of Kuwait Municipality, 

reportedly recently received a letter from 

the Minister of Electricity and Water and 

State Minister of Municipality Affairs, 

Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim, asking to “separate” 

disposal locations for tire dumping to 

individual 100 square meter locations. 

A group of Jahra residents were due 

to be joined by Municipal Council members 

in a gathering planned in front of 

the entrance to the Sixth Ring Road 

which leads to Amghara scrap yard to 

demand the relocation of the yard, 

according to news reports yesterday. 

A fact-finding committee formed to 

probe the reasons behind Rahaiya’s fire 

was reportedly assigned to do the same 

regarding Amghara’s fire as well, according 

to sources with knowledge of the 

issue. 

Corpse of citizen handed to 

family after two months 

By A Saleh 

KUWAIT: Kuwait Petroleum 

Corporation (KPC) and Kuwait 

Institute for Scientific Research 

(KISR) signed here on Sunday a 

contract to execute the second 

stage of a solar energy project 

costing KD 1.5 million. 

Farouk Hussein Al-Zanki, KPC 

CEO, said the corporation is 

working to leverage researchers 

on and applications of renewable 

energy. “The second stage of the 

project concerns the execution of 

the initiative at three KPC sites, 

namely a petrol station, crude 

gathering center, and gas plant 

belonging to Kuwait Oil Tanker 

Company (KOTC - a KPC subsidiary),” 

Al-Zanki revealed. 

KUWAIT: Well-informed sources said some 

Majority MPs are trying to prevent MP 

Abdullah Al-Turaiji from supporting the 

grilling motion by MP Mohammed Al- 

Juwaihel’s against Interior Minister, Sheikh 

Ahmed Al-Humoud. 

The sources said although he will not go 

as far as to demand a no-confidence vote, 

Al-Turaiji is focusing on a number of violations 

involving forgery in nationalizing 

some citizens, granting visas to Iranians 

and the death of two citizens in police custody. 

Meanwhile, MP Hamad Al-Mattar, 

Chairman of the parliamentary environmental 

affairs committee, said it is scheduled 

to meet with Ahmadi residents to discuss 

their environmental concerns which 

include the gas leak in Block 1. 

Al-Mattar said Interior Minister, Sheikh 

Ahmed Al-Humoud, Oil Minister, Hani 

name”, the report says. It indicates that the 

house they contacted was registered in the 

name of the father of the victim, but it was 

abandoned. 

“A written notice was then referred to 

the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Prosecution 

Department to notify criminal investigators 

to search for the family of the victim”, the 

report says. A response was not made until 

a second letter, following which “(the criminal 

evidence department) were told that 

the case was transferred to another prosecution 

department” 

The report said the Criminal Evidence 

General Department contacted the 

Criminal Investigations General 

Department on April 16 to ask them to 

search for the family “despite the fact that 

this coordination process is not in their (the 

evidence department) jurisdiction”. 

Criminal investigators found the family two 

days later. 

The report is attached to documents 

which prove that the Criminal Evidence 

General Department carried out all their 

duties regarding the case. The investigations 

committee formed by the minister is 

currently working to find those responsible 

for the delay in handing the body to the 

victim’s family. —Al-Rai 

Majority MPs try to prevent 

Turaiji supporting grilling 

“The project aims to promote 

solar energy applications in electricity 

Generating, and reduce 

reliance on traditional energies. It 

is in keeping with the tendency 

of the country’s political leadership 

and the KPC strategy for 

management of energy consumption 

in an environmentfriendly 

way,” he noted. 

“The first stage of the project, 

concerned with studies and 

research, showed that solar energy 

bears a great promise as the 

best source of energy in Kuwait. 

This fact encouraged KPC and 

KISR to proceed to the second 

stage of the project,” Al-Zanki 

added. Dr. Naji Al-Mutairi, KISR 

Hussein, and a Kuwait Fire Services 

Directorate (KFSD director, Yousef Al-Ansari, 

will be invited to attend the meeting as the 

concerned Government representatives. 

In another development, the parliamentary 

legislative committee yesterday met to 

discuss various topics on its agenda, such 

as establishing a special authority to fight 

corruption. MP Mohammed Al-Dallal, 

Committee Rapporteur, said that MPs 

made 36 suggestions in related bills and 

will meet again within two weeks to continue 

its discussions. Al-Dallal said the committee 

also discussed six requests to lift the 

parliamentary immunity from MPs Nabeel 

Al-Fadhel and Mohammed Al-Juwaihel, 

which were approved. MP Waleed Al- 

Tabtabaie, Chairman of the Kuwait branch 

of the International Islamic 

Parliamentarians Forum (IIPF), said its executive 

committee is preparing to hold a 

meeting in Kuwait from May 8 to 11. It will 

be hosted by the National Assembly. 

Sheikh Nasser denies accusations 

KUWAIT: Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad 

said that he has never financed any political 

groups in Kuwait or abroad. He 

added that, as a Kuwaiti citizens he is 

keen to maintain the political and social 

stability in the country. Sheikh Nasser’s 

comments were released in a statement 

by his legal representatives following 

claims, made by MP Nabeel Al-Fadel, to 

the media that Sheikh Nasser had 

financed opposition parties in Kuwait. 

The statement categorically denied 

the accusations, and noted that it is in 

violation of item21 of law3, 2006 regard- 

ing print and publication. The statement 

said that Al-Fadel continued to make 

baseless accusations about Sheikh 

Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad without evidence. 

The statement further added that the 

MP did not back his accusations with any 

proof, but instead used the claims to 

incite hatred between Sheikh Nasser Al- 

Sabah and the ruling family, ministers 

and civil society. It concluded by saying 

that Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad 

reserves the right to take legal action 

against Al-Fadel.— Al-Jarida 

KPC, KISR sign KD 1.5m 

solar energy project 

Director General, praised the 

relationship between his institute 

and KPC as special, saying that 

the partnership helps to promote 

technological advancement and 

improve infrastructure in the 

country. 

“The project, being carried 

out by national cadres, will contribute 

greatly to the domestication 

of advanced technologies, 

the preservation of oil resources 

and the protection of the environment,” 

Al-Mutairi said. The 

first stage cost KD 74,000, and 

the second one costing KD 1.5 

million will be executed over 

the coming three days, he 

added. —KUNA

local 

KUWAIT: (Left) An emergency department of one of the hospitals in Kuwait. (Right) A hospital staff member putting on latex gloves before performing 

a medical procedure. —Photos by Joseph Shagra 

Hospital bacteria could be lethal 

By Sawsan Kazak 

KUWAIT: Infections, diseases, medical complications 

are all reasons a person would visit a 

hospital, but there is a bacteria that infects 

patients at the hospital who are seeking treatment 

or getting testing done. Methicillin-resistant 

Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an infection 

that affects people who have recently visited 

a hospital or healthcare facility. MRSA 

infection is caused by a strain of staph bacteria 

that’s become resistant to the antibiotics commonly 

used to treat ordinary staph infections. 

This infection can manifest itself in a variety of 

ways. MRSA can cause the skin to develop 

small red pimples that can become painful 

abscesses that cause a lot of pain and need to 

be drained surgically. In severe cases the infection 

goes beyond the skin and gets deep into 

the body infecting a person’s bones, joints, 

blood stream and causing potentially lifethreatening 

infections. 

The question then arises: ‘Are Kuwait’s hospitals 

protecting themselves and their patients 

against MRSA?’ 

“MRSA is common in Kuwait, it’s acquired in 

the hospital. We see many cases of it, but it’s 

not normally a complaint. Patients don’t come 

in complaining of having MRSA, it’s a contaminant,” 

explains Dr Ziad, Chairman of 

Emergency Medicine, adding “they come in 

with something else and are infected with 

MRSA when they are at the hospital.” 

Dr Ziad explains that MRSA occurs everywhere 

around the world and can shut down 

wards and whole departments because of its 

contagiousness. “The best way to prevent it is 

hand hygiene by hospital staff between 

patients; that’s why we have strict regulations. 

When you perform a medical procedure on 

one patient, you must clean your hands, 

change your gloves, change the medical items 

you worked with before moving on to another 

patient,” the doctor explains. 

“It’s a hospital acquired infection, you 

wouldn’t normally catch it out on the street. A 

lot of people are actually carriers of this bacteria 

but they wouldn’t know about it,” he said. 

He explains that unlike the common cold, 

MRSA does not offer clear indications to identify 

it. “It’s not like a patient would complain of 

a sore throat and go to the hospital and discover 

it’s MRSA, that’s not how it happens. 

There aren’t any symptoms you could pinpoint. 

MRSA is a bacteria that can affect anything. 

It could affect a surgical wound, it could 

affect your chest infection. You could have a 

bladder infection and let’s say you have a 

catheter in the hospital and that catheter 

could be infected with MRSA and you would 

get it that way.” 

Dr Ziad explains that people are usually 

unaware that they have been infected. “It’s 

normally discovered in the hospital and treated 

there. A lot of times they call it a flesh eating 

bacteria, it gets a lot of publicity abroad,” 

he adds. 

The majority of people that carry it are 

actually doctors and nurses. “We could be carrying 

this bacteria in our noses, in our throats,” 

says the doctor of the usual carries of the bacteria. 

He says MRSA can be dangerous, it can 

even be quite lethal. “MRSA can infect 

wounds, complicate all sorts of surgeries. It 

can potentially be life threatening,” the doctor 

explains. 

According to an infection control specialist, 

“More than 30 percent of the population are 

carriers of the bacteria and the carriers are at 

more risk of it developing into an infection.” 

She further explains that the population is not 

screened as screening only happens for certain 

individuals, such as people entering an 

intensive care unit or about to undergo sur- 

gery or when people are being transferred 

from one hospital to another. The infection 

control specialist also insists that hand washing 

is the best method of prevention. 

“It’s hard to put the responsibility on the 

patients when it’s the doctors and nurses’ jobs 

to keep clean,” says Dr Ziad about what 

patients should do to protect themselves. 

“Patients don’t normally go around touching 

other patients, but good hand hygiene is 

advocated,” he adds. “MRSA is a nosocomial 

infection, which means it is acquired in the 

hospital,” says Gino, a medical laboratory specialist 

at a public hospital. Gino explains that 

this type of infection is highly infectious saying 

“if a family member has MRSA, then the 

rest of the family is at high risk of getting the 

infection. Medical staff treating patients with 

MRSA are also at high risk of getting infected.” 

Gino advises the use of gloves and face 

masks as a way of protecting against the 

infection, as well as constant hand washing. 

“There are many cases at our hospital, about 

40 to 50 percent of patients with active infections 

have MRSA,” says the laboratory specialist 

who insists that good hygiene by the staff 

and patients could reduce the amount of 

infections. 

NA examines anti-corruption bills 

KUWAIT: The parliamentary committee for 

legal and legislative affairs pondered on 

Sunday bills concerning the establishment of 

an authority to fight corruption, and 

approved lifting the immunity of two members 

of the National Assembly. 

Dr. Mohammad Al-Dallal, Commission rapporteur, 

said members of the committee also 

discussed proposed laws to fight corruption, 

disclosing financial assets, the protection of 

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime 

Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- 

Sabah, testified for the first time on 

Saturday during a parliamentary 

committee meeting to probe allegations 

that his predecessor transferred 

millions in public funds to private 

accounts overseas. 

The premier was “very cooperative” 

in regards to making his testimony 

under oath and answering all 

questions asked according to MP 

Faisal Al-Mislem, committee head. 

“HH Sheikh Al-Mubarak gave me 

his approval to visit his diwan whenever 

necessary”, Al-Mislem said following 

the meeting, adding that the 

Premier also promised to visit ministries 

not cooperating with the investigation. 

Sources familiar with the 

meeting said Sheikh Jaber explained 

that he gave orders to stop the 

process by which transfers can be 

made through verbal orders at his 

diwan. 

The news came out simultaneously 

with reports that former Prime 

Minister, Sheikh Nasser Al- 

Mohammad Al-Sabah, testified on 

Thursday at the Court of Ministries in 

charges filed against him regarding 

the same case. 

According to sources with knowledge 

of the issue, the former Premier 

“refuted all allegations by insisting 

that all transfers were made to serve 

Kuwait’s interests”. 

Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad is 

yet to testify to the parliamentary 

investigations committee, which 

already filed a request to Parliament 

head office to extend their work 

throughout the summer as well as 

seeking help from the State Audit 

Bureau. In other news, the 

Development and Reform Bloc (DRB) 

meets today to discuss the grilling 

motion filed by MP Mohammad Al- 

Juwaihel against Deputy Prime 

Minister and Interior Minister, Sheikh 

Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, as well 

as the planned grilling against 

Minister of Finance Mustafa Al- 

Shamali. 

The majority coalition in parliament 

nominated MPs Musallam Al- 

Barrak and Khalid Al-Tahous from the 

Popular Action Bloc, and 

Independent lawmaker Abdurrahman 

Al-Anjari to jointly file Al-Shamali’s 

grilling. It is almost certain that the 

debate will end with a vote of confidence 

through which the ‘Majority 

Bloc’ can force the minister out of 

office. While two grilling motions 

have already been debated in the current 

parliament, both of them were 

funds and averting conflicts of interests. He 

said they examined up to 36 bills with representatives 

of the Kuwait Bar Association and 

Kuwait Transparency Society. 

He added that the committee asked the 

Government and representatives of civil associations 

to put forward their remarks and 

comments in writing, noting that the committee 

will hold another meeting in two 

weeks to finalize examination of the pro- 

PM ‘very cooperative’ 

with probe panel 

filed by members of the minority and 

the Cabinet was eventually able to 

overcome them. The same is expected 

to be applied to Al-Juwaihel’s 

motion. 

On the other hand, Al-Shamali’s 

grilling is characterized by the fact 

that it is the first to be filed by the 

Majority Bloc, thus ending a seemingly 

unofficial agreement with the 

Cabinet to give ministers a six month 

period to work before questioning. 

However, observers recently pointed 

out that this agreement became automatically 

void the moment Al-Shamali 

was selected back to the Cabinet last 

February. 

Asked about his opinion on the 

matter, MP Al-Barrak said a cooperation 

agreement between the two 

authorities was never in place either 

way. “Mustafa Al-Shamali is the one 

always talking about alleged cooperation 

(between Parliament and the 

Cabinet),” the outspoken Opposition 

lawmaker said. “True cooperation 

posed laws, pending their submission to the 

National Assembly. 

Moreover, the commission endorsed several 

bills allowing the Court of Cassation to 

examine conviction misdemeanor cases, noting 

that the existing law does not allow the 

tribunal to look into such appealed cases. 

Furthermore, it approved revoking Article 15 

of the penal code which stipulates imprisonment 

of a citizen or resident for promoting 

means providing information to investigation 

committees instead of only 

voting for their formation. The Central 

Bank today is creating barriers that 

prevent the committee investigating 

the multimillion-dinar deposits case 

from getting information from state 

departments, that received direction 

not to cooperate”, Al-Barrak further 

explained. DRB member Falah Al- 

Sawwagh announced that the leading 

group could soon expand to twelve 

members “as three MPs expressed 

their wish to join”. The bloc members 

increased to nine recently after MPs 

Abdullah Al-Barghash, Mohammad Al- 

Dallal, Mubarak Al-Waalan, Hamad Al- 

Mattar and Osama Al-Shaheen joined 

its original four members of MP Al- 

Mislem, Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Dr 

Jamaan Al-Harbash and Al-Sawwagh. 

The names of the three potential new 

DRB members were not disclosed by 

Al-Sawagh, who said on Saturday that 

an announcement could be made in 

the very near future. 

Kuwait-UN conference to 

address urban challenges 

KUWAIT: The Municipal Management 

and Urban Development Conference 

for the Sustainability of Arab Cities 

starting here on Monday will address 

challenges and catching up with the 

latest developments related to urban 

community development, said the 

deputy head of the conference 

organizing committee. 

“The conference, organized by 

Kuwait Municipality and UN-HABITAT 

over three days, emphasizes Kuwait’s 

pioneering role in addressing community 

challenges and keeping 

abreast with developments in different 

domains,” Mohammad Al- 

Mousawi said yesterday. 

The event also shows the UN organization’s 

great confidence in Kuwait’s 

leading role in the region, and highlights 

the importance of pan-Arab 

action to help face growing challenges. 

Al-Mousawi said the organizing 

committee completed all preparations 

for the conference. He said over 

70 experts from European, American 

and Arab universities, as well as 20 UN 

experts, will participate in conference 

activities. The conference will focus 

on the following themes: local urban 

governance and urban planning; 

affordable housing, slum upgrading 

and urban regeneration; urban economy, 

urban labor market and youth 

employment; and climate change, 

urban energy and mobility. 

The conference is considered a 

preparatory meeting for Arab states 

for the World Urban Forum 6 (WUF6) 

that will take place in Naples, Italy, 

from Sept 1 to 7. 

It will also discuss Arab States’ 

efforts towards sustainable urban 

development prior to the United 

Nations Conference for Sustainable 

Urban Development scheduled for 

June, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

The conference will mark the 

launch of the first report on the State 

of Arab Cities 2012. The report is the 

first attempt by UN-HABITAT and 

Arab Towns Organization with support 

from the Kuwaiti Government 

to document urban trends in Arab 

cities and present a snapshot of Arab 

cities demographic, social, economic, 

environmental, physical and housing 

conditions (within a sub-regional 

context). It also provides an analysis 

of recent Arab uprisings within 

national and local governance contexts, 

and marks the potential and 

merits of Arab cities within regional 

and international integration 

prospects. —KUNA 

false reports about internal conditions in the 

country, in a manner that would undermine 

Kuwait’s financial credibility or state image, or 

for being involved in acts deemed detrimental 

to the country’s higher national interests. 

The participants in the meetings examined 

and approved six requests to lift immunity, 

five against MP Nabeel Al-Fadhel, and 

the sixth against MP Mohammad Al- 

Juwaihel.—KUNA 

News 

in brief 


Divorce rates down 

KUWAIT: Heba Al-Abdul Jaleel, Ministry of Justice 

Director of Research and Statistics Administration, 

said there is noticeable decline in the divorce rate 

in Kuwait during the past ten years from 2001 to 

2010. The rate is now two divorce cases for every 

1,000 persons from the total population in Kuwait. 

In a study prepared for the last ten years, Al-Abdul 

Jaleel said the divorce average during the period 

reached 1.67 cases for each 1,000 persons. She said 

the divorce rate in Kuwait declined by 0.05 in 2010 

for every 1,000 persons compared to the year 2001. 

She said the decline was due to efforts made to 

reduce divorce through information and education. 

She emphasized the importance of increasing concentrated 

efforts by those in charge of caring for 

Kuwaiti families, who are working hard to prevent 

divorce. They are also preparing informative programs 

for newlywed youths to educate them about 

the nature of dealing between couples. 

Sports regulations to be amended 

KUWAIT: Sources revealed that the Council of 

Ministers has sent amendments to the sports regulations 

to the NA council. They requested that the 

amendments be reviewed urgently in order to 

ensure that Kuwait is represented in the Olympic 

games in London, which open shortly. The government 

attached two amended laws, an explanatory 

note for each, and a table comparing the current 

articles with the amended ones. 

Private labs to test expats 

KUWAIT: Minister of Health, Dr Ali Al-Obaidi, will 

issue a decision by which he will allow private sectors 

laboratories who meet the necessary conditions 

laid down by medical laboratory administration, 

to make some tests for viruses. Sources said 

that this decision will be strictly monitored by the 

minister in order that the tests are not used to 

check expatriate laborers. 

Praise for MSAL efforts 

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor 

(MSAL) labor relation administration received more 

than 15,000 labor complaints in 2011 relating to 

late salaries, end of service dues, warning 

allowances and compensation for unjustified firing. 

The American Embassy in Kuwait hailed the 

answers of the MSAL in response to the accusations 

contained in the American state office report, 

which classified Kuwait within the third group for 

countries who do not abide by implementing a 

minimum standard to fight human trade. Sources 

said those working at the American Embassy who 

are entrusted to follow up labors affairs in Kuwait 

have hailed the efforts made by Hadi Al-Enizi, assistant 

director of labor public relations and shelter 

center director, for following up the expatriates 

work and the helping to solve their problems 

according to the law for solving labor complaints.

kuwait digest 

Why are our recreation 

facilities ignored? 

By Arwa Al-Wuqayan 

We speak about Kuwait with love and we 

ask everyone to come and visit it. 

However, when tourists arrive in Kuwait, 

they are shocked to learn that Kuwait is not a 

tourist-friendly at all, and that our entertainment 

facilities are dying a slow death. 

The Touristic Enterprises Company(TEC) was 

established in 1976. Its main aim is to provide 

entertainment services to every citizen and expatriate 

in Kuwait. In fact, the company has successfully 

completed many projects like the Green 

Island, Swimming Pool complex, Kuwait Towers, 

Fountain Garden and Al-Khairan resort. These have 

aged with time. Lets us not forget the 

Entertainment City that is notorious for its rundown 

and old game rides. Even Al-Shaab 

Entertainment Park which was renovated in the 

90s, is a pitiful sight! 

In 2012, these facilities are struggling to withstand 

the ravages of time. Other regions in the 

Middle East are rushing to create ‘entertainment 

cities’ using state-of-the art technologies. We are 

an exception to the rule. Not to forget, our beaches 

are terribly polluted; compounded by the fact that 

there is nothing much to do there! 

We do not have any modern entertainment 

facilities. Construction marvels are a symbol of any 

country’s advancement. These help promote 

tourism. The lack of recreational centers mean that 

Kuwaitis escape to fancy destinations during holidays. 

All countries encourage public concerts. Here in 

Kuwait, these are limited to the month of February. 

Even local tourism is ignored in Kuwait. 

If we encourage foreign investors to construct 

large-scale projects to revive Kuwait’s tourism, it 

will become one of the more attractive destinations 

for tourists owing to its location. Sadly, our 

lawmakers are always bickering with each other in 

the National Assembly, and are not interested in 

reviving tourism. We began developing much earlier 

than other countries in the region and have also 

began deteriorating much earlier. It is a sorry situation. 

— Al-jarida 

In my view 

Time to re-formulate 

educational policies 

By Dr Yaqoub Al-Sharrah 

Many countries focus on formulating clear 

educational policies based on studies that 

take into account the present circumstances 

and requirements of society. These policies are essential 

to outline the process of work in the education 

system. Therefore, these change from one society to 

another depend on the circumstances and requirements. 

With that in mind, we cannot possibly say that 

one educational policy is better than the other as 

long as each is implemented with the social, cultural, 

economic and political aspects kept in mind. 

Instead of yielding to the wishes of certain individuals 

or people in power, an educational policy carries 

organized ideologies that meet the demands of the 

public regarding advanced education that can guarantee 

positive results. The success of an educational 

policy cannot be assessed until after years of active 

practices that fall in line with social changes. In all, an 

educational policy leaves a direct impact on the work 

of educational facilities adopting it. 

The quality of work can change positively or negatively 

depending on the change in policies. That is 

why educational policies are considered the pinnacle 

of administrative work in the education field. 

Depending on this, the educational system can overcome 

challenges. 

Kuwait is a developing country that has enough 

capabilities to establish a competitive educational 

system that adopts educational policies which fall in 

line with the state’s development plan. Unfortunately, 

the educational policies adopted by the government 

are vague and confusing, to the point that it fails to 

utilize development of human resources as a main 

component of the state’s development plan. 

A successful educational policy enables students 

to obtain enough knowledge, creativity and capability 

to help improve their country. This can be achieved 

in Kuwait, given the resources the country is blessed 

with, compared to other countries that lead in technological 

advancement like Hong Kong, Singapore, 

Taiwan and Malaysia. 

No one can argue with the reality that the level of 

education and priority in society is declining. This can 

be attributed to many aspects that include management, 

teachers, curriculum and students’ families. If 

we take the curriculum for example, we find that it is 

too poor to prepare young people to meet the labor 

market’s demands. 

Some believe that the curriculum has become a 

burden to Kuwait’s educational system; incapable of 

adjusting to a rapidly changing world. On the other 

hand, there are people who believe that curriculum is 

actually the victim of socio-cultural and political influence. 

It is a struggle between social categories that 

prepare educational material. 

All this, in my opinion, has contributed to the 

weakness of curriculum, rendering it incapable of 

adapting with requirements of the state’s development 

process. We can say that current educational 

curriculum is useless when it comes to achieving educational 

reform or productive graduates. They are 

now more negative in outlook, spiteful than ever 

before. While many reasons have led to the situation 

that curriculums have regressed to today, one of the 

main reasons come from the management, and that 

through chaotic and unstudied changes made by officials. 

The Cabinet should devise an educational code 

that outlines the main policies and goals in Kuwait. 

This is to protect this field from being influenced by 

the executive or legislative authorities. — Al-Rai 

LOCAL 

News can no longer be kept secret 

Talk of reform - especially in the current climate 

prevailing in the Arab world - tends to 

focus on the impact of change on a country’s 

constitutions and laws. An oft overlooked fact is 

that the main beneficiary of reform is often the 

media. 

Barriers to freedom of expression and openness 

are disappearing across the Arab world. 

Innovation and technology have changed the 

media landscape, leading to the creation of a new 

generation of information consumers that is 

dependent on mobile communication through 

the iPad, iPhone, Android phones and other 

mobile devices. The way people communicate has 

changed through such tools, allowing users to 

connect and express their views anywhere, anytime 

via an array of social media networks such as 

Facebook and Twitter. 

The methods of news gathering and distribution 

have also entered a significant new stage in 

their development on the back of this communication 

and information revolution. No longer are 

communication and news a binary relationship 

between a sender and receiver; rather, multiple 

media platforms now come together to create an 

interactive dialogue, providing the public with a 

fuller and more rounded picture of news and current 

events. 

Beyond the technological revolution, the news 

industry is also undergoing profound changes in 

terms of budget allocations, the training and qualification 

of journalists, the mobility of news media 

across countries allowing for diversity of views and 

local insights as well as higher demands for editorial 

and visual creativity in news reporting. Today 

the only impediment to the reporting of a story is 

in the journalist’s imagination. 

Arab satellite channels, especially news channels, 

have played a key role in paving the way for 

freedom of information in the Arab region, successfully 

delivering quality news coverage from 

across the globe. It is thanks to the demands of 

Arab audiences for high quality, professional news 

produced to international standards that we see 

home grown Arab channels able to compete with 

western based news outlets. Audiences are no 

longer dependent on getting their information 

from foreign sources and can instead expect local 

news in their own language delivered by Arab 

journalists who have an understanding of what 

makes news here. 

There are two fundamental reasons for the success 

of the Arab news channels. Firstly, their capacity 

to influence the removal of barriers and restrictions 

that hindered the provision of quality news 

coverage. Secondly, the emergence and widespread 

penetration across the region of Arab 

Satellite channels which were able to reach audiences 

previously missed by the print media due to 

high rates of illiteracy. Reaching a larger segment 

of the population increased participation and further 

impacted the ability to push down barriers 

where they existed. 

Whenever an organization 

can convince 10 government 

parties to have 70 

of its employees join a training 

course in an Asian capital for three 

days at a cost of not less than KD 

3,000 for each employee, the 

course is either very important 

and very fatal, or the organizers 

are very super and abnormal to 

convince all those government 

organizations to participate in an 

overseas course. 

The disaster is that the course is 

titled “How to deal with the 

iPhone” and held in a hotel hall 

over two days. 

Computer engineers give lectures 

as well as technicians, and 

you can find many similar to them 

in computer repair workshops at 

OP-ED 

By Dr Yasser Thabet (Head of Output at Sky News Arabia) 

Ibn Khaldoon street or even in 

Friday market. 

The bottom line is that the 

commercial organization got KD 

210,000 from the government in 

return for recreational services for 

70 government employees, who 

were sent for a change of atmosphere 

to that country for a silly 

course not needed by that 

Government or its employees. 

Imagine a limited organization, 

the capital of which does not 

exceed a few thousand, receives 

from the government organizations 

more than KD 200,000 in one 

shot for a three day course. And 

this is not the only course, but 

every now and then it announces 

another course and the cost of 

joining it varies between KD 1,700 

Another fundamental shift for Arab news channels, 

beyond the changing rules in news reporting, 

is the need to cater to a new generation of viewers 

who consume media in ways very different to their 

predecessors. As a result, news in the region is 

increasingly communicated across multiple platforms 

including online, mobile and live internet 

broadcasting in additional to traditional TV broadcasting. 

This creates a need to understand the 

importance of presenting news in ways that grab 

the attention of the viewer and makes following 

the news enjoyable as well as informative. The act 

of reporting therefore becomes a key component 

in the development of the news, offering an additional 

layer of information that is both in-depth 

and interesting in terms of explaining the news 

and taking into account differing views and opinions 

in relation to a story. 

The final trend in news reporting across the 

Arab world is speed. In a dynamic region that is 

witnessing dramatic changes and fast-paced 

developments, news channels must be able to 

respond at a pace equal to the evolution of events. 

Doing so is the only way to retain the confidence 

of an increasingly demanding and ever questioning 

audience thirsty for up-to-the-minute news. 

Bearing in mind these developments in the 

Arab media scene, and given that public awareness 

and engagement in the MENA is at an alltime 

high, audiences have become more important 

than ever. News outlets must ensure the information 

they provide is accurate, credible, communicates 

visually and can be substantiated. The days 

of having a passive audience that accepts spoon 

fed news are long gone. The Arab viewer will question, 

challenge and offer an opinion; any newsroom 

competing in the Arab news space has to 

critically and innovatively consider how to simultaneously 

provide viewers, readers and listeners 

with cutting edge news without compromising 

quality both in terms of content and visual appeal. 

It is essential for Arab channels to build bridges 

with citizen journalists in order for the public to 

evolve from being simple spectators of the news 

to becoming active players in the creation of it. 

Sky News Arabia was launched on May 6 into 

the fast-changing landscape of Middle East news 

reporting with a keen mission to provide cutting 

edge, fast and reliable news across a number of 

multimedia platforms. 

Sky News Arabia will provide professional journalism 

shedding light on news events from the 

Arab world and to the Arab world. The integrated 

multimedia platforms of the 24-hour news channel 

will deliver fast paced, editorially independent 

breaking news. News will be delivered with journalistic 

integrity, providing objective and accurate 

news and, with 12 bureaus across the region, presenting 

a plurality of views and opinions. 

News in the Arab world is dynamic, innovative 

and fast paced and Sky News Arabia enters the 

news arena with a fresh perspective to cover the 

stories that matter. 

kuwait digest 

Wasting our public money 

By Thaar Al-Rashidi 

to KD 3,000 for each employee. 

The strange thing is that this 

individual organization does not 

put any advertisements in the 

newspapers. Assuring that it 

makes 20 courses like the one that 

cost KD 3,000, it can obtain from 

the government about KD 4 million 

each year. Is that logical? Is it 

logical that a government organization 

pays KD 3,000 to teach one 

of its employees how to use an 

iphone?! 

Note: What I said above is 

called playing and wasting public 

money unjustifiably and can be 

also named a “shame”. 

Note 2: There is very fine thread 

between cunning and theft, and it 

seems that such a thread does not 

exist in Kuwait. —Al-Anbaa 


Satire Wire 

Democracy in 

the Arab world 


sawsank@kuwaittimes.net 

Most Arabs just do not understand democracy. 

I can make this statement because I am 

an Arab. It is like making fun of your own 

family, it is only acceptable if you do it, no one else. 

Looking at the recent, or should I say ongoing, activities 

in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, to name a 

few, one cannot really see any concrete progress. 

The Arab World was amazed at the power of 

protests and the strength in numbers as they 

watched Libya, Tunisia and Egypt overthrow their 

leaders and are still watching Syria fight on. But can 

Arabs that have lived under practical dictatorship 

for most of their lives, understand the responsibilities 

that accompany freedom? 

I know I am making quite a big generalization 

when I say that I do not believe many Arabs comprehend 

‘democracy.’ Given the recent actions in the 

Arab World, especially Egypt, it is easy to see that 

the concept of democracy is somewhat lost. Just 

because you are allowed to do something, does not 

mean you have to do it all the time; like protesting 

for instance. Having the freedom of choice means 

being responsible for the aftermath of that choice. 

A democratic government is one that is ruled by 

the majority, a concept that is hard to apply to any 

Arab nation owing to the many groups, sub-groups 

and minorities Arabs like to place themselves in. 

People in the Arab world segregate themselves by 

their country, then by their religion, then by the sect 

of the religion they practice, followed by the political 

group they support, then by the area they grew 

up in, then by the street they used to play at as children, 

then by the European football team they 

cheer on, and finally the way you like your eggs in 

the morning. 

When you see all these divisions, and there are 

even some I did not mention, it is hard to see a 

majority come out of that. If the Arab people would 

vote, or side with what is good for them, their country 

and the future of the nation, then they would 

understand democracy. Instead, most people living 

in Arab nations have blind allegiances to sects, religious 

leaders, political parties, football teams, and 

support them to death—sometimes literally. 

I am not saying that because most Arab nations 

do not seem to understand how to apply democracy 

to their cultures, that democracy should be 

scrapped. What I am saying is that democratic 

reform is going to take time and a lot more education 

before the people in Arab countries can see 

past their little groups and make decisions based on 

the bigger picture. 

kuwait digest 

MPs can amend 

constitution 

By Khalid Al-Awadhi 

Ichose to write about the constitutional amendments 

in this column neither with the intention of 

defending the argument of lawmakers who proposed 

them, nor to express my own point of view on 

the matter. Instead, I wanted to respond to three main 

points through which fellow columnist Abdullatif Al- 

Duaij argued in a recent column that MPs don’t have 

the authority to amend the Constitution as per its articles. 

First of all, Al-Duaij mentioned article 174 of the 

Kuwait Constitution which says that His Highness the 

Amir and the majority of Parliament members can 

agree on a revision of the Constitution. He indicated 

that the term ‘revision’ is carefully chosen as “an indicator 

that MPs do not have the right to change constitutional 

articles entirely”, while the term ‘amendment’ 

would have been chosen to indicate that lawmakers 

enjoy that authority. 

This in my opinion is inaccurate because neither 

the Constitution nor its explanatory memorandum 

gives a definite definition to both terms as suggested 

by Al-Duaij, and they do not mention limits by which 

articles can be adjusted. As far as I am concerned, this 

means that all constitutional articles except for article 

175 which deals with the Amiri system and principles 

of freedom and equality are eligible for amendment 

by default. 

The second point in Al-Duaij’s article is when he 

said the Constitution’s explanatory memorandum 

indicates that Kuwait enjoys a pseudo-monarchy rule 

which is a hybrid between the monarchy and parliamentary 

systems of governance. I actually did not 

expect a veteran columnist of Al-Duaij’s caliber to 

make the mistake of mentioning that Kuwait’s system 

is a monarchy in the first place in addition to being 

partially parliamentarian. 

To quote the explanatory memorandum which Al- 

Duaij admits is part of the Constitution: “To maintain 

national unity and stability of power, the Constitution 

adopts a democratic system that combines the parliamentary 

and monarchy systems while leans more 

towards the former”. This script clearly indicates that 

unlike the implication in Al-Duaij’s article, Kuwait’s ruling 

system leans towards the parliamentary system. 

Moreover, the memorandum puts the parliamentary 

system ahead of the monarchy system whenever it 

mentions the type of rule in Kuwait; something Al- 

Duaij overlooked in his column for some reason. The 

third and final point pertains to Al-Duaij’s statement 

when he said a constitutional amendment must be 

carried out by a Parliament elected specifically - or at 

least mainly - for this job. I wonder and am sure many 

others are wondering as well about the source - be it a 

constitutional article or a paragraph in the explanatory 

memorandum - based on which Al-Duaij made this 

claim. — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: A court decision on April 22, 2012, 

cancelling a ministerial order barring women 

from entry-level jobs at the Justice Ministry is 

an important victory against legally-sanctioned 

discrimination in Kuwait, Human Rights Watch 

said yesterday. Human Rights Watch urged the 

Kuwaiti government to act on the decision, to 

guarantee women equal access to all public 

jobs, and to amend or repeal gender-based discriminatory 

provisions from all its legislation. 

In July 2011, the Justice Ministry announced 

in local newspapers that it would accept applicants 

for “entry level legal researcher” - a first 

step to becoming a prosecutor. The advertisement 

specified that the positions were only 

open to male candidates, without providing any 

rationale for the restriction. 

“This important ruling reaffirms the principles 

of equality between men and women that 

are guaranteed in Kuwait’s constitution and 

international laws,” said Joe Stork, deputy 

Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. 

“The court ruling shows the important role that 

Kuwaiti courts can play in protecting equality in 

the face of efforts to restrict it.” 

At least six recent female graduates of law 

schools had applied for the Justice Ministry jobs 

following the July 2011 advertisement, but ministry 

officials refused to accept their applications, 

Marwa Al-Seirafi, one of the applicants, 

told Human Rights Watch. 

In August, Al-Seirafi and at least five other 

female applicants separately filed lawsuits at 

the Administrative Court, contending that the 

ministry’s decision to consider only male appli- 

cants was unconstitutional. 

The court, in ruling for the plaintiffs, ordered 

the ministry to cancel its requirement that candidates 

be male. The court said that the decision 

violated the Kuwaiti constitution and international 

treaties that Kuwait has ratified. The 

ministry has a month to appeal. 

Candidates accepted by the ministry for the 

positions take a nine-month training course at 

Kuwait Institution for Legal Studies. If they successfully 

complete the course, they become 

prosecutors. 

“The issue is not whether I’m accepted or 

not,” Dhuha Al-Azmi, another female applicant, 

told Human Rights Watch. “What is important is 

I have a chance to compete with the other 

applicants for the positions.” 

In a similar case in April 2010, an administrative 

court rejected a lawsuit by a female Kuwaiti 

law graduate who contended that her application 

to work for the public prosecution unit was 

unconstitutionally rejected because of her gender. 

The judge found that article 2 of Kuwait’s 

constitution, which cites Islam as the state religion 

and Islamic Sharia as “a main source of legislation,” 

prevented women from holding prosecutorial 

positions. 

Article 29 of the Kuwait Constitution says: 

“All people are equal in human dignity and in 

public rights and duties before the law, without 

distinction to race, origin, language, or religion.” 

The Convention on the Elimination of All 

Forms of Discrimination against Women 

(CEDAW), which Kuwait ratified in 1994, calls for 

taking measures to “eliminate discrimination 

local 

HRW hails decision to hire 

women in justice ministry 

Victory for women’s rights 

Wataniya Telecom offers 

customers a chance to 

see celebrities live 

KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom continues to launch one creative initiative 

after the other in an effort to develop its products and services and 

provide its customers with a unique communication experience. 

Customers will be given a chance to see their favorite celebrities live 

only if they join the Wink Program or The W’s rate plan. 

Wataniya strives to please its customers and 

present them with the latest and most exciting 

offers. By joining Wink or The W’s, top-spenders 

customers might get the chance to see their 

favorite celebrities live. 

Commenting on the exciting offer, Riham Al- 

Ayyar Senior Director of Communications, Brand 

and Customer Experience at Wataniya Telecom 

said: “Wataniya’s teams are always working to 

Riham Al-Ayyar 

introduce offers and packages that suit our different 

customer segments and especially youth. 

The new offer allows our customers to enjoy exclusive benefits which 

are not only on a local level but regional and international level as 

well.” Al-Ayyar also added: “Wataniya Telecom provides exclusive 

access to international concerts and we are always looking for ways to 

indulge our customers with unique treats.” 

The Wink offers allow customers to enjoy amazing benefits exclusively 

designed for the youth. These offers include: free Gold numbers, 

50% off on calls to four Wataniya numbers, 50% off on SMS sent to 

Wataniya numbers and discounts at their favorite stores and restaurants. 

On the other hand, The W’s Plan is tailored for customers who 

want to enjoy unlimited services from Wataniya for a fixed fee of KD 

58. In return they would receive unlimited calls to any local number, 

unlimited local SMS and MMS, unlimited BlackBerry service or 3GB 

Net-on-Phone. 


against women in the field of employment.” 

“This is a great historic achievement for all 

women in Kuwait,” Al-Seirafi told Human Rights 

Watch following the decision. “We are fighting 

for the rights of women in this country and if 

the ministry appeals the ruling we will keep 

challenging them.” 

Women’s rights in Kuwait took a step forward 

in 2005, when Kuwaiti women won the right to 

vote and to become candidates for election, 

paving the way for the election of four women 

to parliament in May 2009. However Kuwaiti 

women continue to face discrimination on 

many legal levels. Kuwait’s nationality law 

denies Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaiti 

men the right to pass their nationality on to 

their children and spouses, a right held by 

Kuwaiti men married to foreign spouses. 

In cases of alleged domestic violence or marital 

rape, under Kuwaiti regulations, courts provide 

lawyers to the accused but not to the victims. 

Furthermore, Kuwait’s laws do not specifically 

prohibit domestic violence or marital rape, 

and there are no government-run or funded 

shelters or hotlines specifically for survivors of 

domestic violence. In its concluding observation 

in October 2011 the CEDAW committee 

expressed concerns about many discriminatory 

provisions of Kuwait laws and called on 

Kuwait to “systematically review its laws and 

regulations ... in order to amend or repeal sexand 

gender-based discriminatory provisions of 

its legislation with the aim of ensuring full 

compliance with the provisions of the 

Convention.” —Human Rights Watch 

ABCK holds annual 

golf tournament 

KUWAIT: Golf enthusiasts teed off on Friday at the 11th annual 

American Business Council-Kuwait (ABCK) golf tournament - an 

event held under the patronage of the US ambassador to 

Kuwait Matthew H Tueller. The tournament was held at the 

Sahara Golf Club off the Sixth Ring Road. 28 teams participated 

in the tournament. It was a four-man 18 Hole Texas Scramble 

Competition (no handicap). The event started at 6:30am with a 

breakfast reception after which the players took to the golf 

course. 

A shotgun at 7:30am signified the beginning of the completion. 

The tournament ended at 1:00pm with a luncheon. “I am 

proud to see an increased number of players this year and am 

happy about the continued support of the sponsors for making 

this a successful event,” the Executive Director of ABCK, Muna 

Al-Fuzai said. She encouraged ABCK membership enrollment to 

all non-member golfers to promote a friendly-business relations 

and have a higher interactive level. The lunch ended with 

a brief address by the US Ambassador. 

Prizes were awarded to the top three teams as well as other 

winners. The winning team made up of H Al-Azem, M Joujou, F 

Bester, and S Letoaba scored 53.6. The second place team (R 

Coleman, H Jones, R Zayat, and L Moskaliliuk) were close 

behind with a score of 54.7. the third place winners (D Slims, S 

Dunning, C Bambrook, and J Kehoe) scored of 55. Prizes in other 

categories were also awarded. Micheal Pihblad won ‘Nearest 

the Pin prize (KEEP AS IS)’ at hole 14. Lloyd Parker also won for 

Nearest the Pin’ at hole 8. Nadeem Shafi grabbed a prize for the 

longest drive. 

Unpaid phone 

bills lead to 

disconnection 

this month 

KUWAIT: The Ministry of 

Communications (MoC) 

called on subscribers to pay 

dues for their telephone 

service to avoid programmed 

disconnection 

this month. 

Ahmad Ramadan, MoC 

Director of Public Relations, 

said yesterday that initial 

warning notifications will 

be sent on May 13 as a 

reminder for customers to 

pay their bills, with a second 

notice on May 20. 

The MoI will start disconnecting 

unpaid phone 

lines on May 27, after the 

second message is sent out. 

Home phone lines exceeding 

KD 50 in overdue bills 

and commercial lines topping 

KD 100 will be automatically 

listed for disruption. 

The programmed disconnection 

will include 

phone lines that are preagreed 

to be paid according 

to an installment plan, 

but the payment was 

delayed. It will also include 

annual fees of six months 

and more for home and 

business lines for non- 

Kuwaitis and business lines 

for Kuwaitis. 

An early payment will 

guarantee a continuation of 

phone service, Ramadan 

advised. 

He added that the MoC 

provides an online payment 

option through its website 

or through the official egate 

website. Subscribers 

can also call with any 

enquiries. — KUNA 


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

Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmad. 

Somali president in Kuwait 

KUWAIT: Somali President Sharif Sheikh 

Ahmad, accompanied by senior officials, 

arrived yesterday on a three-day state 

visit during which he will hold talks with 

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- 

Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. 

He was received at Kuwait 

International Airport by HH the Amir, HH 

the Crown Prince, National Assembly 

Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun, Deputy 

Chief of the National Guard Sheikh 

Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH 

ALGIERS: The International Event for 

Construction, Building Materials and 

Public Works (Batimatec) participated in 

the Kuwaiti pavilion for the first time, 

attracting a remarkable turnout. 

The pavilion covers an area of 200 

square meters at the Exhibition Center 

Palais des Expositions in Algiers, featuring 

products and representatives of 

Kuwaiti construction and public work 

companies. 

In statements to KUNA, Sagar Farhan 

Al-Enzi Head of Kuwait Public Authority 

for Industry delegation to the event, said 

that Kuwait is eager to take part in different 

economic and commercial expos in 

Arab and non-Arab countries. 

“This significant participation in 

Batimatec is also due to the strategic 

location of Algeria which makes it an 

important crossing point for European 

markets,” Al-Enzi told KUNA. 

Al-Enzi, Deputy Chairman of Industrial 

Exports Development Department at the 

Public Authority for Industry(PAI), said 

participation in the event allows Kuwaiti 

industrial and construction companies to 

compete with fierce rivals from different 

countries and sign several deals with 

Algerian agencies. 

This five-day event was inaugurated 

the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al- 

Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First 

Deputy Premier and Interior Minister 

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Jaber Al- 

Sabah and Deputy Minister of Amiri 

Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah. 

The reception was also attended by 

senior state, army, police and National 

Guard officials. Dr. Abdullah Al-Maatooq, 

Amiri Diwan Advisor, is heading the mission 

of honor to accompany President 

Ahmad. —KUNA 

Kuwaiti presence in 

Algeria construction event 

by Noureddine Moussa, Minister of 

Housing and Urban Development, along 

with Saud Faisal Al-Duwish, Kuwaiti 

Ambassador to Algeria. 

Considered one of the major trade 

fairs in Algeria and the Mediterranean, 

Batimatec is intended for professionals in 

the construction industry (architects, 

planners, businesses, developers, producers 

of building materials). 

Some 1,030 national and foreign 

exhibitors are participating in this event 

which includes 544 Algerian and 488 foreign 

companies representing 23 countries 

including Turkey, Italy, France, 

China, Spain, Belgium and Germany, with 

the largest number of present companies. 

Organized under the theme ‘The 

Progress of Today and Tomorrow’s 

Challenges,’ the 15th Batimatec will be 

an opportunity to assess progress made 

in the sectors of construction, public 

works and of domestic industry of materials 

construction, 50 years after independence. 

The challenge is to measure the 

opportunities for stages which includes 

building 2.5 million housing units under 

the five-year program from 2010 to 2014, 

according to organizers. — KUNA

JAKARTA: The Kuwait University Rector Prof Dr Abdullatef A Al-Bader 

and the accompanying educational delegation on the campus of 

Indonesian University. 

Kuwait University signs MoU 

with Indonesian University 

KUWAIT: The Kuwait University and the 

University of Indonesia signed a 

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 

Jakarta recently to enhance partnership 

and cooperation between the institutions 

in the field of education. 

The signing of MoU took place during 

the visit of the University of Kuwait Rector 

Prof Dr Abdullatef A Al-Bader to Indonesia 

accompanied by professors Prof Malek 

Hussein, Vice Rector for Planning, Prof Firyal 

Bou Rabee, Assistant Vice Rector for 

Education Relations and Development, Prof 

Nabeel Al-Loughani, Dean of the Graduate 

Studies, and Mohammed Al-Sulaiman, 

Director for Administrative Affairs at the 

Rectorate Office, according to a press 

release issued by the Indonesian embassy, 

Kuwait. 

“We would like to open up further especially 

in eastern countries like Indonesia”, 

said Prof Dr Abdul Latef Al-Bader during his 

meeting with the University of Indonesia 

Rector Prof Dr Gumilar Rusliwa Soemantri, 

who was accompanied by the vice rector 

and a number of university deans prior to 

the signing of the MoU. 

Both sides have also exchanged views 

and shared experience on various aspects 

of the university operations including the 

system of entrance test, graduate studies, 

international programs, alumni network, 

etc. The signing of the MoU marked the 

launch of a partnership and cooperation 

between the two universities beginning 

with the scholarship for the best students 

of the Faculty of Medicine of the University 

of Indonesia to continue their studies at 

the University of Kuwait, the release added. 

The University of Kuwait rector and the 

delegation also made use of the visit to the 

University of Indonesia to visit the Faculty 

of Public Health and met with its dean and 

officials, visited the university library and 

toured around the green campus areas. The 

University of Indonesia, founded in the 

1849, is the oldest educational institution 

in Asia. 

JAKARTA: The Kuwait University Rector, Prof Dr Abdullatef A Al-Bader 

and the University of Indonesia Rector Prof Dr Gumilar Rusliwa 

Soemantri sign the MoU. 

NBK celebrates its 

60th anniversary 

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait 

(NBK) celebrates this year its 60th 

anniversary. 

On May 19, 1952, the late Amir 

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, 

NBK head office 

issued the famous Amiri Decree promulgating 

the incorporation of the 

National Bank of Kuwait as the first 

national bank and the first shareholding 

company in Kuwait and the Gulf. 

The commemoration of this inspiring 

and monumental anniversary comes as 

a culmination of a remarkable story of 

success, by means of which NBK has 

been transformed from a small bank 

that occupies the area of three shops 

and a handful of employees relying on 

traditional and manual banking tools to 

one of the largest and most profitable 

banks in the region. 

Today, NBK has the largest local and 

overseas banking network encompassing 

more than 176 branches, representative 

offices and subsidiaries strategically 

located within the main international 

and regional financial centers. 

NBK was also recently named among 

the ‘World’s 50 Safest Banks’ for the fifth 

consecutive time, illustrating the success 

of the bank’s conservative strategy, prudent 

risk management dedication excellent 

customer service. 

NBK enjoys the highest credit ratings 

among all the banks in the Middle East 

and North Africa region by international 

rating agencies Moody’s, Standard & 

Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings. 

local 

KUWAIT: A search is currently ongoing for three 

male suspects who attempted to kidnap a 

female student in Shamiya. The victim was 

reportedly walking out of her college to a nearby 

grocery store when three people in a pickup 

truck stopped to ask directions. Soon, suspects 

attempted to force the girl inside their vehicle, 

but failed. She resisted, prompting them to 

escape. The case was reported at the area’s 

police station. The victim failed to jot down the 

license plate number of the truck. 

Work mishap 

A construction worker was killed in a rockslide 

that occurred recently in Jahra. Police and 

paramedics rushed to the construction site as 

soon as the mishap was reported. The Indian 

man succumbed to injuries by the time they 

arrived. The body was taken to the Forensic 

Department while a case was opened for investigations. 

Prostitution solicitation 

A male driver was held in police custody 

after being accused of soliciting prostitution. A 

woman filed a complaint with Abdullah Al- 

Salem police station stating that a man who 

claimed to be a ‘VIP’ offered to pay her money to 

escort him. The incident reportedly took place 

as the woman drove out of a Hawally mall and 

halted at a traffic light at the Second Ring Road. 

The suspect who was also at the adjacent lane, 

waved at her, gesturing at her to roll down the 

window under the pretext of asking for direc- 

tions. The man reportedly drove away when the 

female driver heaped insults on him. She then 

went directly to report the case. Police used the 

license plate number of the suspect’s car that 

the woman provided to identify him. When contacted, 

the car’s owner, a Kuwaiti woman, 

explained that her car was used by her son. The 

young man reported to the police station within 

an hour. He was jailed, pending investigations. 

Work exhaustion 

A policeman was hospitalized after falling 

unconscious while on duty. It was later diagnosed 

as a symptom of work exhaustion. The 

patrol officer was stationed at a security checkpoint 

at Jahra street. He was rushed to Al-Jahra 

Hospital by two colleagues and admitted to the 

Intensive Care Unit until his condition stabilized. 

He remains in the hospital to receive further 

treatment and rest. 

Accountant held 

A chief accountant of a Hawally company 

was arrested for stealing thousands of dinars 

from the firm. He initially attempted to implicate 

a co-worker in the crime. The suspect 

approached police and accused his company 

representative of stealing KD 11,000 that was 

collected from a client. When summoned for 

investigations, the GCC national denied the 

accusations but failed to provide proof because 

he did not collect a receipt from the chief 

accountant. During investigations, officers were 

approached by the general manager who pos- 


Three-member gang tries 

to kidnap female student 

Man dies in work mishap 

sessed video footage that was taken from a surveillance 

camera. It showed that the representative 

handing over the money but not waiting to 

receive the receipt, police released him and 

arrested the chief accountant. 

Maid escapes charges 

Attempted murder charges filed against a 

domestic worker in Salmiya were later withdrawn 

after investigations revealed that no foul 

play took place in a case where children were 

poisoned. Police were approached recently by 

an expatriate man reporting that his three sons 

suffered food poisoning after drinking juice prepared 

by the domestic worker. The Asian worker 

was summoned after her employer charged her 

with attempted murder. Investigations later 

revealed that the poisoning happened by accident 

after she failed to wash glasses properly 

after cleaning them with a toxic detergent. 

Investigations are still ongoing. 

Missing daughter 

Police arrested a woman in Fintas recently 

after learning that she was reported missing 

four years ago. The 23-year-old Kuwaiti woman 

was detained at a checkpoint late at night after 

verifying her identity. This was revealed in a 

case filed at the Salwa police station. During 

investigations, the woman explained that she 

lived in several apartments over the past four 

years. Investigations are currently ongoing to 

arrest male suspects who aided the woman. 

—Al-Rai, Al-Watan 

VIVA hails successful sponsorship 

of ‘Hope Carnival’ for disabled 

KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s newest and most 

advanced mobile telecommunications service 

provider, hailed the successful sponsorship of 

‘Hope Carnival’ for children with special needs 

and disabilities. 

VIVA’s main goal of being the Platinum 

Sponsor of ‘Hope Carnival’ is to provide motivation 

and support to the people with disabilities 

as well as to shed the light on the importance 

of their involvement in the society. During the 

event, families and friends attended to enjoy a 

fun filled day with a variety of activities specially 

tailored for the disabled. 

VIVA’s sponsorship of the Hope Carnival was 

a very good one and the company is proud to 

have been part of it. VIVA is committed to the 

wellbeing of the society and to help the less 

advantaged people acquire a role in Kuwait. 

Hope Carnival is an event that affirms the right 

TEC program to boost mental fitness 

KUWAIT: Kuwait Touristic 

Enterprise Company organized a 

program of mental fitness and power 

of concentration, held in the 

main company premises at 

Shuwaikh. The lecturer was Dr Al- 

Aladam. 

Participants in the training program 

included 17 persons from the 

different sections of the company. 

The development and training 

office organized the program in 

cooperation with the Australian 

institute college for public training 

from April 29 to May 3 2012. 

The program aimed at providing 

knowledge and a basic understanding 

for mental fitness, and training 

the brain on concentration and 

speed reading so that participant 

could innovate at his job by using 

the technology in the program. In 

management, communication and 

follow-up and self motivation to do 

the work go in line with the new 

management requirements. 

Additionally, controlling excitement 

and getting rid of bad habits 

and controlling negative feelings 

and changing them to positive ones 

was taught. Applying these at work 

is part of the policy laid down by 

the top management of companies 

for better development and uplifting 

the level of employees of the 

company. 

of the disadvantaged people to participate in 

all aspects and activities of the society, and to 

take prominent roles that highlight their capabilities 

of doing almost anything and everything 

to serve best the entire community. 

During the event, VIVA was awarded for its 

significant participation and leading role in 

supporting this particular segment of the society. 

VIVA has always been committed to take 

part in all types of activities organized for the 

less advantaged people as they are vital to our 

community and its development. 

VIVA will continue to looking for unique 

opportunities to contribute to the welfare of 

the society and help serve the people best and 

shed the light on its ongoing corporate social 

commitment. 

VIVA is the newest, most advanced mobile 

telecommunications service provider in Kuwait. 

KUWAIT: Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al- 

Sabah, 11th Informatics Award will 

hold International Information 

Science Forum under the slogan of 

‘Informatics Development’ on 

Wednesday. 

The award committee’s board 

of trustees member Saleh Al- 

Asousi said yesterday in a press 

statement that the forum will shed 

light on the present and future of 

information science in the world 

through a series of discussions. 

This forum is the fourth installment 

of a series of discussions that 

began back in 2009. It is the first 

forum to be held in Kuwait. 

Salem Al-Utheina, Minister of 

Communications will inaugurate 

the event, Al-Asousi noted. 

The forum will see the participation 

of Chairmen and CEO of 

the Internet Corporation for 

Assigned Names and Numbers 

(ICANN) and Egypt’s Post board 

member and Dr Mohammad Al- 

Majid, member of Board of 

Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes 

things Possible for our customers by transforming 

communication, information and entertainment 

experiences. The company has rapidly 

established an unrivalled position in the market 

through our customer and employee centric 

approach. VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile 

brand of choice for Kuwait by being transparent, 

engaging, energetic and fulfilling. 

VIVA continues to take a considerable share 

of the market by offering an innovative range 

of best value products, services and content 

propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network 

and world-class service. VIVA offers 

Internet speed up to 42.2Mbps due to the 

implementation of the most advanced third 

generation (3G and HSDPA) network in Kuwait 

resulting in superior coverage, performance 

and reliability. 

Award committee to host 

international forum 

Trustees at the Information 

Technology Institute. 

Dr Emad Huballah, Head of 

Wire and Wireless Communication 

Technology Unit at the Lebanese 

Telecommunication Authority, will 

be a guest in two seminars; the 

first will be chaired by Saleh Al- 

Asousi, Head of Comprehensive 

Planning of Information 

Technology Department at Kuwait 

Petroleum Corporation (KPC). It 

will focus on establishing a prototype 

of informatics cooperation. 

The second will be led by Dr 

Hussain Ameen Professor of 

Journalism and Media at the 

American University in Cairo and 

will tackle the issue of present and 

future effects of information science. 

Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah 

Informatics Prize is an independent 

non-profit award in the field of 

technology and digital culture, in 

support of establishing society 

with high and advanced informatics 

awareness.— KUNA


Clinton lands in India to breathe life into ties 

Page 11 

Two American hikers 

jailed in Iran to wed 

MOSCOW: Russian riot police try to clear a bridge from opposition protesters in downtown Moscow yesterday. A demonstration by at least 20,000 people on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration as president boiled into a battle 

with police after protesters tried to split off from the approved venue and march to the Kremlin. — AP 

Police, protesters clash on Putin return 

MOSCOW: Baton-wielding riot police 

roughly broke up a Moscow protest 

rally yesterday on the eve of Vladimir 

Putin’s return for a third Kremlin term, 

arresting more than 400 people 

including top opposition leaders. The 

clashes just over the river from the 

Kremlin were the most violent since 

the first rallies against the Russian 

strongman began in December and 

set an ominous tone ahead of his 

glitzy presidential inauguration ceremony 

today. 

Those arrested included three key 

leaders of the nascent protest movement 

against Putin-the anti-corruption 

crusader Alexei Navalny, liberal 

leader Boris Nemtsov and ultra-left 

wing activist Sergei Udaltsov. Police 

said they detained more than 400 

people after demonstrators threw 

stones and water bottles at officers 

and blamed the violence on opposition 

leaders who attempted to stage 

a sit-in protest in the middle of the 

crowd. The event had been billed as 

a “March of Millions” along one of 

Moscow’s main thoroughfares that 

was due to conclude at a square used 

for the first of several mass protests 

that erupted against Putin’s dominant 

rule this winter. 

The crowds stretched as far as the 

eye could see and organisers put the 

turnout figure in the tens of thousands. 

Police put the figure at only 

8,000. The first problems began 

when thousands of helmeted police 

took control of the main bridge leading 

to the Kremlin to prevent the 

protest from spilling over and steered 

people into a bottleneck that soon 

developed into a crush. Udaltsov and 

about 200 others then declared a sitdown 

strike in front of the bridge and 

a tense standoff lasting more than an 

hour eventually led to a concerted 

push by protesters against police 

ranks. 

The police responded by unleashing 

batons against protesters-many 

screaming out in pain-and slamming 

people to the ground before dragging 

them by their arms and legs to 

waiting police vans. 

“We will not leave until they free 

our comrades and they do not cancel 

Deadly unrest fuels 

on eve of Syria vote 

DAMASCUS: Syria’s authorities and the 

opposition traded accusations yesterday 

over who was behind blasts that 

rocked Damascus and Aleppo, on the 

eve of parliamentary polls designed to 

boost the regime’s legitimacy. 

Overnight violence in Damascus 

province killed three people, a rights 

watchdog said, as the authorities made 

final preparations for a vote it says is 

crucial for building “the new Syria” but 

which the opposition has already dismissed 

as a “farce.” Information Minister 

Adnan Mahmud said that voting today 

was an act of defiance. 

“By taking part in the election, 

Syrians are defying the campaign of terrorism 

and aggression led by international 

and regional parties implicated in 

a terrorist war against our country,” he 

said. 

President Bashar al-Assad meanwhile 

on Sunday laid a wreath at a 

monument on Mount Kassioun, which 

overlooks the Syrian capital, to commemorate 

the annual Martyrs Day. 

The opposition for its part blamed 

the regime for two bomb blasts 

Saturday in Damascus and one in 

Aleppo, where according to the Syrian 

Observatory for Human Rights an 

explosion hit a car wash as a bus was 

passing by, killing at least five people. 

“It is the regime that caused these 

mysterious explosions,” said Omar Idlibi, 

spokesman for the Local Coordination 

Committees (LCC) which organises 

protests. He also called for an international 

probe. 

State media, which reported three 

deaths from the Aleppo blast, including 

a 10-year-old boy, blamed “terrorists” 

linked to the opposition for carrying 

out Saturday’s attacks in a bid to sow 

instability ahead of the vote. 

The Britain-based Observatory said 

on Sunday a young man was gunned 

down by regime troops during the 

night in the town of Al-Tal, while an 

explosion killed two in Daf al-Shouk 

area, also in Damascus province. 

Thousands of people protested in 

Al-Tal yesterday to denounce the 

overnight killing, the watchdog added. 

Also yesterday, a team of UN observers 

in Syria to monitor a tenuous ceasefire 

in place since April 12 visited Zabadani 

in the Damascus province “where they 

Over 400 detained at Moscow protests 

met opposition activists for a short 

while,” LCC activist Fares Mohammad 

told AFP. 

But in spite of the ceasefire, army 

attacks on rebel positions continued 

elsewhere in Syria, with several people 

wounded and a number of houses 

destroyed when the Arida village in 

central Homs province was shelled, the 

Observatory said. 

In the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, 

government troops reportedly carried 

out a number of raids and made arrests 

in the town of Al-Quriya. 

Monday’s vote, against a backdrop 

of unrest which the Observatory says 

has killed more than 11,000 people 

since March last year, will do little to 

change the autocratic country, according 

to regime critics and analysts. 

The vote, initially scheduled for 

September 2011, was postponed to 

May 7 this year after Assad announced 

the launch of a reform process. 

Bashar al-Haraki, a member of the 

Syrian National Council, the principal 

opposition coalition, has labelled the 

elections a “farce which can be added 

to the regime’s masquerade.”—AFP 

the inauguration,” Udaltsov shouted 

through a megaphone. “We will not 

leave,” he said as people chanted back 

“We Are the Power.” Several policemen 

then dramatically stormed on 

stage and led Udaltsov away to jeers 

from the crowd. 

Navalny was also seen being 

roughly arrested by several police 

while Nemtsov was detained after 

climbing onto a metal camera stand 

and attempting to give an impromptu 

speech to the crowds. Putin’s 

spokesman Dmitry Peskov told independent 

Dozhd TV “we should not 

over-dramatise the situation” and 

condemned “provocations” that 

turned the rally violent. The interior 

ministry said 20 of its police officers 

had been injured and called the work 

of the overall force “professional and 

in accordance with the law and the 

situation that developed.” 

The protest movement had lost 

much of its momentum since Putin’s 

thumping March 4 presidential election 

win against only token opposition 

and yesterday’s protests was 

aimed at rejuvenating the movement. 

The latest rallies had drawn a fraction 

of the mass crowds who joined the 

winter protests amid questions in the 

fractured movement-whose members 

range between veteran liberals 

to teenage Stalinists-about their true 

cause. In a sign of the growing disunity, 

the leader of the opposition liberal 

Yabloko party lashed out at 

Page 8 

Udaltsov for splitting away from the 

mass protest and launching his own 

action. 

“This was not a solid move and 

was clearly stupid. If he (Udaltsov) 

continues acting like this then less 

and less people are going to come to 

the protests,” Sergei Mitrokhin told 

the Interfax news agency. 

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of 

Putin’s supporters gathered for a festive 

“celebration” filled with high-production 

pop concerts at Victory Parka 

site dedicated to Russia’s 1812 

defeat of Napoleon. 

The police said 30,000 had come 

out for the pro-Putin event-more than 

three times the figure they gave the 

opposition protest. — AFP

ISTANBUL: Iraq’s vice president 

described a terror trial pending 

against him in Baghdad as part of a 

political vendetta that has wider 

repercussions for Iraqi unity and sectarian 

tensions across the Middle East. 

The trial in absentia of Tariq al- 

Hashemi, a Sunni Muslim, was postponed 

Thursday as his lawyers 

appealed to have parliament create a 

special court to hear the case that 

could deepen Iraq’s sectarian divide. 

Al-Hashemi has denied charges that 

he ran death squads that targeted 

government officials, security forces 

and Shiite pilgrims. 

Al-Hashemi also alleged that Iraqi 

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, 

may have engineered the trial to snuff 

out domestic opposition in case he is 

threatened by a revolt in Iraq similar to 

that in neighboring Syria. 

“It could be a pre-emptive attack” 

stemming from concern about the 

upheaval in Syria, al-Hashemi said in 

an interview with The Associated Press 

in Istanbul. “Al-Maliki apparently is 

very much sensitive to what’s going 

on in Syria. So from the sectarian 

angle, he tried to immunize himself in 

the future in addressing one of the 

principal political rivals,” he said, referring 

to his role as a frequent critic of 

al-Maliki. 

A media adviser for al-Maliki disputed 

claims that the vice president was 

being targeted for political reasons 

and said the government does not 

interfere in the judicial system. 

“We do understand that al-Hashemi 

might say anything to protect himself,” 

spokesman Ali al-Moussawi said. “The 

fugitive vice president should go to 

court and defend himself instead of 

launching accusations and allegations.” 

Al-Hashemi denies allegations 

he is a lawbreaker, opening a news 

conference in Istanbul with a declara- 

INTERNATIONAL 

Top Iraqi politician alleges political vendetta 

TEHRAN: In this May 20, 2010 file photo, American hikers Shane Bauer, left, 

Sarah Shourd, center, and Josh Fattal, sit at the Esteghlal Hotel in Tehran, Iran. 

Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd detained and accused of spying after hiking 

near the Iraq-Iran border three years ago will marry in the San Francisco Bay 

area.— AP 

Two American hikers 

jailed in Iran to wed 

SAN FRANCISCO: Two of the three 

American hikers jailed in Iran after 

allegedly straying over the Iraq-Iran border 

in 2009 were to be married on 

Saturday in a private ceremony in 

California, according to a statement posted 

on their Facebook page. 

The wedding of Shane Bauer and 

Sarah Shourd completes an engagement 

that began when Bauer tied a ring of 

thread around her finger while they were 

in prison in 2010. “Now that this day has 

come, all I can do is close my eyes and fill 

with gratitude, for our freedom, for the 

love of so many generous people around 

the world, and for the very soil under my 

feet,” Shourd said in the statement posted 

on the Free the Hikers Facebook page. 

The third hiker, Josh Fattal, was to be 

the best man, the statement said. The 

statement did not say exactly where in 

California the wedding was to take place, 

only that it was a setting “chosen for its 

pastoral beauty.” 

“Becoming engaged to Sarah while 

we were in captivity allowed me to 

dream of a future that was not only 

secure, but also beautiful,” Bauer said in 

the statement. Bauer, Shourd and Fattal 

were arrested on July 2009 by Iranian 

border guards, who allege that the three 

crossed over into Iran from the Iraqi 

Kurdistan region. 

Shourd was released 14 months later 

on humanitarian grounds but Bauer and 

Fattal were convicted of illegal entry and 

espionage. The men spent the first three 

months of their detention in solitary confinement 

before they were put in an 8 

foot by 13 foot (2.5 meter by 4 meter) cell 

together. They spent their time reading 

and testing each other on various topics 

and were allowed a short time in an outside 

room to exercise daily. 

During 781 days in jail, they had 15 

minutes of phone calls with their families 

and one short visit from their mothers, 

Fattal said. They staged repeated hunger 

strikes over demands they be given letters 

sent by their families, he said. 

Fattal and Bauer were freed last 

September after Oman paid bail of $1 

million. Shourd was released on 

$500,000 bail a year earlier. — Reuters 

Algeria campaign wraps 

up amid voter indifference 

ALGIERS: Algeria’s parties prepared their 

final rallies ahead of the May 10 legislative 

polls yesterday, after the Arab Spring 

sweeping the region failed to bring new 

faces to the campaign and spark the electorate. 

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s 

camp defended a package of cautious 

reforms initiated to contain revolutionary 

contagion, while the main Islamist alliance 

hoped to benefit from their counterparts’ 

gains in the region. 

As the three-week campaign wrapped 

up, the North African country’s 21.6 million 

voters seemed underwhelmed by the 

choice of 44 parties. Except for billboards 

plastered with ripped campaign posters, 

there were few signs in the streets of 

Algiers of the imminence of a vote 

Bouteflika has billed as “the dawn of a new 

era”. The country’s top-selling daily 

Echorouk carried a front-page picture of a 

deserted street corner littered with campaign 

leaflets and this headline: “Everyone 

was there... except the citizens.” Algeria’s 

leading French-language newspaper El 

Watan splashed a huge picture and headline 

on its front page... on the French election, 

relegating the Algerian polls to page 

5. In the daily Liberte, Algeria’s top cartoonist 

Dilem depicted one man asking another 

as they walked past the campaign posters 

for the May 10 vote: “So, who do you support, 

Sarko or Hollande?” Turnout in the 

2007 parliamentary polls slumped to a 

record low of 35 percent, according to official 

figures, and there was no sign 

Algerians would show more interest this 

year. 

The secretary general of Bouteflika’s 

National Liberation Front, Abdelaziz 

Belkhadem, told AFP this week he would 

be satisfied if 45 percent of voters cast a 

ballot, but some observers say official fig- 

ures may conceal a projected turnout of 

less than 20 percent. 

The regime has tried to assuage fears of 

fraud by inviting some 500 foreign election 

observers-including from the EU-but 

Algeria is Africa’s largest country, four times 

the size of France, and few voters seem 

convinced. A European diplomat told AFP 

yesterday that the observation mission was 

still awaiting a copy of the voters’ roll, 

despite repeated requests. 

The National Liberation Front, formerly 

the lone party, is under unprecedented 

strain, with rebels seeking to oust 

Belkhadem and sights firmly on the 2014 

presidential election, after which 

Bouteflika, now 75, is widely expected to 

step down. “I don’t think any party can 

approach a majority alone.... The seats will 

be scattered between the parties,” Interior 

Minister Daho Ould Kablia said last month. 

The national assembly is being extended 

from 389 to 462 seats. 

The FLN, which has 136 seats in the outgoing 

assembly, currently sits in a coalition 

with the National Rally for Democracy of 

Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and the 

Movement of Society for Peace, the country’s 

main legal Islamist party. 

Speaking at a rally on Saturday, Ouyahia 

said Algeria’s stability needed to be preserved 

and criticised voices calling for an 

Arab Spring-style revolt. “It isn’t an Arab 

Spring which is sweeping the region but a 

plague, and there is confirmation of this 

every day,” he said, citing “the colonisation 

of Iraq, the destruction of Libya, the partition 

of Sudan and the weakening of Egypt.” 

The MSP and two allied parties hope they 

can cash in on the so-called “Green wave” 

that swept Islamists to the helm in Tunisia, 

Morocco and Egypt in the wake of the Arab 

Spring revolts.—AFP 

tion that he is not a fugitive. His representatives 

maintain he left Iraq for 

diplomatic meetings with regional 

leaders, not to escape arrest. 

The case against al-Hashemi highlights 

rifts that haunt Iraq after 

decades of dictatorship, war and civil 

conflict, and the departure of 

American troops. It also follows 

regional revolts that have toppled or 

undermined authoritarian leaders in 

the Middle East. 

Most in the Syrian opposition, for 

example, come from the country’s 

Sunni majority, while President Bashar 

Assad’s regime relies on the minority 

Alawites, an offshoot from Shiism. 

Sunni Arab leaders in the Gulf see the 

Shiite-led government in Iraq as too 

soft on Syria, where the United 

Nations estimates at least 9,000 people, 

many of them civilians, have died 

in a government crackdown on dissent. 

Additionally, regional powers 

Iran, led by a Shiite theocracy, and 

Turkey, which is mostly Sunni but 

espouses unity across sectarian lines, 

have supported opposing factions in 

Iraq. Al-Hashemi, who fled to Iraq’s 

self-ruled northern Kurdish region in 

December to avoid arrest, warned of 

regional spillover if Iraq’s factions cannot 

unite and address the mismanagement 

that he blamed on al-Maliki. 

“Iraq is the core of the geopolitical 

scene in the area. Whatever happens 

in Iraq is going to affect the neighboring 

countries,” he said. “We could end 

up in some sort of sectarian polarization 

in the Middle East.” 

Iraq’s political crisis pits the mostly 

Shiite leadership against Sunnis and 

Kurds who accuse it of consolidating 

power even as public services deteriorate 

and security remains vulnerable. 

Last week, Massoud Barzani, president 

of the Kurdish autonomous region, 

threatened to let Kurds vote to secede 

from Iraq if the government crisis has 

not been resolved by regional elections 

in September. 

In the AP interview, al-Hashemi said 

he understood the frustration that led 

Barzani to talk about partition but said 

the possibility was “not on the table” in 

Kurdish circles, at least for now. 

“I sit down from time to time with 

Kurdish leaders and we talk freely and 

openly about the subject,” al-Hashemi 

said. “All politicians are very much 

interested in reaching a political solution 

rather than jumping into an Iraqi 

partition.” On his own dilemma, the 

vice president held out hope of a settlement. 

“I am ready, in fact, to show up 

in any court provided that I do receive 

a fair trial, according to the constitution, 

according to the international justice 

standard,” he said. Then he added: 

“The whole case is politically motivated, 

so it is waiting for a political solution, 

not a legal solution.” — AP 


Bahrain arrests rights 

activist Nabeel Rajab 

Ministry says accused of crimes punishable by law 

DUBAI: Bahrain has arrested a prominent 

human rights activist and critic of the country’s 

ruling family, the Interior Ministry and an 

activist said yesterday, as the authorities escalated 

a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. 

Bahrain, which is ruled by a Sunni Muslim 

monarchy and hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, has 

been in turmoil since activists mainly from the 

majority Shi’ite community began protests in 

February 2011 after successful revolts in Egypt 

and Tunisia. Police arrested Nabeel Rajab, head 

of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights 

(BCHR), on return from Beirut on Saturday 

evening, Sayed Yousif Almuhafda said by telephone 

from Manama. 

Prosecutors then questioned him extensively 

about his tweets on Twitter though he 

was taken to court on Sunday morning on previous 

charges of organising protest inside 

Manama in March, a member of the BCHR told 

Reuters. “The police arrested him near the 

plane’s door. They said they had an arrest warrant 

from the public prosecutions office... At 

the prosecutor’s office, it was all about tweets,” 

he said. It was not clear if the questioning 

about messages on Twitter would lead to new 

charges. 

Rajab shot to prominence last year when he 

became a trenchant campaigner against the 

crackdown. With 140,000 followers on Twitter 

he is one of the most well-known online 

activists in the Arab world. Several hundred 

gathered outside Rajab’s home in Bani Jamra 

west of Manama on Sunday evening, chanting 

“down with (king) Hamad” and slogans 

demanding his release. 

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said Rajab’s 

had been arrested “for committing a number 

of crimes punishable by law” but gave no 

more details. Authorities are also holding 

protest leader Zainab al-Khawaja after she 

tried to protest alone on a major highway. 

Prosecutors say she insulted women police 

officers. 

She became a symbol for protesters after 

she was dragged from a traffic roundabout in 

December by women riot police. Both Rajab 

and Khawaja, daughter of jailed uprising 

leader Abdulhadi al-Khawaja who is on a 

hunger strike, have been detained briefly on 

several occasions in the past year but this is 

the first time they were held with intent to 

press charges. 

Justin Gengler, a Qatar-based researcher on 

Bahrain, said arresting Rajab would please 

Sunni hardliners who have goaded the gov- 

Netanyahu calls for early polls 

TEL AVIV: Israel’s Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday 

called for early elections, suggesting 

he would seek a September 

vote instead of waiting until the 

scheduled October 2013 date. “I 

don’t want there to be a year-anda-half 

of political instability accompanied 

by blackmail and populism. 

I’d prefer a short electoral campaign 

of four months that will 

ensure political stability,” he told a 

meeting of his Likud party in Tel 

Aviv. The address, which included a 

laundry list of his achievements in 

three years of government, failed to 

give a definitive date for the vote, 

which he is expected to comfortably 

win. Israeli officials, including 

his coalition chairman Zeev Elkin, 

had earlier said there was consensus 

among most of the government 

on a September 4 date. 

Speaking to AFP after Netanyahu’s 

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a 

speech during a meeting of his Likud party in Tel Aviv yesterday. 

Netanyahu called for early elections, suggesting he would seek a 

September vote instead of waiting until the scheduled October 

2013 date. —AFP 

ernment for not crushing the protests they 

views as a Shi’ite attempt to destabilise the 

country. “After mobilising Sunnis, the state can 

only appease them by caving in to their 

demands for a harsher response to protesters 

and activists,” he said. 

The International Federation for Human 

Rights, in which Rajab is deputy secretary general, 

condemned the arrest. “The federation 

demands the immediate and unconditional 

release of Rajab and other rights defenders, 

while it appears that these judicial harassments 

aim to place blocks against human 

rights activities,” the Paris-based group said. 

Rajab and Khawaja have been a thorn in the 

government’s side, organising peaceful 

protests inside Manama without licences - in 

contrast to the leading opposition party Wefaq 

which obtains Interior Ministry approval. 

The marches in Manama have sometimes 

ended violently when police fire tear gas and 

stun grenades to disperse the protesters and 

youths throw back petrol bombs. 

Their acts of civil disobedience have made 

them heroes to many Bahraini opposition 

activists. Western activists, who were eventually 

deported, joined Rajab for protests in 

February that marked one year since the 

protest movement began. 

Tension has risen again since April when 

Bahrain’s Formula One Grand Prix became a 

lightning rod for protesters and visiting journalists 

turned their attention to an uprising 

that has not gone away. 

Analysts predicted that hardliners within 

the ruling family would show their teeth after 

the Grand Prix, when Bahrain stopped some 

journalists entering and deported a team from 

Britain’s Channel Four for entering on tourist 

visas. A statement on the state news agency 

warned clerics against incitement to violence, 

sectarianism, insulting the judiciary and constitutional 

institutions and harming the economy 

- comments apparently directed against 

leading Shi’ite clerics such as Sheikh Isa 

Qassim who led a mass protest in March. 

“The cabinet instructed ministries to take 

legal measures if these violations continue, 

affirming its total rejection of any bargaining 

over the nation’s security and unity,” BNA said. 

King Hamad enacted constitutional reforms 

last week that would boost the elected parliament’s 

powers of scrutiny over ministers and 

budgets. But the government has not budged 

on the key demand for a single chamber of 

parliament with full powers to legislate and 

form governments. — Reuters 

address, Finance Minister Yuval 

Steinitz declined to say whether 

that date still stands. “The elections 

will apparently be in September. 

The Likud will win and the prime 

minister will form the next government,” 

he said. Netanyahu’s address 

nonetheless ended months of 

speculation about whether he 

would seek to bring forward the 

elections in a bid to bolster his 

position and capitalise on his popularity. 

Observers have long suggested 

he would seek to shore up his 

standing ahead of painful budget 

cuts expected later this year and 

the US presidential election in 

November. His decision also comes 

amid a fight within his coalition 

over a contentious law allowing 

ultra-Orthodox Jews to defer their 

military service. Netanyahu has 

pledged to replace the law, which 

expires this year, but is caught 

between the staunchly secular 

Yisrael Beitenu, which opposes the 

rule, and the ultra-Orthodox factions 

in his coalition. 

But polls show that he could 

hardly have picked a better time to 

seek re-election, with surveys 

showing he easily outstrips his 

rivals for the office of prime minister. 

A poll published in the Haaretz 

daily on Thursday showed 

Netanyahu commands more support 

than his next three rivals put 

Egypt MPs, 

military discuss 

govt crisis 

CAIRO: A delegation of MPs yesterday met 

Egypt’s military rulers in an attempt to 

resolve a government crisis that has seen 

parliamentary sessions suspended for 

more than a week, officials from both sides 

said. 

The meeting comes after tensions 

flared ahead of a key presidential election 

slated for later this month. Around a dozen 

parliamentarians including speaker Saad 

al-Katatni met Sami Anan, deputy chief of 

the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces 

(SCAF) that has ruled the country since the 

February 2011 fall of president Hosni 

Mubarak. 

They were to discuss ways of drawing a 

line under the crisis over the composition 

of a panel to draw up a new constitution 

and over anti-military clashes at the 

defence ministry that saw two people 

killed and hundreds hurt. 

No details were immediately available 

on outcome of the talks. The Abbassiya 

district of the capital where the defence 

ministry is located was calm yesterday 

after the second overnight curfew in a row 

and after the military on Saturday ordered 

300 people detained after Friday’s clashes. 

Last Sunday, the Islamist-dominated 

parliament decided to suspend sessions 

for a week in protest at the military refusing 

to sack the government and name the 

powerful Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom 

and Justice Party (FJP) to head a new one. 

A marathon parliamentary election which 

ended in January saw Egypt’s two main 

Islamist parties catapulted to the centre 

stage of politics, clinching nearly three 

quarters of the 498 seats in the legislature. 

The Brotherhood said on its website 

last Sunday the military had indicated 

there would be a cabinet reshuffle before 

the presidential election, but so far this 

has not happened and parliamentary 

meetings have resumed. 

Also on the agenda for the meeting 

between the members of parliament and 

the SCAF was the make-up of the panel 

charged with drafting a new constitution 

before the end of a transition period on 

June 30. The judiciary suspended the original 

panel formed by parliament and comprised 

of mostly Islamists.—Agencies 

together, with 48 percent of Israelis 

backing his re-election. His Likud 

party also looks set to increase its 

standing in the 120-seat Knesset 

and have its choice of parties with 

which to form a coalition. 

Polls, including a survey published 

by the Maariv daily on Friday, 

consistently show Likud netting 

around 31 seats, up from its current 

27. The Maariv poll showed the 

Labour party taking 18 seats, up 

from the 13 it won in the last elections, 

with Yisrael Beitenu seeing its 

15 seats fall to 12. The Kadima party, 

which won the most seats in the 

last election but failed to form a 

coalition, looks set for a crushing 

defeat, with its 28 seats reduced to 

just 11. The newly formed centrist 

Yesh Atid (There is a Future) is also 

expected to win around 11 seats. 

Aviad Natovitz, a Likud member 

from Petach Tikva near Tel Aviv, 

expressed the party’s prevailing 

confidence as he waited for 

Netanyahu’s speech. “Elections now 

or in six months or a year would 

give more or less the same result,” 

he said. “The Likud will form the 

next government because there is 

no alternative on the left.” The 

biggest uncertainty surrounding 

the vote is the shape of Netanyahu’s 

eventual coalition, with the premier 

pledging Sunday to form a broad 

government. —AFP

WASHINGTON: Mitt Romney will 

need independent voters in 

November, but he isn’t abandoning his 

“severely conservative” record. The 

likely Republican presidential nominee 

has embarked on an aggressive campaign 

against President Barack Obama 

that straddles two sometimes-conflicting 

political ideologies. 

On some days, the former 

Massachusetts governor is a social 

conservative and social moderate, a 

right-wing conspiracy theorist and 

promoter of political compromise. 

With the primaries over, it’s an evolving 

balancing act that, so far, is leaning 

decidedly right. 

Romney spoke out Friday against 

China’s “one-child policy,” in an apparent 

nod to social conservatives. But 

later in the same Fox News interview, 

he defended his decision to hire an 

openly gay staffer who just quit under 

pressure from social conservatives. 

Romney said he hires people “not 

based upon their ethnicity, or their 

sexual preference or their gender but 

upon their capability.” He said the exaide, 

Richard Grenell, who was to 

become foreign policy spokesman, 

was a “capable individual” and that 

many senior campaign advisers had 

urged him not to leave. But Grenell’s 

departure pleased some on the religious 

right. 

The matter offered a look inside a 

Romney campaign that would like to 

broaden his appeal to the political 

center, while harnessing the anti- 

Obama intensity from his party’s right. 

It’s a tricky move, but Romney is trying 

to prove he won’t turn his back on his 

party’s most passionate voters. 

He’s devoting significant attention 

to skeptical conservatives who have 

supported his Republican rivals until 

INTERNATIONAL 

Romney embarking on new political balancing act 

MEXICO CITY: Colleagues, relatives and friends of murdered journalists place 

candles and pictures on an altar erected at the Independence Angel monument 

in Mexico City during a vigil to protest against violence towards the press. On 

Thursday Mexican security forces found the dismembered bodies of missing 

news photographers Guillermo Luna Varela and Gabriel Huge and two other 

people in bags dumped in a canal in the eastern state of Veracruz. — AFP 

Fear spreads as Mexican 

journalists mourned 

BOCA DEL RIO: Grieving, frightened 

journalists remembered three slain colleagues 

on Friday as young and energetic 

members of a press corps working 

under terrifying conditions in a state torn 

by a war between Mexico’s two most 

powerful drug cartels. 

Traffic dwindled from the streets and 

shopping areas emptied hours after the 

discovery Thursday afternoon of 

Guillermo Luna Varela, Gabriel Huge, 

Esteban Rodriguez and Irasema Becerra, 

who had been slain, dismembered and 

stuffed into black plastic bags dumped 

into a waste canal. 

It was a sense of dread familiar to 

Veracruz, where a cartel battle for control 

of one of Mexico’s largest ports has 

spawned horrors such as the slaughter of 

35 people dumped on a main highway in 

rush-hour traffic in September. 

The state is a common route for drugs 

and migrants coming from the south on 

the way up to the United States. Much of 

the area around its main port city on the 

Gulf of Mexico was controlled until last 

year by the Zetas, a brutal paramilitarystyle 

cartel founded by defectors from 

the Mexican army special forces and 

known for its gruesome butchery of 

opponents. 

Last year, the Zetas’ territory in 

Veracruz came under assault from the 

New Generation, a cartel based in the 

western state of Jalisco and allied with 

the powerful Sinaloa cartel, which is led 

by kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. 

Drug cartels battling for control of 

smuggling routes often use threats, 

bribes or both to demand the support of 

local officials, prison directors and other 

influential people in the cities they are 

fighting over. Journalists have not been 

spared. “We’re living in madness,” a 

Veracruz newspaper editor told The 

Associated Press, speaking on condition 

of anonymity for his safety. He said Zetas 

had wanted him to publish news about 

the killings of Sinaloa soldiers, and the 

New Generation had pressured him to 

suppress such reports. 

“The Zetas talk to you and tell you not 

to publish something, and the New 

Generation talks to you and say, ‘If this 

isn’t published, I’ll mess you up.’ So what 

are we supposed to do?” He said criminal 

gangs even had de facto press representatives, 

who e-mailed complete stories 

for media to publish. A local television 

reporter said his cameramen had once 

been warned off covering a story by the 

cartels - by a fellow journalist who 

worked for a gang. He also spoke on condition 

of anonymity out of fear. 

At least seven current and former 

reporters and photographers have been 

slain in Veracruz over the last 18 months, 

forcing their surviving colleagues to 

work under precautions reminiscent of 

those in a war zone. Journalists let colleagues 

and family know by phone when 

they are leaving for work and coming 

home. They call ahead before covering a 

story to see if the area is safe. Once they 

go, they move in groups of four or five 

and scan areas from the vehicle before 

getting out, remaining in constant contact 

with their newsroom. Few talk anymore 

with strangers, a new reticence in 

an area once known for its tropical 

warmth and welcoming attitude to 

tourists and other visitors. 

Press freedom groups said all three 

slain photographers found Thursday had 

temporarily fled the state after receiving 

threats last year. Huge, a new father who 

was in his 30s, and Luna, his 22-year-old 

nephew, were “part of a new generation 

of young photographers who permeate 

the media in Veracruz,” wrote Sandra 

Segura, a columnist for the newspaper 

Notiver, where both men had worked. 

Both had covered the police beat. “They 

were all spouses, children, siblings, parents, 

like Gabriel, the father of a 2-yearold 

girl. — AP 

KOSOVO: A Kosovo Serb girl casts her mother’s ballot paper at a polling station 

during the Serb elections in Gracanica, Kosovo yesterday. Serbia, a landlocked 

nation of 7.1 million people in southeast Europe, is holding presidential, parliamentary 

and municipal elections yesterday. — AP 

recently. Former Pennsylvania Sen. 

Rick Santorum gave up his bid last 

month, while former House Speaker 

Newt Gingrich made his departure 

official this past week. 

“We’re moving quickly,” said 

Romney senior aide Peter Flaherty, 

who is leading the campaign’s conservative 

outreach. “We are going to work 

very hard to continue to work with 

conservatives, to work with the base, 

to keep them energized.” 

Romney on Friday met with 

Santorum, who has indicated he will 

endorse Romney. Since Santorum quit, 

Romney’s campaign has been recruiting 

former Santorum staffers and 

courting his key allies and donors. 

Romney has hired Santorum’s former 

campaign manager to broaden coalitions 

with conservative groups. 

At the same time, the Romney campaign 

is paying lots of attention to the 

ATHENS: Greece’s two main parties suffered 

big losses in elections yesterday, exit polls 

showed, rocking the eurozone state’s austerity 

plans after a strong showing by 

protest groups including the neo-Nazis. 

Anti-austerity parties could have won up 

to 58 percent of the vote between them, 

the exit polls showed. The conservative 

New Democracy led by Antonis Samaras 

was the largest party with 17-20 percent of 

the vote, insufficient to give it an absolute 

majority and down from 33.5 percent at the 

last election in 2009, the exit polls showed. 

Socialist Pasok saw its score slump to 14- 

17 percent from 43.9 percent. The party 

even looked set to be leapfrogged into second 

place by the leftist Syriza, which scored 

15.5-18.5 percent, up from 4.6 percent three 

years ago. “The ruling parties have been 

struck by an earthquake. It has crushed 

Pasok and sent a strong tremor through 

New Democracy,” shadow foreign minister 

Panos Panagiotopoulos said on television 

channel Mega. 

Neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn was also 

set to enter parliament for the first time 

since the end of the military junta in 1974, 

with six to eight percent, making it the 

sixth-biggest party in the 300-seat chamber 

with some 25 lawmakers, it said. 

“A new nationalist movement dawns,” 

Golden Dawn said on its website. 

“Hundreds of thousands of Greeks have 

dynamically joined the national cause for a 

great, free Greece.” The fourth-biggest party 

was set to be Indepenent Greeks with 10-12 

percent, a new right-wing party set up by 

New Democracy dissident Panos 

Kammenos, followed by the communist 

KKE on 7.5-9.5 percent. The Democratic Left, 

a Europhile new leftist party, notched up 

4.5-6.5 percent. In total nine parties were 

set to enter parliament compared with just 

five after the last election. Both Pasok and 

ND have said they want the “troika” of the 

European Union, International Monetary 

Fund and European Central Bank to cut 

Greece more slack in their two bailout deals 

worth worth 240 billion euros ($314.0 billion). 

But with voters angry at the austerity 

cuts demanded in response, many of the 

smaller parties, including possible kingmaker 

Syriza, want to tear up the agreements. 

The communist KKE party want to leave the 

eurozone and the neo-Nazis say they want 

to stop servicing Greece’s debts, an aim 

shared by Kammenos who wants to turn to 

Russia to prop up the country. The result 

therefore will make it tough for Samaras, 

once he is officially tasked to do so by the 

president, to form a government able to 

keep its austerity promises and implement 

conservative media. He and his wife 

met this past week with right-leaning 

bloggers, reporters and columnists for 

an off-the-record discussion on 

Capitol Hill. He has granted interviews 

recently to conservative publications 

such as The Weekly Standard, the blog 

“Hot Air,” National Review and Human 

Events magazine. 

Romney last month told the website 

Breitbart TV that the media was 

involved in a “vast left-wing conspiracy 

to work together to put out their message 

and to attack me.” Romney will 

deliver a commencement address 

next week at Liberty University, the 

evangelical institution founded by the 

late Rev. Jerry Falwell in Lynchburg, Va. 

He will be the first Mormon to speak at 

a Liberty graduation. 

All that attention could alienate 

independents and more moderate 

voters often credited with deciding 

more cuts demanded by the country’s creditors. 

His other options include a repeat of the 

current uneasy Pasok-ND alliance or fresh 

elections. The final results are not expected 

much before before 2000 GMT, and experts 

have warned they could differ considerably 

from the exit polls. 

“After two years of barbarism, democracy 

is coming home,” Syriza head Alexis Tsipras 

said earlier yesterday. “The people will send 

a loud and clear message to all of Europe.” 

Greece’s creditors, not least paymasterin-chief 

Germany, the main proponent of 

austerity before growth-despite growing 

criticism across Europe-have little appetite 

to loosen the bailout terms, let alone consider 

a third rescue. With Athens having 

committed to finding in June another 11.5 

billion euros in savings through 2014, any 

ambition to renegotiate terms “suggests a 

degree of liberty they do not have,” Swiss 

bank UBS said in a research note. 

In ominous comments widely quoted by 

Greek newspapers on Saturday, German 

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said 

that if Greece’s new government deviated 

close elections. For now, the Romney 

campaign seems more focused on 

uniting a party that just experienced a 

bitter primary. His aides highlight the 

need to rev up conservative activists, 

who will drive turnout on Election Day 

and handle the lion’s share of the lessglamorous 

tasks needed to run a 

national campaign. 

They note that Democrats have a 

ready-made army of volunteers, relying 

on college students, labor union 

members and others. Romney has 

struggled for much of his primary 

campaign to excite most conservative 

voters. Aiming at that group, he 

described himself as a “severely conservative” 

Republican governor while 

speaking at the Conservative Political 

Action Conference in Washington in 

February. Some conservative leaders 

said they’re still not excited about 

Romney. — AP 


Heavy losses for Greek 

pro-austerity parties 

WEST PALM BEACH: A teenager 

accused of bludgeoning his 

parents with a hammer before 

hosting a party at their home 

signs jailhouse autographs 

exclaiming “It’s hammer time,” 

calls himself “hammer boy,” and 

says he has seen and talked to 

the devil, a fellow inmate told 

police. 

The inmate, Justin Toney, 

described 18-year-old Tyler 

Hadley’s jailhouse fame in interviews 

outlined in investigative 

files released by prosecutors. 

Hadley has pleaded not guilty 

in the bludgeonings last July of 

Blake and Mary-Jo Hadley. 

Toney told investigators that 

Hadley is known as “Hambo” 

and “Bamm-Bamm” by other 

inmates and that he has given 

autographs, including some on 

news articles about his case. 

Every time a new inmate is 

admitted, Toney said in the Feb. 

Neo-Nazis gain seats 

from its commitments, the country would 

“bear the consequences.” 

“Membership of the European Union is 

voluntary,” he said in Cologne. As a result, it 

is Greece’s vote rather than France’s presidential 

election, also decided yesterday, 

which “weighs heavier” on investors’ minds, 

said Valerie Plagnol, Credit Suisse director of 

THESSALONIKI: A woman prepares to cast her vote yesterday for the general elections at 

a polling station in the northen port city of Thessaloniki. Greece readies for elections with 

voters angry about austerity cuts and uncertainty over whether a new government can 

be formed with a strong enough mandate to push through yet more reforms demanded 

by its international creditors. — AFP 

21 interview, Hadley makes an 

introduction. “What’s up man?” 

Toney quoted Hadley as saying. 

“You know who I am? I’m the 

hammer boy.” 

The inmate says Hadley has 

given differing accounts of why 

he allegedly committed the 

crimes. First, he said, Hadley 

blamed it on medication he was 

on. Later, though, he said 

Hadley explained it was 

because he wanted to have a 

party and knew his parents 

wouldn’t let him. 

“All this to have a party?” 

Detective Kristin Meyer of the 

Port St. Lucie Police asked. 

“That’s what he said,” Toney 

replied. Toney said Hadley told 

him he’d been contemplating 

the killings for about three 

weeks and had considered 

using a garden tool instead. 

“He said he seen the devil,” 

Toney said. “He said he talked to 

the devil and the devil talked to 

him.” Still, there are glimpses of 

a different Hadley in the files. 

Toney said Hadley would sometimes 

bring him a ramen noodle 

cup, and often expressed 

remorse for his alleged crimes. 

In a log of a jailhouse visit with 

his older brother, Ryan, Hadley 

tells his brother he loves him 

and tells him to tell others he 

says hello and loves them too. 

Kelly Reynolds, who was interviewed 

by police but whose 

relationship to Hadley wasn’t 

made clear, said he was an altar 

boy. 

Hadley’s public defender, 

Mark Harllee, did not return a 

call Friday seeking comment. 

Hadley told a friend interviewed 

by police, Daniel Roberts, that 

his father had punched him in 

the face several times and had 

shown signs of injuries at times, 

according to the files. But Toney 

research. 

Holger Schmieding, economist at 

Germany’s Berenberg Bank, said that with a 

“high” chance that no stable government 

willing to implement more reforms can be 

formed, there was a 40-percent risk of a 

Greek eurozone exit this year. 

With Portugal and Ireland also getting 

aid and Italy and Spain on shaky ground 

too, last year there were worries of some 

sort of break-up of the eurozone. These 

fears have subsided in recent months but 

have not completely disappeared. 

Greece has already written off a third of 

its debts and is in its fifth year of recession. 

One in five workers is unemployed, its 

banks are in a precarious position and pensions 

and salaries have been slashed by up 

to 40 percent. — AFP 

Teenager held in parents’ 

killings signs autographs 

said Hadley told him he’d never 

been beaten or molested, and 

Ryan Hadley called his parents 

“awesome” and his brother a 

“pathological liar.” 

Police have said about 60 

people gathered for a party at 

Hadley’s house after his parents 

were killed, playing beer pong, 

smoking cigars and drinking. 

Friends described Hadley as 

being in a good mood and hospitable. 

Toney said Hadley claimed to 

have spent $2,000 on drugs and 

alcohol for the party, describing 

it as “so much fun.” He said 

Hadley knew he had “shocked 

the world” and realized something 

about his parents as he 

allegedly attacked them with a 

hammer. “I said, ‘Did they try to 

stop you?’” Toney asked about 

the attack. “And he was like, ‘No, 

that’s how I knew that they really 

loved me.’” — AP

11 

international 

Clinton ‘hurt’ by charges of anti-Islam US bias 

DHAKA: Secretary of State Hillary 

Clinton said yesterday she was deeply 

hurt by charges that the United States 

was biased against Muslims, staunchly 

defending her country’s record in protecting 

minorities. 

Clinton, visiting the world’s third 

largest Muslim-majority country 

Bangladesh, was asked by a student at 

a public forum about perceptions that 

the United States was against Islam. 

“That hurts me so much,” Clinton said. 

“It’s a painful perception to hear about 

and I deeply regret that anyone 

believes that or propagates it.” 

Clinton said that the decade of USled 

war was “self-defence” after the 

September 11, 2001 attacks by Al- 

Qaeda and said extremists “perverted” 

the teachings of Islam. “Is there dis- 

KATHMANDU: Nepalese rescuers search for bodies at a flood site at 

Kharapani village of Kaski district, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west 

of Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday. Flash floods from the Seti river in western 

Nepal swept away dozens of people along with their cattle and houses, 

officials said. Bodies have been recovered, a police official said. —AP 

Hope fades for Nepal 

flood victims, 15 dead 

KATHMANDU: Rescuers scouring Nepal’s 

central Annapurna region after severe flash 

flooding said yesterday that there was 

almost no hope of finding survivors and 

that the final toll could hit 60 dead. 

The bodies of 15 people have been 

recovered but district police superintendent 

Sailesh Thapa told AFP that 43 missing 

people, including three Ukrainian tourists, 

were feared dead. “So far, 12 of the 15 bodies 

have been identified. An excavator has 

reached the worst affected areas and is 

clearing the mud,” he said. “We have a list of 

another 43 people who have gone missing. 

Their chances of survival are almost zero. 

The three Ukrainians are still missing.” 

Just eight people have been rescued 

since the Seti burst its banks near the city 

of Pokhara, a popular tourist hub, on 

Saturday, sweeping away an entire village, 

and swamping families enjoying picnics on 

the river banks. Most of the missing are 

thought to be local. 

One witness, named as Uddha Bahadur 

Gurung, described how the river had suddenly 

swollen with water and turned into a 

lethal surge. “There was nothing unusual. 

People were enjoying picnics, some were 

relaxing in the hot spring pools by the river 

and others working,” he told the 

Kathmandu Post. 

“Out of nowhere came this swelling dark 

murky water with debris, sweeping away 

many people.” Sniffer dogs have been sent 

200 kilometres (125 miles) from the capital 

Kathmandu to search for bodies along the 

banks of the river, which has now subsided, 

while police and army personnel hunted 

for survivors. 

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattari broke 

off from key political negotiations over 

forming a new government to visit 

Kharapani village, which was washed away 

by the flood, his spokesman told AFP. “He 

has instructed the authorities to bring 20 

excavators so that the dead bodies of those 

who have been buried by the floods can be 

recovered,” said Bishwadeep Pandey, personal 

secretary to the premier. 

“The prime minister has also committed 

the government to provide expenses for 

the last rites to family members of those 

who died.” A landslide caused by days of 

heavy rain had blocked the Seti near its origin 

in the snow fields and glaciers of the 

Himalayas, said Nepalese Army spokesman 

Ramindra Chhetri. 

“Then there was a powerful outburst, 

which resulted in a flash flood in the Seti 

river that entered human settlements and 

created havoc,” he told AFP, adding some 

houses were covered with mud up to 12 

feet (3.5 metres) deep. “We have mobilised 

a company, an engineer platoon and soldiers 

from specialised troops for search and 

rescue operations,” he said. 

The 8,091-metres (26,545-feet) Mount 

Annapurna attracts thousands of trekkers, 

both local and foreign, each year as well as 

day-trippers who enjoy picnics on the 

banks of the Seti river. 

The mountain is considered both technically 

difficult and avalanche-prone and 

has a much higher death rate among 

climbers than Everest, the world’s highest 

peak. —AFP 

crimination or prejudice in the United 

States like in every society and country 

in the world? Unfortunately yes. 

Human nature has not changed dramatically,” 

she said. 

“There is discrimination against 

people of different religions, of different 

races, of different ethnic groups all 

over the world... but I don’t think that 

it is at all fair to hold up the United 

KOLKATA: US Secretary of State 

Hillary Clinton landed in India yesterday 

with hopes of reinvigorating 

a relationship seen as losing steam 

despite efforts to bring the world’s 

two largest democracies closer. 

Clinton was greeted by streets 

lined with waving well-wishers as 

she started her visit in Kolkata, 

where she will tour monuments 

and meet ordinary citizens in her 

latest bid to use her star appeal as a 

diplomatic tool. 

She heads today to New Delhi 

for talks with Prime Minister 

Manmohan Singh with whom she 

is expected to raise US calls for 

India to stop buying oil from Iran, 

one of the most open disagreements 

in years between the countries. 

Clinton said she saw ample 

progress in relations with India, 

pointing to rising trade and cooperation 

in areas from education to 

clean energy. 

“I think it’s like any relationshipthere 

is progress in some areas that 

we are very heartened by, and 

there is more work to be done,” 

Clinton told reporters before her 

arrival. “But that’s the commitment 

that we make when we say to 

another country, we want to be 

your partner,” she said. 

After more than a decade of 

warming relations, India has bristled 

at a US law that would impose 

sanctions on banks from countries 

that buy oil from Iran due to concerns 

over Tehran’s contested 

nuclear programme. 

A senior US official travelling 

with Clinton acknowledged that 

India had quietly been cutting back 

on Iranian oil and that New Delhifiercely 

protective of its sovereignty-could 

not be seen as buckling 

under US pressure. “Our assessment 

is that India is making good 

progress but we really need to 

receive assurances that they’re 

going to continue to make good 

progress,” the official said on condition 

of anonymity. 

The official said that Carlos 

Pascual, the US pointman on the 

issue, would visit New Delhi later 

this month to determine the next 

step. Only EU nations and Japan 

Suicide bombing in Pakistan kills 20 

KHAR: A Taleban suicide bombing in 

a Pakistani market close to the 

Afghan border killed 20 people 

Friday, officials said, a day after the 

US released letters seized from 

Osama bin Laden’s compound that 

criticized Pakistani militants for 

killing too many civilians. 

Five of the dead in the blast in the 

Bajur tribal area were local members 

of the security forces, including one 

who had received an award for bravery 

in fighting Islamist militants, government 

administrator Abdul 

Haseeb said. The others were 

passers-by. Over 40 people were 

wounded, mostly civilians. 

The suicide bomber, who was 

believed to be 15 to 16 years old, 

detonated his explosives as he 

approached a security checkpoint 

near the market in the town of Khar, 

said Haseeb. The attack took place as 

locals were headed to work or taking 

their children to school. The dead 

included a woman and several 

schoolchildren. 

The explosion damaged over a 

dozen shops, and rescue officials 

searched through the debris for anyone 

trapped inside. The ground outside 

the market was covered in 

blood and littered with the shoes of 

those hit by the attack. 

Pakistani Taleban spokesman 

Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility 

for the bombing in a telephone 

call to The Associated Press. “This is 

revenge for killing our people,” said 

Ahsan. Pakistan’s branch of the 

Taleban, which is battling for control 

of the region, has killed and wounded 

thousands of people since 2009, 

many of them civilians in markets or 

mosques. 

On Thursday, the US released 17 

letters seized from the compound of 

al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden by 

American commandos after they 

had killed him one year ago. Many of 

them addressed bombings in which 

civilians were killed. 

Two senior al-Qaida leaders 

wrote a letter to Pakistani Taleban 

chief Hakimullah Mehsud in 

December 2010 criticizing the group 

for carrying out attacks in markets, 

mosques and other places that kill 

innocent Muslims. It accused the 

group of making “clear legal and religious 

mistakes which might result in 

a negative deviation from the set 

path of the jihadists’ movement in 

Pakistan.” 

The group’s actions also “are contrary 

to the objectives of jihad and to 

the efforts exerted by us,” said the 

letter, which was written by Abu 

Yahya al-Libi and a militant leader 

identified as Atiyatullah. One of bin 

Laden’s spokesmen, the American 

Adam Gadahn, wrote a letter to an 

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or movement for justice party, 

addresses a rally in Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday. Thousands of supporters of Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf 

rallied in the capital Islamabad against the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and to show 

their support with the Supreme Court, which punished Gilani for contempt of court. —AP 

States” over discrimination, she said. 

“I believe that the United States 

through our laws and through our 

constant political dialogue has gone 

probably farther than anywhere else 

in the world in trying to guarantee 

legal protections for people. I would 

like to see more countries do more to 

protect the rights of minorities,” she 

said. 

have so far been given exemptions 

to the sanctions which go into 

effect on June 28. 

India is highly dependent on 

foreign energy and has historically 

enjoyed friendly relations with 

Tehran. But the US official said that 

Indian businesses had made “a 

major strategic bet” on continuing 

good relations with the United 

States and did not want to jeopardise 

them over Iran. 

Clinton will meet today morning 

in Kolkata with West Bengal’s Chief 

Minister Mamata Banerjee, who 

took power last year by sweeping 

out nearly 35 years of communist 

rule in the eastern state. Clinton 

will seek to show solidarity with a 

fellow female leader but also press 

Banerjee to back the opening up of 

India’s fast-growing retail sector to 

major foreign companies such as 

Walmart, the US official said. 

Banerjee, a fractious ally of 

Singh’s government, was instrumental 

in scuttling planned retail 

reforms. Critics charge that liberalising 

the sector would devastate 

India’s ubiquitous small stores, but 

foreign retailers contend that they 

can improve efficiency and consumer 

choice. US businesses, once 

at the vanguard of building ties 

with India, have voiced disappointment 

over the deadlock on retail 

reform along with parliament’s 

refusal to give US nuclear firms 

greater protection from liabilities. 

Nuclear energy had been a 

symbolic milestone in the relationship, 

with former president George 

W. Bush championing a deal that 

ended India’s decades of isolation 

over its nuclear Non-Proliferation 

Treaty. President Barack Obama 

The United States has long had a 

cooperative relationship with 

Bangladesh, which is known for its 

moderate brand of Islam and has a 

significant population of religious 

minorities. But Clinton is the first US 

secretary of state to visit Bangladesh 

since 2003 amid concern over political 

infighting that has long polarised the 

country. —AFP 


Clinton lands in India 

to breathe life into ties 

‘We want to be your partner’ 

has backed another of India’s longtime 

ambitions by supporting its 

bid for a permanent seat on the 

UN Security Council. But few 

expect UN reform anytime soon 

and some Indians have accused 

the Obama administration of a lack 

of attention. T.P. Sreenivasan, a former 

Indian ambassador to the 

United Nations, said that the initial 

KOLKATA: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) waves upon her arrival at the airport in 

Kolkata yesterday. Clinton landed in India with hopes of reinvigorating a relationship seen as 

losing steam despite efforts to bring the world’s two largest democracies closer. —AFP 

unknown recipient in January 2011 

in which he listed a series of attacks 

on mosques and other sites in 

Pakistan that killed hundreds of civilians. 

The Pakistani Taleban either 

claimed responsibility for the attacks 

or were suspected of carrying them 

out. 

Gadahn said these kinds of 

attacks “distort the picture of the 

pious and loyal mujahideen.” “Now 

many regular people are looking at 

the mujahideen as a group that does 

not hesitate to take people’s money 

by falsehood, blowing up mosques, 

spilling the blood of dozens of people 

in the way to kill one or two who 

were labeled as enemies,” said 

Gadahn. 

One of the incidents highlighted 

by Gadahn was a 2010 suicide 

bombing of a mosque in the northwest 

town of Darra Adam Khel targeting 

anti-Taliban tribal elders that 

killed nearly 70 people. He 

expressed skepticism at attempts by 

the Pakistani Taleban to blame the 

attack on the private U.S. security 

firm formerly known as Blackwater. 

The Pakistani Taleban rarely claim 

responsibility for attacks that kill 

many civilians, often blaming them 

on the US or Pakistani governments. 

Gadahn advised the Pakistani 

Taleban to carry out more targeted 

attacks that would limit civilian casualties. 

“If that targeted person really 

deserves to be killed, why not 

employ another method rather than 

random attacks, which are not tolerated 

by any conscience or religion?” 

said Gadahn. “Have you not remembered 

that you are fighting in the 

Muslim towns and not in the infidel’s 

fortresses?” —AP 

expectations for the US-India relationship 

had not been met but 

that Clinton had the advantage of 

being considered a friend of New 

Delhi. 

The visit “comes at a useful time 

as there is a certain amount of 

strain in relations that needs to be 

rectified,” he said. “The relationship 

has lost momentum partly 

because... both are preoccupied 

with their own internal problems,” 

he said. —AFP 

NEW DELHI: French nationals residing in India check their names against 

a voter registry during the second round of presidential elections at the 

French Embassy in New Delhi yesterday. France goes to the polls with frontrunner 

Hollande hoping voters will reject French presidential candidates 

incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy’s record in office and make him the country’s 

first Socialist president since 1995. —AFP 

Militants attack Pakistan 

military convoy: Officials 

MIRANSHAH: Militants attacked a 

Pakistani military convoy in the country’s 

troubled northwest yesterday, 

injuring three soldiers, officials said, a 

day after a US drone strike killed 10 

insurgents. The attack triggered a gun 

battle that raged for more than two 

hours near Miranshah, the main town in 

the notorious militant stronghold of 

North Waziristan, with troops killing at 

least three militants, tribal police official 

Taj Mohammed told AFP. 

Security officials confirmed the clash 

while witnesses said helicopters were 

seen circling overhead. The convoy 

came under attack from about a dozen 

militants armed with rockets and automatic 

rifles, officials said, and followed 

a US drone strike on a militant compound 

in North Waziristan on Saturday 

in which at least 10 insurgents were 

killed. Waziristan lies in northwestern 

Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt 

which Washington considers the main 

hub for Taleban and Al-Qaeda to plot 

attacks on the West and in Afghanistan. 

Pakistan says the drone strikes are 

counter productive and undermine 

government efforts to separate tribes 

from militants, violate Pakistan’s sovereignty, 

kill civilians and fuel anti-US 

sentiment. —AFP

12 

international 

Hardline Myanmar vice president resigns 

YANGON: A former top general close 

to Myanmar’s retired dictator Than 

Shwe has resigned as vice-president, 

Burmese media reported, ending the 

hardliner’s role in the reformist government. 

Tin Aung Myint Oo, 61, submitted 

his resignation on May 3 for 

health reasons after returning from 

Singapore for medical treatment, the 

Myanmar language service of Voice 

of America reported on Sunday. 

The report could not be immediately 

confirmed. Tin Aung Myint Oo, 

a former four-star general, was one 

of two vice-presidents and considered 

a leader among hardliners in 

the year-old military-backed government 

that replaced the often-brutal 

junta who ruled for half a century. 

Tin Aung Myint Oo graduated from 

the Defence Services Academy in 

1970, becoming northeastern military 

commander near the Chinese border 

late 1990s. He was promoted to 

Secretary-1 of the former junta in 

1997, a year when the army rounded 

up hundreds of pro-democracy 

Chinese activist seeks 

official help to go to US 

‘It’s even difficult for me to get out of bed’ 

BEIJING: Chinese activist Chen 

Guangcheng, isolated in a 

Beijing hospital, yesterday 

appealed for official help to 

leave the country after a USbrokered 

diplomatic solution 

paved the way for his departure. 

Chen is at the centre of a 

major diplomatic wrangle 

between China and the United 

States after he dramatically 

escaped harsh house arrest in 

the eastern province of 

Shandong and sought refuge at 

the US embassy in Beijing. 

He has been offered a fellowship 

from New York 

University but injuries sustained 

during his flight and 

official restrictions on access to 

him have prevented him from 

completing the necessary formalities 

to leave. The activist 

was escorted to the Beijing 

hospital by US officials on 

Wednesday, but said his friends 

had been barred from visiting 

and US diplomats had only 

been allowed to see his wife, 

who was with him at the facility. 

“Now I have notified the hospital 

to invite them (government 

officials) to help me do 

the procedures. I really don’t 

have a way,” he told AFP in a 

telephone interview. “It’s even 

difficult for me to get out of 

bed and my other friends cannot 

come, so I have no way. 

They (US diplomats) have 

come, but they can’t see me.” 

Chen, who riled authorities 

by exposing forced abortions 

and sterilisations under China’s 

“one-child” policy, says he 

wants to depart for the United 

States for his safety and that of 

his wife and two young children. 

China’s foreign ministry 

said on Friday that he would be 

allowed to apply to study 

abroad, signalling then-visiting 

US Secretary of State Hillary 

Clinton had secured a deal with 

the Chinese government. 

Chen, 40, a self-taught 

lawyer, is in hospital being 

treated for foot injuries sustained 

during his escape from 

his village home, where he says 

BEIJING: Police remove an abandoned vehicle as they clear the street outside the Chaoyang 

Hospital wing housing blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng, in Beijing yesterday. —AFP 

ILIGAN CITY: Philippine Army 103rd Brigade, 

investigators gather evidence at an area where a 

grenade exploded in Iligan city, southern 

Philippines. Officials in the Philippines say the 

powerful grenade explosion killed two people 

and wounded dozens others outside a crowded 

bar. —AP 

Grenade blast 

kills two, wounds 

30 in Philippines 

MANILA: A grenade explosion killed two people and 

wounded at least 30 others outside a crowded bar in the 

southern Philippines, officials said yesterday. 

Investigators were trying to identify the attackers who 

tossed the grenade late Saturday outside the El Sentro 

Resto Bar and a nearby drug store in Iligan city. Police 

found the pin of the grenade, which also damaged a 

number of parked cars and sent people fleeing in panic, 

army Col. Daniel Lucero said.It remained unclear if 

Muslim rebels, al-Qaida-linked militants or extortion 

gangs were behind the blast or if it was sparked by feuding 

civilians, Lucero said. 

President Benigno Aquino III called on the attackers to 

surrender, warning that authorities would not stop until 

they were captured. He said investigators were looking at 

two motives for the attack but did not elaborate. 

The government of Australia, which funds anti-poverty 

projects in the south, expressed its sympathies to the 

victims. Iligan, an industrial and trading center 780 kilometers 

(485 miles) southeast of Manila, has been targeted 

by Muslim separatist rebels in the past. —AP 

he was beaten and kept under 

constant surveillance. Friends 

of the dissident told AFP Chen 

and his family were preparing 

to go to the United States and 

might leave soon though his 

departure would depend on 

the Chinese government giving 

permission and issuing passports. 

Jerome Cohen, a New York 

University professor who is a 

friend and adviser to Chen, said 

he may go to the United States 

“soon”. “It’s conceivable he 

could be here quite soon,” 

Cohen told AFP by telephone 

from his US home. 

“I’m hoping it’s a done deal. I 

was very excited when I saw 

the announcement by the foreign 

ministry spokesman on 

Friday afternoon,” he said. 

“That’s an open signal that they 

are prepared to let him come 

abroad for a period of study,” 

said Cohen, who spoke to Chen 

twice before he left the US 

embassy but not since. 

A spokesman for New York 

University said Friday that the 

activist had been invited to 

study there. Chen said he did 

not know how long he would 

be in hospital, but fellow 

activist lawyer Jiang Tianyong, 

who spoke to him by phone 

late Saturday, said he would 

probably be in the hospital a 

few more days for treatment. 

“The current situation is that 

he hopes he and his family can 

go together to the United 

States,” Jiang told AFP yesterday. 

“He hopes to come back.” 

The entrances of the Chaoyang 

Hospital compound remained 

tightly guarded by uniformed 

police yesterday and the wary 

authorities kept journalists in a 

designated area outside, an 

AFP photographer said. 

If Chen decides to take up 

the NYU offer, he would be a 

visiting scholar at the law 

school with a programme of 

study and lecture, Cohen said. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he 

got here within a week. But if it 

takes a month, it doesn’t matter 

and it wouldn’t surprise me 

either,” he said. 

US officials appeared to be 

keeping the details, including a 

timescale, of the agreement 

with Beijing deliberately vague, 

fearing that it would fall 

through if China felt embarrassed 

on its home soil. The US 

State Department said it 

expected China to move “expeditiously” 

to grant Chen a passport. 

—AFP 

Nuclear-free Japan braces 

for severe power shortages 

TOKYO: The shutdown of Japan’s last 

working nuclear power plant and the 

government’s failure to convince a wary 

public about restoring production at 

dozens of reactors leaves the world’s 

third largest economy facing another 

summer of severe power shortages. 

Hokkaido Electric Power Co shut its 

nuclear plant late on Saturday - the last 

of Japan’s 50 reactors to go off line - 

marking the first time since 1970 Japan 

has been nuclear power-free. Japan’s $5 

trillion economy has relied heavily on 

nuclear power for decades, with its 

reactors providing almost 30 percent of 

electricity needs, but last year’s massive 

earthquake and subsequent nuclear crisis 

spurred a public backlash against 

atomic energy. 

Cabinet ministers have largely failed 

to win over the public to allow the 

restart of the country’s plants - shut one 

by one for scheduled maintenance and 

unable to resume operations because 

of concerns about safety. Japan’s Asahi 

newspaper said public sentiment was 

“wavering between two sources of anxiety” 

- fear over the safety of nuclear 

power and doubts on whether Japan 

can live without it. 

“The public shouldn’t just criticise 

(the government) but make its own 

decision on energy policy that involves 

burden and responsibility, such as 

through cooperating in power saving,” 

the paper said in an editorial yesterday. 

The government hopes to come up 

with an estimate by mid-May of expected 

shortages this summer, and will then 

produce a plan to conserve energy that 

could include compulsory curbs on use 

of power, Japanese media say. But setting 

a long-term energy policy or a 

clear timeframe for restarting the plants 

will take time given strong public opposition 

and a divided parliament that has 

paralysed policy-making, analysts say. 

Policymakers are worried about the 

damage to the budding economic 

recovery as the power shortages are 

expected to be more severe and widespread 

than last summer, when many 

areas in Japan were still running 

nuclear reactors. 

Some also warn of the long-term fallout 

as the rising cost of electricity, coupled 

with a strong yen, hits production 

and could prompt companies to shift 

operations overseas. 

“Depending on the weather, power 

supply could constrain output during 

the summer,” the Bank of Japan said. 

“But we must be mindful not just of 

such short-term effects but the chance 

(the power shortages) could hurt 

Japan’s medium-and long-term growth 

expectations,” the central bank said in a 

twice-yearly report on the economy 

issued on April 27. 

Japan managed to get through the 

summer last year without any blackouts 

by imposing voluntary curbs on the use 

of power in the aftermath of the earthquake 

and tsunami that left thousands 

dead. 

Factories operated at night and during 

weekends to avoid putting too 

much stress on the country’s power 

grids. Many big firms are already 

preparing to take similar steps this 

summer, but some also plan to generate 

power themselves to cut costs. 

The last time Japan went without 

nuclear power was in May 1970, when 

the country’s only two reactors operating 

at that time were shut for maintenance, 

the Federation of Electric Power 

Companies of Japan said. —Reuters 

activists in Aung San Suu Kyi’s 

National League for Democracy to 

prevent them from attending a party 

congress. 

Suu Kyi and 42 other members of 

her party took their seats in parliament 

last week following a historic by-election 

in a year of dramatic reforms in the 

former British colony also known as 

Burma. In 2009, Tin Aung Myint Oo was 

appointed military advisor to then- 

Senior General Than Shwe. 

He was elected to the lower house a 

year later as a candidate for the armybacked 

Union Solidarity and 

Development Party, and was quickly 

nominated as vice president by military 

delegates. —Reuters 


BUSAN: South Korean police officers stand guard at an entrance of a 

karaoke bar where a fire broke out, in Busan, South Korea, Saturday. Nine 

people were reportedly killed in the blaze. —AP 

Fire kills nine at South 

Korean karaoke bar 

SEOUL: A fierce blaze swept through a 

karaoke lounge in a busy commercial district 

of the South Korean city of Busan, 

killing nine people including three Sri 

Lankans, police said yesterday. The fire, 

which broke out on Saturday night, 

injured 25 others, who were taken to 

hospital for treatment. One is in a critical 

condition. 

Witnesses reported hearing a loud 

bang before smoke quickly engulfed the 

bar, which has 28 rooms and is on the 

third floor of a six-storey building in the 

major southern port city. The dead 

included three Sri Lankan workers who 

were holding a party with Korean colleagues, 

a police spokesman in Busan 

told AFP. 

“Three migrant Sri Lankan workers 

and three Korean workers from a factory 

in Busan were found dead,” he said, 

declining to give their identities. South 

Korean companies hire tens of thousands 

of manual workers from other 

Asian countries because more and more 

South Koreans are shunning dirty and 

dangerous jobs. Smoke and fumes 

spread quickly after the blaze started in 

one of the karaoke rooms, making it hard 

for people to find the exits. The victims 

died from inhaling toxic gases, the police 

spokesman said. 

About 100 firefighters and 20 fire 

trucks battled the blaze and rescued 35 

people, some of them from the top of 

the building, he said. Television footage 

showed firemen using ladders to rescue 

people, watched by scores of passersby. 

It was not immediately clear what 

started the fire and an investigation is 

under way. “Firefighters believe the fire 

might have been caused by a short circuit,” 

the spokesman said. A fireman said 

the victims were trapped inside after the 

fire broke out near the main front door 

but declined to confirm TV reports that 

the karaoke lounge was ordered to correct 

its electric wiring last year. 

High casualties appeared to have 

been caused by the complicated layout 

of the 28 rooms and sound-insulating 

material in the establishment, which is 

located in the Busanjin district, Yonhap 

news agency said. In January 2009, at 

least eight people were killed in a fire in 

another karaoke lounge in Busan. 

Investigators blamed lax fire precautions 

and suspected staff negligence for 

the blaze, which gutted the basement 

bar in the Yongdo district. —AFP 

TOKYO: Residents walk under fallen power poles after a tornado struck 

Tsukuba city, northeast of Tokyo, yesterday. The tornado tore through the 

area, injuring at least 30 people, destroying dozens of homes and leaving 

thousands more without electricity. —AP 

Tornado kills teenager 

TOKYO: A tornado ripped through eastern 

Japan yesterday, killing a teenager, 

destroying dozens of homes and cutting 

power to around 20,000 households. 

“A 14-year-old male died” as a 

result of the tornado, said a spokesman 

at the disaster headquarters of Tsukuba 

city in Ibaraki prefecture, roughly 60 

kilometres (37 miles) northeast of Tokyo. 

The exact cause of the death was not 

immediately clear, but he was among 15 

people whom rescue workers rushed to 

hospitals immediately after the twister, 

the city government said. It added that 

21 other people also sought medical 

care for tornado-related injuries in the 

city, and said it had asked Self Defense 

Force troops to help with rescue and 

relief operations. 

“The figure is only a temporary tally. 

We believe the number (for injuries) 

could rise,” the spokesman said. The 

Tsukuba fire and emergency bureau 

said 30 to 50 houses were destroyed by 

the tornado, with many more damaged. 

Moka city in neighbouring Tochigi prefecture 

reported one injury and damage 

to 132 buildings after it was hit by a separate 

apparent tornado. 

A number of minor injuries were also 

reported in Tochigi, while a swathe of 

eastern Japan was battered by strong 

winds, hail, lightning and heavy rain. In 

total, tornadoes damaged roughly 500 

houses and buildings in the Kanto 

region, including Ibaraki and Tochigi, 

said the online editions of national 

broadcaster NHK and the mass-circulation 

Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper. 

Television footage from Tsukuba 

showed houses swept from their foundations, 

overturned cars in muddy 

debris and fallen concrete power poles. 

Aerial images showed possibly hundreds 

of houses and apartments with 

shattered glass windows, many of them 

with their roofs blown away. 

“You could see the roaring column of 

wind rushing with sparks from live power 

lines inside it,” a local man told 

national broadcaster NHK. “Winds blew 

into my house. It took only a moment,” a 

woman told NHK while cleaning up her 

home. 

Japan’s weather agency issued warnings 

for a wide region in the east of the 

country, urging people to seek shelter in 

case of sudden winds and thunder. The 

severe winds caused a power outage for 

nearly 20,000 households in the region, 

said a spokeswoman for Tokyo Electric 

Power. —AFP

Continued from Page 1 

NEWS 

PARIS: A supporter of Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande waves a party flag yesterday outside the party’s headquarters following the announcement of the estimated results of the second 

round of the presidential election. — AFP 

Sky News Arabia goes on air 

ABU DHABI: Sky News Arabia, a 24-hour Arabic language 

news channel based in Abu Dhabi, began broadcasting 

yesterday, pledging to be “objective” in its news 

coverage. The channel’s lead story was the French presidential 

election, with live coverage from the home of 

Francois Hollande, the front-runner in the poll, followed 

by a report on Syrian refugees on the Syria-Turkish border. 

“New Sky Arabia will change the media in the Arab 

world,” promised presenter Faisal Ben Hariz, emphasising 

on the “objectivity” factor. 

The channel’s CEO, Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber said in a 

statement: “The region demanded an Arab news product 

which incorporates both the technological developments 

and the fast changing media consumption habits 

Socialist Hollande ousts Sarkozy... 

crowd in his hometown of Tulle, in the rural Correze 

region. Hollande said that he wanted to be judged over his 

five-year term with regard to how well he advanced the cause 

of fairness in society and the fate of the young, many of 

whom face unemployment and exclusion in France.”It is the 

French dream that I will strive to make whole during the mandate 

that has just been given me,” he said. 

Hollande also warned fellow European leaders that he 

would push ahead with his vow to refocus EU fiscal efforts 

from austerity to growth. “Europe is watching us, austerity can 

no longer be the only option,” he said. “And this is the mission 

that is now mine - to give the European project a dimension 

of growth, employment, prosperity, in short, a future. “This is 

what I will say as soon as possible to our European partners 

and first of all to Germany, in the name of the friendship that 

links us and in the name of our shared responsibility. We are 

not just any country on the planet, just any nation in the 

world, we are France.” 

After the speech, the president-elect was due to fly back to 

Paris for a larger victory rally in the Place de la Bastille, a sacred 

space for the left, and he is expected to take over power from 

Sarkozy on May 15. “We are rid of a poison that was blighting 

our society. A normal president! It gives us a lot to dream 

about,” said Didier Stephan, a 70-year-old artist who was 

among throngs of supporters at Place de la Bastille. Hollande 

led in opinion polls throughout the campaign and won the 

April 22 first round with 28.6 percent to Sarkozy’s 27.2 percent 

- making the right-winger the first-ever incumbent to lose in 

the first round. 

Grey skies and rain showers greeted voters across much of 

France, but turnout was high, hitting 71.96 percent at 5:00 pm 

(1500 GMT) according to interior ministry figures. More than 

46 million people were eligible to vote. The election was 

marked by fears over European Union-imposed austerity and 

globalisation, and Hollande has said his first foreign meeting 

will be with German Chancellor Angela Merkel - the key driver 

of EU budget policy. The 57-year-old Socialist has vowed to 

renegotiate the hard-fought fiscal austerity pact signed by EU 

leaders in March to make it focus more on growth, but is facing 

resistance from Merkel. 

The French vote coincides with an election in Greece, 

where exit polls showed the country’s two main parties suffering 

big losses for landing the country in its bleak economic 

that are transforming how news is gathered and disseminated.” 

With a team of some 400 journalists, producers and 

technicians and 12 offices worldwide, Sky News Arabia, 

aims to compete with the Doha-based Al-Jazeera - the 

first rolling news broadcasting channel in the Arab 

world - and the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya based in Dubai. 

Another channel, Al-Arab, belonging to Saudi billionaire 

Al-Walid bin Talal, is expected to be launched in 

December 2012 in Bahrain. Based in Abu Dhabi, Sky 

News Arabia is a joint venture between BSkyB of 

London and Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation 

owned by Sheikh Mansur bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, a 

brother of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa. — AFP 

ABU DHABI: An Emirati couple attend the launch of Sky News Arabia yesterday. — AFP 

state. Anger over sputtering economies has brought down 

leaders from Ireland to Portugal since the debt crisis washed 

over the European continent. Berlin moved quickly to establish 

ties with Hollande, with Foreign Minister Guido 

Westerwelle vowing “close partnership” between the two 

nations and saying: “We will work together on a growth pact.” 

Hollande has said he will move quickly to implement his 

traditionally Socialist tax-and-spend program, which calls for 

boosting taxes on the rich, increasing state spending and hiring 

some 60,000 teachers. Sarkozy fought a fierce campaign, 

saying a victory for Hollande would spark market panic and 

financial chaos and calling him a “liar” and “slanderer” in the 

final days of the race. But Sarkozy failed to overcome deeprooted 

anger at meagre economic growth and increasing joblessness, 

and disappointment after he failed to live up to the 

promises of his 2007 election. 

Sarkozy, 57, was also deeply unpopular on a personal level, 

with many voters turned off by his flashy “bling bling” lifestyle 

- exemplified by his marriage to former supermodel Carla 

Bruni - and aggressive behaviour. Hollande has vowed to be a 

“normal president” in contrast with Sarkozy, but some have 

raised concerns over his lack of experience. Hollande, a longtime 

Socialist party leader and local lawmaker from the 

Correze region, has never held a top government post. 

The first round of the election last month was marked by a 

record score for Marine Le Pen of the far-right, anti-immigrant 

and anti-Europe National Front, when she took nearly 18 percent 

of the vote. Sarkozy turned increasingly to the right ahead 

of the run-off - vowing to restrict immigration and “defend 

French values” - but Le Pen refused to call on her supporters to 

back him and she cast a blank ballot. Hollande won the backing 

of centrist Francois Bayrou, who took nine percent in the 

first round, and Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon of 

the Left Front, who took 11 percent. “This is a very big failure 

(for Sarkozy) against a candidate who has no experience in 

government,” said political analyst Stephane Rozes. “It is not so 

much for the content of his policies that he has been punished, 

but for his way of being and acting,” Rozes said. 

After seeing Merkel, Hollande will quickly set off for a 

series of international meetings, including a G8 summit in 

the US on May 18-19 and NATO gathering in Chicago on 

May 20-21. The Socialists, Sarkozy’s right-wing UMP and 

France’s other political parties will now be focused on a 

parliamentary election to be held over two rounds on June 

10 and June 17. — Agencies 

PM gives access to probe panel 

Continued from Page 1 

In another development, the majority bloc is unanimous 

on the need to grill Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali 

because his inclusion in the Cabinet was a very big mistake, 

Islamist opposition MP Adel Al-Damkhi said yesterday. The 

grilling is expected to be filed this week unless the veteran 

minister steps down or is sacked by the prime minister as is 

demanded by the opposition, which is particularly upset 

over Shamali’s negative role over assisting two key parliamentary 

investigation panels. 

Damkhi, a member of the coordination committee for 

the majority bloc, said the bloc believes that Interior 

Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah should face 

the grilling by MP Mohammad Al-Juwaihel and refute its 

allegations. He said that all the majority MPs are unanimous 

in backing the planned grilling of the finance minister. 

Damkhi said the majority has also approved the list of prior- 


‘Crab’ chips, fruity 

Oreos? They’re big 

NEW YORK: Russians prefer their Lay’s potato chips dusted 

in caviar and crab flavors. The Chinese like their Oreos 

stuffed with mango and orange cream. And in Spain, 

Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal is served floating in hot coffee 

instead of cold milk. Americans might get squeamish at the 

thought of their favorite snacks being tweaked. But what 

works in the US. doesn’t always work everywhere. In other 

words, Lee Linthicum, a market researcher, says: “It can’t be 

some generic mix of spices that might fool an American.” 

Food makers long have tinkered with their products to 

appeal to regional tastes, but getting the recipe just right is 

becoming more important than ever. That’s partly because 

people in developing nations such as China and India are 

gaining more of an appetite for American-style “on-the-go” 

foods as they work longer hours and have less time to cook. 

But it’s mostly because snack makers increasingly are looking 

for growth in other parts of the world as sales slow at 

home. 

Growth in the snack food industry has been virtually flat 

in the US for the past two years, according to market 

research firm Euromonitor. Meanwhile, combined sales in 

China, Brazil and Russia - three major developing markets - 

rose 15 percent in 2010 and 11 percent last year to $17 billion. 

That’s half the size of the US market but it’s growing. 

The challenge for snack makers is that people in other 

countries have different tastes. Consider the Oreo, which 

Kraft Food Inc. introduced in China in 1996. Sales of the 

vanilla cream-filled chocolate cookie sandwich were 

respectable there, but the Chinese didn’t completely take to 

it. So Kraft decided to tweak the Oreo. But executives of the 

Northfield, Illinois-based company knew that they had to 

proceed with caution. “When you have a brand that’s 100 

years old, you don’t mess with the recipe thoughtlessly,” 

says Lorna Davis, head of the company’s global biscuit and 

cookies business. 

In 2006, Kraft began offering the Oreo as a wafer, a popular 

cookie throughout Asia. It is made up of cream sandwiched 

between crispy wafers. The plan was to help familiarize 

more Chinese customers with the brand. Three years 

later, the company decided to go a step further. Kraft 

worked with a panel of consumer taste experts from 

around the world to identify the characteristics of the Oreo 

- including color, crunchiness, bitterness, color - that were 

likely to appeal to Chinese tastes. Executives learned 

through research that the Chinese don’t like their treats as 

big or as sweet as Americans do. So the company rejiggered 

the recipe to create a cookie that was a tad smaller 

and a touch less sweet. 

To test the new recipe, hundreds of Chinese consumers 

tasted the new Oreo. It was a hit. “It made us realize the 

smallest of details make a big difference,” Davis says. But the 

company wasn’t finished. After noticing sales of Oreos were 

lagging in China during the summer, Kraft added a green 

tea ice cream flavor. The cookie combined a popular local 

flavor with the cooling imagery of ice cream. The green tea 

version sold well, and a year later, Kraft rolled out Oreos in 

flavors that are popular in Asians desserts - raspberry-andblueberry 

and mango-and-orange. The result? Over the 

past five years, Kraft said sales have grown an average of 60 

percent a year, although it declined to give revenue 

amounts. The Oreo now is the top-selling cookie in China 

with a market share of 13 percent. The previous top cookie 

was a biscuit by a Chinese company. 

Kraft, which operates in more than 80 countries, is taking 

a similar approach with other snacks. In Saudi Arabia, Kraft 

offers its Tang powder drink in a lemon-pepper flavor. In 

Mexico, it comes in tropical fruit flavors like tamarind and 

mandarin, and a hibiscus version fashioned after the flower. 

Sales have nearly doubled to $1 billion worldwide since 

Kraft rolled out the localized versions in 2006. Kraft’s ability 

to adapt to local tastes is increasingly important as it looks 

for growth overseas. The rise in international revenue at 

Kraft was more than double the increase in North America 

last year. Kraft also plans to split into two separate units by 

the end of the year. The largest will be a global snacks company 

called Mondelez International, pronounced “mohndah-leez”, 

to sell its Trident gum and Cadbury chocolates in 

fast-growing countries worldwide. 

Kellogg Co, the world’s largest cereal maker, also has 

intensified its focus on catering to local tastes as it attempts 

to grow its snack business overseas. Last year, the company’s 

revenue in Latin America topped $1 billion for the first 

time. And in February, Kellogg said it agreed to buy Pringles 

chip brand from Procter & Gamble for $2.7 billion. The deal 

will nearly triple its international snack business, making it 

the world’s second-largest snack maker behind PepsiCo Inc. 

The company, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, already 

sells products in more than 180 countries. It’s learning that 

on-the-ground insights can pay off. In Europe, for instance, 

Kellogg for many years had marketed its cereals there just 

as it did in the US But it failed to take into account that 

many in the region don’t drink cold milk in the morning. 

Now, an American traveling in Spain might find it surreal to 

see TV ads showing All-Bran cereal floating in a steaming 

cup of coffee. Kellogg, which makes Keebler, Cheez-It and 

Kashi bars, declined to give details on how well the cereal 

is selling there, but it said the marketing has resulted in 

“great results”. 

A similar story played out for PepsiCo. For the first time 

last year, revenue from the company’s international snacks 

division surpassed revenue in North America. To achieve 

that, PepsiCo has had to adjust its recipes. In 2005, 

PepsiCo’s food division began a quest to make its Lay’s 

potato chips more appealing to local tastes in Russia. It 

wasn’t easy. Russians still like packaged versions of a 

Soviet-era snack - stale bread slathered in oil and baked to 

a crisp. “Potato chips were not big in the Communist time, 

so it’s something we’re gradually building,” says Marc 

Schroeder, who heads PepsiCo’s food division in Russia. 

To get a better sense of what Russians like, employees 

traveled around the country to visit people in their homes 

and talk about what they eat day-to-day. That was a big 

task. Russia has nine time zones and spans 7,000 miles, 

with eating habits that vary by region. The findings were 

invaluable for executives at the company’s Purchase, New 

York headquarters. In the eastern part of the country, 

PepsiCo found that fish is a big part of the diet. So it introduced 

“Crab” chips in 2006. It’s now the third most popular 

flavor in the country. 

A “Red Caviar” flavor does best in Moscow, where caviar 

is particularly popular. “Pickled Cucumber,” which piggybacks 

off of a traditional appetizer throughout Russia, was 

introduced last year and is already the fourth most popular 

flavor. Other favorites include onion, bacon and “sour 

cream and herbs”, which is a bit sweeter than the American 

version. The chip translations are paying off; sales of Lay’s 

have more than doubled in the past five years. As for the 

classic Lay’s - an American favorite - Russians still aren’t biting. 

“They find it a very boring flavor,” Schroeder said. — AP 

ity issues for May - which are approving anti-corruption 

laws, independence of the judiciary and the appointment 

of senior bureaucrats. 

In a related development, the rapporteur of the legal 

and legislative committee MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said 

yesterday the committee has started reviewing 35 anti-corruption 

draft laws proposed by MPs and the government. 

He said the committee expects to complete the law before 

the end of May. In other business, MP Juwaihel yesterday 

continued his attack on the interior minister by claiming 

that a popular poet who several months ago renounced his 

Kuwaiti citizenship in protest against authorities has been 

allowed to visit Kuwait. Juwaihel demanded to know why 

authorities allowed Saad Al-Muraikhi to enter the country. 

The lawmaker is expected to debate the grilling against the 

interior minister on Tuesday but has so far failed to send an 

explanation demanded by the minister on a number of 

issues included in the grilling.

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT 

DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF 

ESTABLISHED 1961 

Founder and Publisher 

YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN 

Editor-in-Chief 

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Website: www.kuwaittimes.net 

Issues 

Safe destinations 

thrive as Arab 

Spring hits tourism 

T he 

By Ali Khalil 

Arab Spring has resulted in a sharp drop in 

tourism in countries at the centre of the turmoil, 

to the benefit of safe destinations in the 

region, experts say. Major tourist destinations such 

as Tunisia and Egypt saw the numbers of visitors 

plummet because of uprisings last year that spread 

to other nations where confrontations with autocratic 

regimes turned deadly. The Gulf city state of 

Dubai, as well as popular destinations outside the 

Middle East, became the focus of diverted tourism. 

“The Middle East and North Africa saw a drop as a 

whole in international arrivals, mainly in Egypt and 

Tunisia,” said Ahmed Youssef, MENA director of 

marketing and operations at Amadeus. “Tourist 

flows from Egypt to Turkey increased by 400 percent 

in 2011,” said Youssef, speaking at the Arabian 

Travel Market last week in Dubai. His company provides 

IT solutions for the travel industry. 

According to the World Tourism Organisation 

UNWTO, international tourist arrivals in the Middle 

East declined 8.4 percent to 54.8 million in 2011, 

after growing 14.9 percent the year before. UNWTO 

statistics also showed that tourist inflows to North 

Africa slipped 9.9 percent to 16.9 million after 

increasing by 6.5 percent in 2010. “Due to the social 

and political developments,” Syria saw a drop of 41 

percent, Egypt by 32 percent, Tunisia 31 percent 

and Lebanon 24 percent,” UNWTO statistics 

showed in March. 

In autumn last year Jordan reported a 16-percent 

drop in its tourism revenues in the first seven 

months of 2011. The sector contributes 14 percent 

to the kingdom’s gross domestic product. In 

Tunisia, where tourism accounted for seven percent 

of economic output in 2010, the sector’s 

receipts plunged by a third in 2011. Syrian state 

newspaper Al-Baath reported last week that four 

million tourists visited Syria in 2011, despite insecurity 

in the country where thousands have been 

killed since anti-regime protests erupted in March 

2011. But the number reveals a drop of more than 

40 percent from the seven million tourists registered 

in 2010. 

On the other hand, Turkey received 1.4 million 

Arab tourists in the first eight months of 2011: up 

from 1.2 million in 2010. And Dubai last year posted 

a 10-percent rise in guests at hotels and hotel 

apartments, reaching 9.09 million, with revenues 

hitting 15.97 billion dirhams ($4.4 billion), 20 percent 

up from 2010. In the first quarter of 2012, the 

number of guests increased nine percent to 2.6 

million guests, according to Dubai authorities. They 

hope the number of tourists will hit 10 million this 

year. “The Arab Spring has left an impact,” said 

Khaled Al-Mazroui, general manager of Fujairah 

International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. 

“Tourists look for safe destinations, in addition 

of course to quality services,” he told AFP, adding 

that the UAE had “benefited from this diversion of 

tourism, especially from neighbouring Gulf countries.” 

Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai 

Airports, acknowledged an increase in tourists 

from neighbouring Gulf states who would usually 

travel to Egypt or other Arab countries on the 

Mediterranean. “There has been a redistribution (of 

tourists) over the past few months,” he told 

reporters, pointing to a “significant surge in tourists 

(in Dubai) from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait” and other 

Gulf nations. 

Dubai’s malls and restaurants have been heaving 

with Gulf visitors during school holidays over 

past months. The head of UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, gave 

an upbeat assessment at the Arabian Travel Market, 

saying some of the destinations hit by last year’s 

uprisings were already making a comeback. 

“Countries directly affected like Egypt, Tunisia, Syria 

and Yemen saw a downturn of 80 to 85 percent as 

political events unfolded but minimised losses considerably 

in 2011, closing the year down by 25 to 

30 percent,” he said.— AFP 

All articles appearing on these pages 

are the personal opinion of the writers. 

Kuwait Times takes no responsibility 

for views expressed therein. Kuwait 

Times invites readers to voice their 

opinions. Please send submissions via 

email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or 

via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, 

Kuwait. The editor reserves the right 

to edit any submission as necessary. 

By Joseph Mayton 

T he 

small conference room, lit by a row of 

fluorescent lights, is part of Delhi’s 

Jawaharlal Nehru University’s appeal. It’s 

Western, well-endowed and full of spunk. Here 

they talk of fighting corruption, what are perceived 

as the ill-effects of globalization and 

increasingly the problems of the Middle 

East.”We must look to our close neighbors and 

show we are willing to be friendly, despite our 

relationship with Pakistan in the past,” says Idris, 

an Muslim Indian student at the university and 

one of the young students taking part in a student-organized 

discussion on the role of India 

in the Middle East. 

Geographically close but politically far away, 

the Middle East has traditionally factored little 

in India’s diplomatic calculations. But its growing 

economy has made the country increasingly 

reliant on the region’s oil and, with that, its 

involvement in the Middle East’s complicated 

politics has grown too. The dust-up over India’s 

defiance of Western-led sanctions on Iran 

points to India’s new clout as well as the risks 

that entails. 

India’s political class - its politicians, diplomats, 

pundits and leading business people - 

have focused on the high diplomacy of ensuring 

a ready and reliable supply of oil by refusing 

to join Western-led sanctions against Iran. 

But at Jawaharlal Nehru University, students 

look at a bigger picture, one painted with 

India’s long history and experience with 

democracy and human rights, and more 

recently economic development. 

“We are a nation that boasts the largest 

democracy in the world,” says Yeshwaran 

Rajneev, a final year student at the university 

and a political science major, “and even with 

our problems, we can give support and assistance 

to the countries in transition”. For 

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis 

A t 

14 opinion 

Rajneev, the future of India’s relationship with 

the Middle East should be based on mutual 

understanding of how India’s transition to 

democracy a half-century ago was developed 

and nurtured. 

Sashank Joshi, India’s leading political and 

international affairs analyst casts India’s dilemma 

more in term of state-to-state diplomacy. In 

his view, India’s main challenge is managing 

the bilateral relationship with Saudi Arabia. 

“Saudi-Iranian rivalry has ebbed and flowed for 

decades, but two developments - the acceleration 

of Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the Arab 

Spring - has sharpened the antagonism. In the 

coming years, that will likely push Saudi Arabia 

closer to Pakistan and exacerbate threats to 

India,” according to Joshi. 

That relationship has grown fraught over 

the Iran sanctions, which the Saudis back. 

Indians newspapers have openly raised concerns 

that the Saudis could use their influence 

in Washington to damage India for continuing 

to import Iranian oil in defiance of the Westernled 

boycott. Joshi contends that India needs to 

use its political clout, especially with Iran 

becoming increasingly estranged from the 

international community. New Delhi should 

actively mediate between the US and Iran’s 

nuclear ambitions, he contends, admitting that 

this won’t be easy as India itself has never 

signed on to the nuclear non-proliferation 

treaty (NPT). “Since Iran and Turkey are clashing 

over Syria, this is a perfect opportunity for India 

to pursue its own interests and demonstrate 

international leadership,” he argues. Sashank 

also raises concerns about India’s oil security in 

the evolving geopolitical context. “India 

imports over half its oil from Arab countries, 

dwarfing the roughly 15 percent it gets from 

Iran. But Saudi oil dominates those flows. It’s in 

India’s interest to strengthen its energy and 

security relationship with the smaller Arab 

states,” he said. The youth, however, have a 

wider perspective, one that lies with the Arab 

uprisings of 2011 and the continuing struggles 

against oppressive regimes in Syria and 

Bahrain. At the Jawaharlal Nehru University, 

they argue fervently for a new approach that 

puts India’s proven democratic experience at 

the forefront of any dealings with the Middle 

East, including oil politics. 

“Over the past year, we have come into contact 

and begun to understand the young generation 

[in the Middle East and North Africa] 

has the similar demands for the future as we do 

in India. We want freedom, an end to corruption 

and a better relationship that ties development 

to better governance,” says Rajneev, the 

final-year student. “In Saudi, there are many 

people who want change, especially in how 

our government is run, but we cannot speak 

out like they did in Tunisia and Egypt right now 

because of the fear of being jailed, which is 

why we come to India, where it is more open,” 

he told The Media Line. Like the Middle East, 

Aziz feels that the future of India’s relationship 

with the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Iran in 

particular, can be buttressed by dialogue 

between the next generation of upcoming 

leaders. Both in India and the Middle East, 

demography is skewed in favor to the young 

and their voices have the potential to influence 

events, especially in democratic systems. 

“Young people are the future of both India and 

the Middle East, so starting these discussions at 

the university is an important step,” he argues. 

Nevertheless, both Aziz and Rajneev understand 

the realpolitik taking place now, particularly 

the multifaceted conflict over oil and 

nuclear policy that pits the interests of India 

against those of the West and Saudi Arabia, 

with Iran as the object of contention. 

Democracy and human rights barely factor at 

all. “Certainly this is a major difficulty in the 


India’s Mideast role provokes debate 

a meeting of Syria’s opposition, 

Muslim Brotherhood officials gather 

round Marxists colleagues, nudging 

them to produce policy statements for the 

Syrian National Council, the main political 

group challenging President Bashar Al- 

Assad. With many living in the West, and 

some ditching their trademark beards, it is 

hard to differentiate Brotherhood from leftists. 

But there is little dispute about who 

calls the shots. From annihilation at home 

30 years ago when they challenged the 

iron-fisted rule of Hafez al-Assad, the 

Brotherhood has recovered to become the 

dominant force of the exile opposition in 

the 14-month-old revolt against his son 

Bashar. 

Careful not to undermine the council’s 

disparate supporters, the Brotherhood has 

played down its growing influence within 

the Syrian National Council (SNC), whose 

public face is the secular Paris-based professor 

Bourhan Ghalioun. “We chose this 

face, accepted by the West and by the 

inside. We don’t want the regime to take 

advantage if an Islamist becomes the 

Syrian National Council’s head,” former 

Brotherhood leader Ali Sadreddine al- 

Bayanouni told supporters in a video. The 

footage is now being circulated by 

Brotherhood opponents, seeking to highlight 

its undeclared power. “We nominated 

Ghalioun as a front for national action. We 

are not moving now as Muslim 

Brotherhood but as part of a front that 

includes all currents,” said Bayanouni. 

The Syrian Brotherhood is a branch of 

the Sunni Muslim movement founded in 

Egypt in the 1920s. It was a minor political 

player before a 1963 Baath Party coup but 

its support grew under the authoritarian 

30-year rule of Hafez Al-Assad, as his minority 

Alawite community dominated the 

majority Sunni country. Mindful of international 

fears of Islamists taking power, and 

of the worries of Syria’s ethnic and religious 

minorities, the Syrian Brotherhood portrays 

itself as espousing a moderate, Turkishstyle 

Islamist agenda. It unveiled a manifesto 

last month that did not mention the 

word Islam and contained pledges to 

respect individual rights. 

With backing from Ankara, and following 

the political ascendancy of the 

Brotherhood in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya 

since Arab Spring revolts broke out two 

years ago, the group is poised to be at the 

top of any new governing system in Syria. 

Extending the loose Brotherhood umbrella 

to Syria will raise pressure on the USbacked 

Hashemite monarchy in Jordan, 

where the local Brotherhood has been 

sidelined by laws that favour tribal politicians 

allied with the security apparatus. 

Iraq’s Shiite rulers could also find they have 

a hardline Sunni government as their 

neighbour, and Lebanon’s Shiite guerrilla 

group Hezbollah would lose its main Arab 

backer. 

Working quietly, the Brotherhood has 

been financing Free Syrian Army defectors 

based in Turkey and channelling money 

and supplies to Syria, reviving their base 

among small Sunni farmers and middle 

class Syrians, opposition sources say. “We 

bicker while the Brotherhood works,” said 

Fawaz Al-Tello, a veteran opposition figure 

who is a pious Muslim while being on the 

liberal end of the Syrian political spectrum. 

“They have gained control of the SNC’s aid 

division and the military bureau, its only 

important components,” said Tello, a former 

political prisoner who fled Syria four 

months ago. “But they still have to work 

more do to get support on the inside. Lots 

of clerics, activists and rebels do not want 

to be linked to them.” 

Tello, however, acknowledged that the 

Brotherhood has clawed back influence 

inside Syria, especially in the cities of Homs 

and Hama and the rural province of Idlib on 

the border with Turkey, hotbeds of the 

revolt against Assad. This is no small feat 

after three decades in the political wilderness. 

Unlike Arab rulers who tried to co-opt 

the movement by granting it limited operation, 

the Assads excluded it and all other 

opposition from the political system. 

Bashar’s father Hafez Al-Assad’s forces 

killed, tortured and imprisoned tens of 

thousands of people after leftists and 

Islamists began challenging his rule in the 

1970s. The Brotherhood took the brunt of 

the repression, and a 1980 decree singled 

out membership as punishable by death. 

Mulhem Droubi, educated in Canada 

and one of a younger generation of 

Brotherhood leaders, said the group is not 

primarily concerned with political prominence. 

“We are a party that presents moderate 

solutions. We are not extremists, neither 

to the left nor to the right and our programme 

is the most accepted by the Syrian 

street,” he said. “We are working for the 

downfall of Bashar Al-Assad and not to find 

a popular base. We leave competition for 

the future in a free Syria,” the softly spoken 

Droubi told Reuters. Droubi, however, 

acknowledged that the road to democracy 

will be even more bloody, adding that the 

Brotherhood began supporting armed 

resistance in earnest a month ago. 

The issue sharply divided the group in 

the 1980s, when it took up arms against 

the president. Assad’s forces killed nearly 

20,000 people when they overran the city 

of Hama in 1982, where the Brotherhood’s 

armed division made it last stand. Droubi 

said there is no dispute now about the 

need for armed resistance, alongside street 

protests against Assad. “Too many of our 

people have been killed. Too many have 

been raped,” Droubi said, adding that 

Brotherhood was committed to a setting 

up a multi-party democracy if Assad is toppled. 

Droubi pointed to a political programme 

unveiled by the Brotherhood last 

month in Istanbul, which committed to 

multi-party democracy in a future Syria. It 

struggle for better understanding and relationships,” 

Rajneev holds out hopefully. “But we, as 

Indian and Arab students, want to create a new 

way of thinking and are pushing our government 

here in New Delhi to change its policy of 

avoiding a discussion on human rights when 

we are dealing with the Gulf.” 

It may quixotic, but some politicians seem 

willing to listen. One leading member of India’s 

parliament, speaking on condition of anonymity, 

told The Media Line that the future of India’s 

relationship with the Middle East, and Iran and 

Saudi Arabia, in particular, “should accept the 

notion that receiving oil from these countries 

must also have another aspect to it”. 

The lawmaker argues that his office has 

been inundated by letters from students across 

the country, asking for human rights and 

democracy to play an important role in the 

future of any dealing with Tehran and Riyadh. 

“We must listen to these people, because they 

are the ones who will be running India in a few 

years and their voices are strong in the digital 

age where people are communicating across 

borders. Youth are the future, and if we don’t 

listen, they could be on the streets,” he argues. 

Although India is only now beginning to 

understand its renewed push for a greater 

role in the Middle East, these students, are 

already beginning the dialogue that could 

make the future India foreign policy more 

attractive to youth movements across the 

Middle East. And for Aziz, this is vitally important 

for the legitimacy of any attempt by New 

Delhi to create a stronger presence, politically 

and economically, in the region. “We are now, 

more than ever, looking for countries to 

become a part of the new Middle East and to 

support the youth. India can be that country, 

but it has to listen to its young people, like 

the great students I have met at the university 

here in India.” —Media Line 

Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood rises from ashes 

said a new constitution would be reached 

through consensus and guarantee fair representation 

for diverse ethnicities and religious 

groups. “Our proposals are more 

advanced than the Brotherhood in other 

countries,” he said. 

Bassam Ishaq, a Christian opposition figure 

who has worked with the Brotherhood 

within the SNC, said the manifesto bore the 

marks of the Brotherhood’s pragmatism. “If 

they get a chance to seize power by themselves 

they will do it, but they realise that it 

will be difficult in country where 30 percent 

of the population are ethnic or religious 

minorities,” said Ishaq. “The street has lost 

faith in leftist politicians. After the repression 

in the 1980s, the leftists dispersed. The 

Brotherhood kept together and rebuilt 

while in exile, aided by donations from 

wealthy Syrians in and support in the Gulf,” 

he added. 

In a demonstration of their financial 

muscle, Brotherhood operatives were dispatched 

last month with suitcases of cash 

to a dusty camp for Free Syrian Army defectors 

in a Turkish region bordering Syria near 

Antakya. Sources in the camp said the 

Brotherhood was supporting Colonel Riad 

al-Asaad, one of the first prominent defectors 

last year, now at odds with more senior 

officers who deserted later. Colonel Asaad 

now sports a Brotherhood-style beard. 

Street activists who have had little to do 

with the Brotherhood are also being lured 

by promises of instant support for the 

revolt. 

“I approached them and they instantly 

gave me 2,000 euros when I asked for 

help...and I am not even Ikhwan 

(Brotherhood),” said veteran activist 

Othman Al-Bidewi, who regularly travels 

between Syria and the border region in 

Turkey to drum up support for street 

demonstrations against Assad in Idlib 

province. “The Brotherhood wants to 

restore its political base. It is their right,” he 

added. — Reuters

‘Higuain going nowhere’ 

MADRID: Spanish champions Real Madrid have no intention of letting striker 

Gonzalo Higuain leave but may need to buy a back-up goalkeeper 

if Antonio Adan cannot be persuaded 

to stay, coach Jose Mourinho said. 

Mourinho told Spanish daily ABC that 

Argentina forward Higuain, reportedly a target 

of several clubs including Paris St Germain and 

Chelsea, would remain to compete for a starting 

place with Karim Benzema next term. 

“He has an excellent contract for many years,” said 

Mourinho, whose side wrapped up the club’s first 

La Liga title in four years on Wednesday. “He is 

not one of those players who arrived a year 

ago and earns little, he earns at the same 

level as others,” he added. “An offer of 40, 

50, 60 million euros could be made, whatever, 

but Madrid will not want to sell. I 

don’t have a problem. —Reuters 

American League 

Eastern Division 

W L PCT GB 

Tampa Bay 19 9 .679 - 

Baltimore 18 9 .667 .5 

Toronto 16 12 .571 3 

NY Yankees 14 13 .519 4.5 

Boston 11 15 .423 7 

Central Division 

Cleveland 14 11 .560 - 

Detroit 13 13 .500 1.5 

Chicago W Sox 13 14 .481 2 

Kansas City 9 17 .346 5.5 

Minnesota 7 19 .269 7.5 

Western Division 

Texas 18 9 .667 - 

Oakland 14 14 .500 4.5 

Seattle 12 17 .414 7 

LA Angels 11 17 .393 7.5 

MLB results/standings 

LA Dodgers 5, Chicago Cubs 1; Washington 7, Philadelphia 1; Baltimore 8, Boston 2; Chicago 

White Sox 3, Detroit 2; NY Mets 4, Arizona 3; San Francisco 5, Milwaukee 2; Houston 8, St. Louis 2; 

Texas 5, Cleveland 2 (11 innings); Pittsburgh 3, Cincinnati 2; Oakland 4, Tampa Bay 3 (12 innings); 

Kansas City 5, NY Yankees 1; Atlanta 13, Colorado 9; Miami 4, San Diego 1; LA Angels 6, Toronto 2; 

Seattle 7, Minnesota 0. 

National League 

Eastern Division 

Washington 18 9 .667 - 

Atlanta 17 11 .607 1.5 

NY Mets 14 13 .519 4 

Miami 13 14 .481 5 

Philadelphia 13 15 .464 5.5 

Central Division 

St. Louis 16 11 .593 - 

Cincinnati 13 13 .500 2.5 

Houston 13 14 .481 3 

Milwaukee 12 15 .444 4 

Pittsburgh 12 15 .444 4 

Chicago Cubs 10 17 .370 6 

Western Division 

LA Dodgers 18 9 .667 - 

Arizona 14 14 .500 4.5 

San Francisco 13 14 .481 5 

Colorado 12 14 .462 5.5 

San Diego 9 19 .321 9.5 

Rangers top Indians 

CLEVELAND: Pinch-hitter Adrian Beltre 

hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning 

to lift the Texas Rangers over the 

Cleveland Indians on Saturday. 

Beltre didn’t start for the fourth 

straight game due to a tender hamstring, 

but he hit a 1-0 pitch from Joe Smith (1- 

1) over the center-field wall for his fifth 

homer, snapping the Rangers’ threegame 

losing streak. Alexi Ogando (1-0) 

pitched two scoreless innings and Joe 

Nathan worked the 11th for his seventh 

save in eight tries. 

Asdrubal Cabrera had four hits for 

Cleveland, which had its three-game 

winning streak stopped. It was Beltre’s 

third career pinch-hit homer - but first in 

nearly 12 years. He also did it in 1998 and 

2000 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Orioles 8, Red Sox 2 

At Boston, Mark Reynolds hit a threerun 

homer and Jason Hammel continued 

his strong start this season as Baltimore 

extended Boston’s recent home struggles. 

Adam Jones added a two-run 

homer for Baltimore, which won its 10th 

in the last 12 games, and Hammel (4-1) 

held the Red Sox scoreless until he gave 

up two runs in the seventh. 

Adrian Gonzalez had three hits for 

Boston, which lost its fourth straight and 

has dropped nine of its last 10 games at 

Fenway Park. 

White Sox 3, Tigers 2 

At Detroit, Adam Dunn hit a two-run 

homer deep into the right-field seats off 

Jose Valverde in the ninth inning to lift 

Chicago over Detroit. 

Dunn hit a 422-foot drive off Valverde 

(2-1) for his eighth homer this season 

and Paul Konerko also went deep for the 

White Sox. 

Nate Jones (1-0) got the win and 

Addison Reed came on to strike out 

Austin Jackson with runners on second 

and third for the final out. It was Reed’s 

first career save. 

Detroit’s Delmon Young went hitless 

in his first game back from a seven-day 

suspension following his April 27 arrest 

in New York. 

CLEVELAND: Texas Rangers’ Adrian 

Beltre watches the ball after hitting 

a three-run home run off 

Cleveland Indians pitcher Joe 

Smith in the 11th inning in a baseball 

game. —AP 

Royals 5, Yankees 1 

At Kansas City, Missouri, Felipe 

Paulino came off the disabled list to toss 

six shutout innings and Billy Butler drove 

in three runs as Kansas City beat New 

York. 

Paulino (1-0) retired 11 straight to 

start the game and did not allow a ball 

out of the infield until Raul Ibanez singled 

with one out in the fifth. Paulino 

gave up only four hits and walked two 

while striking out six in his first start of 

the season. 

Butler doubled in the first and again in 

the fifth, each time driving in Alex 

Gordon, who matched a career high with 

four hits. Gordon also drove in a run with 

a double in the sixth. 

Hiroki Kuroda (2-4) allowed two runs 

in the first inning, one earned, which 

kept up a strange trend. Nine of the 18 

runs he’s given up this season have come 

in the first. 

Russell Martin’s long homer off Jose 

Mijares represented the only run for the 

Yankees. Derek Jeter went 0 for 4 and left 

four on base. He also committed an error 

at shortstop. 

Athletics 4, Rays 3 

At St. Petersburg, Florida, Jonny 

Gomes hit a go-ahead home run in the 

12th inning to lifted Oakland over his former 

team Tampa Bay. 

Gomes, who spent six seasons with 

Tampa Bay from 2003-08, hit his fifth 

home run of the season off reliever Joel 

Peralta (0-1) to stop the Rays’ six-game 

winning streak. 

Carlos Pena, Ben Zobrist and Elliot 

Johnson all homered as Tampa Bay rallied 

to bail out Jeremy Hellickson after an 

ineffective start. But the Rays fell to 13-2 

at home and failed in their bid to 

become the first major league team to 

reach 20 wins this season. Josh Reddick 

also homered for the A’s. 

Angels 6, Blue Jays 2 

At Anaheim, California, Mike Trout and 

Mark Trumbo homered, and C.J. Wilson 

pitched effectively through eight innings 

as Los Angeles bounced back from consecutive 

shutout losses against Toronto 

to beat the Blue Jays with slumping slugger 

Albert Pujols on the bench. 

Wilson (4-2) allowed two runs and six 

hits, including Adam Lind’s leadoff 

homer in the seventh, and struck out 

nine. Kyle Drabek (2-3) was charged with 

five runs, eight hits and five walks in fiveplus 

innings. Pujols, batting .194 with five 

RBIs and no home runs, got the day off 

after playing in the Angels’ first 27 

games. 

Mariners 7, Twins 0 

At Seattle, Felix Hernandez and Steve 

Delabar combined on a one-hitter as 

Seattle shut out struggling Minnesota. 

Kyle Seager homered and drove in four 

runs to pace the Mariners. Ichiro Suzuki 

added a two-run triple. Denard Span had 

the only hit for the Twins, a roller through 

the right side in the fourth. Hernandez 

(3-1) struck out nine and walked two in 

eight innings. His ERA dropped to 1.89. 

Delabar pitched a perfect ninth. Jason 

Marquis (2-1) tied a career high with six 

walks in six innings. He allowed two runs 

and four hits. —AP 

MADRID: The Spanish government 

would boycott the final of Euro 2012 

in Kiev if Ukraine did not resolve the 

case of jailed former Prime Minister 

Yulia Tymoshenko, Spain’s Foreign 

Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo 

was quoted as saying yesterday. 

Spain are the defending champions 

and favourites for the continental 

soccer tournament being jointly hosted 

by Ukraine and Poland and the 

final is due to be played in Kiev on 

July 1. 

“If Spain gets through to that final, 

there will be no member of the government 

present while the case of 

Yulia Tymoshenko is unresolved,” 

Garcia-Margallo said in an interview 

sports 

Spain threatens Euro boycott 

with ABC newspaper published on 

Sunday. 

Spain would consider not playing 

the final if there was a Europe-wide 

decision for teams to boycott it, he 

said, adding that he was in touch with 

Poland and Germany on the issue. 

Tymoshenko, the main rival of 

President Viktor Yanukovich, was sentenced 

to seven years in prison last 

October for abuse of office after a trial 

the West says was politically motivated. 

She is in prison in the city of 

Kharkiv, one of the Euro 2012 venues, 

and is on hunger strike in protest at 

what she said was an assault by prison 

guards, an allegation denied by the 

prison administration.—Reuters 

NEW YORK: Johan Santana won for the first time in 

20 months, finally getting some run support from 

his teammates, as the New York Mets beat the 

Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 on Saturday to snap a 

four-game losing streak. 

Mike Nickeas and Andres Torres each hit a tworun 

single to back Santana, who toughed out seven 

innings for his first victory since the two-time Cy 

Young pitching award winner had shoulder surgery 

in September 2010. Daniel Murphy went 4 for 

4 for the Mets.Santana’s last win came against 

Atlanta on Sept. 2, 2010, before his injury wiped 

out last season. The Mets had scored just four runs 

in his first five starts this year but matched that 

total in the fourth inning Saturday. Santana (1-2) 

allowed nine hits and gave up three runs, striking 

out five and walking one. 

Nationals 7, Phillies 1 

At Washington, Gio Gonzalez allowed one run 

over seven innings as Washington hit a seasonhigh 

three home runs in the win over Philadelphia. 

Jayson Werth hit a three-run drive, Chad Tracy connected 

with a man on and Ian Desmond had a solo 

shot for the Nationals, who have won seven 

straight over the Phillies dating to last year. 

Gonzalez (3-1) gave up four hits, struck out seven 

and walked one. Acquired last December in a trade 

with Oakland, the left-hander has a 1.72 ERA in six 

starts this season and has yielded only three runs 

over the last 27 innings. 

Dodgers 5, Cubs 1 

At Chicago, Chris Capuano threw seven shutout 

innings and drove in two runs to lead Los Angeles 

past Chicago. Capuano (4-0) held Chicago to three 

hits and struck out seven, extending his scoreless 

innings streak to 18 2-3. His two-run double in the 

second gave him his first RBIs since Aug. 24, 2007. 

Cubs starter Chris Volstad (0-4) fell to 0-9 over 

17 starts dating to July 10. He allowed four hits and 

five runs over five innings, walking three and striking 

out one. 

Giants 5, Brewers 2 

At San Francisco, Madison Bumgarner shut 

down Milwaukee for seven innings and added an 

RBI double to win his eighth straight home start as 

San Francisco snapped a four-game skid. 

Buster Posey and Brett Pill added RBI hits in a 

three-run sixth inning against Randy Wolf to give 

Bumgarner (5-1) all the support he needed. 

The Brewers got National League most valuable 

player Ryan Braun back in the lineup after he 

missed Friday’s series opener with a sore right 

Achilles and he hit a solo homer in the eighth 

inning. 

The Giants had not led a game at any point during 

their recent skid and struggled early against 

Wolf (2-3), putting just one runner in scoring position 

in the first four innings. 

Astros 8, Cardinals 2 

At Houston, Chris Johnson hit his first career 

grand slam and Bud Norris continued his dominance 

of St. Louis as Houston won its fifth straight 


Cavendish sprints to victory 

COPENHAGEN: World champion Mark Cavendish showed his sprint rivals he is still the 

man to beat as he won the second stage of the Giro d’Italia 206km around Herning yesterday. 

American Taylor Phinney survived a late crash to hold onto the leaders’ pink jersey. 

Phinney lost his chain with about 8km left but his 

BMC team worked hard to bring him back into the 

peloton before the final sprint began. 

There was another crash a few hundred metres 

from the line that took out some of the sprint contenders 

but Cavendish was in the 

right place and kept his cool to take 

victory. Australian Matthew Goss 

was second with Frenchman 

Geoffrey Soupe taking third. 

The day began with a three-man 

break as Alfredo Balloni, Olivier 

Kaisen and Miguel Rubiano opened 

up a lead of 12 minutes at one 

point.—AFP 

Mets roll over D’backs 

for the first time since late 2010. 

Jed Lowrie added a two-run home run for the 

Astros, who hadn’t won five straight since Aug. 22- 

26, 2010. Norris (2-1) limited the Cardinals to one 

unearned run on three hits over six innings to 

improve to 7-2 in 11 career starts against them. 

Left-hander Jaime Garcia (2-2) was charged with 

six runs on four hits in six innings for the Cardinals, 

who lost their season-worst third straight. Garcia 

walked four and struck out two. 

Pirates 3, Reds 2 

At Pittsburgh, Neil Walker hit his first home run 

since September and James McDonald put together 

another strong start to lead Pittsburgh over 

Cincinnati. 

Alex Presley also homered for Pittsburgh and 

Joel Hanrahan worked a perfect ninth for his fifth 

save in relief of McDonald (2-1), who gave up one 

run and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. He walked two and 

struck out seven. 

Cincinnati starter Mike Leake (0-4) remained 

winless but showed improvement after a rough 

opening month, allowing three runs and four hits 

in seven innings. He walked four and struck out 

four. Joey Votto had two hits for the Reds. 

Braves 13, Rockies 9 

At Denver, Chipper Jones had three hits and 

matched a career high with five RBIs as Atlanta 

overcame a grand slam by Michael Cuddyer to beat 

Colorado. Matt Diaz and Jason Heyward hit backto-back 

home runs to help the Braves overtake the 

Rockies after trailing 6-0 and 8-3. 

Atlanta scored 10 runs from the sixth inning on 

and benefited from sloppy defense by the 

Rockies, who committed four errors in a game 

that included a 69-minute rain delay in the eighth. 

Cristhian Martinez (2-0) worked an inning of 

scoreless relief for the victory. Livan Hernandez 

got five outs for the first save of his 15-year 

career.Wilin Rosario homered twice for the 

Rockies. 

Marlins 4, Padres 1 

At San Diego, Mark Buehrle threw a five-hitter 

and pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs singled in the goahead 

run to lift Miami over San Diego for its sea- 

NEW YORK: Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill (right) forces out 

New York Mets’ Johan Santana (57) while attempting to throw out Andres Torres 

at first base during the third inning of a baseball game.—AP 

son-high fifth straight victory. 

With a bullpen depleted due to overuse 

recently and closer Heath Bell getting demoted, 

Miami manager Ozzie Guillen was counting on 

Buehrle to pitch deep in the game, and he delivered. 

Buehrle (2-4) walked two and struck out 

three in a game that took 2 hours, 18 minutes - 

one day after the teams played a 12-inning game 

that lasted 4:45. It was the left-hander’s 28th 

career complete game and first since Oct. 2, 2010, 

with the Chicago White Sox. 

Giancarlo Stanton homered and Hanley 

Ramirez had three hits, raising his batting average 

from .198 to .219. Omar Infante had two RBIs.—AP 

Capitals win to tie series 

WASHINGTON: The Washington Capitals 

beat the New York Rangers 3-2 to tie their 

NHL Eastern Conference semifinals at two 

games apiece on Saturday. 

On the winning goal, Rangers captain 

Ryan Callahan got knocked down along the 

boards and lost the puck, which went to 

Capitals defenseman Dennis Wideman. He 

slid the puck over to wide-open defenseman 

Mike Green, who sent a slap shot from the 

right circle past goalie Henrik Lundqvist, then 

celebrated by slamming up against the glass. 

The power-play goal came with 5:48 left 

in regulation. It allowed the Capitals to make 

a much-needed recovery from what could 

have been a demoralizing setback: They lost 

Game 3 at home in triple overtime. The series 

CHARLTON: Home-town favourite Webb 

Simpson birdied the 17th hole to break a 

logjam at the top and seize a one-stroke 

lead going into late yesterday’s final round of 

the Wells Fargo Championship, as Rory 

McIlroy charged into contention with a 66. 

Simpson, who lives near the Quail Hollow 

golf course at Charlotte, North Carolina, 

carded a three-under-par 69 for a total of 

202 to lead second-placed countrymen Ryan 

Moore and D.A. Points as he chases his third 

PGA Tour title. 

Northern Irishman McIlroy, who could 

regain his world number one ranking this 

week, is tied for fourth with American 

overnight leader Nick Watney, two shots 

behind Simpson. Simpson cautiously greeted 

the chance to win on his home course, 

mindful of 10 rivals within five strokes of his 

lead. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” he 

told reporters. “I look at the leaderboard and 

moves to New York for Game 5 today. Game 

6 will be at Washington on Wednesday. 

Washington’s other goals on Saturday 

came from captain Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas 

Backstrom. But only 23 seconds after 

Backstrom’s goal in the second period, 

Ovechkin’s skates left the ice as he delivered a 

high hit to Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi, 

a play that resulted in a charging penalty 

against the two-time NHL MVP and could 

draw attention from the league office. In the 

third period, Ovechkin was treated by a trainer 

for a bloody upper lip. Artem Anisimov had 

a goal and an assist for the Rangers. New 

York’s other goal came from Marian Gaborik, 

who provided the winner after nearly 115 

minutes of play in Game 3.—AP 

Simpson leads at Quail Hollow 

there’s so many great players within a shot or 

two.” “So I know it’s going to be a tough day. I 

know I can go out and shoot four-under and 

get beat by two or three.” “If conditions are 

right you can get a string of birdies going,” 

said Simpson, who bought a home at Quail 

Hollow 18 months ago. 

“You saw McIlroy a few years ago shoot 

10-under,” added the American of the 2010 

winner who posted a 62 to seal the title. 

“Knowing that, my expectations aren’t 

too high ... Obviously I want to go out there 

and try to win, but all I can do is kind of control 

what we’re doing.” 

McIlroy blistered his front nine with five 

birdies, and despite undoing some of the 

work with a bogey on 16, is well positioned 

to repeat his 2010 triumph. “I’ve had some 

great experiences on this golf course,” 

McIlroy said. “hopefully I can create a few 

more.”—Reuters 

WASHINGTON: New York Rangers defenseman 

Ryan McDonagh (27) knocks Washington 

Capitals left wing Troy Brouwer (20) to the ice 

during the first period of Game 4 of an NHL 

hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff 

series.—AP

SOCHI: The Russian Black sea resort 

of Sochi is ready to step into the spotlight 

as host of the world’s next major 

sporting event after the London 

Olympics, 2014 Winter Games chief 

Dmitry Chernyshenko said yesterday. 

Sochi, the first Russian city to have 

been awarded the Winter Olympics, 

has already staged several test events 

in its mountain cluster and is preparing 

for its last and biggest major venue 

tests over the coming 12 months. 

“It is a very exciting moment for a 

project like this and we’ve been planning 

and working for seven years 

already just for these two weeks (in 

2014) to be perfect,” Chernyshenko 

told Reuters in a telephone interview. 

“(In 2012/13) we will have the last 

opportunity to test all state of the art 

infrastructure; last season it was the 

mountain clusters, this season for 

both clusters with more than 48 

events, 22 of which are international 

level events. 

“It’s like two Games spread out over 

two months but it is so useful,” said 

the Sochi native, who also led the 

city’s winning bid in 2007. 

Despite what Chernyshenko called 

the “world’s biggest construction site”, 

plans for a Formula One race, also in 

2014, will not be affected. The 

International Olympic Committee 

reserves the right to cancel the race if 

its preparations hamper Olympic 

progress. Chernyshenko said organisers 

from both events had drawn up 

plans so as to maximise use of venues 

- pits stop buildings for example will 

also be used during the Olympics - 

and Russia’s first Formula One race 

was on track. Sochi will be out in force 

in London with 120 specialists seconded 

to the Games for experience and 

another 100 of their best volunteers 

working at the Olympics in July and 

August. 

“We are using some (of London’s) 

achievements as a blueprint to minimise 

expenditures to optimise our 

efforts,” said Chernyshenko, who has 

led preparations from scratch as Sochi 

and its nearby mountain range had 

virtually no venue in place when they 

bid. “All the systems like planning and 

sports 

Sochi 2014 ready for spotlight after London 

KINGSTON: World Record holder Usain Bolt (center left) of Jamaica, crosses the 

finish line ahead of Antigua and Baruba’s Daniel Bailey (center right), Trinidad 

and Tobago’s Richard Thompson (right) and USA’s Darvis Patton to win the 100m 

dash of the Jamaica International Invitational track and field meet. —AP 

Bolt speeds to year’s 

fastest 100 metres 

KINGSTON: Jamaican Olympic champion 

Usain Bolt held his nerve after two false 

starts by competitors and powered to the 

year’s fastest 100 metres at the Jamaica 

International Invitational on Saturday. 

The 100 and 200 world record holder 

clocked a dazzling 9.82 seconds in his first 

individual race of 2012, exploding from the 

blocks to take control at 40 metres. “It’s a 

good start, I would say,” said Bolt, who 

erased the previous season-leading time of 

9.90 by his training partner and world 

champion Yohan Blake three weeks ago. 

“I feel better than last year, so I’m definitely 

happy with myself,” Bolt added. “I 

don’t think my execution was perfect, but I 

think for my first race it was good.” Michael 

Frater, a member of Jamaica’s world record 

4x100 relay team, finished a distant second 

in exactly 10 seconds. 

Bolt was disqualified from last year’s 100 

final at the world championships because 

of a false start, but was not perturbed by 

the delays. “A couple of false starts will 

throw you off, but I stayed focused and 

went out there and executed as best as 

possible, so I’m just happy with myself,” he 

said. Although pleased with the last 50 

metres of the race, the lanky sprinter, who 

owns world records of 9.58 seconds in the 

100 and 19.19 in the 200, said he must continue 

to work on the first phase of the 

shorter race. 

“I always try to work on my first 40 

metres because the last 40 metres is always 

the best part of my race,” he said. “So over 

the season as I get more fit and get more 

fluent it will definitely get better.” Blake also 

added a season-leading performance, one 

of four in the meeting. The world 100 

champion clocked 19.91 seconds in the 

200. “Bolt erased my world lead in the 100 

so I though I would set a world lead in the 

200,” the Jamaican said. Top performances 

of the year also came in the women’s 100 

and 400. 

World champion Carmelita Jeter took 

the shorter race in 10.81 seconds, finishing 

ahead of Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and 

Tobago, who ran 10.86. Jamaican Olympic 

silver medallist Kerron Stewart was third in 

10.98. “I feel good with that win,” Jeter said. 

“I know there’s some things I didn’t do right 

and I’m sure my coach is going to get on 

me, but it’s a long season. 

“Right now I just have to stay healthy ... 

to stay humble, stay focused ... I can’t get 

ahead of myself, I can’t get big-headed 

because you never know who is going to 

show up.” Jamaican Novelene Williams- 

Mills, the 2007 world bronze medalist, held 

off U.S. world indoor champion Sanya 

Richards-Ross in the last 50 to win the 

women’s 400 in 49.99 seconds. Richards- 

Ross, who had the previous world leader of 

50.18, took second in 50.11. —Reuters 

Thunder rally to sweep Mavs 

DALLAS: James Harden scored 15 of his 29 

points in the fourth quarter as Oklahoma 

City rallied for a 103-97 victory Saturday to 

sweep the defending NBA champion Dallas 

Mavericks out of the playoffs. The Thunder 

trailed by 13 points with 9:44 left before 

Harden scored seven in a row, and nine in a 

12-0 run over the next 3 minutes. 

Oklahoma City finally took the lead, and 

kept it, after Russell Westbrook stole the 

ball from Dirk Nowitzki and passed to 

Serge Ibaka for a two-handed slam that 

made it 92-91 with 5:17 left. 

Dallas is the second defending champion 

in five years to be swept in the first 

round. After beating the Mavericks in the 

2006 NBA Finals, Miami lost in four games 

to Chicago the next year. 

Kevin Durant had 24 points and 11 

rebounds for the Thunder, who will get a 

break before playing the winner of the 

series between the Los Angeles Lakers and 

Denver. The Lakers lead that Western 

Conference series 2-1 going into Game 4 

on Sunday night in Denver. Nowitzki had 

34 points. 

Clippers 87, Grizzlies 86 

At Los Angeles, Chris Paul had 24 points 

and 11 assists, and high-flying Blake Griffin 

added 17 points for Los Angeles, which 

beat Memphis only after Rudy Gay missed 

a jumper just before the buzzer. The 

Clippers won their first home playoff game 

in six seasons to take a 2-1 series lead. Paul 

hit a fadeaway jumper with 2:02 left for an 

82-80 lead. On the next possession he had 

a no-look bounce pass to Griffin coming in 

off the baseline for a monster slam. 

Trailing 86-80 after two free throws by 

Paul, Gay hit a 3-pointer with 12.9 seconds 

left, Memphis’ first field goal since 7:10. After 

Los Angeles missed three of four free throws, 

Gay hit another 3-pointer with 8.9 seconds. 

Gay finished with 24 points. 

Pacers 101, Magic 99 

At Orlando, Florida, George Hill hit a pair 

of free throws with 2.2 seconds left in overtime 

as Indiana beat Orlando to take a 3-1 

lead in the Eastern Conference series. 

The Pacers won after squandering a 19point 

lead in the fourth quarter. Orlando 

had a final chance to tie it in the closing 

seconds, but Glen Davis’ fade away jumper 

bounced off the side of the rim. 

David West scored 26 points, including 

12 in the third quarter and four in overtime, 

for Indiana. Danny Granger added 21 

points. Jason Richardson led Orlando with 

25 points, and Davis had 24 points and 11 

rebounds. The Pacers won their third 

straight game and will try to close out it 

out Tuesday night in Indianapolis. 

Spurs 102, Jazz 90 

At Salt Lake City, Tony Parker scored 27 

points, including 16 in the fourth quarter 

as San Antonio beat Utah to take a 3-0 lead 

in the Western Conference series. 

No NBA team has ever overcome an 0-3 

deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The 

Spurs can close it out Monday night in Salt 

Lake City. Al Jefferson and Devin Harris 

scored 21 apiece for Utah, while Derrick 

Favors added 15 points, 11 rebounds and 

two blocks in his most extensive action of 

the series. —AP 

system of contract management, 

management of the goods, organising 

of construction (are based on 

London),” he said. 

Chernyshenko rejected criticism 

that in the test events held so far 

teams were not given equal access to 

familiarise themselves with the venues. 

The IOC had also urged organisers 

as recently as April to improve access 

to venues. “The biggest problem is 

with the access to the training venues. 

(Sochi) has promised many times it 

would be solved but it hasn’t been 

solved,” senior IOC member Gunilla 

Lindberg said. 

Chernyshenko said the issue had 

arisen due to ongoing construction 

this winter that had curtailed access. 

“We have to do our best to provide 

equal support and access to any and 

all participants. In the forthcoming 

test season automatically all venues 

will be welcoming international 

events,” he said. 

“The problem of athlete access will 

not exist at all. Last season some private 

owners of venues stopped con- 

LOUISVILLE: The glorious unpredictability of 

horse racing produced a fairytale winner of 

the $2.2 million Kentucky Derby on Saturday 

when I’ll Have Another stormed to victory in 

the 138th Run for the Roses at Churchill 

Downs. A record crowd of almost 165,000 

roared themselves hoarse as the three-yearold 

chestnut colt, perfectly ridden by unheralded 

Mexican jockey Mario Gutierrez, hit the 

lead in the shadows of the iconic Twin Spires 

and kicked clear to win the $2.2 million, 1-1/4 

mile (2000 metres) classic. 

Bodemeister, who started as the 4-1 

favourite after winning last month’s Arkansas 

Derby by an eye-popping nine and a half 

lengths, finished second, 1-1/2 lengths back, 

after trying to lead all the way. 

The fast-finishing Dullahan (8-1) came 

third, a further neck behind while Union Rags, 

the 9-2 second favourite, was seventh in the 

20-horse field after getting caught in heavy 

traffic. 

“He is an amazing horse,” said Gutierrez, 

who moved to the United States less than a 

year ago after riding for six years in Canada. “I 

told everybody before the first time I rode 

him, I knew he was the one.” I’ll Have Another, 

who was bought last year by Canadian businessman 

J. Paul Reddam for just $35,000, 

emerged as a contender to win the annual 

Run for the Roses after winning last month’s 

Santa Anita Derby in California. 

But he was still considered an outsider in 

one of the most open Derbies in years, starting 

at odds of 15-1 and paying $32.60 for a $2 

win bet. 

“It is beyond belief,” said winning trainer 

Doug O’Neill. “Somebody asked me earlier in 

the week what it would be like to win the 

Kentucky Derby and I used Bubba Watson’s 

quote when he won the Masters. I never 

dreamt this far. I never in a million years 

thought we could do it.” The connections 

wasted no time declaring their grand plans to 

struction during test events and 

restarted after the events. That meant 

that there was some limited access 

due to safety restrictions to venues.” 

Sochi was also on track to meet its 

financial targets and could even create 

a windfall with sponsorship revenues 

alone already topping $1.2 billion, a 

record for any Games, winter or summer, 

Chernyshenko said. “The budget 

for staging the Games is around $1.8 

billion. So far this budget is balanced,” 

he said. 

“Our record-breaking marketing 

programme goes from strength to 

strength, $1.2 billion from partnership 

programmes. More income will come 

from the IOC contribution from TV 

rights and big input from our campaign 

from merchandising. 

“(Licensing) will generate additional 

income that will help us to keep our 

budget balanced. Ticketing could then 

even generate some profit,” he said. 

Chernyshenko also welcomed the 

re-election of Vladimir Putin as Russia’s 

president. He will be sworn in today. 

“Since the start of the bidding cam- 

tackle the Triple Crown. It has been 34 years 

since a horse has won the Kentucky Derby, 

Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes but 

Reddam said they would give it a go. 

“Subconsciously, that was always the plan,” 

said Reddam. “We knew we had a good horse 

and we wanted to make sure he was fresh 

because the Triple Crown is a gamble. “It looks 

like it paid off. 

We’ve only run three times this year so 

Preakness here we come.” Bodemeister lost no 

admirers after a bold front running display on 

the tight, dirt track. He jumped straight into 

the lead from post position six and set a 

scorching pace on a humid day where the 

temperature reached 80 degrees Fahrenheit 

(27 degrees Celsius). 

Jockey Mike Smith kicked five lengths clear 

rounding the final turn but could not hold off 

paign he was personally and actively 

involved in everything,“ said 

Chernyshenko of Putin, who regularly 

visits Sochi to ski. 

“He personally guaranteed the 

strong commitments which have been 

delivered. Delivery of the first Winter 

Games in the history of our country. It 

was his baby. That is why we call him 

the captain of our team.” 

When asked about calls for a boycott 

of Ukraine during the Euro 2012 

soccer championships over jailed 

opposition politician Yulia 

Tymoshenko, Chernyshenko said politics 

and sport should remain separate. 

Sochi is located on the Black sea 

coast, close to Georgia, with whom 

Russia fought a brief war in 2008 over 

two breakaway regions. The wider 

volatile Caucasus region is a major 

source of concern. 

“Olympics is not about politics. It is 

always frustrating when politics interferes 

with such great values as the 

Olympics,” he added. “Olympic values 

are friendship respect and excellence.” 

—Reuters 


I’ll Have Another 

wins Kentucky Derby 

By Abdellatif Sharaa 

KUWAIT: The closing ceremony of 

HH The Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- 

Ahmad Al-Jaber Championship 

on Saturday marked the conclusion 

of a season full of events 

both locally and internationally. 

Social Affairs and Labor Minister 

Lt. General (Rt.) Ahmad Abdellatif 

Al-Rujaib represented HH the 

Amir at the closing ceremony. 

The championship was distinguished 

with the participation of 

a large number of Kuwait shooters 

from the club and military sports 

association, who competed so 

hard to get the best results possible 

to be able to join national 

teams to participate in future 

events. 

President of the Kuwait and 

Asian Shooting Associations, and 

Vice President of the International 

Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) 

Sheikh Salman Al-Salem Al- 

Group photo with winners and officials 

the late sprint from I’ll Have Another as he 

faded in the last furlong. “He’s a brilliant horse. 

That’s the way we wanted him to run,” said 

Bodemeister’s trainer Bob Baffert, who is 

recovering from a heart attack he suffered 

CHURCHILL DOWNS: Jockey Mario Gutierrez rides I’ll Have Another to victory in the 138th 

Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs. —AP 

Humoud Al-Sabah welcomed participants 

in HH The Amir 

Championship which comes as a 

fitting conclusion of a season full 

of technical and administrative 

achievements. 

He said “I thank HH the Amir 

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad for his 

generous support for youth and 

athletes in general and the shooting 

community in particular. He 

said the shooting community is 

proud that it gained the support 

and encouragement of HH the 

Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad and 

gave it his continuous care. He 

added that HH the Amir instructed 

that an annual international 

championship be organized as all 

shooting federations around the 

world are invited to participate 

here in Kuwait. 

Sheikh Salman lauded the 

achievement of Kuwait’s shooters 

as they won 119 medals during 

their participations in internation- 

al, Asian and Arab Championships 

as they won 44 gold, 38 silver and 

37 bronze. 

Sheikh Salman said that 

Kuwait’s shooters were able to get 

four seats in the London 2012 

Olympics, and wished them all 

success. Sheikh Salman thanked 

the sponsor of the championship 

HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- 

Ahmad and HH the Crown Prince 

Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad for their 

care and support. 

He also thanked HH the Prime 

Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak 

Al-Sabah, Social Affairs and Labor 

Minister, PAYS Chairman Faisal Al- 

Jazaf and his deputies who give all 

facilities and remove all obstacles 

to promote the sport of our forefathers. 

He said that we look for 

more support for the club to 

maintain the Sheikh Sabah Al- 

Ahmad Olympic Shooting 

Complex and the shooting 

achievements. 

while in Dubai in March. “He ran his race. He 

was there and he just tired a little bit.” 

In keeping with tradition, the race was preceded 

by the singing of “My Old Kentucky 

Home” and the winner was draped in a garland 

of red roses as a huge crowd packed into 

the course, dressed in an array of outfits and 

sipping on mint julep drinks. 

The lone international entrant, Irish-trained 

Daddy Long Legs, failed to complete the trip 

after overheating and being eased up before 

the finish post. “I wasn’t going to push him. 

He’s got a long year ahead,” said jockey Colm 

O’Donoghue. —Reuters 

PAYS Deputy Director Humoud Fulatih receives a 

memento from Sheikh Salman 

Shooting season concludes 

Meanwhile, representative of 

HH the Amir said, he was honored 

to represent HH the Amir in the 

closing ceremony of a very dear 

championship to Kuwaitis. He said 

great efforts were exerted by 

shooting officials and players this 

year, and hoped those efforts help 

in making achievements abroad. 

Al-Rujaib thanked KSSF President 

Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al- 

Humoud Al-Sabah, and board 

members for the ceremony and 

organization of the event. 

When asked about amendments 

of sports laws, he said “as 

everyone knows, the government 

submitted the amendments to 

the national assembly and the 

concerned committee will start 

discussing them on Monday, and I 

am sure that all are keen on having 

Kuwait’s flag raised in international 

arenas, particularly in the 

London 2012 Olympics.

SPORTS 

Pakistan crowned Asian Squash champions 

KUWAIT: Pakistan were crowned champion of the 

16th Asian Squash Championship in the men’s category 

on Saturday, in the presence of Chairman and 

Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and 

Sports (PAYS) Faisal Al-Jazzaf and ambassadors of 

India, Pakistan, USA and President of the Asian 

Squash Association Datto Sunni and Kuwait Squash 

officials. 

Pakistan defeated India in the final matches, placing 

India second, Kuwait third along with Malaysia, 

Hong Kong fifth, Japan sixth and Jordan seventh. 

Indian women Dipika Pallikal and Joshna 

Chinappa created history by winning their maiden 

title as they beat Hong Kong 2-0 in the final of the 

16th Asian Team Squash women’s championships in 

Kuwait. 

In the women’s final, Joshna Chinappa, ranked 2 in 

India and World ranked 71st, put up an amazing performance 

as she emerged victorious against World 

No 16 Joey Chan 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8 in 38 minutes 

to put India 1-0 ahead. Following up on this thrilling 

victory, Dipika Pallikal, ranked 14, put up a spectacular 

fight and defeated World No.7 Anne Au 11-8, 12- 

10, 11-8 in 32 minutes to wrap up the title. 

Joshna’s aggressive play was laced with delicate 

drops and feints that were too much for Joey to handle 

as she dropped the first game 11-3 in less than 10 

minutes and Joshna won the second game 11-8 as 

well. 

Despite the loss of the third game, Joshna retaliated 

with persistence and won the fourth game to give 

India the much-needed first point. 

Dipika who is ranked 1 in India and World ranked 

14 went in next against World No 6 Annie Au. Dipika’s 

LISBON: Australia’s MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner 

powered back to the top of the overall standings by a single 

point yesterday after fending off Spanish rival Jorge 

Lorenzo to win in Portugal for the first time. 

The Honda rider, who won the Spanish Grand Prix in 

Jerez last weekend, dominated the race at Estoril after 

starting on pole position for the first time this season and 

now leads with 66 points after three races, with Yamaha’s 

Lorenzo on 65. 

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, last year’s winner in Portugal 

and Stoner’s team mate, finished third for his 100th grand 

prix podium - a feat achieved by only six other riders in 

the past 64 years. Stoner made a great start and never lost 

the lead on a sunny afternoon, although 2010 champion 

Lorenzo was close on his tail throughout - and particularly 

mid-race - to keep the pressure up. 

“In the middle section of the race I did not feel so confident 

and I thought Jorge (Lorenzo) and Dani (Pedrosa) 

Indian women create history in Kuwait 

Indian team left to right: Dipika Pallikal, Anaka Alankmony, Joshna Chinnappa and Aparajitha 

Balamurukan. 

Squash general assembly meeting 

fierceness seemed effective against Annie who is 

renowned for a steady lob and drop game. Annie 

made a dauntless fight back in the third, but Dipika, 

undeterred, fought relentlessly from 4-7 winning 6 

straight points to help India collect their first ever 

Asian senior women’s title. 

Hong Kong women took second place while 

Pakistani team celebrating 

LISBON: 2012 MotoGP riders take a corner during Portugal Grand Prix at the Estoril racetrack in 

Sintra. Stoner won the race and Pedrosa finished on third position. — AP 

Stoner wins Portugal GP 

would catch me so I had to find a different way to ride, 

some different lines, different techniques,” Stoner told television 

reporters. “We felt good on the first lap with the 

new tyres and everything but as soon as that wore off, we 

had the most severe chattering we’ve had this season,” he 

added. “I wasn’t feeling good, I wasn’t feeling comfortable,” 

said the Australian, who again suffered from some of 

the ‘arm pump’ muscular contraction problems he suffered 

in the Qatar season-opener. “Huge pressure from 

Jorge today and we were lucky to hold on for the win.” 

It was the second race in a row with Stoner and 

Lorenzo first and second and the Honda rider finished 

1.421 seconds of his rival. The victory in Portugal meant 

Stoner has stood on top of the podium at least once in 

every MotoGP circuit. 

“Casey’s rhythm at the end of the race kept us from 

winning,” said Lorenzo, whose first MotoGP Grand Prix win 

was in Estoril in 2008. —Reuters 

PAYS chairman and other officials with the winning teams 

Malaysia took third along with Korea. 

In the men’s competition, matches were very hot 

and highly competitive, producing the following 

results: 

Farah Khan defeated Jushua Shina by 3 games to 

2, 11-7, 11-6, 11-13, 7-11, 11-9. In the second match, 

Pakistan’s Farhan Iqbal defeated India’s Sourfo Kasoul 

LAS VEGAS: Floyd Mayweather came 

through 12 bruising rounds to outpoint 

Miguel Cotto in their WBA super welterweight 

clash in Las Vegas on Saturday. 

The unbeaten Mayweather (43-0) was 

put under immense pressure early on by 

a relentless Cotto (37-3) but weathered 

the storm and finished the stronger. 

Two judges gave Mayweather a 117- 

111 decision while another had it 118- 

110 for the American, who tipped his hat 

to tough Puerto Rican Cotto. 

“You’re a hell of a champion. You’re 

the toughest guy I ever fought,” he said. 

“You want to give the fans what they pay 

for and that’s excitement. It comes with 

the territory when you fight a future Hall 

of Famer like Miguel Cotto. “I had to fight 

hard and suck it up. I dug down and 

fought him back.” 

Mayweather began by landing stiff 

jabs and fast right hands, but Cotto 

motored relentlessly forward, bullying 

Mayweather to the ropes and battering 

his body with left hooks. 

As the rounds progressed, Cotto’s 

constant pressure seemed to be taking 

its toll and after the sixth Mayweather 

returned to his corner with a bloody 

nose. 

In the eighth, Cotto pounded the 

American against the ropes but that 

would prove the high point for the 

champion as Mayweather changed strategy, 

employing more lateral movement 

and firing right hands from long range. 

By the 12th, Cotto needed a stoppage to 

win but it was Mayweather who closed 

in style, rattling his opponent with combinations 

that buckled Cotto’s knees and 

smiling as he evaded counter-attacks. 

After the decision, Mayweather discussed 

a possible fight with Manny 

Pacquiao of the Philippines, his rival for 

the title of the world’s best pound-forpound 

fighter. 

Fans have been clamouring for the 

mega fight, which has hit various stumbling 

blocks including Mayweather’s 

insistence that Pacquiao agree to blood 

testing and how the revenue from the 

fight is to be divided. 

“I tried to make the Pacquiao fight 

and that didn’t work, so I fought Miguel 

10-12, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6 and 11-9. 

Tournament Director Fayez Al-Mutairi expressed 

pleasure at the high standard and success the tournament 

enjoyed, and matches were highly competitive, 

and congratulated the Pakistani team on winning the 

men’s event. 

He said that KSA will continue seeking the organization 

of such major events, which will in turn develop 

the skills of Kuwait players taking them to new 

levels, and lauded their performance in this championship. 

Al-Mutairi thanked PAYS under the leadership 

of Major General (Rt.) Faisal Al-Jazzaf for their care 

and support. 

President of the Asian Squash Association 

Malaysian Sani Kareem lauded the organization of 

the tournament during the meetings of the general 

assembly in the presence of Asian Squash officials. 

Sani Kareem said Kuwait proved for all its outstanding 

ability to organize such events as the delegations 

were embraced, and there was not any complaint. He 

said he is happy to be in Kuwait. 

Meanwhile President of Kuwait Squash 

Association Hussein Maqseed said the Asian praise of 

the Kuwait’s organization of the championship came 

due to the efforts of workers in the association and its 

sub-committees. He said the KSA decided to ask 

Pakistan to host the next championship in 2013. 

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait Iftikhar Iqbal was 

delighted for his team’s winning of first place, he 

thanked all Kuwaiti officials for hosting the tournament 

which was outstanding at all levels. He said that 

Kuwait’s team showed much improvement, adding 

that “we are very proud of this as coaches are from 

Pakistan and helped build the team.” 


Mayweather outpoints Cotto 

LAS VEGAS: Floyd Mayweather Jr. hits Miguel Cotto during their WBA Super 

Welterweight title bout at the MGM Grand. —AP 

Cotto instead and gave the fans a great 

fight,” Mayweather said. “I want to fight 

Pacquiao but he has to take the test, and 

I’ll fight him.” 

Cotto said he could not have done 

anything more in the fight. “The judges 

said I lost the fight. I can’t do anything 

else,” he said. “I have to take my defeat. 

“He knows what kind of fight Miguel 

Cotto brings, and so do the fans. I’m 

happy with my fight and with my performance 

and so is my family. I can’t ask 

for anything else.” — Reuters

Winners AVC team 

MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians’ Dwayne Smith hits a four on the last ball of the 

match to win against Chennai Super Kings during an Indian Premier League 

(IPL) cricket match.—AP 

FC Sparx team 

18 SPORTS 

FC Sparx, Malabar United FC advance 

GOA Rolling Trophy 

KUWAIT: Malabar United FC came back 

from a goal down to break the hearts of 

United Goans Centre players and supporters 

with two last ditch goals to win 

2-1 and carry their fine form into the 

quarter finals where last year’s runners 

up Navelim Youth Centre who have 

received a bye, lie in waiting for them. 

In other first round matches, youthful 

FC Sparx thrashed Santos United FC 5-0 

and AVC Sports & CA overcame 

Curtorcares United 4-3 in the tie breaker 

after normal time had ended goalless, in 

the 18th edition of the GOA Rolling 

Trophy organized by Goan Overseas 

Association (Goa Maroons) under the 

auspices of KIFF and sponsored by 

Bassem International Trading Company 

at the MOH ground, Shuwaikh. 

Malabar United FC and United 

Goans Centre who this season have 

raised quite a few eyebrows with their 

excellent performances were locked in 

a sea-saw battle that saw some smart 

saves by Shaijal in the Malabar goal 

and wonderful moves by Rosario 

Braganza for United Goans Centre and 

after Agnello Monteiro scored in the 

21st minute of the first half, it looked 

like United Goans Centre would pull off 

a famous win against their more fancied 

rivals. 

However, slack defending with only 

a few minutes left for the match to end 

Smith leaves Super 

Kings shell shocked 

MUMBAI: West Indian batsman Dwayne 

Smith smashed 14 runs off the last three balls 

to help Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super 

Kings by two wickets and AB de Villiers’ late 

assault lifted Royal Challengers Bangalore to 

a five-wicket win over Deccan Chargers in the 

Indian Premier League yesterday. 

Smith scored an unbeaten 24 off nine 

balls and hit Australia’s Ben Hilfenhaus for a 

straight six and two consecutive boundaries 

to guide Mumbai Indians to 174-8 after Super 

Kings had finished at 173-8. 

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan’s 

unbeaten 73 gave Chargers a formidable 

total of 181-2 but de Villiers struck a 17-ball 

47 not out that included 23 off Dale Steyn’s 

last over to reach 185-5 in 18.5 overs. De 

Villiers hit five fours and three sixes. 

Sachin Tendulkar (74) and Rohit Sharma 

(60) had kept Mumbai on course with a 126run 

second wicket stand off 81 balls before 

Super Kings hit back strongly and took seven 

wickets for 25 runs. 

Hilfenhaus didn’t concede a run off his first 

eight deliveries but then bowled two low full 

tosses to Smith followed by a length delivery, 

all of which were calmly hit hard by the West 

Indian allrounder. 

Mumbai Indians looked to be coasting to 

victory when Tendulkar hit 11 boundaries 

and a six in his 44-ball knock, taking the 

home team to 134 in the 16th over. 

Faf du Plessis plucked a brilliant onehanded 

catch of Tendulkar at short extra cover 

to ignite an astonishing collapse. Left-arm 

spinner Ravindra Jadeja bowled Ambati 

Rayudu and Sharma in the 18th over before 

Robin Petersen was smartly run out by Du 

Plessis and captain Harbhajan Singh then 

holed out at long-off. 

Hilfenhaus bowled Lasith Malinga to 

make it 159-8 but couldn’t stop Smith from 

hitting the three crucial blows. 

Earlier, Super Kings’ opening batsman 

Murali Vijay (41) and Dwayne Bravo (40) were 

the top run-scorers before Malinga (3-25) 

struck three late blows. 

Vijay hit seamer Munaf Patel for 22 runs in 

one ove, including three sixes and a four, 

before he was bowled by RP Singh in the 

sixth over. 

The victory kept Mumbai Indians in third 

with 14 points while Super Kings are fourth 

with 11. Delhi Daredevils lead the nine-team 

league with 16 points, followed by Kolkata 

Knight Riders with 15. 

Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan (71) and 

Chris Gayle (26) laid a solid platform of 91 

runs for Royal Challengers’ opening wicket at 

Bangalore before de Villiers cut loose when 

39 was needed off the last three overs. 

While Chargers lie bottom of the table 

with five points, Royal Challengers increased 

its chances of making the knockout stage 

with 11 points. 

Scores: 

Mumbai Indians 174-8 in 20 overs 

(Sachin Tendulkar 74, Rohit Sharma 60, 

Dwayne Smith 24 not out; Ravindra Jadeja 2- 

12, Ben Hilfenhaus 2-34, Dwayne Bravo 2-39) 

def. Chennai Super Kings 173-8 in 20 overs 

(Murali Vijay 41, Dwayne Bravo 40, Suresh 

Raina 36; Lasith Malinga 3-25, RP Singh 3-28). 

Royal Challengers Bangalore 185-5 in 

18.5 overs (Tillakaratne Dilshan 71, AB de 

Villiers 47 not out, Chris Gayle 26; Amit Mishra 

2-28) def. Deccan Chargers 181-2 in 20 overs 

(Shikhar Dhawan 73 not out, Daniel Harris 47, 

Cameron White 45). —AP 

by United Goans Centre, led to two 

fine counter move goals within three 

minutes by Aswad Ali and Muhammed 

ensuring Malabar United FC qualified 

for the Quarter Finals. The match was 

refereed by Pascoal Fernandes of KIFF 

referees body. 

Earlier in the first match of the day, 

Santos United F.C were no match for 

F.C. Sparx who took complete control 

of the match from the very beginning 

and scored through Husain Ali Khan (2) 

Anwar and Qusai (2). Kevin Misquita, 

and Rajesh sparkled for F.C Sparx in the 

5-0 rout. F.C Sparx will now play last 

year’s champion club, Goa Maroons in 

the quarter finals. Bernard Fernandes 

ESTORIL: Top seed Juan Martin 

del Potro retained his title here 

at the Estoril Open yesterday 

after inflicting a 6-4, 6-2 defeat 

on second seed Richard Gasquet. 

The Argentine world number 

12 became the third man in the 

tournament’s history to win the 

clay title in successive years, following 

in the footsteps of 

Thomas Muster (1995-1996) and 

Albert Montanes (2009-2010). 

It was also Del Potro’s second 

title of the season after his victory 

in Marseille in February, and 

his 11th of a career that includes 

a US Open success in 2009. “I just 

played my game and raised my 

level all week,” said Del Potro. 

“Today was my best match. To 

win two titles here is great. 

“I played aggressive all the 

way and served well. I’m gaining 

confidence on my forehand, 

which is important to my game. 

My confidence is building and I 

hope to take it even further next 

week in Madrid. 

“I’m moving closer to my best 

form, but I still need to work to 

get there. The more matches 

you win, the more your confidence 

grows,” added the player 

who has lost only one set in two 

years at Estoril. 

The loss left Gasquet still looking 

for his first ATP trophy since 

triumphing in Nice in May 2010. 

“He played very well,” said the 

Frenchman. “He’s very powerful, 

has a great service, and a great 

forehand and backhand. He 

deserved this win. 

“He played better than me. 

He’s very tall and has a good sec- 

was the center official. 

In the last match of the day, A.V.C 

Cultural C.A and Curtorcares battled it 

out for 80 minutes without scoring and 

in the ensuing tie breaker, Kevin Vaz, 

Anthony, Braulio and Ronnie scored for 

AVC while only Prakash, Joao, and Jose 

Antonio could find the net for 

Curtorcares. 

The match was evenly contested 

with Alvaro Dias, Vincy, and Liston Raju 

holding fort for AVC and Anthony and 

the flamboyant Kevin Vaz combining 

well to put the Curtorcares defense 

ably led by Francis, Zico and Joao 

under a lot of pressure. The match was 

refereed by Victor Andrade. 

ond serve and was hitting the 

ball very well. He was the better 

player today. 

“It’s always disappointing to 

lose a final. I’ve lost five times to 

(Novak) Djokovic and (Roger) 

Federer (in previous finals); now 

Del Potro. They were better than 


Wozniacki advances 

despite ankle injury 

MADRID: Former number one Caroline Wozniacki rolled 

an ankle but battled on to post a 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-4 opening 

win over Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan in the Madrid 

Masters yesterday. The sixth-seeded Dane struggled on 

with her handicap to take victory in a match lasting 

more than three hours, saving an amazing 14 of the 22 

break point she faced. The 2009 runner-up will now 

have time for her injury to heal before facing on-form 

German Mona Barthel, quarter-finalist a week ago in 

Stuttgart. 

Number one Victoria Azarenka beat Russian Svetlana 

Kuznetsova 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 while Maria Sharapova, the 

second seed, was equally ruthless with Irina-Camelia 

Begu of Romania 6-0, 6-3. 

Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska advanced as 

American Varvara Lepchenko bet Italy’s 2010 Roland 

Garros winner Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3. 

Radwanska dismissed Spanish opposition with her 

defeat of Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino 6-3, 6-1 while 12th 

seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany started with a 6- 

1, 6-4 win over Swede Johanna Larsson. Belgian Yanina 

Wickmayer beat Australian Jarmila Gajdosova 6-2, 6-4 

in 66 minutes despite 11 aces from the loser. 

Amid the controversy raging over the blue clay 

courts being trialled at this edition, Wozniacki had no 

complaints. “Blue is my favourite colour, this makes 

things a bit different,” she said in the run-up to the 

French Open preliminary event at the Caja Magica. “The 

court seems a bit faster than when it was (traditional) 

red. “Adding the Madrid altitude (650 metres above sea 

level) makes it even faster. But we will only know who 

handled it best when the tournament is over.” 

Defending champion Petra Kvitova, the third seed, rode 

her 2011 Madrid title over Victoria Azarenka to a breakthrough 

Wimbledon crown two months later. The 

Czech is back at this edition standing third in the world 

and hoping for a repeat of her previous success. “I 

haven’t practised on them enough yet to say, but I think 

they are something new for us,” she told the tournament 

website. “In my opinion they look very nice, very 

cool. “I like the color, so I’m looking forward to playing 

on them.” —AFP 

Del Potro wins Estoril title 

MADRID: In fine fettle after a month-long 

rest, Roger Federer is ready to get his clay 

season underway and continue his bid to 

recapture the world number one ranking 

from Novak Djokovic. 

The 30-year-old Swiss maestro, who has 

not played since losing to Andy Roddick at 

the Sony Ericsson Open at the end of March, 

said he had needed some time away from 

tennis to recharge his batteries and rid himself 

of one or two niggling injuries. 

Federer has played some of his best tennis 

in years in winning three titles this season, 

including the Indian Wells Masters event, but 

knows that challenging Rafa Nadal on the 

Spaniard’s favoured clay and stealing his 

French Open crown in Paris starting at the 

end of this month will be a tall order. 

“I feel good about my chances of playing 

well in the next few months,” the world number 

three told a news conference previewing 

this week’s Madrid Open yesterday. 

“But then again I am coming back on clay 

and Rafa has been so dominant on this surface 

for so many years so I know the task 

ahead of me,” added the 16-times grand slam 

singles champion. 

In an intense start to the year, Federer 

played 23 matches and lost three, reaching 

the semi-finals of the Australian Open before 

falling to Nadal and winning events in 

Rotterdam and Dubai to add to his success in 

Indian Wells. 

He also had a busy end to 2011, triumph- 

LISBON: Argentinaís Juan Martin Del Potro kisses his trophy 

after winning the Estoril Open tennis final against France’s 

Richard Gasquet. —AP 

ing at the World Tour finals in London in 

November after victories at the Paris Masters 

and his home event in Basel. The rest was 

vital, said Federer. 

“I needed it because I did play so, so much 

and this break was also looking ahead to 

what’s to come and there’s a lot on my plate 

and I want to be fresh in my mind and fit in 

my body for those big goals ahead,” he 

added. 

“It was more about relaxing my body 

because I had been playing with some niggling 

injuries over a few weeks, or a few 

months almost, and I am happy they went 

away. 

“It was just to get away from tennis for a 

while really, get away from the craziness that 

surrounds it, the matches and the press and 

all that stuff. “So that was nice to just 

recharge the batteries, that was the key during 

this break.” 

If Federer can leapfrog number two Nadal 

and topple Djokovic he would equal, and 

then have a chance of beating, Pete 

Sampras’s record of 286 weeks at the top and 

the Swiss said he was in a “pretty good position” 

to do it over the coming months. 

“All of a sudden if you do win a grand slam 

again you have a shot and if I do I’ll probably 

be extremely close to world number one,” he 

said. 

“Then again - easier said than done. I know 

what it takes to win a grand slam. It’s hard, it’s 

always been hard. “It’s still far away for me 

me. 

“It’s good for me to reach a 

final. It was a good tournament 

to prepare for the clay season. I’ll 

get confidence from this tournament.” 

The final was played in 

sunny conditions after wind and 

rain affected the early days of 

the event at the Estadio 

Nacional. 

Del Potro broke to love in the 

first game to set the tone, but 

Gasquet put up a fight throughout 

an opening set that lasted 54 

minutes. 

The Frenchman, renowned for 

his flawless one-handed backhand, 

saved break points in the 

fifth and seventh games before 

his South American opponent 

sealed the set with a concluding 

break. 

Del Potro then began the second 

set with a break of serve and 

turned up the pressure to run 

out the winner with six aces and 

three breaks of serve in just 

under 90 minutes on court. 

The Argentine did win a pair 

of Davis Cup rubbers on clay 

against Croatia six weeks ago 

but he will still be delighted to 

triumph in what was his first tour 

clay event of the season after he 

chose to skip Monte Carlo and 

train at home. 

He has now appeared in four 

finals on clay in his career and 

won the lot, while Gasquet 

missed the chance to become 

the first man from France to win 

the Portuguese title since the 

event began in 1990. He also 

lost the 2007 final to a then upand-coming 

Djokovic. —AFP 

Federer fresh for clay after break 

and my focus is on my next match here on 

Wednesday. “But it is a dream for me this year 

try to achieve that again. I’ll try to chase that 

as hard as I can and see if it’s possible. If not 

it’s no problem and I’ll just try to win tournaments 

which is a thrill in itself.” 

Djokovic and Nadal both have a lot of 

points to defend in the coming months, but 

the Spaniard is also eyeing a possible return 

to the top of the rankings, where he has 

spent a total of 102 weeks during his career. 

“I am in a good position thanks to a good 

start to the year,” Nadal told a separate news 

conference yesterday. “But right now I am 

closer to number three than number one,” 

added the 25-year-old Mallorcan. “Federer 

had a spectacular end to the year last year 

and has started this year very well too. 

“My first objective is always to qualify for 

the World Tour finals and I am close to doing 

that so once that’s done anything else is a 

plus.” 

Second seed Nadal, the 2010 champion 

who lost in last year’s final to Djokovic, and 

third seed Federer, winner in 2009 when he 

beat Nadal in the title match, both have byes 

into the second round in Madrid and begin 

their campaigns on Wednesday. 

Nadal takes on Nikolay Davydenko, who 

beat Ivo Karlovic on Sunday, while Federer 

will play the winner of the first-round match 

between fast-rising Canadian Milos Raonic 

and former world number three David 

Nalbandian of Argentina. —Reuters

Man City 37 27 5 5 90 27 86 

Man Utd 37 27 5 5 88 33 86 

Arsenal 37 20 7 10 71 47 67 

Tottenham 37 19 9 9 64 41 66 

Newcastle 37 19 8 10 55 48 65 

Chelsea 36 17 10 9 62 41 61 

Everton 37 14 11 12 47 39 53 

Fulham 37 14 10 13 48 49 52 

Liverpool 36 13 10 13 43 38 49 

West Brom 37 13 8 16 43 49 47 

EPL results/standings 

Aston Villa 1 (Clark 35) Tottenham 1 (Adebayor 62-pen); Bolton 2 (Petrov 24-pen, Jones 72-og) 

West Brom 2 (Brunt 75, Morrison 90); Fulham 2 (Dempsey 12, Dembele 35) Sunderland 1 

(Bardsley 34); Manchester Utd 2 (Scholes 28, Young 41) Swansea 0; Newcastle 0, Manchester City 

2 (Y. Toure 70, 89); QPR 1 (Cisse 89) Stoke 0; 

Wolves 0, Everton 0. 

Played Saturday: 

Arsenal 3 (Benayoun 2, Van Persie 72, 80) Norwich 3 (Hoolahan 12, Holt 27, Morison 85) 

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals 

against, points): 

Sunderland 37 11 12 14 45 45 45 

Swansea 37 11 11 15 43 51 44 

Norwich 37 11 11 15 50 66 44 

Stoke 37 11 11 15 34 51 44 

Aston Villa 37 7 17 13 37 51 38 

QPR 37 10 7 20 41 63 37 

Wigan 36 9 10 17 38 60 37 

Bolton 37 10 5 22 44 75 35 

Blackburn 36 8 7 21 47 75 31 

Wolves 37 5 10 22 38 79 25 

— relegated 

19 SPORTS 

ITALY: Inter Milan Argentine forward Diego Milito scores on a penalty kick past AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia during a Serie A soccer match. —AP 

Juventus clinch Serie A title 

Milan lose derby 4-2 

ROME: Juventus won the Serie A title for 

the 28th time following a 2-0 win at 

Cagliari as nearest rivals AC Milan 

crashed 4-2 in their city derby against 

Inter yesterday. That gave Juve an unassailable 

four-point lead at the top with 

just one game left. 

Mirko Vucinic and a Michele Canini 

own goal gave the Old Lady of Turin victory 

in Trieste, where Cagliari have been 

playing recent home games. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace for 

Milan but Inter’s Diego Milito eclipsed 

him with a hat-trick, while Maicon put 

the icing on the cake late on with a fine 

long-range strike. 

It was Juve’s first title since 2003 in 

the record books due to the fact they 

were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 

crowns for match-fixing. 

Just as they were in mid-week, Juve 

got off to a blistering start, taking the 

lead after just six minutes. 

Vucinic beat the offside trap and slotted 

between goalkeeper Michael 

Agazzi’s legs, although there was a hint 

of offside. 

Juve then suffered a blow when right 

wing-back Stephan Lichtsteiner was carried 

off on a stretcher following a clash of 

heads with Mauricio Pinilla. Pinilla was a 

whisker away from equalising with a shot 

from distance that skidded just past the 

post. 

And Cagliari wasted a four-on-one 

counter-attack when Pinilla and Andrea 

ITALY: Juventus’ Mirko Vucinic of Montenegro (left) scores past Cagliari goalkeeper 

Michael Agazzi during the Serie A soccer match. —AP 

Bolton blow chance 

to boost survival bid 

Bolton 2 

West Brom 2 

BOLTON: Bolton Wanderers are in severe 

danger of being relegated from the 

Premier League after blowing a two-goal 

lead in a dramatic 2-2 draw against West 

Bromwich Albion yesterday. 

Owen Coyle’s side looked on course to 

climb out of the bottom three after Martin 

Petrov’s penalty was followed by a Billy 

Jones own goal to leave Wanderers firmly 

in control at the Reebok Stadium. 

But Chris Brunt reduced the deficit with 

15 minutes remaining and James Morrison 

netted a stoppage-time equaliser. 

To make matters worse for Coyle’s men, 

news soon filtered through from west 

London that relegation rivals Queens Park 

Rangers had beaten Stoke City with a late 

goal. That agonising combination of results 

leaves Bolton two points adrift of safety 

with a trip to Stoke to come on the final 

weekend of the season next Sunday. 

There is still hope for Bolton, however. If 

they win at the Britannia Stadium, then a 

QPR loss at Manchester City or two defeats 

for Wigan Athletic in their remaining fixtures 

would secure their Premier League 

status for another season. 

While Bolton worry over their future, 

Albion coach Roy Hodgson could take 

heart from his players’ spirited fightback in 

what was his final away game before taking 

over as England manager. The hosts got off 

to a better start, with Chris Eagles firing an 

early shot just wide of Ben Foster’s goal. 

Veteran striker Kevin Davies has found 

his way back into Coyle’s starting line-up of 

late but he failed to repay that faith when 

he blasted over from close range after 

David Ngog knocked on Petrov’s cross. 

Bolton had been creating most of the 

early pressure, but the Baggies were dangerous 

every time they ventured into the 

hosts’ half and Adam Bogdan was called 

upon again to keep out Gareth McAuley’s 

header from Brunt’s corner. 

Bogdan denied West Brom again four 

minutes later with a superb save with his 

feet that took Shane Long’s close-range 

effort onto the post. 

The breakthrough came after 24 minutes 

when Youssouf Mulumbu recklessly 

brought down Mark Davies in the area. 

Petrov was the man to step up and he 

remained calm before finding the bottom 

corner, just out of Foster’s reach after the 

West Brom goalkeeper guessed correctly. 

Davies could certainly have done better 

with his first-half chances but there could 

be little complaint when his 70th-minute 

header was superbly saved by Foster, who 

somehow got down low enough to palm 

the ball away. 

Nerves were starting to creep in at the 

Reebok, but while Bolton have certainly 

had their fair share of bad luck this term, 

the most fortunate of goals put them 2-0 

up in the 72nd minute.—AFP 

Cossu were guilty of indecision. Agazzi 

saved well from Vucinic, while Martin 

Caceres headed wide from a corner but a 

woeful attempted clearance from Canini 

looped over the goalkeeper and in to 

double the visitors’ lead. 

At the San Siro, Milan should have taken 

an early lead but Ibrahimovic failed to 

hit the target from six yards from 

Robinho’s cross. 

They were made to pay on 14 minutes 

as Walter Samuel headed Wesley 

Sneijder’s free-kick back into the danger 

zone and Milito was there to slot home. 

Inter threatened to run away with it as 

Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati saved 

from Sneijder before Lucio knocked in 

the rebound, only to be ruled offside. 

Milan escaped when Abbiati clawed 

an Esteban Cambiasso header back from 

seemingly behind the line, only for the 

referee to wave play on. 

Abbiati then saved at his near post 

from Sneijder but was forced off with an 

injury, as defender Daniele Bonera had 

been earlier, forcing Milan into two 

changes before half-time. 

They were given a lifeline just before 

the break when the referee pointed to 

the spot after Kevin-Prince Boateng went 

down under a challenge from goalkeeper 

Julio Cesar. 

Replays showed Cesar clearly took the 

ball but despite trying to psyche out his 

former team-mate with some choice 

words, he could not keep out 

Ibrahimovic’s spot-kick. 

And within 30 seconds of the restart, 

the turnaround was complete as 

Ibrahimovic turned cleverly on the edge 

LONDON: Djibril Cisse came off the 

bench to score an 89th-minute 

goal as Queens Park Rangers 

enjoyed a 1-0 win over Stoke City at 

Loftus Road yesterday that could 

yet keep the London club in the 

Premier League. 

Victory left QPR two points 

above the relegation zone ahead of 

the final round of matches, when 

manager Mark Hughes takes his 

team to champions-elect 

Manchester City-one of his former 

clubs-next Sunday. 

Joyful Rangers fans invaded the 

pitch after the final whistle but 

their side are not yet mathematically 

safe from the drop. Former 

France striker Cisse settled the 

match when he stole in at the back 

post to convert Anton Ferdinand’s 

flick-on. 

It wrapped up a great afternoon 

for Rangers, owned by Malaysian 

businessman Tony Fernandes, after 

Bolton Wanderers, who had threatened 

to drop them into the bottom 

three, were held to a 2-2 draw by 

West Bromwich Albion. 

Stoke had the better of the play 

early on, with chances for Cameron 

Jerome and Peter Crouch, although 

QPR playmaker Adel Taarabt tested 

Potters goalkeeper Thomas 

Sorensen with a 25-yard free-kick. 

The visitors twice nearly went 

ahead after the break, Crouch making 

a mess of a free header and 

Ricardo Fuller curling a shot just 

wide. Hughes then made two more 

substitutions, bringing on Jay 

Bothroyd and Shaun Wright- 

Phillips late on and his changes led 

to QPR’s goal. 

Wright-Phillips’ shot deflected 

wide, creating a QPR corner. 

Taarabt’s cross was nodded on by 

Ferdinand and Cisse scored from 

close range to send the crowd wild. 

Crouch missed a chance to grab 

an equaliser in the four minutes of 

added time as QPR held on for a 

valuable win that was followed by a 

mass pitch invasion before the 

Rangers players returned to salute 

their supporters.—AFP 

of the box to beat Maicon and Lucio and 

then dinked the ball over Cesar. 

But only a few minutes later Ignazio 

Abate stupidly grabbed Milito around 

the neck in the box to give away a penalty 

and the Argentine stepped up to score 

his second. 

Moments later Milan midfielder Sulley 

Muntari somehow knocked the ball wide 

with his thigh from inside the six-yard 

box. And the end came for Milan when 

Alessandro Nesta was adjudged to have 

handled in the box and Milito smashed 

home his hat-trick goal 11 minutes from 

time. Maicon’s stunning, rising shot into 

the top-left corner from distance was just 

an added bonus for Inter. Earlier, Udinese 

against, points): 

Juventus 37 22 15 0 65 19 81 

— champions 

AC Milan 37 23 8 6 72 32 77 

Udinese 37 17 10 10 50 35 61 

Lazio 37 17 8 12 53 46 59 

Napoli 37 15 13 9 64 45 58 

Inter 37 17 7 13 57 52 58 

Roma 37 15 8 14 57 52 53 

Parma 37 14 11 12 53 53 53 

Bologna 37 13 12 12 41 42 51 

Catania 37 11 15 11 47 50 48 

Atalanta 37 13 13 11 40 40 46 

Chievo 37 11 13 13 34 45 46 


took charge of the race for a Champions 

League finish as they beat Genoa 2-0 and 

closest rivals Napoli fell by the same 

scoreline at Bologna. 

The two sides were level on points 

coming into the match but this result 

means Udinese will guarantee third spot 

if they avoid defeat away to Catania next 

weekend. 

Genoa’s defeat means they are still 

not safe from relegation despite Lecce’s 

1-0 home defeat against Fiorentina on 

Saturday. 

Genoa need a point from their final 

game of the season to survive. Lazio are 

still in the race for third after a 2-0 win at 

Atalanta.—AFP 

Italian League results/standings 

Atalanta 0, Lazio 2 (Kozak 35, Cana 90); Bologna 2, (Diamanti 17, Rubin 64) Napoli 0; Cagliari 0, 

Juventus 2 (Vucinic 6, Canini 74-og); Inter Milan 4 (Milito 14, 52-pen, 79-pen, Maicon 87) AC 

Milan 2 (Ibrahimovic 44-pen, 46); Novara 3 (Rigoni 28-pen, 68-pen, 85) Cesena 0; Palermo 4 

(Miccoli 10-pen, 19, 74, Silvestre 89) Chievo 4 (Pellissier 27-pen, 72, Uribe 30, Luciano 46); Siena 

0, Parma 2 (Giovinco 67, Floccari 90); Udinese 2 (Di Natale 30, Floro Flores 66) Genoa 0. 

Italian Serie A table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals 

Fiorentina 37 11 12 14 37 43 45 

Siena 37 11 11 15 44 43 44 

Palermo 37 11 10 16 52 60 43 

Cagliari 37 10 12 15 37 46 42 

Genoa 37 10 9 18 48 69 39 

Lecce 37 8 12 17 40 55 36 

Novara 37 7 11 19 34 63 32 

— relegated 

Cesena 37 4 10 23 22 57 22 

— relegated 

Note: Atalanta deducted six points at start of 

season for match-fixing 

Cisse bolsters QPR’s survival hopes 

QPR 1 

Stoke 0 

LONDON: Stoke City’s German defender Robert Huth (left) vies with Queens Park Rangers’ Hungarian 

midfielder Akos Buzsaky during the English Premier League football match.—AP 

Everton held by Wolves 

Wolves 0 

Everton 0 

LONDON: Everton extended their 

unbeaten run to eight league 

games yesterday but had to settle 

for a point in a goalless draw away 

to already-relegated 

Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

The Toffees had the better of 

the chances at Molineux and only a 

dubious offside flag prevented 

Nikica Jelavic from registering the 

opener in the first half, while Denis 

Stracqualursi had a goal disallowed 

after the break. 

Everton have not lost a Premier 

League match since their 3-0 

defeat to Liverpool in the 

Merseyside derby almost two 

months ago but this point keeps 

them in seventh place in the table 

and leaves them on course to finish 

above their neighbours for the first 

time since 2005. 

Wolves were already condemned 

to finishing bottom and 

this result leaves them without a 

win in 13 games, but their beleaguered 

interim manager Terry 

Connor will take heart from the 

way his side battled to a draw, 

while the home fans ended the 

afternoon cheering their team’s 

every pass. 

Everton, who had drawn 1-1 at 

Stoke in midweek, dominated possession 

in the opening 45 minutes 

but were unable to get what would 

have been a deserved breakthrough 

goal. 

Jelavic got away from home 

goalkeeper Dorus De Vries to finish 

after being put through by Steven 

Pienaar only to be pulled back for 

offside. However, the decision was 

a marginal one with the Croat 

appearing to be level with Ronald 

Zubar when the ball was played, 

and visiting manager David Moyes 

was furious. 

Jelavic had scored eight goals in 

his first 11 league appearances 

since moving south from Rangers 

in January, and he again looked in 

the mood here. 

He had the best chance of the 

second half after getting in front of 

George Elokobi in the 72nd minute 

and latching on to a through ball 

only to drag his shot wide of the far 

post. 

He then turned provider just 60 

seconds later with a cross from the 

left that was turned in by substitute 

Stracqualursi but the flag was 

up for offside against Marouane 

Fellaini, who had initially gone for 

the ball and missed. 

Unlike in the first half, this time 

Everton could have few complaints 

about the assistant referee’s call as 

the game petered out to a stalemate.—AFP


I’ll Have 

16 

Another wins 

Kentucky Derby 

Mayweather 

17 

outpoints Cotto 

Bolt speeds to year’s fastest 100 metres Page 16 

LONDON: Newcastle United’s Senegalese striker Demba Ba (second left) vies with Manchester City’s English midfielder Gareth Barry (right) and Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure (left) during the English Premier League football match.—AP 

City on brink of EPL title glory 

Newcastle 0 

Man City 2 

NEWCASTLE: Manchester City are on the 

verge of winning the Premier League title 

for the first time in 44 years after Yaya 

Toure’s brilliant double clinched a crucial 

2-0 win at Newcastle yesterday. 

Ivory Coast midfielder Toure struck 

twice in the second half at St James’ Park 

to move Premier League leaders City 

three points clear of second-placed 

Manchester United. Roberto Mancini’s 

men now know that they will be champions 

for the first time since 1968 if they 

win their remaining game at home to 

Queens Park Rangers next Sunday, unless 

United can somehow bridge City’s plus- 

10 advantage over their local rivals in the 

goal difference column. 

By coincidence, City’s 1968 title triumph 

was confirmed by a 4-3 victory at 

Newcastle and the reaction of their supporters 

on the final whistle suggested 

they have already anointed Mancini’s 

team as the new champions. 

Toure’s goals also had significance for 

Newcastle, who began this game with an 

eye on a place in next season’s 

Champions League-and even a top-three 

United take title race to 

wire after Swansea win 

Man United 2 

Swansea 0 

MANCHESTER: Manchester United 

ensured the race for the Premier 

League title will go to the final 

game of the season as they beat 

Swansea City 2-0 at Old Trafford 

here yesterday. 

But it proved to be a bittersweet 

day for the reigning champions, 

who will start as significant 

underdogs to clinch an unprecedented 

20th title as rivals 

Manchester City close in on their 

first top-flight crown since 1968. 

First-half goals from Paul 

Scholes and Ashley Young saw Sir 

Alex Ferguson’s side draw level on 

points with City at the top of the 

table, but with a vastly inferior goal 

difference. 

United kept the destiny of the 

Premier League trophy in doubt 

until the final round of games on 

May 13, but having surrendered an 

eight-point advantage, that promises 

to be scant reward for 

Ferguson’s men. 

To end the campaign, 

Manchester United travel to 

Sunderland, who have not beaten 

them in the league for 15 years, 

spanning 19 attempts. 

However, City will be overwhelming 

favourites to beat a relegation-threatened 

Queens Park 

Rangers side who have won just 

three times on the road this season. 

The Premier League title has never 

yet been decided on goal difference, 

but there is every chance this 

season that it will. 

United will have to better City’s 

final day result to finish above their 

near neighbors. Victories for bothbarring 

a mathematical miracle 

courtesy of an unlikely nine-goal 

swing-will spark huge celebrations 

in the blue half of Manchester. 

United kicked off knowing two 

goals from Yaya Toure had seen City 

cement their grip on the title with a 

2-0 win at Newcastle United earlier 

in the day. Asked shortly before the 

start if City had a hand on the title, 

Ferguson replied: “Probably two.” 

Swansea’s Michel Vorm was by far 

the busier of the goalkeepers, and 

the Dutchman was forced into a 

fine double save to deny Patrice 

Evra from 20 yards, and then a 

close-range follow-up from Wayne 

Rooney. 

Michael Carrick was at the heart 

of things as the hosts finally broke 

the deadlock in the 28th minute. 

Antonio Valencia beat Neil Taylor to 

make strides down the right before 

pulling the ball back for the lurking 

Carrick, who quickly re-directed the 

ball into the six-yard box. 

Swansea had plenty of bodies 

back to cover, but that failed to prevent 

Scholes from reacting first to 

open the scoring with a closerange 

flick. 

The lack of celebration from the 

veteran midfielder to meet his 

fourth goal of the season betrayed 

finish-in the wake of Arsenal’s failure to 

beat Norwich. 

Now, facing an awkward final game at 

Everton, Alan Pardew’s team may have to 

be content with a place in the Europa 

League. 

City certainly warranted their success, 

but they were far from fluent as 

Newcastle frustrated them for long periods 

and looked equipped to emerge with 

a point until Toure’s crucial contributions. 

With so much at stake for both teams, 

it was never likely to be a classic 

encounter, but it was a passionate, highly-charged 

affair after a slow start. 

That early caution was swept away, 

though, by the mobility and attacking 

instincts of David Silva, Sergio Aguero, 

the true feeling in the United camp, 

one that their chase was a forlorn 

one. United’s second goal arrived 

four minutes before the break. 

Swansea were made to pay for 

being caught in possession as they 

attempted to pass out of their own 

area, Scholes winning the ball to 

square for Rooney in the penalty 

box. The England forward’s snapshot 

was blocked, but fell invitingly 

for Young to curl his eighth goal of 

the season into the bottom-right 

corner with a calm right-foot finish 

from 15 yards. 

Rooney wasted a clear opening 

to claim a career-best 27th Premier 

League goal of the season after 

being released by Carrick as Welsh 

club Swansea were again carved 

open in ruthless fashion. 

Having already secured another 

season in the top flight, Swansea 

Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri. 

All contributed to a ten-minute spell 

when City could have taken the lead on 

three occasions, starting with Silva’s 

angled shot that was saved by Tim Krul in 

the 11th minute. 

The Dutch goalkeeper was equally 

alert when he dealt with Aguero’s effort 

six minutes later before he was rescued 

by Mike Williamson after the striker beat 

him to Vincent Kompany’s through ball. 

Newcastle finally threatened when 

Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa combined 

to create an opening which Ba 

drove over the bar from 25 yards. 

Then, with 34 minutes gone, 

Newcastle carved out their best opportunity 

of the opening half after Jonas 

LONDON: Manchester United’s English striker Wayne Rooney shoots 

during the English Premier League football match against Swansea at 

Old Trafford. —AP 

rarely looked like improving on a 

dire record at Old Trafford that now 

sees them without a victory there 

in nine visits. 

Nathan Dyer curled an early 

long-range effort narrowly over, 

and David de Gea made a meal of a 

low 25-yard shot from Gylfi 

Sigurdsson, before the Spaniard 

made amends with a fine save to 

deny Danny Graham from close 

range after the break. 

When De Gea clawed out 

Sigurdsson’s long-range free-kick 

shortly after Dyer blazed high and 

wide from a promising position, the 

last chance of mounting an 

improbable comeback had gone. 

Defeat left Swansea in 12th 

place, with only one victory in their 

last eight league matches going 

into their final game at home to 

Liverpool.—AFP 

Gutierrez seized on a rare mistake by 

Pablo Zabaleta. 

The Argentina international’s cross 

created uncertainty in the City defence, 

who allowed the ball to reach Ben Arfa 

beyond the far post. 

His shot was instant and on-target, 

but not quite accurate enough to beat a 

goalkeeper of Joe Hart’s calibre. But only 

the positioning of Davide Santon, their 

Italian left-back, enabled Newcastle to be 

level at the interval. 

Santon was in the right place on the 

line to block a 41st-minute shot from 

Gareth Barry at the end of an incisive 

move that again exposed Newcastle’s 

problems against a team possessing 

City’s sharpness in the final third. 

BIRMINGHAM: Ten-man Tottenham Hotspur 

spurned the chance to go third in the Premier 

League yesterday after a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa, 

for whom a point all but assured their top-flight 

survival. Ciaran Clark gave the hosts the lead at 

Villa Park via a deflected first-half opener and 

their cause was aided further still when Spurs 

were reduced to 10 men when Danny Rose was 

sent off for a challenge on Alan Hutton. 

Harry Redknapp’s team soon responded, 

though, via Emmanuel Adebayor’s penalty, yet 

they were unable to force a winner, meaning 

they remain a point adrift of North London 

rivals Arsenal in fourth place going into next 

weekend’s final round of fixtures. 

It leaves their Champions League prospects 

hanging in the balance, with fifth-placed 

Newcastle still just a point behind. Chelsea, 

meanwhile, could yet snatch the final spot for 

Europe’s elite competition that would normally 

go to the team finishing fourth if they beat 

Bayern Munich in this season’s final. 

Alex McLeish’s Villa team are now three 

points clear of 18th-placed Bolton Wanderers 

and have a 17-goal advantage over the Trotters, 

making them virtually safe. 

McLeish’s line-up yesterday included midfielder 

Chris Herd, one of a trio of Villa players 

disciplined this week after their involvement in 

a nightclub fracas during the early hours of 

Tuesday morning, which followed the club’s 

annual awards dinner. Despite their recent 

It was a threat that hardly surfaced, 

however, at the start of the second half 

when City were far less impressive. 

Tevez steered a shot straight at Krul in 

the 55th minute, but Newcastle were otherwise 

untroubled, prompting action by 

Mancini, who withdrew Nasri and Tevez. 

And, only seconds after the departure 

of Tevez in the 70th minute, Mancini’s 

team were ahead when Toure steered his 

shot inside the post from nearly 25 yards 

following neat approach play from City. 

Toure was deprived of a second goal 

when he slipped after going clear in the 

75th minute, but he grabbed the 

clincher with a close-range strike in the 

89th minute after good work by Gael 

Clichy.—AFP 

Spurs kept outside 

top three 

Aston Villa 1 

Tottenham 1 

struggles, Villa began brightly, with a deflected 

effort from Charles N’Zogbia looping onto the 

roof of the net, while Adebayor threatened with 

a shot on the turn that flashed beyond Shay 

Given’s right post. A golden opportunity came 

Villa’s way when a wayward pass from Kyle 

Walker, the former Villa loan player, was intercepted 

by Stephen Ireland, who sent Emile 

Heskey clean through. 

But the striker’s hesitation allowed Younes 

Kaboul the time to make a recovery tackle that 

referee Lee Probert deemed fair. However, Villa’s 

commitment was rewarded with a lucky goal 10 

minutes before half-time. 

N’Zogbia fed Clark 25 yards from goal and 

his strike took a wicked deflection off the shoulder 

of William Gallas and sailed beyond the 

reach of the wrong-footed Brad Friedel. 

Tottenham, who had seen manager Redknapp 

overlooked for the England job in favour of Roy 

Hodgson earlier in the week, almost responded 

immediately but Gareth Bale’s stinging shot was 

superbly tipped around the post by Shay Given. 

Then, two minutes before the interval, 

Kaboul teed up Rafael van der Vaart on the 

edge of the area only for the Dutch international 

to see his shot curl inches past the right post. 

There was a flashpoint within four minutes 

of the restart when Rose was dismissed for a 

lunge on Hutton that left the Scotland international 

in agony and brought a premature end to 

the former Spurs defender’s match. 

James Collins, another of the Villa players 

caught up in the drinking controversy, was 

introduced in Hutton’s place, with Heskey making 

way for the fresh legs of Andreas Weimann. 

Spurs continued to attack but Villa only had 

themselves to blame for the visitors’ equaliser 

after Richard Dunne dived in unnecessarily on 

Sandro inside the penalty area, with Adebayor 

sending Given the wrong way from the resulting 

spot kick. —AFP


Pace of global recovery slowing: Report 

VANCOUVER: An oil tanker is guided by tug boats as it goes under the Lions Gate Bridge at the mouth of Vancouver harbor on Saturday.— AP 

UK, Korea firms picked for 

Saudi petrochem project 

Gulf bourses end lower 

Page 22 

Page 24 

Page 25 

Airline industry faces 

turbulent year: Expert 

US wants India to slash Iran oil imports 

KOLKATA: Hoping to wean India from 

Iranian oil imports, US Secretary of State 

Hillary Rodham Clinton is urging Indian 

leaders to explore alternative suppliers 

as she opens a three-day visit to the 

energy-starved South Asian giant that 

will also focus on regional security and 

easing trade restrictions. 

Clinton arrived in the eastern city of 

Kolkata - the first secretary of state to 

visit the former colonial capital of 14 

million - yesterday after visits to China 

and Bangladesh as officials traveling 

with her said the Iranian oil imports 

would top an agenda that includes 

India’s relations with nuclear rival 

Pakistan and the future of Afghanistan. 

India has huge energy needs to fuel 

its rapid growth and has made some 

progress in easing its dependence on 

Iranian oil. But a senior US official said 

the United States wants to see more. 

The official, who spoke on condition 

of anonymity to preview Clinton’s private 

discussions in Kolkata and New 

Delhi, said the “trend lines are good” but 

“we really need to receive assurances 

DUBAI: A committee of Iranian 

lawmakers has rejected a government 

plan to increase prices for 

subsidized food and fuel in a 

move that threatens to derail a 

drive to rein in the country’s sanctions-squeezed 

budget, Iranian 

media reported late on Saturday. 

International sanctions 

imposed over Iran’s nuclear program 

have sharply reduced the 

amount of money Tehran earns 

from oil, upping pressure on 

President Mahmoud 

Ahmadinejad to push through 

cuts in government spending 

worth tens of billions of dollars by 

scaling back subsidies for the 

population. But a parliamentary 

committee examining this year’s 

budget - which the overall parliament 

has yet to approve - rejected 

the size of the proposed cuts, 

setting the stage for a possible 

compromise deal that may force 

the government to sign up to far 

less ambitious cost-savings. 

“The Majlis (parliament) may 

Clinton urges Indian leaders to look for alternative suppliers 

that they are going to continue to make 

good progress.” Like other major consumers 

of Iranian oil, India could face US 

sanctions by the end of June if the 

Obama administration determines it has 

not made significant cuts in imports 

under a law aimed at squeezing Iran’s 

petroleum industry to press the country 

to comply with international demands 

over its nuclear program. 

A dozen European nations and Japan 

have already been spared from those 

sanctions after the administration 

determined they had substantially 

reduced their Iranian oil imports. India, 

along with China, South Korea, Turkey 

and South Africa, has still not received 

such waivers. India imports around 70 

percent of its oil, and about 9 percent of 

the imports are from Iran. The US official 

said India had recently stepped up 

imports of oil from Saudi Arabia to make 

up for the reduction in Iranian oil and 

that the US was eager to see the Indians 

explore other alternatives. Iran is India’s 

second-largest crude oil supplier after 

Saudi Arabia and according to media 

agree to raise energy prices to 

some extent, but far less than the 

administration has requested,” the 

parliament’s Integration 

Committee said, according to the 

Mehr News agency. 

The committee approved just 

560 trillion Rials for the program 

(around $44 billion), less than half 

the amount the government 

wanted to add to its coffers 

thanks to subsidy savings, parliament’s 

news agency reported. 

That is the same amount allotted 

in 2011 and 50 billion dollars 

less than the government wanted. 

The government implemented 

the first-stage of its Targeted 

Subsidies Plan towards the end of 

2010 in an attempt to wean the 

country off more generous food 

and fuel subsidies. At the time, 

Ahmadinejad called it the 

“biggest economic plan of the 

past 50 years”. 

But the next phase of the plan 

needs the parliament’s approval 

before it can be implemented at a 

reports imports 550,000 barrels a day. 

India has been pushing its oil companies 

to cut back their crude imports 

from Iran and an Indian official, speaking 

on condition of anonymity per custom, 

said the government is willing to 

discuss the matter. The official 

expressed hope India will be exempted 

from the sanctions. 

“We believe we have a strong case, 

which we will put forth,” the official said. 

India and Iran reached a deal earlier this 

year that would allow India to pay for 

about 45 percent its Iranian oil purchases 

in rupees. Iran would then use the 

Indian currency to buy goods from 

India. International economic sanctions 

on Iran had made oil trade difficult, 

because Indian oil importers had to 

scramble to find banks willing to handle 

transactions with Tehran. The barter 

exchange would help India pay for the 

Iranian crude without resorting to dollar 

payments, thus bypassing international 

banks. An Indian delegation visited Iran 

in March to promote Indian goods 

including machinery, iron, steel, miner- 

time when the makeup of parliament 

appears to be changing in 

favor of Ahmadinejad’s conservative 

critics. Prices have spiralled 

since the reforms were first introduced, 

causing serious financial 

problems for millions of people 

across the country. The price of 

petrol has risen three-fold and the 

cost of gas has soared by 500 percent. 

Critics of the plan have 

accused Ahmadinejad of pushing 

through a programme of wasteful 

public spending that has caused 

soaring inflation and of using the 

reforms for his own political gain. 

The parliamentary speaker Ali 

Larijani - a fierce critic of the president 

- said the government was 

now planning to triple petrol 

prices and to double the cost of 

natural gas, Mehr news reported 

on Friday. Last month, the government 

said it would boost the 

monthly cash payments it gives to 

its poorest citizens to offset the 

rising prices by more than 50 per- 

als and automobiles and Clinton’s visit 

coincides with that of a large Iranian 

group that will be in New Delhi to 

explore Indian goods and services 

Tehran can buy to offset the enormous 

rupee payments running into billions of 

dollars that Iran has accumulated. 

The US official downplayed the presence 

of the Iranian delegation, saying. “I 

don’t think we are too concerned about 

it.” The official added that the US special 

envoy for global energy issues, Carlos 

Pasqual, will visit India later in May to 

follow up on Clinton’s talks, the official 

said. In her talks with Indian officials, 

Clinton will also be pressing for the 

country to continue economic reforms 

and trade liberalization, including dropping 

restrictions on foreign investment 

in the finance sector and allowing large 

western retailers to open up, the US official 

said. 

Before heading to New Delhi today, 

Clinton will meet in Kolkata with Chief 

Minister Mamata Banerjee, the top 

elected leader of West Bengal state. 

Banerjee, a key partner of India’s ruling 

cent to 730,000 Rials (around 

$60). 

Ahmadinejad wanted to introduce 

the second phase of his subsidy 

reform program last month 

but hostile MPs say the additional 

payments have not been 

approved and are illegal. In a New 

Year speech, Ayatollah Ali 

Khamenei gave his backing to the 

reforms which he said were an 

important means of distributing 

welfare in a more balanced way. 

The International Monetary Fund 

has commended the Iranian government 

for the policy which it 

said had led to a reduction in fuel 

consumption and inflationary 

pressure. The reforms coincide 

with tightening external pressure 

on Iran’s economy caused by 

harsher sanctions imposed by the 

United States and its allies early 

this year. The embargoes target 

Iran’s banking and energy sectors 

and have resulted in a dramatic 

devaluation of the Rial since 

January.— Reuters 

coalition, has in recent months opposed 

many of the Prime Minister Manmohan 

Singh-led Congress party’s plans to carry 

out economic reforms. 

Clinton is expected to push for 

expanding US investment opportunities 

in West Bengal and seek Banerjee’s 

views on the entry of WalMart-type multi-brand 

retailers into India. Banerjee has 

been a vocal opponent of opening up 

India’s retail sector saying it would harm 

poor shop owners. 

In talks with Singh in New Delhi, 

Clinton will look at regional security 

issues and the India-US Strategic 

Dialogue meeting scheduled to be held 

in Washington next month. India’s major 

concern, however, is the security situation 

in Afghanistan following the drawdown 

of NATO troops from the war-torn 

country in 2014. India has been taking a 

lead in the reconstruction efforts in 

Afghanistan and plans to host a regional 

investors’ conference on Afghanistan in 

June. The US will also be looking at 

trade and investment opportunities in 

India. With its economy expected to 

Page 23 

grow at around 7 percent over the next 

few years, India is an important market 

for US exports. Trade between the two 

countries is expected to cross $100 billion 

this year. However, some of the 

sheen has worn off the high expectations 

from US-India relations in the 

years following the signing of a landmark 

civil nuclear deal in 2008. 

Washington was riled when India chose 

a French company for an $11 billion 

order for 126 fighter jets for the Indian 

air force. India has sourced numerous 

other big ticket defense purchases from 

US companies. 

There is also a growing perception in 

Washington that the Indian government 

has not delivered on economic reforms 

and has been dragging its feet on 

implementing key nuclear legislation 

that would enable US companies to 

invest in India. Over the past year, 

Singh’s government has been bogged 

down by a series of scandals and resistance 

from its coalition partners that 

have brought economic reforms to a 

halt. — AP 

Parliament rejects Iran subsidy cuts proposals KPC walks off Ithaca 

Energy bid: Report 

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s national oil company has 

walked away from takeover talks with North 

Sea-focused oil and gas explorer Ithaca Energy , 

a Kuwaiti daily reported yesterday. 

Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration, the 

international arm of Kuwait Petroleum Corp 

(KPC), was not immediately for comment on 

the report in Al-Seyassah newspaper which cited 

high-level unnamed sources in KPC. 

“Kuwait closed the door to negotiation 

completely,” the newspaper quoted a source as 

saying. London’s Sunday Times reported in 

March that the Kuwaiti group was in advanced 

takeover talks with the company, which is also 

listed in London. Ithaca said in March that it 

had received unsolicited interest from several 

unnamed parties in a deal estimated to be 

worth C$868 million ($880 million).— Reuters 

OPEC output rise not yet on agenda 

ALGIERS: Raising the output target set by 

the Organization of the Petroleum 

Exporting Countries is not on OPEC’s agenda 

for now but probably will be, Algerian 

Energy and Mines Minister Youcef Yousfi 

said yesterday. 

Asked about the prospect of increasing 

the target, Yousfi told state radio: “For the 

moment that is not the object of our discussions, 

but probably that will come at the 

OPEC level.” OPEC is scheduled to meet 

next on June 14 in Vienna, where it is likely 

to focus on quotas and production. At a 

meeting in December last year, the organization’s 

production target was set at 30 million 

barrels per day. This target came under 

pressure after oil prices in March jumped to 

$128 a barrel, the highest since 2008, 

though they have since fallen back a little. 

Many in OPEC believe high prices damage 

members’ interests by hurting economic 

growth in consumer countries and 

so driving down demand for crude long 

term.— Reuters

BUSINESS 

UK, Korea firms picked for 

Saudi petrochem project 

Commercial Bank of Kuwait 

US Dollar/KD .2730000 .2805000 

GB Pound/KD .4470000 .4560000 

Euro .3620000 .3700000 

Swiss francs .3010000 .3120000 

Canadian Dollar .2790000 .2870000 

Australian DLR .2840000 .2930000 

Indian rupees .0040000 .0070000 

Sri Lanka Rupee .0020000 .0035000 

UAE dirhams .0752410 .0759970 

Bahraini dinars .7330540 .7404210 

Jordanian dinar .3830000 .4000000 

Saudi riyals .0710000 .0760000 

Omani riyals .7186270 .7258490 

Philippine peso .0040000 .0072000 

Egyptian pounds .0430000 .0500000 

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES 

US Dollar/KD .2771500 .2792500 

GB Pound/KD .4486640 .4520640 

Euro .3643000 .3670600 

Swiss francs .3031450 .3054420 

Canadian dollars .2812140 .2833440 

Danish Kroner .0489800 .0493510 

Swedish Kroner .0410540 .0413650 

Australian dlr .2855750 .2877390 

Hong Kong dlr .0357170 .0359870 

Singapore dlr .2233460 .2250380 

Japanese yen .0034560 .0034820 

Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0052790 

Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0021700 

Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0030850 

Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0034240 

UAE dirhams .0754870 .0760590 

Bahraini dinars .7354390 .7410110 

Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3949790 

Saudi Riyal/KD .0739260 .0744870 

Omani riyals .7201510 .7256070 

Philippine Peso .0000000 .0066640 

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. 

Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) 

US Dollar 278.500 

Pak Rupees 3.067 

Indian Rupees 5.200 

Sri Lankan Rupees 2.187 

Bangladesh Taka 3.405 

Philippines Peso 6.635 

UAE Dirhams 75.925 

Saudi Riyals 74.420 

Bahraini Dinars 740.400 

Egyptian Pounds 46.020 

Pound Sterling 455.400 

Indonesian Rupiah 3.090 

Aramco’s Rabigh 2 close to reality 

KHOBAR/TOKYO: Saudi Aramco and Japan’s 

Sumitomo Chemical have issued letters of intent 

to at least two contractors who submitted the 

lowest bids to expand a petrochemical complex 

in Saudi Arabia, moving a step closer to a decision 

on whether to proceed with the major project, 

industry sources said. 

British company Petrofac and South Korea’s 

GS Engineering and Construction were picked 

among contractors to be part of building the 

second phase of the already operational complex 

in Rabigh on the Red Sea coast of the 

world’s largest oil exporter. The Rabigh 2 project 

is part of state-run Saudi Aramco’s plans to 

become an energy firm focusing on chemicals, 

unconventional gas and renewables, to diversify 

its business from oil alone. 

Petrofac leads the race for the two packages 

that involve a tank farm and common utilities. 

GS Engineering and Construction is front-runner 

for two process packages known as CP3 and 

CP4. The CP3 package involves production of 

ethylene-vinylacetate and low density polyethylene 

(EVA/LDPE), ethylene propylene (EPR) and 

others. The CP4 products include methyl tertbutyl 

ether (MTBE/IB), methyl methacrylate 

(MMA). GS is also the lowest bidder on a utilities 

package for interconnecting. The letters were 

issued last week as the validity of bids was due 

to expire on April 30, sources said. 

In 2010, Aramco’s chief executive Khalid al- 

Falih said the estimated total budget cost of the 

expansion was $6 billion to $8 billion, but one 

source with knowledge of the bidding said it 

would now be much lower because of fierce 

competition. 

A spokeswoman for Sumitomo Chemical confirmed 

that her company and Aramco issued letters 

of intent to some engineering, procurement 

and construction contractors (EPC) since the end 

of April. She did not name the contractors 

involved. She said the letters demonstrate the 

intentions of Aramco and Sumitomo to conduct 

final negotiations, adding that this is still one of 

the steps in the feasibility study and does not 

mean a final decision on phase 2 has been 

made. “We have not made any decisions on 

Rabigh Phase 2 plan yet at the moment,” the 

spokeswoman said. 

She did not say how long the negotiations 

with the contractors would take or when the 

final decision on Phase 2 would be made. “We 

are in the stage to make final negotiations with 

some EPC contractors...We are still conducting 

the feasibility study for Rabigh phase 2”. 

She said the company would not make any 

Air Arabia beats forecasts 

as Q1 net rises 11.7% 

DUBAI: UAE budget carrier Air Arabia said 

quarterly net profit rose 11.7 percent, beating 

analysts’ forecasts, as a hike in fuel costs was 

offset by a rise in number of passengers seeking 

low-cost flying options. 

Air Arabia earned a net profit of 47.7 million 

dirhams ($13 million) for the first-quarter, 

it said in a statement yesterday, compared 

with 42.7 million dirhams profit a year earlier. 

Revenues for the quarter was 621 million 

dirhams, an increase of 21 percent to the 513 

million dirhams it posted in the same period 

of 2011. The earnings beat forecasts by two 

analysts, who had expected an average net 

profit of 37.45 million dirhams for the quarter 

in a Reuters poll. 

The carrier said a demand for low-cost 

transport in the region helped the airline get 

past the impact of rising fuel costs that has 

forced may airlines to hike ticket costs. 

“Though political instability and sustained 

high fuel costs continue to challenge regional 

carriers, the appeal of air transport, and especially 

the low-cost model pioneered by Air 

Arabia in the region, remains strong,” said 

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al-Thani, 

chairman of Air Arabia. 

Dubai’s Emirates, one of the world’s top 

airlines, said last week that fuel charges were 

about $2 billion in 2011, accounting for 40-43 

percent of the airline’s costs. Emirates is 

expected to report its earlier later this month. 

The emirate’s budget carrier flydubai also 

plans to increase ticket costs. 

Air Arabia, headquartered in the emirate 

of Sharjah, also has hubs in Egypt and 

Morocco. It competes with regional low cost 

carriers such as flydubai and Kuwait’s Jazeera 

Airways. 

The company has earlier announced a 6 

percent cash dividend for shareholders. Air 

Arabia shares closed 2.5 percent lower on 

the Dubai bourse yesterday prior to the 

results. — Reuters 

Arabtec-TAV group in final 

talks for airport contract 

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi government 

has identified an Arabtec Holding consortium 

that includes Greek and Turkish firms 

as the preferred bidders for an estimated 

$3 billion contract to expand the oil-rich 

emirate’s international airport. Abu Dhabi 

Airports Co (ADAC), which is awarding the 

contract, is in discussions to finalise details 

of the contract and will officially announce 

the agreement in June, it said in an email 

statement yesterday. 

The consortium, which includes Turkey’s 

TAV Insaat and Athens-based Consolidated 

Contractors Company (CCC), were on the 

cusp of securing the contract, four sources 

told Reuters in April. TAV Insaat is a unit of 

Turkish builder Akfen Holding. “ADAC is 

currently in discussions with the preferred 

bidder to finalize all details of the contract 

prior to its signing, and before officially 

announcing the winning contractor of the 

Midfield Terminal Building at the capital’s 

airport in June this year,” the statement 

said. ADAC released the tender to six prequalified 

groups of joint companies to 

build the midfield terminal building at the 

Abu Dhabi airport and received all six proposals 

in November last year. The race was 

down to three final groups. The other three 

short-listed groups were Bechtel 

Corporation-ENKA-Al Jaber Group, Hyundai 

Engineering & Construction-Kumho 

Engineering & Construction-China State 

Construction Engineering Corporation-Al 

Shafar General Contracting Company and 

Samsung-ACC-Six Construct. — Reuters 

EXCHANGE RATES 

Yemeni Riyal 1.550 

Euro 370.000 

Canadian Dollars 285.500 

Nepali rupee 3.350 

Al Mulla Exchange 

Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 


Euro 370.500 

Pound Sterling 453.500 

Canadian Dollar 285.200 

Japanese Yen 3.495 

Indian Rupee 5.283 

Egyptian Pound 45.914 

Sri Lankan Rupee 2.130 


Philippines Peso 6.548 

Pakistan Rupee 3.060 

Bahraini Dinar 739.100 

UAE Dirham 75.600 

Saudi Riyal 74.100 

UAE Exchange Centre WLL 

COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH 

Australian Dollar 289.75 292.00 

Canadian Dollar 286.11 287.00 

Swiss Franc 309.01 311.00 

Euro 368.65 372.50 

Sterling Pound 453.45 456.50 

Japanese Yen 3.54 3.65 

Bangladesh Taka 3.398 3.550 

Indian Rupee 5.177 5.700 

Sri Lankan Rupee 2.170 2.550 

Nepali Rupee 3.248 4.000 

Pakistani Rupee 3.068 3.250 

UAE Dirhams 75.74 76.50 

Bahraini Dinar 740.40 741.00 

Egyptian Pound 45.98 47.25 

Jordanian Dinar 396.00 394.50 

Omani Riyal 723.41 726.00 

Qatari Riyal 76.76 77.75 

Saudi Riyal 74.32 74.25 

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 

Rate for Transfer Selling Rate 


Canadian Dollar 284.250 

Sterling Pound 451.815 

Euro 367.140 

Swiss Frank 304.905 

Bahrain Dinar 736.970 

announcements on phase 2 until a decision had 

been made. Aramco was not available for comment. 

Sources in Saudi Arabia said meetings 

with contractors would be held towards the end 

of this month. “The award is coming, they need 

to have meetings to review some things,” said 

one source in Saudi Arabia. 

South Korea’s Daelim Industrial has submitted 

the lowest bids for the CP1 package, for 

cumene, phenol and cyclohexanone. Aramco 

and Sumitomo have extended the bidding validity 

date of this package till June 2, industry 

sources said. Italy’s Saipem is lowest bidder on 

an aromatics complex, known as RP2, the 

sources said. Petrofac, Daelim and Saipem 

declined to comment. GS was not immediately 

available for comment. 

The deals had been expected to be awarded 

in the first quarter of this year but Sumitomo 

was unsure if it made economic sense and wanted 

a feasibility study to be completed, a senior 

executive said in February. Sumitomo and staterun 

oil giant Saudi Aramco said when they 

signed the agreement in 2009 to expand the 

plant that the feasibility study would be completed 

by the third quarter of 2010 and Aramco 

officials said a final investment decision (FID) 

would be taken by the end of 2011. — Reuters 

DIFC Investments 

has likely sold 

SmartStream: JP Morgan 

DUBAI: DIFC Investments (DIFCI), the investment arm of 

the company running Dubai’s financial free zone, has likely 

sold software company SmartStream Technologies, resulting 

in a $68.8 million impairment provision, JP Morgan said 

in a research note. 

DIFCI, which has been grappling with a debt pile including 

a $1.25 billion Islamic bond due in June, began seeking 

buyers for SmartStream in 2010 to raise much-needed 

cash. In a footnote in its 2011 financial statements last 

week, DIFCI said it sold one of its discontinued businesses 

held-for-sale after the financial year ended to a ‘related party.’ 

It did not name the business. “This sale could only be of 

SmartStream given the magnitude of impairment,” JP 

Morgan analyst Zafar Nazim said in the note, adding that 

other businesses held for-sale by DIFCI had minimal associated 

goodwill balances. 

The “related party” could be the Dubai government or 

Investment Corporation of Dubai, the analyst said. DIFCI 

Chairman Abdulla Mohammed Saleh was not immediately 

available for comment yesterday. SmartStream helps 

investment banks and fund managers with the back and 

middle-office processing of stock, bond and derivative 

trades. It has said its clients include three-quarters of the 

world’s top 100 banks. 

DIFCI bought the firm in 2007 from private equity firm 

TA Associates, months after poor market conditions forced 

TA to scrap plans to list the company. That deal valued 

SmartStream at about 200 million pounds, or $410 million 

at prevailing exchange rates, according to Thomson 

Reuters data. SmartStream’s parent company D-Clear, 

which is listed in the 2011 financial statement as 100 percent 

owned by DIFCI, was most likely disposed of during 

the early months of 2012, the analyst said. 

“The goodwill impairment also implies that 

SmartStream was likely sold at a price less than our earlier 

estimate of $350 million,” Nazim wrote. 

DIFCI also sold an IT distribution firm last year, Despec 

International for $27 million, paid in three installments to 

2013, it said last week. The investment firm swung to profit 

in 2011 and said it was confident of successfully refinancing 

the upcoming Islamic bond maturity. 

Its sukuk obligation has been highlighted by analysts as 

one of the most challenging refinancings in the Gulf Arab 

region this year, given the size of the maturity and the 

firm’s limited cash position. — Reuters 

UAE Dirhams 75.745 

Qatari Riyals 76.390 

Saudi Riyals 74.175 

Jordanian Dinar 391.745 

Egyptian Pound 46.013 

Sri Lankan Rupees 2.168 


Pakistani Rupees 3.089 


Philippines Pesso 6.598 

Cyprus pound 682.655 


Thai Bhat 9.105 

Syrian Pound 5.860 

Nepalese Rupees 3.405 

Malaysian Ringgit 92.090 

By Hayder Tawfik 

Bahrain Exchange Company 

COUNTRY SELL CASH SELL DRAFT 

Australian dollar 287.200 285.700 

Bahraini dinar 740.800 740.800 

Bangladeshi taka 3.660 3.402 

Canadian dollar 283.500 282.000 

Cyprus pound 547.100 

Czek koruna 45.400 

Danish krone 49.900 

Deutsche Mark 167.800 225.200 

Egyptian pound 47.730 46.066 

Euro Cash 368.600 367.100 

Hongkong dollar 36.600 36.450 

Indian rupees 5.490 5.200 

Indonesia 0.032 0.031 

Iranian tuman 0.159 

Iraqi dinar 0.228 

Japanese yen 3.590 

Jordanian dinar 394.760 394.710 

Lebanese pound 0.188 0.187 

Malaysian ringgit 93.600 93.600 

Morocco dirham 45.400 

Nepalese Rupees 4.280 3.280 

New Zealand dollar 225.600 224.100 

Nigeria 1.805 

Norwegian krone 49.300 

Omani Riyal 723.540 723.360 

Pakistani rupees 3.150 3.073 

Philippine peso 6.830 6.605 

Qatari riyal 77.060 76.630 

Saudi riyal 74.370 74.370 

Singapore dollar 225.240 225.240 

South Africa 38.190 38.190 

Sri Lankan rupees 2.854 2.175 

Sterling pound 454.100 452.100 

Swedish krona 41.900 

Swiss franc 307.300 305.800 

Syrian pound 4.300 4.300 

KUWAIT: Yesterday, European Central 

Bank president Mario Draghi said the 

economic outlook in the euro area is 

subject to downside risks and inflation 

pressures should remain limited. He is 

either watching the wrong movie or he 

is giving up and hoping that the whole 

thing will go away once the economies 

start recovering. Indeed wishful thinking. 

The task for the ECB and his president 

to rescue country by country in 

the euro region is enormous and we 

can say it has failed. When he talks 

about the risk of inflation at a time 

when unemployment in Europe is nearly 

passed 10% and in some areas such 

as Spain and Greece is over 25% is 

something out of the extraordinary. The 

ECB should decide whether it is truly 

independent or acting on behalf of the 

Bundesbank. The latest warning made 

by the newly elected head of the 

Bundesbank, Jens Weidmann about 

governments failing to do what’s needed 

to rescue the Euro is either genuine 

or he is extremely worried about 

Germany ending up paying for the 

mess created by some ambitious politicians 

over decades ago. 

How can European politicians justify 

the introduction of measures such as 

the Fiscal Compact at the time of very 

weak economic growth combined with 

very high unemployment which is 

spreading throughout the EU? If the 

ECB is shadowing the Bundesbank then 

it should be fully aware that the prime 

duty of the Bundesbank is to control 

money supply and inflation, two things 

which at present not needed in the rest 

of Europe. After 12 years we can say 

that the ECB has failed to copy the 

Bundesbank culture in Europe. Some 

EU countries have implemented the fiscal 

measures they were asked to do by 

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. 



Pakistani Rupees 3.066 

Srilankan Rupees 2.168 

Nepali Rupees 3.277 

Singapore Dollar 225.730 

Hongkong Dollar 35.905 


Philippine Peso 6.593 

Thai Baht 8.999 

Malaysian Ringgit 91.433 

GCC COUNTRIES 

Saudi Riyal 74.310 

Qatari Riyal 76.567 

Omani Riyal 723.790 

Bahraini Dinar 740.140 

UAE Dirham 75.879 

ARAB COUNTRIES 

Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.700 

Egyptian Pound - Transfer 45.995 

Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.300 

Tunisian Dinar 181.47 

Jordanian Dinar 393.520 

Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.869 

Syrian Lier 4.861 

Morocco Dirham 33.161 

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES 

US Dollar Transfer 278.550 

Euro 367.41 


Canadian dollar 282.71 

Turkish lire 158.580 

Swiss Franc 306.77 

US Dollar Buying 277.350 

GOLD 

20 Gram 295.000 

10 Gram 148.000 

5 Gram 74.000 


KABUL: Afghan people gather in front of a shop as they open for business in Kabul 

yesterday. Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, can ill afford to 

lose its main industry. — AFP 

ECB in the shadow 

of Bundesbank! 

the ECB so they can get financial help. 

However, these countries like Spain, 

Greece, Portugal even Italy are fighting 

the time as these tough measures creating 

more hardship for their people 

and hence high and rising unemployment. 

The ECB has spent nearly 1 

Trillion euro on rescuing some of these 

economies with no any sign of success. 

Why? The Spanish banks have become 

the biggest real estate companies in 

the world. Latest figures show that they 

have over 800bn worth of real estate on 

their books!! How they can start lending 

to individuals, small companies etc so 

as to help with the economic recovery? 

I think citizens of the EU have the right 

to know why 1 Trillion of their taxes 

wasted and where that money has 

gone. I think this is a big worry for the 

Germans and the in particular the 

Bundesbak. 

I personally think the solution lays 

Germany and exactly in Frankfurt. The 

culture of the Bundesbank can’t and 

will not work in the EU. The masters at 

the Bundesbank know that for sure and 

also we know to that the prime objective 

for the Bundesbank is to shelter the 

Germans from any risk of inflation for 

historical reasons them all aware of. If 

the policies are not good for Germany 

then they will for sure fail and that is 

exactly what is happening now. I am 

afraid that the tension will rise further 

after this weekend’s French election 

and the Greek to follow. The business 

and culture structure in some part of 

the EU can’t be treated same as the 

ones in Germany. Spain has been let 

down by the ECB on immeasurable 

scale and the outcome will be felt 

throughout the EU. 

l Hayder Tawfik is Executive Vice 

President of Asset Management, at 

Dimah Capital 

Thai bhat 9.420 9.210 

Tunisian dollar 198.263 

UAE dirham 75.950 75.850 

U.S. dollars 278.900 278.500 

Yemeni Riyal 1.340 

GOLD 

10 Tola 1,722.890 

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 


US Dollar 278.500

Weekly commodity update 

Economic soft patch 

hurting commodities 

By Ole Hansen 

KUWAIT: Economic 

activity during Q2 is 

showing signs of a 

slow-down. Of concern 

is especially US 

economic data and 

uncertainty about 

the political direction 

in China combined 

with data 

pointing towards a 

further fall in its economic output. Eurozone 

anxiety has also returned in full 

force with the effect of previous liquidity 

injections by the European Central Bank 

proving to have had a limited impact. 

Protest elections across the region and 

the ousting of old governments with the 

prospect of new ones reneging on 

agreed austerity measures, which will 

cause euro-zone wide friction, is also 

weighing heavily on sentiment. 

Investors reduced exposure to commodities 

during April and so far the story 

has continued in May. The selling has not 

been related to one sector in particular. 

All three major sectors, as tracked by DJ- 

UBS subsector indices, returned losses of 

between 3 and 4 percent. According to 

data from the US Commodity Futures 

and Trading Commission speculative 

investors have reduced their exposure to 

US traded commodity futures by 285,000 

contracts to 1,245,000 contracts representing 

a nominal change of $21 billion. 

The chart below shows how speculative 

investors have changed their exposure 

to the 10 commodities with the 

biggest exposure from the peak in early 

March until now. All apart from soybeans 

have seen reductions, with corn and sugar 

suffering the biggest percentage losses 

and WTI crude and gold the biggest 

nominal reductions. 

Turning towards the performance of 

individual commodities, during the past 

month the majority fell back with some 

of the heavyweights such as Brent crude, 

silver, wheat and gasoline all suffering 

losses of more than five percent. At the 

top we find cocoa, soybeans and for a 

change natural gas which seems to finally 

have found some support after having 

been stuck in quicksand for several 

months. 

Brent crude lower 

The verbal intervention that was very 

present during the past couple of 

months, especially from Saudi Arabia 

and the International Energy Agency 

seems finally to be paying off. Constant 

reminders that the global oil market is 

currently well supplied due to strong 

production from Saudi Arabia and Iraq 

and the removal of some of the outages 

seen in March have helped lower the 

price of Brent crude back to below 120 

dollars per barrel. Those who have been 

looking for an even deeper correction 

may end up disappointed as such a 

move would hinge on the outcome of 

the next round of discussions with Iran 

over its nuclear intentions. A risk premium, 

although sharply reduced, still existsand 

would only go away, thereby causing 

an additional drop in prices, should 

the negotiations result in a solution. 

In our outlook for Q2 we discussed 

this weakness during the quarter and we 

still see a chance of reaching 115 dollars 

before support is re-established. 

Speculative investors have pulled 100 

million barrels from WTI and Brent combined 

during the past few weeks and 

although the net long is still elevated at 

roughly 400 million barrels this has left 

the market less one-sided and less 

exposed than before the correction. My 

technical picture still points towards lower 

prices near-term but while momentum 

is slowing, indicating a possible 

change in direction, I am not bullish on 

Brent crude before 120.50 have been 

broken. 

Gold frustrates 

The yellow metal has been finding it 

increasingly difficult to break away from 

its current 1,610 to 1,690 trading range. 

Talk about additional quantitative easing 

in the US has diminished somewhat as of 

late due to a growing sense of disagreement 

among Federal Reserve members 

as to what is the correct medicine for the 

economy. This has left gold sailing 

around without a firm pair of hands at 

the wheel. US data however has increasingly 

been turning against the recovery 

but whether it warrants additional stimulus 

is the big question. Speculation 

about the threshold at which the Fed 

would have to act is being discussed. 

Should the creation of new jobs as measured 

by the monthly nonfarm payrolls 

report due Friday May 4 drop below 

100,000, and then expectations would 

rise - thereby supporting gold. 

Speculative investors through futures 

hold the smallest gross long position in 

more than three years and the action by 

this group holds the key to a possible 

revival of the rally in gold. Investors in 

exchange traded products meanwhile 

have also reduced exposure during April 

with the total holdings in ETP’s now 

amounting to 2,380 metric tons, the lowest 

level in three months and down from 

2,410 a month ago. All in all investors 

have ample room to increase exposure 

should the fundamental outlook turn 

more favorable with particular focus on 

developments in the US economy. In the 

short term however the technical picture 

looks a bit bleak as the market is trading 

below the 55-week moving average and 

the trend line from the 2008 low is coming 

under pressure again. A technical 

break below 1,610 carries the risk of a 

return to the December lows sub 1550. 

MOSCOW: Russian Prime Minister and President-elect Vladimir Putin, center, looks 

on as Norway’s Statoil Chief Executive Helge Lund (left) and Rosneft president 

Eduard Khudainatov exchange documents at a signing ceremony in Moscow on 

Saturday. — AP 

Australia set for ‘modest’ 

budget surplus: Swan 

SYDNEY: Australia is on track for a modest 

budget surplus, Treasurer Wayne Swan said 

yesterday ahead of this week’s unveiling of 

his fifth budget for the mining-powered 

economy. 

Australia, which survived the global 

financial crisis without dipping into recession, 

has previously been forecast by the 

government to deliver a Aus$1.5 billion 

($1.6 billion) surplus for the 2012/13 fiscal 

year beginning July 1. In releasing its midyear 

figures late in 2011, the government 

said it expected the deficit to balloon to 

Aus$37.1 billion for the 2011/12 fiscal year. 

“It will be a modest surplus, the surplus 

will build over time,” Swan said yesterday. 

Swan acknowledged the task had been 

made more difficult by revenue writedowns 

of Aus$150 billion over the past five 

years, and the budget was expected to 

contain significant belt-tightening. 

“The aftershocks of the global financial 

crisis have hit our revenues,” Swan told the 

Nine Network. Australia is benefiting from 

low unemployment and a mining and 

resources investment boom-factors that 

have helped persuade the government 

that “returning the budget to surplus is the 

right thing to do.” “A budget surplus is the 

clearest sign we can send of the strength of 

the Australian economy,” Prime Minister 

Julia Gillard said yesterday. 

“It’s the right thing to deliver a budget 

surplus, so we create a buffer if the global 

economy worsens at some time in the 

future.” But the government admits that 

while Australia’s economic fundamentals 

are strong, the economy is in transition, 

which is making life tough for businesses 

outside the mining sector. Gillard said 

while the economy-which is driven by 

huge demand from Asia for raw materials 

such as iron ore and coal-was strong, the 

high Australian dollar and rising energy 

costs were making some sectors struggle. 

“We understand this isn’t everybody’s 

boom,” she said. The budget to be released 

on Tuesday comes amid mounting speculation 

that Gillard, who is performing dismally 

in opinion polls, will face a challenge to 

her leadership from within Labor’s ranks. 

Swan dismissed the question. “The prime 

minister is as tough as nails, and she ain’t 

going anywhere,” he said. — AFP 

By Sajeev K Peter 

BUSINESS 

SHARJAH: With Europe sliding into recession, 

2012 will be another challenging year for the 

global airline industry, though the sector is 

guardedly optimistic, given some tentative 

signs of a recovery in the US and continuing 

positive momentum in Asia, said an aviation 

expert during an interview with the Kuwait 

Times. 

Predicting a slow recovery in the regional 

aviation sector, Chris Taylor, Vice President, 

Spectrum Capital, UK said, “In the short-term, 

the signs of a recovery are very slow in the 

regional aviation sector. While in the long-term, 

much depends on the question of an open air 

space, access to airports and free competition.” 

The global economy is coming out of recession, 

recovering slowly. At the same time, 

Europe is recovering much more slower than 

Middle East and Asia due to lingering concerns 

about the sovereign debts and worries about 

Spain and Italy, Taylor pointed out on the sidelines 

of the Arab Aviation and Media Summit 

2012. 

“The UK is affected because it is part of 

Europe. One benefit the UK has is that, it is not 

part of the euro-zone. What is happening is 

that the European investors are moving out of 

the euro and investing in sterling as safe currency, 

enabling the UK economy to recover a 

little more quickly,” he said. 

In Europe, the risk of a double dip remains 

real with stimulus only really buying time - still 

a few years before a number of European 

economies reach their pre-downturn size, he 

said. Commenting on the US economy, he said 

the signs of a recovery are much more stronger 

though banking sector’s exposure to the eurozone 

debt and ‘credit famine’ will pose continuous 

challenges to the economy. Consequently, 

SHARJAH: Chris Taylor speaks during the 

Arab Aviation and Media Summit in Sharjah. 

consumer spending will remain under pressure 

impacting the business confidence. 

Aviation 

The year 2010 was strong for the aviation 

industry and suggested a rapid recovery from 

the 2008-09 downturn. However, the industry is 

still waiting for a clear view on 2011’s actual 

outcome. 

The industry will remain under pressure with 

continuous fall in freight traffic, business travelers 

and volumes, straining corporate travel 

budgets in the short-term. While weakened 

export demand and impact of air freight will 

remain major concerns for the industry, he said. 


Airline industry faces 

turbulent year: Expert 

‘Legacy carriers’ being forced to alter strategy 

LONDON: Top British companies face a wave of 

investor activism as shareholders rebel over 

boardroom pay, amid under-performance in the 

poor economic climate and state moves to 

clamp down on corporate greed. Insurer Aviva 

became the latest victim yesterday, when more 

than half of its shareholders rejected annual 

executive pay awards, delivering a major snub to 

chief executive Andrew Moss at the group’s 

annual meeting. 

Aviva revealed that 54 percent of its shareholders 

voted against the insurer’s remuneration 

report. Including abstentions, almost 59 percent 

of investors failed to endorse it. The defeat-the 

fourth revolt since advisory votes were introduced 

in 2003 — came despite Moss waiving a 

pay rise that would have taken his annual salary 

above £1 million ($1.6 million, 1.2 million euros). 

Aviva chairman Lord Colin Sharman apologized 

to investors on Thursday for ignoring their 

views when setting pay. “We recognize that a 

number of shareholders feel that we have not 

reflected their views, and overall shareholder 

value, in the judgments we made on remuneration 

and for this the board and I apologize,” he 

said. 

“We also recognize that companies need to 

engage with shareholders on a more proactive 

basis around the sensitive area of executive 

remuneration and Aviva will continue to consult 

and engage with shareholders in this regard.” 

Aviva’s rejection vote was non-binding but is 

nevertheless a major embarrassment. And the 

remuneration report would have been thrown 

out completely had new measures to give shareholders 

binding votes-as proposed by Britain’s 

coalition government in January-been brought 

into effect. The insurer’s share price, which has 

been hit by its exposure to debt-plagued eurozone 

economies such as Italy and Spain, is 

almost 30 percent lower than one year ago. 

Meanwhile on Thursday, newspaper publisher 

Trinity Mirror announced that boss Sly Bailey 

would step down, amid a looming shareholder 

revolt over her pay package. Anglo-Swiss mining 

company Xstrata also received relatively low 

approval ratings for its executive remuneration 

report. 

That news came after AstraZeneca chief executive 

David Brennan announced his retirement 

the previous week, amid investor concern over 

his stewardship of the group. At Barclays bank, 

meanwhile, almost one third of its shareholders 

chose not to back its executive pay awards late 

last month amid controversy over chief executive 

Bob Diamond’s hefty wage package. 

The lender announced that 32 percent of 

shareholders had either voted against or withheld 

support for the bank’s 2011 remuneration 

report. Investor group Pensions Investment 

Research Consultants has repeatedly called on 

shareholders to vote against “excessive” pay. 

Barclays chairman Marcus Agius apologized 

to shareholders, saying that management “have 

not done a good enough job in articulating our 

case”. 

He vowed: “I assure you that in the future we 

will be engaging differently and more purposefully 

with shareholders in order to ensure that 

we obtain a broader level of support on remuneration 

policy and practice.” Simon Bittlestone, 

commercial director at business consultancy 

Metapraxis, said that shareholders were becoming 

increasingly vocal. “The challenge for share- 

Taylor said that the underlying upward trend 

in jet fuel prices is reinforced by ‘geopolitical’ 

concerns - now in pound and euro terms. This 

could result in a 20 to 25 percent rise in fuel 

bills if not more, he said. 

Talking about low-cost carriers, he said 

changing dynamics for the LLCs will prompt 

the airline managers to look at issues of ‘capacity 

provision model’ and ‘absorption challenge.’ 

The short haul markets are the commodity segment 

for the airlines as such they need to be 

aware of ‘bandwagon’ effects,” he said. 

The low-cost carriers with their low fares 

have reduced the cost of travel and stimulated 

the growth of air travel. There are now many 

variations on the basic model with ancillary 

income being generated from sales of additional 

services at the time of booking and also 

while on board the aircraft such as: hotels, car 

rental, baggage, allocated seats, food, drinks, 

lottery tickets, tickets for onward travel on buses 

and trains. 

In the Middle East, the market share for LLCs 

is still very low compared to the European market, 

offering huge potential for growth. This is 

tempered by the lack of secondary airport and 

airlines route rights. Interestingly, the LLCs 

have forced traditional ‘legacy carriers’ to alter 

their business strategy to compete in an 

increasingly challenging environment, he 

added. 

Chris Taylor is the Vice President at Spectrum 

Capital, London. As an aviation specialist, he 

provides advising to leasing companies and 

infrastructure projects such as Heathrow 

Terminal 5, the privatization of NATS and the 

UK Air Traffic Control Service. He is a regular 

speaker at industry events such as Euromoney’s 

International School of Aviation Finance and 

Aircraft Finance and Commercial Aviation 

(AFCA) in Barcelona. 

UK Shareholders revolt over 

bumper boardroom pay 

BUCHAREST: Plans by the Canadian company 

Gabriel Resources to open a gold mine at Rosia 

Montana in Romania might be hampered by a 

centre-left cabinet which is to take office today, 

analysts say. 

“The Rosia Montana project will be 

reassessed in a transparent way so that decisions 

are in line with the national interest, environment 

protection regulations and European 

legislation,” the new government’s economic 

program says. Prime minister-designate Victor 

Ponta has already threatened to block the project 

once he comes to power. 

The Canadian firm which owns 80 percent 

of the Rosia Montana Gold Corporation-the 

Romanian state holds the balance-plans to 

extract 300 tons of gold and 1,600 tons of silver 

over 16 years in Rosia Montana, a village 

thought to lie on Europe’s largest gold 

deposits. “I expect Ponta will change his stand 

on this major investment once he takes office,” 

financial analyst Ionel Blanculescu told AFP. 

“But there will be no decision on Rosia 

Montana until the general elections due in 

November,” he added, explaining that the topic 

was too sensitive. 

Gabriel Resources chief executive Jonathan 

Henry said Romania had a lot to gain from the 

mine. “We have over $30 billion of economic 

benefits that come out of this project and 

remain in Romania,” Henry told AFP in an interview. 

“This equates to somewhere between 70 

and 90 percent of the total benefits.” The figure 

is seven times higher than the amount initially 

promised by 

Gabriel Resources, but Henry stressed that 

this was the result of the investment’s multiplying 

effect and contingent on gold prices going 

up. “This is an exaggeration,” said Afrodita 

Iorgulescu, a professor at the Academy of 

Economic Studies and head of an opposition 

group. “The multiplying effect in mining is not 

the same as in other industries, such as 

machine building.” Nearly 15 years after it first 

embarked on a project that is estimated to cost 

$1.7 billion, Gabriel Resources is still waiting for 

a key environmental permit. 

And a recent court ruling invalidated a zoning 

plan, placing another obstacle in the way 

of the permit process. Outgoing environment 

minister Attila Korodi said the review by a technical 

commission should be suspended until a 

new certificate was obtained. 

But Henry did not share his view: “The 

advice I received is that we have all of the requisite 

licenses and permits in place to continue 

with the commission review.” He admitted 

however that the fall of the centre-right government, 

considered more favorable to the 

mine, had complicated things. 

“Our shareholders see far more risks in 

investment in Romania now than they did previously 

and that reflects in the share price,” 

which has plummeted over the last few days, 

Henry said. 

“We need to make sure the new government 

understands fully what this project 

means to Romania,” he added. Opponents 

including environmentalists, archaeologists, 

historians and 

international organizations say that the 

open-cast mine, which would use 12,000 tons 

of cyanide a year in a leaching process, threatens 

the environment and Roman-era mining 

galleries. They also argue that the project 

would lead to the partial destruction of four 

holders in a volatile market is to distinguish 

between those management teams who are 

doing a good job in tough conditions and those 

who are not,” Bittlestone said. 

“Clearly, given the dramatic increase in toplevel 

pay and no corresponding overall improvement 

in performance, some are not earning it. 

“This seems to be the view of many shareholders 

at the likes of Barclays, Aviva and UBS.” 

Bittlestone warned that revolts would continue 

without clearer guidance on the overall performance 

of companies. “It is hard enough for 

the board to get to grips with real underlying 

performance, let alone shareholders, who are 

often given little useful forward-looking quantitative 

information on which to base their judgment. 

“Until there is a focus on extracting insight 

from the increasing wealth of data available in a 

rapid and clear way ... we can expect the revolts 

to continue.” 

At the start of the year, the British government 

unveiled proposals that would give shareholders 

binding votes over executive pay, 

encourage greater transparency, and create 

more diverse boards and remuneration committees. 

The proposals remain under consultation. 

Vince Cable, a key Liberal Democrat member of 

the Conservative-led coalition government, said 

in January that there was a “disconnect” 

between boardroom pay and company performance, 

and described the issue as a “clear market 

failure”. The coalition wants companies to produce 

a distribution statement to allow shareholders 

to compare executive pay with other 

dispersals-such as dividends, business investment, 

taxation and general staffing costs. — AFP 

Clouds hang over gold 

mine plans in Romania 

mountains surrounding the village and damage 

part of the galleries, unique in Europe. But 

Henry insisted that the plan would meet the 

highest Romanian and European standards. 

The Gabriel Resources CEO stressed that his 

company would also respect a Romanian 

demand to lower cyanide levels in the tailings 

pond to below three milligrams per litre 

(mg/litre), compared with a 10 mg/litre EU limit 

or up to five mg/litre in a cup of coffee. 

He said the firm had already spent more 

than $450 million in exploration, engineering, 

feasibility, environmental study and employment. 

Some $25 million alone has gone since 

2009 to the company’s communication strategy. 

“This was not cheap,” he said. But apparently 

it paid off, as the project’s approval rating 

surged from 15 to over 50 percent, he said. 

Rights groups however say the campaign has 

blocked all debate on the topic in the media, 

with journalists under pressure from the 

investor. Responding to calls for a renegotiation 

of the deal so that Romania gets a bigger 

share of the profits, Henry said the firm was 

open to dialogue on equity participation and 

royalty rates. 

But he stressed: “The current 4.0-percent 

royalty rate is extremely competitive. Pushing it 

to 8.0 percent, as the outgoing cabinet had 

planned to do in December, would make the 

country uncompetitive.” Although the permit 

process is dragging on, Gabriel Resources does 

not intend to throw in the towel. 

“Our license expires in June 2019. Our shareholders 

would be disappointed if nothing happened 

until 2019 but we can renew the license 

for five years,” he said. “All we ask is a fair hearing 

so the true facts are understood.” — AFP

MOGADISHU: The capital Mogadishu is showing signs of life, with 

reconstruction underway and land prices soaring. 

After decades of war, Somalia’s 

capital enjoys building boom 

MOGADISHU: Somalia’s last president before 

the country erupted into decades of war made 

an ominous warning: force him from power, 

and he would leave Mogadishu as he found it, 

with only one road. The rest he would destroy. 

The threat came true: President Siad Barre 

was ousted in a 1991 coup, and the once elegant, 

Italian colonial-era seaside town was 

reduced to a wasteland of ruined buildings in 

years of bloody battles between rival militias. 

Now, 21-years later and eight months after Al- 

Qaeda-allied insurgents abandoned much of 

the city following pressure from the African 

Union and government forces, the capital is 

showing signs of life, with reconstruction 

underway and land prices soaring. 

“Security is still not reliable, but people 

decided they wanted to return life to normal,” 

trader Ahmed Sheikh Gure said. “People are 

rebuilding their destroyed buildings,” he 

added, waving at a newly repaired shop and a 

busy construction site. Though Somalia’s war is 

far from over, a regional offensive did force 

Islamist Shebab insurgents from many strongholds 

and they abandoned the city in August. 

The scars of war remain clear, with hundreds 

of thousands of displaced people living 

in and around Mogadishu, many in basic ragand-plastic 

shelters, some in the crumbling 

ruins of roofless houses. In Bakara market, the 

capital’s war-torn economic heart, the signs of 

battle are fading slowly. 

“You don’t even think that war has ever taken 

place here,” Gure said. “Thanks to God, 

because people have the opportunity to 

rebuild.” Bakara for many months was the epi- 

centre of violence in one of the world’s most 

dangerous capitals, forcing residents and businesses 

to flee. Despite an ongoing regional 

offensive with Ethiopian troops fighting in the 

west, AU troops in Mogadishu and Kenyan 

troops with the AU battling in the south, many 

Somalis are returning, bringing back capital 

earned abroad. 

“People are rebuilding their homes,” government 

spokesman Abdurahman Omar 

Osman said. “The Somali Diaspora are coming 

back to help ... businesses are reopening.” 

Fighting erupted in Somalia in the late 

1980s against Barre’s dictatorship, escalating 

into a brutal civil war following a 1991 coup, 

with rival militias, warlords and Islamist fighters 

battling ever since for control of the lawless 

nation. ‘Return and rebuild’- 

Less than a year ago, troops and insurgents 

exchanged daily mortar fire along frontlines, 

before Shebab fighters abandoned fixed positions 

and quit the city. Now it is the construction 

industry that is busy. “We are not jobless 

these days, construction is booming,” painter 

Adan Sharif said. “Every four or five weeks we 

are called for a new construction job.” 

Reconstruction is expensive, but those who 

can are repairing their homes, plastering and 

painting over bullet-pocked walls, and blocking 

up holes punched into masonry by rocketpropelled 

grenades. “Most of the buildings in 

our neighborhood were renovated in recent 

weeks and are looking good, the area is no 

longer looking like the aftermath of war,” said 

Fadumo Moalim, a mother of eight living in 

the city’s Wardhigley district. —AFP 

24 business 

DUBAI: Most Gulf bourses fell 

yesterday, tracking losses in global 

markets over the weekend, as 

sentiment weakened after disappointing 

US jobs data, while 

Qatar’s bourse bucked the 

regional trend. 

Markets were rattled by soft 

employment numbers from the 

United States, as much-anticipated 

April nonfarm payrolls rose 

115,000, well below the consensus 

forecast of 170,000. While the 

unemployment rate fell onetenth 

of a point to 8.1 percent, a 

three-year low, that was only 

because the workforce shrank as 

people retired or stopped seeking 

work. In the region, Saudi 

Arabia’s bourse fell for a third session 

in five. The index finished 1 

percent lower at 7,378 points, 

trimming year-to-date gains to 15 

percent. “Saudi is consolidating 

and it will continue to take a lead 

from developed markets in the 

near future, but in terms of outlook, 

valuations are still attractive 

and earnings were good so buying 

at the weakness should be 

the strategy,” said Ahmed Raza 

Khan, head of research, asset 

management, at MEFIC Capital in 

Riyadh. 

Khan added that the 7,250 level 

was an attractive entry point. 

Petrochemical and banking 

stocks led the decline. Bellwether 

Saudi Basic Industries Corp 

slipped 1.7 percent, Al Rajhi Bank 

declined 1.3 percent and Banque 

Saudi Fransi was down 1.6 percent. 

Investors sold mid-caps in 

heavy trade. Dar Al Arkan and 

Alinma Bank fell 2.1 and 1.7 percent 

respectively. Emaar 

Economic City shed 2.3 percent. 

Elsewhere, Dubai’s index fell 1.4 

percent to 1,560 points, its lowest 

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS 

close since Feb. 16. The index 

broke a support level at 1,591.84 

on Thursday and analysts say the 

next support is at 1,500 points. 

Dubai Financial Market, the 

only listed Gulf bourse, dropped 

2.7 percent, bellwether Emaar 

Properties shed 1.9 percent and 

Emirates NBD slid 2.1 percent. 

Contractor Arabtec recovered 

earlier losses and rose 1.7 percent. 

Abu Dhabi Airports 

Company said on Sunday that a 

consortium including Arabtec 

and Turkey’s TAV were the preferred 

bidder for a terminal 

expansion contract. Abu Dhabi’s 

benchmark slipped 0.3 percent. 

Developers fell in heavy trade, 

with Aldar Properties and Sorouh 

Real Estate down 0.9 and 1.8 percent 

respectively. 

“Our markets are correcting 

due to the global markets drop 

but if we look at our profits and 

quarterly income for local companies, 

they’ve been performing 

better so expect a rebound next 

week,” said Sami Saydam, a 

Dubai-based independent financial 

analyst. “Our markets will go 

back to the highs of this year.” 

In early March, Dubai’s index 

rose to 1,754 points and Abu 

Dhabi’s rallied to 2,641 points as 

local sentiment was lifted on an 

improving economy. 

In Qatar, the index climbed 0.2 

percent, trading sideways in 

recent sessions. The market has 

year-to-date losses of 1.1 percent, 

the worst performing Gulf bourse 

in 2012, despite strong economic 

growth prospects. But its muted 

performance is preceded by two 

consecutive years of outperforming 

regional peers. 

“If we see a major sell-off in 

other (Gulf) markets, people will 

start looking at Qatar as a safe 

haven again,” said Sebastien 

Henin, portfolio manager at The 

National Investor. 

Banks led gains with Qatar 

Islamic Bank and Masraf Al Rayan 

up 2.3 and 1.3 percent respective- 


Gulf bourses end lower 

on US data; Qatar up 

KUWAIT: An investor watches the KSE price monitor. 

—File photo 

ly. Qatar International Islamic 

Bank added 0.6 percent. 

“As long as the market stays 

above the 8627.77 level, it has a 

chance of bouncing higher with 

the potential to break above the 

8875.35 resistance area,” said 

Bruce Powers, head of research 

and analysis at Trust Securities. 

Qatar’s economy is expected 

to grow by 6.6 percent in 2012, 

according to a March poll by 

Reuters. Global stocks dropped 

and oil tumbled 2.5 percent on 

Friday as an abrupt slow-down in 

U.S. hiring soured economic sentiment 

and data suggesting a 

deeper recession across the euro 

zone than previously thought 

dented sentiment. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

SAUDI ARABIA 

The benchmark falls 1 percent 

to 7,378 points. 

DUBAI 

The index fell 1.4 percent to 

1,560 points. 

ABU DHABI 

The measure slipped 0.3 percent 


QATAR 

The index gained 0.2 percent 


EGYPT 

The benchmark rose 0.9 percent 


KUWAIT 

The index slipped 0.1 percent 


OMAN 

The measure declined 0.3 percent 

to 5,847 points. — Reuters

25 BUSINESS 


Pace of global recovery slowing: Report 

KUWAIT: The pace of the global 

economic recovery remains hesitant 

and uncertain in the backdrop of a 

mixture of positive and negative 

indicators. The IIF states that “Q1 US 

economic growth was lower than 

anticipated and the EU crisis caused 

global financial markets to take a 

turn for the worse going into Q2”. 

Many economists now anticipate 

that Spain will ultimately need to be 

bailed out, given that yields on 

Spanish and Italian bonds, are 

climbing nearly as high as they were 

in November 2011. 

Oil prices have remained firm, 

and the OPEC basket hovered 

around $112/barrel, which some see 

as a potential threat to global recovery, 

especially if oil prices were to 

escalate further. 

Meanwhile, Asia has continued 

to enjoy robust domestic demand 

amidst the fragile global recovery. 

This has been reflected in low 

unemployment rates and robust 

credit growth in the region. Inflation 

expectations also picked up and so 

far, capital inflows into Emerging 

Asia have rebounded in 2012. The 

economic slump in Europe is having 

a clear impact on the Chinese economy, 

as growth during 1Q 2012 

slowed to 8.1%. China reported a 

trade deficit of $31.5 billion in Feb, 

while exports to the EU fell by 1.8% 

y-o-y during 1Q. 

Financial conditions continue to 

ease in Emerging economies, as 

India and Brazil lowered their policy 

rates in April. While the Reserve 

Bank of India cut its reverse repo 

rate by 50bps to 7%, Brazil’s Central 

Bank lowered the SELIC rate by 

75bps to 9%, suggesting that further 

action may be necessary. 

The euro-zone recorded a contraction 

of 1% q-o-q during Q1 

2012, and growth is expected to 

remain weak on the back of widespread 

fiscal austerity and weakening 

confidence. The ECB is trying to 

avert the threat of the Banking crisis 

with its liquidity provisions, by providing 

banks with more than EUR 1 

trillion in 3-year funding at the ECB’s 

refinancing rate of 1%. An increase 

in Spain’s high unemployment rate, 

or unexpected tax or spending figures 

could trigger another surge in 

yields. 

GCC macro 

Firm oil prices and continued fiscal 

expansionary policies have supported 

robust growth in the GCC 

during 2012. According to the EIU, 

real GDP growth in 2012 is expected 

to reach 5.5% for Kuwait, 5.0% for 

Oman, 7.0% in Qatar and 5.5% for 

Saudi Arabia. Continuing political 

tensions in Bahrain is likely to constrain 

growth to 3.5%. The IMF has 

GIC MONTHLY ECONOMIC REPORT 

recently revised the growth forecast 

of the UAE to 3.5% in 2012. 

More than 25% of the GCC 

imports originate from the EU and 

historically the GCC has recorded 

large deficits with Europe. However, 

the weakening of the EUR is expected 

to soften the trade deficit and 

also reduce imported inflation. 

Overall, inflation is expected to 

remain contained in the GCC region, 

with Bahrain and Qatar forecast to 

record 2012 rates of 3.3% and 2.1% 

respectively. While UAE is expected 

to record around 2.4%, it is expected 

to be marginally higher in Kuwait 

and Saudi Arabia, at 4.3% and at 

5.0%, due to the faster and more 

widespread wage and salary 

increases which has triggered substantial 

increase in food prices and 

rents. 

Firm oil prices and improved economic 

performance have boosted 

fiscal and trade surpluses, and led to 

an improvement in accumulated 

reserves. Consequently, the corpus 

of the regions SWF are expected to 

grow to nearly $2 trillion by the 

close of 2012, for an estimated 

$1.6trillion at present. 

GCC equity markets 

Despite some positive surprises 

for the 1Q earnings season, the GCC 

equity markets witnessed a trendreversal 

during the month of April, 

leading to a net decline of -2.08% in 

the S&P GCC index during the 

month, as renewed fears of the 

European credit crisis pressured 

global equities. 

The 1Q earnings season saw 

Saudi Banks report positive earnings 

surprises amidst improved traction 

in loan growth, a spurt in fee 

income, and lower provisions. Banks 

in Abu Dhabi witnessed positive 

momentum, as two of the largest 

Banks reported robust growth in 

earnings. While earnings amongst 

Dubai banks was mixed, the general 

trend in the UAE appears to be that 

of positive asset growth and moder- 

Growth is the question, 

reforms are the key 

EU analysts see informal summit this month 

PARIS: The contours of recession and recovery 

inside the EU will be drawn with forecasts 

this week and a quarterly snapshot next week, 

setting the landscape for an informal summit 

on growth likely by the end of this month. 

The new data, together with leading indicators 

from euro-zone businesses, will keep 

financial markets on edge, the European 

Central Bank on watch and political controversy 

about austerity versus growth on the 

boil. The austerity-growth dilemma has come 

to a head, pitching so-called supply-side economics, 

based on sound budgets and a drive 

for efficiency, against calls for extra stimulus 

to counter the drag of cutbacks. 

“Austerity is a powerful medicine,” said 

Berenberg Bank economist Holger 

Schmieding. “If applied intelligently, it lays the 

basis for more competitiveness and higher 

growth in the future. 

“But too much of a good medicine can 

weaken the patient,” he noted. 

European Union officials issue spring fore- 

casts this week, and first-quarter growth data 

possibly showing recession the following 

week. Leading indicators on Friday signaled 

that euro-zone private sector activity continues 

to contract, just as protests against budgetary 

reforms and appeals for stimulus 

increase in countries undergoing radical 

structural reforms to fight debt. 

The “stimulus measures implemented by 

the European Central Bank have not 

BARCELONA: A girl looks at herself portrayed on a poster pasted on a wall located at 

the spot where a project to build a new public school is planned, during a protest to 

demand its construction in Barcelona on Saturday. —AP 

had a lasting impact on the real economy,” 

said Chris Williamson, chief economist at 

Markit research firm which published the indicators. 

While ensuring that low inflation is the 

ECB’s sole policy objective, its chief Mario 

Draghi called Thursday for putting “growth 

back at the centre of the agenda.” 

But he indicated that a further rate cut or 

special measures like the massive one trillion 

euro liquidity injection which temporarily 

calmed markets are not currently on the 

cards. 

Special ECB action “cannot replace ... either 

fiscal consolidation or reforms as the way 

back to stability,” added Draghi. However analysts 

believe the ECB may reevaluate its stance 

after the latest batch of data. 

“In our view, the May round of business 

surveys will be key to assess the risk of conventional 

easing in the coming months,” said 

Marco Valli at UniCredit in a note to investors. 

Draghi also detailed his views on a “growth 

compact”, which has become the 

focus of discussion following the signing in 

March of the EU’s new fiscal compact requiring 

greater budget rigor. “There is absolutely 

no contradiction between a growth compact 

and a fiscal compact,” he said of the debate 

between growth and austerity. 

In addition to continued structural reforms 

to improve efficiency, Draghi called for 

greater EU-wide investment and for leaders to 

define their vision for the euro-zone’s future 

and specifically whether it will evolve into a 

fiscal union. He warned that a slowdown in 

painful budget cuts would “not be very much 

help” in restoring growth. Some economists 

agree that a Keynesian-style state-driven 

stimulus fuelled by taking on further debt 

won’t work this time around. 

“Even if a consensus is formed within 

European policy circles to relax the fiscal 

stance, we think that there is no substantial 

workable trade-off between a significantly 

slower pace of fiscal retrenchment and better 

macroeconomic conditions,” said Gilles Moec, 

a senior economist at Deutsche Bank. 

Christian Schulz, also a senior economist at 

Germany’s Berenberg Bank, said the latest 

data “confirms the need to focus on progrowth 

structural reforms to offset the harsh 

impact of austerity.” 

However “none of these structural reforms 

is likely to significantly mitigate the shortterm 

impact on growth of the fiscal consolidation,” 

noted Moec, nor would increased EU 

investment likely be sufficient to soften the 

blow. But the potential long-term gains to 

growth from structural reforms are substantial, 

Deutsche Bank calculated. It estimated 

they could give Spanish annual economic 

growth a 2.4-percent boost by 2020. The 

potential gain for Portugal is 3.7 percent, Italy 

5.7 percent and Greece 6.2 percent. —AFP 

Kazakh copper miners stage underground strike 

ALMATY: Around 300 Kazakh copper miners continued 

their underground strike yesterday, 

demanding higher wages from their employer 

Kazakhmys in a labor dispute likely to unnerve 

authorities in the Central Asian state just months 

after deadly oil town riots. 

London-listed Kazakhmys, the world’s 11thlargest 

copper producer, sent senior managers to the 

Annensky mine in central Kazakhstan and said it 

would not punish striking workers if they agreed to 

enter constructive talks. “The Kazakhmys representatives 

guaranteed that no sanctions would be taken 

against workers in the event that they adopt a constructive 

approach to the labour dispute,” the company, 

which is in the FTSE 100 index, said in a statement. 

Authorities in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet 

republic of 16.7 million people, are especially wary of 

labor unrest in single-industry towns after a months- 

long dispute by sacked oil workers last year erupted 

into the country’s worst violence in decades. At least 

14 people were killed in clashes in December when 

police used live rounds against protesters in the 

remote oil town of Zhanaozen. The unrest posed the 

most serious challenge to President Nursultan 

Nazarbayev in his more than 20-year rule. That violence 

was preceded by months of protests by nearly 

2,000 oil workers sacked by KazMunaiGas Exploration 

Production after going on strike in May. The oil company 

had said the strikes were illegal. After talks with 

representatives of the striking miners, Eduard Ogai, 

chief executive of Kazakhmys Copper, read a letter to 

local prosecutors and officials in which management 

requested the sit-in be treated as a labor dispute, 

Kazakhmys said. Ogai was joined at the mine by Oleg 

Novachuk, chief executive of Kazakhmys group, as 

well as chief operating officer Sergei Dyachenko, it 

said. The miners failed to emerge from the Annensky 

mine, near the town of Satpayev in central 

Kazakhstan, after their Friday shift came to an end. 

Kazakhmys had tightened security around the mine’s 

explosives warehouses, a company source said on 

Saturday. “The situation on the territory of the mine is 

generally calm,” the company said on Sunday. 

“According to the latest information, around 300 people 

remain in the underground part of the mine.” 

Annensky is one of six underground mines operated 

by Kazakhmys near the city of Zhezkazgan, a 

region that contributes about 70 percent of the company’s 

mined ore. It also operates one open-pit mine 

nearby. Kazakhmys said it had increased salaries 

across the entire group, including miners’ salaries, by 

an average of 20 percent in 2010. Since February 

2011, it had offered performance-related bonuses of 

up to 15 percent, it said. —Reuters 

ating provisions. Though the results 

for the Petrochemicals sector was 

mixed, those for two of the largest 

players, one each in Saudi and 

Qatar, beat estimates by a reasonable 

margin. In the UAE, Real Estate 

majors beat analyst estimates, as 

property prices sustained positive 

growth for three consecutive 

months, project deliveries appeared 

to accelerate and some companies 

recorded growth in Lease & Rental 

income. 

The Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul index 

emerged the least-performing 

index during the month, declining 

by a net -3.53%, as the Insurance 

and Investment sectors, that had 

led most of the rally during the previous 

month, recorded sharp losses. 

The losses were triggered partly by 

indications of reform in the capital 

markets that could target speculative 

activity. The heavy-weight 

Petrochemicals and Banking sectors 

also edged down sharply. 

In the UAE, Abu Dhabi’s ADSM 

and Dubai’s DFM indices corrected 

by -1.93% and -1.03% respectively. 

While the Services and Banks sectors 

were the key laggards in Dubai, 

it was the Investments and Real 

Estate sectors in Abu Dhabi that 

drove the decline. The Real Estate 

sector in Dubai emerged as the best 

performing, as the recovery trend 

appears to be firming after a prolonged 

period of decline. 

Qatar’s QE index remained the 

worst-performing in the GCC, with 

YTD losses of -0.86%, and -0.99% for 

the month, as the Banking and 

Services sectors led losses. Investors 

appeared to be unenthused by the 

1Q results from Qatar Banks, and 

the market remained out of favor 

with foreign investors. 

Kuwait’s KWSE (Weighted) index 

declined by -0.65%, mainly dragged 

by the Banking sector, and Bahrain’s 

BSE index scraped through with a 

marginal advance of +0.03%, driven 

by modest gains in the Services sector. 

Meanwhile, Oman’s MSM 30 

index recorded a more convincing 

gain of +3.14%, driven largely by 

the Industries and Banks sectors. 

Though regional equity markets 

could gain confidence from the 

strength in Oil prices during 1Q 

2012 that has raised the macro profile 

for the region, they remain susceptible 

to swings in sentiment in 

the global markets. 

It is expected that rising Bank 

deposits and surplus liquidity will 

enable Banks in Saudi to sustain 

lending growth in the near-term. 

Saudi Banks could also benefit from 

major projects in infrastructure projects, 

apart from a potential increase 

in lending to the SME and Retail 

segments. 

OMAHA: The Century Link Center arena fills before the start of the Berkshire 

Hathaway shareholders meeting held at the CenturyLink Center Omaha.—AP 

Berkshire Hathaway’s Q1 

profit more than doubles 

OMAHA, Nebraska: Warren Buffett’s company 

said yesterday its first-quarter profit 

more than doubled because Berkshire 

Hathaway Inc.’s insurance units avoided 

major disaster losses and the paper value 

of its derivative contracts improved. 

Berkshire said it generated $3.245 billion 

in net income, or $1,966 per Class A 

share. That’s up from last year’s net income 

of $1.511 billion, or $917 per Class A share. 

The earnings report was released as thousands 

of Berkshire shareholders were gathering 

in Omaha for Saturday’s annual meeting. 

Last year’s results were hurt by $1.1 billion 

in insurance losses from the Japanese 

earthquake and tsunami, Australian floods 

and the New Zealand earthquake. The 

overall results fell short of what the four 

analysts surveyed by FactSet expected. 

They had forecast Berkshire would report 

earnings per Class A share of $2,297.50 on 

$39.154 billion in revenue. 

Berkshire says its revenue grew 13 percent 

to $38.1 billion from last year’s $33.7 

billion. Berkshire’s insurance division, which 

includes Geico and General Reinsurance, 

contributed 

$54 million to the Omaha-based company’s 

profits. That was much better than last 

year’s $821 million loss, but slower than 

past years. Two years ago, Berkshire reported 

a $226 million underwriting gain in the 

first quarter. 

Berkshire said Geico’s expenses grew as 

it began to comply with new accounting 

standards for certain policies and losses 

were slightly higher. Price competition 

remained tough in reinsurance, so 

Berkshire said its companies continued to 

refuse to write policies when they considered 

the premiums inadequate. The 

Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad contributed 

$701 million to Berkshire’s net 

income, up from $607 million a year ago. 

BNSF said it hauled three percent more 

carloads in the first quarter of 2012 than it 

did last year. The railroad said growth in the 

number of consumer and industrial products 

it carried offset decreases in coal and 

agricultural goods. 

Last year’s acquisition of specialty chemical 

maker Lubrizol boosted Berkshire’s 

manufacturing, retail and service unit. That 

diverse group of businesses added $854 

million net income, up from $558 million a 

year ago. 

Several of Berkshire’s manufacturing 

companies, such as Acme brick, Shaw carpeting 

and Benjamin Moore paint, make 

building products, so their performance 

continues to be hurt by the slow pace of 

housing construction. 

Berkshire’s utility unit, MidAmerican 

Energy, added $338 million, up from last 

year’s $301 million. 

Berkshire estimated that its derivative 

contracts were worth $650 million at the 

end of the first quarter, well ahead of last 

year when they were worth $176 million. 

The swing in the value of Berkshire’s derivatives 

contributed to an overall gain on 

investments and derivatives of $580 million. 

A year ago, Berkshire recorded an $82 

million loss on its investments and deriva- 

Warren Buffett arrives at the venue. 

tives. The true value of the derivatives 

won’t be clear for at least several years, 

because they don’t mature until at least a 

decade from now on average. But Berkshire 

is required to estimate their value every 

time the company reports earnings. Buffett 

has told investors he believes the contracts 

will ultimately be profitable because the 

premiums are being invested. 

Berkshire’s operating earnings were 

$2.67 billion in the first quarter, up 67 percent 

over last year’s $1.59 billion. Buffett 

has said Berkshire’s operating earnings are 

a better measure of how the company is 

performing in any given period, because 

those figures exclude the value of derivatives 

and investment gains or losses. 

Berkshire owns roughly 80 subsidiaries, 

including clothing, furniture and jewelry 

firms. Its insurance and utility businesses 

typically account for more than half of the 

company’s net income. It also has major 

investments in such companies as Coca- 

Cola Co and Wells Fargo & Co.

Tijariah achieves profit 

of KD 223,623 in Q1 2012 

KUWAIT: Abdulfattah Marafie, 

Chairman and Managing Director of 

the Commercial Real Estate Company 

(Tijariah) has announced the results of 

the company during the first quarter 

of 2012 and said that Tijariah has 

made a net profit of KD 223,623 with 

earnings per share for the period 

amounting to 0.13 fils. He 

added that the shareholders 

equity reached KD 252 

million, with a growth of 

3.16% from the same period 

of 2011. 

Marafie added that the 

ordinary General 

Assembly of the 

Commercial Real Estate 

Company for 2011, which 

met on18.4.2012 

approved of distributing a 

cash dividend of 5% of 

the nominal value of the 

share. With the approval of this latest 

batch of dividends, Tijariah will have 

distributed a total of KD 236.8 million 

($852 million) in dividends during the 

period from 2002 to the end of 2011, 

while retained profits, including 

reserves amount to KD 70 million 

($252 million), giving the company 

one of the best dividend distribution 

records among all other companies at 

the local level. 

Despite the financial crisis, the disastrous 

impact of which affected all 

countries of the world, Commercial 

Real Estate Company maintained its 

steady record of achieving growing 

returns for its shareholders. The 

healthy stability of the company’s performance 

is attributable to the farsighted 

policies and strategies adopted 

by the Board of Directors since 

2002, based on strict adherence to an 

Abdulfattah Marafie 

attitude of conservatism, prudent risk 

assessment and management and 

avoiding highly fluctuating and potentially 

unsafe markets, in addition to its 

ethical commitment toward its shareholders 

and society. Indeed, this attitude 

has been instrumental in protecting 

the shareholders’ equity. 

In addition to the distributions 

mentioned above, 

the Company’s achievements 

extended to other 

fields, including its ability to 

reduce and re-schedule 

debts thereby underlining 

the company’s strong financial 

position and the high 

value of its assets which 

earned it the confidence of 

financing organizations 

which seek to minimize risk 

by financing only the most 

stable companies. With the 

completion of the company’s major 

projects, this year and subsequent 

years will witness a remarkable growth 

in our operating revenues which will 

only serve to increase our shareholders’ 

equity. 

Finally, the credit classification society, 

Capital Standards has given 

Commercial Real Estate Company 

KCSC a credit classification of BBB+ 

and a regional classification of A+kw 

with a stable outlook. Capital 

Standards’ announcement attributed 

this classification to a number of factors 

including the strength and soundness 

of the company’s position in the 

Kuwaiti market as a major real estate 

dealer and developer, making it a key 

player in the local investment and 

commercial real estate development 

market, despite the continuing difficult 

market conditions. 

26 business 

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s passion for 

Mercedes-Benz luxury cars keeps 

on growing. Sales of new 

Mercedes-Benz cars grew by 27% 

in the period January-March 2012 

versus the same period last year. 

Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid 

Alkazemi Co, the Authorized 

General Distributor of Mercedes- 

Benz in Kuwait is now in the 

strong position of having another 

record year in terms of new passenger 

car sales in Kuwait. 

“I am pleased to report that our 

first quarter performance has 

been quite stellar. Not only did we 

grow at a faster pace than last year 

but we also were selected by our 

customers as the brand offering 

the best New Car Buying experience 

in Kuwait, by winning the 

First Place in the Service Hero 

Awards for a second year in a 

row!,” said Michael Ruehle, General 

Manager, Abdul Rahman Albisher 

& Zaid Alkazemi Co. 

He continued, “These achievements 

are a real credit to my management 

team and staff. 

Mercedes-Benz cars represent the 

true epitome of luxury and engineering 

and together with our 

trained staff and friendly customer 

service we are happy to be able to 

serve our customers, always learning 

from their requirements”. 

In February, Abdul Rahman 

Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co won 

the prestigious 2011 Service Hero 

award for best customer service in 

the new cars sales segment in 

Kuwait beating out 35 other automotive 

brands, as voted by customers. 

The year 2012 can be labeled as 

the “Year of the SUV” for 

Gulf Bank puts 400 employees through 

Operational Awareness training program 

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank yesterday announced that 

400 of its employees successfully completed 

the Operational Awareness Training program. 

The program was conducted for all of Gulf 

Bank’s 56 branches with the objective of 

improving employees’ overall operational performances. 

The Operational Awareness Training program 

supervised by the bank’s Learning and 

Development department and led by the 

Bank’s Audit and Internal Control department, 

which provides practical methods for improving 

accuracy when conducting financial operations, 

as well as excellence in performance. 

Zeyad Al-Resheed, Senior Manager, Human 

Resources said: “Gulf Bank is committed to 

training and continually reviewing employee’s 

procedures & administrative knowledge to 

enhance the overall vision and performance 

in providing our customers with the best and 

fastest banking services in Kuwait.” 

“Our branch employees are one of the 

main pillars of Gulf Bank, and it is their effectiveness 

to deliver excellent services which is 

essential to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. 

We aim to have the best trained staff in the 

Kuwaiti banking sector, and I know that the 

Operational Awareness Training program, 

KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account draw 

on 6th May 2012. 

The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of 

Commerce & Industry represented by Saquer Al Manaie. 

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw 

in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of 

the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in 

the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 

100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid 

Al Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment. 

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for 

the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week 

prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addi- 

which is implemented annually, will help to 

ensure that our employees are up to date with 

the latest operational services, polices, procedures, 

and are equipped to provide customers 

with the service standards they expect and 

Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait and the 

region. This year has already witnessed 

the launch of the new M- 

Class from April 1 onwards, which 

is a SUV that stands above all it’s 


Mercedes-Benz Kuwait 

sales grew 27% in Q1 2012 

Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co eyes record year 

deserve.” 

Gulf Bank will continue to look for new programs 

that cater to all its employees and help 

prepare them to be highly qualified for 

Kuwait’s future banking sector. 

Al-Tijari announces winners 

of Najma Account daily draw 

Al-Baghli opens 5th showroom 

KUWAIT: Chairman of the Board of Al-Baghli Foam Industries Company 

Ahmad Taher Al-Baghli opened the company’s 5th showroom in Dajeej area, 

Thursday. Businessmen and foam and furniture industry dealers were present. 

Al-Baghli said the company aims at increasing the number of its showrooms 

in Kuwait. It wants to be close to its customers and make it easier to 

communicate with them. 

Ali Al-Faras, Executive Manager, Internal Audit at Gulf Bank discussing the program topics. 

tion, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning 

instead of KD 50. 

Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate 

all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of 

Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws 

which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner. 

The winners of the Al-Najma daily draw are:- 

Khaled Mohammed Amen Shaikh Abdeli KD 7000 

Mohammed Khalfam Mohammed Yaseen Haneef KD 7000 

Harcharan Singh Saini Karam Singh KD 7000 

Mustafa Tinwala Shabbir Hussain Tinwala KD 7000 

Saied Ahmad Jassem Saied Mohammed Al-Shammaa KD 7000 

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday 

the names of the five lucky winners of its 

Yawmi account draw, each taking home a 

prize of KD 5,000. Winner’s names will also be 

announced through Marina FM on a daily 

basis during their prime shows. 

The lucky winners for the five daily draws 

took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and 

they are: 

1. Reham Abdulatif Saleh Al Therban 

2. Yaqoob Abdulla Ramadan Aleidy 

3. Rana Shaaban Abdul Rahman Saeidi 

4. Salwa Hasan Abdulla Al-Muhanna 

5. Mohammad Jawad Haji Alshatti 

The newly re-launched Yawmi Account is 

better, easier and faster than any day before. 

With its new and enhanced features, the 

Yawmi Account has become more convenient, 

easier, and faster for customers to benefit 

from. Now, customers will be eligible to 

enter the draw after 48 hours only from 

opening the account. Customers are also 

required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only 

to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value 

competitors, offering a wide array 

of features and options as standard 

on the GCC version on both 

ML-350 & ML-500 variants. 

Some of the key differentiating 

features which are standard on 

the ML-350 are: 

1. The AMG Sports Package 

and Body Kit 

2. 20 inch AMG wheels 

3. Panoramic Glass Sun-roof 

4. Heated & Cooled Cup- 

Holders 

5. LED Lights and Intelligent 

Light System 

“We are very excited about the 

prospects of the new M-Class as 

we believe it defines the segment 

in terms what equipment comes 

as standard on the GCC package 

as opposed to what is offered by 

the competition,” added Ruehle 

The latter half of the “Year of 

the SUV” will witness the introduction 

of the highly anticipated and 

much awaited G 63 AMG and the 

supremely powerful G 65 AMG. 

Staying with SUVs, the updated 

version of the GLK will also be 

introduced. Mercedes-Benz is the 

fastest growing luxury automotive 

brand in the region and the sales 

in Kuwait are no exception. 

The C-Class & E-Class Sedans 

and Coupes, the CLS, and the SLK 

were the main drivers of the first 

quarter result. Now with the introduction 

of the new M-Class from 

April, we can expect to see even 

more growth coming from the 

SUV segment. 

Swiss ambassador’s award 

presented to Yusuff Ali 

The annual ‘Swiss Ambassador’s Award’ 

for the year 2012 was presented at a glittering 

function held at Fairmont Hotel in 

Abu Dhabi on Thursday, May 3. This year’s 

winners included Sheikh Abdullah bin 

Zayed Al-Nahyan, UAE minister for 

Foreign Affairs, Obaid Humaid Al-Tayer, 

UAE minister of State for Financial Affairs, 

Mohammed Al-Suwaid, Managing 

Director, Al-Suwaidi and Company and 

Yusuff Ali MA, Managing Director of Lulu 

Group International. The winners received 

the prestigious award from Wolfgang 

Amadeus Bruelhart, Swiss Ambassador to 

the UAE for their outstanding efforts in 

promoting Swiss-UAE relations. 

Habiba Al-Marashi, Founder & 

President, Environment Emirates Group 

Dubai, Dr Bertrand Piccard, President and 

Initiator of the Solar impulse project in 

Switzerland, Dr. France Vigliotti, Dean 

EPFL Middle East, RAK also received the 

prestigious award from the Swiss 

Ambassador. 

The award which was first introduced 

by the Wolfgang Amadeus Bruelhart, 

Switzerland Ambassador to the UAE in the 

year 2008 recognizes notable efforts of 

personalities with special and long term 

commitments and efforts in promoting 

relations between Switzerland and the 

UAE. 

The award consists of a sculpture 

which combines elements of Switzerland 

and the UAE. The year 2012 edition award 

was created by the UAE artist Azza Al- 

Qubaissi. 

Burgan Bank announces 

winners of Yawmi draw 

to enter the draw stands at KD 10. 

The newly designed Yawmi account has 

been launched to provide a highly innovative 

offering along with a higher frequency and 

incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the 

Yawmi account is a well understood product, 

where its popularity can be seen from the 

number of increasing account holders. 

Burgan Bank encourages everyone to 

open a Yawmi account and/or increase their 

deposit to maximize their chances to becoming 

a daily winner. The more customers 

deposit, the higher the chances they receive 

of winning the draw. 

Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers 

are urged to visit their nearest 

Burgan Bank branch and receive all the 

details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 

1804080 where customer service representatives 

will be delighted to assist with any 

questions on the Yawmi account or any of 

the bank’s products and services, or log on to 

Burgan Bank’s www.burgan.com for further 

information.

CULVER CITY: Reality TV producer Mark Burnett (center) is behind a new online advertising 

concept that goes beyond banners and search terms called Vimby. — MCT 

Marketer helps advertisers 

express themselves via video 

LOS ANGELES: British television producer 

Mark Burnett turned program financing on its 

head a decade ago when he brought brands 

like Doritos and Mountain Dew as sponsors 

into the expensive, prime-time reality series 

“Survivor,” helping to defray costs. “Survivor” 

is considered a watershed in paid product 

placements, opening the floodgates to a projected 

$2.75 billion in spending this year on 

such shows as “The Tonight Show With Jay 

Leno,” WWE’s “Monday Night Raw,” “American 

Idol” and “Celebrity Apprentice.” Before 

“Survivor,” brands got promotional placements 

in exchange for use of a prop, such as a 

car, or as a bonus for buying commercial time. 

Burnett is now trying to bring that formula 

to the Web through his investment in the 

Vimby digital production studio. The Van 

Nuys, Calif., venture launched in 2005 with a 

network of filmmakers around the country 

who create original, short-form videos for 

Vimby’s website that now also may find a 

home on other sites including YouTube and 

Myspace. As part of Burnett’s investment in 

2010, Vimby began rubbing elbows with such 

major advertisers as Aflac, General Mills, 

Macy’s, McDonald’s, Pepsi and Puma - helping 

these brands create their own content for distribution 

on YouTube or on a company’s 

Facebook page. 

“Mark Burnett said, ‘Guys, we need to build 

an arsenal, a bigger toolbox, working with 

General Mills, with Pepsi, doing stuff in a way 

that’s consistent, authentic and involves great 

story-telling,’ “ Vimby founder and Chief 

Executive Dean Waters said of the digital studio’s 

expanded focus. Under Burnett’s influence, 

Vimby’s filmmakers have widened the 

lens, creating stories not only for the Web but 

also for TV, as was the case with an MTV special 

that followed five young women to New 

York, where they competed to become a 

Seventeen Magazine cover model. On other 

occasions, brands pay Vimby to create content 

that the advertiser can use to build an 

online community or cultivate greater affinity 

with its consumers. Macy’s Million Dollar 

Makeover promotion drew 20,000 applicants 

from around the country, eight of whom were 

selected as finalists to participate in a reality- 

TV-styled competition that attracted 1 million 

new fans to the retailer’s Facebook page. 

Burnett isn’t the first television producer 

whom brands have sought out to create 

high-quality, low-cost entertainment for the 

Web and beyond. Several other veterans from 

the traditional media world, including former 

top network executives such as ABC’s Lloyd 

Braun, NBC’s Ben Silverman and the WB’s 

Jordan Levin and independent producers like 

Jak Severson, also are looking to capture 

audiences as they move to these digital platforms. 

Big brands are tagging along, in hopes 

that such proven players can find their footing 

online. 

A significant portion of the US population 

goes online to check out YouTube videos, 

update their Facebook status or watch music 

videos and TV shows through services including 

Vevo and Hulu. Some 182 million Internet 

users spent an average of five hours a week 

on the Web in September and watched nearly 

40 billion videos, according to ComScore Inc. 

Advertisers predictably are following the 

viewers online, with spending projected to 

reach $31.3 billion this year in the US - an 

increase of 20 percent over 2010, researcher 

EMarketer predicts. 

As new gadgets and services deliver entertainment 

to young, digitally savvy viewers, 

advertisers are scrambling to respond. 

Initially, brands took a direct marketing 

approach, focusing on buying search terms to 

spur sales of particular products. Although 

search advertising remains the single largest 

segment of spending on the Web, its growth 

has slowed as brands look for new ways to 

connect with consumers. 

“Brands are starting to think more about, 

‘How do we become the destination?’ “ said 

Jason Deal, digital director at the Initiative ad 

agency. “How do we create advertising that 

draws consumers to us, instead of solely 

interrupting people” through banners and 

search ads? The breadth of online experimentation 

is wide, from traditional sponsorships 

and product placements to “branded content” 

- in which advertisers use entertainment 

to communicate with audiences in an original 

way. 

Hyundai, for example, attracted attention 

to its sporty Veloster subcompact car by 

sponsoring a mash-up, in which five prominent 

DJs reinterpreted the traditional musical 

genres of classical, country, R&B, jazz and 

rock. The resulting documentary is promoted 

on Hyundai’s YouTube channel as well as a 

series of live events. “The marketing leadership 

at Hyundai had the mind-set that we 

have to become the content that consumers 

are looking for, not just a disruption,” Deal 

said. 

Severson, CEO of Thoughtful Media Group 

Inc., a digital studio, is seeking to emulate a 

formula that has succeeded for YouTube 

celebrities such as stand-up comedian Shay 

Carl, who has attracted more than 1 million 

regular followers (self-described ShayTards) 

and logged more than 14 million views since 

he began posting videos. 

“Their level of effectiveness in driving continual, 

sustained, religiously devoted audiences 

- there is nothing in the world like it,” 

Severson said. Severson is using actors and 

professional writers to construct his own 

YouTube personalities, in hopes of building a 

sizable enough audience to interest advertisers. 

One character, Monty, a middle-aged 

man who lives in his grandmother’s basement, 

delivers product reviews that comically 

veer into unrelated topics - such as his infatuation 

with actress Christina Ricci. So far 

Monty’s YouTube show, “What’s What,” doesn’t 

rank among YouTube’s most popular: It has 

about 7,900 subscribers. 

“It doesn’t happen on Day 1,” Severson 

said. One of the most enduring forms of 

advertising - paid product placements - 

already has taken root on digital platforms. 

The practice dates back to Charles Dickens, 

whose novel “The Pickwick Papers” draws its 

title from the carriage line from the author’s 

time, according to Patrick Quinn, president of 

PQ Media, a research firm. Now a film and television 

staple, paid product placements are 

expected to reach $55 million online this year, 

Quinn said. 

Lady Gaga’s 2010 “Telephone” music video 

illustrates how eager brands are to integrate 

their products into a piece of popular online 

content - the assortment included the Plenty 

of Fish dating service, Virgin Mobile phones, 

Polaroid cameras, Wonder Bread and Miracle 

Whip. “The video generated nearly 4 million 

views on YouTube in the first 24 hours and 

more than 20 million by the end of the first 

week of release on YouTube and Vevo,” said 

Patrick Quinn, president of PQ Media. Lady 

Gaga “did the same in the ‘Bad Romance’ 

video. ... She basically has become the product 

placement star. Brands and agencies love 

her right now.” 

Burnett made his own leap into Vimby - 

short for Video in My Backyard - after one of 

his former executive TV producers introduced 

him to the company and its network of 70 

filmmakers (it now boasts 150). Vimby’s chief 

creative officer, David Goffin, talked about the 

value of low-cost, high-quality production of 

video to be viewed on multiple screens. “Mark 

saw on instinct that there was something 

here,” Goffin said. “I play Rosetta Stone, translating 

between the world Dean had and that 

Mark knew.”—MCT 

TECHNOLOGY 

NEW YORK: The organization in charge of 

expanding the number of Internet address suffixes 

- the “.com” part of domain names - is apologizing 

for delays but says it’s favouring “quality, 

not speed.” Three weeks ago, the Internet 

Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers 

abruptly shut down a system for letting companies 

and organizations propose new suffixes, 

after it discovered a software glitch that 

exposed some private data. At the time, ICANN 

planned to reopen the system within four business 

days. The system remains suspended indefinitely. 

“We’ve very focused on the quality of 

what we do,” ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom said. 

“We take this very seriously. That’s why we’re 

moving very methodologically and professionally.” 

In an interview with The Associated Press last 

week, Beckstrom added, “We apologize for the 

delay, but we’re committed to getting this right.” 

ICANN has said it needed time to figure out why 

the software failed and how to fix it. That was 

completed last week, Beckstrom said, but 

ICANN still must undergo extensive testing on 

the fixes and inform companies and organizations 

whose data had been exposed. He 

declined to offer a timetable; ICANN said Friday 

that it planned to provide an update after 

tomorrow. Up to 1,000 domain name suffixes 

could be added each year in the most sweeping 

change to the domain name system since its 

creation in the 1980s. The idea is to let Las Vegas 

hotels, casinos and other attractions congregate 

around “.Vegas,” or a company such as Canon 

Inc. draw customers to “cameras.Canon” or 

“printers.Canon.” The new system will also make 

Chinese, Japanese and Swahili versions of “.com” 

possible. After several years of deliberations, 

ICANN began accepting applications in mid- 

January. The application window was to have 

closed on April 12 - the same day ICANN had to 

shut down the system, just hours before the 

deadline. The glitch did not affect general availability 

of the Internet’s domain name system - 

the databases that let Internet-connected computers 

know where to send email and locate 

websites. It also did not affect the ability to register 

new names under existing suffixes. 

Rather, the glitch was with the software 

ICANN had set up to take applications for new 

suffixes. The proposals were supposed to be 

confidential until the application period closed. 

The software glitch allowed some applicants to 

view data about others, including potential 

competitors. The data were limited to file names 

and usernames, not the contents of the files. But 

those names in some cases offered clues about 

which companies were proposing what suffixes, 

Beckstrom said. Knowing that could allow an 

applicant to change a proposal and gain an 

advantage. 

ICANN believes that 105 applicants might 

have had data viewed by others, while 50 applicants 

might have seen information on others - 

inadvertently, ICANN believes. That’s out of 

1,268 registered applicants, each of which can 

submit as many as 50 suffix proposals. 

Beckstrom said that once the system reopens, 

ICANN will monitor applicants to determine 

whether they make adjustments based on what 

they might have seen. Applicants will also have 

at least a week to make sure their data didn’t 


Quality over speed in 

new Internet domains 

SAN JOSE: When new mom Leah 

Dillon needed advice for her son’s first 

fever, she wondered where to turn. 

Recently arrived in Palo Alto, Calif., 

she couldn’t ask neighbours for guidance 

and wasn’t sure if she should 

page her son’s pediatrician in the 

dead of night. So Dillon went to a 

website called HealthTap, unveiled 

this spring by a startup in her neighborhood. 

An interactive Q&A database 

walked her through a set of recommendations_from 

doctors, not 

just anybody with an opinion and a 

keyboard. 

“The Internet is so vast, you don’t 

know where you’re getting your information 

from,” she said. “It gives me 

more confidence if it’s backed by 

pediatricians.” The arrival of a new 

child also set Robert Auguste looking 

for technological help, but with 

spending, not symptoms. “All of the 

hospital bills started coming in, and I 

said, ‘I have no idea how I’m going to 

get through all of this,’ “ said the consultant 

in Greenwich, Conn. “They’re 

all from different companies, and it’s 

confusing.” 

Then Auguste read about another 

Palo Alto, Calif., startup, called 

Simplee, which promised help organizing 

medical bills; he immediately 

signed on for the beta. “I went to this 

one dashboard and I could see, ‘These 

bills are all related to the hospital; 

these are from the doctor.’ It adds a 

whole level of simplicity.” HealthTap 

and Simplee are part of a growing 

wave of Web 2.0 startups that are 

using mobile and social technology 

to give consumers more control over 

their health. From turning smartphones 

into diagnostic tools to helping 

users shop for health plans and 

providers, these young companies 

hope to bring Silicon Valley knowhow 

to bear on age-old problems. 

“There’s a ton of interest in this 

area, and for good reason: There 

hasn’t been a lot of progress in applying 

information technology to health 

care,” said Derik Pridmore of Founders 

Fund, the San Francisco venture capital 

firm launched by the co-founders 

of PayPal and Facebook. Among his 

firm’s investments are ZocDoc, which 

lets patients instantly book medical 

appointments online, and Practice 

Fusion, which gives doctors and 

I more than ‘like’ you 

Company diversifies Facebook buttons 

MINNEAPOLIS: Sure, you can “like” a store on 

Facebook, but you can’t easily tell all your friends 

you “want” that new pair of jeans, “love” that handbag 

or “own” that sleek electric guitar. Minneapolisbased 

8thBridge Inc. is seeking to shake up the 

world of Facebook by adding these new buttons of 

endearment linked to the social media site. It 

hopes the options will encourage Facebook users 

to broadcast their shopping desires on their pages 

- and make the social media site all the more 

attractive to advertisers. 

The firm had centred its business on encouraging 

users to buy items directly on Facebook, but 

retail sales never took off because most consumers 

still prefer to shop on a retailer’s website. So now, 

8thBridge is doubling down on Facebook, surmising 

that if users broadcast their shopping opinions 

to their friends, advertisers will be interested. “It’s 

word-of-mouth marketing. That’s where the value 

is,” said Wade Gerten, CEO of 8thBridge. 

A consumer can click on the words “want,” 

“love” and “have” next to a dress on American 

Apparel’s website, prompting a post on their 

Facebook page. Friends will be able to view the 

selected item on Facebook and can even go to the 

company’s retail website to purchase the product. 

Analysts said they believe 8thBridge’s new 

Facebook marketing tool, called Graphite, will help 

boost sales for retailers. Now, Facebook users will 

be able to differentiate if their friends want an item 

or if they already have it. In addition, the retailer 

will be able to know what consumers are interested 

in buying and could offer them a discount for 

wanting that dress. “It’s almost like your gift registry, 

but it isn’t around your birthday,” said Mike 

Gatti, senior vice president of member relations for 

the National Retail Federation. “It’s all the time.” 

Already, more than a dozen retailers from Guitar 

Center to Oscar de la Renta have signed up for the 

new marketing tool, generating more in sales for 

8thBridge than what it made during all of last year. 

Companies pay on average $5,000 a month to 

use the tool and a one-time subscription fee, 

which costs less than $10,000, Gerten said. As a 

ICANN sorry for abruptly shutting down 

patients more control over medical 

records. 

Practice Fusion CEO Ryan Howard 

realized the need for such a system 

while working for Brown & Toland, a 

network of more than 800 San 

Francisco Bay Area physicians. “I started 

seeing a massive problem - the 

claims systems were so disparate,” he 

said. “And I started thinking about 

patient records, which are even more 

complex.” Howard, who previously 

had built supply-chain technology to 

help companies like Wal-Mart find 

small suppliers, began noodling on a 

way to connect doctors to pharmacies, 

labs, and insurance companies 

and ensure a secure flow of patient 

health information. 

Practice Fusion, rolled out in late 

2007, provides the system for free to 

nearly 100,000 doctors and nurses, 

making money by placing ads on the 

platform. “It literally prevents the doctor 

from prescribing a medication 

that the patient will have an adverse 

reaction to,” Pridmore said. And while 

the road to broader adoption of electronic 

health records has been potholed 

- Google last month said it 

would close down its 3-year-old 

Google Health initiative - investors 

have been bullish on Practice Fusion, 

with Pridmore’s firm leading a $23 

million April venture funding round 

that also included Artis Capital 

Management and Felicis Ventures. 

Despite the failure of Google 

Health, which aimed to let consumers 

input and update their health records 

online, Howard has high hopes for a 

feature that lets doctors in his network 

give their patients access to 

their charts, medications and immunization 

histories. “Right now we’re 

sort of Salesforce for doctors,” Howard 

said. “We’ll be at 100 million patients 

next year, which will let us become 

Facebook for patients.” He talks of letting 

users put together online wellness 

plans with social gaming-type 

rewards and use “clinical crowdsourcing” 

to share information about their 

own conditions with other patients. 

Helping patients by helping doctors 

was also the idea behind 

HealthTap. CEO Ron Gutman, who led 

an interdisciplinary research team on 

personal health while a graduate student 

at Stanford University and later 

founded Wellsphere, an online community 

of health writers, launched his 

latest venture in April. Within two 

months, it had added more than 

1,200 board-certified doctors in all 50 

states. “We want to bring the doctor 

back into the center of the discussion,” 

he said, “because if not, it’s the blind 

leading the blind.” (Gutman’s wife, 

incidentally, is a retinal surgeon.) 

What powers HealthTap is not just 

the database culled from peer- 

get lost or corrupted. The delay shouldn’t have a 

major effect on the availability of new suffixes, 

as the new names won’t appear in general use 

until at least next spring - in many cases, much 

later. Late Friday, ICANN said it had received 

2,091 suffix proposals - fully completed or in 

progress - and another 214 for which it was still 

awaiting or processing application fees. That 

means applications will be divided into at least 

four batches of about 500 each, potentially 

stretching the review process over a few years. 

The bigger damage could be in the longterm 

confidence in ICANN. Even before the 

glitch was discovered, opponents of the 

domain-name expansion questioned ICANN’s 

ability to roll out new suffixes smoothly. 

Beckstrom said all organizations encounter 

technical problems, and he said ICANN hopes to 

retain people’s confidence by resolving the 

problems and communicating well. 

ICANN did not say what suffixes were proposed. 

It plans to release a list a few weeks 

after the application window closes, after 

which it will accept challenges for trademark 

and other issues. ICANN said Friday that it had 

received $350 million in applications fees so 

far. Each application costs $185,000, and winners 

will have to pay $25,000 a year. The money 

will pay for ICANN’s costs setting up the system, 

reviewing applications and making sure 

parties do what they have promised once the 

suffix is operational. Some of the money will 

be set aside for potential lawsuits from unsuccessful 

applicants and others. Companies can 

make money by selling names under approved 

suffixes. — AP 

Startups give consumers 

more control over health 

result of the signing up, each brand gets to pick its 

own expressions to post on Facebook. More companies 

are ramping up their marketing budget on 

Facebook because of the intimate way they can 

connect to the consumer and their friends. This 

year, companies worldwide will spend $7.7 billion 

on social network advertising, according to data 

analytics firm eMarketer Inc. 

“I think every retailer is exploring this space 

now. They have to,” said Tim Brunelle, president of 

the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association. 

“There’s a greater cost to not experimenting. So 

why not give it a shot?” Stacey Shulman, chief 

information officer of American Apparel, said 

8thBridge’s tool fits in well with the retailer’s social 

media strategy. “It allows us to get detailed insights 

about the popularity of our products beyond the 

‘like’ button,” Shulman said in a statement. Indeed, 

8thBridge says 57 percent of consumers who click 

the “like” button on Facebook already have the 

product, according to its own survey. That may 

have alienated some shoppers who wished to 

PALO ALTO: Leah Dillon uses a computer program called HealthTap 

that gives health advice and keeps her from unnecessary trips to the 

pediatrician. —MCT 

express their relationship to the brand in a different 

way, the firm said. 

8thBridge is known for launching the first store 

on Facebook in 2009 for 1-800-Flowers.com. The 

company was founded in 2008 and is a winner of 

the Minnesota entrepreneurial competition 

Minnesota Cup. Gerten declined to state the exact 

reviewed medical articles and curated 

by physicians, but a search algorithm 

that asks patients questions as they 

describe symptoms_much the way a 

doctor would during a visit. Gutman 

says the software provides better 

search results and gives patients a 

personalized “prep sheet” they can 

take to doctor’s visits, making them 

shorter and less costly. 

Users like Dillon appear to be sold. 

“As a new mom, you’re constantly 

worried about every little thing, but 

you can’t see your doctor every day,” 

she said. “This is going to be my onestop 

shop for health care. It saved me 

a trip in the middle of the night, it 

saved me money, and it works.” As for 

Simplee, which only came out of beta 

June 30, it too has its roots in a parent’s 

search for answers. CEO Tomer 

Shoval, who at the time was a managing 

director of eBay’s Shopping.com, 

had a “horrifying,” flu-filled Mexican 

vacation in 2009, an experience made 

worse once the family arrived home 

and was inundated with invoices from 

medical providers and obtuse benefit 

statements from their insurance company. 

“Each of them comes in a different 

format; you’re not really sure if you’ve 

paid them or not,” he said. “It kind of 

hit me that this is really broken.” So 

Shoval left eBay last summer and in 

May began the beta, which he said 

included several thousand people 

covered by eight of the biggest insurance 

companies. Once users register, 

Simplee pulls together information 

from their insurers on recent medical 

visits, out-of-pocket expenses and so 

forth. The software will also email a 

user to say a doctor’s bill is on the way 

or remind them to take advantage of 

health plan benefits like free immunizations. 

“The average family spends 

more than $3,000 a year on out-ofpocket 

expenses, and it’s increasing 

every year,” said Shoval. “We can’t 

afford to ignore this anymore.” The 

service is free to consumers. And 

Shoval, whose 15-person company 

has landed $1.5 million in venture 

backing from Greylock Israel and others, 

plans to add a recommendation 

engine that would look at a person’s 

insurance history and suggest new 

health plans based on their historical 

consumption of care. —MCT 

Wade Gerten, is CEO of Minneapolis-based 8thBridge, whose new Facebook marketing 

tool, called Graphite, will help boost sales for retailers, analysts say. — MCT 

number of employees, but said it is in the 30-person 

range. Last week, Gerten toasted his team, 

investors and friends for 8thBridge’s new product 

launch at a gathering at the Crooked Pint Ale 

House in Minneapolis. “The hard part is over, and 

now it’s party time,” Gerten said as he greeted his 

guests. — MCT

Study ties fertility 

treatment and 

birth defect risk 

Test-tube babies have higher rates of 

birth defects, and doctors have long 

wondered: Is it because of certain fertility 

treatments or infertility itself? A 

large new study from Australia suggests 

both may play a role. Compared to 

those conceived naturally, babies that 

resulted from simple IVF, or in vitro fertilization 

- mixing eggs and sperm in a 

lab dish - had no greater risk of birth 

defects once factors such as the mom’s 

age and smoking were taken into 

account. 

However, birth defects were more 

common if treatment included injecting 

a single sperm into an egg, which is 

done in many cases these days, especially 

if male infertility is involved. 

About 10 percent of babies born this 

way had birth defects versus 6 percent 

of those conceived naturally, the study 

found. It could be that the extra jostling 

of egg and sperm does damage. Or that 

other problems lurk in the genes of 

sperm so defective they must be forced 

to fertilize an egg. 

“I don’t want to scare people,” 

because the vast majority of babies are 

born healthy, said the study’s leader, 

Michael Davies of the University of 

Adelaide in Australia. 

Couples could use simple IVF without 

sperm injection, freeze the embryos 

and implant only one or two at a time, 

he said. All of those can cut the chance 

of a birth defect. 

The study was published online 

Saturday by the New England Journal of 

Medicine and presented at a fertility 

conference in Barcelona, Spain. Health 

agencies in Australia paid for the 

research. 

More than 3.7 million babies are 

born each year through assisted reproduction. 

Methods include everything 

from drugs to coax the ovaries to make 

eggs to artificial insemination and IVF. 

Fertility treatments account for 

about 4 percent of births in Australia 

and as many as 8 percent of them in 

Denmark, where costs are widely covered, 

Davies said. In the United States, 

more than 60,000 babies were born in 

2009 from 146,000 IVF attempts. 

About three-quarters of them used 

ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. 

ICSI was developed because of 

male infertility. But half the time, it was 

not done for that reason but to improve 

the odds that at least some embryos 

will be created from an IVF attempt. 

Many clinics do it in all cases. 

IVF costs around $10,000 to $12,000 

per attempt and another $2,000 for 

sperm injection. The study used records 

on nearly 303,000 babies conceived 

naturally and 6,163 conceived with 

help in Australia from 1986 through 

2002, plus records on birth defects 

detected by age 5. Researchers counted 

heart, spinal or urinary tract defects, 

limb abnormalities and problems such 

as cleft palate or lip, but not minor 

defects unless they needed treatment 

or were disfiguring. 

They looked at birth defect rates 

according to type of fertility treatment. 

They also had three comparison 

groups of women who conceived naturally, 

including some with some history 

of infertility or who previously needed 

help to get pregnant. Among fertility 

treatments, only ICSI, the sperm injection, 

resulted in higher rates of birth 

defects once other factors that affect 

these odds were taken into account. 

“They take a sperm that is probably 

not normal and force it to conceive,” 

said Dr. Darine El-Chaar, an OB-GYN at 

Canada’s University of Ottawa. She led 

a smaller previous study of this and 

called the new work impressive and 

“the study that needed to be done” to 

sort out the source of these risks. In the 

study, frozen embryos were less likely 

to result in birth defects than fresh 

ones used soon after they were created. 

Defective ones may be less likely to 

survive freezing and thawing, so the 

fittest embryos result in pregnancies, 

Davies said. 

Babies born to women with a history 

of infertility who ended up conceiving 

on their own, or who had natural pregnancies 

after assisted ones, also had 

higher rates of birth defects. That suggests 

that infertility itself is playing a 

role. Dr Glenn Schattman, president of 

the Society for Assisted Reproductive 

Technologies and a Cornell University 

fertility specialist, said it was reassuring 

that ordinary IVF is safe. If ICSI is chosen 

because male infertility is involved, 

“parents have to be aware that by having 

a child with their own genetic 

material, they might be increasing their 

risk” of a birth defect, he said. 

Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson, a geneticist 

and research chief at the March of 

Dimes, said doctors should take this 

work seriously and discuss it with 

patients. He said techniques have 

improved over the last decade and ICSI 

may be safer now than when this study 

began. Even with genetic testing for 

various diseases, “we always tell our 

patients that this doesn’t guarantee a 

perfect baby,” he said. — AP 

HEALTH&SCIENCE 

WINNETKA, Illinois: What if you knew, even 

before your child was born, that she wouldn’t look 

like everyone else? Clara Beatty’s parents knew. 

They were living in Belgium at the time, a 

decade ago. Prenatal screening was extensive, 

probably more than would have been done in the 

United States. Those tests determined that baby 

Clara, their third child, was likely to be a perfectly 

normal kid inside. But even in the womb, doctors 

could see severe facial deformities - droopy eyes, 

under-developed cheekbones and a tiny jaw. It 

meant she’d need a tube in her neck to help her 

breathe after birth. The lack of an outer ear and 

restricted ear canals also would mean she’d have 

hearing aids by the time she was 6 months old. 

In Belgium, it was unusual for babies to be 

born with Treacher Collins syndrome, caused by a 

genetic mutation. Parents almost always opted to 

abort, doctors said. 

But the Beattys wouldn’t hear of it. It wasn’t 

any big moral statement, they say. “There was just 

no question,” Janet Beatty says. No wavering, 

despite the looks of disapproval from the medical 

staff before she was born and even after, in the 

intensive care unit. “It was kind of strange sometimes 

. with the doctors, some of whom I think 

really, really questioned why we had this baby,” 

says Eric Beatty, Clara’s dad. The next few years 

would be so challenging that the family moved 

back to the United States, both for family support 

and to seek medical care at Chicago’s Children’s 

Memorial Hospital and other institutions. There 

were breathing and feeding issues. The family had 

24-hour nursing care for the first three years of 

Clara’s life because she vomited so frequently. 

They were lucky, they realized, to have that 

kind of help. Still, it took a toll on Clara’s parents, 

especially her mom. Janet Beatty just wanted her 

daughter to be OK physically, to not be constantly 

worried that she might stop breathing, or choke. 

FDA for ‘judicious’ antibiotic use on farms 

After decades of debate, federal regulators have 

condemned the practice of using antibiotics on 

healthy farm animals, trying to stem the rise in socalled 

“superbugs” that pose a dire threat to human 

health. The new guidelines from the Food and 

Drug Administration, which are voluntary, advise 

the agricultural industry to use antibiotics “judiciously” 

in treating and preventing sickness, and 

recommend that veterinarians oversee usage. The 

new stance follows studies by scientists and the 

FDA from the 1970s, which showed that antibiotics 

given on farms lead to drug-resistant bacteria-the 

superbugs-that can spread to humans. 

In the past several decades, health care professionals 

as well as veterinarians have seen a steep 

rise in drug-resistant infections. Just one of the 

types of resistant bacteria, Methicillin-resistant 

Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), found in both 

farms and hospitals, has been estimated to kill 

more people than AIDS, according to the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention. MRSA has also 

been found on packaged meat in grocery store 

shelves. While many scientists and the American 

Veterinary Medical Association laud the FDA’s 

move, state ranchers and dairy farmers fear they’re 

headed down a trail of over-regulation that would 

stymie the health care of their animals. Meanwhile, 

public interest groups, including the Natural 

Resources Defense Council, say the guidelines are 

simply not strong enough. 

The FDA is giving the industry three years to 

adopt the guidelines before it determines the next 

step, which could be to make the rules mandatory. 

“Antibiotic resistance has increased tremendously 

over the last several decades,” said Dr. Stuart 

Levy, an expert on the issue. The situation is critical, 

he added, because the resistant bacteria travel 

with food products from the farm to home. 

A 2010 report by the CDC found an alarming 

amount of superbugs in grocery stores. More than 

half of all ground turkey carried E. coli that was 

resistant to three or more drugs. E. coli causes gastrointestinal 

infections and sickens about 265,000 

people each year, according to the CDC. 

Similarly, half of all packaged pork chops were 

contaminated with multi-drug resistant salmonella, 

another cause of gastrointestinal illnesses that sickens 

1.2 million people each year and results in 

almost 500 deaths. 

In a separate study published earlier this year, 

Iowa researchers found that nearly 7 percent of 

packaged pork products carried MRSA-even meat 

labeled “antibiotic free.” 

Most food experts do say that the new guidelines 

will have little, if any, impact on grocery 

prices-even if they’re made mandatory. Farmers 

learned in the 1950s that if they gave healthy animals 

food with a dash of antibiotics-less than the 

dose used to treat an illness-the animals would 

grow bigger and need less food. And nearly all of 

the antibiotics were available over-the-counter. 

However, that also created perfect conditions 

for generating superbugs, according to numerous 

studies. In a 1976 study, a team of researchers, led 

by Levy, fed chickens low doses of the antibiotic 

tetracycline-a drug also used in humans for a wide 

She wanted her daughter to have the happy 

childhood that her other two children had had - 

free from the physical challenges and, yes, free 

from the constant stares of strangers when they 

were out in public. 

“Make her normal,” her mother, Janet Beatty, 

thought privately. “I want that normal kid. I didn’t 

want people to stare, and I didn’t want people 

running away from her.” 

Cosmetic surgery was an option. But on a child 

so young, it would have to be redone, over and 

over. It was better, doctors said, to wait until her 

teen years. 

And as her parents discovered, Clara was quite 

able to cope, sometimes better than they. 

Even today, Janet Beatty is astounded at how 

well her youngest daughter navigates the world. 

“Even when she was little, you could look at 

her and people would say there’s an old soul in 

there,” she says. “She just had these big eyes and 

you could see her taking everything in.” Certainly, 

there are times when Clara gets frustrated. 

Now 9 years old and finishing the fourth grade, 

she looks forward to the day a few years from 

now when her skull will have grown enough for 

cosmetic surgery. It won’t “fix” things, but likely 

will help her blend more - and possibly help her 

get rid of the breathing tube. “I want to try to 

make myself as much like the other kids, so that I 

can stop having everyone asking me questions,” 

Clara says, “because it gets so annoying.” She says 

it matter-of-factly - not like she’s hurt or damaged 

by the questions and comments. When people 

stare, she says, she just “smiles and says ‘hi,’” 

because that’s what her parents have taught her 

to do. 

It’s easiest, of course, when she’s in her “protective 

bubble,” as her mom calls it - at home or 

school or church. There, people know her. To 

them, she is just Clara - the funny, kind girl who 


Clara Beatty, 9, looks at her mother while doing homework at their Winnetka, Illinois home. The fourth-grader was born 

with facial deformities, including underdeveloped cheekbones and a small jaw, caused by a genetic mutation called 

Treacher Collins syndrome. Her parents discovered Clara was quite able to cope, sometimes better than they. — AP 

Girl with deformed face 

learns to navigate world 

Genetic mutation causes Treacher Collins syndrome 

variety of infections including sexually transmitted 

diseases and acne. Within a week, the birds had 

tetracycline-resistant bacteria in their intestines. In 

less than six months, farmworkers and neighbors 

had spikes in tetracycline-resistant bacteria in their 

fecal samples. 

But, some agricultural experts claim that published 

data regarding antibiotic use on farms is 

often contradictory. Dr. Michael Payne, a food safety 

expert at UC Davis, pointed to a 2002 USDA study 

that indicated that low-doses of antibiotics in 

turkeys knocked down salmonella levels, which 

commonly causes intestinal infections in people. 

But the study didn’t address resistance levels. 

“Antibiotic resistance is perhaps the most complex 

issue facing agriculture today,” said Payne. Despite 

the worrisome 1976 findings, the FDA didn’t 

change the rules for antibiotic use on farms. “We 

think basically that the FDA has caved to the agricultural 

industry,” said Avinash Kar, a staff attorney 

for the NRDC. The organization was one of several 

public interest groups that sued the FDA last May to 

press for strict rules on antibiotic usage on farms. 

The FDA produced the new voluntary guidelines 

independently from the lawsuit. But a federal judge 

ruled last month that the FDA must act on the issue, 

and that the new guidelines would not excuse the 

FDA from reviewing its approval of antibiotics used 

on healthy animals. Legal proceedings are under 

way to determine the next step. 

The food safety director of one of the groups, 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, called 

the new guidelines “tragically flawed.”—MCT 

Peru health alert after pelican deaths 

LIMA: Peru’s government declared a health alert 

along its northern coastline on Saturday and 

urged residents and tourists to stay away from 

long stretches of beach, as it investigates the 

unexplained deaths of hundreds of dolphins and 

pelicans. 

At least 1,200 birds, mostly pelicans, washed 

up dead along a stretch of Peru’s northern Pacific 

coastline in recent weeks, health officials said, 

after an estimated 800 dolphins died in the 

same area in recent months. The Health Ministry 

recommended staying away from beaches, 

although it stopped short of a ban, and called on 

health officials to use gloves, masks and other 

protective gear when collecting dead birds. The 

peak tourism season around Lima’s beaches is 

over, although many surfers are still venturing 

into the waters near the capital. 

The Agriculture Ministry said preliminary 

tests on some dead pelicans pointed to malnourishment. 

Oscar Dominguez, head of the 

ministry’s health department, said experts had 

ruled out bird flu. 

“The Health Ministry ... calls on the population 

to abstain from going to the beaches until 

the health alert is lifted,” the ministry said in a 

statement on its website, along with a photograph 

of a dead pelican. 

The ministry said officials had so far checked 

18 beaches in and around Lima for dead birds, 

but gave no details on any findings. “We’re starting 

from the hypothesis that it’s because the 

birds are young and unable to find enough food 

for themselves, and also because the sea temperature 

has risen and anchovies have moved 

elsewhere,” said Deputy Agriculture Minister 

Juan Rheineck. 

A mass pelican death along Peru’s northern 

coast in 1997 was blamed at the time on a shortage 

of feeder anchovies due to the El Nino 

weather phenomenon. Some were undeterred 

by the mysterious deaths. 

“We eat fresh fish on the quay of Chorrillos 

every day, and no fisherman has died yet, so 

don’t worry, it’s nothing,” said Gloria Rivera, a 

seafood restaurant owner. — Reuters 

At least 1,200 birds, mostly pelicans, washed up dead along a stretch of 

Peru’s northern Pacific coastline in recent weeks, health officials said. 

PORTLAND, Oregon: The Obama administration 

is buying into an ambitious healthcare 

initiative in Oregon, it has tentatively 

agreed to chip in $1.9 billion over five 

years to help get the program off the 

ground. 

Oregon hopes to prove that states can 

save billions on Medicaid without sacrificing 

the quality of health care. Gov John 

Kitzhaber’s plan would invest in preventive 

care to keep patients healthy so they don’t 

need expensive hospitalizations. 

“If this works, I think other states are 

going to be looking at this as a way to 

manage that patient population,” said 

Kitzhaber, a Democrat and former emergency 

room physician who has worked for 

decades on reforming the health care system. 

The federal government could save 

$1.5 trillion over the next 10 years if all 50 

states adopted Oregon’s approach, the 

governor has said. Medicaid, which provides 

health coverage for low-income 

Americans, is jointly funded by the state 

and federal governments. Federal officials 

have not yet agreed to grant Oregon a 

waiver from standard Medicaid regulations, 

which is needed for the program to 

be implemented and the money to be 

spent. 

The financial commitment from the US 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, while still not final, is a clear public 

endorsement of the concept and an 

indication that the administration believes 

the initiative holds promise to save money. 

The state anticipates savings of $11 billion 

to state and federal budgets over the next 

decade by reducing duplicated treatments 

and avoidable hospitalizations. 

Finding ways to slow the growth in 

health care costs is a critical challenge as 

baby boomers age and President Barack 

Obama’s health care overhaul extends coverage 

to millions more Americans, many of 

whom will join Medicaid in 2014. Under 

Obama’s Affordable Care Act, the federal 

government will pay most of the costs for 

the new patients. The Oregon plan would 

create “coordinated care organizations” to 

manage all mental, physical and dental 

care for 600,000 low-income patients on 

the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s 

Medicaid program. It would focus particularly 

on the sickest patients with the highest 

costs, especially people with chronic 

conditions such as diabetes and asthma or 

with mental health concerns. 

The care organizations would have to 

work within fixed budgets, with broad leeway 

to spend the way they think is best. 

The ones that are most successful at lower- 

wants to be a doctor when she grows up, who’s 

quick to help classmates with homework when 

she finishes her own. She also volunteers as a 

mentor at the Special Gifts Theatre, an acting 

troupe for children with special needs. One cognitively 

impaired girl needed help with her lines. 

“It’s fun,” Clara says, “to help someone and give 

them a better chance at life.” 

People often assume that Clara can’t speak or 

understand them. Her classmates at school, however, 

are perplexed that a reporter would be 

doing a story about her. 

“Why?” one asks. “Because Clara is awesome!” 

another quickly replies. The support is heartening, 

her parents say. This is what they hoped for their 

daughter, that she would be accepted, welladjusted 

and confident - though they also know 

that she has many challenges. When she goes to 

middle school next year, there will be new people 

to meet, new adjustments. Same with high 

school, college, dating. 

Doctors have told her parents that Clara is 

more likely to worry about her appearance when 

she reaches adolescence. “Those are hard things 

to think about in a world where your physical 

presence, the way you look, is so much a part of 

society and how people react,” says Eric Beatty, 

vice president of a manufacturing company. 

“But as any parent will know, you just get on 

with life.” Clara - the girl with big, brown eyes and 

an easy smile - has helped them truly learn how to 

do that. “We’re all learning that we’re just going 

to do what we’re going to do, and we’re not going 

to pay attention to what other people think,” 

Janet Beatty says. 

Still, the urge to protect will always be there. “I 

just don’t want her spirit to ever be crushed so 

much that she can’t recover,” she adds. “That’s why 

it’s good that she has the thick skin. I just want to 

keep it thick. “She needs it.” — AP 

Feds to put up $1.9bn for 

Oregon health overhaul 

ing costs would see the largest profits. 

The model makes it possible to pay for 

services that keep people healthy but 

don’t get much funding - such as paying 

caseworkers to make sure patients go to 

medical appointments and take their medications. 

The state Legislature overwhelmingly 

endorsed the idea this year and last, 

though some Republicans complained 

that it would increase the government’s 

role in health care. 

In a statement, Health and Human 

Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said 

Oregon’s plan “mirrors our plan at the 

national level under the Affordable Care 

Act.” “This is another example of how we 

are collaborating successfully with states 

in their efforts to find innovative health 

care solutions that work for their communities,” 

Sebelius said. Kitzhaber cleared his 

schedule at the last minute this week to fly 

to Washington, DC, and finalize the deal 

for the money. 

The federal money will lessen the 

impact of payment cuts to providers and 

help them pay the upfront costs of the 

new initiative before the savings can kick 

in. Oregon, facing a budget shortfall, 

planned to severely cut payments to doctors, 

hospitals and other care providers 

beginning this summer. 

Potential coordinated care organizations, 

which had been working to comply 

with proposed requirements, were eager 

to find out how much federal money 

would be available. Many will have to 

upgrade their computer systems so 

patient records can be shared, or hire new 

staff to manage patient care. They face a 

May 14 deadline to submit financial proposals 

to the state. 

The changes will initially apply only to 

Medicaid patients, but Kitzhaber wants to 

eventually extend it to government workers 

and the general public. 

State and federal officials are still negotiating 

the final details and hope to finish 

in time to make the first payment, $620 

million, on July 1. About 50 groups have 

applied to become coordinated care 

organizations, with some hoping to begin 

operating on Aug. 1. 

Federal money is a “transformational 

achievement” but there are still significant 

challenges looming, said Joe Robertson, 

president of Oregon Health & Science 

University in Portland, a hospital and medical 

school. “There is a lot of hard work 

ahead of us to achieve $11 billion in savings,” 

Robertson said. “Today’s news is 

encouraging, but we must always focus on 

long-term solutions.” —AP

Vladimir Lenin (left) sits in a park with Joseph V. Stalin. Syphilis probably 

didn’t kill Lenin. Stress, on the other hand, didn’t help, and poison may 

have done him in. That’s the conclusion of a doctor and a historian who 

examined medical records and other evidence for an annual University 

of Maryland School of Medicine conference on the deaths of famous figures. 

— AP 

Salmonella in dog food 

sickens 14 people in US 

COLUMBIA: Fourteen people in at 

least nine states have been sickened 

by salmonella after handling tainted 

dog food from a South Carolina plant 

that made headlines years ago when 

it produced food contaminated by 

toxic mold that killed dozens of dogs, 

federal officials said Friday. 

At least five people were hospitalized 

because of the dog food, which 

was made by Diamond Pet Foods at 

its plant in Gaston, S.C., the federal 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention said. No pets were sickened, 

according to the Meta, 

Montana-based company. 

“People who became ill, the thing 

that was common among them was 

that they had fed their pets Diamond 

Pet Foods,” said CDC spokeswoman 

Lola Russell. Three people each were 

infected in Missouri and North 

Carolina; two people in Ohio; and one 

person each in Alabama, Connecticut, 

Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania 

and Virginia, the CDC said. 

“Our folks are really wanting people 

to be aware of it. They want to be 

aware that this is causing people to 

get sick because they may have product 

in their homes. For every one that 

is reported, there may be 29 others,” 

Russell said. People can get salmonella 

by handling infected dog food, then 

not washing their hands before eating 

or handling their own food, health 

officials said. 

The South Carolina plant temporarily 

was shut down April 8. Diamond 

Pet Foods has issued four rounds of 

recalls for food made at the plant, 

located outside of Columbia, S.C., 

between Dec. 9 and April 7. The latest 

recalls were announced Friday. 

“We took corrective actions at the 

plant, and today the plant is up and 

running. Our mission is to produce 

safe pet foods for our customers and 

their pets in all Diamond facilities,” the 

company said in a written statement 

Friday. 

In 2005, a toxic mold called aflatoxin 

ended up in food made at the same 

Diamond Pet Foods plant in South 

Carolina and dozens of dogs died. The 

company offered a $3.1 million settlement. 

The Food and Drug 

Administration determined the deadly 

fungus likely got into the plant when 

it failed to test 12 shipments of corn. 

FDA officials were not immediately 

available for comment Friday on the 

most recent problems with the plant. 

Agriculture officials in Michigan found 

the strain of salmonella during routine 

testing of dog food on April 2 and 

health investigators noticed there was 

a possible link to the food made by 

Diamond Pet Foods. An ill person still 

had some of the food, and authorities 

were able to link the cases to the food, 

the CDC said. 

The recall covers a number of pet 

food brands made at the Gaston 

plant, including Canidae, Natural 

Balance, Apex, Kirkland, Chicken Soup 

for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Country Value, 

Diamond, Diamond Naturals, 

Premium Edge, Professional, 4Health 

and Taste of the Wild. —AP 

HEALTH 

BALTIMORE: Stress, family medical 

history or possibly even poison 

led to the death of Vladimir 

Lenin, contradicting a popular 

theory that a sexually-transmitted 

disease debilitated the former 

Soviet Union leader, a UCLA 

neurologist said on Friday. Dr. 

Harry Vinters and Russian historian 

Lev Lurie reviewed Lenin’s 

records Friday for an annual 

University of Maryland School of 

Medicine conference that examines 

the death of famous figures. 

The conference is held yearly at 

the school, where researchers in 

the past have re-examined the 

diagnoses of figures including 

King Tut, Christopher Columbus, 

Simon Bolivar and Abraham 

Lincoln. 

The 53-year-old Soviet leader 

suffered several strokes before 

dying in 1924 and what caused 

them isn’t clear. An autopsy 

found blood vessels in his brain 

were extremely hardened, 

results that have been difficult to 

understand, said Dr. Philip 

Mackowiak, who organizes the 

yearly event. 

“Number one, he’s so young 

and number two, he has none of 

the important risk factors,” 

Mackowiak said. Lenin didn’t 

smoke - he never let smokers 

near him. He also didn’t have 

diabetes, wasn’t overweight and 

the autopsy didn’t find any evidence 

of high blood pressure, 

said Mackowiak, director of the 

medical care clinical center of 

the VA Maryland Health Care 

System, a co-sponsor of the 

event. There was “considerable 

suspicion” among Russians at the 

time of Lenin’s death that 

syphilis was to blame, 

Mackowiak said. However, family 

history appears to have worked 

more against Lenin, Vinters said. 

Lenin was treated for syphilis 

using the primitive medications 

available at the time, and while 

the sexually transmitted disease 

can cause strokes, there is no 

evidence from his symptoms or 

the autopsy that was the case 

with Lenin, Vinters said. 

The Soviet leader’s father also 

died at 54 and both may have 

been predisposed to hardening 

of the arteries. Stress also is a risk 

factor for strokes, and there’s no 

question the communist revolutionary 

was under plenty of that, 

the neurologist said. 

“People were always trying to 

assassinate him, for example.” 

Vinters said. Lurie, a St. 

Petersburg-based expert in 

Russian history and politics who 

also spoke at the conference, 

said that while Lenin had several 

strokes, he believes Josef Stalin 

may finished him off with poison, 

a theory that Vinters said is 

a possibility. 

Lenin’s health had been growing 

worse over time. In 1921, he 


What killed Lenin? Stress 

didn’t help, poison eyed 

MEXICO CITY: When Norma 

Ramirez was diagnosed with 

cancer earlier this year, the 

mother of six had to decide 

whether to return to her native 

Mexico for treatment or stay in 

North Carolina and fight a 

deportation order after living 

illegally in the US for eight years. 

What she couldn’t foresee was 

the outpouring of support by 

the Mexican consulate in Raleigh 

and many other North 

Carolinians. Ramirez, 33, was 

diagnosed with a malignant 

growth on her urethra in January 

at WakeMed Hospital after 

undergoing several medical procedures. 

If she continued to 

receive treatment in the US, she 

faced being arrested and deported 

- leaving her two young U.S.born 

children behind. “When the 

hospital’s translator explained 

what the doctor had said, I 

decided I didn’t want to stay 

here because my children would 

have to return to Mexico by 

themselves if something happened 

to me,” said Ramirez, 

whose US-born children are 4 

and 5 years old. Yet if she 

returned to Mexico, she didn’t 

know where she’d receive medical 

treatment. Ramirez said she 

also thought of the four daughters 

she left behind in Mexico 

under the care of her mother. “I 

wanted my daughters to see me 

well, not lying on a bed, so I 

asked the consulate for help in 

getting back,” said Ramirez, who 

is originally from Guerrero state. 

The Mexican consulate in 

Raleigh offered to pay for the 

woman and her children to 

return to her native country and 

for treatment in a hospital in 

Acapulco, said Selene Barcelo, 

the deputy consul in Raleigh. All 

treatments, services and medications 

will be paid for by state 

insurance provided through the 

Mexican government, Barcelo 

said. Through its legal assistance 

program, the consulate also 

hired a lawyer to fight the deportation 

order. Ramirez had until 

March 9 to leave the country 

after being arrested in August of 

last year for driving with an 

expired license. She also had an 

outstanding warrant for failing 

to pay a speeding ticket issued 

in 2009 in Greensboro. 

The local Spanish-language 

weekly, Que Pasa, reported on 

Ramirez’s case. Lawyers, priests 

and dozens of strangers called 

and visited to offer their help. 

“So many people came to see 

me when I was in the hospital, 

people from Greensboro, Chapel 

Hill, Durham ... people from other 

states and even people from 

my hometown in Mexico, who 

learned about my illness by 

watching the news,” she said. 

forgot the words of a major 

speech and he had to learn to 

speak again and write with his 

left hand after one stroke. 

A major stroke later left him 

paralyzed on one side and 

unable to speak. However, Lurie 

said Lenin had recovered 

enough in early 1924 that he celebrated 

the new year and went 

hunting. Lenin, who supported 

Stalin’s rise to power, may have 

realized he made a mistake and 

began aligning himself with 

Leon Trotsky, which caused 

Stalin to poison Lenin, the historian 

said. 

Poisoning, in fact, eventually 

became one of Stalin’s favorite 

methods of disposing of enemies, 

Lurie said. “The funny thing is that 

the brain of Lenin still is preserved 

in Moscow, so we can investigate,” 

Lurie said. 

Lenin’s embalmed body also 

still lies on public display in a Red 

Square mausoleum almost 20 

years after the collapse of the 

communist state he helped bring 

to life. Vinters, who reviewed 

autopsy records and the leader’s 

clinical history, said toxicology 

tests that might have revealed 

poisoning were not conducted 

during the autopsy. Reports from 

the time also show Lenin was 

active and talking a few hours 

before his death. “And then he 

experienced a series of really, really 

bad convulsions which is quite 

unusual for someone who has a 

stroke,” Vinters said. —AP 

Community aid helps mother 

of six return to Mexico 

Among these “angels,” as she 

called them, were her friends 

Oneida Cristobal and Sotero 

RÌos. Rios was a childhood friend; 

she had worked with Cristobal. 

Cristobal stayed with her at 

Raleigh’s WakeMed Hospital, 

where Ramirez spent several 

weeks, and distributed donation 

boxes at Hispanic-owned stores 

in the area to help pay for her 

expenses. Rios stayed with 

Ramirez at night and holds power 

of attorney for her. Rios said 

she would follow Ramirez to 

Mexico. 

Ramirez arrived in Acapulco 

with her children April 16 and 

checked into Acapulco’s Cancer 

Institute. She still has many treatments 

ahead because the cancer 

has spread to other organs. “I feel 

well now,” she said. “I was greeted 

very nicely. I didn’t expect to see 

so many people. Even my mom 

and dad were there.” —AP

Greetings 

Many happy returns of the day on 7th birthday 

to our loving doll Arpita Debnath Mimi. 

We all wish her good health and success in 

every step. Best wishes come from Didun, 

Thakuma, mummy, papa, Mamoni (Setu), 

Mumu didi, Sharmi dude, Urmi didi, Sonu, 

Pinki, Sanat, Dolly, Ranti dada, Kona Pishi, 

Somy dada, Debu dada, Manu Kaka & Minu. 

May God bless her with a successful life. 

Announcements 

Korea Week 

Join us at the opening of the “Korea Week” from 7 pm to 

9 pm in the Embassy of the Republic of Korea. Also to the 

other programs during May 8-11, 2012 at Mishref, 

Diplomatic Zone 2, Block 7B, Plot 164. Programs of the 

Korea Week May 8, 7 pm - 9 pm. Day of Taste Korea. 

Opening ceremony, Korean food festival. Cultural activities 

& traditional games. May 9, 6 pm - 9 pm. Day of Buy 

Korea. Korean traditional wedding ceremony, kids hanbok 

fashion show, Korean product market & charity 

bazaar, cultural activities & traditional games May 10, 6 

pm - 9 pm. Day of Enjoy Korea K-POP contest, Korean 

product market & vharity bazaar, cultural activities & traditional 

games. May 11, 7 pm. Day of Feel Korea. Classical 

music concert performed by Korean students living in 

Kuwait at Abdulaziz Theater, Mishref. 

NAFO anniversary ‘Samagamam’ 

NAFO Kuwait (National Forum Kuwait) is all set to celebrate 

its 9th anniversary on Friday, May 11, 2012, at the 

American International School, Maidan-Hawally, at 6.30 

pm. T K A Nair, the adviser to the Prime Minister of India 

will be the chief guest of the function. Indian 

Ambassador Satish C Mehta will be the guest of honor. 

A cultural extravaganza ‘Samagamam’, a nostalgic event 

of harmony and festivity will be staged on the occasion 

presenting a multi-dimensional visual experience to the 

audience. Renowned Mohiniyattam exponent and recipient 

of many awards Vinita Nedungady, well-known 

Malayalam playback singer Rajalakshmi and violinist and 

promising playback singer Vivekanandan are among the 

celebrities who will perform during the cultural show. 

For more details, please contact: contact@nafoglobal.org 

Tel: 99660428, 97206792, 99260356. 

Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main 

ICS gears to a new cultural entertainment in “Zara Sa 

Jhoom Loon Main” with renowned playback singer from 

Bollywood Abhijeet & world fame theater cum comedy 

king Umar Sharif from Pakistan on 18th May Friday, at 7 

pm sharp. The Chief Guest for the event will be 

Ambassador of India, Kuwait. Also guest of honor will be 

prominent personalities from Kuwait & respected 

embassies from different countries. So join @ Dr Kamil Al 

Rayes Auditorium, AIS opposite Police Station Maidan 

Hawally Kuwait. For gate passes log on to www.icskuwait.com 

/ ics.kuwait@gmail.com 

/ novestin@gmail.com 

Planning your future 

The Public Affairs Section at the US Embassy, in cooperation 

with the Ministry of Higher Education, and in coordination 

with Amideast, will hold a seminar tomorrow May 

8, 2012, entitled “Planning your Future: An Introduction 

to the US Higher Education System.” 

Visiting Regional Educational Advising Coordinator for 

the Middle East and North Africa Ms Kristen Cammarata, 

representatives from the US Embassy, the Kuwait 

Ministry of Higher Education, and the Public Authority 

for the Disabled (PAD) will talk about opportunities of 

higher education in US universities for distinguished students, 

including students with disabilities. The Embassy 

encourages Kuwaiti students in government and private 

high-schools, especially those who are registered in the 

11th and 12th classes, students registered in scholarships 

to the U.S. as well as parents who are interested in 

higher education in Kuwait to attend the seminar on 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at the Kuwait Graduates Society, 

Bnaid Al-Qar, Al-Soor street at 07:00 pm. 

30 

WHAT’S ON 

AUK student participates in 

Applied Computing Conference 

In alignment with its mission to 

provide students with intensive 

hands-on experience, the AUK 

recently introduced Computer 

Engineering Program hasadded the 

first student contribution to the 

world of undergraduate research. 

Fatma Qatan, an AUK Computer 

Engineering Junior student, presented 

her project “Performance 

Analysis of Lightweight Block 

Ciphers” at the Annual Conference 

on Undergraduate Research on 

Applied Computing (URC’12), in 

Dubai, UAE. 

Under the supervision of Dr. 

Issam Damaj, Program Lead of 

Computer Engineering, Qatan’s 

research focused on providing a 

performance profile for several 

ciphers running within different 

computing environments. The proposed 

performance analysis classifies 

the investigated algorithms 

according to a combination of several 

heterogeneous characteristics. 

The developed benchmark compares 

the profile findings with 

respect to reference implementations 

by producing performance 

ratios for each measurement. 

Accordingly, an overall Indicator is 

determined by the statistical combination 

of all the calculated ratios. 

The overall Indicator provides a 

Achance to relish ice cream during summer is 

something hardly anyone of us would miss. 

And IIS does it, but in a different way by celebrating 

“Ice-Cream Day” every year. The students of 

classes I and II has a ‘Get The Cone’ day on 19th April. 

It was a day the students were eagerly waiting for. 

They enjoyed the chunkiest, funkiest ice cream 

flavours of vanilla, strawberry, mango and chocolate. 

It was a real treat when it was topped with tutti frutti, 

sprinkles, choconuts and wafers. They gulped as 

quantitative classification criterion 

and an effective tool for benchmarking. 

Lightweight ciphers are 

employed for security in environments 

where resources are limited. 

The URC conference, hosted 

annually by the College of 

Information Technology at Zayed 

University, aims to promote undergraduate 

research activity at educational 

institutions in the MENA 

region. The conference provides a 

forum for students to present their 

work and interact with other young 

researchers, faculty, and industrial 

leaders. AUK was the only representative 

of Kuwait in the conference 

this year. Other participants came 

from different countries including 

Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Oman, 

Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Iraq, 

Palestine, Bahrain, and Jordan. 

Dr. Damaj commented on his student’s 

achievement saying, “I’m 

delighted with Fatma’s achievement. 

Fatma started her research 

under my supervision in the summer 

of her Junior year; which is two 

years ahead of her major’s capstone. 

She has shown exemplary dedication 

and determination to complete 

the presented project. In addition, 

Fatma has put great effort in her 

development, measurements, and 

facts checking. I’m very pleased to 

see one of our students demonstrating 

lifelong learning and critical 

thinking skills, besides, showing a 

good understanding of contemporary 

scientific issues. I will not be 

surprised to see Fatma presenting 

an extension of her work in an international 

event. We will remember 

for a long time that Fatma was the 

first Computer Engineering student 

that made such a contribution.” 

The Computer Engineering (CE) 

program at AUK formally started in 

Fall 2009, with a focus on providing 

students with intensive high-quality 

hands-on experiences. Through this 

program, AUK aims to fulfill the 

requirement in Kuwait for a superior 

quality, technologically advanced 

and well-rounded educational program 

that can compete with high 

quality North American universities. 

The Computer Engineering program 

is centered on the key principles of 

liberal arts and science while providing 

students with exposure and 

access to contemporary technology 

and applications. 

AUK is the only private university 

in Kuwait that offers an independent 

Computer Engineering undergraduate 

degree, modeled on 

unique pillars providing a wellrounded 

and wholesome approach 

to education. 

Students from The British School of 

Kuwait have had their most successful 

robotics season yet, returning as 

quarter finalists from the 8th Regional 

Botball Robotics Challenge held at 

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. It was 

a day to be proud of for members of 

BStroniKs, the school’s robotics team, as in 

addition to progressing so far in the competition 

they were also the only school 

chosen to receive the Judge’s Choice 

Award. This is the second consecutive year 

that the team from BSK have been chosen 

for this accolade. 

Educational Robotics is available to students 

at BSK as part of the extensive extracurricular 

program offered by the school. 

The students from Years 9 - 13 get very 

involved and excited about the programme, 

building a robot and getting it to 

work is challenging. They get engaged 

with science, technology, computer science, 

sensors, mechanical engineering, 

electronics - a whole range of areas that 

they bring together to get their robot to 

perform. Students learn to programme 

their robots using C, the most widely used 

programming language in industry and 

much ice cream as they wanted. Kids danced and had 

fun to the different tunes of ice cream songs. The 

message of ice cream being a fun and nutritious food 

made the day successful. The children came in their 

colourful costumes of ice cream flavours. The girls 

were looking beautiful as they were adorned with 

paper jewellery of matching colours. The ground 

gave a festive look with all colourful butterflies walking 

around with ice cream cones. It added zest to 

their day when they clubbed it with Earth day activi- 

Fatma Qatan 

BSK students win award in Qatar 


academia. Botball gives students the tools 

to develop sophisticated strategies using 

artificial intelligence with embedded systems. 

Participating in Robotics at BSK 

gives students the opportunity to try out 

to be a member of the school Robotics 

team, BStroniKs and compete at the annual 

Robotics Tournament, Botball which 

involves team members travelling to 

Carnegie Mallon University, Qatar on two 

occasions throughout the season. 

The annual Botball season kicked off in 

Doha with a two-day workshop followed 

by an eight week build period in which 

time they learn about current robotics 

technologies and how to apply the physics 

and maths concepts to design, build and 

program the competing robots to 

manoeuvre autonomously across a game 

board, performing tasks according to the 

program theme. The students returned 

from the Qatar Tournament feeling justifiably 

proud of their achievements. They 

have learned a lot and are confident of 

building on their success next year. 

India International School opens doors to summer fun 

Nature plays Muse - a labour of love! 

On the morning of Friday 20 April 

2012 AMMA Kuwait and PART of 

Kuwait (Progressive Art 

Realization Troop) jointly played host to 

pre-registered student artists and their 

parents who participated in Prakruti 

2012, a landscape painting workshop 

that was conducted at the Al-Jawhara Al- 

Ahlea School in Riggae. 

The workshop that was inaugurated 

by the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait 

Satish Chand Mehta captured the 

nuances of nature through the paintings 

of children who showed up in large numbers 

despite inclement weather. Haridas 

Warrier of AMMA Kuwait and Artist 

Sreenivasan of PART extended a warm 

welcome to participants and distinguished 

guests. A CD of Embracing the 

World was released by Dr. Nampoori on 

this occasion by presenting it to the 

Indian Ambassador. 

Thereafter, Artist Sreenivasan supported 

by Artist Mukundan spoke extensively 

on various techniques of landscape 

painting sharing many valuable 

tips. Artist Sasikrishnan demystified the 

art of landscape painting by giving an indepth 

and interesting explanation about 

the intricacies of landscape painting 

while Artist Sunil Pookode demonstrated 

the same creating a marvelous landscape 

in a span of few minutes. 

The inspiration of AMMA Kuwait, Mata 

Amritanandamayi Devi synonymous with 

global humanitarian efforts was captured 

on canvas by Artist Shammy John 

who presented the portrait to 

Madhavankutty Menon of AMMA Kuwait. 

A 15 panel exhibition meticulously put 

together by Manjula, Arun and Rakesh 

displaying the charitable works of Mata 

Amritanandamayi Devi was a major highlight 

of the event. 

The 5 hour workshop commenced 

immediately after the inaugural function 

and brought out the artist in young children 

under the exemplary guidance of 

professional artists Sherly, Arun, Maju, 

Sagar, Abraham, Nikesh, Bindu, Deepa 

Namboothiri, Suresh, Sreejith, Prinson 

and Nidhish supported by tireless AMMA 

Kuwait volunteers supervised by Vidya. 

Painting paraphernalia was provided by 

AMMA Kuwait. The materials for the 

event were provided by philanthropic 

organizations such as Al Mullah 

International Exchange Co., LIC 

International, HOV Group of Companies, 

Al Naji Infotech. 

As the day progressed ideas and 

colours blended with each other at the 

tips of the brushes of the young artists 

giving birth to calm oceans, mighty 

mountains, puffy clouds and Constable 

country sides on their canvasses. Today 

the world is tormented by tribulations of 

different sorts and love seems scarce. 

But, the images that manifested on the 

canvasses of the young artists kindled 

hope of a brighter future. “The work of 

children clearly demonstrated that 

objective beauty exists and that the 

world is beautiful and interesting like a 

mansion of joy revealing their love for 

truth and honesty” is what well known 

artist Prasanna Rajkumar had to say. 

“An Oasis in the midst of a desert”, the 

words of renowned artist Sasikrishnan 

sums it all. He went on to explain how, in 

current times and trends, art workshops 

such as Prakruti 2012 go a long way to 

inspire and spur creativity and imagina- 

tion in young minds”. 

Molly of AMMA Kuwait spiced the 

event with brilliant compering and frequent 

art related quiz that kept the 

young minds alert. The other attractions 

of the workshop were an exhibition of 

previous works of the participants and 

the Wall of Free Spirits that was open for 

expression by any lover of art. The 

Workshop ended with the distribution of 

certificates to all participants by the 

artists of PART. 

As Earth Day celebrations gathered 

impetus in many parts of the world, it 

was an amazing spectacle that nature 

lovers in Kuwait witnessed before their 

eyes on the dusty Friday. In short 

Prakruti 2012 was a rare union of art, talent, 

beauty and love. The coming together 

of accomplished artists and connoisseurs 

of art in an environment conducive 

to creativity left an indelible mark in all 

those who participated in Prakruti 2012. 

As Sasikrishnan says, “the future is 

infinite to an exploring mind”, one hopes 

that Prakruti 2012 has given birth to a 

Picasso! 

ties of finger paint. Director Moosa koya, Principal 

F.M.Basheer Ahmed and Vice Principal Narinder Kaur 

joined the event and appreciated the efforts of class 

I &II teachers for making this event a wonderful 

event. Sophy John, coordinator thanked the authorities 

and teachers for making Tiny Tots’ stay enjoyable 

on this marvelous day.

31 

WHAT’S ON 

GUST artists and musicians 

shine at Art & Music exhibit 

The Gulf University for Science and 

Technology (GUST) organized the 3day 

Annual Student Art and Music 

Exhibitionwhich wasopened by Dr. Sabah 

Al-Quaddoomi, Vice President of Academic 

Services who was thoroughly impressed 

by the quality of work and raw talent of 

GUST music and art students. The goal of 

the exhibit was to showcase the musical 

and artistic pieces of the students which 

they have worked so hard to complete. 

Dr. Ali Al-Kandari, Dean of Admission 

and Registration, Dr. Mesfer Mesfer, 

Student Affairs Consultantwere also present 

for the opening of the event showing 

their support for their students talent and 

noted their pride in the students’ efforts 

and hard work and will continue to provide 

them with the tools they need to thrive. 

The number of students participating in 

the event increase each year. And each 

year, not only brings new outstanding tal- 

ent, but hones and grows the talents’ of 

students who’ve participated in the past. 

Although this is a hobby for most of the 

students in participation, it is their passion. 

And GUST tries to encourage the expression 

of passion and talent in balance with 

academic excellence, as the university 

believes in helping a student become as 

well-rounded and accomplished in everything 

they do. The aura in the room was 

filled with positivity, as the students 

explained their pieces to Dr. Al- 

Quaddoomi and other guests in attendance. 

This event is one GUST’s most popular 

events due to the talent which is represents. 

The exhibit is open to the public today 

May 7 and tomorrow May 8, 2012 from 

9am-1pm and 4pm to 8:30pm. 

KES students enjoy visit to Porsche Kids Driving School 

Over 400 Early Years students 

from Kuwait English School 

(KES) participated in the Fawzia 

Sultan Rehabilitation Institute’s Road 

and Traffic Safety Initiative in support 

of the WHO-UN Global Decade of 

Action 2011-2021 on Road and Traffic 

Safety, under the Patronage of His 

Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud 

Al- Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Interior. 

The Porsche Early Childhood Road 

and Traffic Safety Program is sponsored 

by Porsche Centre Kuwait, 

Behbehani Motors Company, with a 

new field trip centre located at Qadsia 

Sports Club, Hawally. 

Children from Kuwait English School 

Prep Department enjoyed fun-filled 

educational visits where they learnt 

the Golden Rules of Road Safety, 

played the traffic lights game and 

drove their very own Porsche pedal 

cars around the specially designed 

indoor road circuit. The children were 

presented with certificates and activity 

books along with their very own 

Porsche Kids driving licence, cap and 

certificate of participation. Everyone 

agreed “It was soooo much fun!” 

ABS girls’ history trip to Belgium & France 

Following on from a very successful 

boys’ trip the previous week, it was 

the ABS girls turn to enjoy the 

adventure. Unfortunately the weather 

wasn’t quite as good as the previous 

week which meant their visit to 

Disneyland Paris was dampened by the 

rain! Spirits remained high and by 

Tuesday 24th they were able to take 

some spectacular photographs next to 

the River Seine and the Eiffel Tower, 

before taking the long bus ride to 

Belgium. 

The journey was broken up with a visit 

to ChocolaterieLedoux to see how 

Belgium chocolates are made and, of 

course, tasting them!! The journey ended 

when they reached their second destination 

of Langemark. 

Again, as with the boys’ trip, the first 

two days were spent looking at the history 

of the region. At Riksmuide they 

caught the Last Post at Menin Gate 

where an anniversary ceremony was 

held for Australians who died at Gallipoli. 

Thursday 26th began with a visit to Vimy 

Ridge and the Somme Museum before 

heading to Normandy and Centre Bon 

Sejour. The girls really enjoyed the 

beach and the clear skies meant they 

could see the coast of England across 

the Channel. 

On Friday 27th the girls were given an 

informative tour of the D-Day landing 

sites and the American Memorial. The 

trip then went on to visit the Canadian 

Juno Beach Museum and the William the 

Conqueror Castle before returning to 

Paris on Saturday 28th for some souvenir 

shopping along the Champs Elyssee and 

preparing for the flight home to Kuwait 

the following day. 

Embassy 

Information 


EMBASSY OF BRAZIL 

The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian 

citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website 

www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / 

Fale Conosco) in order to register or 

update contact information. The Embassy encourages 

all citizens to do so, including the ones who 

have already registered in person at the Embassy. 

The registration process helps the Brazilian 

Government to contact and assist Brazilians living 

abroad in case of any emergency. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF CANADA 

The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, 

Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please 

visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The 

Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 

15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is 

closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. 

Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided 

from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through 

Wednesday. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi 

provides visa and immigration services to residents 

of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, 

working or immigrating to Canada are invited 

to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the 

UAE at www.uae.gc.ca. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS 

The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus 

requests Cypriot citizens living in Kuwait to 

register with the Embassy has moved. This 

registration service is provided so that the 

Embassy can update its contact list and assist 

Cypriot citizens in cases of emergencies. 

Registration information can be emailed to 

cyprusembassykwt@gmail.com or faxed to 

22253227 or given by phone to 65906048 

(Mrs Christine). 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF KOREA 

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea 

wishes to inform that it has moved to 

Mishref. New Address: Embassy of the 

Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, 

Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes 

to inform that it will be opened to the public on 

the following office hours: Saturday to Thursday 

Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm 

Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm 

Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR 

Embassy of the Republic of the Union of 

Myanmar would like to inform the general 

public that the Embassy has moved its office 

to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al- 

Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to 

advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar 

to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. 

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF NEPAL 

The Embassy of Nepal will be moving from 

its current location to a new place in Jabriya, 

Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from 

15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone connections 

are installed, the Embassy may be contacted 

by email: info@nepembku.org 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA 

The Nigerian embassy has its new office in 

Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For 

enquires please call 25379541. Fax- 

25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com 

or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF ROMANIA 

The Embassy of Romania to the State of 

Kuwait would like to inform that the Consular 

Section of the Embassy will be closed for 

construction works beginning with 18 April 

2012, till 10 May 2012. During this period of time the 

Consular Section will not issue any type of visas for 

Romania and will not issue any Romanian passports 

or travel documents. The Consular Section will only 

be able to assist with notary deeds. We would like to 

apologize for any inconvenience. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF SLOVAKIA 

The Embassy of the Slovak Republic in 

Kuwait would like to inform the public 

that on the occasion of Labor Day, the 

Embassy will be closed on Tuesday, May the 1st. 

The Embassy will also be closed on the occasion 

of Liberation Day on Tuesday, May the 8th. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF THAILAND 

The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to 

invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business 

with Thai companies or those agencies 

of Thai commercial companies to visit the 

Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant 

information to be part of the embassy’s business 

and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is 

located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, 

Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14. 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE 

We’d like to inform you that in response to 

the increasing number of our citizens who 

work in the state and the need for 24-hour 

operational telephone in case of emergency 

the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of 

Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - 

(+ 965) 972-79-206. 

Write to us 

Send to What’s On 

upcoming events, birthdays or 

celebrations by email: 

local@kuwaittimes.net 

Fax: 24835619 / 20

Classifieds 

ACCOMMODATION 

Wanted room-mate Indian 

only, near Garanada 

Cinema and KFH, Khaitan. 

Contact: 66141908 after 

5pm only. (C 3989) 

Sharing accommodation 

available in Salmiya, Block- 

4, for male bachelors, prefer 

vegetarians. Contact: 

50181570. (C 3990) 

7-5-2012 

Sharing accommodation 

available at Abbasiya near 

United Indian School in a C- 

A/C new building with double 

(separate) bath room 

and double bedroom flat 

with Keralite Christian family. 

Preference for working 

ladies and couples only. 

Contact: 66324234. 

(C 3987) 


MATRIMONIAL 

Marriage proposals invited 

from parents of RC 

Christian Nadar family, 30 

years old boy, fair, 163 cm 

height, working in Dar Al 

Shifa hospital, engineering 

department. Email: 

benadict.xavier@gmail.com 

(C 3988) 


CHANGE OF NAME 

I, Vohra Kutbuddin Kikabhai 

holder of Indian passport No. 

E6247160 hereby change my 

name to Raja Kutbuddin 

Kikabhai. 

(C 3985) 

I, Shaik Younus, S/o, Shaik 

Ahmed, resident of H.No. 17- 

1-341/2, Darga Barhanashah, 

Santoshnagar, Hyderabad 

that I am holder of Indian 

passport No. E-6703568 

issued Hyderabad, A.P. that I 

am intending to change my 

name as Shaik Younus 

instead of my old name 

Mohammed Younus. 

(C 3986) 


Prayer timings 

Fajr: 03:34 

Duhr: 11:45 

Asr: 15:20 

Maghrib: 18:29 

Isha: 19:54 

THE PUBLIC 

AUTHORITY FOR 

CIVIL INFORMATION 

Automated enquiry 

about the Civil ID card is 1889988 

112 

I, Naranga Valappil Gaffer, 

holder of Indian passport 

No. E2897263 hereby 

change my name to Jafar 

Narangavalappil. (C 3984) 


FOR SALE 

Laptop HP, Core2Duo, Ram 

1GB, HD 120 GB, Wifi, 

Bluetooth, Display 15.4”. PC 

Siemens Core2Duo, Ram 2 

GB, HD 160 GB, DVD Writer, 

Card reader, LCD 17” 

Multimedia, both excellent 

condition. Contact: 

99337034. 


Volvo 940, model 98, KD 

750. Tel: 66464874. 

(C 3983) 

Household goods at 

throwaway prices, beds, 

sofa sets, cupboards, lamps, 

dishwasher, deep freezer, 

dining table with 6 chairs, 

heaters, curtains, computer 

table, CD players, Ikea racks, 

roller blinds, Tel: 99510519 / 

66210509. (C 3981) 


SITUATION VACANT 

Required English speaking 

nanny / maid. Please call 

99824597. (C 3982) 


Ministry of Interior 

website: www.moi.gov.kw 

For labor-related inquiries 

and complaints: 

Call MSAL hotline 128 

Arrival Flights on Monday 7/5/2012 

Airlines Flt Route Time 

JZR 185 DUBAI 0:15 

QTR 148 DOHA 0:20 

JZR 539 CAIRO 0:30 

ETH 620 ADDIS ABABA 1:45 

GFA 211 BAHRAIN 2:20 

UAE 853 DUBAI 2:25 

ETD 305 ABU DHABI 2:30 

DHX 370 BAHRAIN 2:55 

FDB 67 DUBAI 3:10 

MSR 612 CAIRO 3:20 

QTR 138 DOHA 3:25 

JZR 503 LUXOR 3:55 

THY 770 ISTANBUL 4:35 


FCX 201 DUBAI 5:30 

KAC 412 MANILA 6:15 

BAW 157 LONDON 6:30 

JZR 529 ASSIUT 6:40 

KAC 206 ISLAMABAD 7:15 


KAC 302 MUMBAI 7:50 

KAC 352 COCHIN 8:05 

KAC 362 COLOMBO 8:20 


ABY 125 SHARJAH 8:30 

KAC 284 DHAKA 8:45 

QTR 132 DOHA 9:00 



KAC 344 CHENNAI 9:45 


IRC 6521 LAMERD 10:15 

MEA 404 BEIRUT 10:55 


MSR 618 ALEXANDRIA 11:25 

JZR 561 SOHAG 12:25 



KAC 672 DUBAI 13:40 


OMA 645 MUSCAT 14:00 

KNE 472 JEDDAH 14:15 

QTR 140 DOHA 14:25 

SVA 500 JEDDAH 14:30 

RJA 640 AMMAN 14:55 

KAC 788 JEDDAH 15:00 

JZR 257 BEIRUT 15:00 

KAC 546 ALEXANDRIA 15:05 

QTR 134 DOHA 15:15 

SYR 341 DAMASCUS 15:55 

KAC 118 NEW YORK 16:00 



UAE UAE DUBAI 16:55 


SVA 510 RIYADH 17:20 

UAL 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 17:25 


BAB 436 BAHRAIN 17:35 

JZR 777 JEDDAH 17:40 



KAC 542 CAIRO 18:15 



KAC 104 LONDON 18:45 

MSR 620 ASSIUT 19:10 

KAC 618 DOHA 19:20 


KAC 742 DAMMAM 19:30 

JAI 572 MUMBAI 19:35 

KAC 774 RIYADH 19:40 



QTR 146 DOHA 20:25 


ALK 229 COLOMBO 20:55 


JZR 135 BAHRAIN 21:15 


BBC 43 DHAKA 21:25 


QTR 136 DOHA 21:35 


AIC 975 CHENNAI 22:25 


UAL 981 BAHRAIN 22:40 

TAR 327 TUNIS 22:55 

JZR 239 AMMAN 22:55 

DLH 636 FRANKFURT 23:10 


KLM 411 AMSTERDAM 23:40 

PIA 239 SIALKOT 23:45 

Departure Flights on Monday 7/5/2012 

Airlines Flt Route Time 

AIC 982 AHMEDABAD 0:05 

UAL 981 WASHINGTON DC 0:25 

DLH 637 FRANKFURT 0:30 

PIA 206 PESHAWAR 1:10 


ETH 621 ADDIS ABABA 2:45 






QTR 139 DOHA 4:50 

QTR 149 DOHA 5:40 

JZR 560 SOHAG 6:00 




KAC 545 ALEXANDRIA 8:10 

BAW 156 LONDON 8:25 


JZR 256 BEIRUT 9:00 






QTR 133 DOHA 10:00 

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 

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




IRC 6522 LAMERD 11:15 

KAC 541 CAIRO 11:30 

KAC 165 ROME 11:45 


JZR 776 JEDDAH 12:15 

MSR 619 ASSIUT 12:25 

KAC 103 LONDON 12:30 






OMA 646 MUSCAT 15:00 


KNE 473 JEDDAH 15:15 

KAC 617 DOHA 15:45 

SVA 501 JEDDAH 15:45 

RJA 641 AMMAN 15:50 

QTR 135 DOHA 16:15 

KAC 773 RIYADH 16:25 

KAC 741 DAMMAM 16:30 

SYR 342 DAMASCUS 16:55 


JZR 238 AMMAN 17:30 


QTR 141 DOHA 17:45 



JZR 134 BAHRAIN 18:20 


SVA 511 RIYADH 18:35 

UAL 982 BAHRAIN 18:40 


BAB 439 BAHRAIN 19:35 


MSR 621 ALEXANDRIA 20:10 

KAC 283 DHAKA 20:15 

JAI 571 MUMBAI 20:35 


KAC 331 TRIVANDRUM 20:50 

KAC 351 KOCHI 21:05 



JZR 502 LUXOR 21:45 


ALK 230 COLOMBO 21:55 




FCX 102 BAHRAIN 22:30 

QTR 137 DOHA 22:35 

KAC 301 MUMBAI 22:40 

KAC 205 ISLAMABAD 22:45 

JZR 554 ALEXANDRIA 23:00 


BBC 44 DHAKA 23:05 

QTR 147 DOHA 23:10 


KAC 411 BANGKOK 23:40 

TAR 328 DUBAI 23:45

Ophthalmologists 

Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 

Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 

Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 

Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 

Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 

Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 

Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) 

Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 

Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 

Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 

Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 

Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 

Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 

Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 

General Practitioners 

Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 

Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 

Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 

Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 

Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 

Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 

Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 

Urologists 

Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 

Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 

Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 

Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 

Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 

Psychologists 

/Psychotherapists 

PRIVATE CLINICS 

Soor Center 

Tel: 2290-1677 

Fax: 2290 1688 

Plastic Surgeons 

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272 

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700 

Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60 

Family Doctor 

Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581 

Psychiatrists 

Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047 

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0 

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians 

DrAdrian arbe 23729596/23729581 

Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321 

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539 

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406 

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272 

Dr. Salem soso 22618787 

General Surgeons 

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044 

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148 

Internists, Chest & Heart 

Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939 

Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300 

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004 

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515 

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446 

Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3 

info@soorcenter.com 

www.soorcenter.com 

Paediatricians 

Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898 

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300 

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444 

Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099 

Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514 

Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100 

Dr. 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 

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 

Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677 

Endocrinologist 

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330 

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 

Physiotherapists & VD 

Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291 

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288 

Rheumatologists: 

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060 

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290 

Internist, Chest & Heart 

DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210 

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid 

MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC 

Assistant Professor Of Medicine 

Head, Division of Cardiology 

Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital 

Consultant Cardiologist 

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 

MD, PH.D, FACC 

Inaya German Medical Center 

Te: 2575077 

Fax: 25723123 

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 

Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677 


FIRE BRIGADE 

Al-Madena 22418714 

Al-Shohada’a 22545171 

Al-Shuwaikh 24810598 

Al-Nuzha 22545171 

Sabhan 24742838 

Al-Helaly 22434853 

Al-Fayhaa 22545051 

Al-Farwaniya 24711433 

Al-Sulaibikhat 24316983 

Al-Fahaheel 23927002 

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh 24316983 

Ahmadi 23980088 

Al-Mangaf 23711183 

Al-Shuaiba 23262845 

Al-Jahra 25610011 

Al-Salmiya 25616368 

POLICE STATION 

Al-Madena Police Station 22434064 

Al-Murqab Police Station 22435865 

Al-Daiya Police Station 22544200 

Al-Fayha’a Police Station 22547133 

Al-Qadissiya Police Station 22515277 

Al-Nugra Police Station 22616662 

Al-Salmiya Police Station 25714406 

Al-Dasma Police Station 22530801

00:45 Untamed & Uncut 

01:40 Lions And Giants 

02:35 Wildest Arctic 

03:30 In Search Of The Giant 

Anaconda 

04:25 Venom Hunter With Donald 

Schultz 

05:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 

05:45 Safari Sisters 

06:10 Animal Cops Philadelphia 

07:00 Orangutan Island 

07:25 Growing Up... 

08:15 The Really Wild Show 

08:40 Cats Of Claw Hill 

09:10 Your Pet Wants This, Too! 

10:05 The Animals’ Guide To 

Survival 

11:00 Animal Precinct 

11:55 Animal Cops South Africa 

12:50 Wildlife SOS 

13:45 Wild Africa Rescue 


14:40 The Animals’ Guide To 

Survival 

15:30 Animal Battlegrounds 

16:00 The Really Wild Show 

16:30 Wild Animal Orphans 

17:00 Natural Born Hunters 

17:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 

18:20 Must Love Cats 


19:40 Escape To Chimp Eden 

20:10 Great Ocean Adventures 

21:05 Wildest Africa 

22:00 Great Animal Escapes 

22:55 Baboons With Bill Bailey 

23:50 Animal Cops Phoenix 

00:00 Newsday 

00:30 India Business Report 

01:00 Newsday 

01:30 Asia Business Report 

01:45 Sport Today 

02:00 Newsday 



03:00 Newsday 

03:30 Hardtalk 

04:00 BBC World News 

04:30 World Business Report 















11:00 GMT With George Alagiah 




13:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 





16:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 



18:00 World News Today With 

Zeinab Badawi 


Zeinab Badawi 


Zeinab Badawi 



20:00 BBC World News America 





22:00 BBC World News America 






00:10 Duck Dodgers 

00:35 The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop 

01:00 Tom & Jerry Kids 

01:25 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 

01:50 The Jetsons 

02:15 Puppy In My Pocket 

02:40 Popeye 

03:00 Tom & Jerry 

03:25 Looney Tunes 

03:50 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 

04:15 Droopy: Master Detective 

04:40 Wacky Races 

05:00 The Flintstones 


05:50 Popeye Classics 

06:00 Dexters Laboratory 

06:30 Bananas In Pyjamas 

06:55 Baby Looney Tunes 

07:20 Gerald McBoing Boing 

07:45 Ha Ha Hairies 

08:00 Pink Panther And Pals 

08:25 The Garfield Show 

08:50 Dastardly And Muttley 




10:25 Duck Dodgers 

10:50 Tom & Jerry Kids 



12:00 Jelly Jamm 







15:25 Puppy In My Pocket 



17:05 Moomins 


18:10 Dexter’s Laboratory 

19:00 Jelly Jamm 



19:55 Gerald McBoing Boing 

20:20 Bananas In Pyjamas 









23:45 New Yogi Bear Show 

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 

01:20 Powerpuff Girls 

02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 

03:00 The Amazing World Of 

Gumball 

03:25 Ben 10 

03:50 Adventure Time 


04:40 Generator Rex 

05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 

05:55 Angelo Rules 

06:00 Casper’s Scare School 

06:50 The Powerpuff Girls 


07:40 Regular Show 

08:05 Grim Adventures Of... 


09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 


11:25 Scooby-Doo! Mystery 

Incorporated 

12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 

13:05 Ben 10: Alien Force 

13:30 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 

13:55 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 

14:20 Camp Lazlo 


15:35 Angelo Rules 

16:25 Grim Adventures Of... 

17:15 The Amazing World Of 

Gumball 


18:05 Regular Show 

18:30 Ben 10 

18:55 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 

19:20 Hero 108 

THE TENDER HOOK ON OSN CINEMA 

19:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery 

Incorporated 


21:00 Ben 10: Alien Force 

21:25 The Powerpuff Girls 

21:50 Cow And Chicken 

22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 

22:50 Ben 10 

23:40 Chowder 

06:00 Kid vs Kat 

06:20 American Dragon 

06:45 Rekkit Rabbit 

07:10 Pokemon: Black And White 

07:35 Timon And Pumbaa 

08:00 Phineas And Ferb 


08:25 Pair Of Kings 

08:50 Kick Buttowski 

09:15 Zeke & Luther 

09:40 I’m In The Band 



10:55 The Avengers: Earths 

Mightiest Heroes 

11:20 Aaron Stone 


12:10 American Dragon 

12:35 Kick Buttowski 


13:25 I’m In The Band 


14:10 Pair Of Kings 

14:35 Zeke & Luther 


00:40 Dynamo: Magician Impossible 

06:05 Mythbusters 

07:00 Futurecar 


08:45 Ultimate Survival 

09:40 Border Security 

10:05 Auction Hunters 

10:30 How It’s Made 

10:55 How Stuff’s Made 

11:25 Gold Rush 

12:20 Gold Divers 

13:15 Swamp Loggers 



15:05 Coal 

16:00 Twist The Throttle 

16:55 Wheeler Dealers 

17:20 Ultimate Survival 


19:10 How It’s Made 

19:40 Factory Line 



21:00 Scrappers 

21:30 Gold Rush 

22:25 Gold Divers 

23:20 Alone In The Wild 

00:35 Cool Stuff & How It Works 

01:00 Cool Stuff & How It Works 

01:25 The Tech Show 

01:50 The X-Testers 

04:25 Are We Alone? 

06:10 Mean Green Machines 

07:00 The Gadget Show 

07:50 Mighty Ships 

08:40 Killer Robots: Robogames 

2011 

09:35 Punkin Chunkin 2010 

10:25 Weird Connections 

11:20 Smash Lab 


13:05 Moon Machines 

13:55 Weird Connections 

14:50 Stunt Junkies 

15:40 The Tech Show 



17:50 Moon Machines 

18:40 Mega Builders 

19:30 Superships 




22:00 Mega Builders 

22:50 Superships 


TV PROGRAMS 

00:55 Style Star 

01:25 THS 

02:20 E! Investigates 

04:10 Sexiest 

05:05 Then And Now 

06:00 THS 

07:50 Behind The Scenes 

08:20 E! News 

09:15 Kourtney & Kim Take New 

York 

10:15 THS 

12:05 Kendra 

13:05 Dirty Soap 

14:05 Keeping Up With The 

Kardashians 

15:00 Style Star 

15:30 THS 

16:25 Behind The Scenes 

16:55 Giuliana & Bill 

17:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New 

York 

18:55 E!es 

19:55 Khloe And Lamar 


Kardashians 

21:25 Ice Loves Coco 

21:55 Ice Loves Coco 

22:25 Scouted 

23:25 Chelsea Lately 


Kardashians 

00:15 Wrestling With Reality 

01:30 Gotta Grudge 

01:55 Gotta Grudge 

02:20 Final Fu 

04:50 Alli Best Trick Competition 

05:40 Eurodip 

06:30 Ride Guide Mountainbike 

2009 

08:00 Tread BMX 

08:25 Alli Presents 

10:55 Fantasy Factory 

11:45 Dr Danger 

12:35 Ride Guide Snow 2010 

13:25 Superstars USA 

14:15 World Combat League 

15:05 Fantasy Factory 

15:55 Dr Danger 

16:45 Tread BMX 

17:10 Alli Presents 

19:40 Superstars USA 


21:20 Gumball 3000: London To 

New York 

22:10 World Combat League 

23:00 Enfusion 


00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 

00:30 Unique Sweets 

00:55 Restaurant: Impossible 

01:45 Guy’s Big Bite - Special 

02:10 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 


03:25 Meat & Potatoes 


04:15 Good Eats 

04:40 World Cafe Asia 

05:05 Gourmet Farmer 

05:30 Chopped 

06:10 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 

Basics 

06:35 Healthy Appetite With Ellie 

Krieger 

07:00 Extreme Chef 


08:15 Barefoot Contessa 

08:40 Kid In A Candy Store 

09:05 Good Eats 

09:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 

09:55 World Cafe Asia 

10:20 30 Minute Meals 

10:45 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 

11:10 Unwrapped 

11:35 Easy Chinese: San Francisco 


12:50 Aarti Party 

13:15 Cooking For Real 


14:05 Healthy Appetite With Ellie 

Krieger 


14:55 30 Minute Meals 

15:20 Mexican Made Easy 

15:45 Iron Chef America 




17:50 Aarti Party 

18:15 Kid In A Candy Store 

18:40 Guy’s Big Bite 

19:05 Mexican Made Easy 


20:20 Iron Chef America 





22:50 Andy Bates Street Feasts 

23:15 Andy Bates Street Feasts 

23:40 Meat & Potatoes 

00:30 Stalked: Someone’s Watching 

00:55 I Was Murdered 

01:20 Behind Mansion Walls 

02:05 LA: City Of Demons 

02:55 Scorned: Crimes Of Passion 


04:10 I Was Murdered 

04:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 

05:20 Mystery ER 

06:10 Disappeared 

07:00 Forensic Detectives 

07:50 Murder Shift 

08:40 Mystery Diagnosis 

09:30 Real Emergency Calls 

09:55 Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America 



12:00 Street Patrol 

12:50 Murder Shift 






17:00 Forensic Detectives 

17:50 Undercover 






22:00 I Married A Mobster 

22:25 Scorned: Crimes Of Passion 


23:40 Dr G: Medical Examiner 

00:00 City Chase Marrakech 

01:00 Around The World For Free 

02:00 Departures 

03:00 Graham’s World 

03:30 Earth Tripping 

04:00 Long Way Down 

05:00 Which Way To 




09:00 Graham’s World 

09:30 Earth Tripping 

10:00 Long Way Down 

11:00 Which Way To 




15:00 Banged Up Abroad 

16:00 Adventure Wanted 

17:00 Nomads 

18:00 Market Values 

19:00 Deadliest Journeys 

20:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 

21:00 Banged Up Abroad 

22:00 Treks In A Wild World 

23:00 Endurance Traveller 

00:00 The Morgue-18 

02:00 The Siege-18 

04:00 Walled In-PG15 

06:00 The Devil’s Teardrop-PG15 

08:00 Blank Slate-PG15 

10:00 Inside Out-PG 

12:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 

14:00 Blank Slate-PG15 

16:00 Largo Winch 2-PG15 

18:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 

20:00 Death Race 2-18 

22:00 Carlito’s Way-18 

01:00 Sinners & Saints-18 

03:00 Certified Copy-PG15 

05:00 50 First Dates-PG15 

07:00 Arthur And The Revenge Of 

Maltazard-PG 

09:00 The Tender Hook-PG15 

11:00 Ball & Chain-PG15 

13:00 Cars 2-FAM 

15:00 District 9-PG15 

17:00 According To Greta-PG15 

19:00 Red-PG15 

21:00 Love And Other Impossible 

Pursuits-PG15 

23:00 Hanna-PG15 

00:00 King Of The Hill 

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon 

Stewart 

01:00 The Colbert Report 

01:30 Saturday Night Live 

02:30 American Dad 

03:00 The Simpsons 

03:30 Last Man Standing 

04:00 Friends 

04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay 

Leno 

05:30 Seinfeld 

06:00 Weird Science 

06:30 Dharma And Greg 

07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 

08:00 Friends 



09:30 Two And A Half Men 


11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay 

Leno 


12:30 Friends 



14:00 Last Man Standing 

15:00 Two And A Half Men 

15:30 The Daily Show With Jon 

Stewart 

16:00 The Colbert Report 


17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 


18:30 Raising Hope 

20:00 Community 

20:30 King Of The Hill 

21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 

21:30 The Colbert Report Global 

Edition 

22:00 Louie 

22:30 Bored To Death 

23:00 American Dad 

00:00 Unforgettable 

01:00 Missing 

02:00 Top Gear (US) 

03:00 Covert Affairs 

04:00 Strike Back 

05:00 The View 

06:00 Good Morning America 

07:00 The Invisible Man 

08:00 Emmerdale 

08:30 Coronation Street 

09:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 

10:00 The Martha Stewart Show 

11:00 The View 

12:00 Unforgettable 

13:00 Covert Affairs 

14:00 Good Morning America 

16:00 The Invisible Man 

17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 

18:00 Emmerdale 

18:30 Coronation Street 

19:00 Revenge 

20:00 Desperate Housewives 

21:00 The Closer 

22:00 Game Of Thrones 

23:00 Strike Back 

01:00 Kiss Of Death-18 

03:00 Law Abiding Citizen-18 

05:00 Clive Barker’s Book Of Blood 

07:00 The Crocodile Hunter: 

Collision Course-PG15 

09:00 Returner-PG15 

11:00 Taxi-PG15 

13:00 Bodyguard: A New Beginning 

15:00 Returner-PG15 

17:00 The Reunion-PG15 

19:00 Ronin-18 

21:00 Carlito’s Way-18 

23:30 Deadtime Stories-R 

00:00 Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid 

02:00 The Night Of The White Pants 

04:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants 

Movie-PG 

06:00 Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid 

08:00 Checking Out-PG15 

10:00 Bubble Boy-PG15 

11:30 Renaissance Man-PG15 

13:45 Sleepover-PG15 

15:45 Bubble Boy-PG15 

17:45 Crazy On The Outside-PG15 

20:00 The Trotsky-18 

22:00 Saint John Of Las Vegas-18 

01:00 Asylum-18 

03:00 Romeo Is Bleeding-18 

05:00 Funny Bones-PG15 

07:15 Return To Rajapur-PG15 

09:00 Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale- 

PG15 

11:00 Searching For Bobby Fischer 

13:00 Khao Niao Moo Ping-PG15 

15:00 Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale- 

PG15 

17:00 The Eclipse-PG15 

19:00 Arlington Road-PG15 

21:00 A L’origine-PG15 

23:15 Nine-PG15 

01:00 Machete-18 

03:00 Head Of State-PG15 

05:00 Elevator Girl-PG15 

06:45 Glorious 39-PG15 

09:00 Secretariat-PG15 

11:00 Last Of The Living-PG15 

13:00 One Hot Summer-PG15 

15:00 Witness To Jonestown-PG15 

17:00 Secretariat-PG15 

19:00 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like 

Son-PG15 

20:45 A L’origine-PG15 

23:00 Hanna-PG15 

00:00 Emperor’s Secret-PG 

02:00 Columbus III: The New World- 

PG 

04:00 The Lucky Dragon-PG 

06:00 I’ll Be Home For Christmas-PG 

08:00 Hua Mulan-PG 

10:00 Big Fat Liar-PG 

12:00 The Adventures Of Don 

Quixote-FAM 

14:00 The Lucky Dragon-PG 

16:00 Micropolis-FAM 

18:00 Big Fat Liar-PG 

20:00 Legend Of The Guardians-PG 

22:00 The Adventures Of Don 

Quixote-FAM 

01:00 UFC 

03:00 Super Rugby 

05:00 WWE SmackDown 

07:00 Snooker World Championship 


12:00 Live NRL Premiership 

14:00 Futbol Mundial 


16:30 Live Snooker World 

Championship 

20:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 

21:00 Live Snooker World 

Championship 


02:00 Sevens World Series 

05:00 NRL Premiership 

07:00 Scottish Premier League 


12:00 Triathlon 

14:00 IronMan 

14:30 Scottish Premier League 

16:30 Pro 12 Celtic League 


19:00 AFL Premiership 

20:00 Trans World Sport 

21:00 SPL Highlights 

21:45 Live Super League 

02:00 Trans World Sport 

03:00 Snooker World Championship 

06:00 Asian Tour Golf Show 


07:00 Golfing World 

08:00 European PGA Tour 

12:30 Golfing World 

13:30 Premier League Darts 

INSIDE OUT ON OSN ACTION HD 

17:00 NRL Premiership 

19:00 Super Rugby Highlights 

20:00 European PGA Tour 

Highlights 

21:00 Top 14 Highlights 


01:00 PrizeFighter 

04:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 

05:00 UFC Unleashed 


07:00 WWE NXT 

09:00 PrizeFighter 

12:00 UAE National Race Day 

12:30 UAE National Race Day 

13:00 WWE Bottom Line 

14:00 WWE Vintage 

15:00 V8 Supercars 



18:00 WWE NXT 

19:00 WWE Experience 


21:00 UFC 

23:00 WWE SmackDown 

01:15 Coma 

03:10 Logan’s Run-PG 

05:05 San Francisco-PG 

07:00 A Day At The Races-FAM 

08:50 The Adventures Of Quentin 

Durward-FAM 

10:30 Guns For San Sebastian-PG 

12:20 Logan’s Run-PG 

14:15 Escape To Victory-PG 

16:10 Mogambo-PG 

18:05 Kim-FAM 

19:55 The Journey-FAM 

22:00 Clash Of The Titans 

23:55 All This, And Heaven Too-PG 

00:00 Declassified: Rise & Fall Of The 

Wall 

01:00 Most Extreme Airports 

03:00 Declassified: Rise & Fall Of The 

Wall 

04:00 The Universe 

05:00 MysteryQuest 

06:00 Decoded 

07:00 Pawn Stars 


08:00 UFO Hunters 

09:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In The East 



11:00 Deep Sea Detectives 









21:00 IRT: Deadliest Roads ‚Äì The 

Andes 

22:00 Only In America 

23:00 Lock N’ Load With R. Lee 

Ermey 

00:00 Wicked Fit 

01:00 Fashion Classics 

01:25 Open House 

01:55 Videofashion Daily 

02:50 Videofashion News 

03:20 How Do I Look? 

04:15 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? 

05:10 Married Away 

06:05 Clean House 



08:00 Videofashion Daily 

09:00 Open House 

09:25 Fashion Classics 


10:50 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? 

11:50 Clean House 

12:50 Dress My Nest 

13:15 Mel B: It’s A Scary World 

13:45 Bridalplasty 


15:40 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 

16:35 Big Rich Texas 


17:30 Big Rich Texas 

18:25 The Amandas 

20:20 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 

22:10 The Amandas 

23:05 Fashion Police 

00:00 Food Tripper 

01:00 The Ethical Hedonist 

02:00 Globe Trekker 

03:00 Safari Stopovers 


05:00 Food Tripper 

06:00 Sophie Grigson In Thailand 


08:00 Luxury Train Journeys In India 

09:00 Intrepid Journeys 

10:00 Sophie Grigson In The Souk 

11:00 Flavours Of Peru 

11:30 Glutton For Punishment 


13:00 Hollywood And Vines 

14:00 Rivers Of The World 

15:00 Swiss Railway Journeys 


17:00 Glutton For Punishment 

17:30 Flavours Of Spain 

18:00 Sophie Grigson In The Souk 


20:00 Distant Shores 

20:30 Travel Today 

21:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun 

Sharma 

22:00 Down The Line 


00:10 Replacements 

01:00 Fairly Odd Parents 

01:50 A Kind Of Magic 

02:40 Stitch 

03:30 Replacements 

04:20 Fairly Odd Parents 

05:10 A Kind Of Magic 

06:00 Fish Hooks 

06:15 Recess 

06:40 So Random 

07:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place 

07:30 Good Luck Charlie 

07:55 Shake It Up 


08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 

09:10 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 

09:25 Handy Manny 

09:35 The Hive 

09:45 Mouk 

10:00 Recess 


10:50 Hannah Montana 


11:40 Jake & Blake 

12:05 Sonny With A Chance 



13:20 Recess 

13:45 Jessie 

14:10 A.N.T. Farm 


16:15 Jessie 

16:40 A.N.T. Farm 

17:00 Recess 







20:00 Hannah Montana 



21:15 Jonas 




23:45 Kim Possible 

00:00 Taking Of Pelham One Two 

Three, The-18 

01:45 The Mean Season-PG 

03:30 Welcome To L.A.-18 

05:10 Mad Dog Coll-PG 

06:50 Evidence Of Blood-PG 

08:40 My American Cousin-PG 

10:10 Ice Blues-PG 

11:35 Murder Live!-PG 

13:05 How To Beat The High Cost Of 

Living-PG 

14:50 Nobody’s Fool 

16:35 Book Of Days-PG

CROSSWORD 668 

ACROSS 

1. A federally chartered savings bank. 

4. A deceitful and unreliable scoundrel. 

10. Light informal conversation for social occasions. 

13. (Irish) The sea personified. 

14. Type genus of the Alaudidae. 

15. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey). 

16. A reptile genus of Iguanidae. 

17. Port city in western Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea. 

18. God of the earth. 

19. Capital and largest city of Iraq. 

21. A bachelor's degree in religion. 

23. Lower in esteem. 

26. Toward the mouth or oral region. 

29. A nucleic acid consisting of large molecules shaped like a 

double helix. 

30. Kindly endorsement and guidance. 

34. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually 

with vegetables. 

35. Steal goods. 

37. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice. 

38. Of or relating to the stomach and intestines. 

40. A state in northwestern United States on the Pacific. 

41. Fish eggs or egg-filled ovary. 

42. A light touch or stroke. 

45. A change for the better. 

47. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding 

plutonium with neutrons. 

49. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element. 

50. A digital display that uses liquid crystal cells that change 

reflectivity in an applied electric field. 

52. A path set aside for walking. 

54. (Akkadian) God of wisdom. 

59. A bag used for carrying money and small personal items 

or accessories (especially by women). 

61. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River. 

62. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism. 

63. A port city in southwestern Iran. 

66. The dressed hairy coat of a mammal. 

67. (informal) Informed about the latest trends. 

68. When dried yields a hard substance used e.g. in golf 

balls. 

69. (computer science) Protocol that allows users to copy 

files between their local system and any system they can 

reach on the network. 

DOWN 

1. An embarrassing mistake. 

2. Stalk of a moss capsule. 

3. (informal) Exceptionally good. 

4. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar. 

5. Surveying instrument consisting of the upper movable 

part of a theodolite including the telescope and its attachments. 

6. Experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness. 

7. A purplish dye obtained from orchil lichens. 

8. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind. 

9. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a 

major or minor scale in solmization. 

10. Mentally or physically infirm with age. 

11. American novelist (1909-1955). 

12. A small cake leavened with yeast. 

20. An informal term for a father. 

22. In the Roman calendar. 

24. A silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion. 

25. The capital and largest city of Yemen. 

27. Having any of numerous bright or strong colors reminiscent 

of the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies. 

28. In bed. 

31. Cassava with long tuberous edible roots and soft brittle 

stems. 

32. (computer science) A graphic symbol (usually a simple 

picture) that denotes a program or a command or a data file 

or a concept in a graphical user interface. 

33. A brace that extends from the rear of the keel to support 

the rudderpost. 

36. Inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence. 

39. Prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules. 

43. Advanced in years. 

44. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit 

that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey 

bread. 

46. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae. 

48. A river that rises in central Germany and flows north to 

join the Elbe River. 

49. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having 

the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal. 

51. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light. 

53. The act of catching an object with the hands. 

55. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann. 

56. (British slang) Cafe. 

57. King of Denmark and Norway who forced Edmund II to 

divide England with him. 

58. An association of people to promote the welfare of senior 

citizens. 

60. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth. 

64. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. 

65. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of 

the halogen series). 

Yesterday’s Solution 

Yesterday’s Solution 

35 stars 

CALVIN & HOBBES 

POOCH CAFE 

NON SEQUITUR 

ZITS 

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM 

Yester 

To 

Word Sleuth 

Solution 

Aries (March 21-April 19) 


STAR TRACK 

Needing to feel secure in your business is very important to 

you. There is nothing better than to know you are useful and needed 

in the profession that you have chosen. If you have been looking for that special 

job, this week might bring you luck. Be rested and positive and consider checking out 

the wardrobe and making sure that everything is clean and ready for you. Your purpose 

is meaningful. There is always a sense of confidence from which your strong 

expressive ideas originate and you are wise to take a humble attitude. You can feel free 

to exert your big-hearted side later today, as you will find many opportunities to be 

around animals and children, and perhaps enjoy sports with friends. Betting on the 

team outcome is not a good idea. 

Taurus (April 20-May 20) 

Start looking for classes, books or lectures on budgeting, 

financial planning and how to organize your financial affairs 

because things are looking up and much of your future success will hinge on these 

future skills. The few challenges that you face are manageable. This can begin to be 

one of the happiest and most fulfilling times of your life. You have inner vision, coupled 

with the ability to see the big picture of most situations. You may find yourself 

smoothing ruffled feelings, several times this day. Today you have the opportunity to 

bring two people together that have previously had difficulty in understanding each 

other. This could include two young people or two neighbors, etc. Your playmate has a 

surprise for you this evening. 

Gemini (May 21-June 20) 

Pay attention to all that you are told today to avoid being 

fooled or mislead by others. This may be a tricky day. It may be easy 

to ignore some important information. Avoid the tendency to be fooled by others— 

you may find yourself ignoring what is underneath a conversation. Use your intuition 

today—it is very strong and may lead to new insights. This, however, may not be the 

best time to make important decisions that affect your life circumstances. Others may 

question your ideas or challenge your authority or the direction you are taking. Just 

watch and learn for now. You may find that someone close to you understands and is 

supportive of your eccentricities. Deep within you is everything that is perfect, ready 

to radiate out into the world. 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) 

Correct choices and the best path for you may be at odds with 

your own sense of values and you may find it difficult to focus. Your 

thirst for experience and growth always keeps you on the move. This is not a bad 

thing, particularly if you like to travel. You might consider a position at a cruise line or 

airline or driving as a chauffeur. Not to worry . . . you will adjust and change your goals 

until you find your niche, and you will. You will have support from those around you 

for whenever or wherever you finally decide to present your talents. This evening is 

the perfect time for a leisurely meal with your loved one. Perhaps a card game or word 

game would be just the activity to bring people together in fun and gaiety. Give some 

consideration to your talents. 

Leo (July 23-August 22) 

You understand and are able to handle whatever comes across 

your path today. You can cut through the chatter and uncover the 

truth in most matters. You are wise to allow the situation or discovery to work its way 

into a solution; although you know just what is needed. You will make a positive difference 

as you interact with others. Generally, you know how to ask the right questions 

in getting others to find answers within themselves. Funny thing about truth . . . it 

brings to light an easy solution . . . the work is in the choice later. It may be necessary to 

make a few phone calls, ask a few questions or write a letter to the editor of your city 

newspaper. This is a time when political, philosophical, religious or psychological 

issues really take a hold on you. 

Virgo (August 23-September 22) 

You may feel that you are more energetic than usual today— 

your mind is clear and it seems very easy to be creative. Career decisions 

are straightforward and easy to make. If an interview is your worry . . . let the worry 

stop now. You make your way through ideas, concepts and your ability to express 

these ideas to others. This is a time of good fortune when things open up in a very 

natural way for you. Make a special effort with your appearance now. Clothing selected 

now will increase your desirability—on or off the job. Friends, group projects and 

community concerns play a key role in the direction of your future. Goodwill and 

humanitarian efforts can change your work and life-path. This afternoon is a good 

time to be with friends or loved ones. 

Libra (September 23-October 22) 

You may be able to spend a little time today reading on things 

besides your work. At least try and find ways to exercise your mind 

in a direction you have not used lately. Learn a new mind skill or game and enjoy the 

distraction. If you have people around you, take the opportunity to travel to a flea 

market or garage sale or farmers’ market and enjoy the fun of just walking around in a 

different atmosphere; hey, the walking is a good way to get a little exercise as well. 

There will be fewer demands to put in overtime and you will be able to enjoy more 

time with friends and family so think about a hobby you can fine tune or teach to 

another willing soul. You are a good cook and may enjoy growing your own herbs this 

summer. Gardening can be relaxing. 

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) 

There will be no idle moments at home today and it may be a 

blessing. Perhaps later you could manage to get yourself up and go 

out-of-doors for a bit of fresh air. Your energies are perfect for socializing and interacting 

in groups. A friend relaxes today and you get to know this person a little bit more. 

Fun conversations help you get to know the similarities of childhood. There is talk of 

taking a ride this summer in a hot air balloon and how that experience might be. You 

could be shopping this afternoon. A new grocery store or a vegetable stand gains 

your attention. Accept an invitation to dinner this evening. At home, later today you 

may be thinking over the work. Write out your ideas and take a few notes so that you 

can refer to them later. 

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) 

A vital day is ahead and you are encouraged to take action. You 

may feel focused and even a bit radiant. You could find yourself in 

the limelight or able to really communicate and get yourself across to others. Use your 

powers of self-expression wisely and creatively. A good conversation with those you 

love is possible. Teaching a young person to respect the responsibilities that come 

with money may be difficult but feasible; it is certainly worth a try. You could be helping 

this youngster to understand budgeting. You will find your best opportunity for 

self-accomplishment comes from utilizing your writing and intellectual skills. Finish 

writing a book, write those letters or write the next speech. This evening you will enjoy 

the company of positive, upbeat people. 

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) 

Pace your activities today as you may feel blocked or frustrated 

emotionally by someone this morning. However, by the afternoon, 

recovery from any frustration will be like magic and you will find your most positive 

frame of mind has returned. Your timing gets better as the day goes on and those 

around you should find you most flexible and natural. You understand the needs of 

others and fitting your needs and the needs of others together makes life work well. 

Do not force your ideas for now—be patient. You may find it very easy to overdo 

today. There could be a sense of testing the limits. Give the emotions a treat and take a 

nice long shower or bubble bath this afternoon. An evening at the movies or a dinner 

out can be quite enjoyable. 

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) 

Unsolved problems or mysteries may catch your attention 

today. You could be the sleuth in your neighborhood and discover 

the truth behind a mystery that has been puzzling you and others for some time. This 

could additionally involve some success in getting people to pay their bills, in getting 

a refund or in a payback of some sort. This afternoon is spent in deep concentration to 

memorize or learn some task that you will be able to express to others soon. Perhaps 

you will sing or recite a poem or you have created an artistic masterpiece for all to see. 

A young person enjoys your attention later today and you might be able to help by 

teaching something new—he or she is certainly eager. It looks like this young person 

may be ready for a first driving lesson. 

Pisces (February 19-March 20) 

Routine chores and responsibilities move along well today. This 

may not be the best time for thinking about career decisions. After 

the noon meal, you might consider a little walk or drive to visit a friend or relative. You 

appreciate the beauty in your life and in those around you. At the same time, everything 

could take on a need for your attention. Try to create a balance and not become 

overly stressed. Be careful if shopping this afternoon, that you do not overspend or 

indulge too much. You could have trouble holding onto money at this time. 

Photographic opportunities become available today and you may decide to create a 

few homemade greeting cards with your pictures so that you can send them to a few 

people you have not seen in a while.

36 

lifestyle 

G O S S I P 

Octomom is broke and desperate 

F rom 

Miracle Mom to Octomom 

and, the bizarre life of Nadya 

Suleman and her 14 children has 

been a subject that rarely ceases to 

amaze. But with Suleman filing for 

bankruptcy this week and revealing she 

owes everyone from her parents to her 

gardener to her baby-sitters nearly $1 

million, could the Octomom Odyssey 

finally be grinding to an inglorious 

halt? Not only is Suleman flat broke, but 

it has come to light in recent weeks that 

the La Habra home where she and her 

children have lived the past two years is 

about to be put on the auction block. 

Last week that home was visited by 

child welfare officials who had received 

a tip that Suleman was neglecting her 

children. They took no action but have 

said they are continuing to investigate. 

On Jan. 26, 2009, when Suleman’s octuplets, 

spawned by invitro fertilization, 

were born at a Southern California hospital 

and made medical history by all 

surviving. In the days that followed, she 

was reportedly showered with offers for 

book and movie deals, reality TV shows 

and a mountain of free baby stuff. 

Things changed quickly, however, after 

Souvenirs stolen 

from top Edith 

Piaf composer 

F rench 

singer-songwriter Charles 

Dumont, who wrote the music to 

one of Edith Piaf’s top hits, appealed 

for the return of precious mementos that 

were stolen from his Paris apartment. 

‘They took a lot of money but especially 

my souvenirs of Edith,’ Dumont, who 

wrote the music to the 1960 hit ‘Non, Je 

ne Regrette Rien’ (No, I Have No Regrets), 

told the Paris daily Le Parisien. The 

objects were in a safe that was ripped out 

of its place and removed from the apartment 

while Dumont, who is in his early 

80s, was touring in Canada, the report 

said. ‘The robbers took enough things of 

value. I ask them simply to return a few 

souvenirs to me, those of Edith and then 

also my father’s wedding ring which I 

inherited a few years ago when he died,’ 

said Dumont. ‘They can put them in an 

envelope and send them to my address,’ 

he said, listing a gold watch engraved 

it was learned Octomom was also 

Single Mom and Welfare Mom. And 

that she already had six children under 

the age of 8 and was living on a combination 

of welfare checks, food stamps, 

student loans and her parents’ largesse. 

The legitimate movie, book and TV 

deals went away, and Suleman turned 

to an increasingly bizarre means of 

making money. The legitimate movie, 

book and TV deals went away, and 

Suleman turned to an increasingly 

bizarre means of making money. She 

endorsed birth control, but only for 

dogs, and cats. That earned her $5,000 

and a month’s supply of vegetarian hot 

dogs and burgers from the animal 

rights group People For the Ethical 

Treatment of Animals. And although 

she once told Oprah Winfrey she hated 

the term “Octomom,” she had it emblazoned 

on the back of the robe she 

proudly wore into a boxing ring last 

year for a “celebrity” match against Amy 

Fisher. (The latter gained fame in the 

1990s as the “Long Island Lolita” when 

she shot the wife of her much older 

lover in the face.) 

with her signature and a pair of cufflinks 

as among gifts from the diminutive Piaf, 

a cultural icon in France and an international 

star who died in 1963 aged 47. The 

total value of the haul was estimated at 

nearly 200,000 euros ($260,000), Le 

Parisien said. 

Mystikal gives a bit 

of flavour to Jazz Fest 

T housands 

turned out Friday to see New 

Orleans rapper Mystikal perform one last 

time before returning to jail on a probation 

violation. The rapper, whose real name is 

Michael Tyler, was released from a Louisiana 

prison in 2010 after serving six years for sexual 

battery and extortion. He returns to jail May 14 

following a February arrest on a misdemeanour 

charge of domestic abuse battery. In April, the 

rapper’s attorney, Roy Maughan Jr., said Tyler and 

the victim in the domestic battery case were 

longtime domestic partners. The rapper alluded 

to his legal problems on stage Friday. “I’m going 

through some things, but it’s gonna be all right,” 

Mystikal said to cheering fans. “Fellas if you get 

into it with your girl, just walk away. Me? I’m 

gonna run.” He also shouted: “Eighty-one days 

and I will be back,” referring to the length of his 

pending jail term. State District Judge Tony 

Marabella of Baton Rouge ordered Tyler to serve 

90 days in jail for the violation but gave him 

credit for the nine days he was detained after his 

Feb. 22 arrest. Mystikal thanked his fans for their 

continued support and, in between a few water 

breaks, pushed through a set list that included 

fan favourites “Bouncin’ Back, “Danger (Been So 

Long),” and “Here I Go.” “He’s been through a lot, 

but I like artists who keep pushing past their 

struggles,” said Erik Hamilton, of New Orleans. “A 

lot of people focus on an artist’s problems and 

forget that he’s a regular person and regular people 

sometimes have problems. 

Lady Gaga 

loves 

being alone 

T he 

‘Judas’ hitmaker - who recently split with ‘Vampire 

Diaries’ star Taylor Kinney - admitted she began cherishing 

her “loneliness” at the age of 20 when she 

decided to seriously pursue a career in the music industry. 

She said: “I began to cherish my loneliness. I have, sort of, 

since I was around 20 years old. “I was very depressed 

when I was 19. I decided to pursue music, so I dropped out 

of school and I told my parents I didn’t want any money 

from them. I got three jobs and I just hit the ground running. 

“I would go back to my apartment every day and I 

would just sit there. It was quiet and it was lonely. It was 

still. It was just my piano and myself. I had at television and 

I would leave it on all the time just to feel like somebody 

was hanging out with me.” 

T he 

Kelly 

Osbourne’s 

dog has to 

wear booties 

TV presenter took to her twitter account to share a picture 

of her Pomeranian Story’s new sky blue footwear 

which her four-legged friend has been wearing to stop her 

licking her paws. She tweeted: “Story has allergies so we had to 

put these little booties on her so she stop trying to eat her feet! 

She is... (sic)” But Kelly is not the only person showing the pampered 

pooch - who she recently rescued - a lot of attention, as 

her other dog Pomeranian Sid has been trying to hump her 

new mutt. She previously tweeted: “I got a new dog that i rescued 

she’s a pom that was pretty much kept in a cadge for the 

past year! i cant wait to meet her & make her happy! (sic)” The 

27-year-old star - who also owns a Doberman called Blue - later 

posted another picture of Sid getting a little over excited about 

his new family member, which Kelly captioned: “Sid won’t stop 

trying to hump Story! Look how sexy he is trying to be for her! 

#NaughtyBoy (sic)” Kelly regularly informs her 1.9 million twitter 

followers on the lives of Story, Sid and Blue. 

T he 


Jennifer Lopez 

wants to marry 

42-year-old singer is 

thought to be ready 

for a fourth trip down 

the aisle after announcing she was parting ways with Marc 

Anthony last July. A source told Us Weekly: “She’s telling friends she wants 

to marry Casper. She’s certain she wants to be with Casper forever.” At a press 

conference to announce her upcoming world tour with Enrique Iglesias and 

Wisin Y Yandel, Jennifer announced her partner of six months will play a vital 

part in putting the show together. “I’m working with [choreographer] Jamie 

King, and also Casper Smart. It’s going to be an amazing, amazing show.” She 

added that the event will be “one of the most historic tours ever.” She continued: 

“There’s never been something like this, where Latinos come together like this. 

It’s international - English and Spanish. I just think it’s very groundbreaking. I was 

honoured to be asked to be a part of it.” Jennifer has previously been married to 

restaurant waiter Ojani Noa and former backing dancer Chris Judd. 

Kate Moss 

loves baking with 

her daughter 

T he 

38-year-old model likes to relax away from work by spending time 

with her nine-year-old daughter Lila Grace and they love cooking 

together. She said: “I love baking with my daughter on a Sunday. She 

wants to be a chef, so we bake a cake and just hang out.” Although she insists 

it’s important to take time out from work, she loves being one of the world’s 

top models and enjoys nothing more than working on an exciting new project. 

Kate - who is married to musician Jamie Hince - told Cosmopolitan magazine: 

“I love a great project, and working with people like Terry Richardson 

and Mario Testino still excites me - I love the whole process of creating fashion 

pictures. It just doesn’t get boring if you’re working with great people.” 

Her favourite fashion moments have always related to people and photography. 

She added: “Working with legends such as Irving Penn, Helmut Newton 

and Richard Avedon. In 20 years time I’ll probably be saying Nicky Knight 

and Mario Testino, but these guys have created some of the most iconic 

images in fashion history.” — Bangshowbiz

37 LIFESTYLE 

F e a t u r e s 

Trophies and laughs await 

on ‘The Comedy Awards’ 

The notion that TV viewers 

need another awards show 

may be laughable. Exactly. 

“The Comedy Awards,” which 

began last year, celebrates the art 

of comedy. And this year’s presentation, 

which aired last night on 

Comedy Central, is a funny affair 

packed with masters of mirthmaking 

including Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, 

Chris Parnell, Maya Rudolph, Adam 

Scott and Jim Carrey. Taped April 

28 at New York’s Hammerstein 

Auditorium, the gala event salutes 

comedy achievements in standup, 

TV, films and digital. Robin 

Williams gets the Standup Icon 

Award. 

Don Rickles is honoured with 

the Johnny Carson Award For 

Comedic Excellence, presented by 

Jon Stewart and Robert De Niro 

(who demonstrates his own shortcomings 

as a standup, bobbling 

wisecracks such as telling Rickles, 

“I’ve always thought of you as a 

comedian and actor. But since we 

did ‘Casino’ together, I’ve come to 

think of you as, well, more of a 

comedian”). 

“Rango” is the best animated 

comedy film. French actor (and 

Oscar winner) Jean Dujardin is 

named best film actor for “The 

Artist.” NBC’s “Parks and 

Recreation” is chosen as best comedy 

series, and its star, Amy 

Poehler, is named best actress, 

while FX’s “Louie” is the best 

sketch/alternative comedy series. 

Best club comic: Hannibal Buress. 

Most of the two dozen categories 

were judged by 1500 working 

members of the comedy community, 

choosing from nominees 

selected by a board of directors 

comprising such names as Carol 

Burnett, James Burrows, Stephen 

Colbert, Budd Friedman, Conan 

O’Brien, Joan Rivers, George 

Schlatter, Jon Stewart and Lily 

Tomlin. 

In this April 28, 2012 photo, comedic legend Don Rickles gestures onstage at The 2012 Comedy 

Awards in New York. —AP 

But several categories are left to 

the public, who, through airtime 

on Sunday, can make their picks 

on the Comedy Awards website to 

choose: the funniest person on 

Twitter; best comedy podcast; best 

comedy app; and best remix, 

mash-up or supercut. The twohour 

telecast begins with a bang 

as Chris Rock announces the year’s 

best comedy special, among 

whose five nominees, he jokes, 

“Three are funny. One used to be 

funny. And one was NEVER funny!” 

Taking the award is the online 

standup special “Louis C.K.: Live at 

the Beacon Theater.” The winner as 

best comedy director of a film (for 

“Bridesmaids”), Paul Feig, plies his 

craft by directing Will Arnett in a 

performance reading Feig’s 

acceptance remarks.And accepting 

the award for “Bridesmaids” as best 

comedy film, Kristen Wiig and 

Annie Mumolo deliver a funny, 

even fetching display of wrestling 

on the stage floor for custody of 

the single trophy. Now, THAT’s 

comedy! 

Presenter Tracy Morgan delivers 

a bombshell: He announces he’s 

quitting show business, to join the 

party-hearty life of the US Secret 

Service. The sentimental highlight 

of the evening is seeing Don 

Rickles gratefully receive his trophy. 

In rambling remarks that 

alternate between tender recollections 

of performers he reveres 

(notably Johnny Carson) intercut 

with his trademark insults, Rickles, 

who turns 86 on Tuesday, clinches 

his title as (in the words of 

Stewart) “the patron saint of comedy.” 

“I see many in the audience,” he 

says tenderly, then hurls a zinger: “I 

realize tonight, I’m the biggest 

name here.” He’s kidding, but he 

needn’t be. “The Comedy Awards” 

is a zesty who’s who of jesters, supplemented 

by Andy Richter in the 

announcer’s booth and The Roots 

as the robust house band. And 

though Chris Rock marvels at the 

top of the evening, “They televise 

THIS - and they DON’T do the 

Nobel Peace Prize,” it’s no wonder. 

This is much funnier. Anything for 

a laugh! —AP 

In this film publicity image released by Universal Pictures, a naval ship is attacked by an invader in a scene from “Battleship.” —AP 

Linda Evangelista leaves Manhattan Family in New York. —AP 

Tracing her working life from picking 

cherries as a preteen to the cover of 

Vogue, supermodel Linda Evangelista 

told a court Friday she can still command 

about $100,000 to walk a runway, though 

her career has slowed since its 1980s and 

‘90s heyday. In an unusual peek into high 

fashion in Manhattan Family Court, 

Evangelista took the witness stand to begin 

telling her side of her child-support standoff 

with French billionaire Francois-Henri 

Pinault. But their 5-year-old boy didn’t 

come up in Evangelista’s brief testimony 

Friday; she’s expected to continue testifying 

Monday. 

Rather, answering questions from her 

lawyer, the high-flying model who once 

famously said she and her peers “don’t 

wake up for less than $10,000 a day” 

sketched a portrait of herself as a woman 

whose first job - harvesting cherries on a 

farm in her Canadian hometown - paid $10 

a day. She did that work at 12 to earn money 

for a bicycle, she said. She worked at a 

convenience store and several other jobs 

during high school, pounded the pavement 

in two continents to get her start in 

modeling and felt pressured into getting 

her now-signature haircut, she said. 

When she first got her famous cut in the 

late 1980s on advice from some fashion 

heavy-hitters, “I cried,” and organizers canceled 

16 out of some 20 fashion shows she 

was about to do, she recalled. But soon “I 

had every Vogue cover around the world ... 

and then people came around and decided 

they like the short hair.” 

Asked about her career now, the 46year-old 

model paused. “I’m active,” she 

said in a calm, careful voice. “I would like to 

work.” Indeed she does: She is on the current 

cover of Italian Vogue, recently did a 

roughly $90,000 advertising shoot, and still 

gets some runway requests, including a 

2010 Paris show she had to turn down for a 

court date - ultimately canceled - in the 

custody battle, said Evangelista, dressed for 

court in a tailored white skirt, stylishly boxy 

gray linen jacket with tan collar and cuffs, 

After foreign haul, ‘Battleship’ faces choppy seas A 

Russian film released on the eve of 

Ukraine’s hosting of Euro 2012 tells the 

stirring story of the notorious “Match of 

“B 

attleship,” the first in a 

string of movies based 

on Hasbro board games, 

has survived an armada of tomatothrowing 

critics and chugged to 

$170 million in ticket sales overseas. 

Yet it faces choppy seas as it 

steams toward its U.S. debut on 

May 18. What might sink 

“Battleship” is competition from 

other hotly expected blockbusters, 

including the superhero adventure 

“The Avengers,” which opens 

Friday, and Sony’s long-awaited 

“Men in Black III,” which rolls out 

May 23. “It could drown in 

amongst all of those big titles,” 

says Blake Howard, director of 

Australian review site Castlecoop.com. 

He says the movie’s “popcorn 

escapism” was good enough to 

succeed in a regular year. This 

summer, it has unusually tough 

competition. The hit-or-miss fate 

of a given Hollywood big-budget 

movie doesn’t normally matter 

that much. Media company analysts 

discount the studios as too 

volatile to be given much credit 

inside large conglomerates. But 

“Battleship” is the first board game 

movie since “Clue” tanked in 1985. 

It’s a barometer for the appetite of 

audiences for a handful of other 

Hasbro board game movies, 

including Universal’s own “Ouija,” 

due out next year, as well as “Risk” 

and “Candy Land,” which are in the 

works at Sony Corp.’s movie studio. 

Universal Pictures took the 

unusual step of releasing 

“Battleship” in international markets 

five weeks before its US 

debut. Part of that was to avoid 

competing with “The Avengers,” 

the Disney/Marvel movie that 

brings together “Iron Man,” “The 

Incredible Hulk” and other superheroes 

from previous films. It also 

wanted to give a wide berth to 

European Cup soccer starting June 

8. The overseas haul for 

“Battleship” goes part way to justi- 

Belarus local residents sing as they prepare to take part in a traditional 

festival to pray for a good harvest outside the village of 

Pogost, some 250 km south-west of Minsk yesterday. —AFP 

fying its reported $209 million 

price tag. But after subtracting 

splits with theater owners and 

marketing costs, it is estimated to 

need about half a billion dollars at 

box offices to turn a profit. 

That’s tough given the competition. 

In a little more than one 

week, “The Avengers” snagged 

$304 million abroad, far more than 

“Battleship” did in three weeks. 

“The Avengers,” fuelled by gushing 

reviews and a fan base that has 

been building since “Iron Man” in 

2008, could break the domestic 

opening weekend record of $169 

million. Both movies squarely target 

the young males that make or 

break Hollywood movies in the allimportant 

summer movie season. 

“Battleship” has mixed momentum 

coming to the US Just 48 percent 

of critics on review site Rotten 

Tomatoes gave it a positive review, 

compared with 93 percent for “The 

Avengers.” The most generous critics 

have still heaped cynicism on 

the board-game tie-ins, such as a 

scene in which American soldiers 

use a grid to fire blindly at alien 

ships in a strained nod to the 

board game. “The only thing to do 

is raise the white flag and surrender 

to the film’s awesome silliness,” 

writes British reviewer Jason Best 

with the What’s On TV website. 

American patriotic militarism is 

accepted overseas, but not relished, 

and international audiences 

appear to have overlooked a 

heavy dose of it in “Battleship” to 

get their action movie fix. It probably 

helped that a Japanese co-star, 

pop icon Rihanna and a disabled 

veteran helped the American hero 

save Earth from outer-space 

invaders. “I think it literally just 

comes down to: People like explosions 

and action movies abroad,” 

says Oliver Lyttleton, a U.K.-based 

writer for The Playlist blog. 

He believes that won’t prevent 

the movie from losing money. “I 

don’t think we’ll see a Battleship 2.” 

Executives from Hasbro Inc. and 

Universal, a division of Comcast 

Corp., declined to comment ahead 

of the domestic release. The movie 

represents the hopes of both companies 

for a big franchise, a series 

that sells billions of dollars in toys 

and tickets, the way “Transformers” 

did for Hasbro and Viacom Inc.’s 

Paramount Pictures. Given the 

results so far, a more realistic 

benchmark for “Battleship” is “G.I. 

Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” The Hasbro 

toy-inspired movie from 2009 generated 

$300 million in ticket sales 

worldwide, about half of it overseas. 

That was good enough to 

spawn a sequel, “G.I. Joe: 

Retaliation,” which hits theaters in 

June. 

“Battleship” also doesn’t have to 

be as big as Warner Bros.’ “Harry 

Potter” to become a bankable franchise. 

If it makes some money, it 

could add to Universal’s relatively 

successful series, such as the 

“Bourne” and “Fast Five” movies. “If 

they have three really strong franchises 

and a bunch of other 

movies in their slate that are going 

to perform well, that’s absolutely 

fine,” says Paul Dergarabedian, the 

box office president of 

Hollywood.com. But he added, “in 

order to warrant the investment of 

a franchise built around it, it’s 

going to have to do quite well 

here in North America.” —AP 


Evangelista testifies at 

NY child-support trial 

Death” played between Soviet footballers and 

Nazi occupiers in Kiev during World War II. But 

the film has reopened still raw wounds in 

Ukraine and has been accused of anti- 

Ukrainian bias for its depiction of some locals 

willingly collaborating with the invading 

German forces. The film, “Match,” is set in the 

occupied Ukrainian capital in 1941 and 1942. It 

is based on the true story of a team of Soviet 

footballers who played a series of matches 

against the Nazis 70 years ago. 

It shows the Soviet players irking the occupiers 

with victory after victory. The Nazis then 

arrange a showpiece game in a swastika-covered 

stadium to prove their superiority. Under 

pressure to lose for propaganda purposes, the 

Soviet side, called Start, refuses to throw the 

match and wins it, knowing it will lead to their 

deaths. “I can’t decide for everyone, but my 

vote is for victory,” says the goalkeeper hero, 

and tan spike-heeled pumps. 

But her lawyer, William Beslow, has said 

Evangelista’s roughly $1.8 million-a-year 

income took a dive last year after a major 

contract with L’Oreal ended, and that’s why 

she’s asking a court to order Pinault to chip 

in for son Augustin’s expenses. She says she 

spends $46,000 a month on armed bodyguards, 

24-hour-a-day nannies and other 

care for the boy, known as Augie. 

Pinault, who is CEO of luxury-brands 

powerhouse PPR and now the husband of 

actress Salma Hayek, says he has offered for 

years to pay Evangelista child support, but 

she responded with the lawsuit. His lawyer, 

David Aronson, has termed the possibility 

of a $46,000-a-month child-support bill 

“just ridiculous.” Pinault was grilled earlier 

Friday about his own spending, including 

the roughly $62,000 in clothes, $100,000 

watch and half-share in a $250,000 sportscar 

he bought himself in 2010. Vacations 

ran him $200,000 that year; upkeep on the 

garden at his Paris apartment, about 

$45,000, he said. 

His testimony pulled back a curtain on 

personal difficulties, as well as financial 

details. He said he had postponed formally 

recognizing Augie as his son for some 

months in 2007 because he and Hayek 

were caught up in concern about her own 

pregnancy with their daughter, Valentina. 

For a time, they were told the baby would 

have Down syndrome, he said. “The situation 

was very, very complicated. We almost 

lost the baby,” he testified. Pinault, now 49, 

and Evangelista had dated over about four 

months in 2005 and 2006. He said they 

spent only about seven days together in all. 

Augie was born in October 2006. Pinault 

also has two children by a previous marriage. 

PPR owns Gucci, Yves St. Laurent and 

other high-style brands. Forbes recently 

estimated his family’s net worth at $13 billion. 

—AP 

‘Death Match’ film touches 

nerve ahead of Euro 2012 

Nikolai Ranevich, in the dressing room at halftime. 

“But they’ll kill us,” objects a teammate. 

“That’s a minus, but we’ll get over it,” he says 

deadpan. Shortly after the match, later 

dubbed the “Match of Death,” the Nazis arrested 

winning team members and sent them to a 

concentration camp where a number of them 

were shot. The sweeping patriotic drama went 

on release in Russia and Ukraine on May 1, in 

time for Victory Day celebrations on May 9 and 

Ukraine’s controversial hosting of the Euro 

2012 football championship in June. 

The film was 70 percent financed by a 

Kremlin fund set up to promote patriotic cinema 

and stars one of the country’s most popular 

actors, Sergei Bezrukov, as Ranevich. Its 

posters in Russia include a message wishing 

the national side good luck in the Euro 2012 

competition. “We should show this film to our 

football team,” Bezrukov told journalists after 

training for the role with former Russia goalkeeper 

Sergei Ovchninnikov. 

CORRECTION 

(Second from left) Spanish Ambassador Angel Losada is pictured with his 

spouse (far left), Maria Minicia (second right) and Aqeel Behbehani as they 

cut the ribbon to officially inaugurate the first Luxenter boutique in Kuwait.

lifestyle 

Free comics? Zoiks! Promotion aims for new readers 

Buoyed by big-budget superhero films 

this summer, retailers and publishers 

are poised to give away more than 3.5 

million free comics at events aimed at building 

communities among longtime fans and 

at capturing new readers. What began 11 

years ago with just four publishers in a few 

cities has blossomed into an international 

event involving hundreds of stores in 46 

countries with 40 publishers - big, small and 

self-run - and millions of comic books, all for 

free. “This grand plot for world comics domination 

is continuing to steam roll,” said Joe 

Field, who owns Flying Colors Comics in 

Concord, Calif., and helped launch the 

annual event. “We’re adding people, we’re 

adding countries and we’re adding comics,” 

he said Friday. This year’s titles range from 

Boom! Studio’s “Peanuts/Adventure Time 

Flip Book” to Rebellion’s “2000AD Judge 

Dredd Special” to Dark Horse’s “Star 

Wars/Serenity” book. 

For the industry - which is experiencing 

a creative rebirth and wider reach because 

of digital comics, as well as more self-produced 

and self-financed independent 

books - the first Saturday in May is as much 

a chance to celebrate its success as well as 

make efforts to drum up new readers. 

“You’re really getting the cream of the crop 

of the next tier of readers that you want to 

appeal to,” said John Cunningham, vice 

president of marketing at DC 

Entertainment, which last year relaunched 

its entire roster of heroes to make them 

more contemporary, a move that has drawn 

increased sales and acclaim from most corners 

of comic book stores. 

“It draws people in who don’t normally 

come to a comic shop and, hopefully, they 

browse when they’re here,” said Mike 

Ferrero, who has owned the store in downtown 

Philadelphia since 1976. It’s also an 

attempt to foster community among longtime 

readers while drawing in new readers 

whose exposure may have been to movies 

or cartoons on television. Keith Obeldobel 

was browsing through comics at Eide’s 

Entertainment in Pittsburgh and said the 

day brings in young readers who might be 

familiar with characters through other 

media. “I’ve noticed the younger generations 

aren’t into comics as much,” he said, 

adding that when first-timers come into a 

shop, “collectors and comics enthusiasts are 

very willing to share information. It’s just a 

friendly environment.” It’s also a chance to 

mark comics’ role in pop culture, a nod to 

the upcoming summer movie season that 

sports no less than three super hero film 

adaptions - “The Avengers,” “The Dark 

Knight Rises” and “The Amazing Spider- 

Man.” David Gabriel, senior vice president of 

sales at Marvel Entertainment, said the Free 

Comic Book Day edition of “The Avengers 

12.1” “capitalizes” on the film and “the issue 

serves as prologue to the upcoming major 

Avengers comic story, the ‘Age of Ultron.’” 

Connecting films to print helps, too, Field 

said. “There’s nothing like a $100 million 

commercial to help out your business,” he 

said. — AP 

Ken Frederick, dressed as comic book character “Galactus,” (right), Broc 

Atkinson (centre) dressed as comic book character “Bane” and Kip Henniquan 

who is in costume as a Jawa character from “Star Wars”, wave to passing traffic 

as part of the promotion for New Dimensions Comics. — AP 


Teen points out 

inaccurate map to 

NYC’s Met museum 

This photo shows Benjamin Lerman, posing by a map 

at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. — AP 

AConnecticut seventh-grader says workers at the 

Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City didn’t 

believe him when he pointed out an inaccuracy 

with a map that was on exhibit. The map purported to 

show the Byzantine Empire at its largest size in the 6th 

century, but he noticed that Spain and part of Africa were 

missing from the depiction. Benjamin Lerman Coady knew 

he was right, because he had just studied the empire in 

school before last summer’s trip to the museum with his 

mother. He was told to fill out a form. “The front desk 

didn’t believe me,” Benjamin told The Hartford Courant. 

“I’m only a kid.” 

The 13-year-old West Hartford resident filled out the 

form and never expected a response, but a museum official 

wrote him in September saying his comments were 

under review. Then came an email in January from Helen 

Evans, the museum’s curator for Byzantine art. “You are, of 

course, correct about the boundaries of the Byzantine 

Empire under Justinian,” Evans wrote, and she invited 

Benjamin to return to the museum. 

Benjamin took up the offer and met Evans at the museum 

in February. He brought her notepads from his school, 

and Evans gave him a tour of the museum including a 

sneak preview of a new exhibit. She also asked Benjamin 

to draw what the map should really look like. He’s still 

working on that project. 

Evans said this week that the museum is still deciding 

what to do about the error, including possibly displaying 

other maps reflecting the empire’s history. She said the 

mistake probably stems from a map reprint a few years 

ago. “It may be the makings of a young historian,” Evans 

said about Benjamin’s actions. The teen likes history, but 

said he has other things in mind for a career. “I want to 

move to Greenwich and open a modern exotic car shop,” 

he said. — AP 

‘Avengers’ scores No. 2 

opening day with $80.5m 

Lots of superheroes add up to lots of money for “The 

Avengers.” The film featuring a team of Marvel 

Comics heroes pulled in $80.5 million in its domestic 

debut Friday, the second-best haul ever on opening day. 

“The Avengers” trails only last year’s “Harry Potter and the 

Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” which took in $91.1 million in its 

first day on the way to a record weekend of $169.2 million. 

The huge opening for “The Avengers” launches 

what’s expected to be a colossal summer for Hollywood, 

whose domestic revenues already were running 14 percent 

ahead of last year’s going into the weekend. Summer 

season began a year ago with the Marvel Comics adventure 

“Thor,” one of the solo superhero sagas that led to 

“The Avengers.” “Thor” earned a respectable $65.7 million 

for the entire weekend, while “The Avengers” brought in 

far more than that in a single day. The superhero summer 

continues through July with two more blockbusters in the 

making: “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Dark Knight 

Rises.” Produced by Disney’s Marvel Studios unit, “The 

Avengers” already is more than halfway toward beating 

the opening weekends of the second and third films on 

the debut charts. At No. 2 is “The Dark Knight” with $158.4 

million in its first three days, while this spring’s blockbuster 

“The Hunger Games” is No. 3 with $152.5 million. 

“The Avengers” opened a week earlier in many overseas 

markets, where it has pulled in blockbuster cash in a matter 

of days. The film added $30.3 million internationally 

Friday, bringing its overseas haul to $334.3 million. 

Adding in its first-day domestic receipts, “The Avengers” 

has climbed to a worldwide total of $414.8 million. 

Directed by Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), 

“The Avengers” stars Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Mark 

Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Scarlett Johansson as Black 

Widow, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth 

as Thor and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye.—AP


The stars of food descended on Singapore 

on April 23, 2012 to inaugurate the 16th 

Annual World Gourmet Summit. The 11day 

epicurean celebration paid respect to the 

heritage of flavour with the crème de la crème 

of the gastronomy world. Foodies, chefs, connoisseurs 

and hospitality professionals were 

able to mingle, exchange ideas or simply enjoy 

all that food has to offer. 

From modern fine dining to classic traditional 

fare, the World Gourmet Summit, or 

WGS as it is commonly referred to, was a food 

lover’s paradise. Chefs and foodies from 

around the world congregated in Singapore 

for an epicurean feast like no other. This fabulous 

food festival was organized A La Carte 

Productions, presented by Citibank and supported 

by the Singapore Tourism Board. 

Peter Knipp, Organizer of the World 

Gourmet Series believes that Singapore’s own 

culture and traditions offer the perfect backdrop 

for the guest chefs of the WGS. “The 

World Gourmet Summit provides an authentic 

platform for a cultural and culinary exchange 

between the festival’s participating chefs and 

Singapore’s public,” says Peter Knipp, Principal, 

A LaCarte Productions. 

The gourmet festivities have become part 

of the country’s identity with some events 

hosted at Singapore’s top heritage sites such 

as the historical Alkaff Mansion, Bukit Timah 

Fire Station, Hotel Fort Canning and National 

Museum of Singapore. “Since its inception, the 

World Gourmet Summit has contributed to 

Singapore’s prominence and development as 

a leading culinary hub in the region,” explains 

Knipp. 

In keeping with the ‘heritage of flavour’ 

theme, visiting and local hosting chefs participating 

featured contemporary dishes and 

cooking techniques alongside traditional dishes. 

The recipes and menus presented at this 

year’s WGS were traditional in flavour but 

refreshed with a modern twist showing that 

recipes could hold on to their heritage while 

moving forward with the times. The talented 

chefs did not disappoint with their creations. 

The mission of the World Gourmet Summit 

was to put Singapore on the gastronomic 

map; a mission that has been accomplished. 

Singapore, a small but proud nation, is the 

choice gourmet destination in the region and 

is leading in the world of fine-dining and hospitality. 

The world Gourmet Summit 2012 was 

to promote local cuisine and talent while 

exhibiting on an international arena. 

International cast 

Chefs from around the world participated 

in an array of activities ranging from live 

demonstrations, and private dinners to menu 

lifestyle 

creations. This year’s WGS saw the participation 

of a star-studded cast of Michelin-starred 

chefs, internationally renowned professionals, 

celebrated vintners, as well as local talent. By 

bringing together chefs from around the 

world, WGS goers as well as participants were 

able to compare and contrast the use of certain 

ingredients, learn about new cooking 

techniques and styles and, most importantly, 

enjoy food. 

Delicious events 

The festival lasted 11 days and provided a 

platform for cross-cultural epicurean education, 

collaboration and celebration. The many 

activities were organized to bring together 

international and local talent in the food world 

as well as give access to the average foodie. 


Masterchef serve up a 

finger-licking experie 

Crème de la crème of gastronomy world unite at Singapore’s Gourmet Summit 

Chef Ian Curley is pictured during a gastronomic Jam session. 

Michelin star chef Fergus 

Henderson 

Host with the most 

Masterchefs from around the world were 

invited to spend a week in Singapore to educate 

and be educated on food and cooking. 

The international chefs were hosted by participating 

restaurants or hotels and were invited 

to create special menus. The menu options 

were then presented to diners as Epicurean 

Delights. The collaboration on menus created 

unique dining experiences. These events were 

very popular with locals and tourists alike as 

they were able to sample five-star dining from 

around the world in a span of one week. The 

hosted chefs also offered private cooking 

classes and dining experiences at their respective 

venues. 

A touch of Jam 

The very popular Jam Sessions were a great 

hit. The two-day morning event featured 

world-renowned and Michelin-starred chefs 

performing live demonstration on the 

Universal Studios stages. During this interactive 

event, chefs shared secrets and cooking 

techniques they used in their own professional 

kitchens. The audience had access to the professional 

chefs and were able to pick certain 

tricks of the trade to impress their friends and 

family. Chefs who presented during the Jampacked 

sessions are Dani Garcia, Ian Curley, 

Janice Wong, Lino Sauro, Lucas Glanville, 

Marco Pierre White, Paco Roncero, Pedro 

Miguel Schiaffino, Pietro D’Agostino and Ryan 

Clift. Like the years before, WGS 2012 was able 

to bring together professionals from the food 

industry, food-lovers as well as the hospitality 

world for a spectacular 11 days. The special 

events, dinners and cooking classes were the 

perfect venue for food, fun and festivities. 

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net 

Albert Tse, chef of Conrad Tokyo’s 

avant-garde Chinese restaurant, 

China Blue. 

Chef Ronny 

Emborg, one of 

the participants 

of this year’s 

WGS.


Loch Ness monster 

ordered to 

leave Wisconsin 

In this file photo, a sculpture resembling the Loch Ness monster rises out of the Chippewa River in Eau Claire, Wis. — AP 

Lip service or sea change? Skeptics 

wonder whether Vogue magazine’s 

vow to ban models under 16 or those 

of any age with visible signs of eating disorders 

is more hype than health. The 19 editors 

of Vogue around the world made the 

promise Thursday, beginning with June 

issues and including editions in America, 

France, Britain and China. They also encouraged 

fashion designers to reconsider “unrealistically” 

small sample sizes that make 

ultra-thin models necessary in the first 

place. 

Vogue didn’t address the widespread 

industry practice of digitally altering photos 

that critics believe promotes an impossible 

standard of beauty. While the new initiatives 

are certainly good news for models, 

Susan Linn of the Campaign for a 

Commercial-Free Childhood said Vogue 

didn’t go far enough. “If Vogue was really 

concerned about the well being of girls in 

terms of their health, then they would have 

done what Spain and Italy did and use only 

girls who have what has been deemed a 

healthy Body Mass Index.” 

The health of models, especially their 

weight, has been in the spotlight over the 

past few years, especially after the death of 

two models from apparent complications 

from eating disorders in 2006 and 2007, but 

the focus, until now, has been on runway 

fashion shows. The primary fashion organizations 

in Italy and Spain banned catwalk 

models who fall below a certain BMI level. 

Israel’s government passed an anti-skinnymodel 

law earlier this year. The Council of 

Fashion Designers of America adopted a 

voluntary initiative in 2007 emphasizing 

age minimums and healthy working environments 

during New York Fashion Week. 

London Fashion Week designers signed a 

contract with the British Fashion Council to 

use models who are at least 16. 

Anna Wintour, Vogue’s US editor-in-chief, 

was instrumental in crafting the CFDA’s 

guidelines. Still, there is persistent criticism 

that the fashion world creates a largely 

unattainable and unhealthy standard that 

particularly affects impressionable young 

The Loch Ness monster is on vacation 

in Wisconsin - and state officials want 

the legendary lady to leave. 

Department of Natural Resources 

spokesman Dan Baumann says a sculpture 

of Nessie is illegally obstructing the 

Chippewa River in Eau Claire and must be 

removed by the person who placed it 

there. The sculpture’s creator remains a 

mystery, although a person who anonymously 

emailed the Eau Claire Leader- 

Telegram on Thursday (http://bit.ly/ILl70C ) 

said it would be removed within 10 days. 

Retailer Menards says it would like to 

acquire the guerrilla art and that the monster 

could make her home in retention 

ponds at the home improvement chain’s 

Eau Claire property. The Loch Ness monster 

was first “spotted” at Loch Ness, a waterway 

some 10 miles south of Inverness, Scotland, 

in 1933. — AP 

Masterchefs serve 

up a finger-licking 

experience 

39 

Is the Vogue vow more hype than health? 

A model 

presents a 

creative hair 

style on stage 

at the 17th 

China Beauty 

Expo at 

the New 

International 

Expo Centre 

in Shanghai. 

— AFP 

An American macaw is displayed at a bird 

market in Kuwait City on May 5, 2012. 

The parrot is for sale at 

KD 500. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat 

Birds 

of a feather 

African grey parrots are seen. 

girls. Audrey Brashich, a former teen model 

and ex-editor of a teen magazine, called the 

Vogue announcement a “tiny baby step of 

progress,” at best. 

“The cynic in me feels like they are simply 

grandstanding while really just throwing 

a bone to an audience that is getting 

ever more savvy and tired of the tricks of 

the trade,” she said. Linn agreed, adding: 

“It’s not going to help the millions of young 

girls who turn to these magazines to decide 

what they should aspire to look like.” Conde 

Nast publishes other magazines, including 

Glamour and Allure, but a spokeswoman 

said there are no current plans for these 

guidelines to be adopted across the company. 

Glamour said in a statement Friday the 

magazine’s policy already was not to book 

models under 16 or those who appear to 

have an eating disorder. 

The Hearst Corp., home to Elle, Harper’s 

Bizarre and Marie Claire, said in a statement 

that it supports the CFDA guidelines, 

adding: “Good health is something we strive 

to promote in our magazines, both in our 

fashion and beauty stories and in our features. 

We make every effort to educate our 

readers and present images that reflect 

strong, beautiful women.” 

Elissa J. Brown, professor of psychology 

at St. John University and founder of The 

Partners Program, a specialized therapy 

program for children and adolescents, said 

she was cautiously optimistic about Vogue’s 

attempt to prioritize health over weight. “I 

don’t think the shift will come in the next 

couple of weeks, and I don’t think the shift 

will come unless the entire industry participates,” 

she said. “I would like to see what 

comes next.” — AP 

Parrots are displayed for sale. Multi-coloured chicks are seen inside their cage. 

A man pets an American macaw. The parrot is priced at KD 500.

KT 7-5-2012_Layout 1 - Kuwait Times

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