Saudi-led coalition ends Yemen military campaign - Kuwait ...

By B Izzak and Agencies

KUWAIT: Minister of Information andState Minister for Youth and Sports SheikhSalman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah said yester-day that Jaber Stadium will be ready foropening by the end of this year, after sev-eral years of delay. The stadium will followhigh technical standards and safety meas-ures, said Sheikh Salman, responding to aparliamentary question on the matter dur-ing a National Assembly session yester-day.The minister also said that the Cabinethas decided to refer all parties responsiblefor the stadium’s malfunction to the publicprosecution for investigation.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Ministryhas secured all official approvals requiredfor the construction of Jaber Bridge, for-merly called Subbiya Bridge, including the

oil sector’s approvals, Minister of PublicWorks and Minister of Electricity and WaterAhmad Al-Jassar said yesterday. The minis-ter was responding to a question raised byan MP regarding allegations that JaberBridge has been constructed on an oil wellin Kuwait Bay.

Regarding the repeated incidents ofburnt out electrical transformers, Jassarsaid that the Ministry of Electricity andWater’s statistics showed a drop in thenumber of such cases, as the ministry hasbeen carrying out a campaign since 2008on tackling such incidents, which result-ed in a decrease from 12 cases earlier toonly two in 2013. The ministry has nojurisdiction to where such electrical trans-formers can be installed, as the MunicipalCouncil is the sole body to decide, theminister said.

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Saudi-led coalition ends

Yemen military campaign Operation enters new phase • National Guard mobilized

NAJRAN, Saudi Arabia: The Saudi-led “Decisive Storm”air campaign targeting Shiite rebels in Yemen is over, aspokesman for the coalition said yesterday, but a newphase aimed at preventing the rebels from operating isbeginning. The announcement suggested that the near-ly month-long campaign of heavy airstrikes would bescaled down, but the spokesman, Brig Gen Ahmed Asiri,did not say they would stop. He said the coalition wouldcontinue to interdict rebel movements and protect civil-ians, without specifying how.

Speaking at a news conference in Riyadh, Asiri saidthe campaign’s objectives have been met as the rebels’military capabilities had been destroyed, and that theoperation would cease at midnight (2100 GMT). He saysthe rebels, known as Houthis, no longer pose a dangerto civilians and that the new phase, called “Renewal ofHope”, will focus on rebuilding the country while deny-ing the rebels operational movement, protecting civil-ians, and supporting evacuation and relief operations.

“To implement this we will continue to have ouroperation,” he said. “Inside a city like Aden we will con-tinue to protect civilians to prevent these militias fromsustaining their operations,” he said, referring to thesouthern port city which has seen fierce fighting inrecent weeks. Asiri added that Saudi Arabia’s groundand naval forces would continue to guard its borderwith Yemen and interdict any shipments to the rebels,and he did not rule out future airstrikes against them.

Iran welcomed the announcement, saying it was a“step forward” to reaching a political settlement in thecountry. “The establishment of a ceasefire and a stop tothe killing of innocent and defenseless people is a stepforward,” foreign ministry spokeswoman MarziehAfkham said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

The US-backed campaign by Saudi Arabia and itsallies, mainly Gulf Arab countries, is aimed at crushingthe Houthis and allied military units loyal to a formerautocrat, who have taken over Sanaa and much ofnorthern Yemen.

Continued on 3

KUWAIT: HH the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince SheikhNawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday warnedthat grave political and security tensions in the regionand the world at large “pose a threat to our existence,undermine our security and draw attention away fromessential issues”. Sheikh Nawaf made his statements dur-ing the opening ceremony of Kuwait’s heads of missions’conference yesterday at Bayan Palace under auspices ofHH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The Crown Prince referred to regional events overthe past few years, known as the “Arab Spring”, which hesaid drove the region into sophisticated calculations.“But today,” he said, “we are ushering in a new stage toadjust our course making use of past experiences andfacing powers that target our security, stability andinterests.” He stressed the role of Kuwaiti diplomatic mis-sions overseas is to “convey to the world the brightimage of their country that enjoys democracy and free-dom”, and whose diplomacy is based on constants ofinternational legitimacy as well as enforcing the basis ofpeace.

According to Sheikh Nawaf, Kuwait’s heads of mis-sions have to affirm to the world that their country iskeen on fulfilling its humanitarian commitments,responding to efforts by the international communityto defend and maintain human rights and back sustain-able development.

On Yemen, he said that the recent events in thecountry threaten security and stability of the region,besides being a warning sign of grave consequences.He stressed the momentousness of the GulfCooperation Council’s initiative and its executive mech-anism, approved by all Yemeni powers and the UNSecurity Council.

Continued on Page 13

Crown Prince: Turmoil undermining security

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (center) is received at the airport yes-terday by HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (left), National AssemblySpeaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem (right) and other senior officials after he returned home after a private vis-it to Germany and Morocco. — KUNA

Jaber Stadium to be ready by yearend

All approvals for Jaber Bridge secured

KUWAIT: The Jaber Stadium is seen in this recent file photo.

CAIRO: An Egyptian court yesterday sen-tenced ousted president Mohamed Morsi to20 years in prison for abuses against protest-ers but acquitted the Islamist leader ofcharges carrying a possible death penalty.Morsi was convicted of ordering the arrestand torture of demonstrators involved inclashes in 2012 when he was president, in averdict Amnesty International denounced as a“travesty of justice”.The reaction from the

United States was more circumspect, with theState Department saying it was concerned bythe sentences. Fourteen others were convict-ed of the same charges, with most also sen-tenced by the Cairo court to 20 years in jail.

Morsi stood in a cage in court as judgeAhmed Sabry Youssef read out the rulingagainst him and other Brotherhood members,including senior figures Mohamed Al-Beltagyand Essam Al-Erian. The sentencing was

broadcast live on state television. The judgeacquitted the defendants of inciting murderin connection with the deaths of a journalistand two protesters during the Dec 5, 2012clashes outside the presidential palace inCairo. Morsi, dressed in a white prison uni-form, raised his fists when the verdict wasannounced, an AFP correspondent reportedfrom the courtroom.


Ousted Morsi jailed for 20 years

CAIRO: Egyptian poet Abdel Rahman Al-Abnoudi,widely known for his revolutionary verse and criti-cism of two toppled presidents, died yesterday atthe age of 76, his wife said. Abnoudi, who under-went brain surgery at a Cairo hospital just days ago,rose to prominence in the 1960s for his poems,some performed by legendary Arab singer AbdelHalim Hafez. In a career spanning four decades,

Abnoudi, known for hisleftist views, publishedseveral volumes ofmedieval poems on Arabhero Abu Zeid Al-Hilaliand his tribe that trav-elled through the MiddleEast and North Africa.

Born in 1939,Abnoudi’s fans affection-ately called him “uncle”.President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Prime MinisterIbrahim Mahlab offeredtheir condolences toAbnoudi’s family. “Egypt

and the Arab world have lost a great poet... his con-tributions to poetry will remain a national and Arabsymbol,” Sisi’s office said.

In recent years, Abnudi openly criticized formerpresidents Hosni Mubarak and Mohamed Morsi,both toppled after mass uprisings, but has support-ed Sisi. Abnudi’s wife, Nehal Kamal, said her hus-band would be buried in the canal city of Ismailiya,where he moved years ago. — AFP

Egyptian poet

Abnoudi dies

TSURU, Japan: Central Japan Railway’s seven-car maglev train returns to the sta-tion after setting a new world speed record in a test run near Mount Fuji yester-day. — AFP

TOKYO: Japan’s state-of-the-art maglevtrain clocked a new world speed recordyesterday in a test run near Mount Fuji,smashing through the 600 km per hourmark, as Tokyo races to sell the technologyabroad. The seven-car maglev train - shortfor “magnetic levitation” - hit a top speed of603 km an hour, and managed nearly 11seconds at over 600 kph, operator CentralJapan Railway said. The new record cameless than a week after the company record-ed a top speed of 590 kph, breaking itsown 2003 record of 581 kph. The maglevhovers 10 cm above the tracks and is pro-pelled by electrically charged magnets.

About two hundred train buffs gath-ered for yesterday’s record-setting run,with the crowd cheering as the train brokethrough 600 kph per hour. “It gave mechills. I really want to ride on the train,” anelderly woman told public broadcasterNHK as the carriage rocketed past her. “It’slike I witnessed a new page in history.” AnAFP reporter who previously rode on thesuper-speed train said the experience waslike taking off in a plane, with the feeling ofg-force gathering as the speedometer ispushed ever higher.

“The faster the train runs, the more sta-ble it becomes - I think the quality of thetrain ride has improved,” Yasukazu Endo,who heads the maglev test centre south-west of Tokyo, told reporters yesterday. JRCentral wants to have a train in service in2027, plying the 286-km route betweenTokyo and the central city of Nagoya. Theservice, which would run at a top speed of500 kph, is expected to connect the twocities in only 40 minutes, less than half thepresent journey time in Japan’s alreadyspeedy bullet trains.

By 2045, maglev trains are expected tolink Tokyo and Osaka in just one hour andseven minutes, slashing the journey time inhalf. However, construction costs for thededicated lines are astronomical - estimat-ed at nearly $100 billion just for the stretchto Nagoya, with more than 80 percent ofthe route expected to go through costlytunnels. Japan is looking to sell itsshinkansen bullet and maglev train sys-tems overseas, with Prime Minister ShinzoAbe acting as a travelling salesman in hisbid to revive the economy partly throughinfrastructure exports.


Japan maglev train

breaks speed record

Al-Abnoudi

L O C A LWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

KUWAIT: (From left) Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Acting Prime Minister andForeign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabahgreets Kuwait’s Ambassador to Bahrain Sheikh Azzam Al-Sabah.

— Amiri Diwan photos

Heads of missions’ conference opens under Amir’s patronageKUWAIT: The 8th conference of Kuwait’sheads of missions (COMs) abroad openedyesterday at Bayan Palace under auspicesof His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. HH the DeputyAmir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah gave an addressat the beginning of the conference, whichdiscussed the regional conditions andtheir impact on local security. He alsounderlined the role of the Kuwaiti diplo-matic mission overseas in conveying thecountry ’s image as a democratic stateglobally.

Leadership’s supportAddressing the opening ceremony,

Acting Prime Minister and Foreign MinisterSheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah voiced appreciation to HH the Amirfor sponsoring the 8th HOMs and confer-ence, and HH the Deputy Amir and CrownPrince for attending.

This manifests support by the politicalleadership to the diplomatic corps and itsrole to defend the nation’s causes on theinternational arena, following HH theAmir ’s sound directives as guidance,Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said. He stressedKuwait’s balanced political method andleading economic and humanitarian role

on the world level.Kuwait’s positive and constructive inter-

action with the global political, humanitar-ian and development issues has been amajor factor for placing the countr yamong the world pioneer states seekingglobal security, stability and prosperity, hesaid. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled referred to

the UN honoring of HH the Amir as a‘Humanitarian Leader ’ and Kuwait as a‘Humanitarian Center’ as an outcome ofthe “balanced and wise foreign policyadopted” by the country, over the genera-tions.

Grave ramificationsThe Acting Prime Minister and Foreign

Minister pointed to the “critical and haz-ardous political and security conditions inthe region, which were the outcome ofunrest over the past four years, bringingabout chaos and grave ramifications.” Headded that Kuwait is hard at work with theinternational community to remedy therepercussions of the unrest, citing the ter-rorism phenomenon as an example.

Following the 7th HOMs conference in2013, six new diplomatic missions havebeen established, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled.Thus, Kuwait came to have a total of 104diplomatic missions through which “we tryto extend bridges of cooperation withfriendly and sisterly countries.” Also since2013, Kuwait has received eight newdiplomatic missions and representationoffices.

According to Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled,Kuwait has realized an elevated global sta-tus thanks to the country’s contributions

to the international efforts for achievingsecurity and stability, especially on thehumanitarian level. He noted in thatrespect that Kuwait has hosted three con-ferences for Syria donors over three suc-cessive years, the last of which last march.

Regional summitsBy the same token, Kuwait over two

years chaired the Third Africa Arab Summitand the 34th GCC Summit in 2013, in addi-tion to the 25th Arab Summit last year. Thecountry is hosting the 42nd session of theOrganization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)Foreign Ministers Council in May.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled underscoredthe support to the diplomatic corps by thegovernment chaired by HH the PrimeMinister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The opening ceremonywas attended by HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, DeputyPr ime M inister and I nter ior M inisterSheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-HamadAl-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister andDefense Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-JarrahAl-Sabah and Ac t ing M inister of theAmiri Diwan Affairs, Advisor MohammadDaifallah Sharar. Senior official from theAmiri Diwan and the Diwan of HH theCrown Prince were present. —KUNA

Acting Prime Minister and Foreign MinisterSheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabahmakes his address.

His Highness the Deputy Amir and CrownPrince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabahgreets Kuwait’s Ambassador to Jordan DrHamad Al-Duaij.

KUWAIT: The Saudi-led OperationDecisive Storm is necessary to protectthe Yemeni people from a dark tunneland save Yemen, Yemeni ForeignMinister Riyadh Yaseen said.

The majority of the Yemeni peopleunderstand the military operations,launched on March 26, as well as posi-tions of all Arab and Muslim countries,and friends to save Yemen, Yaseen told anews conference at the Yemeni embassyMonday.

“We are pursuing militias whichchange their positions on the groundvery quickly and are thirsty for destruc-tion and killing of innocent civilians,namely in densly areas, and create prob-lems and strike randomly with theobjective of blaming the DecisionStorm,” he said. The Houthi militias arestriking civilians at the same time of theairstrikes launched by the coalition, hesaid. Yaseen said Kuwait was one of thebiggest supporters of Yemen, contribut-ing to construction of schools, hospitalsand infrastructure projects. Kuwait hasbeen ‘actively’ participating in DecisiveStorm, he said, coupled with humanitar-ian supplies to the needy in differentparts of Yemen, he said. Yaseen, whoarrived in Kuwait Sunday, met earlieryesterday with Acting Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Sheikh SabahKhaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Too lateAsked why the Iranian proposal to

mediate was rejected, Yaseen said theproposal came too late and the Iranianstance was ambiguous. “Yemen’s condi-tions for dialogue are clear. The Houthimilitia and the troops loyal to (oustedpresident) Ali Abdullah Saleh must

accept all relevant resolutions of the UNSecurity Council before the elapse ofthe set ultimatum,” the foreign ministerreminded. On the Arab Marshall Plan forYemen, he said the donor countries, ontop of which are the GCC memberstates, had already set aside $8 billionfor the post-conflict reconstructionprocess.

“Preparations are underway foranother session of the friends of Yemenconference. The previous sessionsresulted in pledges of $10 billion to thereconstruction process which shouldfollow the completion of the politicalprocess,” Yaseen noted.

He named Yemen’s developmentproject after King Salman bin Abdulaziz,of Saudi Arabia, in appreciation of theKing’s donation of $274 million to theemergency aid for the Yemeni people.“This will be a mega socio-economicdevelopment project to which all theGCC states will contribute,” he said, not-ing that the Yemeni people sufferedfrom poor infrastructure over the last 33years due to the deposed corruptregime.

Set targetsThe minister expected that the

Operation Decisive Storm to achieve itsset targets and come to an end soon.“Since 2011, we have been working withthe GCC states to reach a political solu-tion to the crisis in Yemen. We held sev-eral rounds of the national dialoguebased on the GCC initiative and its exec-utive mechanism.

“We offered painful concessions toreach the Agreement on Peace andPartnership with a view to warding offthe then looming specter of war, but all

to no avail. The deal gave the Houthismore than what they deserve but theystubbornly dug their heels in and resort-ed to the power politics,” Yaseenexplained. He affirmed that his govern-ment is working on a roadmap for politi-cal solution that starts with an end tothe current hostilities. “The top prioritynow is to establish safe havens toensure provision of essential services,including food and medical supplies forthe Yemeni citizens,” he went on.

Yaseen refuted the misconceptionthat the Houthis control Yemen, affirm-ing that they only control 30-35 percentof the country but they try to make amedia fuss by shelling the densely-pop-ulated areas. He added that the airattacks of the coalition focus on the spe-cific targets, such as the camps of theHouthi rebels and the troops loyal to AliAbdullah Saleh as well as their armscaches. —KUNA

Decisive Storm ‘necessaryto protect Yemenis’Yemeni FM speaks at embassy

KUWAIT: Yemeni Foreign MinisterRiyadh Yaseen speaks at a pressconference at the Yemeni embassyMonday. —KUNA

Saudi Crown Prince receivesNational Security President

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince andDeputy Prime Minister Prince MuqrinBin Abdulaziz Al Saud received yester-day Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al-SalemAl-Sabah, President of Kuwait ’sNational Security Apparatus.

Sheikh Thamer conveyed the greet-ings and appreciation of His Highnessthe Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the CrownPrince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Prince Muqrin BinAbdulaziz. The two sides tackled dur-

ing their meeting bilateral ties andissues of common interest. KuwaitiAmbassador to Saudi Arabia SheikhThamer Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Director of strategic studiesand researches depar tment at theNational Security Apparatus SheikhSabah Al-Bader Al-Sabah attended themeeting.

Sheikh Thamer also met the SaudiDeputy Crown Prince and SecondDeputy Premier and Minister ofInterior Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin

Abdulaziz. They discussed the latestregional developments and reviewedfraternal relations between the twocountries and ways of enhancing themin various fields.

The meeting was attended byMinister of Defense, Chief of theRoyal Court and Special Advisor tothe Custodian of the Two HolyMosques Prince Mohammed binSalman bin Abdulaziz, Sheikh ThamerJaber Al-Sabah and several otherofficials. -—KUNA


By B Izzak and Agencies

KUWAIT: The National Assemblyagreed yesterday to refer a propos-al to set up shareholding compa-nies to recruit domestic helpers tothe financial and economic affairscommittee after the health andlabor panel rejected the proposal.

The decision came amid strongexchanges between MP SaadounHammad, the head of the laborpanel, and a number of MPs espe-cially MP Kamel Al-Awadhi, thechampion of the proposal.Hammad strongly objected to themotion to take the proposal awayfrom the labor committee claimingthis was a violation of the constitu-tion and the assembly charter. ButMPs voted against a proposal todiscuss the issue in the assemblyon the basis of the health commit-tee rejection.

MP Awadhi insisted that theissue relates to establishing compa-nies, which falls under the jurisdic-tion of the financial affairs commit-tee and where the proposal shouldbe debated. He said that therecruitment of domestic helpers byexisting offices has becomeextremely expensive and reachedKD 1,200 although the actual cost isjust under KD 400. The proposalcalls to set up public shareholdingcompanies to be exclusivelyresponsible for the recruitment ofmaids at reasonable prices.

Bedoons’ plightThe national assembly also agreed

to ask its human rights committee todiscuss a report by the central agencyof stateless or bedoons as several MPshighlighted the plight of bedoons inKuwait. Several MPs said that thegovernment has said that as many as34,000 bedoons qualify for Kuwaiti

citizenship and several years havepassed by without any solution.

Interior Minister Sheikh MohammadAl-Khaled Al-Sabah said that it does notmean that all the 34,000 bedoons areentitled to Kuwaiti citizenship, addingthat the government sticks to theimplementation of the law.

MPs also raised the issue that alarge number of Bedoons haveobtained passports of other coun-tries and many of them turned out tobe fake. MP Adnan Abdulsamad saidthat there are cases when the fatheris Kuwaiti, brothers are Kuwaitis whileonly one brother is Bedoon andquestioned why are these cases not

yet resolved.The National Assembly also agreed

to ask the educational committee tostudy reports that the education min-istry plans to amend the school text-books for Arabic language and Islamiceducation with the aim to remove mate-rial deemed promoting extremism.

Agricultural lawIn other issues, the National

Assembly approved in the secondand final round the agricultural lawin which strict rules for the distribu-tion of state land for the purpose ofagriculture and animal breedinghave been introduced.

The assembly rejected anattempt by some lawmakers to easethe restrictions which ban thosewho benefited from governmentland to sell it before the lapse of atleast seven years. The new law alsorequires people to prove that theyutilize the land for the same pur-pose they had obtained for andthere is no misuse.

Minister of Oil Ali Al-Omair, whooversees the agriculture authority,welcomed the passing of the lawand said it will be implemented onall equally. A number of lawmakershowever claimed that the law isbeing implemented on ordinarypeople only.

Fadhel’s immunityAlso yesterday, the National

Assembly accepted a request fromthe Public Prosecution to lift theimmunity of MP Nabil Al-Fadhel in amisdemeanor case. The move willallow the Public Prosecution tointerrogate the MP, Kuwait NewsAgency (KUNA) reported. However,the National Assembly refused tolift Al-Fadhel’s immunity in a felonycase.

Maids’ recruitment firmreferred to financial panelMPs assign panels to review bedoons, school textbooks

KUWAIT: MPs vote during a parliament session yesterday. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

MP Nabil Al-Fadhel reacts during the session.

KUWAIT: In celebration of Her Majestythe Queen’s Birthday, the British EmbassyKuwait held a reception at theAmbassador ’s Residence, attended byGuest of Honor Minister of Informationand Minister of State for Youth AffairsSheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. Alsopresent were current and former MPs,Ministers, Ambassadors, business leaders,civil society actors, media personalitiesand representatives from both the Britishand local community in Kuwait.

Addressing his guests, Br i t ishAmbassador Matthew Lodge thankedpartners and guests for supporting thisyear’s celebration, and said: “We are hereto celebrate the birthday of Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth II, born on this day in1926. I am honored to stand in the beau-tiful gardens of this historic residence asBritish Ambassador. For nearly 8 months,I have observed at first hand the closerelationship between our two countriesand have seen the depth and breadth ofthe ties that connect us. Even if I were totalk for hours, I could not cover the fullrange of those t ies. We are mark inganother anniversary here today, in addi-tion to Her Majesty’s birthday. The BritishCouncil in Kuwait this year is celebratingits Diamond Jubilee - 60 years of opera-tion.”

This year ’s theme reflects the UK’scommitment to Education through thegreat work of the British Council in sup-porting Kuwait’s educational sector. The

British Council creates and provides inter-national education opportunities for peo-ple in the UK and Kuwait through creat-ing cultural and educational opportuni-ties between people, which builds trustand mutual understanding.

Hisham I Khali l , Marketing andCommunications Manager at Brit ishCouncil Kuwait said, “As the UK’s interna-tional organization for cultural relations,we aim to build trust, increase engage-ment and share knowledge and expertisethrough developing collaborative projectsbetween partners in the UK and Kuwait.We’ve been actively working with theBritish Embassy and numerous partners inKuwait to deliver English language, UKeducation, training programs and researchopportunities to young Kuwaiti studentsand Kuwaiti professionals. In Kuwait, lastyear we taught English to over 6500 stu-dents and delivered over 25,000 UK exam-inations.

We have a very successful partnershipwith the Kuwaiti Higher Education institu-tions as a subgroup lead of the JointSteering Group. This year we will be cele-brating our 60 year anniversary in Kuwaitby initiating a number of events andactivities to engage with the Kuwaiti com-munity and reflect our work in Kuwait.”

The reception was attended by over500 guests who were kept entertained bythe musical talents of local English schoolstudents, a military band, and a perform-ance by Anna Karadimitrova.

British Embassy, Councilcelebrate Queen’s Birthday

KUWAIT: British Ambassador Matthew Lodge and Information MinisterSheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah cut the ceremony’s cake.

—Photos by Joseph Shagra

British Ambassador Matthew Lodge and Information Minister SheikhSalman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah walk together at the venue.

Diplomats in attendance gather for a group photo.

Guests pictured during the event.

KUWAIT: France decorated two armedforces officers with the national orders withthe rank of a commander in recognition oftheir education and leadership services inthe Kuwaiti Army. Army Major-GeneralKhaled Al-Foderi and Vice Admiral JassemAl-Ansari were decorated with the Frenchnational orders at a ceremony held by theFrench Embassy in Kuwait.

French Ambassador to Kuwait ChristianNakhle said in a statement that the officials

in Kuwait were interested in furthercementing relations between the twocountries, including cooperation betweenarmed forces in France and Kuwait. He saidFoderi and Ansari worked closely with theFrench advisors in the humanitarian field.Real Admiral Antoine Busan, Commanderof the French Naval Forces in the IndianOcean, commended the military coopera-tion between Paris and Kuwait namely inthe joint exercises. —KUNA

KUWAIT: French Ambassador to Kuwait Christian Nakhle (center) is picturedwith the honored officers; Army Major-General Khaled Al-Foderi and ViceAdmiral Jassem Al-Ansari. —Photo by Joseph Shagra

Army officers decoratedwith French national orders

Saudi dairy companyseeks to hike prices

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: A major Saudi dairy products company threatened tostop exports to Kuwait unless the ministry of commerce and indus-try approves a request it had made to increase its products’ pricesby 10 percent, said informed sources. The sources added thataccording to the Saudi ‘Makkah’ newspaper, the company had beendemanding such increases for years and that it recently startedapplying pressure and making threats. According to the sources,the Saudi company justified its demands over the strengtheningdollar and loss of government subsidies that are lifted for exportedproducts, which led to considerable losses. The sources said thatthe ministry of commerce was looking into the request and wouldrespond to it within a month.

Imam backThe Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs yesterday allowed Dr

Hamed Al-Ali to resume his duties as a mosque imam, but prevent-ed him from giving any sermons. The ministry also conditionedthat Ali will not hold any seminars or lessons in the mosque’s diw-naiya and that he would fully adhere to all regulations.

Jazzaf’s return to PAYS annulled The court of cassation yesterday annulled a previous ruling

made by the court of appeal ordering returning former PAYS chair-man Faisal Al-Jazzaf to his post on grounds that he had committedsome administrative and managerial mistakes during his tenureand that this was reason enough to refer senior employees forcompulsory retirement.

Academy seeks helpfighting harassers

By Meshaal Al-Enezi

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Applied Education andTraining (PAAET) asked for assistance from policewomenand demanded deploying them at various colleges to helparrest young men harassing female students.

Nurseries warnedFollowing up the illegal nurseries’ issue, Ministry of

Social Affairs and Labor’s Assistant Undersecretary forSocial Development Ali Al-Roumi said that during aninspection tour in Andalus, two nurseries have been givenwritten warnings to stop receiving children, evacuate thebuildings and completely close down. He also noted thattwo other nurseries prevented inspectors from getting in.

Books distributedIn a bid to avoid any delay, the Ministry of Education has

started distributing school books for next year to variousschools, said informed sources.

KUWAIT: The Secretary General of theSupreme Council for Planning andDevelopment Hashim Al-Rifaai said that Kuwaiteyes an influential role for the private sector inthe national economy.

Rifaai stressed during a press conferenceyesterday that there are strenuous efforts exert-ed to increase the private sector’s contributionto the economic development, especiallythrough the state mega development projects.

On state subsidies, Rifaai stated that a spe-cial committee has been formed to considerthe financial burden of all kinds of state subsi-dies and their impact on the national economy.He clarified that the committee studies not

only the food and fuel subsidies but also thestate-financed overseas and domestic scholar-ships. Such subsidies distort the national econ-omy and do not serve the state financial situa-tion on the long run, he said.

On the efforts of the Supreme Council tohelp cut the time of paper processing atKuwait government bodies, one of the majorobstacles to investment in the country, he stat-ed that some of the recently-passed laws havegood effect on this regard. Moreover, the gov-ernment decision last year to suspend the off-set program was also a great move thatencourages foreign investors to invest inKuwait, he said. —KUNA

Kuwait eyes greaterrole for private sector


Zakat HouseCAIRO: Zakat House Director General Ibrahim Al-Salehexpressed his institution’s readiness to offer all supportto the newly-minted Egyptian Zakat (Alms) House. Instatements on the sidelines of his participation in thefourth meeting of the Board of Trustees of the EgyptiansZakat House, Saleh underlined the Kuwaiti ZakatHouse’s keenness to render the Egyptian counterpart asuccess. To achieve this goal, he emphasized the needfor developing a comprehensive strategy to increase theresource of the Egyptian charitable institution. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqafand Islamic Affairs Yaqoub Al-Sane issued a decreeto form a committee to prepare the final version ofthe headquarters agreement between the State ofKuwait and the Permanent Court of Arbitration.The decree stipulated that the committee wouldbe headed by the Minister of Justice and includesas members representatives from the Ministry ofJustice, the Foreign Ministry and the Fatwa andLegislation Department. —KUNA

Boat showKUWAIT: Up to 16 local companies took part in yes-terday’s opening of a boat show for the generalpublic. The annual event attracted the sea-goingpublic interested in finding out the latest develop-ments in boats and yachts. The companies seek toshow their products for sale as Kuwaiti buyers showinterest on buying large boats, in light of projects tobuild boat docks and marinas that could accommo-date large size boats and yachts. The show is openthrough April 26. — KUNA

Photoo f t h e d a y

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Dive Team removed an oil pipe that washed ashore Khairan beach. The 70-meters long pipe contained large amounts of oil, which caused pollution near the southern beach ofKhairan, the team said in a statement. — KUNA

In Brief

Court HQs

DUBAI: Chairman of Kuwait Islamic ArtsCenter (KIAC) Fareed Al-Ali is participatingin the 8th Dubai International IslamicCalligraphy Exhibition to be held from April14 to May 15. Al-Ali said yesterday that hewas invited to the event by the DubaiCulture and Arts Authority, which is organ-izing the exhibition, adding that he is par-ticipating with two paintings titled‘Mashallah.’

Ali also noted that he is running a work-shop on Kufic calligraphy for children in pri-mary and intermediate schools as part ofthe event. The exhibition is showcasingthoroughly-detailed paintings of differenttypes of Islamic calligraphy, attracting alltastes, the Chairman said.

The Dubai exhibition presents one ofthe largest collections of calligraphy mas-terpieces by more than 50 accomplishedartists from across the Arab world. The

event showcases works of Vice President,Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai SheikhMohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum,including unique pieces reflecting remark-able aesthetics and creativity in modernArabic calligraphy.

Moreover, it will display sections of theHoly Quran of King Hussein bin Talal thatfeatures engravings in Maliki Islamic stylecalligraphy, which is being showcased incoordination with Tiba traditional IslamicBook Arts in Jordan.

Over 70 specialized workshops for allages are held as part of the event, patronizedby Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdanbin Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, tolearn of different techniques used in the art.The exhibition aims to present calligraphy asone of the most powerful art forms in theIslamic heritage, as well as the regions cultur-al and social identity. — KUNA

Kuwait participates in DubaiIslamic Calligraphy exhibition

DUBAI: Chairman of Kuwait Islamic Arts Center (KIAC) Fareed Al-Ali with one of hisworks. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank ofKuwait (CBK) is sponsoring RadissonBlu’s 20th Annual Art Competition andis inviting its My First Account and@Tijari customers aged 10 to 18 yearsold to participate. Children from numer-ous private schools in Kuwait will alsobe participating. The theme for this yearis “Conserve Energy and Water” and thetwenty- five best paintings will eachreceive a KD50 cash reward. The last dayto submit the paintings is May 5, 2015and must be delivered to the RadissonBlu Hotel.

The award ceremony will be heldon the 9th of May 2015 at theHashemi Ballroom. This unique com-petition has been going on successful-ly for the past twenty years since it

encourages students from differentschools in Kuwait to develop theirartistic talent and creativity. The topicchosen this year highlights the impor-tance of protecting the environmentby conserving water and saving ener-gy. It should be noted that My FirstAccount is a savings account designedfor children aged 0 to 14 years old. Theaccount contributes in a perfect wayfor parents who want to secure a bet-ter future for their children and savingmoney for them from an early age. Onthe other hand, @Tijari is a savingsaccount that can be opened with KD10 and it is designed for youth cus-tomers aged 15 to 21 years old withthe intent to help establish theirfuture and pave the way to success.

CBK sponsors RadissonBlu art competition

KUWAIT: Minister of Information, Minister of Statefor Youth and Head of National Council for Culture,Arts and Literature Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah saidthat Kuwaiti formative artists have reached interna-tional acclaim. At the grand opening of AbdulrasoolSalman’s exhibition at the Kuwait Arts Associations,the minister said that the Kuwaiti painter excelled in

portraying his country’s culture and heritage. TheNCCAL looks to these efforts with “admiration andappreciation,” he added, while reiterating the gov-ernment’s keenness on encouraging the culturaland art movements in the country.

Abdulrasool Salman said meanwhile that theexhibition was his 17th both locally and inter-

nationally. Through his works he has sought tooutline, in his own vision, the sense of belong-ing to the nation and the relationship betweenthe creator and his creation. He has done this inan unfamiliar way, he added, aiming to safe-guard the social reality of the past in a present-day portrayal. — KUNA

Abdulrasool Salman opens arts gallery

LO C A LWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

KUWAIT: The panel members are seen during the lecture at Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST). — Photo by Joseph Shagra

Legacy of Palestinians forgotten in KuwaitGUST panel discusses role of this community

By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: An interdisciplinary panel at theGulf University for Science and Technology(GUST) yesterday discussed how the histori-cal presence of Palestinians in Kuwait consti-tutes a forgotten legacy, and how this issymptomatic of a wider form of amnesiaresponsible in part for current concerns inKuwait.

The beginningsProf Shafeeq Ghabra of the Department of

Political Science at Kuwait University talkedabout how the Palestinians came to Kuwaitand what they have accomplished. “The firstPalestinian Arab immigrants to Kuwait arrivedin 1936 at the invitation of its ruler SheikhAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the positiveimpression they made inclined Kuwait toaccept further workers, including many dis-placed by the 1948 war. Between 1948 and1960, tens of thousands of refugee and non-refugee Palestinians from the West Bank andGaza arrived in Kuwait while the sheikhdomwas still a British protectorate,” he said.

“There were two groups of Palestiniansthat came to settle in Kuwait - the first groupwere professionals like doctors, scientists, sur-geons, administrators, etc, while the secondgroup were poorer men who traveled to sup-

port their families after the Nakba, includingteachers, civil servants and unskilled workers.By June 1961, when Kuwait declared its inde-pendence, its Palestinian community hadgrown to some 40,000, about 12 percent ofthe state’s entire population of 321,621,”Ghabra said.

Kuwait’s developmentGhabra said the Palestinians helped shape

Kuwait’s social, economic and political devel-opment. They came to play a formative role inthe development of Kuwait - the length oftheir residence, the size of the community,their dedication to work in both the publicand private sectors and their consequententrenchment in the bureaucracy, economy,professions and the media enabled thePalestinians in Kuwait to develop into one ofthe most cohesive and active communities inthe diaspora. Ghabra added that approxi-mately 180,000-200,000 Palestinians who hadfled Kuwait during the Iraqi occupation werenot permitted to return. Kuwait’s Palestinianpopulation has dwindled from a pre-invasionstrength of 350,000 to approximately 150,000now.

Writer’s storyMay Al-Naqeeb, Associate Professor at the

Department of English Language and

Literature at Kuwait University, discussedPalestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani’s life inKuwait. She said that the trope of Kuwait runsthrough numerous stories by the Kanafani,including his well-known novella ‘Men in theSun’. Using Deleuze’s clinical methodology,“Kanafani in Kuwait: A Clinical Cartography”maps Kanafani’s Kuwait stories symptomati-cally to determine what the legacy of theKanafani effect might be for contemporaryKuwait. “It considers what his textual con-junction of affects and percepts did at thetime and whether they can do anything now.Kanafani’s position as a seminal figure withinPalestinian national and resistance literatureis well-recognized - however, his specific loca-tion in Kuwait at a key period of its develop-ment is generally overlooked,” she explained.

“His clinical diagnosis of the relationshipbetween Kuwait and Palestinians in the 1940sand 1950s can provoke a reconsideration ofthat early period, especially relevant in lightof post-1991 events. In addition to his writ-ing, his actual presence in Kuwait in the sec-ond half of the 1950s expresses an earlypromise of Kuwait as an open and cosmopoli-tan place soon betrayed and today mostlyforgotten,” Naqeeb added. The seminar wasorganized by the Department of Humanitiesand Social Sciences at GUST and Saleh Al-Nafisi was the moderator.

KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommuni-cations company in Kuwait, announcedits sponsorship of the 42nd Arab LaborConference hosted by the State ofKuwait from 18 ñ 25 April 2015, underthe patronage of His Highness the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The opening ceremony witnessed theattendance of several prominent figures,led by Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Affairs Minister Sheikh SabahKhaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Ministerof Social Affairs and Labor and Ministerof State of Planning and DevelopmentHind Al-Subaih, as well as representa-tives from government organizationsand experts in socio-economic develop-ment from across the Arab world.

Zain pointed out that the Arab LaborConference, organized by the Arab LaborOrganization, is considered one of the

most important events in the Arab world,wherein it tackles a number of crucialissues facing the labor market like unem-ployment, social dialogue in light of thecurrent turbulences in the region, inaddition to the settlement of labor dis-putes and its role in the stability of laborrelations. The conference works to pro-vide adequate studies that contribute tothe social and economic developmentacross the entire region.

Zainís keenness in sponsoring thisconference arises from its core objectivesthat aim at shouldering the advance-ment of the community as a whole on alllevels, indicating that through similarsponsorships that company is reaffirm-ing the principal of partnership and itsoverall approach in the community thatit operates in, especially through one ofthe largest conferences held in theregion.

Zain sponsors the 42ndArab Labor Conference

KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State of Planning andDevelopment Hind Al-Subaih visits Zain’s booth.

F r o m t he A r a bic pr e s sWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

Al-Jarida

BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

Afishing boat with around 950 people onboard,including women and children, sank off theItalian shores where they were heading to

escape hunger, terrorism and tribal wars in their Araband African countries, which are the worst world-wide in terms of human standards. Those bodies inthe Mediterranean represent one of many crises thatrecur in these deadly waters. Yet, such disasters werenot the creation of fate. They were the result of pre-meditated criminal acts committed not only by theowners of the dilapidated boats, but also by themafias and regimes that forced those victims to fleetheir countries’ hell.

In addition, European countries that had previ-ously colonized these countries and reluctantlyreceived a few of those who managed to survive,used their fighter planes to strike Gaddafi’s regimewith the excuse of avoiding ‘civil war and a humandisaster’, as they claimed. So, where did Libya endup? The same logic was used in the Yarmouk refugeecamp in Syria that once used to accommodate twomillion refugees and now only houses less than18,000. Those refugees were besieged by three fight-ing groups - IS, the Syrian regime and Palestiniantroops of different affiliations.

Going to unhappy Yemen, the situation is not lesstragic than at the Yarmouk camp or than the refugeesmuggling boats. Hunger, destruction, ‘proxy’ andtribal wars, in which Ali Abdullah Saleh and hisgroups play the role of ‘princes of corruption’ like somany of his likes across the Arab world, dominatethe entire scene. Saleh once said that he who rulesYemen seems to be ‘dancing over snakeheads’, athing which he managed to do for over 30 years. So,if he himself was not a vicious and corrupt dancingsnake, what else would he be?!

Has anyone felt pain on seeing IS demolish andblow up over 3,000-year-old monuments in Iraq andSyria? It seems as if they feared that people in thelands they ‘liberate’ might worship those idolsinstead of worshipping their own terrorism. Well, itdoes not matter if they destroy Sumerian andBabylonian heritage, blow up a mosque or raze a his-toric Sufi shrine, because man is more important aslong as he manages to survive the ‘halal’ decapita-tion.

However, the sufferings of the poor people inareas liberated from IS by Shiite militias are not lessthan those caused by IS. It seem as if these poor peo-ple have to be thankful for the blessings of the mili-tias because they are less evil, just the way we nowsay that tyrannical regimes that ruled our countriesare far less evil than revolutions and civil wars.Anyway, we were brought up to so many sayings,such as, “Tyrants are better than lasting tumults”!

Why write about these tragedies, then? Well,maybe this will help awaken us a little to realize thatthe world is much more beyond Kuwait and our oil-rich Gulf. Countries are being destroyed, lands burnt,houses pulled down and people related to us are dis-placed and living in hell after they were far better offthan us in the old days. We are no better than thepeople of Aleppo, Idlib, Ramadi, Taiz or Benghazi -we might someday be in their shoes. So why are somany of us so snobbish about the whole issue, then?

—Translated by Kuwait Times

We’re no better

than them

Al-Jarida

By Hassan Al-Essa

Most of those against the ‘Decisive Storm’operation are the very same ones whoencouraged Nasser to go to war in 1967,

Assad to invade Lebanon in 1976 and Saddam toinvade Iran in 1980, strike his own people withchemical weapons in 1988 and invade Kuwait in1990. They had a finger in every pie and got addictedto defeats and twisted thinking to the extent thatwisdom and victory taste very bitter in their mouths,especially if achieved by the people of wisdom in theGulf, because for them, severe defeats under so-called revolutionary flags are far much better thanevident victory under Arab Gulf ones.

Such despicable hatred for whatever comes fromthe Gulf has its own hidden as well as known reasonsand justifications. After promoting chaos and revolu-tionary leaders who only led the nation into moredevastation, defeats and non-constructive chaosthat almost wiped it off the map, their twisted mindsrealized that the success of GCC’s political, military,educational, developmental, agricultural, industrialand touristic experiences mean that the whole Arabnation would benefit from these experiences andrise after long years of hibernation. Therefore, theyhad to deliberately degrade all GCC achievementsand hail destructive thinking.

One of the reasons why our nation has been fail-ing is that our representatives to the UN and variousinternational community organizations have let oth-ers phrase crucial international resolutions concern-ing them, such as when the British commissionerLord Carrington phrased the UN’s 242 resolution dur-ing the 1967 war and then got us all preoccupiedwith a controversial discussion of whether Israel hadto withdraw from ‘occupied Arab territories’ or from‘the occupied Arab territories’ until this very day!

This time, the remarkable military victory so farachieved by Decisive Storm that changed all powerbalances in favor of legitimacy without even drop-ping or losing a single fighter was also followed bysimilar political and diplomatic victory at theSecurity Council where the Saudi-led Arab coalition’sefforts resulted in an Arab-tailored UN resolutionissued under chapter seven to realize all the coali-tion’s demands. It was unanimously passed by theSecurity Council and not by a majority becauseRussia’s abstaining from voting was a clear andimplicit approval, otherwise it would have used itsveto right.

So, it is high time for those failure addicts to rea-son if they have any minds or brains and realize thatthe Arab coalition fighters and bombers have notdropped any chemical weapons or banned barrelbombs like those dropped by the people they sup-port. —Translated by Kuwait Times

We don’t

drop chemicals

and barrel bombs

Al-Anbaa

By Sami Al-Nisf

Watching all the killing and bloodshed thathas gone on and is going on around theworld makes me think that societies and

civilizations are created by hatred. The amount ofhatred, its volume and its ability to move things ismuch stronger than any other feeling. Despite peo-ple’s repetition of abstract talk about their religions,traditions and values that bind them together, wefind them turning into wild merciless beasts in timesof distress and crises, and if their own fangs are notcovered with blood, they nevertheless rejoice whenenemy blood is shed, make sure it happens and workon watching it on the ground. They rejoice withdeath and mutilation of enemy corpses.

History rarely immortalizes tolerance advocates asvery few of them, like Gandhi, Martin Luther Kingand Mandela have been remarkably mentioned bymodern history. However, their mention amongstpeople only comes out of self-catharsis of sinfulhatred rather than attempts to tolerate and acceptothers.

Let us have a look around and see how battles

and wars are run by religion-less leaders who onlybelieve in interest, domination and powers. We caneasily find that people would suddenly start takingdoctrinal, racial, ethnic and even lingual sides out ofhistoric reservoirs of hatred, forgetting all aboutbright and good experiences with the ‘others’, whosuddenly turn into enemies that must be terminatedand hated till doomsday. And thus, policy turns intoa process of conflict between hate-exchanging par-ties and normal conflict reasoning would give way toa series of stupid illusionary ones that are opted forby absolute stupidity.

People kill themselves with hatred of friends andneighbors. Daily life would then turn into endlesshatred and ‘hatred parties’ would dominate in atyrannical manner. Hateful people become leaderswhile those with balanced thinking regress and fadeaway. That is why some of us Arabs should probablymeet nowadays with support from the UN to discusshow to confront the speech of hatred that is becom-ing the spark to igniting all evils.

—Translated by Kuwait Times

Hate speech and self-destruction

Al-Jarida

By Ghanim Al-Najjar

CrimeR e p o r t

Ex-husband charged

with battery

Maid accuses employer’s son of rapeA housemaid accused her sponsor’s son of raping

her at the family house in Zahra when she went to hisbedroom to clean it in the afternoon, said securitysources. A case was filed and the suspect is being sum-moned for further investigations.

Search for harassersA search is on for two suspects in a vehicle with

GCC license plates for assaulting a pregnant expatwoman in Jahra after they failed to convince her andher friend to escort them to spend ‘some good time’ inreturn for whatever money they wanted. Case papersindicate that the two women had emerged from aJahra building when the two suspects invited them toa private party in return for money. However, the preg-nant woman’s friend called her husband while shephotographed the suspects’ vehicle, which made themstep out and brutally assault her in front of passersby.They then fled the scene. The woman was rushed toICU in critical condition.

KUWAIT: A female citizen accused her ex-husband of barg-ing into her house in Sabah Al-Salem and beating andinjuring her, said security sources, noting that the womanprovided a medical report of her injuries. A case was filedand the suspect is being summoned for further investiga-tions.

Home thieves caughtTwo Syrian men were arrested over robberies in over 5

apartments, said security sources. Case papers indicatethat after receiving several similar reports from expats liv-ing in Hawally about their apartments being burgled whilethey were out, detectives first managed to identify one ofthe suspects living in Maidan Hawally, and on arrestinghim, he led the police to his accomplice, noting that he wasresponsible for selecting the apartments to rob.

Female driver harassedA female citizen in her twenties reported that three

reckless drivers, each in his own vehicle, forced her tostop along King Fahd Highway, and that one of thempointed a weapon at her while another smashed her vehi-cle’s windscreen when she rejected their attempts to talkto her. The girl, who barged into Adan police station in ahysterical state, added that she had to reverse and fleethe three harassers. A case was filed and a search for thesuspects is on.

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank recently hosted an exclusivemedia convention which consisted of meetings andactivities with a number of financial Turkish media per-sonnel and senior executive management from BurganBank Turkey.

A group of senior executives from Burgan Bank-Turkeyaccompanied Turkish media during their visit to Kuwait,who attended business forums, toured around Kuwaitand discussed business opportunities with executivemanagement from Burgan Bank Kuwait, QurainPetrochemical Industries Company (QPIC) and KIPCO.The meetings were headed by Burgan Bank Group

Chairman Majed Essa Al-Ajeel, Burgan Bank Group CEOEduardo Eguren as well as Burgan Bank Turkey Chairman,and CEO. The two-day meeting involved an overview onthe Kuwaiti economy as well as a topline look at thegroup’s performance, and investments. This was througha series of presentations led by various Burgan BankGroup officials, KIPCO senior management team as wellas QPIC officials.

Accompanied by the bank’s Group Corporate commu-nications department, the Turkish media officials wereintroduced to the Kuwaiti culture, history, people andbusiness operations which highlighted the development

of Kuwait as a financial center in the coming few years,to boost the exchange volume and investments betweenboth countries in the near future.

As a leading and responsible financial institution,Burgan Bank will continue maintaining a strong andclose relationship with key financial media personnelacross the region. It is worth mentioning that BurganBank - Turkey is backed by a clear cut strategy that focus-es on the upside geo-economic growth potential Turkeyprovides, along with the benefits of the bank’s widergroup synergies across Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, Algeria,Iraq, Tunisia and Lebanon.

KUWAIT: Kuwait International Law School(KILAW) is proud to welcome home its 5-member legal advocacy team from the 56thPhilip C Jessup International Moot CourtCompetition in Washington DC. This is thefourth year KILAW has been represented atthis international competition. This year theKILAW team participated in the competitionand for the previous three years it went as theKuwait National team. KILAW international lawprofessors Marcia Denny and Ardit Memeticoach the team.

The Jessup International Competition isthe largest moot court competition in theworld, this year over 600 law colleges frommore than 90 countries competed, with over130 teams participating at the internationalrounds in Washington DC. The competition isa simulation of a fictional dispute betweencountries before the United Nations’International Court of Justice. Students arerequired to present oral and written argu-ments on a very complicated hypotheticalinternational case. This year’s case involved

issues of secession of a part of a country withits subsequent annexation by another coun-try, state sovereignty over natural resources,and termination of a treaty between twostates. At the international rounds inWashington DC, KILAW students had theopportunity to appear before global legalexperts appearing in the role of judges and tonetwork with international law students fromaround the world. The legal skill gained in thepreparation for and participation in this com-petition is unparalleled; as a result, the compe-

tition awards students an incredible lifetimelearning experience. The KILAW team workedfor more than 6 months in anticipation of thisevent. In addition to the competition, KILAWstudents attended seminars chaired by world-renowned international law experts at theannual conference of the American Society ofInternational Law. They also visited the lawcolleges of both Georgetown University andGeorge Washington University, toured theUnited States Supreme Court and Capitolbuildings.

Burgan Bank hosts Turkish

Media Convention in Kuwait

KILAW took part in JESSUP 2015

Old loyalties, religious cohesion frustrating Islamic State in Libya

Page 8

Foreigners tell of being ‘hunted like dogs’ in South AfricaPage 10

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

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MALDA: In this file photo, an Indian groom puts vermilion, the holy mark believed the sign of Hindu marriage, on the forehead of his underage bride during a mass marriage program in the village of Malda, some 360kms, northeastof Kolkata. —AFP

NEW DELHI: Two thousand girls are “killed” every daydue to a preference for sons in India with most abortedor murdered just after birth, the country’s minister forwomen and child development said. Despite laws thatban parents having tests to determine the gender ofunborn children, sex selective abortions remain a com-mon practice in parts of India, and have resulted in adecline in the number of girls compared to boys.

“You have 2,000 girls who are killed in the wombevery day. Some are born and have pillows on theirfaces choking them,” Maneka Gandhi told NDTV newschannel late on Monday. India’s 2011 census showedthat while the overall female-to-male ratio hasimproved marginally since the last census a decade ago,fewer girls were born than boys and the number of girlsyounger than six plummeted for the fifth straightdecade.

A May 2011 study in British medical journal TheLancet found that up to 12 million Indian girls wereaborted over the last three decades, resulting in askewed child sex ratio of 918 girls to every 1,000 boys in2011, versus 962 in 1981. India’s traditionally male-dom-inated culture views sons as assets-breadwinners whowill provide for the family, carry on the family name,and perform the last rites for their parents, an importantritual in many faiths. Girls, however, are often seen as aliability, with families having to dig deep for a substan-tial dowry to ensure a desirable match. In a culture thatviews pre-marital sex as bringing shame to the girl’sfamily, parents also worry about their safety.

Gandhi said that the government’s “Beti Bachao BetiPadhao” (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter)campaign, which aims to reverse the declining numberof girls, had already shown results since its launch inJanuary. The initiative, which is being run in 100 districtswhere the ratio of girls to boys is particularly low, aimsto better enforce laws that criminalize pre-birth genderselection and improve girls’ access to education. “Wedidn’t expect results to show for at least a year or twoyears, if at all, as it’s one of those mindset changethings,” Gandhi said in her first television interview sincetaking office in May last year.

She added that the campaign had led to an increasein unwanted girl infants ending up in orphanages butsaid this was a positive response as it meant they hadmoved “from being killed to being thrown out”. “Theresult is that hundreds of girl children are being throwninto orphanages in these 100 districts. In Amritsar, theyhave received 89 girls this month. In Tamil Nadu, theysaid the same thing. In all the districts we have chosen,

they have a lot of girls going into palnas (state orphan-ages),” the minister said.

Police on alert In another development, Police and social workers

were on alert yesterday across a north Indian state to tryto prevent hundreds of child marriages from taking placeon an auspicious Hindu day. Several raids were conduct-ed on villages in the desert state of Rajasthan on the eveof Akshaya Tritiya following tip offs from locals, an officialand an activist said. District collector Kailash Verma saidhe halted one such wedding in Rajsamand district wherean impoverished family was making preparations to mar-ry their 15-year-old daughter.

“I spoke to her. She was not willing to get married andtold me that she wanted to carry on her studies but couldnot gather the courage to oppose her parents,” Vermasaid, adding that 250 marriages were halted last year inhis district. Mangilal Khateek, her father, said he wantedto marry his younger daughter at the same time as hiselder one in a bid to save what little money he had. “I willnot marry her (now) after the collector said it was illegaland harmful to her health,” he said.

Child marriage is illegal in India but remains commonin poor, rural communities in which it is seen as improv-ing the financial security of both families. Rajasthan isamong states with the highest number of married chil-dren, according to India’s census figures. Akshaya Tritiya,which in Sanskrit means “never diminishing”, falls thisyear on Tuesday and is considered a lucky day, with thou-sands of weddings taking place. Police in Rajasthan havebeen asking villagers to inform on fellow residents plan-ning such celebrations. “A control room has been set upand people are being encouraged to inform the adminis-tration and police about the child marriages,” policesuperintendent of Jodhpur city, Harendra Kumar said.

Another raid was conducted in Jaisalmer districtafter a grandmother alerted authorities to the impend-ing wedding of her 14-year-old granddaughter, activistAshok Bhati said. A campaign was held in the lead up toAkshaya Tritiya, with priests, caterers and even weddingtent operators under pressure to say no to familieswanting to hire them for child weddings. “All the 40,000tent dealers across the state have been asked to refuseto erect tents for child marriages. This initiative will helpin demoralizing the practice and send a good message,”said Ravi Jindal, head of an umbrella group of tent deal-ers. Nearly half of all girls in South Asia marry beforethey turn 18, according to a UNICEF report released lastyear. — Agencies

2,000 Indian girls‘killed’ every day

Police on alert for child marriages

I N T E R N AT I O N A LWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia began three days of nation-al mourning yesterday, with joint Christian andMuslim prayers for more than 20 Ethiopian Christianskilled by Islamic State militants in Libya. The murdershave horrified Ethiopians and sparked global con-demnation, including from Pope Francis whoexpressed his “great distress and sadness”. “They areanimals, they are outside of all humanity,” saidTesfaye Wolde, who saw his only brother BalchaBelete executed on a video released by the militants.

“I saw him kneeling, a masked man pointing a gunto my brother and his friend, with a knife to theirthroats.”Abune Mathias, the patriarch of theEthiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, called thekillings “repugnant”. “We have a duty to raise ourvoice to tell the world that the killing of the innocentlike animals is completely unacceptable,” he said.Joint prayers were held along with Muslim leaders,led by Sheikh Mohammed Jemal, head of Ethiopia’sIslamic Affairs Supreme Council, who said the killingof people like “chickens” had no place in Islam.

The IS video released on Sunday, showed militantsin Libya holding captives who they described as “fol-lowers of the cross from the enemy Ethiopian Church”.A masked fighter in black brandishing a pistol makesa statement threatening Christians if they do not con-vert to Islam. The video shows one group of about 12men being beheaded on a beach and another groupof at least 16 being shot in the head in a desert area.“If IS were religious, they would never have killedhuman beings,” said Kedir Hussein, a Muslim whoattended the joint prayers. “The death of these young

people is like someone was killed in my family.”Almost two-thirds of Ethiopians are Christians, themajority of those Orthodox Copts-who say they havebeen in the Horn of Africa nation since the first centu-

ry AD-as well as large numbers of Protestants. Islamalso has an ancient history in Ethiopia, brought to thecountry by some of the earliest followers of theProphet Mohammed (PBUH), who were sheltered

there by the Christian king. Tesfaye described how hisbrother Balcha, an electrician, as well as his friendEyasu Yekuneamelak-also seen killed on the video-leftEthiopia two months ago seeking work and a betterlife, heading first for Sudan and then to Libya, in thehope to making the crossing to Italy.

But the pair, who left Ethiopia without telling theirfamily, were captured by IS fighters before they couldrisk the dangerous sea crossing to Europe, wherethousands have drowned in rickety boats. “I am verysad, I lost my brother, my one and only brother, butthere are many more Ethiopians who are losing theirlives - they are being dropped into the ocean,”Tesfaye said. “Only God knows how this thing can bestopped,” he told a small crowd who had come tooffer their condolences, outside his brick house in thecapital Addis Ababa.

“They wanted to change their lives, improvetheir condition-life is very difficult here,” saidMersha Mitku, a friend of both men. He said heknows at least 25 others who took the same routeto Libya. Six made it safely to Italy, but he has nonews from the others. Europe’s southern shoreshave been swamped with migrants fleeing war andhardship, hundreds of whom have died in a stringof tragic shipwrecks. An estimated 800 peopledrowned on Sunday off Libya in theMediterranean’s worst migrant disaster. More than11,000 migrants have been rescued by Italianauthorities since the middle of last week alone.“Maybe this story will discourage some for sometime, but not for long,” Mersha said. — AFP

Shocked Ethiopians mourn Christians killed by Islamic State

ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopians mourn for relatives and friends killed in Libya by the Islamic State group, asthey gather in streets of Addis Ababa yesterday. — AFP

CAIRO: Islamic State’s executions of Christiansshow the group is exploiting Libya’s lawlessnessbut tribal and political loyalties and the absenceof a sectarian divide mean it is unlikely to growas rapidly there as in Iraq or Syria. On Sunday,the militant group published a video purported-ly showing the execution of 30 EthiopianChristians in two locations in eastern and south-ern Libya, two months after it beheaded 21Egyptian Copts there.

The video suggests Islamic State, which con-trols much of Syria and Iraq, has managed to fur-ther expand in the North African country afterestablishing a limited presence in the easterntown of Derna as well as in western and centralLibya. It is benefiting from chaos in oil-produc-ing Libya, where two governments allied toarmed factions are fighting each other on sever-al fronts four years after the fall of MuammarGaddafi. With neither side able to dominate, asecurity vacuum exists. But Islamic State maystruggle to expand as it has in Syria and Iraqbecause Libya has no Sunni-Shiite divide thegroup could exploit to draw in supporters.Libyans are Sunni Muslims.

The militant group also lacks strong ties tolarge Libyan tribes, and must compete with for-mer anti-Gaddafi rebel groups that have carvedout their own fiefdoms based on regional, tribal,ethnic and political ties. “These groups are ulti-mately self-serving and self-interested,” saidGeoffrey Howard, Middle East and North Africaanalyst at Control Risks. “IS’s advances are likelyto pose a threat to their own political and eco-nomic agendas, as well as their control over ter-ritory and strategic assets.” That has left IslamicState splintered into small units that can launchhigh-profile attacks but whose grip on territoryis not firm enough to build up social services, asthe group has done to win over local people inplaces like Iraq’s Mosul.

Unlike in Iraq and Syria, Islamic State insur-gents have not occupied any oilfields in Libya togenerate revenues, and selling oil outside officialchannels would anyway be more complicated inLibya than in the two other Arab countries. Withoil storage facilities located in coastal areas,Libyan oil is exported by sea. Some Libyan war-ring factions have tried to sell oil independentlyfrom ports under their control but a UN embar-go has deterred foreign shippers. Cross-borderoil smuggling would also be difficult as IslamicState controls no Libyan land border.

Foreigners joiningVideos showing executions and portraying

Christians as “crusaders” could help Islamic Stateattract more fighters from abroad or from localmilitant groups such as Ansar Al-Sharia. “Theywant to send a signal to Libyan jihadists thatthey are the really tough guys,” Mattia Toaldo,policy fellow at the European Council on ForeignRelations, told the Reuters Global Oil Forum.“ The attraction of Tunisian and Sudanesejihadists gives Islamic State a big potential.” Butthe biggest security headache for Western pow-ers would be an Islamic State expansion intoLibya’s southern Sahara, the apparent locationfor part of Sunday’s video.

Neither Libyan government holds much swayin the remote area bordering Niger, Chad, Sudanand Algeria, which has been long neglected.

Gaddafi made local tribesmen promises of citi-zenship and development projects but neverdelivered. Southern tribes make a living bysmuggling anything from subsidized petrol,flour and weapons to African emigrants headingfor Europe across Libya’s porous sub-Saharanborders. In January, Islamic State posted arecruitment video in a Tuareg language, callingon aggrieved tribesmen to join with their prom-ised caliphate. Analysts say recruiting in thesouth would help Islamic State co-operate withother militant groups, such as Tuaregs fighting inMali or Nigeria’s Boko Haram as it tries to take itsbattle to Libya’s neighbors Chad and Niger. Themilitants also benefit from the reluctance ofLibya’s warring governments to tackle them,analysts say, as each wants Islamic State to keepthe other busy. War planes belonging to the

internationally recognized premier Abdullah al-Thinni have made air strikes near the central cityof Sirte on forces loyal to the rival government,which controls Tripoli. But they have spared mili-tants inside Sirte, where Islamic State has takenover government buildings.

Forces loyal to Tripoli have meanwhile movedheavy guns to the outskirts of Sirte but notlaunched a full assault on the Islamists fightingThinni’s forces in the east, although there havebeen smaller clashes outside the city. WhileThinni misses no opportunity to warn aboutIslamic State’s expansion, Tripoli officials tend todownplay the group as Gaddafi loyalists with lit-tle power. “The terrorist groups cannot terrorizethe main cities. They only sneak into smalltowns,” said Amina Mahjoub, an Islamist memberof the Tripoli-based rival parliament. — Reuters

Old loyalties, religious cohesion frustrating Islamic State in Libya

Militia exploiting Libya’s lawlessness

TRIPOLI: A general view shows the damaged wall of the Spanish embassy in the Libyan capital,Tripoli yesterday, after a bomb exploded outside the building during the night without caus-ing injuries, a security source said. Several accounts linked to the Libyan branch of IS claimedthe attack on Twitter. — AFP

JERUSALEM: Workers place new carpets at the Dome of the Rock shrine in Jerusalem. — AP

JERUSALEM: It began as a routine remodelingproject: Muslim authorities replacing an old car-pet worn thin by masses of worshippers at theDome of the Rock, the iconic, gold-topped shrinethat overlooks the Old City of Jerusalem. But thereis no such thing as routine remodeling when itcomes to the most contested piece of real estatein Jerusalem, where the presence of a mere screw-driver can threaten to ignite religious tensions.

The carpet has sparked a verbal holy warover the hilltop compound, which is revered byJews and Muslims whose competing claimsoften spill over into violence. Israeli archaeologi-cal authorities say the repairs were carried outbehind their backs, and an Israeli governmentminister urged an immediate halt to the work,claiming it might cause irreparable damage.Frustrated Israeli researchers say previouslyundocumented ancient floor designs were dis-covered when the old carpets were peeled off,but they didn’t get a chance to document thedesigns before workmen covered them up withthe new carpet.

‘Something is hidden there’And some researchers claim the Bible’s deep-

est secrets may lie beneath some of the newlyexposed floor designs. “Something is there. Idon’t know what. But something is hiddenthere,” said Israeli archaeologist Zachi Dvira, whostudies the site. Officials with the Waqf, theMuslim authority that administers the Al AqsaMosque compound, which includes the Domeof the Rock, reject the Israeli accusations. SheikhAzzam Tamimi, the head of the Waqf, said thework is long overdue and has defiantly pro-claimed that he was forbidding any Israeliinvolvement. “Our work in Al Aqsa is transpar-ent,” he told The Associated Press. “We are onlyputting down carpet and felt. Nothing more,nothing less.”

The work quietly began more than a monthago, and Israel facilitated the renovation project,said Jamal Al Quda, a member of a group ofJordanian carpet layers who received Israelivisas for the job. A packing list dated March 11from an Egyptian carpet company to theJordanian Embassy in Tel Aviv lists 80 bales ofcarpeting for the Marwani prayer area located atthe compound, and the prayer area encirclingthe rock slab inside the dome. Jordan’s KingAbdullah II financed the project, according toWaqf. Israel captured Jerusalem’s Old City fromJordan in the 1967 Mideast war, but under alongstanding agreement, Jordan remains thecustodian of the area’s Muslim holy sites.

On a recent afternoon in a small cave under-neath the shrine’s rock, Al Quda dribbled Israeliall-purpose glue from a large tin onto an intri-cate stone tile decoration on the cave’s marblefloor. He said it was necessary to affix the baselayer of thin dark felt before rolling out the car-pet above it. Some Israeli archaeologists arealarmed about the glue used but Al Quda saidthe glue wouldn’t damage the floor. “It comesoff my hand,” he said, rubbing his fingers. Thecryptic geometric designs have sparked theimagination of some researchers about whatsecrets may lay beneath.

Ark of the CovenantAncient Jewish traditions say the gold-cased

Ark of the Covenant, which contained the TenCommandments, may have been hidden awayin a chamber when the First Jewish Temple wasdestroyed some 2,500 years ago. It’s an IndianaJones-type mystery that touches upon a holygrail for biblical enthusiasts. While Jerusalemmay be the most excavated city in the world, theDome of the Rock and its hilltop plaza are anarchaeological gold mine that has never beenproperly dug because of the political sensitivi-

ties surrounding the site, which is consideredJudaism’s holiest spot and Islam’s third holiest.

The Dome of the Rock enshrines the largerock slab where Muslim tradition says theProphet Muhammad ascended to heaven. Jewsbelieve the rock may be where the holiest partof the two ancient Temples stood as early asabout 3,000 years ago - and where religiousJews pray a third Temple will one day be built.The adjacent Western Wall, believed to be one ofthe last remnants of the Temple complex, is theholiest site where Jews can pray. Palestinian offi-cials reject Jewish historical ties to the site. Thecompeting claims have spilled over into vio-lence. In 1999, the Muslim authorities whoadminister the site dug an enormous hole 12meters (40 feet) deep as part of construction foran underground prayer area, dumping 10,000tons of earth in a nearby valley and an eastJerusalem dump.

‘Archaeological crime’The director of the Israeli Antiquities

Authority at the time called it an “archaeologicalcrime.” For years, Dvira and veteran Israeliarchaeologist Gabriel Barkay have been leadinga team of archaeologists and volunteers incombing through the dirt for historical finds.The initiative, called the Temple Mount SiftingProject, is conducted under the auspices of theElad Foundation, a group that also purchasesArab homes in contested parts of East Jerusalemand helps move Jews in. Critics say this national-ist agenda should not mix with archaeology.

Israel’s state comptroller wrote a scathingreport in 2010 about the Muslim authorities’illicit work projects at the compound andIsrael’s failure at enforcing supervision there.Israeli officials kept the report classified out ofconcern that its publication could harm thesensitive relationship with Jordan. Tens ofthousands of worshippers attend weeklyFriday prayers, and the carpets have beenreplaced before - most recently 12 years ago,at a time of heightened violence when Israeliantiquities officials were granted l imitedaccess to the site. Past renovation projectswere done quietly behind the scenes. Leakedphotos posted on social media sites - com-bined with the political influence of Israelinationalists monitoring the site - drew extraattention and fueled the latest controversy.

Last week, Israel’s housing minister, Uri Arielof the nationalist Jewish Home party, sent analarmed letter to Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu about the carpeting project. “Thereis no need to elaborate on how important thissite is, where every modification, every excava-tion with heavy equipment can cause irrepara-ble harm to the foundations of the Temple,” Arielwrote. Photos that were leaked to Facebookfrom the off-limits restoration site showed anumber of geometric floor patterns neverbefore documented by archaeologists, saidFrankie Snyder, a researcher with the TempleMount Sifting Project.

Some apparently date to when the Crusaderscontrolled the complex in the 12th century, shesaid. “I’m worried about damage of the originalfloors,” said Barkay, the archaeologist. “The pat-terns were never properly documented.” IsraelHasson, the director of the Israeli AntiquitiesAuthority, said once the government bodylearned about the renovation, it made arrange-ments with the Waqf to send an archaeologist todocument some of the floor patterns, but othersalready had been covered by the maroon andbeige carpeting. “We got to part of them. Wedidn’t get to it all. I won’t ask anyone to pull upthe carpets to document it,” Hasson said. “Wewill wait for the next opportunity. We’re sure tobe here over the next 2,000 years.” — AP

Replacing carpet at Jerusalem shrine reveals religious rift

JERUSALEM: They were already in their 20s thefirst time they ever heard about dinosaurs or eventried their hands at maths and English. Now agroup of young Israelis who left the closed world ofultra-Orthodox Judaism are demanding answersfrom the state which funded their strictly religiouseducation in Jewish seminaries, known as yeshivas.Despite years of studying, all they were exposed towas religious texts and their interpretation, leavingthem clueless about the basics of the national cur-riculum.

“I once heard them talk about the theory of evo-lution, very furtively, in the yeshiva when someonesaid certain people think they are descended fromthe apes,” said 26-year-old Yaakov Fink, a formerreligious scholar. “It triggered a gale of laughterand the rabbi said that anyone who believed thatmust be a monkey,” said Fink, who now studies psy-chology. In place of the trademark ultra-Orthodox

attire of sidelocks, skullcaps and long black coats,he is now dressed in sporty casual wear. Nothing inhis appearance or speech gives a clue that thiscomputer enthusiast who loves to have a beer withhis friends spent the first 21 years of his life as anultra-Orthodox Jew, cut off from modern thoughtand learning.

No room for doubtIn the yeshiva world, he says, everything is

designed “to ensure that no doubt, however small,can sneak in” that could challenge blind faith. Yetnagging doubts did crop up for this young semi-narian-and they never went away. “It happenedthat one Saturday night after the end of shabbat Isimply couldn’t bring myself to go back to theyeshiva-and I never did understand why,” he said.Although leaving the ultra-Orthodox world washard, there was worse to come as Fink struggled to

integrate into the secular-and elitist-university sys-tem with extremely limited skills. In maths, he hadthe ability of a 10-year-old, his English went no fur-ther than the alphabet and he had absolutely noidea about history, geography or science.

What helped him was getting involved with agroup called “Out for Change”, which countsaround 300 members-all of them former ultra-Orthodox. Formed with the express aim of takinglegal action against the state, the organization alsoruns courses for people who want to integrate intomodern society. But its members are mainlyengaged in a lawsuit seeking damages from thestate, which provides 75 percent of the funds forultra-Orthodox education without demanding anysupervision over what its 400,000 students learn.

“What did we study in the yeshiva? The Torahand its commentaries and that’s about all,” Fink said,referring to the first five books of the Bible. —AFP

Young Israelis shunning Orthodoxy over dogma

I N T E R N AT ION A LWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

LOS ANGELES: In this photo, students are served breakfast at the Stanley Mosk Elementary School in Los Angeles. — AP

NEW YORK: A “Saturday Night Live” skitabout a male student having sex with hisfemale high school teacher painted therelationship as every teen boy’s dream, butdrew a firestorm of criticism on socialmedia. The reaction to the comedy sketchreflected a growing view among lawenforcement and victims’ advocacy groupsthat it is no laughing matter when awoman educator preys on her male stu-dents.

In US schools last year, almost 800school employees were prosecuted for sex-ual assault, nearly a third of them women.The proportion of women facing chargesseems to be higher than in years past,when female teachers often got a pass, saidTerry Abbott, a former chief of staff at theUS Department of Education, who trackedthe cases. This year’s numbers are alreadyslightly ahead of last year with 26 cases offemale school employees accused of inap-propriate relationships with male studentsin January compared to 19 cases the previ-ous January.

Female educators who sexually abusetheir students are facing tougher prosecu-tion in part because there are more womenpolice officers. There is also a greaterawareness among prosecutors, judges andthe general public that students who arevictimized by an authority figure, regard-less of gender, experience trauma with life-long consequences. “Law enforcement isincreasingly feminized, and women aremuch less prone to the old attitude: ‘Oh,this is just some kid who got lucky,’” saidDavid Finkelhor, director of the CrimesAgainst Children Research Center. “Theyrecognize the issues involved and they goafter women who violate the statutes.”

Depression, low-self esteem and difficul-ty maintaining future relationships areamong the long-term consequences thatmale victims face, according to experts.Those problems are sometimes compound-ed by confusion and guilt over whetherthey are actually victims since their adoles-cent bodies involuntarily respond to physi-cal contact.

‘Seismic shifts’Child abuse experts agree it appears

female teachers are being prosecuted morevigorously than in the past. The crackdownis the result of “two seismic shifts,” saidChristopher Anderson, executive directorof Male Survivor, the largest US advocacyorganization for male sex-crime victims.“One is a recognition that it does not mat-ter who the perpetrator is or what the cir-cumstances are. A teacher has absolutelyno business engaging in sexual contactwith a student,” Anderson said. “The second

is a shift in the culture where boys and theirparents are feeling empowered to comeforward to say that something has beendone.”

In recent weeks, a Stamford,Connecticut high school English teacher,Danielle Watkins, 32, whose case was pros-ecuted by a female state’s attorney, wassentenced to up to 10 years in prison forhaving sex with an underage male student.In Michigan, a female judge sentencedMadison High Spanish teacher KathrynRonk, 30, to up to 15 years in prison forhaving a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy, saying “the law does not recognizea double standard.”

In New Jersey, a female prosecutor saidthe most lenient plea deal she would offerNicole Dufault, 35, a Columbia High SchoolEnglish teacher accused of sexual relation-ships with six teenage boys, was 15 years inprison. There are contrary examples, suchas Pennsylvania’s Erica Ann Ginnetti, 35, theLower Moreland High School math teacherwho had sex with a 17-year-old studentand was sentenced to 30 days in jail by amale judge who said, “What young manwould not jump on that candy?” That wasafter a female prosecutor reportedly said incourt that the victim’s senior year became anightmare, his grades plunged and he stillstruggles with social interactions.

‘Hot’ teacherBut the Twitter furor ignited by the April

“SNL” skit in which a male judge fist-bumpsa boy who had sex with his “hot” teacherindicates how attitudes are changing.“Appalled by the #SNL sketch glorifyingsexual abuse of a male student by femaleteacher. Sends the worst message &mini-mizes real experiences,” tweeted HeatherTimmis @hnt108. An SNL spokespersondeclined to comment. There is no centralUS reporting system for tracking femaleteachers who prey on male students,according to federal education officials, butAbbott has been charting the crimes fromnews coverage.

His research showed that female teachersfar more often than male teachers use socialmedia to lure students, creating an electron-ic “paper trail” that may aid prosecutions.School districts are increasingly moving toban private social media contact betweenteachers and students, sometimes in aneffort to prevent inappropriate relationships.“Social media enables the behavior to start,”Abbott said. “There is no way that a teacheris going to walk up to a kid in the hallwayand say, ‘Hey, would you like to see a nakedpicture of me?’ They won’t do it. But they willdo that on social media. It’s like it eraseswhat used to be that barrier.” — Reuters

US cracks down on female teachers who abuse students800 school employees prosecuted for sexual assault

Mexico govt investigates alleged police massacre

MEXICO CITY: Mexican prosecutors and federalpolice internal affairs are investigating claimsthat officers killed 16 unarmed civilians inJanuary, authorities said Monday, in the latestabuse allegations to hit security forces. InteriorMinister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong spoke a dayafter a media report concluded that federalpolice opened fire on people wielding nothingmore than sticks on January 6 in Apatzingan, acity in the troubled western state of Michoacan.

The report by prominent journalist LauraCastellanos, published Sunday by the magazineProceso and the news website Aristegui Noticias,contradicts official accounts that nine peopledied in the crossfire of a shootout betweenpolice and former rural militiamen. “We hopethat the attorney general’s office will draw itsown conclusions and make them known,” OsorioChong said, adding that the police was cooper-ating and conducting an internal investigation.“We are waiting for the results of the investiga-tion and, with that, we will know what really

happened that day in Apatzingan,” he toldreporters.

The National Security Commission saidSaturday that it had given prosecutors a video itreceived anonymously that appears to show “anexcessive use of force or abuse of authority byfederal police officers” in Apatzingan. But thefederal government’s special security envoy toMichoacan at the time of the deaths, AlfredoCastillo, defended his January account. “I’m atpeace and completely certain” of his account,Castillo, who stepped down two weeks after theshootings, told Milenio television. He said what-ever appears in the video was “probably takenout of context.” Castellanos’s report, based on 39anonymous witness accounts, videos and audiorecordings, said officers opened fire in two inci-dents.

In the first event, the report said, officers shotat some 100 people who were demonstrating infront of city hall at 2:30 am, with some policeshouting “kill them like dogs!” The second shoot-

ing came hours later, when officers opened fireon a dozen vehicles carrying people who werechasing a police convoy, hoping to free theircomrades, the report said. Officials arrested atleast 44 people that day. The violence erupted asthe authorities planned to dissolve Michoacan’s“rural force,” a unit comprised of vigilantes whowere deputized after they rose up against theKnights Templar drug cartel.

‘Awful case’President Enrique Pena Nieto’s administra-

tion is already under fire over an alleged armymassacre of gang suspects in central Mexicolast year, and the presumed slaughter of 43 stu-dents at the hands of a municipal police-backed drug cartel in southern Guerrero state.The allegations in Apatzingan could become anew challenge for Pena Nieto, whose populari-ty has plummeted below 40 percent after theSeptember disappearance of the 43 studentssparked protests.—AFP


BLANTYRE: Foreigners fleeing xenopho-bic violence in South Africa yesterdaytold of how they escaped maraudingdeath mobs and vowed never to returnto the country where they had sought anew life. Holding her one-year-olddaughter in her arms, Agnes Salanjefrom Malawi said she “faced death” dur-ing the wave of anti-immigrant violencethat has claimed at least seven lives. “Wecould have been killed as these SouthAfricans hunted for foreigners, goingfrom door to door,” Salanje, who was adomestic worker in the Indian Oceanport city of Durban said.

Nearly 400 Malawians arrivedovernight in the city of Blantyre in thesouth of the country, where they weremet by government ministers and offi-cials. The attacks on foreigners havesparked anger and protests againstSouth Africa across the rest of the conti-nent. Salanje, who was paid $200 amonth, said she escaped the attackersafter being “tipped off by a good neigh-bor and we ran to a mosque to seekshelter.” “I will not go back. It is better tobe poor than be hunted like dogsbecause you are a foreigner,” she said. “Ilost everything. I only managed to graba few clothes for myself and my babyLinda.”

‘Be killed or go home’ South African authorities have vowed

to crack down on mobs who have beenattacking foreigners from Zimbabwe,Malawi, Mozambique and other Africancountries in both the economic capitalJohannesburg and Durban. DefenseMinister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula saidyesterday the army would be deployedin parts of Johannesburg to prevent anyfurther violence. Foreigners are often thefocus of resentment among poor SouthAfricans who face a chronic jobs short-age. Chisomo Makiyi, 23, who worked ata clothes factory in Durban, is still puz-zled about why she was attacked. “Had Inot run away to safety, I would not behere,” she said, on arrival in Malawi aftera three-day journey from Durban thattook six different buses. “I just don’tknow why all of a sudden they start hat-ing foreigners and giving them twochoices-be killed or go home.

“My life is more important than agood salary,” she said, vowing to neverreturn to South Africa, despite beingpaid $280 a month there, “which backhome would be a dream.” Zimbabwe,which has at least one million citizensworking in South Africa, said 400 arrivedby bus at the border late on Mondayafter leaving camps in Durban, where

they had sought shelter. “Many of themwere distressed when our teams went tothe camps but they are now happy to beback home,” foreign ministry spokesmanJoey Bimha said. Zimbabwean PresidentRobert Mugabe has expressed “shockand disgust” at the violence, but thosewho return to the country also face a dif-ficult future, given Zimbabwe’s mori-bund economy.

Zulus accusedThe first Mozambicans returned on

Friday, with 109 people accommodatedover the weekend at a transit campwhere they were given tents, blanketsand hot food. They said that the unreststarted when Zulus attacked “Shangaan”.The Shangaan tribe lives on both sidesof the South Africa-Mozambique borderbut “Shangaan” is also sometimes usedby South Africans as a loose term for for-eigners. “They say we take their jobs, andthat our men take their wives,” VictoriaN’Gonhamu, 29, who worked in Durbanas a maid said.

Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini hasdenied whipping up xenophobic hatredin a speech last month when he blamedimmigrants for rising crime and saidthey must leave South Africa. The kinginsisted the media had misrepresented

his speech, which was widely seen asinciting the attacks. Meanwhile, a magis-trates’ court in Johannesburg yesterdayadjourned a case of four men accused ofstabbing to death a Mozambican man inbroad daylight. Graphic photographs ofthe kill ing were published in many

South African and international newspa-pers. Reacting to the violence, thebiggest hospital of Botswana, thePrincess Marina, said it had halted rou-tine referrals to medical fatalities inneighboring South Africa due to safetyfears.— AFP

Foreigners tell of being ‘hunted like dogs’ in South Africa

CATANIA: This image shows Tunisian national Mohammed Ali Malek (left), and Syrian national Mahmud Bikhit, the captain and a crew memberof a capsized migrant boat, following their arrest on suspicion of people trafficking in Catania yesterday. — AFP

JOHANNESBURG: The hands of displaced foreign nationals are photographedas they stand outside a shelter for displaced foreigners in east ofJohannesburg, South Africa yesterday. — AP

Migrant boat captain, crew arrested; death toll hits 800

Boat skipper facing mass murder chargeCATANIA: The captain of a migrant boat thatcapsized in the Mediterranean’s deadliest disas-ter in decades was arrested yesterday on suspi-cion of causing the deaths of an estimated 800people. Prosecutors in the Sicilian city of Cataniasaid they believed Tunisian national MohammedAli Malek, 27, was responsible for steering mis-takes and the reckless overcrowding which ledto the horrifying shipwreck off Libya on Sunday.

Crew member and Syrian national MahmudBikhit, 25, was also arrested in a probe into acatastrophe that has evoked chilling compar-isons with the slave trade and allegations of cal-lous disregard on the part of European govern-ments. The captain was held on suspicion ofmultiple murder, causing a shipwreck and aidingillegal immigration. Bikhit faces potentialcharges on the latter count. Both men were tobe put before a judge later. Hundreds of the vic-tims, including an unknown number of children,will have died in hellish circumstances havingbeen locked in the hold or the middle deck ofthe 20-metre boat which keeled over in pitchdarkness after colliding with a Portuguese con-tainer ship answering its distress call.

The Catania prosecutors said the collision hadbeen caused by steering mistakes by the captainand the panicked movements of the hundredsof passengers. “On the basis of what hasemerged, no blame can be accorded to the crewof the merchant ship which came to rescue andin no way contributed to the fatal event,” theysaid in a statement. Italian Prime Minister MatteoRenzi has described the traffickers who packedtheir human cargo into the boat as akin to 18th-century slave traders. The UN human rights chiefZeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said the horror at sea hadbeen produced by a “monumental failure ofcompassion” on the part of European govern-

ments who are now under intense pressure toaddress the humanitarian crisis on their south-ern shores.

Wheelchair survivor The first of the 27 survivors who disembarked

in Sicily in the early hours did so in a wheelchair.All of them were deeply traumatized, saidCarlotta Sami, spokeswoman for the UN HighCommissioner for Refugees. “They are exhaust-ed, they have nothing left,” she said. “They are ina state of shock, they look completely lost.” Mostof the survivors and the victims appear to havebeen young men but there were also severalchildren aged between 10 and 12, she added.“We have not yet been able to ask them aboutthis but it seems certain that many of them willhave had friends and family who were lost in thewreck.”

At talks in Luxembourg on Monday, EU minis-ters agreed on a 10-point plan to double theresources available to maritime border patrolmission Triton and further measures will be dis-cussed at a summit of EU leaders tomorrow.Critics say Triton is woefully inadequate and aredemanding the restoration of a much biggerItalian operation suspended last year because ofcost constraints. The survivors, who hailed fromMali, Gambia, Senegal, Somalia, Eritrea andBangladesh, were all recovering yesterday atholding centers near Catania on Sicily’s easterncoast.

Sunday’s disaster was the worst in a series ofmigrant shipwrecks that have claimed morethan 1,700 lives this year - 30 times higher thanthe same period in 2014 - and nearly 5,000 sincethe start of last year. In that time nearly 200,000migrants have made it to Italy, mostly afterbeing rescued at sea by the Italian navy and

coastguard. Italian officials believe there couldbe up to one million more would-be immigrantsto Europe waiting to board boats in conflict-tornLibya. Many of them are refugees from Syria’scivil war or persecution in places like Eritrea.Others are seeking to escape poverty andhunger in Africa and south Asia and secure abetter future in Europe.

Australia’s example Despite the prosect of further loss of life, a

number of EU governments are reluctant toexpand search-and-rescue operations, arguingthat they only encourage migrants to attemptthe crossing. That view was endorsed byAustralian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who saidEurope should follow his government’s lead bydeploying military forces to turn migrant boatsback to Africa. “The only way you can stop thedeaths is in fact to stop the boats,” Abbott said.Australia’s policy has drastically reduced thenumber of asylum-seekers arriving on its soiland deaths at sea. Critics say this has beenachieved at the expense of the country breach-ing its international asylum obligations.

Ideas being looked at by the EU including try-ing to capture or destroy people-smugglingboats and a pilot scheme for the fast-track returnof migrants to their home countries. Italy isstudying the possibility of mounting “targetedinterventions” against Libya-based peoplesmugglers-but experts are skeptical about thelikelihood of this ever happening. More than1,000 people have been arrested in recent yearsin connection with trafficking operations butItalian officials acknowledge most of them aresmall fry and that the gangsters making multi-million dollar profits from the trade are stillmostly at large. — AFP

LUENEBURG: A 93-year-old former book-keeper at Auschwitz who is accused ofbeing an accessory to mass murder told aGerman court that he felt morally guilty forhis work at the Nazi death camp, describingin detail the grisly killings he had witnessedthere. Oskar Groening, in what could be oneof the last big Holocaust trials, is accused ofassisting in the murder of 300,000 peoplealthough he did not kill anyone himself. “Inmoral terms, my actions make me guilty,”Groening told the court in the northerntown of Lueneburg at the start of the trial.

“I stand before the victims with remorseand humility,” he said. “On the question ofwhether I am guilty in legal terms, you mustdecide.” Groening was 21, and by his ownadmission an enthusiastic Nazi, when hewas sent to work at Auschwitz in 1942. Hiscase is unusual because unlike many of theother SS men and women who worked inconcentration camps, he has spoken openlyin interviews about his time at the camp inoccupied Poland. Wearing a sleevelessbeige sweater over a white shirt, the white-haired Groening was calm and composed,leaning back in his chair and looking atpapers, as prosecutors read out the indict-ment.

He laughed when his lawyer asked thejudge to speak louder so that Groeningcould hear him. At one point, taking a sip ofwater, he joked: “I’ll do that like I drank thevodka at Auschwitz”. His job was to collectthe belongings of deportees after theyarrived at the camp by train and had beenput through a selection process that result-ed in many being sent directly to the gaschambers. He inspected their luggage,removing and counting any bank notes thatwere inside, and sending them on to SSoffices in Berlin, where they helped to fundthe Nazi war effort. “By sorting the banknotes he helped the Nazi regime to benefiteconomically,” said Jens Lehmann, a lawyerfor a group of Auschwitz survivors and rela-tives of victims who are joint plaintiffs in thecase.

Demjanjuk case decisiveThe case goes to the heart of the ques-

tion of whether people who were smallcogs in the Nazi machinery, but did notactively participate in the killing of 6 million

Jews during the Holocaust, are guilty ofcrimes. Until recently, the answer from theGerman justice system was no. In past years,prosecutors in Frankfurt decided not to pur-sue the case against Groening and otherconcentration camp workers, saying therewas no causal link between their actionsand the killings that occurred around them.

Prosecutors in Hanover disagreed,emboldened by the case of Ivan Demjanjuk,who in 2011 was convicted of being anaccessory to mass murder despite therebeing no evidence of him having commit-ted a specific crime during his time as aguard at the Sobibor extermination camp.“It is certainly not an easy trial for us,” thejudge Franz Kompisch told the court. “Thisis a trial which is attracting and creating alot of attention and setting off emotions.”The charges against Groening relate to theperiod between May and July 1944 when137 trains carrying roughly 425,000 Jewsfrom Hungary arrived in Auschwitz. At least300,000 of them were sent straight to thegas chambers, the indictment says.

Groening described some of the mur-ders that he witnessed at Auschwitz. On hisfirst day on the ramp where Jewish prison-ers exited the trains, he saw an SS colleaguegrab a crying baby and slam its headagainst a truck until it was quiet. “I was soshaken. I don’t find what he did good at all,”Groening said, telling the court that he laterwent to his commander to request a trans-fer from Auschwitz. He also told of an inci-dent in late 1942 when he witnessed nakedJews being herded into a converted farmhouse near the camp. A fellow officer shutthe door, put on a gas mask, opened a canand poured its contents down a hatch.

“The screams became louder and moredesperate but after a short time theybecame quieter again,” Groening said. “Thisis the only time I participated in a gassing,”he added, before correcting himself: “I don’tmean participated, I mean observed.” In anextensive interview with German magazineDer Spiegel in 2005, Groening said he felt“nothing” when he saw Jews being taken tothe gas chamber. “If you are convinced thatthe destruction of Judaism is necessary,then it no longer matters how the killingtakes place,” he said, describing his feelingsas a young SS officer.—Reuters

Auschwitz bookkeeper admits ‘moral guilt’ at Holocaust trial

LUENEBURG: Former Nazi death camp officer Oskar Groening sits outside during abreak of his trial yesterday in Lueneburg, northern Germany. —AFP

In exile, Syrian Armenians feel echoes of genocideBURJ HAMMOUD: For thousands of SyrianArmenian refugees in Lebanon, the slaughterand expulsion of their ancestors a century agois less a historical event than an ongoing trau-ma. Though their community is just one ofmany caught up in Syria’s brutal conflict,Syrian Armenians say their fate has been par-ticularly painful because it echoes the tragedyoften termed the Armenian genocide.

Maggie Melkonian fights back tears as shedescribes fleeing to Lebanon from her homein the Sulamaniyeh district of Syria’s Aleppocity more than two years ago. “Just as ourancestors had to leave without anything, wehad to do the same,” she says. “We’re living asecond genocide now, our houses are allgone... Our people are dying again,” she adds,

her voice breaking. Melkonian is safe now, liv-ing in the Armenian district of Burj Hammoudwith her daughter and son-in-law, and hergrandchildren.

But her husband remains in Aleppo, reluc-tant to leave everything behind, like so manyArmenians who fled their homes in 1915. Thefacts of the tragedy that began 100 years agothis month remain bitterly disputed. Armeniaand Armenians in the diaspora say 1.5 millionof their forefathers were killed by Ottomanforces in a targeted campaign. They say thecampaign was ordered by the military leader-ship of the Ottoman empire to eradicate theArmenian people from Anatolia in what is noweastern Turkey. But Turkey takes a sharply dif-ferent view, saying that hundreds of thou-

sands of Turks and Armenians lost their lives asOttoman forces battled the Russian Empire forcontrol of eastern Anatolia during World War I.

‘Guilty of genocide’In Burj Hammoud, Lebanese and Syrian

Armenians have no qualms about labeling thetragedy a genocide and holding Turkeyresponsible for it. The streets are spray-paintedwith profanities directed at Ankara and sten-ciled graffiti reading “Turkey, guilty of geno-cide”. In the run-up to the centenary, placardsand banners have been hung reading “Weremember and demand”, a reference to a long-standing call for Turkey to acknowledge themurders as “genocide”. As the LebaneseArmenian community plans events to mark

the tragedy, many Armenians who fled Syriasay they feel as though they are still living it.

They draw parallels between the experi-ences of their forefathers and incidents likethe targeting of the Syrian Armenian town ofKasab and the destruction of an Armenianchurch in Deir Ezzor province that containedthe remains of victims of the 1915 massacre. “Ifeel that we’re seeing history repeating itself,”says 30-year-old Maral Giloyan. “We areexhausted. For all these years, we have notbeen able to feel comfortable, to relax.”Giloyan is a refugee twice over. Her family leftIraq’s capital Baghdad in 2005, fleeing the vio-lence that followed the US-led invasion. Theysettled in Aleppo, where Giloyan married aSyrian Armenian man and had three children,

but fled last year after her husband waswounded by mortar fire. “I want to live inpeace, but all I’ve known is war,” she says.

‘A double wound’Alexan Keuchkerian, a member of

Lebanon’s Armenian Hunchak party, is at painsto note that all Syrians, not just Armenians, aresuffering. More than 220,000 people havebeen killed in the conflict, and nearly half thepopulation has been displaced, with morethan a million refugees settling in Lebanon.“But for Syrian Armenians, this is a secondforced migration, it’s a double wound,” he says.“The pain is being repeated.” Members of hisown family are among the recent arrivals fromAleppo.—AFP


LAHORE: Pakistan hanged 15 peopleyesterday, officials said, the largestnumber of people executed on thesame day since an unofficial moratori-um on capital punishment was liftedin December. Prime Minister NawazSharif lifted a de facto moratorium oncapital punishment on Dec 17, a dayafter Pakistani Taleban gunmenattacked a school and killed 153 peo-ple, most of them children. Thekillings put pressure on the govern-ment to do more to tackle an Islamistinsurgency. Initially, it was only peopleconvicted of militant offences whowere executed but officials later saidany prisoner on death row whoseappeals had been rejected could beexecuted. The inspector general ofprisons in Punjab province, FarooqNazir said 14 people who had beenconvicted of “heinous crimes” hadbeen hanged in the province.

One person was hanged inBaluchistan province, an official theresaid. The executions brought thenumber of people hanged in Pakistansince December to 95, the JusticeProject Pakistan legal aid group said,citing media reports. The moratoriumon executions had been in place sincea democratic government took powerfrom a military ruler in 2008. Human

rights groups say many convictions inPakistan are highly unreliable. Thecountry’s antiquated criminal justicesystem barely functions, torture hasoften been used to extract confes-sions and police are rarely trained ininvestigation, rights officials say. Thereare more than 8,000 Pakistanis ondeath row.

Clashes in southwest In another development, two para-

military soldiers and five insurgentswere killed in gunbattles yesterday inPakistan’s restive southwesternprovince of Baluchistan, officials said,highlighting the challenges to a hugeChinese investment project. The firstclash was in Gwadar district, whereBeijing has taken over a deepwaterseaport that will be the starting pointof a $46 billion “economic corridor” ofroads, pipelines and rail l inks toKashgar in western China.

Insurgents fired rockets at the airtraffic control tower of Pasni airport inGwadar district late on Monday, caus-ing some damage but no casualties,paramilitary Frontier Corpsspokesman Manzoor Ahmed said.Security forces mounted a search afterthe attack and this culminated in agunbattle with insurgents in the Zarin

Bogh area, some 80 kilometers northof Gwadar. “Two soldiers were mar-tyred and an insurgent was killed andanother captured in a clash with secu-rity forces,” Ahmed said.

Provincial home secretary AkbarHussain Durrani confirmed the clash.Sarbaz Baloch, a spokesman for theBaloch Liberation Army rebel group,claimed responsibility for attack onthe airport in a call to journalists.Separately, insurgents attacked secu-rity forces in the Mashqay area ofAwaran district, with troops killingfour insurgents, security officials said.

Earlier this month the BaluchistanLiberation Front claimed an attack inthe province that left 20 constructionworkers from elsewhere in Pakistandead, the bloodiest separatist inci-dent since 2006. Resource -richBaluchistan is the largest of Pakistan’sfour provinces, but its roughly sevenmillion inhabitants have long com-plained they do not receive a fairshare of its gas and mineral wealth.Rebels began their fifth insurgencyagainst the state in 2004, with hun-dreds of soldiers and militants killedin the fighting since then. The des-perately poor province is also rivenby sectarian strife and Islamist vio-lence. — Agencies

Pakistan hangs 15Clashes kill two soldiers, five rebels

DHAKA: People attack the convoy of Bangladesh’s main opposition leader Khaleda Zia yesterday in Dhaka. — AFP

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s opposition accused pro-governmentsupporters yesterday of trying to kill their leader Khaleda Ziaafter her car was shot at and stoned by a mob while campaign-ing in Dhaka’s mayoral elections. Although Zia emergedunscathed from Monday evening’s attack, which took place asshe stopped to tour a shopping district, supporters voicedalarm at the lack of protection from the official security forces.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meanwhile accused her arch rivalof making an unnecessary “drama” out of the incident whichhas added to the tensions in the volatile capital ahead ofpolling on April 28.

Zia, a two-time former premier who leads the BangladeshNationalist Party, is hoping that a strong showing in next week’spolls will add momentum to her long-running campaign toforce new national elections. After recently ending a lengthystint holed up in her headquarters, Zia has been campaigninghard in the elections-the first her party has participated in sinceit boycotted parliamentary polls in January 2014. Televisionfootage showed how scores of people attacked Zia’s convoy inthe Karwan Bazaar district, smashing the windows of a numberof vehicles with a combination of rocks, metals rods and staves.

Convoy attackFazle Elahi Akbar, a retired general who heads the BNP

chief’s private security team, said shots were fired at Zia’s bullet-proofed car while she was inside but stopped short of calling itan assassination attempt. Several of her own security personnelwere injured in the violence, although none seriously. “Her carwas hit by a bullet fired from a pistol from a reasonably closerange,” Akbar said, saying there were bullet marks on the vehi-cle. “If it penetrated it would obviously hit her. She survivedbecause she was in a bullet-proof car.” The BNP said that policein the area had stood idle during the violence. “We are extreme-ly concerned and we hope the government would take appro-priate measures to ensure her security,” said Akbar who was

with Zia at the time of the attack.Police confirmed they were investigating reports of a shoot-

ing and acknowledged Zia had not been accorded close pro-tection. “Khaleda Zia did not get any police protection duringcampaigning because she or her party never sought protectionfrom us,” Jahangir Alam Sarker, a deputy commissioner ofpolice, told the Dhaka Tribune newspaper. The BNP has previ-ously accused the security forces of being behind attacks on itsmembers, including an apparent assassination attempt againstZia’s advisor Riaz Rahman who was shot at in his car.

‘Drama’Moudud Ahmed, another of Zia’s top lieutenants in the BNP,

said Monday’s attack was “planned and aimed to kill her”. “Thisis a reflection of the government’s fascist and undemocraticmentality,” Ahmed said in a statement. Hasina’s camp howeverresponded derisively to the accusations. “Khaleda Zia is stagingdrama... She should stop such activities for the sake of a free,fair and transparent election,” she was quoted as saying by TheDaily Star. Bangladesh has been plagued by political unrest inthe last two years, fuelled in part by Hasina’s controversialwalkover re-election.

Death sentences handed down to leaders of an Islamist par-ty allied to the BNP over their role in the former East Pakistan’s1971 independence war also fuelled the unrest. Scores of peo-ple have been killed in firebomb attacks on vehicles since thestart of the year when Zia called a transport blockade as part ofher efforts to force the government to hold fresh elections.Bangladesh has a long history of deadly political violence,much of it centered around the families of Zia and Hasina whoare known as the “Battling Begums”. Hasina’s father,Bangladesh’s first post-independence leader, was assassinatedby a group of army officers in 1975. Zia’s husband, a hero of theindependence war who went on to become president, was alsoassassinated by disgruntled officers six years later. —AFP

Bangladesh opposition fury

over attack on Zia’s convoy

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s main opposition demanded yes-terday the country’s anti-graft chief be sacked for sum-moning former president Mahinda Rajapakse to answerbribery allegations amid renewed uproar in parliament.Opposition lawmaker Bandula Gunawardane told parlia-ment the director general of the Commission toInvestigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption,Dilrukshi Wickramasinghe, should be dismissed for her“arbitrary action”.

Wickramasinghe has summoned Rajapakse to appearon Friday following a complaint that he paid a bribe ofmore than 600 million rupees ($4.6 million) to a lawmak-er from the then-opposition to defect ahead of the presi-dential election in January. “Today, 113 lawmakers signeda petition asking the speaker to take action to removeDilrukshi Wickramasinghe,” said Gunawardane, who isfrom Rajapakse’s faction. New President MaithripalaSirisena has launched a series of corruption investiga-tions against Rajapakse’s inner circle since ousting him atthe election after a decade in power.

Rajapakse’s opposition disrupted parliament for a sec-

ond day over the summons, holding up passage ofSirisena’s promised reforms to roll back the president’spowers, which were strengthened during the formerstrongman’s rule. Hundreds of Rajapakse supportersblocked a main road to parliament, demanding investiga-tions against him be dropped. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksetold parliament that investigators would now visit theformer president, rather than insisting on him appearingbefore the commission on Friday to answer questions.

After calling snap elections, Rajapakse was defeatedby his former ally, largely due to voter anger over corrup-tion and cronyism claims. But Rajapakse’s party and itsallies still hold a majority in the parliament. Leader of thehouse Lakshman Kiriella withdrew a political reform billthat was due to be taken up and said it would now bere-presented next week. Parliament was also adjournedtill Monday. However, Sirisena has promised to dissolveparliament and call a general election as early asThursday in a bid to strengthen his numbers in parlia-ment and bolster his mandate for sweeping democraticreforms. — AFP

Lanka opposition wants

anti-graft chief sacked


Newsi n B r i e f

Suicide bomber kills 10 in Somali capital

MOGADISHU: At least 10 people were killed whena suspected suicide bomber rammed a car ladenwith explosives into a busy restaurant in the centreof capital Mogadishu yesterday, police said. Theattackers targeted a small restaurant at lunch hourthat is popular with government officials, about 1kilometer from the presidential palace in the heartof Mogadishu. The explosion also hit a small teashop next to the restaurant and sent a huge plumeof smoke above the city which lies on the IndianOcean. “The death toll is sure to rise,” said PoliceColonel Osman Ibrahim at the scene. Police said wasthe attack was a suicide bombing. No group hasclaimed responsibility but previous bombings inMogadishu have been carried out by the Islamist AlShabaab rebel group. “A policeman opened fire tostop the car bomb but it was all in vain. The police-man died and the car bomb rammed into the gatein the busy restaurant,” added Major Farah Hussein,another police officer at the attack site.

‘Grave-robbing’ monk detained and disrobed

BANGKOK: A 65-year-old Buddhist monk beingheld by police is accused of looting graves for skullsto be used in black magic rituals, authorities saidyesterday. The monk, who was disrobed on April 19,allegedly raided two cemeteries near the northeast-ern city of Udon Thani with accomplices. Policeaccuse the monk and two younger disciples of dig-ging up skulls to be used in rituals-which mayinclude making amulets said to protect the wearerand confer power. “The monk took five skulls,including of siblings-an eight-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy-who died from drowning,” SanthanIntharajak, commander of Kumpawapi PoliceStation in Udon Thani province said. “He has beenconspiring to steal skulls and moving, destroyingand desecrating corpses,” said Santhan, adding thatthe maximum penalty is five years in jail. Accordingto police the monk denies the charges, instead say-ing he visited the cemeteries at night to talk to spir-its in an attempt to foresee lottery numbers. Ritualsled by monks claiming to foresee the numbers arecommon among people in Thailand especially inrural areas, Santhan said.

Saudi man beheaded for killing housemaid

RIYADH: Saudi authorities executed a citizen yesterdayafter convicting him of sexually harassing and brutallymurdering his Indonesian maid. Shayea Al-Qahtani wasfound guilty of killing the maid by beating her with acane and pouring boiling water over her, the interiorministry said. His execution in the southwesternprovince of Abha was the 63rd in the kingdom so farthis year. That compares with 87 in the whole of 2014 inwhat Amnesty International has called a “macabre spike”in the kingdom’s use of the death penalty. The London-based human rights group ranked Saudi Arabia amongthe top three executioners in the world last year. Theinterior ministry has said that the death penalty pro-vides an important deterrent. Drug trafficking, rape,murder, apostasy and armed robbery are all punishableby death under the kingdom’s strict version of Islamicsharia law.

Plane forced to turn back over coffee spill

BELGRADE: Blamed initially on ‘engine failure’, itemerged yesterday that a government jet carryingSerbia’s president to Italy last week was forced to turnback when the co-pilot spilled coffee on the instrumentboard. Advisers to President Tomislav Nikolic describedbeing “thrown around the cabin” when the plane-a 34-year-old French-built Falcon 50 - began tumblingthrough the air on Friday. The plane landed safely backin Belgrade, but Nikolic was forced to cancel his officialvisit to meet Pope Francis in the Vatican, and his advisersput the incident down to yet another malfunction onthe ageing, incident-prone aircraft. One adviser toldReuters that she would “never step foot on that planeagain,” saying the fall had lasted “for what seemed likean eternity”. An investigation determined that the co-pilot, Bojan Zoric, had spilled coffee on the instrumentboard “due to ongoing turbulence”. “I began wiping theboard and accidentally activated the ‘emergency slat’button,” which automatically turned off the automaticpilot and the plane began losing altitude, Zoric said inthe report by Serbia’s Civil Aviation Directorate.

Protesting Indian farmers stand in chest-deep water

NEW DELHI: Farmers in central India continued yester-day to stand in murky, chest-deep water for the 11thstraight day in an unconventional protest over a landdispute. Around 30 farmers have vowed to keep up theirprotest by standing in their fields which have been inun-dated with water by a nearby dam in Madhya Pradeshstate, despite concerns over their health. “I will not moveout of the water even if I die. I am standing on my land,which has been turned into a lake. The government hascheated us,” Raja Ram, one of the farmers said. “We wantthe water level to be decreased immediately and thereturn of our land,” Ram said in Khandwa district, 300kilometers from state capital Bhopal. Television footageshowed the group of men and sari-clad women lookingmiserable as they held up banners against the state gov-ernment’s decision to buy their land on the Narmadariver for a dam. Some of the protesters have developedskin infections and a few are running high fevers,according to an activist involved in the protest.

Indian villagers eat food as they stand in water dur-ing a protest in the village of Khandwa some 300kmssouth-west of Bhopal. — AFP

DENPASAR: A US couple were given longjail terms yesterday for the “sadistic” mur-der of the woman’s mother, whose bodywas found stuffed in a suitcase outside aluxury hotel on Indonesia’s Bali island.Tommy Schaefer, 21, was found guilty ofthe premeditated murder of Sheila vonWiese Mack on the resort island and jailedfor 18 years. His girlfriend and the victim’sdaughter, 19-year-old Heather Mack whowas pregnant at the time of the crime, wasfound guilty of assisting in the murder andgiven a 10-year prison term. Schaefer weptin the Bali court as judges recounted har-rowing details of the case, in which he beatthe 62-year-old victim to death with a fruitbowl during a blazing row in the five-starresort, before he and his girlfriend dumpedthe body in a taxi.

“The defendant’s actions disturbed thepublic and can be considered sadistic,” saidJudge Made Suweda as he sentencedSchaefer. The case sent shockwaves acrossthe tropical holiday island that welcomesmillions of foreign visitors each year.Schaefer’s jail term was the same as thatrecommended by prosecutors. He escapeda death sentence, the maximum term forpremeditated murder in Indonesia.Heather Mack, who hid in the bathroomwhile Schaefer attacked her mother, wasfound guilty of the lesser charge of assist-ing in the murder. Prosecutors had recom-mended a 15-year jail term but Suweda

said judges decided to give her a lightersentence as she needed to care for herbaby daughter, who was born last month.

Bali shockedVon Wiese Mack’s badly beaten body

was discovered in a taxi outside an upmar-ket resort on Bali last August. After herkilling, the couple-from the Chicago area-fled to another part of Bali where policearrested them. Schaefer confessed to thekilling during his trial but claimed he wasdefending himself during an argumentwith von Wiese Mack, who was unhappythat her daughter was pregnant.

Prosecutors alleged that Schaefer“blindly hit” von Wiese Mack with the fruitbowl in a fit of rage after she directed aracial slur at him. Schaefer is black. Whileher mother was being murdered, Mack hidin the bathroom and the couple thenstuffed the body into the suitcase togeth-er, according to her indictment. The pairwere tried separately. Handing down theverdict in Schaefer’s case, Suweda said hewas “legally and convincingly” guilty ofpremeditated murder. Mack’s baby girlStella is staying with her in Bali’s notoriousKerobokan jail, where prisoners live incramped, insanitary conditions and drugabuse is widespread.

In an interview with the Chicago Tribunenewspaper in February, Mack said she was“petrified” and revealed that she was shar-

ing a cell with 10 other women. “I loved mymom with all my heart and miss her everyday,” she said. The case involved a lengthyinvestigation, with assistance from the USFederal Bureau of Investigation. Locals andforeigners alike were horrified at the raremurder on Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in

Muslim-majority Indonesia famed for itspalm-fringed, pristine beaches. Foreign vis-itors sometimes run into trouble on thetropical island, although they normally fallfoul of Indonesia’s tough anti-drugs laws,which include the death penalty for smug-gling narcotics. — AFP

US couple jailed over ‘sadistic’ Bali suitcase murder

BALI: Heather Mack of Chicago, carries her baby daughter inside a cell after her ver-dict trial in Bali, Indonesia yesterday. — AP

ISLAMABAD: Chinese President Xi Jinping (center) shaking hands with National Assembly Speaker Sardar AyazSadiq (left) as Senate Chairman Mian Rabbani looks on at the Parliament House in Islamabad. — AFP

ISLAMABAD: Chinese President XiJinping said yesterday a $46 billioneconomic corridor offered Pakistan a“historic development opportunity”,but security fears linger over the proj-ect which involves major constructionin some highly unstable areas.Pakistani and Chinese officials onMonday signed a series of more than50 accords to inaugurate the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, whichwill create a network of roads, railwaysand pipelines linking China’s restivewest to the Arabian Sea throughPakistan. The project is part ofBeijing’s “Belt and Road” plan toexpand its trade and transport foot-print across Central and South Asia. Itwill give China easier access to MiddleEastern oil via the deepwater port ofGwadar in southwest Pakistan.

The Chinese aid also aims to boostPakistan’s long-underperformingeconomy, which the IMF projects willgrow 4.3 percent this year, and tackleits long-running energy crisis. Beijingand Islamabad have long enjoyedclose ties and Xi’s speech on Tuesday,the first by a Chinese president to ajoint session of parliament, was full ofthe flowery rhetoric that typifies theirofficial exchanges. “Today Pakistan

has a historic development opportu-nity. Prime Minister Sharif has craftedthe vision of the Asian tiger dream. Itoutlines a great blueprint for Pakistan,”he told lawmakers.

Rebel fearsBut away from the handshakes and

backslapping, there are real securityconcerns over much of the plan,which relies on developing Gwadar-control of which was passed to aChinese company in 2013. The portlies near the mouth of the Gulf ofOman, east of the Strait of Hormuzthrough which much of the MiddleEast’s crude production passes. Butlinking Gwadar to the rest of Pakistanand on to the western Chinese city ofKashgar, 3,000 kilometers away,would involve major infrastructurework in Baluchistan. This is one ofPakistan’s most unstable provincesand has been dogged for over adecade by a bloody separatist insur-gency. Ethnic Baluch rebels, whooppose Gwadar’s development whilethe province is not independent, havein the past blown up numerous gaspipelines and trains and attackedChinese engineers.

Earlier this month the Baluchistan

Liberation Front claimed an attack inthe province that left 20 constructionworkers from elsewhere in Pakistandead, the bloodiest separatist incidentsince 2006. Siddiq Baloch, editor ofthe Balochistan Express newspaper,said the rebels want to scare offinvestors and developers who areworking with the Pakistani govern-ment-such as the Chinese. “There isthe thinking that by doing this, theywant to disrupt the working of theeconomy, disrupt the administration,challenge the administration in thearea,” he said.

Suppressing the rebellion by forcein Baluchistan’s desolate and sparsely-populated landscape, much of whichis desert and mountains, has provendifficult. Abdul Malik Baloch, theBaluchistan chief minister, said strenu-ous efforts were under way to try tonegotiate with the rebels. “I am tryingto convince them, but still there arenot convinced,” he said in the provin-cial capital Quetta. “This is my honestopinion, this is the only way-to starttalking and bring the insurgents tothe table.” Xi wrapped up his two-dayvisit yesterday before travelling on toIndonesia for an Asian-African sum-mit.— AFP

Security fears linger at

China-Pakistan corridor

Pakistani, Chinese officials ink over 50 accords

ZHANJIANG: US and Chinese sailors faced off on Chinese soil yes-terday, in sporting clashes between their giant militaries aimed atbuilding trust against a backdrop of tensions over Beijing’s asser-tion of its territorial claims. The contests-the hosts claimed a 3-1victory at football, but the visitors dominated on the basketballcourt-came as the USS Blue Ridge, the flagship of the US Navy’s7th Fleet, paid a rare visit to the base of China’s South Sea Fleet.

Its frigates are charged with defending Beijing’s claim toalmost all the South China Sea, against several Southeast Asianneighbors. Chinese officers toured the hulking visiting commandship, docked beside People’s Liberation Army vessels in Zhanjiangin the southern province of Guangdong, and later eyed up theirUS counterparts over lunch. On the Blue Ridge’s main deck, USpersonnel patrolled with M-16 rifles a stones’ throw from thepalm-fringed Chinese shore, while on land staff from both naviesswapped jokes and rebounds.

The Chinese and US militaries-the world’s largest and mostpowerful respectively-have been increasing exchanges even asBeijing’s assertion of its South China Sea claims, most recentlythrough rapid building of artificial islands, rings alarm bells inWashington. US Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the USPacific Fleet of which the 7th Fleet is a part, said yesterday: “Chinais responsible for the rise of tensions and provocations in theSouth China Sea.” “I don’t think that there’s a likelihood of a majorforce-on-force conflict in the South China Sea today,” he addedwhile visiting the Indonesian capital Jakarta. “But I have to beready for that.”

Dangerous ambiguityThe South China Sea is a vital strategic waterway and close

encounters between the two powers’ ships have led to fears of aclash. In their most serious maritime incident for years, the USguided missile warship Cowpens had to make a sharp turn toavoid colliding with a Chinese naval ship that cut in front of it inthe South China Sea in 2013, according to the Pentagon.

The two navies “interact, often daily. So building this relation-ship is key”, Lt Charles Banks of the 7th Fleet told AFP, adding thatnaval officials on both sides would discuss the implementation ofa “Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea” during the five-day visit.“Ambiguity can lead to confusion and mistakes,” he said, as US sol-diers in black vests and day-glo trainers teamed up with Chinesesailors. “It’s to build good relations,” said Terrence Phillips, aboatswain’s mate on the Blue Ridge and a centre on the basket-ball court. “Sport is about international camaraderie for every-body.” A female Chinese Navy engineer, who said she was notauthorized to give her name, ran to take a photo with Phillips andsaid: “When we play basketball it’s very friendly.” The US Navy stilleclipses China’s fleet in terms of firepower-Washington currentlyhas 10 aircraft carriers to Beijing’s one. An 11th carrier, the Gerald RFord, is scheduled for delivery next year, according to the USNavy’s website. Chinese media, meanwhile, have quoted officialsas saying a second carrier is under construction. China has haddouble-digit military budget growth and President Xi Jinpingvows to build a “strong navy” capable of “fighting and winningbattles”.

The base in Zhanjiang was lined with posters repeating Xi’scall. “The South China Sea has become a greater source of tensionin the US-China relationship since 2010,” said M Taylor Fravel, aprofessor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At thesame time, the two sides have stepped up military exchanges,which were set to continue Tuesday evening at a drinks receptionon board the Blue Ridge. “The fact that these exchanges are occur-ring faster and more broadly than before underscores that the US-China relationship has both elements of cooperation and compe-tition,” Fravel added.-—AFP

Chinese and US

navies in sporting

confrontations

3 dead as wild weather lashes Australian state

SYDNEY: Three people died as the Australianstate of New South Wales was lashed by a“once-in-a-decade” storm yesterday withhomes washed away, thousands hit by powercuts and sand drifts sweeping inland off

Sydney’s iconic Bondi beach. Sea swells alsohampered shipping as the region aroundAustralia’s biggest city suffered its second dayof gale-force winds of up to 135 kilometersper hour (83 mph) and torrential rain. The

Bureau of Meteorology said 172 millimeters(6.8 inches) of rain had fallen in Sydney in 24hours-the city’s wettest period since 2002.

The destructive winds blanketed parks,pavements and roads with sand from beach-es including Bondi, while trees were uprootedand crashed onto cars and power lines blewdown. Dozens of flights were delayed and acruise ship was stuck at sea outside SydneyHarbor. New South Wales state Premier MikeBaird said 4,500 calls had been made to emer-gency services. “There is no doubt this is avery severe storm event, indeed it is a once in10-year event,” he said. “We have lost somehomes. There is a number of roofs taken off.We have also lost life. It is a huge storm eventthat is wreaking havoc across NSW at themoment.”

New South Wales police said three peopledied in the country town of Dungog, 215 kilo-metres (133 miles) north of Sydney, whichwas soaked by 312 millimeters (12.3 inches)of rain in 24 hours. “During the morning awoman and two men were located deceasedwithin the Dungog township. The circum-stances surrounding their deaths are still tobe determined,” they said in a statement.Video footage posted online showed a wood-

en house being swept away by flash floods,although it was not clear if this was linked tothe deaths.

‘Just horrendous’The Dungog Chronicle said four houses

had been washed away and the two menand one woman who died, all elderly, weretrapped in their homes as floodwater surgedthrough the town. “The water came out ofnowhere, it just rose that quick,” Jarod Rits,18, told the newspaper. “The water was just aroar, really, just rushing through the streets.”Another resident who gave his first name asDavid told the Australian BroadcastingCorporation the town “has been smashed”.“The town is a mess. People have got noth-ing... it’s just been horrendous,” he said. Policeadvised Dungog residents and others in sur-rounding areas to move to evacuation cen-tres, or stay with family and friends.

Baird said the State Emergency Services(SES) had carried out 47 flood rescues. “Therehave been multiple persons trapped in vehi-cles, being trapped in buildings and beingtrapped on top of buildings while trying totake refuge from floodwaters,” SES deputychief Steven Pearce told reporters.—AFP

SYDNEY: Joggers struggle against sand whipped up by strong winds at Bondi Beachin Sydney yesterday. — AFP

N E W SWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

Continued from Page 1

The ground fighting and the airstrikes have pushedYemen, the Arab world’s poorest country, to the brink ofcollapse. The fighting has also taken on the appearanceof a proxy war between Iran, the Shiite powerhousebacking the Houthis, and Sunni-dominated SaudiArabia.

Earlier yesterday, the coalition pounded Houthis andtheir allies, killing 20 fighters in the western city of Ibbas the civilian death toll rose to 38 from airstrikes theday before in the capital, Sanaa, officials said. The rebelstargeted in Ibb were assembling to head to Aden asreinforcements in the battle against forces loyal toPresident Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled thecountry from Aden to Saudi Arabia last month, securityofficials said.

In Sanaa, the death toll from airstrikes Monday tar-geting rebel depots and weapon caches in the Fag Atanmountains overlooking the city rose to 38, medical offi-cials said. The strikes flattened houses and sent villagersfleeing for their lives. The rebel-controlled InteriorMinistry said 84 people were killed across the country inMonday’s airstrikes. The casualty figures could not beindependently confirmed. All officials spoke on condi-tion of anonymity because they were not authorized tospeak to the media.

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of arming the Houthis - aclaim both Tehran and the rebels deny, though theIslamic Republic has provided political and humanitari-an support to the Shiite group. For its part, Shiite Iranhas long accused Saudi Arabia of supporting Sunni mili-tants, including the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.In remarks yesterday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhanisaid the airstrikes in Yemen were prompted by theSunni kingdom’s failures elsewhere, causing what hecalled a “mental imbalance”.

Speaking to reporters before heading to Indonesia,Rouhani mocked Saudi Arabia by calling it a countrywith dashed dreams in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. “All the

failures have accumulated and caused mental and emo-tional imbalance for that country,” Rouhani said. Theremarks came a day after the US Navy said aircraft carri-er USS Theodore Roosevelt was steaming toward thewaters off Yemen to beef up security and join otherAmerican ships that are prepared to intercept anyIranian vessels carrying weapons to the Houthis.

The deployment comes after a UN Security Councilresolution last week imposed an arms embargo onHouthi leaders. The Navy has been beefing up its pres-ence in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Arabian Seain response to reports that a convoy of about eightIranian ships is heading toward Yemen and possibly car-rying arms for the Houthis. Navy officials said there areabout nine US warships in the region, including cruisersand destroyers carrying teams that can board andsearch other vessels.

Later in the day, the official Saudi news agencyreported that King Salman has ordered the country’sNational Guard to take part in the Yemen operation.There were no further details on the scope of thedeployment but it appeared to be another step towarda possible ground invasion. The SPA news agency quot-ed National Guard Minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah assaying he was “honoured” by Salman’s “decision thatNational Guard forces take part” in the operation. Hesignalled the “complete readiness of all National Guardforces to carry out this role alongside other militarybodies” in Saudi Arabia. The force is to “take part indefending the security” of the kingdom, SPA reported,without elaborating.

The National Guard is a parallel army in Saudi Arabiaseparate from the armed forces run by the defence min-istry. Recruited from tribes that have traditionallybacked Saud dynasty rule, it is a pillar of support for theroyal family. It is led by Miteb, the son of the late KingAbdullah and educated at the elite Sandhurst militaryacademy. The guard is a trained army of 100,000 men,divided into infantry units, mechanised brigades, spe-cial units and military police.

Saudi-led coalition ends Yemen military...


The initiative was encountered by intransigence from theHouthi militias that encroached on legitimacy through mili-tary power.

Kuwait’s stance on Yemen has been based on the GCCand Arab joint defense agreements and Article 51 of the UN

Charter, he said, noting that the country is taking part withother GCC and fellow Arab states in countering the aggres-sion and attempting to restore legitimacy in Yemen. HH theDeputy Amir and Crown Prince pointed to Security Councilresolution No 2216 adopted on April 14 as a reflection ofinternational support to the GCC’s move. He also deliveredgreetings from HH the Amir to the senior Kuwaiti diplomats.


Defence lawyers said they would appeal the convic-tions while rights groups voiced alarm at the ruling, thefirst in a series of trials Morsi is facing.

“This verdict shatters any remaining illusion of inde-pendence and impartiality in Egypt’s criminal justice sys-tem,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty’s deputyMiddle East and North Africa director. She called for a fullretrial or the ex-president’s release. US State Departmentspokeswoman Marie Harf said Washington would “reviewthe basis” for the court’s decision, and that it was “con-cerned by these sentences”. “All Egyptians, regardless ofpolitical affiliation, are entitled to equal and fair treatmentbefore the law, including full respect for their rights to dueprocess,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

Leading Egyptian cleric Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi,who lives in pro-Brotherhood Qatar, criticized the ruling.“The judiciary in Egypt is no longer one of the three(branches of ) power. Instead, all the powers and thecountry itself are now run by the military,” he said in astatement. Displaying a four-finger salute symbolizingresistance to the state’s crackdown on Islamists, defen-dants in a makeshift courtroom on the outskirts of Cairochanted “God is Greatest” after the verdict was read.

Amr Darrag, a Morsi-era minister, said the Brotherhoodwould remain a powerful force, with younger memberstaking up leadership roles made vacant by the state’scrackdown. “The overall attitude of the Brotherhood (is)more revolutionary because the generation taking it overis young and more revolutionary and they saw what kindof an Egypt we’d have if they don’t do what they have todo,” he told Reuters in an interview in Istanbul. Morsi’sson, Osama, said his father plans a comeback despite thejail sentence State news agency MENA quoted a securitysource saying Morsi was taken by helicopter back to Borgal-Arab prison near Alexandria, where he has been heldfor more than a year.

Egypt’s first freely elected leader, Morsi came to power

following the 2011 ouster of longtime autocrat HosniMubarak in a popular uprising. But after just a year inpower, Morsi was himself toppled by then-army chief andnow President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi following mass streetprotests. Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood has been blacklist-ed and targeted in a government crackdown that hasseen hundreds killed and thousands thrown in jail. OtherBrotherhood leaders have been sentenced to death andyesterday’s decision to acquit Morsi on the incitement tomurder charge left some surprised.

“We were expecting them to be convicted of murder,”Ramy Ghanem, a lawyer for an anti-Morsi protester whowas wounded in the clashes, told AFP. “But the sentencesare not bad. We were expecting life in prison, but then 20years is not very different,” he said. A life sentence in Egyptis 25 years. Hundreds of Morsi supporters have been sen-tenced to death in speedy mass trials which the UnitedNations has called “unprecedented in recent history”.

The Muslim Brotherhood condemned yesterday’s ver-dict. “The illegitimate powers are trying to impose theirtyranny through invalid sentences. This oppression willbackfire as the revolution and public anger continue,” itsaid in a statement. The Brotherhood had called for pro-Morsi protests yesterday but there were no reports ofmajor rallies. The movement has failed to mobilize sup-porters for several months following the governmentcrackdown. Morsi is facing two other trials in which hecould face the death penalty, including on a charge ofspying for foreign powers. Verdicts in those two cases aredue on May 16.

Sisi has vowed to “eradicate” the Brotherhood, an 85-year- old movement that topped successive pollsbetween Mubarak’s fall and Morsi’s presidential electionvictory in May 2012. The authorities designated it a “ter-rorist group” in Dec 2013, making even verbal expres-sions of support punishable by stiff jail terms. The crack-down has sparked a fierce backlash including fromjihadist groups, who have claimed a string of deadlyattacks on security forces. — Agencies

Ousted Morsi jailed for 20 years

Crown Prince: Turmoil undermining...


He is due in the United States this weekend, wherehe will be touting the technology for a high-speed raillink between New York and Washington. Last year, Abetook US ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy on atest ride. “This technology is something that will bringgreat benefits to Japan and hopefully the United Statesone day,” Kennedy said after the ride.

The maglev train is a contender for US President

Barack Obama’s multi-billion-dollar national high-speedrail project. Abe said Japan would not charge licensingfees in the US for the train, a strong incentive forWashington to select the system for a high-speed railline between Washington DC and Baltimore. The pro-posed 60-km link will represent the first phase in the USgovernment’s plan to connect the capital and Boston.Japan started its study on the maglev train system as anational project in 1962, and succeeded in running at aspeed of 60 kph a decade later. — AFP

Japan maglev train breaks speed record

Cows cross a reservoir near the boundary of a wildlife sanctuary in Sri Lanka’s Udawalawe National Park yesterday. The national park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced bythe construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River. — AFP

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Aboom in “nutraceuticals” - food and drinks withpotential health benefits - is paving the way for arush of deals, as food and drug companies com-

pete to dominate a market expected to be worth $280billion by 2018. Consumers have been encouraged toeat smarter by an obesity epidemic and a burst of fit-ness-focused technology like gadgets and apps to trackexercise and calorie intake. Now companies supplyinggoods like probiotic yoghurt, advertised as beinghealthier for the gut, and omega-3 biscuits, thought toimprove brain and heart function, have seen demandrise sharply.

“It’s only a matter of time before the fight spills overinto corporate takeover wars,” consultancy KPMG pre-dicted in a report released yesterday. Bankers said mov-ing into nutraceuticals was an obvious move for bothfood and pharma companies given the blurring linebetween their sectors. “The space is ripe for M&A and Ithink you are going to see more,” added JeremyJohnson, managing director of North Carolina-basedBourne, which advises on deals.

Food companies are likely to take the lead, chasinghealthy products to improve their profiles while drugcompanies, rocked by patent expiries and the rise ofbiotech medicines, look to divest units, forecast BournePartners, which estimated the market to hit $280 billionin 2018 - double that of 2011. M&A activity so far hasbeen relatively small, but the pace is picking up. Bournecounted 185 mergers and acquisitions involving privateand public nutraceutical companies in 2014, up from 95in 2011.

“It’s an industry which has seen a lot of interest and islikely to see a lot of deals,” said one consumer industrybanker, adding that many smaller companies were look-ing to deals with bigger players to help them reach theirpotential customers. While the concept of nutraceuticalsis not new - the term was first coined in 1989 - KPMGhead of life sciences Chris Stirling believes the currentfocus on health will spur more tie-ups as firms seek toexploit increased consumer awareness. “The consumerarms of pharma companies are going to have to look atthis area hard because there is so much public interest,”he said. “They need to get on the bandwagon.”

Complementary SkillsEach industry can contribute considerable expertise

to a merger, while also needing to extract very specificresults. Food companies are highly skilled at low-costsupply but want products that offer an edge - and aprice premium - in the face of changing eating habitsand a brutal retailer price war. Drug companies, mean-while, have deep research expertise and understandingof regulatory processes that food manufacturers canonly dream of. Many of them have opted to maintain astrong consumer health business to blunt the inherentrisks of their drug research side.

There have already been several recent deals on thefood side, including Mondelez International’s Februarypurchase of a gluten- and allergen-free snack companyand Hershey’s January deal for a maker of high-proteinmeat snacks. But no big food company has yet done asmuch to blend food and medicine as Nestle. In 2011 thecompany formed its Nestle Health Science unit, whichhas since invested in companies that make productssuch as drinks for people with metabolic disorders and amedical food sold for the dietary management ofAlzheimer’s disease.

Late last year, Nestle restructured the unit to focus onconsumer care, medical nutrition and novel therapeuticnutrition. Nestle Chief Executive Paul Bulcke said lastweek the unit was now in “an excellent position to leadthe development of nutritional therapies that transformthe way people, patients and healthcare professionalsmanage health”. “It’s a promising and interesting newopportunity for Nestle,” he told the company’s annualshareholder meeting.

On the pharma side, major names l ikeGlaxoSmithKline , Abbott, Pfizer and Johnson &Johnson all have nutritional brands and dietary sup-plements that could play an expanded role as thenutraceutical market evolves. Alliance Boots, now partof Walgreens Boots Alliance , gave a glimpse of thefuture in November when it announced the purchaseof PhD Nutrition, which makes protein powder andnutrition bars.—Reuters

Focus

A N A L Y S I SWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

Healthy eating blurs line between

food and drugsBy Ben Hirschler and Martinne Geller

By Paul Taylor

It may sound counter-intuitive after theEurosceptic Finns Party grabbed second place inFinland’s general election, but a surge by anti-

establishment protest groups sweeping Europe may bepeaking. With the exception of Greece, where a five-year depression propelled far left, anti-bailout Syriza tovictory in January, radicals are unlikely to win poweroutright in any other European Union state this year,opinion polls suggest. A nascent economic recovery,falling unemployment in many countries, cheaper fueland low interest rates should help mainstream centre-right and centre-left parties regain some lost ground intime for national elections.

In Britain, anti-EU insurgents who gave mainstreamparties a kicking in last year’s European Parliamentelections are struggling with the full glare of electoralscrutiny. The UK Independence Party is on course towin 14 percent of the vote on May 7 but will capture ahandful of parliamentary seats at best. In other coun-tries such as in France, populist parties seem to havehit a ceiling, barring some extraordinary crisis. “Votersare more inclined to indulge themselves and castprotest votes in secondary elections where the stakesare less decisive,” said Christian Lequesne of theSciences-Po institute in Paris.

Fringe groups have already won a victory of sorts bydragging mainstream parties onto their ground, partic-ularly on immigration, European integration and eurozone bailouts. The growth of rightwing protest partiesin Germany, the Netherlands and Finland has alreadyprompted governments to toughen their line on anyfurther financial aid to Greece. German officials say onereason Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has strucksuch a gruff posture with Athens is to ward off adomestic challenge from the Eurosceptic Alternativefor Germany, which has won seats in the EuropeanParliament and state assemblies but not yet in Berlin.

In Britain and France, mainstream conservativeshave played up the fight against illegal immigration,so-called “benefit tourism” within Europe and radicalIslam, partly to try to wrest those issues away fromNigel Farage’s UKIP and Marine Le Pen’s National Front.But with none outside Greece likely to win poweralone, the radicals face a choice of joining coalitiongovernments and moderating their demands - whichcan cost them support - or eschewing power to stayshouting from the outside.

“Those kinds of parties are probably better off stay-ing outside and trying to exert influence,” said TimHaughton, an expert on European politics atBirmingham University in England. JanisEmmanouilidis, director of studies at the EuropeanPolicy Centre in Brussels, is less convinced that thepopulist wave has peaked, arguing that events couldgive it new vigour. “A Greek default, if it happens,would definitely be a game-changer in a number ofcountries. The populists would say ‘I told you so’,” hesaid.

Others argue that if Greece implodes, European vot-ers will think twice about voting for parties like Syriza.Mass drownings of illegal migrants trying to reachEurope in the southern Mediterranean could also giveright-wing populists fresh wind by polarising debateabout migration, notably over sharing the resettlementof migrants across the EU. More attacks by Islamist mili-tants in Europe like January’s Charlie Hebdo shootingsin Paris could also fuel such political groups.

Majorities HarderEven before the 2008 financial crisis, mainstream

centre-right and centre-left parties were losing votersand members as traditional class-based affiliations fadein an era of individualism, opening the way for upstartsamplified by social media. A splintering political spec-trum makes stable parliamentary majorities increasing-ly hard to find. In Britain, where a centre-right coalitionestablished in 2010 broke with a tradition of alternat-ing single-party rule since World War Two, pundits seelittle chance of either Prime Minister David Cameron’sConservatives or David Miliband’s opposition LabourParty winning an outright majority.

Regional parties such as the Scottish Nationalistsand the Northern Ireland Democratic Unionists mayend up as kingmakers and some experts forecast anunstable minority government possibly triggeringanother election soon. Finland’s election on Sundaywas a test case for the fortunes of protest parties,which face a dilemma when they have to choosewhether to compromise with mainstream politicians.Timo Soini’s Finns party may enter government for thefirst time as junior partner to election winner JuhaSipila’s Centre party, having softened its anti-euro rhet-oric since bursting onto the scene four years ago. TheFinns actually lost two percentage points of votingshare and won one fewer seat than in 2011.

How the charismatic Soini balances cabinet respon-

sibility with railing against aid for Greece, especially ifAthens needs a third bailout package, will be a bigchallenge. Fed up with the political wilderness, the 52-year-old feels he made a mistake by turning down acabinet seat four years ago. “It is important that theparty moves to a next stage,” Soini told Reuters. “Thepower is in the government.”

Another test looms in Spain later this year when theruling centre-right People’s Party and opposition cen-tre-left Socialists, both tarnished by mass unemploy-ment, austerity and corruption scandals, face a two-pronged insurgency from left-wing Podemos (We Can)and the centrist Ciudadanos (Citizens). Podemos, led bypony-tailed political scientist Pablo Iglesias, is close toGreece’s Syriza and was born out of street protests byyoung unemployed “indignados” (the angry). It brieflyovertook the two mainstream parties in opinion pollsthis year after surging into the European Parliament.

But it came a distant third in the key southernAndalucia regional election last month and polls showits support slipping from the upper 20 percent range.Ciudadanos, led by 35-year-old Albert Rivera, is gainingground by preaching moderation and clean govern-ment.

‘Detoxify’In France, Marine Le Pen, whose National Front

topped the poll in the European elections, has workedhard to “detoxify” the movement’s extreme-rightimage. She has just won a power struggle with herfather, party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, forcing him tobow out of regional elections this year after he repeat-ed comments belittl ing the Nazi Holocaust. ButLequesne said she was unlikely to gain critical mass inher 2017 presidential bid as long as she advocates leav-ing the euro and the EU and closing France’s borders toimports, scaring middle class voters worried for theirsavings and property. Recent history shows thatnovice populists can burn out fast if they rush intogovernment as junior partners without being able totransform policy. Hard-right anti-immigrant partiesfounded by the late Joerg Haider in Austria and thelate Pim Fortuyn in the Netherlands fell apart andcame off worst after joining ruling coalitions respec-tively in 1999 and 2002. Yet in both countries, succes-sor groups with a similar anti-immigration, anti-Islamand Eurosceptic agenda have since risen in opposi-tion, forcing the established parties to change theirdiscourse on those issues. —Reuters

Europe’s populists may be peaking

By Ian Timberlake

He wields enormous power andleads a war against rebels inneighboring Yemen for his father

King Salman, but Saudi Arabia’s defenceminister is still in his early 30s. Just weeksafter he was appointed to the key post inJanuary, Prince Mohammed bin Salmanassumed huge responsibility when thekingdom sent its armed forces into con-flict. The young prince has overseennearly a month of air strikes by a Saudi-led regional coalition against the Yemenirebels. Eight Saudi troops have also diedin skirmishes along the border.

Prince Mohammed, part of a new gen-eration of Saudi rulers, also heads theroyal court, is special adviser to his 79-year-old father and sits on two key politi-cal and economic councils. “He is thestrong man in Saudi Arabia,” a Westerndiplomatic source said. “Look what thisman is controlling,” including access tothe king. “He oversees everything impor-tant which is going on in this country.”

The exact age of Mohammed, whosports a full dark beard, is uncertain. Abiography from the Saudi embassy inWashington does not give his birth date.Analysts and local media have reportedvarious ages but none higher than 35. As

chief of the royal court he holds “a posi-tion of immense power in an absolutemonarchy,” wrote Bruce Riedel, a formerCentral Intelligence Agency officer whodirects the Brookings Intelligence Projectin Washington. He said PrinceMohammed oversees the kingdom’ssecurity in conjunction with InteriorMinister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef,who headed a crackdown on Al-Qaeda adecade ago, and Prince Miteb binAbdullah - minister of the NationalGuard, a parallel army.

‘Aggressive and Ambitious’ According to a biography from the

MiSK Foundation, which PrinceMohammed established for youth devel-opment, he had “a professional career of10 years” and was active in business andphilanthropy before entering publicservice. In 2009 he became special advis-er to his father who was then the gover-nor of Riyadh, before heading his courtfrom 2013 after Salman was namedcrown prince. In April last year PrinceMohammed became a state minister andcabinet member, before his appointmentas defence minister and chief of the royalcourt on Jan 23, the day Salman becameking upon the death of his predecessorAbdullah at the age of about 90.

“He has a reputation for beingaggressive and ambitious, as might beexpected,” Riedel said of the prince,whose father also served as defence min-ister. The war in Yemen, which the UNsays has left hundreds dead and thou-sands wounded, has raised PrinceMohammed’s profile even higher.Newspaper photographs have shownthe defence minister receiving his for-eign counterparts and, in one case, lean-ing over and clasping the hand of awounded Saudi soldier.

On Twitter, which is widely used in thetightly controlled Islamic kingdom,Prince Mohammed has won praise. “Allare impressed by him, he is irreplace-able”, one user wrote. Another called him“a strong and brave personality”,although a detractor spoke of “the reck-less Saudi who has no experience in war”.The air raids are aimed at reversing theadvances of Iran-backed Shiite Houthirebels and their allies and restoring theauthority of President AbedrabboMansour Hadi, who has fled to Riyadh.

Prince Mohammed is reputed to enjoygood relations with his armed forces,which comprise about 300,000 soldiers,sailors and airmen. “There is a remark-able fluidity between the political leader-ship and the senior officer corps who are

in charge of the day-to-day operations,”said Nawaf Obaid, a visiting fellow atHarvard University’s Belfer Center forScience and International Affairs who lastyear authored a proposal for a Saudidefence doctrine. Prince Mohammed’sstar could rise even further, according tothe diplomatic source, “as long as the warruns well”. — AFP

Young prince leads Saudi war in Yemen

Prince Mohammed

S P O RT SWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

LAHORE: Pakistan are poised to host top-level international crick-et for the first time in six years with a short limited-overs seriesagainst Zimbabwe next month.

Pakistan has been forced to play designated ‘home’ matches inthe United Arab Emirates since March 2009 following an attack bymilitants on a Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore.

However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president ShaharyarKhan said he was assured of the tour by Zimbabwe counterpartWilson Manase on the sidelines of an International Cricket Councilmeeting in Dubai last week. “He (Manase) told me they are comingand they are coming with their full team, but for a week,” Khan toldreporters in Lahore. “They will send a security team to assess thesituation, following which they will confirm the tour. “So they willcome in middle of May and our efforts will be to host matches inLahore and Karachi.”

The matches would have international status and the ICC hadalso granted Pakistan special dispensation to use local umpires toofficiate in them, PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmadadded. —Reuters

Pakistan confident of hosting Zimbabwe LONDON: World number three Andy Murray has welcomed the choice of the

Queen’s Club grass courts to host Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final againstFrance from July 17-19.

Britain, who were beaten in the last eight by Italy last year, will take onAustralia or Kazakhstan in the semi-finals if they beat the 2014 runners-up.

“Queen’s will be a perfect venue,” Murray said on the Lawn TennisAssociation’s website (www.lta.org.uk) yesterday. “I’ve been playing at Queen’sfor 10 years now, so I feel very at home there as do the rest of the British team.Fingers crossed it’s a memorable summer for British tennis.”

Murray has a special fondness for the London venue, havingwon the Wimbledon warm-up tournament there three timesin his career. Queen’s will be hosting a Davis Cup tie for thefirst time since 1990 when Britain were thrashed 5-0 byFrance. Britain reached the last eight with a 3-2 victory overthe United States in Glasgow last month, Murray spearheadingtheir efforts by beating John Isner and Donald Young in his sin-gles matches. The hosts have also received a boost bySlovenian-born Ajaz Bedene taking up UK citizenship atthe start of April, the world number 94 immediatelybecoming Britain’s number two ranked player. —Reuters

SYDNEY: Saudi Arabia’s Nasser Al Shamrani has had his ban for spitting atand head-butting Western Sydney Wanderers defender Matthew Spiranovicafter the Asian Champions League final reduced on appeal to the Court ofArbitration for Sport (CAS). The prolific Al-Hilal striker was handed an eight-match ban by the Asian Football Confederation for the incident, which hap-pened in November after his club were beaten by the Australian side 1-0 overthe two legs of the final. CAS stayed the punishment in March and late onMonday reduced the ban to two matches for the head-butt and four matchesfor the spitting offence with a further two-match ban suspended for a proba-tionary period of two years. The original ban, six for the spitting and two forthe head-butt, was the minimum Al Shamrani could have received for the

offenses. The AFC had attempted to delay the announcement oftheir initial verdict to avoid embarrassment when they presentedAl Shamrani with their Player of the Year award, only for the newsto leak out. An appeal to the AFC failed but the regional body

allowed him to compete in the Asian Cup with Saudi Arabia inJanuary after restricting the ban to just ACL League

matches. Al Shamrani served two matches ofthe ban before CAS granted the stay and

he returned to score his 26th goal in theACL as Al Hilal beat Iran’s Foolad 2-0 earlier

this month. —Reuters

Saudi spitter ban reduced Murray pleased with Queen’s

CHICAGO: Melky Cabrera capped Chicago’s four-runninth inning with an RBI single off Cody Allen, send-ing the White Sox to a 4-3 victory over the ClevelandIndians on Monday night.

Six consecutive batters reached safely beforeCabrera drove a fastball into left-center for thegame-ending hit. Alexei Ramirez doubled home tworuns and Gordon Beckham had a tying RBI single.David Robertson (1-0) worked a perfect ninth for hisfirst win with the White Sox. Allen (0-2) recorded justone out in his first blown save in four chances.

Chicago had managed just four hits before thebig finish. Trevor Bauer pitched seven sparklinginnings for Cleveland, which has dropped seven ofnine. Ryan Raburn and Brett Hayes homered, andMichael Brantley had an RBI double.

RED SOX 7, ORIOLES 1 Justin Masterson benefited from five unearned

runs as Boston beat Baltimore in a soggy Patriots’Day game shortened by rain. The first pitch wasthrown at 11:04 a.m. under cloudy skies on theMassachusetts holiday after Boston Marathon run-ners already were on the course that passes close byFenway Park. Rain began falling steadily in thefourth and intensified, and the game was calledafter a 1-hour, 42-minute wait. With the score tied at1, Boston scored four runs in the third when Wei-YinChen (0-1) walked four and made an error, and thirdbaseman Manny Machado committed another error.Masterson (2-0) allowed one run, three hits andthree walks in five innings with six strikeouts.

CUBS 5, PIRATES 2Kris Bryant turned his tiebreaking two-run dou-

ble into a homer with some heads-up baserunng,and the star rookie had three hits and three RBIs tolead Chicago.

Bryant’s double off Arquimedes Camninero (0-1)hit off the base of the left-center field fence in theseventh inning and snapped a 1-all tie. He advancedto third base on the throw home, and raced acrossthe plate when catcher Francisco Cervelli missed thethrow for an error.

Bryant, who tied the game with an RBI single inthe fifth, is 6 for 14 (.429) with four RBIs in fourgames since his much-anticipated callup fromTriple-A Iowa on Friday. He was a spring trainingsensation, hitting nine home runs in 40 at-bats forthe Cubs. Jake Arrieta (2-1) allowed only one runand three hits in seven innings for the win whilestriking out seven and walking none.

TIGERS 2, YANKEES 1JD Martinez and Yoenis Cespedes hit consecutive

RBI singles in the seventh inning, and JobaChamberlain got Jacoby Ellsbury to hit into a crucialdouble play in the eighth, helping Detroit beat NewYork. CC Sabathia (0-3) faced the minimum numberof hitters through the first six innings, but with twoout and a man on second in the seventh, theYankees intentionally walked Victor Martinez. JDMartinez followed with a sharp single that shortstopDidi Gregorius was unable to keep in the infield, andCespedes’ single scored Martinez.

The Yankees had men on first and third with oneout in the eighth when Chamberlain relievedAlfredo Simon (3-0). Ellsbury’s hard grounder wentright to second baseman Ian Kinsler, and the doubleplay ended the threat. Joakim Soria pitched theninth for his fifth save.

ROYALS 7, TWINS 1Edinson Volquez dodged trouble for seven

innings as Kansas City scored two runs on wildpitches before pounding bumbling Minnesota.

Alcides Escobar returned from a sprained knee toscore a run, and Kendrys Morales and Paulo Orlandodrove in a pair each as the Royals finally figured outTwins nemesis Kyle Gibson.

The right-hander gave up four runs in five-plusinnings. Gibson (1-2) had earned the win in his firstfour starts against Kansas City, including a dominantperformance in a 3-1 victory last week at TargetField. Volquez (2-1) was more than his matchMonday night at Kauffman Stadium. He allowed fivehits while striking out five with only one walk, wig-gling out of jams whenever he got into them.

REDS 6, BREWERS 1Anthony Desclafani pitched eight shutout

innings and Zach Cozart and Joey Votto homered tolead Cincinnati. Desclafani (2-0) held Milwaukee hit-less until Adam Lind’s double with two outs in thefourth. Hector Gomez’s fifth-inning single was theonly other hit off Desclafani, who struck out five andran his scoreless innings streak to 15.

Desclafani and Milwaukee starter Wily Peralta (0-2) were locked in a scoreless battle through fiveinnings. The Reds got to Peralta in the sixth. BrayanPena drove in the game’s first run with a sacrifice flyand Cozart followed with a three-run homer. Vottoadded a two-run homer in the seventh off Peralta.Ryan Braun homered with one out in the ninth forthe Brewers.

PADRES 14, ROCKIES 3Matt Kemp had three hits and four RBIs as San

Diego scored nine runs in the first two innings andwent on to win for the fifth time in six games.

Derek Norris had three of San Diego’s 17 hits, WillVenable homered and Odrisamer Despaigne got hisfirst major league hit.

For the second time this season every Padres

starter got a hit, including Despaigne (2-0), who ledoff the third with a single. It was more than enoughfor the Cuban right-hander, who allowed just tworuns on six hits in 6 2-3 innings

Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa struggled in his2015 debut, lasting two innings. The left-handermissed the first two weeks of the season with a leftgroin strain and was activated from the disabled listbefore the game.

ATHLETICS 6, ANGELS 3Stephen Vogt hit a go-ahead three-run homer,

Marcus Semien also went deep against MattShoemaker and Oakland won the opener of a four-game series.

Athletics right-hander Kendall Graveman wasstaked to a 5-3 lead in his third major league start,but lasted just three-plus innings. Manager BobMelvin pulled him after he walked Erick Aybar andC.J. Cron to open the fourth and ran his pitch countup to 73. Dan Otero (1-1) retired the next three bat-ters and gave up just one hit over a career-high fourinnings. He has not allowed a run in 13 careerappearances against the Angels, spanning 19 2-3innings. Tyler Clippard got the last three outs for hisfirst American League save and 35th of his career.Shoemaker (2-1) threw 68 pitches in three-plusinnings, giving up five runs and seven hits.

ASTROS 7, MARINERS 5Luis Valbuena hit two solo home runs, including

a go-ahead eighth-inning shot, to help Houstonbeat Seattle. Valbuena, who started the scoring witha blast in the first inning, opened the eighth with ahomer to right on 1-1 pitch from Danny Farquhar (0-1). It was his fifth this season. It was the first homerun allowed by a Mariners reliever this season. JedLowrie added an RBI single in the inning. ColbyRasmus also had his second home run on a 2-0 pitchfrom starter Hisashi Iwakuma in the fifth. Tony Sipp(1-0), who worked the seventh and eighth, pickedup the victory. — AP

SOCHI: Summer Olympic sports suspend-ed their membership in the umbrella bodyfor international federations yesterday afterits leader launched a blistering attack onthe IOC. The council of the Association ofSummer Olympic International Federationssaid it decided unanimously to break offties with SportAccord pending a reviewand clarification of its role and governance.The move came a day after SportAccordhead Marius Vizer blasted the InternationalOlympic Committee and its president,Thomas Bach, in a speech at the opening ofthe conference in Sochi. With Bach lookingon, Vizer accused the IOC of lacking trans-parency, ignoring the federations andblocking his plans for new multi-sport com-petitions.

The summer sports association said itconsiders Vizer’s position “not compatiblewith the role and mission of ASOIF as amajor stakeholder of the Olympic move-ment.” The issue will be discussed at theASOIF general assembly in Sochi today.ASOIF represents the 28 sports on the pro-gram of the Summer Olympics. Among itsmembers is the judo federation, of whichVizer is also the president.

The council said it respects “any decisiontaken individually by its member interna-tional federations” regarding their relation-ships with SportAccord.

Track and field’s governing body, theIAAF, has formally withdrawn fromSportAccord, as well as the internationalshooting federation. IAAF President LamineDiack said Tuesday that Vizer resembled “achief or dictator coming from nowhere”and telling major sports federations whatto do. SportAccord represents more than100 Olympic and non-Olympic federations.Vizer, who is demanding more power forhis organization, was re-elected Monday toa four-year term as SportAccord president.

Vizer has been at odds with the IOC forseveral years, ever since he first took overSportAccord and sought to establish a“United World Championships” every fouryears for all the sports.

The plan has not materialized. The IOC

snubbed Vizer by deciding not to hold anexecutive board meeting during theSportAccord convention in Sochi. Theboard has met during all the previousannual conferences going back to 2003.Major sports do not necessarily needSportAccord to represent them because“we are already organized” in other associa-tions that do not have a strong presidentialfigure playing politics, Diack said.

There is a place for a larger body such asSportAccord, Diack said, “but it must be anorganization in which, I think, everyoneknows that we are (on) the same level.”

Another sticking point was Vizer’s pro-posal for federations to unite their worldchampionships under the SportAccordumbrella, a clear challenge to the Olympics.Diack said the move would usurp powerfrom the individual federations.

“The gentleman (Vizer) was complain-ing, was saying he was going to organizethe world championships of all the sports,”Diack said. “So I go: ‘What, I am going todisappear?’”

Along with the IAAF, at least 14 federa-tion presidents, including FIFA’s SeppBlatter, signed letters of protest at Vizer’scomments. Another influential federationhead, world swimming president JulioMaglione, condemned Vizer’s comments.“What President Bach is doing has the fullsupport of all of us,” Maglione told TheAssociated Press, adding that Vizer is “agood person but I don’t agree with what hesays.” “We must consider where we go withSportAccord, where we go as internationalfederations,” Maglione said. “The interna-tional federations are independent andthey make their own job.”

Maglione also said a rift had alsoopened between SportAccord leadershipand many of its federations over Vizer’sdecision to announce it would organize thefirst international Beach Games in Sochi in2019. The event would be better organizedby the Association of National OlympicCommittees, Maglione said, adding that itcould be held in Asia or in his nativeUruguay. — AP

White Sox stop Indians

American LeagueEastern Division

W L PCT GB Boston 8 5 .615 - Baltimore 7 6 .538 1 NY Yankees 6 7 .462 2 Tampa Bay 6 7 .462 2 Toronto 6 7 .462 2

Central DivisionDetroit 11 2 .846 - Kansas City 10 3 .769 1 Chicago White Sox 5 7 .417 5.5 Minnesota 5 8 .385 6 Cleveland 4 8 .333 6.5

Western DivisionHouston 7 6 .538 - Oakland 7 7 .500 0.5 LA Angels 5 8 .385 2 Seattle 5 8 .385 2 Texas 5 8 .385 2

National LeagueEastern Division

NY Mets 10 3 .769 - Atlanta 8 4 .667 1.5 Washington 6 7 .462 4 Philadelphia 4 9 .308 6 Miami 3 10 .231 7

Central DivisionSt. Louis 8 3 .727 - Chicago Cubs 7 5 .583 1.5 Cincinnati 6 7 .462 3 Pittsburgh 6 7 .462 3 Milwaukee 2 11 .154 7

Western DivisionLA Dodgers 9 3 .750 - San Diego 9 5 .643 1 Arizona 7 6 .538 2.5 Colorado 7 6 .538 2.5 San Francisco 4 10 .286 6

MLB results/standings

Boston 7, Baltimore 1 (7 Innings); Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh 2; Detroit 2, NY Yankees 1;Cincinnati 6, Milwaukee 1; Chicago White Sox 4, Cleveland 3; Kansas City 7, Minnesota 1; SanDiego 14, Colorado 3; Oakland 6, LA Angels 3; Houston 7, Seattle 5.

CHICAGO: Jason Kipnis No. 22 of the Cleveland Indians is forced out by John Danks No. 50 of the Chicago White Sox during the third inning. — AFP

Summer sports suspend membership in protest

WINNIPEG:, Manitoba: Rickard Rakellscored at 5:12 of overtime to lift theAnaheim Ducks over the Winnipeg Jets 5-4on Monday in Game 3 of their playoffseries. Anaheim leads the series 3-0.

Jakob Silfverberg scored and added twoassists for the Ducks in regulation. RyanKesler, Corey Perry and Cam Fowler alsoscored for Anaheim. Bryan Little, TylerMyers, Lee Stempniak and Blake Wheelerscored for Winnipeg, which was hosting itsfirst NHL playoff game since 1996.

For the third straight game, Winnipegblew a third-period lead and in the processbecame the first team in NHL history tolose the first three of a series when leadingat the second intermission each time,according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Game4 is today in Winnipeg.

RANGERS 2, PENGUINS 1Henrik Lundqvist stopped 23 shots and

New York regained control of its first-roundseries against Pittsburgh Penguins with awin in Game 3.

Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider scored for

New York, which dominated for two peri-ods then held on late to take a 2-1 serieslead. Game 4 is today in Pittsburgh. PatricHornqvist scored his third career playoffgoal for the Penguins, but Pittsburghcouldn’t overcome another slow start.Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves, but thePenguins couldn’t back up their strong playin Game 2.

WILD 3, BLUES 0Devan Dubnyk made 17 saves and Jason

Pominville and Zach Parise scored second-period goals as Minnesota earned a victoryover St. Louis in Game 3 of their WesternConference series. Mikael Granlund hadtwo assists, Nino Niederreiter added anempty-netter and the Wild had the edge inevery way, without being drawn into a sin-gle trip to the penalty box.

St. Louis’ Jake Allen stopped 21 shots,with the over-capacity crowd taunting himwith chants of his last name throughoutthe game, but the Blues lost on the road inthe playoffs for the ninth straight time.Game 4 is in Minnesota today. — AP

Ducks ground Jets

CANADA: Ondrej Pavelec No. 31 of the Winnipeg Jets blocks a shot on goal in first-period action in Game Three of the Western Conference quarterfinals against theAnaheim Ducks. —AFP


MANILA: Manny Pacquiao’s face is on shirts,dolls and postage stamps, his life story is playingin movie houses and millions are getting readyto party as the Philippine boxing hero’s “fight ofthe century” nears. Pacmania is sweeping theSoutheast Asian nation of 100 million peopleahead of the May 2 Las Vegas bout againstunbeaten Floyd Mayweather to decide who isthe best boxer of their generation.

“The mood is upbeat. Of course, it’s the fightof the century,” Manila film producer LuckyBlanco told AFP. Blanco is a co-producer of thePacquiao film: “Kid Kulafu”, now showing atscores of theatres across the country and a high-profile scene-setter for the world’s richest fight.

For many, the 36-year-old Pacquiao, winnerof an unprecedented eight world champi-onships in different weight divisions, symbolisestheir hope of escaping the grinding poverty thatafflicts one in four of his countrymen.

The movie tells the story of the runaway highschool dropout who, years before becoming aring legend, sold doughnuts on the streets andstacked shelves with “Vino Kulafu”, a cheapChinese wine brand. Years later, as he became oneof the world’s richest sportsmen and one of themost famous Filipinos, a Manila television networkwould give the left-hander another name: “TheNational Fist”. Pacmania always sweeps thePhilippines ahead of his fights, but the intensitydropped in recent years after Pacquiao lost anunprecedented two straight bouts. He then hadthree wins, reviving excitement and hopesPacquiao still has what it takes to be the world’sbest. But Mayweather is the opponent his fanshave always wanted him to fight.

SOUVENIR FRENZY Millions of Filipinos will don Pacman para-

phernalia to cheer their idol on live televisionscreens during the fight, which will take placeon a Sunday morning in the Philippines.Baseball caps, T-shirts, $68 boxing gloves signedby Pacman himself, and $565 vinyl dolls ofPacquiao boxing against the Disney character

Mickey Mouse are flying off shelves.“On fight day everyone wants to be seen

wearing something that will symbolise theirsupport,” Joy Saransate, manager of a Pacquiao-owned Team Pacquiao memorabilia shop inManila, told AFP. Government agencies haveeven been swept up in Pacmania, with the statepostal authority this week releasing half a mil-lion stamps of a fighting Pacquiao. “This... is a fit-ting tribute to his exceptional character andability that truly unites the nation whenever hefights,” postmaster-general Josie de la Cruz said.

Pacquiao, a sometime actor, politician andprofessional basketball player on the side, alsoreleased a video last week of a new song: “I WillFight for the Philippines”, to be used for his ringentrance in Las Vegas, that is getting wide-spread publicity in the media.

Whetted by saturation newspaper and tele-vision coverage, and primed by training clipsfed through his official social media sites,Filipinos are clearing their schedules to makesure they will be able to watch the fight. It willbe shown live on pay-per-view television, whilelocal networks also struck an unprecedenteddeal to air it without ads and on a slightly-delayed basis on free television. However, inkeeping with tradition throughout his career,many Filipinos will prefer to watch the fight inpublic places, including at gyms and parksacross the country or in restaurants and water-ing holes. A popular pizza chain in Manila is tak-ing reservations for 200 seats at $16 each so fanscan cheer their hero on while swigging beer andmunching on buffalo wings.

“Pacquiao fights always pack them in, butthis time we expect even more people to comebecause of the quality of the opponent,” restau-rant manager Hershey Ebalo told AFP.

Blanco, the Pacquiao film producer, said heexpected the streets of the Philippine capital, asprawling metropolis of 14 million, to be emptyon fight day, with criminals also taking a day off.“Definitely there will be no crime on the streets,just like in past Pacquiao fights,” he said. — AFP

WAREMME: World champion MichalKwiatkowski will be a marked man when the205.5km Fleche Wallonne Ardennes Classic racegets underway today.

The 24-year-old Pole comes into the race offthe back of a sensational victory at Sunday’sAmstel Gold race. Not since Philippe Gilbert in2011 has anyone managed to triumph in all threeArdennes Classics in the same season butKwiatkowski has ridden into form at just the righttime and would seem a good bet for just such afeat. The Etixx-Quick Step rider’s in bullish moodto boot. “For sure, winning Amstel Gold Race inthe rainbow jersey (of the world champion)means a lot to both me and the team, and it isanother example of how strong we are as a col-lective,” said Kwiatkowski.

“I built up really well for this race, and winning(there), which was my goal, I cannot describe myemotions. It’s really big for me at this point in mycareer.” Last year he followed up a fifth placed fin-ish in Amstel with third at both Fleche and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

That was a marked improvement on the yearbefore when he took fourth at Amstel and fifth

at Fleche before Liege proved a race too far forsuch a young rider and he trailed in 92nd.Kwiatkowski, though, has gone from strength tostrength since then and after winning StradeBianche last year in March, he ended the seasonby winning the world title in September. Lastyear at the infamous Mur de Huy finish to theFleche, he didn’t quite time his attack right,going too soon and being easily overhauled bySpaniard Alejandro Valverde, who was secondbehind the Pole at Amstel.

Valverde will likely be the main competitiononce again as not only did he demonstrate hisform on Sunday, but he is the defending cham-pion and a two time winner on the wall of Huy.

He was also in good form last month at theTour of Catalonia, winning three stages and tak-ing second overall behind Richie Porte.

Valverde is in his element at the ArdennesClassics having won in Liege twice as well andclaiming 11 podium finishes across the threeraces. Last year he simply timed his attack per-fectly while others had launched theirs toosoon. As ever with the Fleche Wallonne, win-ning is all about timing your effort just right on

the final of three ascensions up the infamousMur de Huy climb, which includes a sectionwith a 26 percent gradient. It’s also importantto be in the right position at the foot of theclimb or else you risk being boxed in andforced to follow the wheel in front while wait-ing for a gap to open up.

The Fleche has almost always been won onthe Mur but organisers have thrown a spanner inthe works this year with a climb just 5km beforeHuy that is almost as brutal.

Both are 1.3km long and although at an aver-age gradient of 9.6 percent, the Mur is tougher,the Cote de Cherave at 8.1 percent does at leastoffer an opportunity to produce an initial selec-tion of potential winners, or maybe even achance to breakaway for the win.

The pace is bound to crank up before thepeloton hits the Cherave and anyone caughtbehind at that point will have no chance of get-ting back in the mix by the time the leadinggroup reaches the Mur. Previous winners such asSpanish pair Joaquim Rodriguez and DaniMoreno, or even Gilbert, may be looking at thatsection to launch an attack. — AFP

Pacmania sweeps Philippines ahead of Mayweather clash

LAS VEGAS: At left, in a May 4, 2013, file photo, Floyd Mayweather Jr. exchangespunches with Robert Guerrero (not shown) in a WBC welterweight title fight. At right,in a Nov. 12, 2011, file photo, Manny Pacquiao exchanges punches with Juan ManuelMarquez (not shown) during a WBO welterweight title fight in Las Vegas. — AFP

World champ a marked man

KUWAIT: The 19th GCC men’s golf tournament,8th for Youth and 1st for ladies will kick off todayat 7.00 am, at Sahara golf field with the partici-pation of United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,Oman, Bahrain, Qatar in addition to Kuwait,under the patronage of Information Minister,State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh SalmanSabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah.

The first round will witness strong competi-tion between participating teams especially thateach will be keen to collect as much as possiblepoints during the first day to make it easier toreach top places.

Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud welcomed theparticipating Golf brothers and lauded suchgatherings which he described as distinguished

as it aims at enhancing Gulf sports. He expressedpleasure that Kuwait hosts the GCC golf tourna-ment for men, youth and ladies, especially withthe participation of an elite group of players.

He said we hope that the tournament con-tribute to the development of the golf gameafter being approved as an Olympic game start-ing from the upcoming Olympics in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil 2016.

Sheikh Salman praised the efforts of theHigher Organizing Committee, as well as theGCC Golf Organizing Committee in order toensure the success of the tournament

Meanwhile Chairman of the HOC AbdelazizAl-Mulla said the participating delegations com-mended the grounds that were well preparedprior to the start of the tournament.

He said competition between Gulf teams willbe in the interest of all as it raises the technicallevel of players in addition to polishing the skillsof the youth and ladies. He expected competi-tion to be fierce until the last day as the techni-cal level of all six teams are high .

He said the Kuwaiti team is in its three cate-gories (men, youth, ladies) is well prepared andready for the competition.

GCC golf tourney for menand ladies kick off today

KUWAIT: The Ice Hockey Challenge Cup ofAsia, Kuwait enters its decisive stages withthree important matches for all participat-ing teams. Kuwait will meet Oman, seekingits third consecutive win, yet thoughKuwait’s players are more experienced, yetthey should not take it easy as the Omanisshowed good skill in their previous match-es. In the second match Singapore will tryto stay on the winning path after losing toKuwait in the first match and are expected

to beat Malaysia in waiting for the resultbetween Oman and Kuwait. The thirdmatch will see Kyrgyzstan against India.

Honarary President of Kuwait WinterGames Club Sheikh Jaber Bandar Al-JaberAl-Sabah held a luncheon in his Al-ReyahChalet, in Mina Abdallah for participatingdelegations and members of the organiz-ing committee. Sheikh Jaber welcomedthe delegations in Kuwait and wishedthem a pleasant stay in Kuwait, as Directorof IIHF Ice Hockey Game Development in

Asia Harald Springfeld gave a memento toSheikh Jaber.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Higherorganizing Committee Fuhaid Al-Ajmi saidKuwait’s team is now close to winning theChallenge Cup due to its outstanding per-formance. He said Kuwait organized theCup before in 2011 and was so successfulthat it gained the confidence of the IIHF tohost it once again.

He said that Kuwait aims to reach inter-

national level as the game has developed,and the establishment of a hockey schoolwhere 400 players are enrolled. He saidthere are plans to form a ladies team inaddition to an U-18 national team.

Al-Ajmi lauded Information Minister,State Minister for Youth Affairs SheikhSalman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah and Chairman of PAYS SheikhAhmad Al-Mansour who support theWinter Games and extends all supportneeded.

Challenge Cup in Kuwait enters decisive stage


NEW YORK: Twice French Open champi-on Serena Williams said her struggle tobeat Sara Errani in the Fed Cup onSunday had been a real “eye-opener” asthe claycourt season gets into full swing.

World number one Williams eventual-ly prevailed 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3 against thedogged Italian to take her career recordover her to 8-0 but the American was notimpressed.

The U.S. were beaten 3-2 as Williamsand Alison Riske were thrashed 6-0 6-3 inthe doubles rubber by Errani and FlaviaPennetta, meaning they were relegatedto World Group II.

“Today has been a big eye opener,”Williams said afterwards. “I’m totally notas ready for the claycourt season as Ithought I was. Now I’m in the mindset of,‘You know what, I’m not on hard court.’I’m playing like I’m on hard court and I’m

not. “So I have to play and be ready to hita thousand shots if necessary.” Williams,33, won her 19th singles grand slam atthe Australian Open and her dominancehas raised talk of her claiming all themajors this year. The French has been herleast successful of the four thoughdespite claiming the title in Paris in 2002and 2013.

Her doubles defeat on Sunday blottedan otherwise flawless Fed Cup recordand left the U.S. facing a battle to getback amongst the elite nations next year.

“We have to work harder,” U.S. captainMary Joe Fernandez said. “We came closetoday and need to just keep pluggingaway.

“The good news is that we have a lotof players in the top 100 and, hopefully,we can get two wins next year and getback into the World Group.” — Reuters

LONDON: After winning three out of fourraces and taking a 27-point lead in the stand-ings, Formula One champion Lewis Hamiltonhas a new challenge as he and Mercedes pre-pare for the start of the European season.

A third world title, which would lift theMercedes driver level with boyhood heroAyrton Senna and British great Jackie Stewart,looks increasingly likely but Europe will play abig part in deciding that.

Although Hamilton said after Sunday’sBahrain Grand Prix that he felt more comfort-able and ‘powerful’ in the car than last year,when he won 11 races, he actually has nomore wins at this stage than he did in 2014.

The biggest difference is better reliability,and the failure so far of team mate NicoRosberg to raise his game. In 2014, Hamiltonstarted the season with a retirement inAustralia through no fault of his own and thenwon in Malaysia, Bahrain and China. He alsostarted three of the four on pole position.

Rosberg, meanwhile, won the opener inMelbourne and followed it up with three sec-ond places. That meant that it was theGerman, not Hamilton, who headed to Spainin the overall lead-albeit by a mere fourpoints. This season, Hamilton has startedevery race on pole and won in Australia, Chinaand Bahrain while finishing second to Ferrari’sSebastian Vettel in Malaysia.

Rosberg, by contrast, has chalked up twosecond and two third places. The Germanneeds to lift his game quickly, just as he didlast year after Hamilton reeled off four wins ina row before being beaten in Monaco,Canada, Austria, Germany, Hungary andBelgium.

The title battle was, of course, kept alivesomewhat artificially due to the awarding ofdouble points for the final race in Abu Dhabibut that unloved experiment has now beenscrapped.

Formula One’s commercial supremo BernieEcclestone, who was a big advocate of whatothers saw as a gimmick, said before the startof this season that he feared Hamilton couldconsequently have the championship won byMonza in September.

But to do so, or at least wrap it up with sev-eral races to spare, the Briton will need to winthose races that eluded him last year-although Germany has since dropped off thecalendar.

“I don’t think it moves me up a gear, I’malready in a pretty good gear,” Hamilton saidon Sunday as he contemplated the return toEurope and the Spanish Grand Prix on May 10,followed by Monaco on May 24. “Last yearobviously I was catching up (after the blank inAustralia) and then here I didn’t qualify onpole but did get the win.

“This weekend I got the pole and did thejob. Now I’ve got to improve when I get toBarcelona, I don’t want to be back where I waslast year.”

Monaco, a race Senna won six times, is aparticular favourite and target. Hamilton wonthere with McLaren in 2008 but local residentRosberg will be going for a hat-trick after vic-tories in 2013 and 2014. “I’ve come secondtwice and fourth once. That’s not good, espe-cially as Senna won it so many times,” said thechampion. “So I’ve got to get on it.” — Reuters

Hamilton still has work to do in Europe

CHICAGO: Jimmy Butler set a playoff career-high for the second straight game with 31points as Chicago beat Milwaukee 91-82 onMonday to take a 2-0 lead in their first-roundseries. After scoring 25 points in Game 1, Butlerwas at his best down the stretch, scoring 14points in the fourth quarter. Chicago’s DerrickRose scored all of his 15 points in the secondhalf after dominating in the series opener.

Pau Gasol added 11 points and 16 reboundsand Mike Dunleavy Jr. scored 12 points for thethird-seeded Bulls. Khris Middleton led thesixth-seeded Bucks with 22 points, and MichaelCarter-Williams scored 12. Game 3 is tomorrowat Milwaukee.

WARRIORS 97, PELICANS 87Klay Thompson scored 26 points and

Stephen Curry had 22 points and six assists asGolden State regrouped from an early deficit totake a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.

The top-seeded Warriors fell behind by 13points in the first quarter after a strong startby the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis and EricGordon. A big burst before halftime pushedthe Warriors ahead, and they did just enoughin the closing moments to put away thepesky Pelicans. Game 3 is tomorrow in NewOrleans. Davis had 26 points and 10rebounds, and Gordon scored 23 points forthe Pelicans. — AP

CHICAGO: Khris Middleton No. 22 of the Milwaukee Bucks goes up for a shot against JoakimNoah No. 13 of the Chicago Bulls during the first round of the 2015 NBA playoffs. — AFP

Bulls see off Bucks

Serena says not ready for claycourt season yet

ITALY: Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball in this file photo. — AP

Kuwait Open Tennis tourney a huge success

By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Kuwait Sixth Open TennisTournament concluded Monday under thepatronage and presence of President ofKuwait and Arab Tennis Federations SheikhAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Abdallah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The final match and closing ceremo-ny was also attended by Chairman of theGCC Organizing Committee, SecretaryGeneral of Kuwait Tennis FederationAbdelreda Al-Ghareeb, Czech Ambassador toKuwait, Deputy Chairman of the Board ofKTF Abdelsamad Al-Aryan, KTF treasurer,Director of the Tournament Faleh Al-Otaibi,member of the Board Ali Al-Daihani andYarmouk Sports Club Deputy Chairman ofthe Board Younis Al-Ibrahim.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber expressed hispleasure on the success of the tournamentenjoyed since its start because of the num-ber of participants, particularly members of

the national teams. He said that playersshowed higher technical level as the tourna-ment gave them the opportunity to playwith players of high caliber.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber thanked theambassadors and members of the diplomaticcore in Kuwait who participated in the tour-nament. He gave special thanks to organizingcommittee and the officiating team led byAbdelraouf Al-Abdelsalam. Answering aquestion about the awaited tennis complexto be built in Kuwait he said that all obstacleshave been smoothed out and a new investorhas taken over and started work. He said thecomplex is expected to be ready in two years.He said the complex will include three cov-ered main courts besides ten open ones, a 5star hotel and shops, adding that it will stateof the art when it is completed.

Final results of the tournament were asfollows:

In the men’s singles Nasser Al-Obaidly

was first and Abdelreda Al-Ghareeb runnerup. In the professional men singles AliAbdelreda Al-Ghareeb won first place andAbdelhameed Al-Shatti second.

In U17 juniors Tamim Al-Hallaq was firstfollowed by Hussein Jamal. U13 beginnersAhmad Khamis followed by Ali Al-Shatti.

In the girls U18 Fareeda Al-Ayyat first fol-lowed by Benisa.

In women’s singles first place went toSarah Behbehani followed by Latifa Al-Sayyed Omar. In the men’s above 45Mohammad Tooniya ended in first place andMajdi Khamis second. In the pioneers singlesAvrim Garcia first and Ringan Ravi second.

In the doubles match the team ofMohammad Al-Ghareeb and MohammadSeddiq defeated Ali Al-Sheikh and AbdelazizMaayouf to take first place.

In the diplomats singles first place wentto the Czech Ambassador and second placewent to his Belgian counterpart.


KARACHI: Disgraced former Pakistan Testcaptain Salman Butt said yesterday he wasdue to appear before the anti-corruptionunit of the game’s governing body nextweek to try to have his spot-fixing banrelaxed. The 32-year-old opener wasbanned for ten years with five years sus-pended conditionally, along withMohammad Asif (seven years with two sus-pended) and Mohammad Aamer (five years)in a spot-fixing case in England in 2010.

The trio and their agent Mazhar Majeedwere also jailed in Britain for receiving mon-ey in return for arranging deliberate no-balls during the Lord’s Test against England.

The deal was struck by an undercoverreporter of the now defunct tabloid News ofthe World in a sting operation which shookthe cricket world.

In January this year Aamer was allowedto play domestic cricket in Pakistan after theInternational Cricket Council (ICC) revisedits anti-corruption code allowing bannedplayers to make an early return to domesticcricket a few months before their bansexpire. But the Pakistan Cricket Board saidButt and Asif had not completed the reha-bilitation processes necessary to allow therelaxation to occur, a claim he contests.

“I am fighting to get the relaxation as Ihave complied with all the regulations. So I

want to play domestic cricket,” Butt told AFP.If allowed to play domestic cricket, Butt

will become eligible to return to interna-tional cricket after his ban expires onSeptember 2 this year. If the ICC agrees withthe PCB’s assessment that Butt has not com-pleted his rehabilitation process-whichincludes giving lectures to youngsters onthe perils of corruption and a confessionthat he was the instigator of the deal-it maymean that the five years of his ban thatwere suspended become activated.

Butt said he has been fighting for thelast 24 months. “I am pleased that the anti-corruption unit of the ICC has summonedme for a meeting, which may take place onApril 28 where I will get a chance to havemy assessment,” he said.

At the time of his ban Butt was seen as along-term prospect to remain captain, hav-ing led Pakistan to a series-levelling winover Australia in their neutral-venue seriesin England in 2010.

Pr ior to that ser ies Pak istan wereblanked 3-0 by Australia in their last fourseries in 1999, 2002, 2004 and earlier in2010. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan saidlast year that several current Pakistanplayers have reservations about playingalongside the banned trio once they arecleared. — AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan’s injury setbacks con-tinued yesterday as paceman Sohail Khanwas ruled out of the Test series inBangladesh and was replaced by anotherfast bowler Imran Khan, an official said.

Sohail, 30, suffered back spasm two daysbefore the team’s departure and was initial-ly ruled out of the ongoing three-matchone-day series.

Yesterday the Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) announced he would not recover intime for the two-match Test series. “Afterconsulting with the PCB medical depart-ment it was confirmed that Sohail has stillnot been able to recover sufficiently so theselection committee was unanimous onImran as replacement for him,” chief selec-tor Haroon Rashid was quoted as saying ina press release.

Imran, 27, played three Tests againstAustralia and New Zealand last year andtook seven wickets. Pakistan have beenbadly hit by injuries on the current tour

with batsman Sohaib Maqsood also ruledout before the tour started because of anarm injury. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah mean-while injured his thumb in a practice matchin Bangladesh, while paceman Ehsan Adilsuffered a hamstring injury.

Shah will remain part of the Test squad,but Adil will return home. Left-arm spinnerZulfiqar Babar replaced Shah and Umar Gulreplaced Adil for the one-day series.Pakistan trail the three-match series 2-0with the final match in Dhaka today.

Another paceman Rahat Ali was alsosidelined with a hamstring injury but theteam management said he is expected torecover for the two Test series. The first Teststarts in Khulna from April 28. PakistanCricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khansaid Monday he was unhappy over thespate of injuries. He said he would be ques-tioning the team management over theissue and wanted to know why half-fit play-ers were selected for the tour. — AFP

BARCELONA: Defending champion Kei Nishikoricruised into the third round of the BarcelonaOpen with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Russian TeymurazGabashvili yesterday.

The Japanese top seed was making his seasondebut on clay but was largely untroubled by theworld number 85 as he broke early in each setand faced just one break point on his own servebefore sealing victory. Nishikori will face eitherPortugal’s Joao Sousa or 15th seed SantiagoGiraldo in the last 16 tomorrow. Seventh seedRoberto Bautista Agut and fellow SpaniardTommy Robredo also booked their places inround three with straight sets victories overThomaz Belluci and Mikhail Kukushkin respec-tively. Second seed Rafael Nadal will begin hisquest for a ninth title in Barcelona against NicolasAlmagro or Paolo Lorenzi today.

Meanwhile,a red hot Novak Djokovic is beingtipped to end Rafa Nadal’s stranglehold at RolandGarros in June but the Spaniard dismissed thethreat as being no different to those he has facedbefore. The Serbian world number one has beenan unstoppable force in recent weeks, winning 17matches on the bounce and becoming the firstman to win the season’s first three Masters title.

He comfortably beat Nadal on his beloved redclay in last week’s Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals, and the nature of Djokovic’s 6-3 6-3 maul-ing means plenty are backing him to completehis collection of grand slam titles this year by win-ning his first French Open.

But as far as Nadal is concerned, 2015 is no dif-ferent to 2013, 2012 or even 2011. “Djokovic wasgood in 2011, in 2012, 2013 as well as in 2015.Sometimes you win more and some you win less,”

Nadal, who has triumphed at the French Open innine of the last 10 years, told reporters at theBarcelona Open.

“It is difficult to win everything all the time.Djokovic was as good then in 2011 as he is now.He had an impeccable year in 2011 as well as he ishaving in 2015.”I have to congratulate him.

“The rest of the players have to accept that atthe moment he is the world number one with allhe has achieved this year,” added Nadal, who hashad a patchy year after making his comeback inJanuary following another lengthy injury and ill-ness break. “This year I have to do things right, getback to a very high level to face him on the court,”Nadal said. “Tennis-wise, I feel a lot better than afew weeks ago. I am going to try to get as far as Ican and to play as well as I can, topping the level Ishowed in Monte Carlo.” — Reuters

Nishikori eases into Barcelona 3rd round

SPAIN: Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori (right) gives his rackets to his coach in this file photo. — AFP

Banned Butt to appearbefore corruption unit

Imran replaces Sohail for Bangladesh Tests

KUWAIT: Ooredoo Kuwait, a member of theinternational Ooredoo Group, announced theend of its first employees’ football tourna-ment on Saturday. The tournament culminat-ed in an awarding ceremony attended byguest of honor former Kuwait National Team

captain Saad Al-Houti.The winner of the final game was Retail

Team A, scoring three goals against one goal byAlza’eem. Aside from awarding the two winningteams, Ooredoo awarded the best player, bestgoal keeper, and fair play award, and best scor-

er. The awarding ceremony was attended byOoredoo General Manger and CEO Mohammedbin Abdulla Al Thani, COO Hani El-Kukhn, CEOconsultant Hamad Alnuaimi and Chief ofHuman Resources Saleh Al-Houti. Commentingon the event, CEO Al Thani said: “I was delighted

to see the employees enjoy their time withfriends and family in a fun-filled atmosphere,away from the routine work environment.”

The tournament stems from Ooredoo’s mainvalues: To care, connect and chal lenge.Winning first place was Retail Team A, while

Alza’eem came in second. Thamer Al-Hajerifrom Sales won best player, MohammedAlmulla from Sales won best goalkeeper,Abudllah Al-Khattaf from Customer Care wontop scorer, while Essa Haider from Technologywon the fair play award.

Ooredoo concludes employees’ football tournament


SPAIN: Atletico’s Arda Turan (centre) and teammates exercise during a training session in Majadahonda. Atletico Madrid will play Real Madridtoday in a Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match. — AP

MADRID: Real Madrid have the unenviable taskof beating city rivals Atletico Madrid at theeighth attempt this season if they are toprogress to a fifth consecutive ChampionsLeague semi-final.

The European champions have failed to over-come Atletico in seven games since beating LosRojiblancos in last season’s Champions Leaguefinal, including last week’s 0-0 draw in the first-leg at the Vicente Calderon, and have also beenstruck by a series of injuries and suspensions tokey players.

Luka Modric and Gareth Bale will miss outafter limping off with knee and calf injuriesrespectively in the 3-1 win over Malaga at theweekend, whilst Marcelo is banned and KarimBenzema faces a race against time to be fit dueto a knee problem. Given those absences, thereturn to fitness and form of James Rodriguez isa huge boost for Los Blancos. The ColombianWorld Cup star has scored twice in four gamesafter a two-month injury layoff due to a brokenfoot to take his tally to an impressive 14 in hisfirst season at the Bernabeu.

“Before I was out I was scoring goals, playingat a good level and now I think it is the same,” he

told Madrid’s website. “I want to continue likethis, using my characteristics to help the teamachieve important objectives.

“We are all dreaming of getting through thisround and if I can score as well then it would begreat. The most important thing is to win andget through this very difficult game, but we arein our own stadium with our own fans. I think itcould be a great game.”

However, Real will be faced with arguably thebest defence in Europe on Wednesday. Atleticohave conceded just once in their last eightChampions League games and have shutouttheir local rivals in four of their previous sevenmeetings this season.

“Atletico are an intense team that are verygood at the back,” added Rodriguez. “There isalways pressure. We have to manage it and weare going to do everything we can to win an11th European Cup.” By contrast, Atletico have aclean bill of health with striker Mario Mandzukicexpected to shake off an ongoing ankle problemto start alongside the in-form AntoineGriezmann up front.

Diego Simeone’s men remain the under-dogs in just their second Champions League

quarter-final in 18 years, but midfielder RaulGarcia refuted the suggestion they have less tolose than the holders.

“I don’t think we have less pressure. It is thequarter-finals of the Champions League and thetwo teams want to go through.”Time will givemore value to what we are achieving. Now itseems normal to be in the quarter-finals, to getto the semis would be very important.”

Garcia maintained the Atletico party line ofrecent weeks in insisting there is no thirst forrevenge after losing out in heartbreaking cir-cumstances to Real in the Lisbon final last May.

However, he also dismissed the idea thatAtletico now have a mental hold over CarloAncelotti’s men having beaten them over twolegs in the Spanish Supercup and the Copa delRey already this season.

“Lisbon is forgotten. We don’t live in the past.We would have loved to have won, but it doesn’tchange anything. If we had won, we would stillwant to go through now. “We have to forget theprevious games this year too. They only serve toknow that we are doing the right things. Wealways say the games that have already beenplayed don’t matter.” — AFP

Injury-hit Real tasked with breaking down Atletico wall

MADRID: In the dying moments ofDiego Simeone’s second Madrid derby incharge of Atletico, a banner was loweredbehind the goal his side was defendingto display a stinging message: “Wanted:A dignified rival for a decent derby”.

The display by the Real Madrid ultrashad more truth to it than the usualchutzpah exchanged between rival fans.It had been 13 years since Atletico hadbeaten Real, a run that would stretch intoa 14th year and 25th match when Real’sreserves won out once more at theVicente Calderon five months later.

Suddenly, though, on an unseason-ably cold Madrid May evening, the tidebegan to turn in the Spanish capital.Having waited for so long for a derbywin, Atletico did so in style by beatingReal in their own backyard at theSantiago Bernabeu to win the Copa delRey in what proved to be JoseMourinho’s last competitive game incharge.

In 14 derbies in less than two yearssince, Atletico have won six to Real’s fourand added the Spanish Supercup and anunthinkable La Liga title to their trophyhaul in just over three years sinceSimeone took over. Moreover, three ofthe five trophies won under theArgentine have been garnered by over-coming the vast gap in financial wealthbetween Atletico and their neighbours,as well as Spanish football’s other power-house, Barcelona. Simeone has revolu-tionised a club that once used to revel intheir label as “El Pupas” - the jinxed ones.

ADORING MASSES Even the club’s own marketing cam-

paign used to be based around a con-fused young boy asking his father “whydo we support Atleti?”

Now they have the charismatic leaderthat means their faith is no longer blind.On Atletico’s league title parade last sea-son, Simeone addressed the adoringmasses with the symbolic message: “Thisis not just a league title, ladies and gen-

tlemen, this is something much moreimportant that these boys have shownyou, that if you believe and you work,you can achieve.”

The remnants of Atletico’s historicability to come up on the wrong side ofdestiny were still to dog them, though, inthe Champions League final in Lisbonagainst Real last May.

One minute away from winning afirst-ever European Cup, just as they hadbeen 40 years ago in their only previousfinal against Bayern Munich, they con-ceded with barely a minute remaining.

Real went on to romp to a 10thEuropean Cup 4-1 in extra-time withSimeone being sent off for storming onto the field to confront Raphael Varane astempers flared.

Yet, it is a testament to the change inmental strength around the club thatrather than be beaten down by thatexperience, Atletico have rolled off a sev-en-game unbeaten streak in the derbythemselves this season, which leavesWednesday’s Champions League quar-ter-final, second leg, tantalisingly poisedafter a 0-0 first-leg stalemate last week.

“Atletico is a very different club now,”said Fernando Torres on his return to hisboyhood club in January. ‘El Nino’ hadnever scored at the Bernabeu in six yearsin his first stint at Atletico; he did sotwice in his first visit in his second spellas Atletico dumped Real out of the Copadel Rey just days after his return.However, as much as Simeone and hisplayers publicly try to deny it, thereremains unfinished business fromLisbon. Simeone himself acknowledgedahead of last week’s first leg that victo-ries in the league, Cup or Supercup can-not be compared to Europe’s premierclub competition.

Now, presented with the chance toland a knock-out blow to an injury-hitReal in the competition they cherish themost, another date with destiny awaitsTorres and the rest of Simeone’s men atthe Bernabeu today. — AFP

How Simeonepainted Madrid red

MONACO: Juventus head to Monaco today forthe second leg of their Champions League quar-ter-final looking to clinch a place in the last fourfor the first time in over a decade.

An immovable force at the top of theEuropean game in the 1990s, when they reachedthree consecutive finals, including beating Ajaxin the 1996 showpiece, Juve were alsoChampions League runners-up in 2003, losing toAC Milan. But they have not got beyond the lasteight since, failing to translate their domesticdominance to the European stage. Nevertheless,while they close in on a fourth consecutive SerieA crown, they are now primed to secure a spot inthe semi-finals in Europe after Arturo Vidal’spenalty gave them a 1-0 victory against thePrincipality club last Tuesday.

Crucially, Juventus did not concede an awaygoal in that game, meaning Monaco will now beobliged to come out and attack at home, some-thing which is not their forte.

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has admittedhis team are better suited to playing away fromhome, when they can hit teams on the break, asthey did so devastatingly in London in the last16 when they defeated Arsenal 3-1, that resultallowing them to progress on away goalsdespite losing 2-0 at home.

“I was not surprised by Monaco because wedidn’t underestimate them, but they played real-

ly well against us,” Juve’s veteran French interna-tional left-back Patrice Evra told Canal Plus. “Ithink the second leg will be different andJuventus will have a greater control of thematch. “I was really proud of Monaco when theybeat Arsenal because I saw them playing with-out fear. Some of the Monaco players say thatthey are better away from home because thestadiums and the atmosphere are different.”

HOME ADVANTAGE? Evra knows that as well as anybody, having

spent four years in the MediterraneanPrincipality, helping Monaco reach theChampions League final in 2004 before eventu-ally moving on to Manchester United.

Monaco are third in Ligue 1 and have lost justone of their last 18 league games, but too manydraws at the Stade Louis II, where the lack ofatmosphere and crowds that rarely reach the10,000 mark remove any sense of a home advan-tage, have held them back.

That was the case on Saturday, when theymanaged just one shot on target, and that onlyafter a defensive error, in a disappointing 1-1draw with Rennes.

Injuries and tiredness persuaded Jardim torotate his squad in that game, a decision whichdid not pay dividends. “I rested three or fourplayers but the others were injured. Some of

those who played in Turin were not 100 percent.But the Champions League game will be differ-ent. The stadium will be full,” insisted thePortuguese coach.

The question remains as to whether they canscore the goals needed to go through. After all,Monaco have netted just three times in fourChampions League home games this season.

At least they can call on one of the tightestdefences in Europe, although in midfield itremains to be seen whether captain JeremyToulalan (hamstring) and the powerful GeoffreyKondogbia (ankle) will recover from injury intime to feature. Further forward, Jardim mustdecide whether to select the experiencedDimitar Berbatov or the exciting Anthony Martialin attack, or go with both.

Allegri, meanwhile, is expected to stick withthe 3-5-2 formation that helped Juventus beatLazio 2-0 in Serie A at the weekend.

Paul Pogba is still out injured but Andrea Pirlowill play in central midfield after returning froma five-week injury lay-off in time for the first leg,and playing 70 minutes against Lazio.

“I haven’t decided which formation I will use.If the team defends well, I think it doesn’t reallymatter if we have three or four at the back,”Allegri said. “I’m happy about the success theteam is enjoying. The lads deserve praisebecause they’ve shown a lot of maturity.” — AFP

Juve have semis in sight against goal-shy Monaco

ITALY: Juventus’ players take part in a training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League football match Monaco vs Juventus. — AFP

SYDNEY: Guangzhou Evergrande led atrio of teams into the AFC ChampionsLeague last 16 yesterday but WesternSydney Wanderers’ title defence was lefthanging by a thread.

Fabio Cannavaro’s Guangzhou neededonly a 0-0 draw against FC Seoul to quali-fy top of Group H and reach the knock-outs alongside Suwon Samsung and AlHilal.

But the Wanderers suffered a harshblow when Mu Kanazaki scored in injury-time to secure a 2-1, come-from-behindwin which dragged Kashima Antlers offthe foot of the table.

With one group game left, againstGuangzhou, the Australian side are nowbottom of Group H, a point adrift of FCSeoul and Kashima and with their gripon the title slipping. The Wanderers wonthe competition in a fairytale debut lastyear and they seemed to have kept theirunconvincing trophy defence alive withNikita Rukavystya’s strike on 24 minutes.

But Kashima pressed relentlessly forthe equaliser and they got their break-through on 66 minutes, when Shoma Doicurled home a priceless goal which keptthem in the competition.

Kashima kept on coming and theywere rewarded with a deserved winwhen Kanazaki converted ShutoYamamoto’s penetrating cross in the firstminute of injury time.

A home win against FC Seoul in a fort-night ’s time would send Kashimathrough, while Western Sydney need towin at Guangzhou and hope Kashimaand Seoul draw.

In Group G, Brazilian substitute Kaiograbbed a late winner as Suwon elimi-nated Urawa Red Diamonds 2-1 andadvanced to the knock-out rounds.

Zlatan Ljubijankic put Urawa aheadafter 69 minutes, but Ko Cha-Won head-ed the two-time Asian ClubChampionship winners level beforeKaio’s clincher two minutes from time.

Beijing Guoan could have joinedSuwon in the knockout rounds but theylost 1-0 at home to Australian championsBrisbane Roar, through AndrijaKaluderovic’s goal in the first half.

Despite the defeat, the Chinese sideremain three points ahead of Brisbaneand will go through if they avoid defeaton their visit to Suwon for their finalgame. Meanwhile, former Asian champi-ons Al Hilal advanced from Group C afterthe Saudi club beat Lokomotiv 2-1thanks to second-half goals by Nawaf AlAbid and Abdullah Zori. — AFP

Guangzhou lead charge into last 16

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid v Atletico 21:45beIN SPORTS 1 HDMonaco v Juventus 21:45beIN SPORTS 2 HD

AUSTRALIA: Mu Kanazaki (left) of Japan’s Kashima Antlers fights for the ball withYusuke Tanaka (center) of Australia’s Western Sydney Wanderers during their AFCChampions League football match. — AFP

BARCELONA: Barcelona cruised into their seventhChampions League semi-final in eight years as a doublefrom Neymar handed them a 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory yesterday. Just asin last week’s first leg in Paris, the Brazilian opened thescoring after a sensational assist from Andres Iniesta.

Neymar then capitalised on some shoddy defending tohead home his 30th goal of the season from Dani Alves’scross.

Barca will now take their place alongside BayernMunich in Friday’s draw for the last four, the ties to beplayed next month. “I am very happy with the season I amhaving and we need to continue like this to achieve ourobjectives. We need to keep going and get to the final,”Neymar told Television Espanola.

“In my first goal Iniesta did everything. All I had to dowas dribble past the goalkeeper and score.” Only once inEuropean Cup history had a side come back from losingthe first leg at home 3-1 and there was little doubt aboutthe outcome as Barca dominated proceedings from theoff.

The opener arrived on 14 minutes as Iniesta collectedthe ball inside his own half, spun past three PSG chal-lenges and then rolled the ball through to Neymar, whocalmly rounded Salvatore Sirigu before slotting home. PSGbriefly threatened to respond as Zlatan Ibrahimovic had agoal rightly ruled out for offside against his old club on hisreturn to the side from suspension.

However, Barca were soon back in command as LionelMessi fired just over from Luis Suarez’s knockdown beforeSirigu was forced into a flying save to turn away Alves’spowerful drive before clutching Neymar’s follow-up effort.

There was nothing the Italian could do 12 minutes

16Pacmania sweepsPhilippines ahead ofMayweather clash


Injury-hit Realtasked with breaking downAtletico wall

Hamilton still has work to do in Europe Page 17

GERMANY: Bayern’s Mario Goetze (left) and Porto’s Ricardo go for a header during the soccer Champions League quarterfinal second leg match. (Inset) Bayern’s head coach Pep Guardiola instructs his players. —AP

MUNICH: Robert Lewandowski scoredtwice yesterday as Bayern Munich poweredinto the Champions League semi-finals forthe fourth year in succession with a 6-1 sec-ond-leg routing of ten-man Porto.

Needing to over turn a two-goal deficitafter last Wednesday’s shock 3-1 first-legdefeat at Porto, Bayern produced a devas-tating first-half display to claim five goalsand eventually won the tie 7-4 on aggre-gate. “It couldn’t have gone better,” beamedgoal-scorer Thomas Mueller.

“Sometimes it’s fun to play with yourbacks against the wall. “We all had hopes,but no one expected that.” Lewandowskinow has 22 goals in all competitions whileMueller, Jerome Boateng and ThiagoAlcantara also grabbed first-half goals.

“Many people thought we couldn’t do it,but we are FC Bayern Munich,” saidLewandowski. “We knew we had to step onthe gas, but to go five goals up at half-timeis really crazy.” The game’s tempo droppedafter the break allowing Porto captainJackson Martinez to score a consolationgoal. Porto finished with ten men whendefender Ivan Marcano received a secondyellow card just before Xabi Alonso crashedhome a free-kick-their coach JulenLopategui was also sent from the touchline.The scoreline matches Porto’s record awaydefeat in Europe when they lost 6-1 at AEKAthens in the defunct European ChampionClubs’ Cup in 1978.

Having routed AS Roma 7-1 away in thegroup stages and mauled Shakhtar Donestk

7-0 in Munich in the last 16, Bayern pro-duced more clinical finishing in the first-half.

The Germans kept alive the dream ofrepeating their 2013 treble of ChampionsLeague, Bundesliga and German Cupcrowns by going into Friday’s semi-finalsdraw. They can pick up their first silverwareof the season on Saturday if they beatHertha Berlin at home to have theBundesliga title confirmed for a third yearrunning. The victory was all the moreimpressive as it came without injured starwingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben,while Germany captain BastianSchweinsteiger stayed on the bench.

Bayern attacked from the outset, enjoy-ing 75 percent possession early on, andrarely allowed Porto into their half.

Lewandowski hit the woodwork with nineminutes gone and the opening goal camejust five minutes later.

Spain defender Juan Bernat, a constantthreat on Bayern’s left wing, swung in a cor-ner and Thiago, who scored their away goalat Porto, headed home at the near post.

The crucial second goal came fromBayern’s centre-backs as Holger Badstuber,in for Dante in the only change from theside who lost at Porto, headed on a cornerand Boateng powered the ball home on 21minutes. Lewandowski compoundedPorto’s misery as Philipp Lahm’s cross fromthe right was flicked on by Mueller and thePolish striker was on hand to power homehis header. With Bayern scoring at will,Fabiano was wrong-footed when Mueller’s

strike on 36 minutes took a deflection as thehosts went 4-0 up.

Lewandowski added his second five min-utes before the break to make it 5-0 with 50minutes still to play. Mueller passed off tothe Polish striker, who took a couple oftouches to create space, then drilled the balllow into the corner.

With the game effectively over as a con-test, Martinez gave Porto some late hopewhen substitute Evandro’s cross was head-ed home from close range on 73 minutes.

Marcano’s foul on Thiago led to the free-kick which Alonso drilled home on 88 min-utes to cap Bayern’s rousing night. The theexitement got to their coach Pep Guardiolawho ended up splitting his trousers whilescreaming sideline instructions. — AFP

Bayern thrash Porto to reach semis

Neymar brace eases

Barca past poor PSG

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Neymar (left) drives the ball past PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu to score the openinggoal during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match. — AP

before the break, though, as he was exposed by moreshocking defending from the French champions as Alveswas given plenty of time to pick out his compatriot andthe unmarked Neymar powered a header into the bottomcorner for his fifth goal in four games against PSG this sea-son. Barca boss Luis Enrique could afford the luxury ofwithdrawing Iniesta and Sergio Busquets at the start ofthe second period for Xavi and Sergi Roberto respectivelywith one eye on Saturday ’s Catalan derby away toEspanyol. With the hosts taking their foot off the gas, PSGdid at least have the chance to add some respectability to

the scoreline, but unlike Barca’s star front three of Messi,Suarez and Neymar, who now have 95 goals betweenthem this season, they were wasteful in front of goal.

Marco Verratti passed up the best chance when hepulled his shot wide when well-placed at the edge of thearea, whilst Ter Stegen did well to repel Ibrahimovic’spiledriver 18 minutes from time. Messi had one finalchance to move ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo as the leadingscorer in Champions League history, but the Argentine’sgoal drought in the competition stretched into fourgames as his shot flashed just wide. — AFP

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (left) fights for theball with PSG’s David Luiz during the ChampionsLeague quarterfinal second leg soccer match. -— AP

BusinessWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

Abu Dhabi to invest over $25bn in offshore oilfields

Page 22

TPP deal still awaydespite US, Japan urgency

Page 23Warba Bank’s netprofit grows 148%in Q1 2015

Page 26Mercedes-Benz retains World Car of the Year Title

Page 25

JAKARTA: Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Mustapa Mohamed (second left) receives a bell as a token with the next WEF forum to be held in Malaysia, as Chief Executive Officer of Bank Mandiri Budi GunadiSadikin (center) and Executive Director of Lippo Group Indonesia John Riady (second right) applaud during the closing ceremony of the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Jakarta yesterday. — AFP

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank yesterday announced anet profit of KD 9.8 million for the first quarterof 2015 which is a 12 percent increase over thesame period in 2014. Over the same period,the Operating profit before provisionsincreased by 15 percent to KD 27.2 millionfrom KD 23.6 million, mainly due to anincrease in net interest income by 9 percent.The bank’s key metrics have also witnessedstrong growth which contributed to the over-all improvement in the performance of thebank. The Capital Adequacy under Basel III isat 15.2 percent against the regulatory require-ment of 12.5 percent. The bank’s non -per-forming Loans (i.e ‘NPL’) ratio also continued toimprove to 3 percent at the end 1Q2015decreasing from 6.5 percent at the beginningof last year. The NPL coverage ratio alsoincreased to 290 percent at the end 1Q2015against the 187 percent coverage at the begin-ning of 2014.

Commenting on the results, Omar KutaybaAlghanim, Gulf Bank’s Chairman said: “Withthe announcement of our first quarter results, Ican firmly state that Gulf Bank is a strong andsafe bank. Our goal in 2015 is to maintain thefinancial discipline and investing in the bank’sinfrastructure to ensure we have robust inter-nal controls in place at all levels of the opera-tions. I am also proud that the bank hasembedded the Risk Adjusted Return onCapital (RAROC) and value creation as a frame-work for measuring the performance of eachbusiness group. Our next focus is improvingeven further our clients experience via innova-tion.”

César Gonzalez-Bueno, Gulf Bank’s ChiefExecutive Officer said: “I am pleased to reportthe positive results Gulf Bank has achieved in

the first quarter of the year. Our results are areflection of the hard work and dedication ofthe Gulf Bank team. We were recently recog-nized as the Best Retail Bank in Kuwait by theAsian Banker for the fourth time. Gulf Bankalso won “Best Customer Experience OverallBranch” from Ethos Integrated Solutions andthe “Best Car Loan” and “Best Customer Service(Retail)” from Banker Middle East.

“But there is more to come. Both retail andwholesale banking are determined to provideeven better services and products. The firstresult of that was the SME Fund launch incooperation with the Kuwait National Fund for

small, medium size enterprises development.The Board has given us a clear mandate: growvia innovation and better products and servic-es. Make Gulf Bank a reference in the region.To that end we are deploying our best efforts.”

The international rating agencies Moody’sand Standard and Poor’s have in their assess-ments, affirmed the Bank’s asset quality, solidrevenue generating capacity and deploymentof risk management systems and practicestogether with comfortable liquidity metrics.The bank has a ‘Positive’ outlook from boththese agencies.

Gulf Bank posts 12% rise in net profit in Q1 2015

Operating profit up by 15% • Total assets at KD 5,394 million

Gulf Bank’s Chairman Omar Alghanim Gulf Bank’s Chief Executive Officer CesarGonzalez-Bueno

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s stock market pulledback further yesterday after telecommunica-tions operator Mobily posted a surprise first-quarter loss, while Kuwait fell on news ofpotential tax reform. Other Gulf markets werepositive.

The main Saudi index slipped 0.3 percentto 9,559 points as Mobily was the main drag,tumbling 6.8 percent. The firm, whose scan-dal over the restatement of its 2014 earningsled to the departure of its chief executive ear-lier this year, missed analysts’ forecasts widelyas it swung to a 199 million riyal ($53.1 mil-lion) net loss in the first quarter of 2015.

Two analysts surveyed by Reuters hadforecast Mobily would make a quarterly profitof 470.1 million riyals and 515.0 million riyals.Saudi petrochemicals were also weak afterseveral disappointing earnings reports. SaudiInternational Petrochemical Co (Sipchem)slipped 0.1 percent after reporting a 17.3 per-cent increase in first-quarter profit to 80.6 mil-lion riyals; analysts polled by Reuters had onaverage forecast 98.3 million riyals.

Alujain, another firm whose assets aremostly in petrochemicals, tumbled 4.8 per-cent after swinging to a 16.8 million riyal lossin the first quarter from a profit of 14.8 millionriyals a year earlier.

But property stocks were positive afterEmaar Economic City posted a 70.9 percentincrease in first-quarter profit on higher salesand lease income. The stock rose 0.8 percent.The Saudi stock index faces major technicalresistance in the 9,572-9,745 point area,where the 200-day average roughly coincideswith the March peak, and has been strug-gling in that area for three days. Kuwait’sindex underperformed the region and fell 0.7percent after Finance Minister Anas Al-Salehsaid on Monday that the cabinet was study-ing proposals to introduce the same tax ratesfor local and foreign companies. This suggest-ed last month’s resignation of the commerceminister, who first revealed the plan, had notderailed it - though it remains unclearwhether the cabinet can really push throughany politically sensitive step to tax local firms.

UAE, EGYPTDubai’s index rose 0.7 percent on its

strongest trading volume in 14 months asdeveloper Union Properties surged 10.7 per-cent to 1.45 dirhams, its highest close sinceNovember.

Gulf Business magazine reported onMonday that the firm had set up a joint ven-ture with Saudi Arabia’s Naif Al-RajhiInvestments to develop real estate projects inthe kingdom. Also, Emirates247.com newswebsite yesterday quoted a Union Propertiesmanager as saying the firm would start con-struction of a 430 million dirham ($117 mil-lion) project in Dubai this month.

Another property firm, DAMAC, rose asmuch as 3.6 percent to a new intra-day highof 3.43 dirhams early in the session but thenretreated and closed 6.3 percent lower aheadof a board meeting which was to discuss first-quarter results and dividend policy.

Dubai-listed shares in Bahrain’s GulfFinance House surged 5.6 percent as theyresumed trading after a capital reductionwhich may open the way for future divi-dend payments. Also, the firm said onSunday that it would maintain a listing inKuwait, along with those in Dubai andBahrain, but would delist from London.

Meanwhile, courier Aramex fell 1.1 per-cent after reporting a 10 percent rise infirst-quarter net profit, in line with analysts’forecasts and its own guidance. The stockhad surged 5.5 percent to a fresh nine-yearhigh of 3.64 dirhams in the previous ses-sion.

Abu Dhabi’s index edged up 0.5 percentand developer Aldar Properties was themain support, surging 4.0 percent. The firmannounced the launch of three new devel-opments in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Qatar’sbenchmark added 0.5 percent, buoyed bybanking stocks. Masraf Al-Rayan, the coun-try’s second-largest bank by market value,added 0.9 percent after posting an 18 per-cent increase in first-quarter net profit andbeating analysts’ expectations.

Net profit for the three months to March31 was 511 million riyals ($140.4 million)compared to analysts’ average forecast of484.4 million riyals in a Reuters poll.Another Qatari lender, Doha Bank, jumped3.0 percent after reporting a 5.2 percentincrease in first-quarter profit, while ana-lysts had expected a decline. It made 420.2million riyals, well above the average esti-mate of 377.3 million riyals. Egypt’s indexslipped 0.2 percent, its fifth decline in a row,although the pace of its decline slowed sig-nificantly compared with Monday’s 1.9 per-cent drop. — Reuters

Saudi falls back, KSE

drops after tax news

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

DUBAI: Lower oil prices are likely to cause Abu Dhabi’sresidential property sector to stabilize in 2015 follow-ing a two-year price boom as sentiment weakens andgovernment spending in some areas slows, industryconsultants say.

A slew of new residential units was released in2009-12, just when demand was hit by the globalfinancial crisis, creating oversupply and sending pricestumbling. The sector then rallied in 2013-14 because ofbroad economic growth and the United Arab Emirates’status as a safe haven in the Middle East. Housingprices across the UAE capital’s freehold markets roseabout 24 percent in 2014 after an increase of 31 per-cent in 2013, consultants Cluttons estimate.

But the rental market has been more sluggish, withrents rising 2 percent in the first quarter of this year ver-sus the preceding three months, according to a reportfrom CBRE. “Over the past year average rental growthhas been relatively consistent, ranging between 2-3percent for each of the past four quarters,” CBRE wrote.

Abu Dhabi has reduced its dependence on oil, butthe energy sector still accounts for more than half its

gross domestic product, JLL estimates. While UAEauthorities have pledged to continue spending oneconomic development, and have plenty of money tocontinue doing so despite the oil price plunge, somestate spending may become more cautious. The dropin crude prices has therefore led “to a softening of sen-timent and there will be less (state) spending this yearthan in the last two years,” David Denley, JLL’s regionaldirector, told an industry conference yesterday, predict-ing this would hurt property demand and lead to “mid-cycle stability”.

“It will be relatively flat this year, maybe the yearafter, and we can then think about growth again,” hesaid. “We still think there will be growth this year, but insingle digits.”

Abu Dhabi has about 244,000 residential units; overthe past six to seven years, about 10,000 units havebeen handed over each year and a further 8,000 unitsannually will be completed over the next few years, JLLestimates. “If you talk about the actual schemes thathave planning consent, there’s scope for there to beanother oversupply situation,” Denley said.

Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council approved 76projects and master developments covering about 11million square metres of gross floor area across theemirate during the first quarter, CBRE wrote.

LIVING COSTSBut while the supply of higher-end homes is

ample, Abu Dhabi has a shortage of affordable hous-ing, Denley added.

The price spike in 2013-4 has meant “many resi-dents are becoming increasingly concerned over theescalating cost of living, particularly as utility ratesare also on the rise,” CBRE said.

Such concerns led Aldar Properties this week tolaunch Meera, a development of 400 units near thecity centre for households with relatively moderatemonthly incomes of 20,000-30,000 dirhams ($5,450-8,175). “Previously we did have products in that cate-gory, but were targeting corporations where we builtstaff accommodation,” Talal al-Dhiyebi, chief develop-ment officer at Aldar, Abu Dhabi’s largest developer,said. — Reuters

Lower oil prices cooling Abu Dhabi property

B U S I N E S SWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

EXCHANGE RATES

Bahrain Exchange Company

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 2.534Indian Rupees 4.827Pakistani Rupees 2.981Srilankan Rupees 2.264Nepali Rupees 3.010Singapore Dollar 224.630Hongkong Dollar 39.071Bangladesh Taka 3.890Philippine Peso 6.841Thai Baht 9.340

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 80.779Qatari Riyal 83.221Omani Riyal 787.000Bahraini Dinar 804.570UAE Dirham 82.484

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 40.850Egyptian Pound - Transfer 39.611Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.414Tunisian Dinar 154.610Jordanian Dinar 427.260Lebanese Lira/for 1000 2.032Syrian Lira 2.159Morocco Dirham 30.741

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 302.800Euro 324.750Sterling Pound 451.780Canadian dollar 247.590Turkish lira 112.070Swiss Franc 317.230Australian Dollar 234.970US Dollar Buying 301.600

COUNTRY SELL CASH SELLDRAFTEurope

Belgian Franc 0.007899 0.008899British Pound 0.443978 0.452978Czech Korune 0.003832 0.015832Danish Krone 0.039465 0.044465Euro 0.319335 0.327335Norwegian Krone 0.034319 0.039519Romanian Leu 0.073070 0.073070Slovakia 0.009025 0.019025Swedish Krona 0.030686 0.035686Swiss Franc 0.309872 0.320072Turkish Lira 0.114820 0.121820

AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.224526 0.236026New Zealand Dollar 0.225258 0.234758

AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.241411 0.249911US Dollars 0.249911 0.249911

US Dollars Mint 0.299200 0.303400

AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.003548 0.004148Chinese Yuan 0.047463 0.050963Hong Kong Dollar 0.036980 0.039730Indian Rupee 0.004700 0.005101Indonesian Rupiah 0.000019 0.000025Japanese Yen 0.002450 0.002630Kenyan Shilling 0.003222 0.003222Korean Won 0.000269 0.000284Malaysian Ringgit 0.079568 0.085568Nepalese Rupee 0.003067 0.003237Pakistan Rupee 0.002821 0.003101Philippine Peso 0.006748 0.007028Sierra Leone 0.000066 0.000072Singapore Dollar 0.220645 0.226645South African Rand 0.018875 0.027375Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001879 0.002459Taiwan 0.009614 0.009794Thai Baht 0.009010 0.0009560

ArabBahraini Dinar 0.796720 0.804720Egyptian Pound 0.039340 0.042440Iranian Riyal 0.000084 0.000085Iraqi Dinar 0.000192 0.000252Jordanian Dinar 0.423076 0.430576Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000Lebanese Pound 0.000150 0.000250Moroccan Dirhams 0.021754 0.045754Nigerian Naira 0.001249 0.001884Omani Riyal 0.780481 0.786161Qatar Riyal 0.082460 0.083673Saudi Riyal 0.080110 0.080810Syrian Pound 0.001283 0.001503Tunisian Dinar 0.151732 0.159732Turkish Lira 0.114820 0.121820UAE Dirhams 0.081460 0.082609Yemeni Riyal 0.001368 0.001448

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH Australian Dollar 236.80Canadian Dollar 250.50Swiss Franc 319.79Euro 326.29US Dollar 303.00Sterling Pound 453.30Japanese Yen 2.57Bangladesh Taka 3.890Indian Rupee 4.818Sri Lankan Rupee 2.265Nepali Rupee 3.009Pakistani Rupee 2.983UAE Dirhams 82.37Bahraini Dinar 804.24Egyptian Pound 39.60Jordanian Dinar 430.52Omani Riyal 785.82Qatari Riyal 83.44Saudi Riyal 80.72

Rate for Transfer Selling RateUS Dollar 302.350Canadian Dollar 247.406Sterling Pound 451.816Euro 326.933Swiss Frank 288.209Bahrain Dinar 801.346UAE Dirhams 82.645Qatari Riyals 83.875Saudi Riyals 80.803

Jordanian Dinar 426.763Egyptian Pound 39.550Sri Lankan Rupees 2.264Indian Rupees 4.845Pakistani Rupees 2.978Bangladesh Taka 3.885Philippines Pesso 6.822Cyprus pound 742.159Japanese Yen 3.539Syrian Pound 2.599Nepalese Rupees 4.028Malaysian Ringgit 84.045Chinese Yuan Renminbi 49.187Thai Bhat 10.329Turkish Lira 113.136

GOLD20 gram 243.47010 gram 124.4305 gram 62.900

ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi plans to invest over $25 billion inthe next five years on boosting its oil production capacityfrom offshore fields, a senior official of Abu Dhabi NationalOil Co said yesterday.

The plan is part of the United Arab Emirates’ strategy ofincreasing its crude oil output potential to 3.5 million bar-rels per day by 2017-18. The UAE’s actual current produc-tion is around 2.8 million bpd.

“We want to build capacity from production and fromnumber of wells and infrastructure. Our current plan asADNOC (is to reach) 3.5 million bpd and to sustain it,”

Qasem Al-Kayoumi, manager of ADNOC’s offshore divisionof the exploration and production directorate, toldreporters.

Speaking at the Middle East Petroleum and Gas confer-ence in Abu Dhabi, he also said the investment plan for off-shore drilling activities was $2.5 billion per year. ADNOCplans to drill around 160 wells per year in the next coupleof years, Kayoumi said. “It is a considerable increase - thenumber of rigs has built up considerably in offshore, itcould be more than a 50 percent increase.”

He also said current production for the ADMA-OPCO

and ZADCO oil fields was 1.2 million bpd and “in 2017-18that figure will go close to, I would say around 1.6 millionbpd.”

One of the main UAE fields being developed by Exxon isthe giant Upper Zakum, for which the plan is to boost pro-duction capacity to 750,000 bpd by 2017-18; this may beraised further to 1 million bpd by 2024. Kayoumi saidADMA-OPCO was in an early phase of preparing for therenewal of its offshore concession, due to expire in 2018.“We hope that this concession will be renewed with our(existing) partners and future partners.” —Reuters

Abu Dhabi to invest over $25bn in offshore oilfields

ADNOC seeks to boost output to 3.5m bpd by 2018

ABIDJAN: An agency of the Guaranty Trust Bank in Abidjan where several banks have settled inrecent years. Demographic growth, emergence of a middle class and stabilization of public financeattract many banking investors for whom Africa is the last reservoir of growth. —AFP

UAE bank ADCB Q1 net profit

rises 31%DUBAI: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) posted a31 percent increase in first-quarter net profit yester-day, beating analysts’ forecasts, boosted by strongreturns from fees and lending.

It made a net profit attributable to equity share-holders of 1.25 billion dirhams ($340.3 million) in thethree months ended March 31, versus 953 milliondirhams in the corresponding period of 2014, it saidin a statement. Five analysts polled by Reuters onaverage forecast net profit for the quarter of 1.08 bil-lion dirhams.

The fourth-largest lender by market value in theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE) is the fourth bank in thecountry to report earnings so far this quarter, with allregistering double-digit profit growth.

Driving ADCB’s earnings growth was higher feesfrom corporate and retail banking, which lifted over-all net fee and commission income by 32 percent to375 million dirhams in the first quarter from the cor-responding period of last year.

Banks in the UAE have fallen back on fee incomegrowth as tough competition has pressured profitmargins in the lending market. Still, the bank saidtotal net interest and Islamic financing incomegained 19 percent to 1.64 billion dirhams over thesame time period. This was aided by a 7 percent yearon year increase in total lending, which stood at141.1 billion dirhams at the end of March.—Reuters

LONDON: Brent crude oil steadiedaround $63 a barrel yesterday, not farbelow the 2015 high, supported byworries that a civil war in Yemen coulddestabilize the Middle East, affectingoil supplies.

Oil has climbed around 15 percentthis month due to concern over theconflict in Yemen, Saudi Arabia’ssouthern neighbor. The seawaysaround Yemen are some of the mostimportant for the international oiltrade with access points to the RedSea and Suez Canal as well as theMiddle East Gulf.

The US navy said on Monday it hadsent an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile cruiser into nearby waters.Brent hit a 2015 high of almost $65 abarrel on April 16, up more than 40percent from a January low just above$45.

Prices have also been supported byspeculation over falling US outputafter data showing the number of USexploration and production oil rigs fellto their lowest since 2010. Brent crudefor June was down 30 cents at $63.15a barrel by 1105 GMT. US crude forMay, which was due to expire later onTuesday, was down 10 cents at $56.28a barrel.

“Geopolitics is supporting oil at themoment,” said Tamas Varga, analyst atLondon brokerage PVM Oil Associates.But the global oil market is heavilyoversupplied and a rapid build ofinventories, particularly in the UnitedStates, has been weighing on prices.

US commercial crude oil invento-ries are forecast to have increased by2.4 million barrels last week, rising forthe 15th consecutive week, a prelimi-nary Reuters survey showed.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi toldReuters in Seoul this week that theworld’s top crude exporter expectedto produce at near record highs ofaround 10 million barrels per day(bpd) in

April. Analysts warn that OPEC’sability to cope with an unexpectedsurge in demand is diminishing fast.“If the demand and non-OPEC sup-ply responses to lower prices aresimilar to what was experienced inthe 1980s, the very low level of sparecapacity carries a risk of a price spikein the not too distant future,” saidanalysts at PIRA Energy. OPEC’sspare capacity could halve to as lowas 1.7 million bpd this year, farbelow the level of more than 10 mil-lion bpd in the 1980s, when SaudiArabia last opted for market shareover price. —Reuters

Yemen conflict keeps Brent oil around $63

DUBAI: State-owned Oman Electricity Transmission Co(OETC) plans to meet fixed income investors starting todayfor a potential debut US dollar bond issue, a document fromlead arrangers showed. The firm, which develops, operatesand maintains power transmission grids in Oman, has cho-sen Bank Muscat and J PMorgan to arrange investor meet-ings in the United States and Europe. No further details wereprovided by lead arrangers.

The issue could be around $1 billion, rating agencyStandard and Poor’s said after assigning a preliminary BBB-plus to the issue. Supporting the rating is OETC’s “verystrong” link to Oman’s government and its monopoly statusas the sole transmission system operator, S&P said.

It added that OETC was exposed to potential privatiza-tion risk, but: “We expect that, after any potential change inownership, the government would continue to maintain acontrolling stake in the company.” OETC is expected to investaround 540 million rials between 2015 and 2019 to meet itsdemand growth, rating agency Moody’s said in a note.

“OETC intends to fund its investments with third-partydebt that will result in a more levered financial risk profile -with debt/capitalization in the 50-55 percent range - and willrequire frequent access to the debt markets in the comingfive years,” Moody’s added.

It assigned a provisional A3 rating to proposed dollar-denominated senior unsecured notes which would be

issued by Lamaar Funding Ltd and unconditionally guaran-teed by OETC. OETC is expected initially to raise around 300million rials from the debt capital markets to repay short-term loans of 223 million rials, with the rest of the proceedsearmarked for capital spending, Moody’s said. —Reuters

Oman electricity to meet investors on bond issue

Dubai courier Aramex Q1 net profit rises 10%

DUBAI: Dubai courier Aramex reported a 10 percentrise in first-quarter net profit yesterday, in line with ana-lysts’ forecasts and its own guidance. The companymade a net profit of 86.6 million dirhams ($23.6 million)in the three months to March 31, up from 78.7 milliondirhams in the year-ago period, it said in a statement.EFG Hermes and SICO Bahrain had forecast Aramex’sfirst-quarter profit at 84.9 million dirhams and 83.1 mil-lion dirhams respectively. First-quarter revenue rose 9percent year-on-year to 930 million dirhams. The couri-er’s chief executive, Hussein Hachem, said in Februarythat the company would likely post an annual profitincrease of 10 percent in 2015 and was targeting atleast two acquisitions this year as part of its growthstrategy.

Kuwait oil price up 14 cents to $58.01 pb

KUWAIT: Kuwait oil price rose 14 cents on Mondayand stood at $58.01 per barrel compared to$57.87pb on Friday, Kuwait Petroleum Corporationsaid yesterday. In international oil markets, price ofthe crude forward deals dropped from the highestlevel it reached this year, however it retained thehighest gains per week this year. Brent crude jumped9.6 percent, during the week, posting the highestgains per week since middle of October, 2009.American crude posted the fifth consecutive gainper week, climbing by 7.9 percent, the highest sincelate February 2011.

Newsi n b r i e f

Saudi bourse plansforeign roadshows

RIYADH: The Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) will organ-ize roadshows for foreign investors in the fourth quarterof this year as it opens to direct foreign investment in list-ed shares, exchange officials said yesterday. Khalid Al-Rabiah, chairman of Tadawul, told a news briefing thatthe roadshows would focus on North America andEurope. Khaled al-Hosan, head of Tadawul’s marketsdepartment, said they would include investment firmsand listed firms. The Capital Market Authority announcedlast week that the market, which now has a capitalizationof $554 billion, would open to direct foreign investmenton June 15. Final rules covering the opening will be pub-lished on May 4. Tadawul chief executive Adel Al-Ghamdisaid in May last year that the exchange would apply“extremely soon” to go public. —Reuters

Dubai’s Noor Bank launches $500m 5-yr debut sukuk

DUBAI: Dubai’s Noor Bank has launched a $500 mil-lion, five-year debut sukuk issue that will price lateryesterday, a document from lead arrangers showed.The transaction was set to price at a spread of 130basis points over midswaps, at the tight end of finalguidance of 130-135 bps over midswaps. Initial pric-ing guidance of around 140 bps over midswaps wasgiven earlier yesterday. The lender, which is issuingsukuk with a wakala structure, had obtained ordersworth about $1.9 billion, an earlier documentshowed. The bank, which counts state fundsInvestment Corporation of Dubai and Dubai Holdingamong its owners, has chosen Standard Chartered asglobal coordinator and Al Hilal Bank, Barwa Bank,Citigroup, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD, Qinvestand Sharjah Islamic Bank as joint lead managers forthe issue.


B U S I N E S S

LONDON: Last weekend, London couple VickiClayton and James Renhard left behindcramped bedrooms that smelt of smoke,housemates who stole their food and a land-lord who kept his deposit, and moved into arented flat of their own.

Buying a home is not an option. “I don’tknow where the extra money to put away for adeposit is going to come from,” said Renhard,34, a law graduate who works as a website edi-tor. “Aside from a mystery benefactor or a lot-tery win.”

The couple is a relatively wealthy exampleof London’s Generation Rent: people shut outof the city’s housing market by high prices. Theproblem has become a hot issue in nationalelections due next month. To buy an averagehouse in London today, you need to earn over

100,000 pounds ($150,000) a year, accordingto the National Housing Federation (NHF), atrade body for affordable housing providers.That’s more than three times the averagesalary in the capital, and more than Claytonand Renhard earn combined.

High prices are reshaping the housing mar-ket. By last year, one-third of all London house-holds rented - double the level of a decadeago, according to the Office for NationalStatistics.

That’s a reversal of a century-long trend,according to Toby Lloyd, head of policy atShelter, a homelessness charity. Since 1918,home ownership grew, becoming deeplyingrained in the British psyche. But in 2002, theownership rate started to decline. Accordingto one survey, more than half Britain’s young

people now say they are not even saving tobuy a home.

The main reason for high house prices issimple: London, like Britain as a whole, is notbuilding enough homes. At the current rate -17,547 new homes a year - the capital couldface a shortfall of more than 700,000 homes by2031, according to the NHF.

Even renting isn’t cheap, eating up about53 percent of average London incomes,according to the NHF. That’s a bigger sharethan anywhere in the United States except theNew York borough of Brooklyn, where renterspay 60 percent, figures from real estate agencyZillow show. Business leaders say sky-highprices are making it hard to attract workers. Asurvey last year for London First, a businesslobby, found that two out of five employees

would consider moving out to find cheaperhousing. London’s housing supply and costsare “a significant risk to the capital’s economicgrowth,” said three-quarters of the decision-makers questioned for the survey.

By itself, lower home-ownership is not nec-essarily a bad thing. Germany has an owner-ship rate of just 53 percent, but boasts a moremobile workforce and lower rents. Risinghouse prices also boost government revenuesand make people feel rich, which can encour-age them to spend. London itself is booming,its skyline evolving “like an accelerated ...nature film about the return of Spring to theCanadian tundra,” in the words of Mayor BorisJohnson.

But as house prices rise out of reach ofmore and more people, the downsides are

becoming obvious. “We’re turning the clockback to the 19th century, which has hugeimplications for the politics and society of ourcountry,” said Shelter’s Lloyd. “A whole genera-tion is being priced out and losing out as aresult of a systemic failure to build enoughhomes.”

LIVING IN A BEDROOM?The average London house costs more

than 10 times average earnings, up fromaround four times in 1993, according to theInstitute for Fiscal Studies. Real house prices -but not real incomes - have grown faster in theUK over the last 40 years than in any country inthe Organisation for Economic Cooperationand Development (OECD), a 2014 study inEconomic Journal showed. —Reuters

New risks as young Londoners priced out of housing market

ATHENS: Two women exit the Bank of Greece headquarters, in Athens yester-day. Authorities from municipalities across Greece were to hold an emergencymeeting yesterday after the government ordered reserves from state enter-prises to be placed in a Bank of Greece account to help the country meet itsfinancial obligations and avoid a default. —AP

SHANGHAI: When Italian luxury car-maker Maserati entered China adecade ago, with a brand virtuallyunknown to Chinese customers, itsold fewer than 40 vehicles its firstyear. Last year, the Asian giant wasMaserati’s second largest market assales of its sports cars-including theQuattroporte, which can cost up to$377,000 — reached 9,400, morethan doubling from 2013. But now itschief executive acknowledges it willstruggle to even maintain that levelthis year.

The party is over for the luxury carmarket in China, with the countryfacing the slowest economic growthin a quarter of a century and a cor-ruption crackdown orchestrated byCommunist Party chief Xi Jinping.“Last year was fantastic,” said Maseratiboss Harald Wester, sipping a mineralwater on the roof of a Shanghai artmuseum ahead of China’s premierauto show.

“The target this year is to maintainmore or less the volumes of last yeara very difficult task. We all knowabout the slowing down of growth,”Wester said. The world’s second-largest economy expanded 7.4 per-cent last year, its slowest since 1990.So Maserati is buckling down inChina, servicing existing customers,building its dealer network andawaiting the arrival of its Levante SUV(sports utility vehicle) in 2016.Maserati executives say their Chinesecustomers are young entrepreneurs,nearly half female, and deny they areselling to government officials whomight be caught in the much-publi-cized anti-graft campaign, now twoyears long.

But the crackdown is makingostentatious displays less popular,which could affect sales. “When theentire society is pointing at somepeople as having much more thanothers, potentially those (people)hesitate to show it,” Wester said.

Daimler, Rolls-Royce Photos posted online of the

wreckage of lime green Lamborghiniand red Ferrari that crashed drag rac-ing on the streets of Beijing earlierthis month caused outrage, as peo-ple questioned who owned the luxu-ry cars. Germany’s Daimler believes it

may have hit upon a solution with itsnew Mercedes-Maybach S600, say-ing it is under-stated enough to finda market in the new China.

“The Maybach is a really exclusivevehicle, but still almost an under-statement,” said Hubertus Troska,member of the board of manage-ment of Daimler with responsibility

for China.“We feel like it fits actual Chinese

times.” The slowdown did not stopBritain’s Rolls-Royce from choosingChina for the launch of its newPhantom Limelight, which has fea-tures including leather-coveredaccessory boxes and handmade fra-grance holders.

“This precious brand... occupies avery special place in the hearts of ourcustomers here in China,” Rolls-RoyceCEO Torsten Muller-Otvos told thelaunch ceremony at anotherShanghai art museum.

But parent BMW said it had“adjusted” the production of Rolls-Royce specifically because of slowersales in China, which became appar-ent last summer.

“We have seen some headwindsin the top luxury segment, not onlyRolls-Royce but very expensivegoods in this country,” said Peter

Schwarzenbauer, member of theboard of management for BMW whohas responsibility for Rolls-Royce.

“We adjusted our productionbecause Rolls-Royce is the last brandyou want to push: you can’t sell aRolls-Royce, a Rolls-Royce has to bebought.” At the same time, the luxuryand slightly lower-priced “premium”segment-cars costing under$197,000 — are facing more compe-tition.

In the premium segment, tradi-tionally strong German manufactur-ers are now being pitted against US

brands, such General Motors’Cadillac and Ford’s Lincoln. Lincoln,which only launched in China in late2014, showed off a concept for itsContinental sedan at the Shanghaiauto show, as well as two SUVs.

“This year, next year, China couldbecome the biggest luxury car mar-ket,” Ford CEO Mark Fields confident-

ly predicted. Analysts said the top-end luxury market might be betterplaced to ride out the downturn,since premier segment cars that arefavorites for government officialsand fleet-such as Audi-are nowbeing targeted by an austerity cam-paign.

“There is quite a large segment ofChina, the young ultra-rich whowant a Lamborghini or Ferrari,” saidNamrita Chow, principal analyst forIHS Automotive in London. “They’reunlikely to be dented by these cur-rent scandals.” —AFP

Luxury auto party over in China as growth slows

Corruption crackdown bites

SHANGHAI: A man looks at a Maserati sports car on display at a luxury mall in Shanghai. WhenItalian luxury carmaker Maserati entered China a decade ago, with a brand virtually unknown toChinese customers, it sold fewer than 40 vehicles its first year. —AFP

FRANKFURT: German airline Air Berlin,part-owned by Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways,has ended its membership of Europeantrade group AEA, citing what it said were itsprotectionist policies.

The move comes only days after a similarmove by British Airways and Iberia, andafter the boss of Etihad Airways warnedEurope against protectionism in the airlinesector.

Air Berlin Chief Executive Stefan Pichlerjoined British Airways owner IAG in callingfor aviation markets to be liberalized, sayingthat would promote consolidation andinnovation, thereby benefitting all passen-gers. “With its current focus and representa-tion of interests, the AEA is not fulfillingthese ideas, but allowing itself to be driven

by airlines which desperately try to erect anew wall around Europe,” Pichler said in astatement yesterday.

Etihad, which owns 29 percent of AirBerlin, has struggled to gain German back-ing of its code share flights with theGerman carrier. Under a bilateral trafficagreement, carriers from the United ArabEmirates may fly to only four airports inGermany - Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg andDuesseldorf. Code shares allow it to offerpassengers bookings from other airports.

European carriers Air France-KLM andLufthansa , along with some US competitors,have long complained that the Gulf airlinesare benefiting unfairly from interest-freegovernment loans and cheap fuel. The Gulfcarriers deny those accusations. —Reuters

Air Berlin follows IAG in move to leave

European trade body

ZURICH: Swiss banking giant CreditSuisse said yesterday a strong perform-ance by its investment banking unithelped first quarter net profit rise by 23percent to 1.05 billion Swiss francs (1.02billion euros, $1.1 billion), outstrippingforecasts by analysts.

Its investment bank posted a 14 per-cent rise in pre-tax profits to 945 millionfrancs. CEO Brady Dougan said that whiletrading revenue was higher than lastyear, the bank had a “difficult start to theyear” due to a slowdown in underwritingonly to benefit from later volatility in themarkets.

The Swiss central bank shockeddomestic and global markets with itsdecision on January 15 to end threeyears of efforts to hold down the value ofthe Swiss franc against the euro, sendingthe currency soaring. “Our swift andproactive response to the changed cur-rency and interest rate environment postthe Swiss National Bank’s announcement,combined with an improvement in mar-ket activity, mitigated the impact on ourresults and led to higher revenues in ourWealth Management Clients business,”said Dougan.

“In our well-diversified InvestmentBanking franchise, we achieved consis-tent strategic results and reported areturn on regulatory capital of 19 per-cent, despite further significant delever-aging.”

Dougan, who was presenting his lastquarterly results, sounded an optimisticnote on the coming three months andthe rest of the year. “Looking at the sec-ond quarter to date, the momentum inthe businesses has carried over from the

first quarter, with an improving trend inunderwriting and advisory,” he said.

“We remain committed to our capitaland leverage goals and expect to makefurther progress in executing our strate-gic initiatives over the balance of 2015.”

Dougan will make way for the Franco-Ivorian Tidjane Thiam, now head of theBritish insurer Prudential, in June.

Restructuring expected Investors are betting that Thiam will

downsize the bank, Switzerland’s secondlargest, more decisively to focus onwealth management.

“Following the appointment of thenew CEO Tidjane Thiam, we’ve beenhearing some rumors that, in June, hecould cut up to 3,000 jobs in theInvestment Banking department, whichwould be in line with the deleveragingstrategy,” said Laurent Bakhtiari, a marketanalyst at IG.

But he said the bank’s CET1 ratio-ameasurement of a bank’s core equitycapital compared with its total risk-weighted assets-came out lower thanexpected in the first quarter.

“The deleveraging measures shouldhave been stronger,” he said. “The newones, which will have to be implement-ed by Brady Dougan and then by thenew CEO, will be closely scrutinized, sothere is still more to come on that frontuntil the end of the year.” Americanbanks have recently reported solid firstquarters thanks to a rise in their broker-age activities, with Morgan Stanleyreporting a 59 rise in profits for the firstquarter, the highest since the financialcrisis of 2008. —AFP

Credit Suisse profits jump nearly a quarter

TOKYO: Japan and the US emerged frommarathon talks on a Pacific-wide free trade areaclaiming to be within reach of a deal yesterday,but analysts say they remain far apart on a projectthat neither can afford to see fail.

China’s unexpected success courting dozensof nations for its Asian Infrastructure InvestmentBank (AIIB) has highlighted its rising power andthe need for Washington to get a win in theregion, after years of criticism that its so-called“pivot to Asia” was empty rhetoric.

Tokyo needs the cover that the Trans-PacificPartnership (TPP) affords to force through reformsto its sclereotic agriculture sector, one key ele-ment of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to revivehis country’s economy.

After talks that lasted until 3:00 am in Tokyo,US Trade Representative Michael Froman toldreporters that gaps over the biggest stickingpoints of agricultural imports and auto sectoraccess have been “substantially narrowed”.

Abe told the Wall Street Journal: “We think that

an agreement between Japan and the US is close,but we’re hoping that even more progress will bemade.”

“It would be good if I could reach an agree-ment during my meeting with the president, butwhen you climb a mountain, the last step is alwaysthe hardest,” Abe said, referring to his summit nextweek in Washington with Barack Obama.

The ambitious 12-nation TPP would, if realized,encompass 40 percent of the global economy,largely through the participation of the UnitedStates and Japan-the world’s biggest and thirdbiggest economies, but not China, the secondlargest. Negotiations on the pact have beenbogged down for more than 18 months, withagreement between Tokyo and Washington prov-ing elusive. For Tokyo, getting around its powerfulagricultural lobby is tricky-but it is an end as wellas a means because reducing farmers’ collectivepolitical power would bring economic dividendsfor Japan.

‘Tough hurdles’ Despite the positive noises coming from both

camps yesterday, analysts say the gap remainswide, particularly on rice and autos-sacred cowsfor Japan and the US, respectively, with neitherkeen to give up tariffs that protect importantdomestic industries.

But both are now feeling “a sense of urgency”about the accord, with China flexing its muscles inthe wings. Beijing has countered with its own rivalbid for a common trade region in east and south-east Asia. “The growing Chinese presence in theregion has prompted Japan and the United Statesto speed up talks,” said Masayuki Kubota, chiefstrategist at Rakuten Securities in Tokyo. —AFP

TPP free-trade deal still awaydespite US, Japan urgency

China’s bank move highlights US need to win in region

TOKYO: US Trade Representative Michael Froman (front left) leaves after talks withJapanese counterpart in Tokyo early yesterday. The US and Japan need further work toresolve differences on autos and farm exports that are hindering progress toward aPacific Rim trade deal, Froman said yesterday. —AP

SEOUL: South Korea said yesterday it would pun-ish three factory owners for bowing to NorthKorean pressure in a wage dispute over workers atthe Kaesong joint industrial zone. The North uni-laterally announced in February a wage hike forthe more than 50,000 North Korean workersemployed by South Korean firms operating inKaesong, just north of the inter-Korean border.

South Korea demurred, insisting that under aprevious accord, employment conditions in thezone could only be adjusted with the agreement

of both sides. As the row intensified, Seoul orderedthe firms not to yield to pressure, but the South’sUnification Ministry said three firms had caved inand signed Sunday a statement promisingPyongyang to pay the increased wage in thefuture. “They will face administrative punitiveaction for complying with North Korea’s unilateraldemand,” a ministry official told AFP. Seoul wasalso considering delaying monthly payment forworkers-usually made around 20th-until the dis-pute is settled, the official said. —AFP

S Korea to punish firms who bowed to North’s wage pressure


LONDON: European stocks mostly slid yes-terday, with Athens plunging after theGreek government ordered all public agen-cies to hand over financial reserves to helpmeet urgent debt repayments.

The ATHEX benchmark index of topcompanies slumped 3.40 percent to 704.89points in volatile trade, making it the worstperformer in the region.

Elsewhere, London’s FTSE 100 index slid0.06 percent to 7,048 points in late morn-ing deals and in Paris the CAC 40 reversed

0.12 percent to 5,181.30 points. Frankfurt’sDAX 30 index trimmed earlier gains butheld in positive territory to stand at 11,946points, up 0.46 percent from Monday’sclosing level.

And the euro retreated to $1.0675 from$1.0741 late in New York on Monday.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s cash-strapped government had launched anappeal in March for public agencies to turnover their reserves on a voluntary basis.But the call now looks set to become com-

pulsory and will also affect local authori-t ies. “Yet again, the focus for marketsturned towards Greece as anxiety mountsover the threat of Greece leaving the euro-zone,” said dealer Amir Khan at tradersCurrencies Direct.

“Liquidity problems in Greece haveturned acute and in a hastened move,Prime Minister Tsipras passed a law thatrequires state entities to provide fundingto banks to shore up their reserves.

“Not surprisingly, the euro continued to

European stocks struggle on data, Greek fearsmake losses and markets are position-ing themselves . . . as Greece coulddefault on debt repayments.”

Greece is struggling to unlock some7.2 billion euros in bailout funds. ButAthens and its international creditorshave so far been unable to find anagreement on the reforms that needto be undertaken in exchange for therescue package.

‘Collecting coins’ “Despite the looming Eurogroup

meeting at the end of the week to dis-cuss Greece’s finances, traders areconfident the indebted nation will begiven yet another chance,” added IGtrader David Madden.

“Athens has been hoovering up anyspare cash from local authorities toshow ... it means business; however,this is the political equivalent of col-lecting coins that have fallen downthe back of the couch, but it may savethem yet.”

Across in Frankfurt, a leading sur-vey showed that German investor sen-timent fell for the first time in sixmonths in April as weak global growthweighed on confidence.

The widely watched investor confi-dence index calculated by the ZEW

economic institute sl ipped by 1.5points to 53.3 points in April, disap-pointing analysts’ expectations for afurther increase this month, ZEW saidin a statement. “The German economyis in good shape. A stable labor mar-ket and increasing wages arestrengthening confidence and boost-ing consumption,” said ZEW presidentClemens Fuest.

“However, the current weakness ofthe world economy is dampeningexport prospects and reducing thescope for further improvements of theeconomic situation in Germany.”European indices had reboundedMonday after China announced a raftof stimulus measures to bolstergrowth.

Asia higher Asian equities mostly rose yester-

day after overnight gains on WallStreet, with investors also keeping aneye on Europe as Greece struggles topay off its debts.

Hong Kong surged 2.79 percent,Tokyo stocks jumped 1.40 percent andShanghai rallied 1.82 percent. Thegains reversed some of the losses suf-fered on Monday, part ly on fearsabout Greece’s future in the euro-


KUWAIT: Following a successful startto the year globally, Mercedes-Benzgarnered three awards at the recentWorld Car Awards, including the covet-ed 2015 World Car of the Year, this timefor the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The lux-ury automotive marquee scooped thesame award in 2014 for its flagship S-Class. The Mercedes-Benz S- ClassCoupÈ was also declared the 2015World Luxury Car, while the Mercedes-AMG GT earned its rightful accolade asthe 2015 World Performance Car. The2015 World Car Awards are organizedin associat ion with New YorkInternational Auto Show, BridgestoneCorporat ion and Autoneum andjudged by an international jury panel.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class waschosen from an initial entry list of 24vehicles from around the world, pro-gressing to the short list of twelve,before being selected as one of three

finalists. The World Car Awards jurorsrecognized the C-Class for taking itsdesign and technological cues fromthe S- Class but at the same t imeemploying an all-new aluminium/steelhybrid platform and updated rear-dri-ve powertrain that delivers levels ofrefinement, luxury, safety, ride andhandling to challenge the best-in-class.

“We’re really proud of our accom-plishments - being the only automo-bile manufacturer to make it into thefinal round of the awards with fivemodels nominated and being selectedfor three awards is a remark ableachievement for us. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class embodies modern auto-motive luxury, delivers top perform-ance and offers high levels of quality,comfort and safety. We’re also proud tosee the S-Class Coupe named the 2015World Luxury Car and the Mercedes-

AMG GT as the 2015 WorldPer formance Car,” said Dirk Fetzer,Direc tor of Sales & Marketing atDaimler Middle East & Levant.

Mercedes-Benz is no stranger to theWorld Car Awards program - now in its11th year. This is the second consecu-tive year that Mercedes-Benz has wonthe World Luxury Car title. The compa-ny won last year’s inaugural award forthe S-Class when the new categorywas created to acknowledge higher-pr iced premium models sel l ing inmore limited numbers worldwide. Thecompany has also won two WorldGreen Car awards for the S 250 CDIBlue EFFICIENCY in 2012 and for theMercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec in 2007.

S-Class: True design and technological icon

This year’s World Luxury Car winnerwas chosen from an initial entry list of

12 prestigious cars from all over theworld, with the Mercedes-Benz S-ClassCoupe reaching the finals against theBMW i8 and the Range RoverAutobiography Black LWB. The WorldCar Awards jurors deemed theMercedes-Benz S-Class CoupÈ the 2015World Luxury Car for its exceptionalmarriage of design and technology.

Mercedes-AMG GT: Driving perform-ance for sports car enthusiast

Candidates for the WorldPerformance Car award are required todemonstrate a specif ic and over tsports/performance orientation whilemeeting the same availability criteriaas for the World Car of the Year award.The Mercedes-AMG GT was chosenfrom an initial entry list of 12 cars fromall over the world, shortlisted to 10cars, before reaching the finals againstthe BMW M4 Coupe/M3 Sedan and

Jaguar F-Type R Coupe. Its on-roadpresence alone is almost enough toqualify it as a ‘Top 3’ finalist, but inaddition to its ruggedly handsomelooks it has an impressive spec sheetcomprising biturbo 4.0-litre V8 engine,seven speed dual-clutch transmission,456bhp (minimum) and much more.

Vehicles are selected and reviewedby a panel of judges comprised of 75top-level automotive journalists from22 countries around the world. Eachjuror was appointed by the World CarSteering Committee on the basis of hisor her expertise, experience, credibili-ty, and influence. Each juror typicallydrives and evaluates new vehicles on aregular basis as part of their profes-sional work. Through their respectiveoutlets they collectively reach an audi-ence of many millions world-wide. Theinternational accounting firm KPMGtabulates the jurors’ ballots.

Mercedes-Benz retains ‘World Car of the Year’ title

Luxury carmaker earns triple success at 2015 World Car Awards

ATHENS: CEO of Russian gas giant Gazprom, Alexei Miller (center), gestures as he speaks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (left) andGreek Environment Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis (right) during their meeting in Athens yesterday. — AFP

BRUSSELS: Euro-zone finance ministers will not setany deadline for Greece to come up with reformsto get more funding because such time limits leadto brinkmanship in negotiations, a senior eurozone official said yesterday.

Greece, which is quickly running out of cash,pledged to its euro zone partners in February thatby the end of April it would agree with creditors ona comprehensive list of reforms to get 7.2 billioneuros remaining from its bailout. Euro-zone offi-cials had expected the list to be presented to eurozone finance ministers this Friday in Riga. Thiswould allow for a faster disbursement of cash toAthens, helping the debt-laden country avoiddefault on loan repayments on May 12.

But no package will be ready by then and it isalso unlikely it will be ready by the end of themonth. This is mainly because in the past weeksGreece has not been providing the creditors withthe financial data they seek or saying clearly whatreforms it plans.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meetGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel at a EuropeanUnion summit on migration tomorrow and the twoare expected to discuss the funding crisis. Speaking

in Vienna, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker urged Greece to step up efforts tostrike a deal with its, warning that talks were notadvanced enough to find a quick solution.

A senior euro-zone official involved in the talkssaid there had been some improvement in negoti-ations very recently, but not enough for a deal.

“There is a clear pickup in activity, there is aclear pick up in engagement, but we are a signifi-cant way away from a signal that a result is in sight,”the official said.

“(But) the use of deadlines, which leads to cer-tain brinkmanship and unnecessary excitement,will not be done again.”

CASH CRUNCHIn a sign of how extreme the financial con-

straints have become, Athens on Monday orderedstate entities, ranging from municipalities to a fundmeant for future generations, to park idle cash atthe central bank. The official said such a step wouldhelp Greece’s liquidity.

“With the decree that was passed yesterday thesituation, within the limits that there are, is wellmanageable,” he said. But reaching an agreement

with creditors on a comprehensive package ofreforms by the end of April was unlikely, despiteone more week left after the Riga meeting.

“If you want to present some kind of compre-hensive agreement to the authorities and the insti-tutions, analyse it, send it to the Euro WorkingGroup to work on it, which then filters out thepolitical questions for the Eurogroup to debate, itwill be extremely difficult to keep the deadline ofApril 30,” he said. The problem was not ideologicaldifferences between Tsipras’s left-wing govern-ment and the euro zone, but rather lack of informa-tion.

“I do not see any ideological fights,” the officialsaid. “We need to know exactly what out of thewhole program are the 70 percent which Greecehas said was acceptable, or which are the 30 per-cent that are not, and once we have a firm pictureof that, we can start discussing that,” the officialsaid.

“We are not there yet, and if there ever were tobe such a ‘fight’, the preconditions for it have notbeen created,” he said. The bailout and the financ-ing it offers expires on June 30. — Reuters

Euro-zone steers away from

new deadlines for Greece

MOSCOW: Prime Minister DmitryMedvedev said yesterday Russia was suffer-ing significant economic problems becauseof international sanctions, but the situationcould have been much worse and Russiawas adapting.

Referring to Western sanctions imposedlast year because of Russia’s actions inUkraine, Medvedev told parliament: “Lossesfrom the restrictions which were intro-duced are significant.

“According to the estimates of some for-eign experts, Russia has suffered losses of25 billion euros ($26.7 billion) in total,which is 1.5 percent of gross domesticproduct, and in 2015 it could increase sev-eral times,” he said in an annual speech toparliament about the government’s record.

Medvedev said Russia’s economy hadcontracted by around 2 percent in the firstquarter, but that the economic situationcould have been far worse and was stabiliz-ing.

He linked the sanctions to Russia’s

takeover of the Ukrainian province ofCrimea a year ago, but said the “historic”step had been justified. “For many thereturn of Crimea was the restoration of his-toric justice, which in its significance isequivalent to the fall of the Berlin Wall, thereunification of Germany or the return toChina of Hong Kong and Macao,” he said.

Although the economic situation wasstabilizing, “there should not be any illu-sions” about the difficulties, which hadbeen made worse by the collapse in inter-national oil prices and “by several domesticproblems that we weren’t able to solve”.However, Russia had seen worse in the pastand could cope, Medvedev said. “If externalpressure intensifies, and oil prices remain atan extremely low level for a long time, wewill have to develop in a new economicreality,” he said.

“I am convinced that we will be able tolive even in such a reality. The experience ofthe recent period has shown that we havelearnt how to do this.” — Reuters

Russia adapting to new

economic reality: PM

KHOBAR: Venezuela’s oil minister heads adelegation to meet Saudi Arabian oil offi-cials yesterday, coming from talks in Iran, inan OPEC diplomatic tour as its need forhigher oil prices gains urgency.

Suffering from a slowing economy, soar-ing inflation and shortages, producerVenezuela is among the members of theOrganization of the Petroleum ExportingCountries most deeply wounded by the oilprice fall. Its need for OPEC to cut supply tosupport prices has failed to shift the stanceof Saudi Arabia and its Gulf OPEC allies,which are focusing on protecting marketshare.

An industry source told Reuters a visit-ing oil sector delegation from Venezuelawill meet Saudi Deputy Oil Minister PrinceAbdulaziz bin Salman in Saudi Arabia yes-terday. Iran’s state news agency IRNAreported yesterday that Venezuelan OilMinister Asdrubal Chavez had met IranianOil Minister Bijan Zanganeh in Tehran, fortalks that included the prospect of higherIranian supplies.

“We expect the members of OPEC topave the ground for (an) increase of Iran’soil production that will reach global mar-kets when sanctions are lifted,” Zanganehsaid during the meeting, the agencyreported.

The Venezuelan delegation will meetPrince Abdulaziz because Saudi Oil MinisterAli Al-Naimi had been visiting South Korea.No further details were immediately avail-able, and there was no immediate com-ment from the Saudi government.

The Venezuelan foreign ministry said onits Twitter account on Monday that the oilminister, plus Foreign Minister DelcyRodriguez and Finance Minister RodolfoMarco Torres had arrived in Saudi Arabia “tohold bilateral and working meetings”. It didnot elaborate. Oil prices have almosthalved since June last year in a drop thatdeepened after OPEC refused to cut pro-duction. The price slide is more painful forcountries such as Venezuela and Iran thanthe wealthier Gulf states.

In January, a diplomatic tour byVenezuelan President Nicolas Maduro tak-

ing in Saudi Arabia as well as fellow OPECmembers Qatar and Algeria failed to softenthe refusal of the Gulf OPEC countries tocut output. OPEC meets on June 5. Iran anda Libyan OPEC official have urged thegroup to consider output cuts, whileKuwait - in a view expected to be that ofthe other Gulf OPEC members - has saidthe policy will remain unchanged. - Reuters

FRANKFURT: Investor sentiment inGermany fell for the first time in six monthsin April on concerns about weak globalgrowth, a survey showed yesterday, butanalysts were confident that recovery inEurope’s biggest economy remains intact.The widely watched investor confidenceindex calculated by the ZEW economicinstitute slipped by 1.5 points to 53.3points in April, disappointing analysts’expectations for a further increase thismonth, ZEW said in a statement.

But the think tank insisted that the shal-low dip was no cause for alarm. “ TheGerman economy is in good shape. A sta-ble labor market and increasing wages arestrengthening confidence and boostingconsumption,” said ZEW president ClemensFuest.

“However, the current weakness of theworld economy is dampening exportprospects and reducing the scope for fur-ther improvements of the economic situa-tion in Germany,” Fuest explained.

For the survey, ZEW questions analystsand institutional investors about their cur-rent assessment of the economic situationin Germany, as well as their expectationsfor the coming months.

And confidence about the current situa-tion is improving sharply. The sub-indexmeasuring financial market players’ view ofthe current economic situation in Germanyjumped by 15.1 points to 70.2 points inApril, its highest level since July 2011.

“The April reading of ZEW only disap-pointed at first glance,” said BayernLB econ-omist Stefan Kipar. “Overall, the data arepositive. The German economy remains ona recovery path and the framework condi-tions-a weak euro and low oil prices-con-tinue to be favorable,” Kipar said.—AFP

Venezuelan delegation visits

Iran, Saudi in OPEC price push

German investor sentiment slips slightly

FRANKFURT: Investor sentiment in Germany fellfor the first time in six months in April on concernsabout weak global growth, a survey showed yes-terday, but analysts were confident that recovery inEurope’s biggest economy remains intact. Thewidely watched investor confidence index calculat-ed by the ZEW economic institute slipped by 1.5points to 53.3 points in April, disappointing ana-lysts’ expectations for a further increase this month,ZEW said in a statement.

But the think tank insisted that the shallow dipwas no cause for alarm. “The German economy is ingood shape. A stable labor market and increasing

wages are strengthening confidence and boostingconsumption,” said ZEW president Clemens Fuest.

“However, the current weakness of the worldeconomy is dampening export prospects andreducing the scope for further improvements ofthe economic situation in Germany,” Fuestexplained.

For the survey, ZEW questions analysts andinstitutional investors about their current assess-ment of the economic situation in Germany, as wellas their expectations for the coming months.

And confidence about the current situation isimproving sharply. The sub-index measuring finan-

cial market players’ view of the current economicsituation in Germany jumped by 15.1 points to 70.2points in April, its highest level since July 2011.

“The April reading of ZEW only disappointed atfirst glance,” said BayernLB economist Stefan Kipar.“Overall, the data are positive. The German econo-my remains on a recovery path and the frameworkconditions-a weak euro and low oil prices-continueto be favorable,” Kipar said.

“Germany is doing fine,” agreed Berenberg Bankeconomist Holger Schmieding. “In fact, it may nowbe doing so well that some observers believe itcan’t get much better,” he said.—AFP


KUWAIT: Warba Bank announcedits financial results yesterday for thethree -month period ended March31, 2015, indicating strong growthacross the bank’s business. Thebank achieved operating revenuesat 32 percent growth rate amount-ing KD 5.017 million by the end ofthe first quarter 2015 compared toKD 3.805 million for the same peri-od 2014. During 1st Q 2015, WarbaBank achieved net profit at growthrate of 148 percent amounting KD77 thousand dinars compared to aloss of KD 162,000 for the sameperiod 2014.

The Bank’s total assets increasedin the 1st Q 2015 at 46 percentreaching KD 627 million comparedto KD 429 million for the same peri-od 2014. The customers and banks’deposits increased at 59 percent atthe end of the 1st Q 2015 reachingKD 531 million compared todeposits of KD 334 million as onMarch 31, 2014.

The Bank’s financing portfolioreached KD 392.1 million at the endof the 1st Q 2015, at an increase of44 percent compared to the 1st Q2014. The high quality of the Bank’sfinancing portfolio is attributableto the low ratio of default financesat only 0.25 percent while the cov-erage ratio reached 565 percent atthe end of the 1st Q 2015.

Revenues from financing anddeposits increased in the 1st Q2015 to reach KD 4.42 million com-pared to KD 2.74 million for thesame period 2014 at an increase of61 percent. This is one of the keypositive indicators illustrating theBank’s robust operations. It shouldbe noted that the net profit for the1st Q 2015 represents 67 percent ofthe net profits for the whole 2014.

Warba Bank has a strong finan-cial position and high qualityassets. This is clearly reflected bythe Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR),

exceeding the required limit as perBasel III and Central Bank of Kuwait(CBK) instructions. This will driveWarba’s future business growth andenhances its capacity to seizeappropriate investment opportuni-ties yielding the highest returns to

shareholders.Commenting on the results,

Emad A Al-Thaqeb, Warba BankChairman, said: “ The outstandingperformance of the Bank duringthe 1st Q 2015 reflects Kuwaitstrong economy and the greatpotentials for the banking sector inthe Country. Despite the toughconditions at the region, the hugechallenges at local, regional andglobal markets, and the intensecompetition among banks, Warbacould convert to profitability illus-trating the significant improvementin the Bank’s per formance andassets’ operational efficiency.”

He added: “During the pastthree years, Warba Bank has beenable to achieve the key objectivesof the adopted sustainable growthstrategy within the framework ofsound corporate governance prac-tices and risk management. As partof our continuous pursuit to

enhance the Bank’s position in theIslamic banking sector in theregion, we have prepared our newstrategy for the next three years till2017. This strategy will serve as anambitious roadmap to enhance theBank and develop its performance

and competitive capabilities byimplementing best practices in thesector, innovating banking prod-ucts and services, developing theBank’s role in the local market andmaintaining a solid financial posi-tion that safeguards the Bank’sshareholders. This is in addition toour endeavors for expansion in thedomestic market and entering intonew ones in the region that willcontribute in our search for lucra-tive investment opportunities toboost Bank’s growth for the benefitof both shareholders and cus-tomers alike.”

Jassar Al-Jassar, Warba Bank ViceChairman & Chief Executive Officer,said: “Our performance during thefirst quarter this year is remarkablein terms of financial growth indica-tors and enhancing the our capitalposition. Profits have been the out-come of increased revenues fromthe operational activity. The capital

adequacy ratio exceeded the limitmandated by both CBK and Basel IIIinstructions thus enhancing theBank’s position in the local marketand driving it to achieve the setgoals.” He added: “While we lookforward to the coming months of2015, we will continue to developand introduce innovative newproducts and services that meetour customers’ various needs andcontribute in strengthening theBank’s position and path to sustain-able growth to ensure that Warbacontinues in playing a leading andeffective role in driving the devel-opment of Kuwait economy.”

Warba strives to implement anambitious growth plan for expand-ing in Kuwait market, enhancing itsonline banking services, develop-ing web portal and launchingsmart phone applications aiming tosave customers’ time and efforts,facilitate their banking transactionsat the highest safety and securitystandards. In addition, the Bankimproves free SMS Alert and pro-vides Warba POS devices.

In addition, the Bank continu-ously endeavors to develop the CallCenter, increase its efficiency andapplications and train its staff. Thisresulted in Warba’s winning “BestCall Centre Award -2014” fromBanker Middle East Magazine forBanking Products and Services inKuwait. This Award is an addition tothe Bank’s achievements record.

In addition to the Bank’s opera-tional activity, Warba continuouslyfocuses on investing in humanresources and the recruitment ofnational talents. The Bank man-aged to attract and train youngKuwaiti cadres to work at varioussectors. The Bank also places signifi-cant stress for employing bestKuwaiti calibers at the executivemanagement level, which actuallyexceeds 75 percent.

Warba Bank’s net profit

grows 148% in Q1 2015

Bank on path for sustainable growth: Al-Thaqeb

Emad A Al-Thaqeb Jassar Al-JassarVIVA launches new data plan

for postpaid customers

KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growingand most developed telecom operator,announced yesterday the launch of its newKD 11 Data Plan, presented through a spe-cially tailored package.

Upon subscribing to this offer, VIVA cus-tomers are presented with a daily capacityof 3.5 GB, a free 4G LTE mini router and afree iPad Mini. The monthly postpaid planwill be for only KD 11 with a 24-month con-tract. Customers can also subscribe to thenew plan through VIVA’s E-Store, wherebycustomers will be able to convenientlyselect a preferred delivery date for theproducts they purchased which will bedelivered right to their door step.

VIVA continuously presents its cus-tomers, both prepaid and postpaid, withthe exciting packages that offer excellencein quality of service with added value formoney. As a market leader, VIVA is commit-ted to providing differentiated services that

grants its customers a unique experience.VIVA is the fastest-growing telecom

operator in Kuwait. Launched in December2008, VIVA makes things Possible for itscustomers by transforming communica-tion, information and entertainment expe-riences. The company has rapidly estab-lished an unrivalled position in the marketthrough its customer centric approach.VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand ofchoice in Kuwait by being transparent,engaging, energetic and fulfilling. VIVAcontinues to take a considerable share ofthe market by offering an innovative rangeof best value products, services and con-tent propositions; a state of the art, nation-wide network and world-class service. VIVAoffers internet speeds of more than 100Mbps, due to the implementation of themost advanced fourth generation (4G LTE)network in Kuwait resulting in superior cov-erage, performance and reliability.

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank recently announcedits Thuraya Account winner of the Audi R8sports car. The winner Hamad Abdulaziz Al-Dhuwaihi expressed his excitement forbeing the new winner of the Audi R8 withAl-Thuraya Salary Account from BurganBank. Al-Thuraya Account is the only salaryaccount in Kuwait that provides its cus-tomers with the chance to win Audi R8 Caron a quarterly basis. The account aims atraising the frequency of customers winningone of the world’s most admired sportscars.

Al-Thuraya Account’s features rangefrom the option to hold money in Kuwaitidinar and any other major currency, accessto account-related services such as stand-ing orders, loans and credit cards and muchmore. The account has been further devel-oped in response to offering more benefitsand increasing customers’ chances to win.Opening an Al-Thuraya account is simple;customers are required to visit their nearestBurgan Bank branch and obtain all the nec-essary details, or simply call the bank’s CallCenter 1804080.

Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is theyoungest commercial Bank and second

largest by assets in Kuwait, with a signifi-cant focus on the corporate and financialinstitutions sectors, as well as having agrowing retail, and private bank customerbase. Burgan Bank has five majority ownedsubsidiaries, which include Jordan KuwaitBank, Gulf Bank Algeria, Burgan Bank -Turkey, Bank of Baghdad, TunisInternational Bank, in which Burgan Bankowns a majority stake. Burgan Bank Grouphas one of the largest regional branch net-works with more than 231 branches acrossKuwait, Turkey, Jordan, Algeria, Iraq, Tunis,Lebanon and Palestine.

The Bank has continuously improved itsperformance over the years through anexpanded revenue structure, diversifiedfunding sources, and a strong capital base.The adoption of state-of-the-art servicesand technology has positioned it as atrendsetter in the domestic market andwithin the MENA region. Burgan Bank’sbrand has been created on a foundation ofreal values - of trust, commitment, excel-lence and progression, to remind us of thehigh standards to which we aspire. ‘Peoplecome first’ is the foundation on which itsproducts and services are developed.

Al-Mazaya Holding completes

3,131 residential apartmentsKUWAIT: Al-Mazaya Holding announced thelaunch of Q-Line, a new residential project for mid-dle income groups in Dubai. The announcementwas made in a press conference that was held inThe Ritz Carlton Hotel in Dubai, yesterday. Thelaunch of Q-Line comes on the back of the successmade by Al Mazayaat Queue Point located inDubai Land, which consists of 52 buildings formiddle income groups.

The press conference was attended by RashidAl-Nafisi, Chairman of Al-Mazaya Holding, EngIbrahim Al Soq’abi, Group CEO of Al-Mazaya, EngSalwa Malhas, Chief Marketing and BusinessDevelopment Officer and Khalid Abdul Latif,Acting CEO of Al Mazaya Company in Dubai.

The conference began with a welcome speechdelivered by the Chairman of Al-Mazaya Holding,in which he commended the Dubai market andspoke about how Al-Mazaya was welcomed in awarm reception and supported by governmentauthorities and the private sector in Dubai. Helaunched the company’s new project “Q-Line”then, attendees watched a video about AlMazaya’s achievements, with a particular focus onthe new Queue Point project.

The Group CEO delivered a detailed presenta-tion about the company’s services, projects andachievements in 2014 and the upcoming projectsin 2015. Al-Soq’abi pointed to the company’s posi-tive results in the first quarter of 2015, which wasannounced only a week ago. The companyachieved a 16.6 percent growth in its profit, com-pared to the corresponding period in 2014 and a175 percent increase in operating revenues gener-ated from sale and lease operations.

At the end of the press conference, Al Mazayahonored its strategic partners, including a numberof officials in Dubai government departments andmedia representatives from the GCC countries inrecognition of their outstanding efforts whichhave significantly contributed to the success of AlMazaya Holding in recent years.

In his speech at the press conference, RashidAl-Nafisi, Chairman of Al-Mazaya Holding,expressed his pride of the tremendous achieve-ments made by Al-Mazaya in different marketsover the last few years, reiterating that theseachievements will have a positive short-termimpact on the company’s financial results. He said:“Al-Mazaya Holding is striving to raise its profile inthe real estate market as one of the Middle East’sleading real estate developers. The company iskeen to seize the best and most feasible opportu-nities to generate the best returns on investments,while ensuring the delivery of the best services inaccordance with the highest international stan-dards in this vibrant sector. We have an increasingdemand from end users in the thriving real estatemarket in the UAE in general and Dubai, in partic-ular”.

He added: “Al-Mazaya has made new additionsto its project portfolio by launching large-scaleprojects that meet the demand of local marketsand enable different social groups to own residen-tial units at reasonable prices. Most prominent ofthese offerings are the Queue Point which targetsthe middle income group and the Q-Line residen-tial project which is set to complete the resound-ing success made by our projects in the UAE”.

Eng. Ibrahim Al-Soq’abi, Group CEO of Al-Mazaya Holding, said: “Q-Line comes on the backof the increasing demand for residential units inQueue Point by investors and buyers, being aleading project that offers an integrated residen-tial environment, with high quality services, stateof the art infrastructure and vibrant facilities thatmeet the aspirations of a large group of buyers.The project boasts a strategic location on the junc-tion between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Roadand Al Ain Road”.

LocationAl-Soq’abi added: “Q-Line reflects Al-Mazaya’s

commitment to meet the market demand byoffering projects for all groups of society and pro-viding high quality residential projects at reason-able rates Q-Line is a high end multi-building proj-ect strategically situated in the heart of DubaiLand, the future tourism destination in Dubai, atthe junction between Sheikh Mohammed binZayed Road and Al-Ain Road, neighboring DubaiAcademic City and Dubai Silicon Oasis. The projectis inspired by the urban architecture model of SanFrancisco City, comprising of four buildings, rang-ing in height from 9 to 14 stories tall. It spreadsover a total area of 150,000 square feet, consistingof residential units at affordable prices, rangingfrom studio, one bedroom and two bedroom

apartments with stunning designs that combineconvenience with elegance. The project is sur-rounded by green spaces that reflect the lovelymodern lifestyle. Studio apartments ranged from369 to 970 square feet, one bedroom apartmentsfrom 780 to 1485 square feet and the two bed-room apartments from 1109 to 1462 square feet.The project is scheduled for completion in 2017”.

Queue Point is a 52-residential building projectlocated in Dubai Land and targets middle incomegroups. Moreover, Al-Mazaya owns 29 plots ofland being developed by third party investors.Construction of the projects is progressing in fullswing and Al-Mazaya has already sold 80 percentof the residential units in Queue Point and com-pleted 75 percent of the units. The project is devel-oped in Al Liwan in Dubai Land over a total area of13 million square feet.

Recognizing and honoring success partners:During the press conference, Chairman of Al-Mazaya accompanied by the Group CEO honoredthe successful partners, and presented commem-orative plaques to them in recognition of theiroutstanding contribution to real estate sector anddevelopers in the UAE. The list of honorees includ-ed Dubai Lands Department, Real EstateRegulatory Authority (RERA), Dubai PropertiesGroup, Mashreq Bank, Emirates Islamic Bank,Dubai Islamic Bank, Place Community Managers,Harbor Real Estate, FAM Properties, OptionsFurniture and Sahara Media Consultancies.

Al-Mazaya has also honored a number of GCCmedia conglomerates in the region, in recognitionof their outstanding efforts and the significant rolethey have played in serving the real estate sectorand disseminating the truth to audience in astraightforward, unbiased and professional man-ner.

KUWAIT: Al-Thurayya winner receiving the car from Venkat Menon, Burgan BankChief retail Banking Officer.

Hamad Al-Dhuwaihi

Burgan Bank’s new winner

in Al-Thuraya draw

Aramco board visits

S Korean shipbuilderSEOUL: Board members of Saudi Aramcovisited the headquarters of South Korea’sHyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd yesterday,as the shipping arm of Saudi Arabia’s stateoil firm looks to buy up to 10 tankers, fourindustry sources said.

Saudi Arabia has been supplying morecrude to Asian markets and Saudi Aramco’sshipping arm has tendered to build 5 verylarge crude carriers (VLCCs) plus up to 5optional vessels for 2017 delivery, said oneof the sources. All of the vessels theNational Shipping Company of SaudiArabia (Bahri) is seeking are 320,000 dead-weight tons.

The deal could be worth about $1 bil-lion, based on data from Clarkson, theBritish shipbroking house, which puts theprice of the tankers of this size at $96.5 mil-lion. Hyundai Heavy, the world’s biggestshipbuilder, is favorite to secure the deal,said three sources, who declined to beidentified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

A spokesman for STX Offshore &Shipbuilding Co Ltd confirmed it had com-peted in the final round of bidding, butdeclined to elaborate. Saudi Aramco said itcould not immediately comment, whileBahri was not immediately available forcomment.—Reuters

SAP Q1 profit in line as sales surge, aided by cheap euro

FRANKFURT: German business software makerSAP reported a 15 percent rise in operating profithelped by a cheap euro, even as rising investmentin newer cloud-based software squeezed its profitmargin. Europe’s largest software company saidon Tuesday first-quarter operating profit, exclud-ing special items, rose to 1.06 billion euros ($1.13billion), matching the average expectation in aReuters poll.

First-quarter revenue rose 22 percent to 4.5 bil-

lion euros, helped by currency effects, solid busi-ness in European markets and the $7.3 billionacquisition of Concur, the expenses software mak-er. That beat the average analyst expectation of4.25 billion euros in the Reuters poll. SAP sharesare indicated to open 1.1 percent higher, outper-forming the German blue chip index, which isseen opening 0.6 percent higher, according topremarket data from brokerage Lang & Schwarz.

“Top-line really strong, but bottom-line disap-

pointing,” a Frankfurt-based trader said.SAP’s results were in some ways the mirror

opposite of US technology services giant IBM,which on Monday posted its twelfth quarter ofrevenue decline as it sheds unprofitable business-es to focus on cloud computing. Excluding theeffect of currencies, SAP operating profit dropped2 percent, while operating margin fell to 23.5 per-cent from 24.8 percent in the same period lastyear.— Reuters

T E C H NOLO G YWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

NEW YORK: Americans are evenly divid-ed on whether the widespread use ofsmartphone cameras will improve policebehavior and think it has done little tochange police conduct so far, accordingto a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yester-day. Against the backdrop of suchfootage as that of a white South Carolinapolice officer fatally shooting a blackman in the back earlier this month, 42percent of Americans said police behav-

ior would improve and an equal numbersaid it would not, the poll found.

Among respondents, 56 percent saidpolice were not behaving better so farbecause they could be caught on video,the poll said.

A series of incidents in the UnitedStates in which white police officerskilled unarmed black men promptedprotests in many cities and sparkeddebate over police conduct toward

blacks and other minorities.Some incidents were captured on

video. One showed Walter Scott beingshot in the back while running frompolice in North Charleston, SouthCarolina, after a traffic stop. Anothershowed Eric Garner, who died after NewYork City police put him in a chokeholdwhile trying to arrest him.

The online poll of 2,446 US adultsshowed Americans remained ambiva-

lent on the impact of cameras on theirown behavior. Fifty-nine percent agreedwith the statement: “I like how cameraphones make people more accountablefor their actions.”

At the same time, 47 percent agreedit was an invasion of privacy for peopleto be constantly filming with theirphones.

The poll showed most respondentsdid not think people were generally

behaving better because of omnipresentcameras, and most said they were notbehaving better either.

Neither are politicians behaving bet-ter, or l ikely to do so in the future,because of cellphone cameras, accord-ing to poll respondents. The poll wasconducted April 10 through April 17. Thecredibility interval, used to measure itsprecision, was plus or minus 2.3 percent-age points. — Reuters

Americans say cellphone cameras not changing police conduct

Hubble, the telescope that revolutionized our view of space

UK chip designer ARM hits a high after iPhone 6 boost

GREENBELT: A mirror, similar to the one that will be installed on the James Webb Space Telescope is displayed in a clean room at the NASAGoddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. — AFP

GREENBELT: Hubble, the first telescope to revo-lutionize modern astronomy and change ourview of the universe by offering glimpses of dis-tant galaxies, marks its 25th year in space thisweek.

“Hubble absolutely has changed the wayhumans look at the universe and our place in it,”said astronomer Jennifer Wiseman, one of thetelescope’s senior scientists at NASA’s GoddardSpace Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

“It shows us that the universe has beenchanging over time, that stars in fact are an inte-gral part of producing the type of element thatwe need for life, for planets, for our well-being,”she told AFP.

Launched on April 24, 1990 aboard the SpaceShuttle Discovery, Hubble orbits the Earth. Itdoesn’t travel to faraway stars but instead snapsincredible pictures of them.

The telescope is the fruit of a collaborationbetween NASA and the European Space Agency.Hubble is celebrated as a triumph these days,but almost as soon as it was launched, a majorproblem was discovered with its main mirrorand it did not become operational until threeyears later. Its repair required a special spaceshuttle mission in 1993.

After that, the Hubble space telescopebecame a veritable legend in its own right,

exploring the depths of space from its circularpath around Earth and transmitting astonishingimages of supernovas, or massive explosionsthat occur with the death of a star, and othercelestial bodies.

One of Hubble’s best known images is of thevast Carina Nebula, an interstellar cloud of dust,hydrogen gas, helium gas and plasma that liessome 6,500 light years away from Earth.

Hubble, which is named after the pioneeringAmerican astronomer Edwin Hubble (1889-1953), has also shown us black holes at the heartof galaxies scientists did not previously knowexisted. The 24,000-pound (10-ton) telescopehas taken more than a million pictures, includingsome that have allowed astronomers to moreprecisely calculate the age of the universe-about13.8 billion years old.

Major playerObservations from the Hubble combined

with powerful telescopes on Earth helped astro-physicists confirm in 1998 that the universeappears to be expanding at an accelerating rate,which earned two Americans the Nobel Prize forPhysics in 2011.

Other Hubble discoveries include the firstdetection of an organic molecule in the atmos-phere of a planet circling a distant star far from

our galaxy, the Milky Way, and the fact that plan-etary formation is a relatively common process.

Closer to home, Hubble has advanced knowl-edge of our own solar system. In March, NASAannounced that Hubble had detected a vastocean under the surface of Ganymedes, Jupiter’sbiggest moon, widening the range of knowncelestial bodies on which life forms may exist.

“Hubble has been a major player in enablingpeople around the world to have a sense ofwonder about the universe that we live in,” saidWiseman. The spectacular images that Hubblehas sent back have been described as “the mostflamboyantly beautiful artworks of our time,”according to British art critic Jonathan Jones.

Hubble’s images have made their way intopopular culture, and can be seen in countlessbooks and even on a Pearl Jam album cover.

Wiseman believes that Hubble still has a fewgood years ahead of it, as it is in perfect workingcondition since the last visit by space shuttleastronauts in 2009.

It will continue to operate alongside its suc-cessor, the James Webb Space Telescope, whichwill be 100 times more powerful and shouldlaunch in 2018.

“Just as Hubble rewrote all the astronomytexts, Webb will rewrite it again,” said NASAastronomer Matt Greenhouse. —AFP

LONDON: ARM Holdings, the British chipdesigner favoured by Apple, beat expecta-tions for first-quarter profit thanks todemand for the iPhone 6, and said its royal-ties would grow as its latest technology isused in more smartphones.

Shares in the Cambridge-based compa-ny rose to an all-time high of 1,233 penceafter it posted a 24 percent rise in first-quarter pretax profit to 120.5 millionpounds ($179.1 million).

That beat analysts’ expectations of 115million pounds, according to a company-provided consensus.

The shares were up 4.6 percent at 1,204pence at 0717 GMT.

“In the second half of 2015 we expect tobenefit from the increasing deployment ofARMv8-A technology, our latest generationof processors, in the newest smartphonesand tablets,” Chief Financial Officer TimScore said yesterday.

“These chips typically have a slightlyhigher royalty rate than the previous gen-eration.”

Royalty revenue, collected a quarter inarrears from a record 3.8 billion chipsshipped, rose 26 percent on an underlyingbasis, ARM said.

Analysts at Citi said they expected full-year consensus expectations for ARM’s rev-enue would edge up to reflect the encour-aging performance in royalties.

ARM’s processor licensing revenuedipped 2 percent, missing market forecasts,but Score said he expected licensing rev-enue to rise 5-10 percent in the longerterm. Industry-wide revenues had slippedafter a busy fourth quarter, in line with nor-mal seasonal trends, which would bereflected in its second quarter, Score said.But overall second-quarter revenue wouldbe in line with market expectations, whichstand at $354.6 million. —Reuters

Microsoft to launch first flagship store outside US

SYDNEY: Microsoft yesterday said it willopen its first flagship store outside theUnited States in Sydney, as the technologygiant expands its physical footprint to takeon global rivals Apple and Samsung.

Microsoft Australia’s managing directorPip Marlow said the shop, to be located inSydney’s main Pitt Street shopping district,was a “significant development” for theAmerican firm.

“This is a significant development forour business locally as well as globally,”Marlow said in a statement on the compa-ny’s website. “This will be much more thana store. It will embody the world class inno-vation that you have come to expect fromMicrosoft and be a space where con-sumers... can visit and learn how to makethe most of their technology.”

A flagship store is commonly seen as away for firms to showcase their brand’sproducts and have more recently beenadopted by technology companies keen toestablish direct contact with their cus-tomers in large, downtown outlets.

The store will be just several hundredmetres from Apple’s flagship shop and a

Samsung outlet, and will reportedly takeup 581 square metres (6,254 square feet)over two floors.

Marlow did not say when it would openbut The Australian Financial Review said itwould be in time to capture the busyChristmas shopping period.

The Redmond, Washington-based com-pany announced last year its first flagshipstore would be on Fifth Avenue in NewYork. The firm has 110 physical stores in theUS, Canada and Puerto Rico and 17 store-in-store locations in China. Along with theflagship shops, they are a reflection ofMicrosoft’s push towards a more visiblepresence.

Apple said in March it has 453 physicalstores in 16 countries. Microsoft is seekingto take on the mobile operating systemsspace dominated by Apple’s iOS andGoogle’s Android. The Windows operatingsystem for PCs, which was launched in the1990s, has been a cash cow for Microsoft,but the platform is lagging in mobile.

Microsoft has also launched its ownmobile devices such as Surface tablets andLumia smartphones. —AFP

STOCKHOLM: Sweden yesterday inauguratedthe world’s first remote air control tower at thenorthern Ornskoldsvik airport, air traffic authori-ties said.

“The first Remote Tower Services landing!,”Sweden’s Air Navigation Services (LFV )announced on Twitter, under a picture takenfrom the plane before it landed around noon(1000 GMT).

The plane flew from the town of Sundsvall toOrnskoldsvik, around 150 kilometres (95 miles)to the north. Both the take-off and landing wereguided by the air traffic control tower in

Sundsvall.According to LFV, cameras and sensors col-

lect live-time information at the Ornskoldvik air-port’s remote tower, which is relayed to air traf-fic controllers in Sundsvall.

.”We are the first in the world to have aremote tower ... The pilots in the plane were incontact with the tower in Sundsvall,” LFV’s com-munications director Elisabeth Lindgren toldpublic radio SR.

Pilots experienced no difference in theircommunication with the tower. “With the helpof technology, air traffic is controlled the same

way as in a traditional tower,” LFV said in a state-ment.

“It went very safely!,” a SR journalist on boardthe first flight told the radio with a laugh afterthe landing, one of the 50 passengers on board.

“I held on to the armrest tightly but therewas no problem. And if I understood correctly,for the pilot it made no difference,” she added.The two airports were chosen “for geographicreasons”, Lindgren said without providing fur-ther details. The technology is expected to begradually rol led out in other airpor ts inSweden. —AFP

Sweden opens world’s first remote air control tower

ABIDJAN: People attend a computer training course, as part of the “Afrique Innovation, reinventer les medias” (Africa innovation, reinventmedia) programme, at the Ecole Superieure Africaine des Technologies et des Communications in Abidjan. In Ivory Coast, only 200,000 out of23 million inhabitants have an internet subscription, according to the government. — AFP

FUNABASHI: A man rides the newly developed electric motorcycle “Zecoo” during atest drive event at the Nihon University in Funabashi in suburban Tokyo. The motor-cycle can drive 160 kilometres after a 4 hour charge and has a maximum speed of160kph. Japanese auto maker Autostaff Suehiro started to sell 50 limited units inJapan, Asia and the Middle East market. — AFP

SAN JOSE: Uber Technologies Inc mustdefend against a lawsuit accusing thepopular ride-sharing service of discrimi-nating against blind people by refusing totransport guide dogs, a federal judgeruled.

In a decision late Friday night, USMagistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins inSan Jose, California, said the plaintiffscould pursue a claim that Uber is a “travelservice” subject to potential liability underthe Americans with Disabilities Act.

The judge rejected Uber’s argumentsthat the plaintiffs, including the NationalFederation of the Blind of California,lacked standing to sue under the ADA andstate laws protecting the disabled.

Uber was given 14 days to formallyrespond to the complaint.

Aaron Zisser, a lawyer for DisabilityRights Advocates in Berkeley, California,which helped bring the case, said theplaintiffs are pleased with the decision.

“Uber is a very popular service, and it isimportant for riders with service animalsto be able to use it like anyone else,” hesaid in a phone interview.

In a statement, Uber said drivers aretold that company policy is to comply

with all laws regarding transportation ofservice animals. “The Uber app is built toexpand access to transportation optionsfor all, including users with visual impair-ments and other disabilities,” the companysaid.

In seeking to dismiss the case, Uberalso said the individual plaintiffs wererequired to arbitrate their claims.

Valued at an estimated $40 billion,Uber says it offers its mobile phone taxi-hailing service in more than 270 cities andgeographic areas in 56 countries, and cancharge varying prices based on demand.

But the San Francisco-based companyhas faced complaints around the worldover how it pays drivers, treats passengersand ensures safety.

In the discrimination case, the plaintiffssaid federal law requires operators of taxiservices such as Uber to carry service animalsfor blind riders, but it knows of more than 40instances in which Uber drivers refused. Theycited two instances in which Uber driversallegedly yelled “no dogs” at riders, andanother in which a Uber driver allegedlyrefused a blind woman’s plea to pull overonce she realized he had locked her guidedog in the trunk of his car.— Reuters

Uber face lawsuit claiming bias against blind riders

H E A LT H & S C I E N C EWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

LONDON: Mindfulness-based cognitive thera-py (MBCT) may be just as effective as anti-depressants in helping prevent people withchronic depression from relapsing, scientistssaid yesterday.

Depression is one of the most commonforms of mental illness, affecting more than350 million people worldwide. It is ranked bythe World Health Organization as the leadingcause of disability globally.

Treatment usually involves either medica-tion, some form of psychotherapy or a combi-

nation of both. Yet many patients fail to getbetter and suffer recurring bouts of illness.

MBCT was developed to help such peopleby teaching them skills to recognise andrespond constructively to thoughts and feel-ings associated with relapse, aiming to preventa downward spiral into depression.

In the first large study to compare MBCTand anti-depressants, researchers found littledifference in outcomes.

In terms of cost, mindfulness training-oftenviewed as more costly because it requires

more time with a trained therapist-was not sig-nificantly more pricey, particularly when givenin group sessions, the study found.

Richard Byng, a professor at Britain’sPlymouth University Peninsula Schools ofMedicine and Dentistry, said that, while currentstandard treatment for chronic depression is tokeep taking anti-depressants, many peopledon’t want to take them for long periods andothers want to avoid side-effects.

In this study, 424 adults with recurrentmajor depression who were on maintenance

anti-depressant drugs were randomlyassigned either to come off their anti-depres-sants slowly and receive MBCT or to stay ontheir medication.

While 212 patients continued taking theiranti-depressants, the other 212 attended eightgroup mindfulness therapy sessions and weregiven daily home practice as well as an optionto have four follow-up sessions over a 12-month period.

Study results published in The Lancet med-ical journal showed that after two years,

relapse rates were similar in both groups-at 44percent in the therapy group versus 47 percentin the anti-depressant drug group.

“Whilst this study doesn’t show that mind-fulness-based cognitive therapy works anybetter than maintenance anti-depressantmedication in reducing the rate of relapse ...these results suggest a new choice for the mil-lions of people with recurrent depression onrepeat prescriptions,” said Willem Kuyken ofOxford University, who worked with Byng onthe research. —Reuters

Mindfulness therapy as good as medication for depression

WASHINGTON: This September 25, 2013 file photo illustration shows a womansmoking a ‘Blu’ e-cigarette (electronical cigarette) in Washington, DC. The useof electronic cigarettes has tripled among young Americans in just a year andfor the first time exceeds that of conventional products. From 2013 to 2014,the number of students who at least once used the electronic cigarette in thelast month, rose from 4.5 percent to 13.4 percent, from 660,000 to two millionstudents, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention(CDC). —AFP

FREETOWN: In the rising afternoonhumidity 30-year-old Tom sits in theshade, picking fleas off his neigh-bour, unaware of how close he cameto losing his home to Ebola.

Tom is a chimpanzee-one ofaround 5,000 in Sierra Leone forwhom the tropical fever poses asdeadly a threat as it does to humans.

His rainforest sanctuary in theverdant hills around the capitalFreetown suddenly found itselfforced to close in August last year asthe virus overwhelmed the human

population, killing thousands.With money running out and

only a skeleton staff looking afterTacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary,Tom and around 85 companionswere facing homelessness as theclosure began to look permanent.

“We were all worried about whatour lives would be like if the sanctu-ary was not opened again,” staffmember Abdul Koroma told AFP,adding that he and his fellow work-ers saw the park as “a baby we havenurtured”. And then one day inJanuary, everything changed.

Weekly infections began drop-

ping back down to double figures,and eventually single figures, andSierra Leone was able to end cur-fews, lift travel restrictions, reopenborders and welcome backtourists.

“We have had many enquiriesfrom local and overseas wildlifelovers asking when we wouldreopen and, taking into considera-tion the falling number of Ebola cas-es in recent weeks, we have decidedto open up,” programme directorBala Amarasekaran told AFP.

‘Strongest chimpanzee ever’ The 100-acre (40-hectare) centre

was set up in 1995 to rescue chim-panzees whose families had beenstolen for the pet trade or wiped outby bushmeat hunters, habitatdestruction and the civil war thatraged until 2001.

“After the outbreak, we decidednot to accept any new chimps dueto the potential risk of bringing thedisease into the sanctuary, whichwould have been catastrophic forthe chimps,” said Amarasekaran, a SriLankan.

The Jane Goodall Institute esti-

mates that around a third of theworldwide population of chim-panzees has been killed by Ebolas ince i t f i rst emerged in the1970s.

The sanctuary-which was losingalmost a third of its income-wasfinally able to open on Thursday lastweek, and Tom was among the resi-dents welcoming the public back.

“He had been kept as a pet sincea baby and had not interacted withother chimps since birth,” saidAmarasekaran.

“He was gradually rehabilitatedin 2014, fed with natural food andfamiliarised with the surroundingsand sounds of other chimps. Nowhe is just like the man next door.”

The Ebola outbreak is just the lat-est tumultuous chapter in thereserve’s 20-year history of heroism,heartbreak and villainy.

Among a colourful cast of char-acters to have stayed at Tacugama,undoubtedly the most infamous isBruno, described on the website as“charismatic, spectacularly imposingand physically the strongest chim-panzee we have ever had”.

ControversyAmarasekaran bought the alpha

male for $20 in 1988, when he was ajust a few months old, and namedhim after British heavyweight boxerFrank Bruno.

The centre was plunged into con-troversy in 2006 when Bruno and apack of 31 chimps escaped, attackinga group of US tourists and killing theirSierra Leonean driver, according towitnesses.

Hope for future -Most of the chimps returned of

their own accord, but Bruno-who wassaid to have personally killed the driv-er-was never seen again.

“Bruno was never traced and wecan’t say whether he is alive or dead,”Amarasekaran told AFP.

The reserve also housed Pinkie,thought to be the world’s only albinochimpanzee, whose lifeless body wasfound in her enclosure in 2002,although no cause of death has everbeen established.

Unrelated to Pinkie’s case, thereserve has also been struggling for anumber of years with the mysterioussudden deaths of a number of chim-panzees.

Staff believe a toxic plant endemicto the region, identified with the helpof scientists from the Royal BotanicGardens in London, may be the cul-prit but have not ruled out other pos-sibilities.

One positive outcome of the Ebolacrisis, as far as the sanctuary is con-cerned, is that it has curbed the tradi-tional practice of killing chimpanzeesfor bushmeat.

But habitat destruction is a largerthreat to the wild population, withforest cover barely five percent ofwhat it was 100 years ago.

The story of Sierra Leone’s chim-panzees may yet get a happy ending,as conservation efforts helped thepopulation to double to around 5,500between 1980 and 2010, according tothe country’s first chimp census.

“We are delighted that we havebounced back, as it was difficult totake the decision to shut down. It waslike cutting a life line and it was noteasy,” Amarasekaran said.

“As we prepare to celebrate our20th anniversary in September, pro-tecting wild chimpanzees and theirhabitats through sustainable devel-opment remains the key to ourfuture and this is the legacy we aimfor.” —AFP

Sierra Leone chimps back in swing as Ebola retreatsThird of worldwide population killed by Ebola

BETHESDA: In this Oct. 24, 2014, file photo, Patient Nina Pham speaks outside of NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md. A Texas district judge yesterday, put on hold a hospi-tal operator’s efforts to seek a worker’s compensation claim for Pham who contracted Ebolawhile caring for the first US patient to succumb to the deadly disease. —AP

LONDON: Two new studies looking atwhether electronic cigarettes help smok-ers to quit their deadly habit have foundthat while some of them can, it dependson the type and how often it is used.

The research-welcomed by experts in afield marked by a dearth of good scientificevidence and intense lobbying- suggestsdaily use of so-called “tank” e-cigarettes,designed to be refilled with nicotine-con-taining liquids, is most likely to help smok-ers quit.

Many experts think e-cigarettes, whichheat nicotine-laced liquid into an inhalablevapour, are a lower-risk alternative tosmoking, but questions remain about theiruse and safety.

The charity Action on Smoking andHealth says more than 2 million adults inBritain use e-cigarettes. So-called “cigalike”e-cigarettes are disposable or use replace-able cartridges, while “tank” models lookquite different and have refillable contain-ers of nicotine “e-liquid”.

Researchers who conducted the twonew studies, published in the journalAddiction and Nicotine & Tobacco, saidthey show that smokers wanting to use e-cigarettes to quit should use them dailyand try “tanks” rather than “cigalikes”.

“Our research indicates that daily use oftank models that can be refilled with liquidmay give smokers a better chance of quit-

ting smoking,” Ann McNeill, a professor atthe Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &Neuroscience at King’s College Londonwho was involved in both studies, toldreporters.

The two studies were based on a surveyof around 1,500 smokers in Britain inDecember 2012, followed up one year later.

The first found 65 percent of daily e-cig-arette users in December 2012 tried to quitsmoking in the next year compared with44 percent of non-users. Some 14 percentof daily e-cigarette users had cut their con-sumption of tobacco cigarettes by at least50 percent over the previous year, com-pared with only six percent of non-users.

In the second study, researchers foundthat of 587 people using e-cigarettes atthe one year follow-up, 76 percent used“cigalikes” and 24 percent used “tank” mod-els. Almost a third of daily tank users hadquit smoking, compared with 13 percentof smokers not using e-cigarettes.

“At this point we don’t know why peo-ple who use tank type e-cigarettes dailyare more likely to have quit,” said SaraHitchman, who led the second study.

“Research suggests that tanks mightdeliver nicotine more effectively and per-haps be more satisfying ... but there mayalso be other factors, including price andthe ways that tanks allow the user to adaptthe product.” —Reuters

Type, frequency of e-cigarette use linked to quitting smoking

CHICAGO: New mammogram screeningguidelines from an influential panel of USexperts reaffirm earlier guidance that breastcancer screening should begin at age 50 formost women, but they acknowledge thatwomen in their 40s also benefit, somethingexperts say is a step in the right direction.

“ They made it really clear this timearound, unlike 2009, that the discussionbetween a woman and a clinician aboutbreast cancer screening should begin at 40,”said Dr Richard Wender, chief cancer controlofficer at the American Cancer Society.

The Department of Health and HumanServices provided for mammogram coveragefor women age 40 to 49 after the health pan-el made its recommendation in 2009. Thedepartment said on Monday that the guide-lines are only in draft form and that nothinghas changed regarding access to mammo-grams or other preventive services.

Critics stressed that keeping 50 as thestarting age for screening - a change firstintroduced by the panel six years ago - couldthreaten insurance coverage for millions ofwomen age 40 to 49.

“If this becomes the final guideline, cover-age of mammograms would no longer bemandated under the ACA,” said Wender.

President Barack Obama’s Affordable CareAct (ACA) requires preventive medical servic-es with a grade of “B” or higher be covered,unless the administration specifies other-wise.

Under the draft guidelines released onMonday, mammogram screening every twoyears for women 50 to 74 got a grade of “B”,meaning doctors should offer the service.Screening for women in their 40s remained a“C” grade, meaning doctors should offer the

service for select patients, depending onindividual circumstances.

The draft guidelines from the govern-ment-backed US Preventive Services TaskForce also prompted renewed debate overwhen women should be screened for breastcancer, as patients parse conflicting advicefrom health experts and advocacy groups.

Some prominent physician groups wel-comed the shift in the panel’s language afterits abrupt change in screening recommenda-tions in 2009, in which it recommendedwomen should have mammograms everyother year starting at age 50 rather thanannual tests starting at age 40.

Many groups including the AmericanCollege of Obstetrics and Gynecology(ACOG) and the American College ofRadiology recommend annual mammo-grams start at age 40. The American CancerSociety shares that view, but is reviewing itsguidelines.

The health panel’s updated recommenda-tions are now “more closely in line withACOG’s,” said Dr. John Jennings, ACOG presi-dent. Both groups recognize that the deci-sion to screen women in their 40s is a per-sonal one that reflects potential benefits ofdetecting cancer early and the harm ofreceiving a false positive, he said.

Weighing the evidenceThe new health panel guidelines are

based on a review of scientific evidenceshowing the benefits of cancer screeningoutweigh the risk of overtreatment forwomen age 50 to 74.

They acknowledge that mammograms inwomen 40 to 49 may reduce the risk of dyingof breast cancer, but say that the number of

deaths averted is “much smaller” and the“number of false-positive tests and unneces-sary biopsies are larger.”

Women with a parent, sibling, or childwith breast cancer may benefit more thanaverage-risk women from beginning screen-ing between the ages of 40 and 49 years.

“The value of mammography increaseswith age,” said Task Force chair Dr. MichaelLeFevre, a professor of family medicine at theUniversity of Missouri School of Medicine.

Dr. Daniel Kopans, a professor of radiologyat Harvard Medical School, said the task forceshould still emphasize the potential for sav-ing lives by beginning screening at age 40.

“They should support screening annuallybeginning at the age of 40 while providingwomen with accurate, scientifically derivedinformation so that each woman (not thepanel) can decide for herself whether or notto participate in screening,” Kopans said in awritten statement.

The panel’s review included clinical trialsthat showed over a 10-year period, mam-mography prevents four deaths per 10,000women age 40 to 49 years, five to eightdeaths for women age 50 to 59, and 12 to 21deaths for women age 60 to 69.

The panel also considered new simulationmodels from six independent research teamsthat analyzed data from digital mammo-grams, the cost commonly used technology.

That modeling unanimously projectedthat screening every two years from age 50to 74 would, over a lifetime, prevent sevenbreast cancer deaths per 1,000 womenscreened. Starting screening every two yearsfrom age 40 would prevent one more deathfrom breast cancer and generate 576 morefalse positive tests. —Reuters

New US mammogram guidelines stick with screening from 50

In this artist rendering released by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, orJAXA, Monday, the space explorer named SLIM (Smart Lander for InvestigatingMoon) lands on the moon. Japan’s space agency is considering an unmanned mis-sion to the moon by 2018 or early 2019, part of an effort to beef up aerospace tech-nology and keep pace with China and other emerging powers. The JAXA includedthe possibility of a lunar landing in the fiscal year that begins April 1, 2018, in itssummary of moon exploration plans by Japan and other countries. —AP

MINNEAPOLIS: Poultry producers and scientistshave been hoping warmer weather wouldknock down a virulent strain of bird flu that hashammered the Midwest, but the virus recentlytook its biggest toll yet, hitting a farm in Iowathat held nearly 10 percent of the state’s egg-laying chickens.

Here are some questions and answers aboutthe outbreak:

WHAT’S THE LATEST?The US Department of Agriculture said

Monday that the deadly H5N2 bird flu virus wasfound at a farm in northwest Iowa’s OsceolaCounty. The confirmation means up to 5.3 millionhens there must be destroyed in a state that pro-duces one in every five eggs consumed in thecountry. Seven other Midwestern states havebeen hit by the virus, dooming nearly 7.8 million

turkeys and chickens since March.

WHAT’S THE OUTLOOK?US Department of Agriculture officials say the

virus could be a problem for several years. TheUSDA’s chief veterinary officer, Dr. John Clifford,also said last week that while new cases shoulddrop to close to zero once the weather warms upand kills off the virus, there’s “very likely” to be aresurgence this fall when the wild waterfowl thatare natural carriers of avian influenza fly south forthe winter.

WHAT KIND OF FLU IS THIS, EXACTLY?H5N2 is a highly contagious virus that kills

commercial poultry quickly once it gets into abarn. But the risk to the public is consideredlow, and infected birds are kept out of the foodsupply. —AP

Bird flu takes biggest toll as virus hits chicken farms

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

VALLE DEL CAUCA: This July 16, 2013 file photo shows a Humpback whale as it jumps in the surface of the Pacific Ocean at theUramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia. The humpback whale has long been considered an endangered species, but theUS government said yesterday that the population has rebounded in most areas and no longer needs protection. —AFP

KANSAS CITY: Environmentalists arecontesting the federal government’s deci-sion to allow more widespread use of anew version of a popular weed killer to beused on genetically modified corn andsoybeans.

Motions filed Monday in the 9th CircuitUS Court of Appeals in San Francisco chal-lenge the Environmental ProtectionAgency’s handling of a 2,4-D weed killercalled Enlist Duo, a new version of thepopular herbicide used since the 1940s. It’saimed at use with seeds that are engi-

neered to resist the herbicide, so farmerscan spray the fields after the plantsemerge and kill the weeds while leavingcrops unharmed.

But the Natural Resources DefenseCouncil and a coalition of five environ-mental groups, including the Center forFood Safety, claim in separate lawsuits thatit could endanger wildlife and publichealth. The groups first sued after the EPAin October approved the herbicide’s use insix states:

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, South

Dakota and Wisconsin. The latest motionswere filed after the EPA decided lastmonth to allow its use in nine more states:Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota,Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahomaand North Dakota.

“Our concern is the same as we’vehad all along, which is that this is a pow-erful chemical that has demonstratedharm to human health and to wildlife,and the EPA has simply not done an ade-quate job of assessing it before letting itloose,” said Paul H. Achitoff, an attorney

representing five of the groups.Demand for Enlist promises to be

strong because many weeds have becomeresistant to glyphosate, an herbicide com-monly used on genetically modified cornand soybeans now. Enlist includes a com-bination of both the new version of 2,4-Dand glyphosate. Groups that unsuccessful-ly lobbied the EPA to prevent its expandeduse say they are concerned about 2,4-D’stoxic effects and the potential for it to drift.

The EPA, which has said previously thatthe herbicide meets safety standards, said

in written statement Monday that it wouldreview the petition and “respond appropri-ately.” Dow AgroSciences, which manufac-tures Enlist, has said that the new versionhas been engineered to solve potentialproblems, like drift before and after theherbicide hits the plant.

But Sylvia Fallon, the wildlife directorfor the New York-based Natural ResourcesDefense Council, wrote in a blog postedon the group’s website Monday that theuse of “increasingly toxic pesticides” is“unsustainable.” —AP

Environmentalists contest broadened use of new herbicide

H E A LT H & S C I E N C EWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

HONOLULU: The humpback whale became theunofficial symbol for the conservation movement inthe last century. The iconic whale that can be foundacross the planet was on the verge of extinction. Theinternational community banned whaling thespecies in 1966, and the US government put it onthe endangered species list four years later.

On Monday, federal officials said removing mostof the world’s humpback whales from the endan-gered species list, noting that the massive mammalshave rebounded after 45 years of protection andrestoration efforts, is a national success story.

“To be able to bring a species to a point wheretheir population is doing well and they no longermeet those requirements to be on the endangeredspecies act, I think that is a really important successfor us as a nation,” Donna Weiting, the director of theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’sOffice of Protected Resources said during a newsconference.

“So I think it’s quite a big deal,” she added. Theagency is proposing dividing up the population ofhumpback whales into 14 separate categories, and

fisheries managers say 10 of those should beremoved from the endangered list. Two will remainlisted as threatened, and two others will be listed asendangered.

But just because the animal could soon be offthe endangered list doesn’t mean there will soon behunting seasons again. All the whales remain pro-tected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act,and the United States is still an active member ofthe International Whaling Commission, whichbanned commercial whaling in 1966, said AngelaSomma, chief of NOAA Fisheries’ endangeredspecies division.

Killed for researchThere are only a few places in the world that still

allow hunting of humpback whales, and that is foraboriginal subsistence only, according to theInternational Whaling Commission’s website. Threenations, Japan, Norway and Iceland, still allow theanimals to be killed for scientific research.

Humans hunted the whales in much highernumbers before their listing as endangered.

Humpbacks were listed as endangered in 1970, fouryears after the International Whaling Commissionbanned commercial humpback whaling. The com-mission put a stop to all commercial whaling in1986.

Humpbacks are found around the world, andofficials say protection and restoration efforts haveincreased their numbers in many areas. Amongthose recommended for delisting is the populationthat migrates each year from Hawaii to Alaska.

Decisions on which whale groups to recommendwere based on many factors, including the risks theyface, NOAA officials said. The single largest threat tohumpbacks is fishing activities that result in thewhales becoming tangled in fishing gear anddrowning.

The most important considerations in determin-ing if populations will remain on the list are their sizeand growth rates, Weiting said. “Ten of these popula-tions are no longer in danger of extinction, which isour criteria for an endangered listing, nor are theylikely to become so in the foreseeable future, our cri-teria for a threatened status,” she said.—AP

Agency to lift protectionsfor most humpback whales

After 45 years of protection and restoration efforts

BEIJING: Air pollution levels in some ofChina’s smoggiest cities fell by nearly athird in the first quarter of this year, envi-ronmental campaign group Greenpeacesaid yesterday.

But pollution levels remain a major pub-lic health threat, linked to thousands of ear-ly deaths, and the group said they continueto increase in other parts of the country.

In Beijing, levels of PM2.5 — airborneparticulates with a diameter small enoughto deeply penetrate the lungs-fell about 13percent in the first three months of 2015compared to the same period a year earlier,Greenpeace said.

The organisation collated data releasedby China’s environmental protection min-istry, which makes live figures available butdoes not publish full historic or compara-tive statistics.

The main drivers were “the govern-ment’s strict measures to control air pollu-tion, which have drastically reduced pollu-tion from heavy industry in places likeHebei and Beijing,” Zhang Kai, GreenpeaceEast Asia Climate and Energy Campaigner,wrote in an e-mail to AFP.

Among the 74 cities that have moni-tored air pollution for more than a year,some saw decreases as much as 48 percent.

Hebei province, which surrounds Beijingand contributes to much of the pollution

seen in the capital, saw PM2.5 levels plungeby 31 percent.

“Our expectations for the immediatefuture is that PM2.5 concentrations incoastal cities will continually improvethanks to measures that the governmenthas put in place to control pollution,” headded.

China’s cities are often hit by heavy pol-lution, blamed on coal-burning by powerstations and industry, as well as vehicle use.The issue has become a major source ofpopular discontent with the CommunistParty, leading the government to vow toreduce the proportion of energy derivedfrom fossil fuels.

Kai warned that elsewhere, there were“ever-increasing PM2.5 concentrations incities in China’s central and westernprovinces, where such measures do not yetexist.” Despite drops in pollution levels insome areas, about 90 percent of 360 citiesnow being tracked by Greenpeace exceed-ed government limits on yearly particulateaverages. Shanghai, China’s financial hub,saw roughly a 13 percent increase in PM2.5levels.

China’s Premier Li Keqiang said lastmonth that the country was falling short ofits people’s expectations in battling smogafter a popular documentary drew atten-tion to dismal air pollution levels. —AFP

Air pollution levels drop in China cities

LONDON: The brains of babies “light up” ina similar way to adults when exposed tothe same painful stimulus, suggesting theyfeel pain much like adults do, researcherssaid yesterday.

In the first of its kind study using mag-netic resonance imaging (MRI), scientistsfrom Britain’s Oxford University found that18 of the 20 brain regions active in adultsexperiencing pain were also active inbabies.

Brain scans of the sleeping infantswhile they were subjected to mild pokeson the bottom of their feet with a specialrod-creating a sensation “like being pokedwith a pencil”-also showed their brainshad the same response to a slighter “poke”as adults did to a stimulus four times asstrong, suggesting babies have a muchlower pain threshold.

“Obviously babies can’t tell us abouttheir experience of pain and it is difficult toinfer pain from visual observations,” saidRebeccah Slater, a doctor at Oxford’s pae-diatrics department who led the study.

“In fact some people have argued thatbabies’ brains are not developed enough

for them to really feel pain... (yet) our studyprovides the first really strong evidencethis is not the case.”

Even as recently as the 1980s it wascommon practice for babies undergoingsurgery to be given neuromuscular blocksbut no pain relief medication.

Last year, a review of neonatal painmanagement in intensive care found thatalthough these babies experience an aver-age of 11 painful procedures per day, 60percent do not receive any kind of painmedication.

“Our study suggests that not only dobabies experience pain but they may bemore sensitive to it than adults,” Slater said.“If we would provide pain relief for an old-er child undergoing a procedure, then weshould look at giving pain relief to aninfant.”

The research looked at 10 healthybabies aged between one and six daysand 10 healthy adults aged 23 to 36.During the study the babies, accompaniedby their parents and by doctors, were putin an MRI scanner where most of them fellasleep. —Reuters

First infant MRI study findsbabies feel pain ‘like adults’

Gulf Bank celebrates the

45th anniversary of Earth Day

To commemorate the 45th anniversary ofEarth Day which falls on April 22 (today), GulfBank will sponsor an ‘Earth Day’ event organ-

ized by the students of the EnvironmentalTechnology Management club-O2. The event willtake place today at Kuwait University.

The Environmental Technology Managementdepartment is the first of its kind as a scientificmajor-College of Life sciences aims to educate stu-dents on fields of environmental science locallyand globally. Earth Day event will give the oppor-tunity to more than 35 specialized associations,centers, volunteer groups, interested individualsand activists to showcase their role in protectingthe environment and encourage doing moretowards the future of our planet and the survival oflife on earth.

Gulf Bank is keen to support humanitarian glob-al initiatives that contribute positively to both theKuwaiti community and the world as a whole. It isworth mentioning that Gulf Bank had recentlyorganized a special awareness campaign to sup-port Earth Hour, a global initiative led by the WorldWildlife Fund. The campaign included releasing 60lanterns and switching off the lights in addition toother internal activities on March 28th to raiseawareness in the Global warming and Climatechange.

The upcoming Earth Day 2015 is going underthe theme of ‘It’s Our Turn to Lead’ to redefinewhat progress looks like. Earth Day takes placeevery year on 22 April to focus on global warmingand to push for clean energy.

W H AT ’ S ONWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

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British Business Forumannouncement

British Business Forum will have April membersmeeting at Ibis Salmiya Hotel today. BaruchSpeigel, Consultant Behaviour Analyst will be

speaking on Collaborative Learning: Bridging the Gapbetween Education and Industry.

Nubian Architecture

Join us for a fantastic journey through time and placeto the cradle of civilization; Egypt. This journey leadsus South to the Egyptian Jewel known as Nubia. Our

spotlight will focus on the unique culture of Nubian archi-tecture & our tour guide is Architect, Salah Abdullah. Thisevent begins on Tuesday, April 28 at 7pm.

Costa Coffee celebrated Earth Day on Saturday the18th of April at their newest branch in Al SalamMall Salmiya. Earth Day is an annual event, cele-

brated today, on which day events worldwide are held todemonstrate support for environmental protection. Tomark the occasion, the new branch hosted ‘Costa Coffee’sActs of Green’ an event that attracted over 300 partici-pants including children and adults.

In line with its commitment to the environment, CostaCoffee joined forces with local initiatives Funhouse andArtspace to offer a four-hour interactive workshop, which

included painting with coffee grains and seed planting.During the event children were taught the importance ofthe environment and sustainability in their everydaylives.

Environmental sustainability is a large part of theCosta Coffee ethos, the brand prides itself on itsRainforest Alliance status, all of Costa Coffee’s MochaItalia beans come from Rainforest Alliance Certifiedfarms, which ensures that both the farmers and the landthey grow on is supported and sustained, helping coffeegrowers and their respective communities. In addition

Costa Coffee’s iconic red cups are 100% recyclable, madeusing only certified sustainable pulp and vegetable ink.

The Costa Coffee branch at Al Salam Mall is one of thechain’s newest locations. Since its acquisition byAlghanim two years ago, the British coffee shop has beenmaking significant strides in making its handcrafted cof-fee more accessible to customers.

Costa Coffee currently operates in 36 locations acrossKuwait, including recent openings in Shaab Al Bahri,Kuwait International Airport, and kiosk rollouts withinThe Sultan Centers in Kuwait.

Costa Coffee celebrates Earth Day with educational workshops

Top ten findings1. With the legacy of the Arab Spring waning, Arab

youth are uncertain whether democracy could everwork in the Middle East.

Confidence that the Arab Spring would bring positivechange across the region is declining. In 2015, just 38per cent agree that the Arab world is better off followingthe Arab Spring, compared to 72 per cent in 2012. As aresult, Arab youth are uncertain about whether democ-racy could ever work in the Middle East with 39 per centagreeing with the statement “democracy will never workin the region,” 36 per cent think it will work while theremaining 25 per cent are unsure.

2. The rise of ISIS is seen as the biggest obstacle fac-ing the region and fewer than half of Arab youth areconfident their national government can deal with it.

The rise of ISIS is a major worry for Arab youth withnearly three in four (73 per cent) “concerned” about theextremist group’s growing influence and almost two infive (37 per cent) citing it as the biggest obstacle facingthe region. At the same time, fewer than half (47 percent) are confident their national government can dealwith this new threat

3. As unemployment remains a major concern in theregion, many young Arabs are keen to start their ownbusiness.

When asked to comment on how concerned they areabout unemployment, the majority (81 per cent) saythey are “concerned”. Nearly two in five (39 per cent)

young Arabs are looking to start a business within thenext five years.

4. Arab youth remain cautiously optimistic about thefuture despite the number of issues facing the region.

When thinking about the last five years, three in five(57 per cent) believe their country is heading in the rightdirection. Eighty-one per cent of Gulf youth believethings in their country are heading in the “right direc-tion” compared to 57 per cent in North Africa and only29 per cent in Levant.

5. While youth view the Arabic language as central totheir identity, many believe it is losing its value and con-verse more in English.

Three in four (73 per cent) of Arab youth agree thatthe Arabic language is central to their identity but almosthalf of those polled (47 per cent) say it is losing its value.Sixty-three per cent agree that “knowing English canadvance one’s career more than knowing Arabic.”

6. The UAE remains the country that most Arab youthwould like to live in and is seen as a model for theircountry to emulate for the fourth year running.

When asked to name a country where they would liketo live, Arab youth cite the UAE as their top choice forthe fourth year running ahead of 20 other countries,including the United States, Germany and Canada.Likewise, when asked to think about which country theywould like to emulate, almost a quarter (22 per cent)consider the UAE as a model nation, followed by theUnited States (15 per cent), Germany (11 per cent),

Canada (8 per cent) and France (8 per cent).7. Saudi Arabia is seen as the top ally in the region,

followed by the United States and the United ArabEmirates.

When asked to think about their country’s biggestally, Arab youth cite Saudi Arabia for the fourth year run-ning and continue to view the UAE and United States astheir biggest supporters in the region. One in three (30per cent) consider the Kingdom their biggest ally, while23 per cent cite the United States and 22 per cent theUAE.

8. The majority of Arab youth, particularly in the OPECcountries, are concerned about the falling energy prices,but most also believe the drop is temporary.

With few young Arabs believing the drop is perma-nent, youth are split on whether or not oil producingcountries should lower production.

9. A brand’s country of origin matters to many youngArabs and four in five do not rule out the possibility ofboycotting a brand for political reasons.

Almost half (44 per cent) say a brand’s country of ori-gin matters to them and one in five (21 per cent) saythey would boycott a brand for political reasons.

10. While digital plays an increasingly central role inthe daily lives of Arab youth, television is still king.

While television remains the most popular source ofnews (60 per cent), 40 per cent of young Arabs get theirnews from online sources and 25 per cent from socialmedia, significantly more than newspapers and radio.

EMBASSY OF INDIA

The Embassy of India in Sana’a, Yemen has been closedtemporarily and relocated to Djibouti with effect from 15April 2015. The Embassy is functioning from Hotel

Djibouti Palace Kempinski. Their contact number is Tel: 00253-325555 Ext-2755. The officers and staff members of theEmbassy can be contacted on the following:(1) AmritLugun, Ambassador-00967 736 333 786 (or) 00253-77199669. (2) T. Rajagopal, SS (PPS) to Ambassador 00967-764000658 (or) 00 253 77199369. (3) S.L. Vaiphei, GA - 00 25377196685 (4) Mohd Tariq, Accountant - 00 253 77196875E-mails [email protected] (or) [email protected],[email protected] (or) [email protected],[email protected]

7th annual ASDA’A Burson-Mursteller Arab Youth survey

W H AT ’ S ONWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

The world’s favourite jeweller, Joyalukkasopened their biggest jewellery show-room in Kuwait, Al Rai near Lu & Lu

Hypermarket & Friday Market. The showroomwas inaugurated by Sri Sunil Jain, Ambassadorof India to Kuwait, in the presence of John PaulJoy Alukkas, Executive Director, JoyalukkasGroup, Sonia John Paul, Director, JoyalukkasGroup, Mohammed Ismail Safar Behzad manylocal dignitaries and VIP’s. Joyalukkas with thepresence across ten countries around theworld i.e Kuwait, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Singapore, London,Malaysia & India is the world’s favourite jew-

ellery chain, renowned for offering over onemillion choices of breathtaking jewellery ateach of their showroom.

“Firstly a big thank you to Sri Sunil Jain fortaking time from his precious schedule andinaugurating the Kuwait’s biggest Jewllerystore also would like to thank the residents ofKuwait for a very warm welcome. We haveopened a state-of-the-art jewellery showroomfor Kuwait residents and are giving them thebest experience in jewellery shopping.” said Mr.Joy Alukkas, Chairman & MD, JoyalukkasGroup.

Joyalukkas, Al Rai showroom is the biggest

showroom in Kuwait and features the widestrange of collections in gold, diamond, preciousstone, platinum and pearl. The mix of jewelleryoffered is the largest choice of traditional andcontemporary jewellery design to meet all theneeds of jewellery lovers.

John Paul Joy Alukkas, Executive Director,Joyalukkas Group said “We are extremelygrateful to the country and its lovely residentsfor the warm welcome they have given us. Ourteam in Al Rai is eagerly waiting to serve theresidents here. Also as part of auspiciousAkshaya Tritiya we have launched a specialgifting initiative to ensure our customers feel

lucky and blessed during the celebration peri-od. Our offers and choice of products havebeen designed to meet all jewellery shoppers’expectation and make the occasion very spe-cial for them.”

Also to commemorate with the auspiciousperiod of Akshaya Tritiya Joyalukkas is offeringan exciting choice of free gold coins andexquisite collections to double the joy ofshoppers during the celebration period.Akshaya Tritiya, is considered as a very auspi-cious occasion and it is believed that gold &jewellery purchased on this special day willhelp bring home prosperity, good luck and

success. Joyalukkas is also offering exclusivecollections at very special prices during thecelebration period.

Joyalukkas is committed to offering thebest prices on the over one million choices ofjewellery designs it offers at its showroom. Theglobal jewellery retail chain also ensures 100%transparency of the prices on all jewellery soldat their showrooms. “We have opened in Al Raiso that jewellery lovers here get a world of nev-er before seen choice in jewellery. We have cre-ated an array of exquisite and ethnic choices tomake the jewellery shopping a great experi-ence for people here.” added Joy Alukkas.

Joyalukkas opens biggest jewellery store in Kuwait in Al Rai

Achievers Academy conducted their first Inter School Abacus competi-tion in the second week of April 2015 at Indian Central School,Abbassiya. Four prestigious Indian Schools participated, namely

Indian Central School, Kuwait Indian School, Carmel School and Fahaheel AlWatanieh Indian Private School. More than 1000 students participated, 54cracked the preliminary rounds. The second round of written exam wasqualified by 12 students who made it to the final day of the competition.

The competition among these 12 students was worth watching. It was allabout their accuracy skills, mental agility, aptitude and presence of mind.The students were given only the ABCAUS tool, use of pencils or paperswere not allowed.

The host then fired the questions rapidly without any pause and the stu-dents gave cut throat competition. Principals of all four schools and Directorof Achievers Achievers Academy were amazed with their kids performance.

Out of these 12 students, Mohd Ayan of Kuwait Indian School and DiaElizabeth Renish from Carmel School won the Certificate of Merit with theirbreathtaking performance. Director of Achievers Academy, Ashish Jain, con-gratulated the students for their excellent performance. It was a fun experi-ence to watch the kids doing their best and stiving for excellence. An amaz-ing platform given to the students by Achievers Academy to bring out theirhidden talent across.

Inter School Abacus competition - 2015

00:15 Doctors00:45 Eastenders01:15 New Tricks02:05 Mistresses02:55 Pride And Prejudice03:45 Up The Women04:15 The Weakest Link05:00 Show Me Show Me05:25 Teletubbies05:50 Woolly & Tig05:55 Gigglebiz06:10 Boogie Beebies06:25 Show Me Show Me06:50 Teletubbies07:15 The Weakest Link08:00 Pride And Prejudice08:55 Doctors09:25 Eastenders09:50 Up The Women10:20 New Tricks11:15 The World Of Stonehenge12:05 Pride And Prejudice12:55 Up The Women13:25 Gates13:45 New Tricks14:40 The World Of Stonehenge15:30 Up The Women16:00 Doctors16:30 Eastenders17:00 The Weakest Link17:45 Gates18:05 New Tricks19:00 Doctors19:30 Eastenders20:00 Stella20:45 Stella21:30 Cardinal Burns22:00 Spooks22:50 Alan Carr: Chatty Man23:35 The Weakest Link

T V PR O G R A M SWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

00:15 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill00:40 Masterchef: TheProfessionals01:35 Antiques Roadshow02:25 The Restaurant Inspector03:10 Come Dine With Me03:35 Baking Mad With EricLanlard04:00 Beat My Build04:50 Rachel Khoo’s KitchenNotebook: Cosmo Cook05:15 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill05:40 Masterchef: TheProfessionals06:35 Baking Mad With EricLanlard07:00 Antiques Roadshow07:50 Come Dine With Me08:15 Beat My Build09:05 Rachel Khoo’s KitchenNotebook: Cosmo Cook09:30 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill09:55 Rick Stein’s Spain10:45 Masterchef: TheProfessionals11:40 Antiques Roadshow12:30 Come Dine With Me12:55 Beat My Build13:45 Rachel Khoo’s KitchenNotebook: Cosmo Cook14:10 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill14:35 Bargain Hunt15:20 Masterchef: TheProfessionals16:10 Antiques Roadshow17:05 Come Dine With Me17:30 Beat My Build18:15 Kirstie Allsopp’s Home Style19:05 Tareq Taylor’s NordicCookery19:30 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill20:00 Sweet Baby James20:25 Masterchef: TheProfessionals21:20 Bargain Hunt22:05 Come Dine With Me22:35 The Hairy Bikers USA23:00 Kirstie Allsopp’s Home Style23:50 Tareq Taylor’s NordicCookery

SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS ON OSN MOVIES PREMIERE HD

THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES-ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD

00:05 How It’s Made00:30 The World’s Strangest UFOStories01:20 How Do They Do It?01:45 How Do They Do It?02:10 Through The Wormhole WithMorgan Freeman03:00 Food Factory03:24 Food Factory03:48 Superhuman Science04:12 Superhuman Science

04:36 Sport Science05:24 The World’s Strangest UFOStories06:12 How It’s Made06:36 How It’s Made07:00 Game Changers07:25 Gadget Show - World Tour07:50 Superships08:40 Food Factory09:05 Food Factory09:30 Superhuman Science09:55 Superhuman Science10:20 The World’s Strangest UFOStories11:10 How Do They Do It?11:35 How Do They Do It?12:00 Game Changers12:25 Gadget Show - World Tour12:50 Superships13:40 How It’s Made14:05 How It’s Made14:30 Superhuman Science14:55 Superhuman Science15:20 Through The Wormhole WithMorgan Freeman16:10 How Do They Do It?16:35 How Do They Do It?17:00 The World’s Strangest UFOStories17:50 Sport Science18:40 Food Factory19:05 Food Factory19:30 Strangest Weather On Earth19:55 Strangest Weather On Earth20:20 Space Pioneer21:10 How Do They Do It?21:35 How Do They Do It?22:00 Strangest Weather On Earth22:25 Strangest Weather On Earth22:50 Through The Wormhole WithMorgan Freeman23:40 How It’s Made

00:00 Escape Club00:55 Extreme Close-Up01:25 Keeping Up With TheKardashians02:20 Giuliana & Bill03:15 Christina Milian Turned Up04:10 E!ES05:05 E!ES06:00 Kourtney And Kim TakeMiami06:55 Kourtney And Kim TakeMiami07:50 Style Star08:20 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills08:45 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills09:15 Giuliana & Bill10:15 Giuliana & Bill11:10 Fashion Bloggers11:35 Fashion Bloggers12:05 House Of DVF13:05 Extreme Close-Up13:35 E!ES14:30 Style Star15:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians16:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians17:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills17:30 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills18:00 E! News19:00 Good Work20:00 Christina Milian Turned Up21:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians22:00 E! News23:00 Good Work

17:15 Something Borrowed,Something New17:40 18 Kids And Counting18:05 Extreme Couponing18:30 What Not To Wear19:20 Oprah’s Lifeclass20:10 Your Style In His Hands21:00 Medical Anomalies21:50 Extraordinary Pregnancies22:40 Long Island Medium23:05 Too Ugly For Love?23:55 Medical Anomalies

08:30 Storage Hunters08:55 Dallas Car Sharks09:20 Storage Wars Canada09:45 How It’s Made10:10 How It’s Made10:35 Bear Grylls: Breaking Point11:25 Survive That!12:15 Marooned With Ed Stafford13:05 Storage Hunters13:30 Dallas Car Sharks13:55 Storage Wars Canada14:20 Alaska: The Last Frontier15:10 Kindig Customs16:00 Fast N’ Loud16:50 How It’s Made17:15 How It’s Made17:40 Close-Up Kings18:30 Deadly Dilemmas18:55 Deadly Dilemmas19:20 What Happened Next?19:45 What Happened Next?20:10 Dallas Car Sharks20:35 Storage Wars Canada21:00 Deadly Dilemmas21:25 Deadly Dilemmas21:50 What Happened Next?22:15 What Happened Next?22:40 Man vs Expert23:30 Close-Up Kings

08:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place08:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place08:55 Austin & Ally09:20 Austin & Ally09:45 Gravity Falls10:10 Gravity Falls10:35 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch11:00 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch11:25 Jessie11:50 Jessie12:15 Austin & Ally12:40 Austin & Ally13:05 Good Luck Charlie13:30 Good Luck Charlie13:55 Gravity Falls14:20 H2O: Just Add Water14:50 Evermoor15:20 Spooksville15:45 Girl Meets World16:10 Violetta17:00 Girl vs Monster18:40 Liv And Maddie19:05 H2O: Just Add Water19:30 Violetta20:20 Binny And The Ghost20:45 H2O: Just Add Water21:10 Good Luck Charlie21:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place22:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place22:25 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch22:50 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch23:10 Wolfblood23:35 Wolfblood

00:00 Violetta00:45 The Hive00:50 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch01:15 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch01:40 Wolfblood02:05 Wolfblood02:30 Violetta03:15 The Hive03:20 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch03:45 Sabrina: Secrets Of ATeenage Witch04:10 Wolfblood04:35 Wolfblood05:00 Violetta05:45 The Hive05:50 Mouk06:00 Dog With A Blog06:25 Binny And The Ghost06:50 Girl Meets World07:15 H2O: Just Add Water07:40 Jessie

00:30 Guy’s Big Bite01:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives02:00 Man Fire Food03:00 Guy’s Big Bite03:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives05:00 Chopped06:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives06:30 Siba’s Table07:00 Roadtrip With G. Garvin07:30 Roadtrip With G. Garvin08:00 Chopped09:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back ToBasics09:30 Farm Kings10:30 The Big Eat...11:00 Mexican Made Easy11:30 Chopped12:30 Siba’s Table13:00 Guy’s Big Bite13:30 Guy’s Big Bite14:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives15:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives16:00 Chopped17:00 Guy’s Big Bite17:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives18:00 Siba’s Table18:30 The Big Eat...19:00 Chopped20:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives20:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives21:00 Chopped22:00 The Next Iron Chef23:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives23:30 Chopped

00:20 Fast N’ Loud01:10 Bear Grylls: Breaking Point02:00 Survive That!02:50 Marooned With Ed Stafford03:40 Storage Hunters04:05 Dallas Car Sharks04:30 Storage Wars Canada05:00 How It’s Made05:30 How It’s Made06:00 Alaska: The Last Frontier06:50 Kindig Customs07:40 Fast N’ Loud

03:00 Art Attack03:25 Julius Jr.03:35 Calimero03:50 Henry Hugglemonster04:00 Zou04:15 Mouk04:25 Jungle Junction04:35 Art Attack05:00 Julius Jr.05:10 Calimero05:25 Henry Hugglemonster05:35 Zou05:50 Mouk06:00 Jungle Junction06:10 Art Attack06:35 Julius Jr.06:45 Calimero07:00 Jungle Junction07:15 Zou07:30 Calimero07:45 Loopdidoo08:00 Limon And Oli

08:10 Jake And The Never LandPirates08:35 Doc McStuffins09:05 Art Attack09:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse10:00 Sofia The First10:25 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West10:55 Calimero11:10 Jake And The Never LandPirates11:35 Limon And Oli11:45 Loopdidoo12:00 Justin Time12:15 Sofia The First12:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse13:10 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West13:35 Zou13:50 Jake And The NeverlandPirates14:15 Doc McStuffins14:45 Limon And Oli14:55 Loopdidoo15:10 Sofia The First15:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse16:00 Cars Toons16:05 Lilo & Stitch16:30 Adventures Of TheGummi Bears17:00 Chip n Dale RescueRangers17:25 Ducktales18:00 Art Attack18:30 Sofia The First18:55 Cars Toons19:00 The Adventures Of DisneyFairies19:30 Jake And The Never LandPirates19:45 Doc McStuffins20:00 Adventures Of TheGummi Bears20:30 Sofia The First20:55 Cars Toons21:00 Chip n Dale RescueRangers21:30 Ducktales22:00 Lilo & Stitch22:25 Art Attack22:55 Limon And Oli23:05 Zou23:20 Mouk23:35 Jungle Junction23:50 Art Attack00:15 Julius Jr.00:30 Calimero00:45 Henry Hugglemonster01:00 Zou01:15 Jungle Junction01:25 Art Attack01:50 Julius Jr.02:00 Calimero02:15 Henry Hugglemonster02:25 Zou02:40 Mouk

00:20 Dead Or Alive01:10 Dangerous Encounters02:00 World’s Deadliest02:50 Built For The Kill03:45 Caught In The Act04:40 Monster Croc Hunt05:35 World’s Deadliest06:30 Built For The Kill07:25 Caught In The Act08:20 Ultimate AnimalCountdown09:15 World’s Deadliest10:10 World’s Deadliest Killers11:05 Dead Or Alive12:00 Hooked12:55 Speed Kills13:50 Built For The Kill14:45 Caught In The Act15:40 Ultimate AnimalCountdown16:35 World’s Deadliest17:30 World’s Deadliest KillerThree18:25 Dead Or Alive19:20 Caught In The Act20:10 Ultimate AnimalCountdown

00:35 Big Star Little Star01:30 Paul O’Grady: For The LoveOf Dogs02:00 Emmerdale02:25 Emmerdale02:55 Coronation Street03:25 Vera05:15 The Chase06:10 Big Star Little Star07:05 Paul O’Grady: For The LoveOf Dogs07:30 Vera09:15 Eggheads09:45 Eggheads10:15 May The Best House Win11:10 Emmerdale11:35 Emmerdale12:00 Coronation Street12:30 The Chase13:25 May The Best House Win14:20 Paul O’Grady: For The LoveOf Dogs14:45 Big Star Little Star15:30 Eggheads16:05 Eggheads16:30 Love And Marriage: A 20thCentury Romance17:25 Mr Selfridge18:20 The Chase19:00 Coronation Street19:30 Eggheads20:00 Eggheads20:30 Love And Marriage: A 20thCentury Romance21:25 Mr Selfridge22:20 Coronation Street22:50 Emmerdale23:15 Emmerdale23:45 May The Best House Win

00:00 Beyond Magic with DMC01:00 Crimes Against Nature02:00 America The Wild03:00 Inside04:00 Inside World War II05:00 Air Crash Investigation06:00 Years of Living Dangerously07:00 Jurassic C.S.I.08:00 Beyond Magic with DMC09:00 Crimes Against Nature10:00 America The Wild11:00 Amazonia’s Giant Jaws12:00 Doomsday Preppers13:00 Battleground Brothers14:00 Britain’s Greatest Machines15:00 Shark Men16:00 Jurassic C.S.I.17:00 Brain Games17:30 Brain Games18:00 Years of Living Dangerously19:00 Shark Men20:00 Jurassic C.S.I.21:00 Brain Games21:30 Brain Games22:00 Years of Living Dangerously23:00 Amazonia’s Giant Jaws

00:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart01:00 Hot In Cleveland01:30 The League02:00 Veep02:30 Friends With Better Lives03:00 Community04:30 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers09:00 Community09:30 The Simpsons10:00 Marry Me11:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon14:30 The Simpsons15:00 Marry Me15:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart16:00 Hot In Cleveland17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers18:00 Community19:00 Modern Family19:30 Modern Family20:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon21:00 The Daily Show With JonStewart21:30 Hot In Cleveland22:00 Mixology22:30 Mixology23:00 Friends With Better Lives23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers

08:00 Rake12:00 Emmerdale12:30 Coronation Street14:00 Rake16:00 Emmerdale16:30 Coronation Street18:00 Rake19:00 Glee20:00 Marvel’s Agents OfS.H.I.E.L.D.22:00 Outlander

07:00 Golfing World07:30 Gillette World Sport11:00 Golfing World12:00 Live Snooker WorldChampionship16:00 Gillette World Sport16:30 Live Snooker WorldChampionship20:00 Trans World Sport21:00 Live Snooker WorldChampionship

00:00 Golfing World03:00 Live NHL07:00 NRL Premiership09:00 Golfing World10:00 Premier League Darts13:30 Super Rugby Highlights16:30 Volvo Ocean Race18:00 Golfing World19:00 WWE Vintage20:00 Super Rugby Highlights

01:30 ICC Cricket 36002:00 Indian Premier League H/L :RR v KXIP13:30 Live Indian Premier League :SH v KKR17:00 ICC Cricket 36017:30 Live Indian Premier League :RCB v CSK21:00 Indian Premier League H/L :KXIP v DD22:00 Indian Premier League RPT :SH v KKR

03:00 Double Cross03:45 Dates From Hell04:07 Dates From Hell04:30 Blood Relatives05:20 True Crime WithAphrodite Jones06:10 On The Case With PaulaZahn07:00 Deadly Affairs07:50 Fatal Encounters08:40 Murder Shift09:30 Great Crimes And Trials09:55 Stalked: Someone’sWatching10:20 Forensic Detectives11:10 True Crime WithAphrodite Jones12:00 Blood Relatives12:50 On The Case With PaulaZahn13:40 Who On Earth Did IMarry?14:05 Who On Earth Did IMarry?14:30 True Crime WithAphrodite Jones15:20 Great Crimes And Trials15:45 Stalked: Someone’sWatching16:10 Murder Shift17:00 Blood Relatives17:50 Fatal Encounters18:40 Forensic Detectives19:30 On The Case With PaulaZahn20:20 The Will: Family SecretsRevealed21:10 Who On Earth Did IMarry?21:35 Who On Earth Did IMarry?22:00 Unravelled22:50 Solved23:40 Dates From Hell00:05 Dates From Hell00:30 Deadly Devotion01:20 Stalked: Someone’sWatching01:45 Stalked: Someone’sWatching02:10 Unravelled

01:00 Good Morning America05:00 Good Morning America07:30 Coronation Street09:00 Royal Pains10:30 Coronation Street12:00 Covert Affairs14:00 Live Good Morning America16:00 Royal Pains17:00 Covert Affairs20:00 Covert Affairs22:00 Bates Motel

00:00 Dragon Eyes02:00 Monika04:00 Marvel’s Doctor Strange06:00 Street Fighter08:00 The Mortal Instruments: CityOf Bones10:15 Marvel’s Doctor Strange12:15 Kill Em All14:00 American Warships15:45 The Mortal Instruments: CityOf Bones18:00 Hunt To Kill20:00 Kill Em All22:00 Police Story

00:00 Monika-PG1502:00 Marvel’s Doctor Strange-PG04:00 Street Fighter-PG1506:00 The Mortal Instruments: CityOf Bones-PG1508:15 Marvel’s Doctor Strange-PG10:15 Kill Em All-PG1512:00 American Warships-PG1513:45 The Mortal Instruments: CityOf Bones-PG1516:00 Hunt To Kill-PG1518:00 Kill Em All-PG15

20:00 Police Story-PG1522:00 Blade II-PG15

00:30 National Lampoon’sEuropean Vacation02:15 Breathless04:00 Stand Up Guys06:00 HairBrained08:00 Standing Ovation10:00 Se Puder... Dirija!12:00 Struck By Lightning14:00 Never Been Kissed16:00 Standing Ovation18:00 Every Day20:00 AmeriQua22:00 John Dies At The End

01:00 Won’t Back Down-PG1503:00 Ashes-PG1505:00 Europa Report-PG1506:30 Mandela: Long Walk ToFreedom-PG1509:00 My Last Day Without You11:00 Europa Report-PG1513:00 A Secret Promise-PG1515:00 Emperor-PG1517:00 My Last Day Without You-PG1519:00 The Letter-PG1521:00 White Bird In A Blizzard23:00 Crawl-PG15

01:15 The Glass Man03:15 The Last Harbor05:00 Not Fade Away07:00 Annie09:15 Up Close And Personal11:30 The Sapphires13:30 Hyde Park On Hudson15:15 My Piece Of The Pie17:15 Up Close And Personal19:30 Sense And Sensibility22:00 For Greater Glory

01:00 CBGB-1803:00 The Great Ghost Rescue-PG05:00 Last Passenger-PG1507:00 The Croods-PG09:00 The Legend Of Hercules10:45 Saving Mr. Banks-PG1513:00 Heaven Is For Real-PG15:00 Dawn Rider-PG1517:00 The Legend Of Hercules19:00 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit21:00 Parkland-PG1523:00 We’re The Millers-18

01:15 The Ugly Duckling And Me02:45 Tad, The Lost Explorer04:30 Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs.Hare06:00 Barbie Magic Of TheRainbow08:00 Barbie In The 12 DancingPrincesses09:30 Dudley Do Right11:00 The Nameless Warrior12:45 Tad, The Lost Explorer14:30 Titeuf, Le Film16:15 The Legend Of Sasquatch18:00 Dudley Do Right20:00 Barbie Fairytopia21:45 Titeuf, Le Film23:30 The Legend Of Sasquatch

00:00 Not Safe For Work-PG1502:00 Holidaze-PG1504:00 47 Ronin-PG1506:00 Madagascar-PG08:00 Killer Reality-PG1510:00 Christmas In Conway-PG1512:00 47 Ronin-PG1514:00 Rio 2-FAM16:00 Killer Reality-PG1518:00 Peeples-PG1520:00 Delivery Man-PG1522:00 Seven Psychopaths-18

00:45 Body Bizarre01:35 Long Island Medium02:00 Too Ugly For Love?02:50 Say Yes To The Dress03:15 Something Borrowed,Something New03:40 What Not To Wear04:30 Cake Boss05:00 Little People, Big World05:30 Extreme Couponing06:00 18 Kids And Counting06:25 Your Style In His Hands07:15 Say Yes To The Dress07:40 Something Borrowed,Something New08:05 Oprah’s Lifeclass08:55 Oprah’s Next Chapter09:45 Cake Boss10:10 Little People, Big World10:35 Extreme Couponing11:00 Toddlers & Tiaras11:50 Kate Plus 812:40 Your Style In His Hands13:30 Kate Plus 814:20 Say Yes To The Dress: TheBig Day15:10 Cake Boss15:35 Little People, Big World16:00 Toddlers & Tiaras16:50 Say Yes To The Dress

ClassifiedsWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

Kuwait

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

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 22/4/2015Airlines Flt Route TimeQTR 1084 Doha 00:05THY 772 Istanbul 00:15JZR 239 Amman 00:20JZR 267 Beirut 00:30DLH 637 Dammam 00:35FDB 068 Dubai 00:55JZR 555 Alexandria 01:15JAI 574 Mumbai 01:30JZR 539 Cairo 01:30PGT 858 Istanbul 01:40RJA 642 Amman 01:45ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:50GFA 211 Bahrain 02:15KKK 6507 Istanbul 02:15UAE 853 Dubai 02:25MSC 403 Sohag 02:30OMA 643 Muscat 02:35ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:05QTR 1076 Doha 03:05CEB 7694 Manila 03:10FDB 067 Dubai 03:15MSR 612 Cairo 03:15SYR 341 Latakia/KAC 03:25KAC 1544 Cairo 03:35MSC 401 Alexandria 04:00THY 770 Istanbul 04:40DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:15BAW 157 London 06:35KAC 382 Delhi 07:40KAC 206 Islamabad 07:45FDB 053 Dubai 07:50KAC 204 Lahore 07:50KAC 302 Mumbai 07:55QTR 1086 Doha 07:55KAC 352 Kochi 08:15KAC 344 Chennai 08:15UAE 855 Dubai 08:25KAC 362 Colombo 08:30ABY 125 Sharjah 09:05ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:10IRM 1186 Tehran 09:15IRA 665 Shiraz 09:25KAC 288 Dhaka 09:25FDB 055 Dubai 09:40KAC 350 Kochi 09:40QTR 1070 Doha 10:00GFA 943 Bahrain 10:10UAE 873 Dubai 10:40GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40MEA 404 Beirut 10:55MSC 405 Sohag 11:20JZR 561 Sohag 11:25AGY 680 Alexandria 11:40IRM 1188 Mashhad 11:45JZR 165 Dubai 11:50IAW 157 Al Najaf 12:00AXB 889 Mangalore/Bahrain 12:15FDB 075 Dubai 12:25IZG 4167 Mashhad 12:30UAE 871 Dubai 12:45MSR 610 Cairo 13:00THY 766 Istanbul 13:10KAC 620 Doha 13:10CLX 792 Luxembourg 13:15SVA 9433 Jeddah 13:50QTR 1078 Doha 14:05KNE 460 Riyadh 14:10FDB 057 Dubai 14:20

GFA 221 Bahrain 14:20SVA 500 Jeddah 14:30KAC 742 Dammam 14:50KAC 540 Sharm el-Sheikh 14:50KAC 788 Jeddah 14:55KNE 472 Jeddah 14:55RJD 135 Abu Dhabi 15:00OMA 645 Muscat 15:05KNE 462 Madinah 15:05ABY 127 Sharjah 15:35UAE 857 Dubai 15:45RJA 640 Amman 15:55KOR 621 FNJ/Islamabad 16:00FDB 051 Dubai 16:10KAC 512 Mashhad 16:10QTR 1072 Doha 16:20IRC 526 Mashhad 16:30IRM 1180 Mashhad 16:35JZR 787 Riyadh 16:45ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:50KAC 562 Amman 17:00SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15JZR 357 Mashhad 17:30GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30JZR 177 Dubai 17:45JZR 777 Jeddah 17:50SYR 343 Damascus 17:55GFA 944 LCA 18:00FDB 065 Dubai 18:05JZR 483 Istanbul 18:20KAC 786 Jeddah 18:35KAC 502 Beirut 18:35KAC 618 Doha 18:55KAC 542 Cairo 18:55QTR 1080 Doha 18:55KAC 166 Paris/Rome 19:00UAE 875 Dubai 19:05GFA 217 Bahrain 19:05FDB 063 Dubai 19:10ABY 123 Sharjah 19:20MSR 606 Luxor 19:30JAI 572 Mumbai 19:35KAC 774 Riyadh 19:40AGY 684 Sohag 19:50FDB 061 Dubai 19:50KAC 102 New York/London 19:55OMA 647 Muscat 20:00KAC 674 Dubai 20:00KNE 480 Taif 20:10MEA 402 Beirut 20:15DLH 636 Frankfurt 20:20ETD 919 Abu Dhabi 20:25GFA 049 Bahrain 20:45KAC 792 Madinah 20:55ALK 229 Colombo 21:10UAE 859 Dubai 21:15ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:15FDB 073 Dubai 21:30QTR 1074 Doha 21:30AIC 975 Chennai/Mumbai 21:35GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45KAC 546 Alexandria 22:05ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:10THY 764 Istanbul 22:10JZR 125 Bahrain 22:15BBC 044 Dhaka/Dammam 22:40FDB 059 Dubai 22:50JZR 185 Dubai 22:55JAI 526 Chennai/Abu Dhabi 23:00FDB 071 Dubai 23:35KLM 411 Amsterdam/Dammam 23:40

Departure Flights on Wednesday 22/4/2015Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 988 Hyderabad/Chennai 00:05BBC 044 Dhaka 00:10UAL 981 IAD 00:25JAI 573 Mumbai 00:25FDB 072 Dubai 00:30DLH 637 Frankfurt 01:35THY 773 Istanbul 02:05ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:50JAI 525 Abu Dhabi/Chennai 02:55PGT 859 Istanbul 02:55KKK 6508 Istanbul 03:10MSC 404 Sohag 03:30OMA 644 Muscat 03:35UAE 854 Dubai 03:45FDB 068 Dubai 04:00QTR 1077 Doha 04:05ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:05MSR 613 Cairo 04:15SYR 342 Damascus 04:25CEB 7695 Manila 04:40MSC 406 Sohag 05:00JZR 560 Sohag 05:00THY 765 Istanbul 05:05QTR 1085 Doha 05:20RJA 643 Amman 06:35GFA 212 Bahrain 06:50THY 771 Istanbul 06:50FDB 070 Dubai 07:05JZR 164 Dubai 07:15BAW 156 London 08:30FDB 054 Dubai 08:30KAC 539 Sharm el-Sheikh 08:50QTR 1087 Doha 08:55KAC 619 Doha 09:30KAC 787 Jeddah 09:30KAC 117 New York 09:40JZR 482 Istanbul 09:40ABY 126 Sharjah 09:45UAE 856 Dubai 09:50ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:00KAC 511 Mashhad 10:20IRM 1181 Mashhad 10:25IRA 664 Shiraz 10:25FDB 056 Dubai 10:40GFA 943 LCA 10:55QTR 1071 Doha 11:00KAC 501 Beirut 11:00KAC 175 Frankfurt/Geneva 11:15KAC 561 Amman 11:25GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35JZR 356 Mashhad 11:40KAC 741 Dammam 11:50MEA 405 Beirut 11:55KAC 541 Cairo 12:05UAE 874 Dubai 12:10KAC 103 London 12:10JZR 776 Jeddah 12:15MSC 402 Alexandria 12:20AGY 685 Sohag 12:40IAW 158 Al Najaf 13:00KAC 785 Jeddah 13:00IRM 1189 Mashhad 13:10FDB 076 Dubai 13:10JZR 176 Dubai 13:10AXB 890 Mangalore 13:15JZR 786 Riyadh 13:20IZG 4168 Mashhad 13:30MSR 611 Cairo 14:00THY 767 Istanbul 14:10

UAE 872 Dubai 14:15SVA 2333 Jeddah 14:25CLX 792 Hanoi 14:45KAC 545 Alexandria 15:00QTR 1079 Doha 15:05GFA 222 Bahrain 15:05FDB 058 Dubai 15:05KNE 481 Taif 15:10KAC 617 Doha 15:15KAC 673 Dubai 15:20SVA 503 Jeddah 15:45KAC 773 Riyadh 15:55KNE 473 Jeddah 16:00KNE 463 Madinah 16:00KAC 791 Madinah 16:00OMA 646 Muscat 16:05RJD 136 Abu Dhabi 16:10ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15RJA 641 Amman 16:55JZR 266 Beirut 17:05FDB 052 Dubai 17:10QTR 1073 Doha 17:25IRC 527 Mashhad 17:30UAE 858 Dubai 17:40ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:40IRM 1187 Tehran 17:50SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15JZR 184 Dubai 18:20GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20KAC 563 Amman 18:30JZR 538 Cairo 18:40JZR 238 Amman 18:45GFA 944 Bahrain 18:45SYR 344 Damascus 18:55FDB 066 Dubai 18:55JZR 124 Bahrain 19:20GFA 218 Bahrain 19:50FDB 064 Dubai 19:50QTR 1081 Doha 19:55KAC 361 Colombo 20:00ABY 124 Sharjah 20:00MSR 619 Alexandria 20:30UAE 876 Dubai 20:35JAI 571 Mumbai 20:35FDB 062 Dubai 20:35AGY 681 Alexandria 20:50KAC 1543 Cairo 20:55OMA 648 Muscat 21:00DLH 636 Dammam 21:00KAC 331 Trivandrum 21:00KAC 283 Dhaka 21:05KAC 351 Kochi 21:05KNE 461 Riyadh 21:10JZR 554 Alexandria 21:15MEA 403 Beirut 21:15GFA 049 Istanbul 21:30DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:05FDB 074 Dubai 22:10KAC 381 Delhi 22:20ALK 230 Colombo 22:20ETD 920 Dubai 22:25UAE 860 Dubai 22:25KAC 301 Mumbai 22:30KAC 349 Kochi 22:30QTR 1075 Doha 22:40GFA 220 Bahrain 22:45ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00KAC 205 Islamabad 23:05KAC 203 Lahore 23:10KAC 415 Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta 23:50

SHARQIA-1CHILD 44 12:00 PMCHILD 44 2:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 5:30 PMCHILD 44 7:30 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 10:15 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 12:15 AM

SHARQIA-2PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 1:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 3:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 5:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 7:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 10:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-3LAST KNIGHTS 11:45 AMLAST KNIGHTS 2:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 4:15 PMLAST KNIGHTS 6:15 PMASWAR AL QUMAR- Arabic 8:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 10:45 PMLAST KNIGHTS 12:45 AM

MUHALAB-1BIG GAME 12:15 PMBIG GAME 2:15 PMBIG GAME 4:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 6:15 PMASWAR AL QUMAR- Arabic 8:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 10:30 PMBIG GAME 12:30 AM

MUHALAB-2CHILD 44 11:30 AMCHILD 44 2:15 PMLAST KNIGHTS 5:00 PMCHILD 44 7:15 PMLAST KNIGHTS 10:00 PMCHILD 44 12:15 AM

MUHALAB-3PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 12:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 2:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 4:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 7:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 9:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 12:05 AM

FANAR-1CHILD 44 11:30 AMCHILD 44 2:15 PMCHILD 44 5:00 PMASWAR AL QUMAR- Arabic 7:45 PMASWAR AL QUMAR- Arabic 9:45 PMCHILD 44 12:05 AM

FANAR-2BIG GAME 11:30 AMLAST KNIGHTS 1:30 PMBIG GAME 3:45 PMCINDERELLA 5:45 PMLAST KNIGHTS 8:00 PMBIG GAME 10:30 PMLAST KNIGHTS 12:30 AM

FANAR-3KILL ME THREE TIMES 12:45 PMPRESERVATION 2:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 4:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 6:45 PMPRESERVATION 8:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 10:45 PM

PRESERVATION 12:45 AM

FANAR-4PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 12:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 2:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 4:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 6:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 8:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 10:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 12:15 AM

FANAR-5PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 1:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 3:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 5:00 PMMR. X -Hindi 5:00 PMNO THU+FRI+SATFAST & FURIOUS 7 7:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 10:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 12:30 AM

MARINA-1CHILD 44 12:15 PMBIG GAME 3:00 PMCHILD 44 5:15 PMBIG GAME 8:00 PMCHILD 44 10:00 PMBIG GAME 12:45 AM

MARINA-2FAST & FURIOUS 7 1:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 3:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 6:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 9:15 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 12:15 AM

MARINA-3PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 12:45 PMLAST KNIGHTS 3:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 5:30 PMLAST KNIGHTS 7:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 9:45 PMLAST KNIGHTS 12:05 AM

AVENUES-1BIG GAME 12:00 PMBIG GAME 2:30 PMCINDERELLA 5:00 PMCINDERELLA 7:30 PMCINDERELLA 10:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 12:30 AM

AVENUES-2KILL ME THREE TIMES 11:45 AMKILL ME THREE TIMES 1:45 PMJUNGLE MASTER 3:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 5:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 7:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 9:45 PMKILL ME THREE TIMES 11:45 PM

AVENUES-3LAST KNIGHTS 11:45 AMLAST KNIGHTS 2:15 PMLAST KNIGHTS 4:45 PMLAST KNIGHTS 7:15 PMLAST KNIGHTS 9:45 PMLAST KNIGHTS 12:15 AM

AVENUES-4FAST & FURIOUS 7 11:30 AMFAST & FURIOUS 7 2:00 PMCHILD 44 4:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 7:30 PM

FAST & FURIOUS 7 10:15 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 12:45 AM

AVENUES-5PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 11:30 AMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 1:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 3:45 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 6:00 PMNO THUSpecial Show “PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2” 6:00 PMLAST KNIGHTS 8:15 PMSpecial Show “BIG GAME” 8:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 10:30 PMLAST KNIGHTS 1:00 AM

AVENUES-6PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 12:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 2:45 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 5:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 7:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 9:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 11:45 PM

360º- 1PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 11:30 AMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 1:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 3:45 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 6:00 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 8:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 10:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 12:45 AM

360º- 2BIG GAME 11:45 AMBIG GAME 2:00 PMBIG GAME 4:15 PMBIG GAME 6:30 PMBIG GAME 8:45 PMBIG GAME 11:00 PMBIG GAME 1:15 AM

360º- 3CYMBELINE 11:30 AMCYMBELINE 1:30 PMCAKE 3:30 PMCYMBELINE 5:45 PMCAKE 8:00 PMCYMBELINE 10:15 PMRUN ALL NIGHT 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.1PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 12:45 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 3:15 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 5:15 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 7:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 10:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 7 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2CHILD 44 12:00 PMCHILD 44 2:45 PMCINDERELLA 5:30 PMPAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 7:45 PMASWAR AL QUMAR- Arabic 9:45 PMCHILD 44 12:05 AM

AL-KOUT.3BIG GAME 11:45 AMLAST KNIGHTS 1:45 PMBIG GAME 4:00 PMBIG GAME 6:00 PMLAST KNIGHTS 8:00 PMSKIN TRADE 10:15 PMLAST KNIGHTS 12:15 AM

Kncc Programme From Thursday To Wednesday (16/04/2015 To 22/04/2015)

Prayer timings

Fajr: 03:51Shorook 0515Duhr: 11:47Asr: 15:22Maghrib: 18:18Isha: 19:39

MATRIMONIAL

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CHANGE OF NAME

FOR SALE

JAGADESH, son of PERU-MAL bearing an IndianPassport No. G0846093having an address No.28/13Pillaiyar Kovil Street,Sathuma Nagar,Thiruvottiyur, Chennai,

Tamilnadu 600019 hadembraced Islam andchanged the name asMOHAMMED JAVID. (C 4969)15-4-2015

Mitsubishi 2009 Registration til Jan 2016103,000km KD 1300 negotiableCall 9694-2874 after 5pm20-4-2015

Cherokee Liberty, 6 cylin-der, white color, model2003 in good working con-dition. KD 850, call60982737. (C 4970)

Pajero 2007 for immediatesale, V6, metallic gold, goodcondition and well main-tained, expected price KD2,600, please contact:66832848. (C 4971)19-4-2015

You may be pleased, if not a bit surprised, at how many projects havealready been completed this year. Four months into the last year was less fulfilling butnow-you realize your potential. Of course, you have come to understand that the moreyou experience or know the more there seems to be to learn and experience. You arerefreshed with new enthusiasm to continue your work and reassess new ways to branchout and be expressive. It does not matter whether you are the least paid person in thebusiness or the business owner . . . You are encouraged and look forward to new accom-plishments. This is a good day. Your generous and warm mood creates opportunities toshine in the social circles; you can melt any heart.

You may want to feel more secure through a better financial income now. Apart-time job could be considered this Wednesday. You are able to entertain and expressyour talent in successful ways, which could be how you decide to increase your income. Ifyou are in a family that has a hard time budgeting, you might teach budgeting throughgames, rewards and incentives. Whatever the case, you have to be the one to set theexample, so you might want to rethink your own budget. Creativity comes into play now-enjoy this time of learning-it can be one of the more important times in your life. Yourmood improves as the day moves forward. This evening you and your family memberswill cheer each other as you all share in expressing your dreams, goals and plans.

There is a little extra time today for solving puzzles and answering prob-lems that may have been pushed aside for another time. Communicating

feelings becomes important as you may uncover important matters that need attention.Consider the facts and report the results of your evaluation. Matters can then be consid-ered in a timely manner without emotional comments. Teams of people are made up ofpersonalities and a good boss is aware and will understand your thinking. Appropriatecommunications will prove positive. Be sure to keep an open mind about new ideas andpay attention to the responsibilities a new plan may require. Friends are the keys to youremotional satisfaction this evening and a movie or meal together may be just the tonic.

Mental motivation from others is enjoyed now; it is a good idea to make every effortto cooperate and compromise with others. Any project today should be a success. You may want totake on a mentally difficult project or approach a subject with someone you were too shy aboutbefore. You could ask for a raise or-speak publicly at this time. Energy and self-confidence are strong!Past fears should melt away. This evening presents an opportunity to enjoy some social activities.Because of past tension and hard work, you might really consider joining the group-family or friends-in some fun adventure. There is desire for intimacy and love with a partner this evening-with theexpression of affection being most satisfying.

A balance in your life would consist of work and volunteer aid, rest and relaxation,exercise and nurturing with chores and hobbies in each week. This will help bring your energies intobalance and reduce the possibility of physical problems later. Learn how to relax and clear yourthoughts through art or music. This will really help your peace of mind. Music is also a wonderful toolwith which to rest, entertain yourself or exercise. This is a suitable time to get to know someone bet-ter. Additionally, there is a chance you may hear from a long-lost chum. Mental incentive from oth-ers is a good thing and it’s a good idea to make every effort to lend your support and encourage-ment to others, as well as yourself. This is a productive day.

Today, clear communications and young people go together. You will find this agood time for decision making with lots of talking to others about their dreams and goals and theprocess of achievement. You could be teaching, lecturing or finding yourself a guest speaker. Theaccent today is on communication. A gathering of people after your speech will be easy to navigateand it will leave you feeling that you have helped others. Trading points of view with others shouldbe informative. Travel is favored, especially if it is for your own rest and relaxation. Find a goodbookstore, museum or concert for tonight. You may see value in or feel love for an older person orsomeone in authority. You appreciate the positive things around you.

Firm decisions in a group meeting this day may be surprisingly successful. If youcan, provide for this meeting a few snacks and water with a lemon or lime wedge for the glass.By sharing your perspective, and listening to the other ideas, a new plan will develop. You maybe delighted at the progress and just want to take in the view of everything coming together-similar to an artist that sees the picture before the brush hits the canvas. The energies of this dayare toward progress and growth. This energy can be used for healing and planning or steadyactivity of any positive sort. Later this day you may find your responsibilities double where rela-tionships are concerned and this may mean babysitting or just responding to the need of oth-ers on short notice.

This should be one of those wonderful days when you feel that everything is a-okay. Your confidence is high, you have nothing to fear and you look at the bright side ofeverything and everybody. If you have to deal with the public today, you will have them eat-ing right out of your hand-particularly in sales. If the weather is good, enjoy taking your walkor daily exercise with a friend after work today. This is a great opportunity to get updated oneach other’s activities. There may be an opportunity to attend a movie or a live performance ata theater tonight. Praise others for their thoughtfulness. Marriage and other partnershipscould be a key arena for the harmony in your life. Enjoy the celebration of life!

Energy and self-assurance are rather low, so use the time to evaluate your sensi-tivities and leave the deep discussions for another time. Do not negotiate the signing of con-tracts today. This is, however, an opportune time to sit down alone and get many things accom-plished. You will find a shift in energy as you head for home this afternoon and as you look backon your workday you will be most pleased at your accomplishments. If the weather is not suit-able for working in the yard this afternoon, clean the garage. This will leave you by yourself tothink, work and clean and hum a happy tune. Show your appreciation of others and celebratelife in general by treating yourself and someone you know to a dinner or a fun nature walk, etc.Group activities are good.

You enjoy doing some research in the workplace. During this day there are alsoopportunities to listen to a book on tape, take long walks, pet animals, enjoy brief visits with chil-dren and have long philosophical conversations. This is your day to do many things. One thingabout you is that you do not become preoccupied with one idea and accept it as gospel-you havean open mind. Considering all sides of a story may be most beneficial just now. Take stock of whatyou have accomplished in your life and share your expression of gratefulness with a dear friend.Co-operative activities now should be both well-attended and successful. Perhaps a light dinnerand movie is the perfect activity for tonight. Your focus this evening is on healing and love.


Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 880

ACROSS1. A female person who has the same par-

ents as another person.4. Any sea anemone or related animal.12. A nurse who has enough training to be

licensed by a state to provide routinecare for the sick.

15. The compass point midway betweenwest and northwest.

16. The part of a wharf that is next to a ship.17. A strong emotion.18. Deciduous round-headed Asiatic tree

widely grown in mild climates as anornamental for its heart-shaped leavesand fragrant yellow-green flowers fol-lowed by hanging clusters of fleshyorange-red berries.

20. An international organization ofEuropean countries formed after WorldWar II to reduce trade barriers andincrease cooperation among its mem-bers.

21. Russian choreographer (1834-1905).23. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

(trade name Clinoril).25. A city in west central Washington on an

arm of Puget Sound south of Seattle.26. Occupied or in the control of.27. Oldest known reptiles.30. A summary that repeats the substance

of a longer discussion.31. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfec-

tions of the skin.34. Excluded from use or mention.37. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of

the alkali metal group.38. A white metallic element that burns

with a brilliant light.39. A port city in northwestern Algeria and

the country's 2nd largest city.41. Of or relating to Aram or to its inhabi-

tants or their culture or their language.44. A unit of astronomical length based on

the distance from Earth at which stellarparallax is 1 second of arc.

47. A communist nation that covers a vastterritory in eastern Asia.

48. 100 avos equal 1 pataca.49. An official prosecutor for a judicial dis-

trict.50. A card game in which players bet

against the dealer on the cards he willdraw from a dealing box.

52. An island in the Indian Ocean off theeast coast of Africa.

55. An agent capable of activating specificgenes.

57. A very poisonous metallic element thathas three allotropic forms.

58. A heavy odorless colorless gas formedduring respiration and by the decompo-sition of organic substances.

59. A silvery ductile metallic element foundprimarily in bauxite.

60. A mystical or allegorical interpretation(especially of Scripture).

69. An archaic term for a boundary.72. An Arabic speaking person who lives in

Arabia or North Africa.73. Wrap us in a cerecloth, as of a corpse.74. Put into a proper or systematic order.77. The starting place for each hole on a

golf course.78. Block consisting of a thick piece of

something.79. Small arctic whale the male having a

long spiral ivory tusk.80. Experiencing or showing sorrow or

unhappiness.

DOWN1. (informal) Elegant and fashionable.2. Give qualities or abilities to.3. (informal) Very good.4. The seventh month of the Hindu calen-

dar.5. A cloth used as a head covering (and veil

and shawl) by Muslim and Hinduwomen.

6. A light strong gray lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in stronglight-weight alloys (as for airplane parts).

7. A medicinal drug used to evoke vomiting(especially in cases of drug overdose orpoisoning).

8. A committee in the executive branch ofgovernment that advises the presidenton foreign and military and nationalsecurity.

9. Being one more than one.10. A Hindu goddess who releases from sin

or disease.11. A state in the western United States.12. A floor covering.13. A formal dance held for a school class

toward the end of the academic year.14. A river in northwestern Russia flowing

generally west into the Gulf of Finland.19. English actress noted for her perform-

ances in Shakespearean roles (1755-1831).

22. Any of various spiny trees or shrubs ofthe genus Acacia.

24. Administer an oil or ointment to.28. A republic on the Isthmus of Panama.29. A cut of pork ribs with much of the

meat trimmed off.32. A card game for 2 players.33. A performer who dances.35. An anti-TNF compound (trade name

Arava) that is given orally.36. A nobleman (in various countries) of

varying rank.40. Someone who works (or provides work-

ers) during a strike.42. Sweet pulpy tropical fruit with thick

scaly rind and shiny black seeds.43. Surpassing the ordinary especially in

size or scale.45. American inventor.46. A rounded thickly curled hairdo.51. (pathology) An elevation of the skin

filled with serous fluid.53. The capital of Croatia.54. (informal) Of the highest quality.56. 10 grams.61. Period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6.62. A sensation (as of a cold breeze or

bright light) that precedes the onset ofcertain disorders such as a migraineattack or epileptic seizure.

63. Wild or seedling sweet cherry used asstock for grafting.

64. An imperfection in a device or machine.65. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly

aquatic eukaryotic organisms lackingtrue stems and roots and leaves.

66. Studies intended to provide generalknowledge and intellectual skills (ratherthan occupational or professional skills).

67. The United Nations agency concernedwith atomic energy.

68. In bed.70. To make a mistake or be incorrect.71. A transuranic element.75. An intensely radioactive metallic ele-

ment that occurs in minute amounts inuranium ores.

76. Angular distance above the horizon(especially of a celestial object).

Yesterday’s Solution



WORD SEARCH PUZZLE

34s t a r s

Daily SuDoku

This is a great day for personal achievement as well as making plans. Your personalgoals are clearly visible and you should make great strides in reaching them. Be careful not toalienate friends or loved ones who may be following a different path. You attract many opportuni-ties right now, but you must choose which to pursue. Faith in your own self is the key. This is atime of major transition in your life, one that is usually quite beneficial. Today, your job is to findways in which you can enhance your creative abilities and lift or raise your psychic energy. Careful-there are opportunities to be lazy, as well as expressive. Consider signing up for a class or teachinga class. This will promote a healing in yourself and others.

You seem empowered with a clear and inquisitive mind. Discussing ideas with co-workers or in meetings with your boss can be most beneficial and rewarding. Anyone taking a noonbreak with you usually finds the most interesting conversations. You have an easygoing manner toall. Relations with members of the opposite sex are strengthened at this time. This is a good day toask favors from someone close or to return a favor. However, it may be best to just take it easy andplod along with whatever you were doing. Staying on an even keel with business, friends or aromantic partner is kind of nice at this time and may find you whistling a happy song. You could beencouraged to become involved in volunteer work this evening-perhaps with children.

inf or m at ionWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241

OphthalmologistsDr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General PractitionersDr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

UrologistsDr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

For labor-related inquiries and complaints:

Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

Kaizen center 25716707

Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

Kaifan 24849807

Shamiya 24848913

Shuwaikh 24814507

Abdullah Salem 22549134

Nuzha 22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764

Qadsiya 22515088

Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Gar 22531908

Shaab 22518752

Qibla 22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082

Mirqab 22456536

Sharq 22465401

Salmiya 25746401

Jabriya 25316254

Maidan Hawally 25623444

Bayan 25388462

Mishref 25381200

W Hawally 22630786

Sabah 24810221

Jahra 24770319

New Jahra 24575755

West Jahra 24772608

South Jahra 24775066

North Jahra 24775992

North Jleeb 24311795

Ardhiya 24884079

Firdous 24892674

Omariya 24719048

N Khaitan 24710044

Fintas 23900322

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE

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

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

Dermatology

Dr. Mohammed Salam Bern University 23845955

Dentists

Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer 22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan 22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash 22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan 25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari 25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 25345875

Gastrologists

Dr. Sami Aman 22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 22633135

Endocrinologist

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924

Physiotherapists & VD

Dr. Deyaa Shehab 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 25339667

Consultant Cardiologist

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Soor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688

[email protected]

Psychologists/Psychotherapists

PRIVATE CLINICS

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kaizen center25716707

Noor Clinic23845955

INTERNATIONALCALLS

Afghanistan 0093

Albania 00355

Algeria 00213

Andorra 00376

Angola 00244

Anguilla 001264

Antiga 001268

Argentina 0054

Armenia 00374

Australia 0061

Austria 0043

Bahamas 001242

Bahrain 00973

Bangladesh 00880

Barbados 001246

Belarus 00375

Belgium 0032

Belize 00501

Benin 00229

Bermuda 001441

Bhutan 00975

Bolivia 00591

Bosnia 00387

Botswana 00267

Brazil 0055

Brunei 00673

Bulgaria 00359

Burkina 00226

Burundi 00257

Cambodia 00855

Cameroon 00237

Canada 001

Cape Verde 00238

Cayman Islands 001345

Central African 00236

Chad 00235

Chile 0056

China 0086

Colombia 0057

Comoros 00269

Congo 00242

Cook Islands 00682

Costa Rica 00506

Croatia 00385

Cuba 0053

Cyprus 00357

Cyprus (Northern) 0090392

Czech Republic 00420

Denmark 0045

Diego Garcia 00246

Djibouti 00253

Dominica 001767

Dominican Republic 001809

Ecuador 00593

Egypt 0020

El Salvador 00503

England (UK) 0044

Equatorial Guinea 00240

Eritrea 00291

Estonia 00372

Ethiopia 00251

Falkland Islands 00500

Faroe Islands 00298

Fiji 00679

Finland 00358

France 0033

French Guiana 00594

French Polynesia 00689

Gabon 00241

Gambia 00220

Georgia 00995

Germany 0049

Ghana 00233

Gibraltar 00350

Greece 0030

Greenland 00299

Grenada 001473

Guadeloupe 00590

Guam 001671

Guatemala 00502

Guinea 00224

Guyana 00592

Haiti 00509

Holland (Netherlands) 0031

Honduras 00504

Hong Kong 00852

Hungary 0036

Ibiza (Spain) 0034

Iceland 00354

India 0091

Indian Ocean 00873

Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098

Iraq 00964

Ireland 00353

Italy 0039

Ivory Coast 00225

Jamaica 001876

Japan 0081

Jordan 00962

Kazakhstan 007

Kenya 00254

Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965

Kyrgyzstan 00996

Laos 00856

Latvia 00371

Lebanon 00961

Liberia 00231

Libya 00218

Lithuania 00370

Luxembourg 00352

Macau 00853

Macedonia 00389

Madagascar 00261

Majorca 0034

Malawi 00265

Malaysia 0060

Maldives 00960

Mali 00223

Malta 00356

Marshall Islands 00692

Martinique 00596

Mauritania 00222

Mauritius 00230

Mayotte 00269

Mexico 0052

Micronesia 00691

Moldova 00373

Monaco 00377

Mongolia 00976

Montserrat 001664

Morocco 00212

Mozambique 00258

Myanmar (Burma) 0095

Namibia 00264

Nepal 00977

Netherlands 0031

Netherlands Antilles 00599

New Caledonia 00687

New Zealand 0064

Nicaragua 00505

Nigar 00227

Nigeria 00234

Niue 00683

Norfolk Island 00672

N. Ireland (UK) 0044

North Korea 00850

Norway 0047

Oman 00968

Pakistan 0092

Palau 00680

Panama 00507

Papua New Guinea 00675

Paraguay 00595

Peru 0051

Philippines 0063

Poland 0048

Portugal 00351

Puerto Rico 001787

Qatar 00974

Romania 0040

Russian Federation 007

Rwanda 00250

Saint Helena 00290

Saint Kitts 001869

Saint Lucia 001758

Saint Pierre 00508

Saint Vincent 001784

Samoa US 00684

Samoa West 00685

San Marino 00378

Sao Tone 00239

Saudi Arabia 00966

Scotland (UK) 0044

Senegal 00221

Seychelles 00284

Sierra Leone 00232

Singapore 0065

Slovakia 00421

Slovenia 00386

Solomon Islands 00677

Somalia 00252

South Africa 0027

South Korea 0082

Spain 0034

Sri Lanka 0094

Sudan 00249

Suriname 00597

Swaziland 00268

Sweden 0046

Switzerland 0041

Syria 00963

Serbia 00381

Taiwan 00886

Tanzania 00255

Thailand 0066

Toga 00228

Tonga 00676

Tokelau 00690

Trinidad 001868

Tunisia 00216

Turkey 0090

Tuvalu 00688

Uganda 00256

Ukraine 00380

United Arab Emirates 00976

United Kingdom 0044

Uruguay 00598

USA 001

Uzbekistan 00998

Vanuatu 00678

Venezuela 00582

Vietnam 0084

Virgin Islands UK 001284

Virgin Islands US 001340

Wales (UK) 0044

Yemen 00967

Yugoslavia 00381

Zambia 00260

Zimbabwe 00263

36L I F E S T Y L EWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

G o s s i p

Britney Spears has won the Best OfLast Vegas and Best BacheloretteParty awards for her Las Vegas resi-

dency. The 33-year-old pop star - who’sbeen starring at the Planet HollywoodCasino and Hotel in Las Vegas since itopened on December 27, 2013 - hasearned rave reviews for her ‘Piece Of Me’residency and has taken to Twitter to shareher success with her 41.6 million followerson the social media site. Britney - who waspictured holding the awards backstage atPlanet Hollywood’s Axis auditorium, whereshe performs three nights a week - tweet-

ed: “Look what I got over the weekend!Thank you @BestOfLasVegas, my dedicatedteam & POM crew, @phvegas, and all ofYOU! (sic)” The singer was actually toldshe’d won the coveted prizes at the end ofMarch, but only collected her prizes at theweekend. In March, she tweeted: “Justheard some AMAZING news!! POM was vot-ed Best Show for @BestofLasVegas!!!BEYOND grateful to have such loyal fans.“THANK YOU to everyone who voted! Yoursupport means the world. I am so proud ofthis show & can’t wait to see what thefuture holds! Xoxo. (sic)”

Spears receives the Best of Last Vegas award

Adele undecided overproducer for new album

Adele still hasn’t chosen a producer for her new album. The 26-year-old singer- who initially hinted the follow up to her hit 2011 record ‘21’ would bereleased in 2014 - is reportedly still undecided over who to team up with on

her latest offering and may be forced to push back the album’s release even more.Producer Emile Haynie - who met up with Adele in February to discuss the possibil-ity of working together on the record - said: “Adele was awesome, but I don’t knowif we’ll be working together.”We got along well as friends when we met in Februaryand I hope we can cut some songs, but Adele is taking her time. “I’d push for it tohappen, but we’ll have to wait and see.” Emile, 34 - who has worked with KanyeWest and Bruno Mars in the past - also admitted he sought help from pal Lana DelRey when it came to releasing a record of his own. The producer - whose album‘We Fall’ features the 29-year-old singer as well as Florence Welch and The XX -penned the record following a break up and Lana was quick to offer him advice onhow to turn his heartbreak into a song. He told the Daily Star newspaper: “Lanacame by a couple of days after the breakup when it was still hellish.”She gave meloads of advice and the next thing you know we’re cutting the song.”

Carly Rae Jepsen: Sia isso humble and rad

Carly Rae Jepsen has praised Sia for being “so humble and rad”after she collaborated with the ‘Elastic Heart’ singer on herupcoming album. The ‘Call Me Maybe’ hitmaker is a big fan of

the Australian singer/songwriter and was desperate to have her onher her new LP ‘E∑MO∑TION’. Carly insists it was great to work withSia and she is very excited about the song they have createdtogether. Speaking in the latest issue of Notion magazine - onwhich she is the cover star - Carly said: “Sia is so humble and rad ...I was so nervous that day.” Sia is among a host of big names thatfeature on the LP, with Carly’s other collaborators including “GregKurstin, The Cardigans’s Peter Svensson, Dev Hynes, ArialRechtshaid, Tegan & Sara, Jack Antonoff and Vampire Weekend’sRostam Batmanglij”. Carly is really pleased with the track ‘All That’which she recorded with Dev because it represents a departurefrom her usual sound. Discussing the song, she said: “It’s got anamazing Prince-y vibe to it, it’s very evocative, a total slow jam.”Carly’s first single from the album, ‘I Really Like You’, is out on April26 and the video features a cameo appearance from Tom Hanks,

and she admits she wanted the Oscar winner to be in it so itwouldn’t become too “sickly sweet”. She said: “Look, I’m a cheesy,

nerdy Broadway girl at heart. It’s a very flirtatious, adorable song but... we felt like if we had a sickly sweet video it would just overkill ... My

favorite bit (video) is where we sent ‘running guy emoji’, ‘tree emoji’ and‘running guy emoji’ to Tom Hanks. Run, Forest, Run!”

Will Spider-Man makea cameo in Avengers:

Age of Ultron? An online leak has suggested Spider-Man will make a

cameo appearance in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’. The iconiccomic book character recently joined the Marvel

Cinematic Universe and in a clip that has appeared on the inter-net over the last few days, Spider-Man can be seen interactingwith a window cleaner and joking that he’d missed a spot of dirt.However, the reported appearance of Spider-Man comes amid acasting change and a redesign of the character’s suit. Last week,meanwhile, Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel, confirmed thatthe studio’s ‘Spider-Man’ movie will not be an origin story. Herevealed the new movie will work on the assumption that itsaudience already knows the “specifics” of Peter Parker’s life. Hesaid: “In Spider-Man’s very specific case, where there have beentwo retellings of that origin in the last whatever it’s been - [13]years - for us, we are going to take it for granted that peopleknow that, and the specifics.”It will not be an origin story, butwith great power comes great responsibility. It is inherent towho his character is. But we want to reveal it in different waysand spend much more time focusing on this young high schoolkid in the Marvel Comic universe dealing with his powers.” Healso said the Marvel Spider-Man will wear a distinctly differentoutfit to previous on-screen incarnations. Kevin explained:“We’ve already designed the costume, which is different thanany of the ones that have come before. And yet ours is classicSpidey, as I think you’ll see.”

Zane confirmed to appear in Zoolander 2

Billy Zane is to make an appearance in ‘Zoolander 2’.The 49-year-old actor, who’s previously starred in‘Titanic’ and ‘Back to the Future’, has been cast in the

eagerly-awaited sequel to the 2001 comedy film, in whichBen Stiller plays dimwitted male model Derek Zoolander.Billy made a cameo as himself in the original film and hisappearance in the sequel has been confirmed in the lateston-set teaser for ‘Zoolander 2’, which shows Ben Stillerappearing to approach his co-star Owen Wilson and say-ing: “Hey Hansel, wouldn’t it be cool if Billy Zane was inZoolander 2?” At that stage, the blonde-haired man turnsaround to reveal himself as Zane, who responds: “Yeah,that’d be great.” Other big-name stars rumored to appear inthe much-hyped sequel include Naomi Campbell, CaraDelevingne and Jourdan Dunn, as well as rap star KanyeWest. What’s more, Kanye is reportedly requesting that hiswife Kim Kardashian West be given a cameo or small partin the comedy movie. A source said: “Kanye is friends withWill and appeared briefly in ‘Anchorman 2’ but he wantedto be in ‘Zoolander 2’ even more. It’s very likely that Kimwill also appear in some capacity.”

Emma Stone reunites with Steve Carell?

Emma Stone will star opposite Steve Carell in ‘Battle of The Sexes’. The‘Birdman’ actress and Steve, 52, will reportedly play iconic tennis rivalsBobby Riggs and Billie Jean King in the movie which recreates the leg-

endary 1973 meet between the former pro and 29-year-old sportswoman,which drew in an audience of 50 million. The pair - who previously played a

father and daughter duo on screen in the rom-com ‘Crazy,Stupid, Love’ - will be directed by ‘Little Miss

Sunshine’ helmers Johnathan Dayton and ValerieFaris. The film is based on a script by Simon

Beaufoy and is set to begin filming this year intime for a 2016 release, reports EmpireOnline. Emma, 26, is also set to team upwith her other ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ co-starRyan Gosling after the pair entered intonegotiations to star in ‘La La Land’. Thepair are in talks with director DamienChazelle and Lionsgate to appear in theupcoming romantic musical after MilesTeller - who played the lead in Chazelle’sOscar-nominated film ‘Whiplash’ - dropped

out. Although neither Stone, 26, norGosling, 34 - who also appeared alongside

one another in ‘Gangster Squad’ - have offi-cially signed up for the film, production is

scheduled to begin in autumn with the studiohoping to have the Hollywood stars on board.

Cara Delevingne:I’m not a role model

Cara Delevingne doesn’t want to be a role model to her fans. The supermodelaccepts her behavior and statements will have an effect on the people who followher career but she doesn’t accept she is a role model and she doesn’t want the

responsibility of being someone they should look up to. Cara - who has 2.51 million fol-lowers on Twitter - said: “I hope that I can influence young people and teach them that it

is important and necessary to preserve your individuality.Look, you can admire people and be guided by them,

but you should never imitate them.” The catwalkqueen has now embarked on an acting career and

can currently be seen in Michael Winter bottom’spsychological thriller ‘The Face of An Angel’ andhas roles in DC Comics blockbuster ‘SuicideSquad’ and ‘London Fields’. The 22-year-old staradmits the biggest difference she’s noticedfrom being a model to being an actress is thatshe’s now aware that cameras are shootingher. In an interview in Germany’s Vogue mag-azine, she said: “I always wanted to be anactress from an early age. Drama and music,

that was always my plan A; the modeling wasrather random (for me). “As a model, I was never

particularly aware of the camera. If you are anactor you have to put the camera out of your

mind. That was difficult for me in the beginning butslowly I got cool with it.”

Sia feels ‘hunted’by the paparazzi

The ‘Elastic Heart’ singer hates the harassment she gets because she’s afamous pop star and says her friends were shocked when they got a tasteof what her daily life is like dealing with the unwanted attention from the

snappers. Speaking on Australian TV network Seven, Sia - who is famous for cov-ering her face in public - said: “It’s unpleasant. It makes

me feel hunted. My friends were with me the otherday when the paps were at the airport and it was

like they all got diarrhoea and I had to explain... you go into fight or flight (mode). You feel

like prey and they’re the predator and you’rebeing hunted. “Would you like to spendyour life feeling like prey? Probably not.” Aswell as being a successful solo artist, Siahas also written hits for a galaxy of stars,including Rihanna, Flo Rida and Rita Ora.The 39-year-old songwriter has alwaysbeen determined to try and live a “regularlife” while working in the music business,

but accepts it’s tough. She mused: “It’s justwanting to have a regular life, just like a reg-

ular person but still be able to make musicand sing. But to do that without having to

sacrifice having just a regular life, that’s all (Iwant).” —Bangshowbiz

37L I F E S T Y L EWEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015

G o s s i p

Lovato has praised herboyfriend Valderrama

Demi Lovato has praised her boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama for inspiring her to beat her sub-stance abuse problems and eating disorder. The 22-year-old pop star has been very openabout her rehab treatment for drugs, alcoholism, self-harming and bulimia in 2010 and

she has revealed Wilmer, 35, refused to “enable” her behavior when they were together at thetime. In an interview on the ‘Kyle And Jackie O Show’ KIIS 106.5 FM, she said: “There were somemoments when it was off and on when I was struggling with my issues. What he would do is hewouldn’t enable me so he’d say, ‘I can’t be around if you’re not going to get your stuff together.’ Itmade me fight for it. He’s a very, very good guy.” The ‘Really Don’t Care’ singer is currently inAustralia for her ‘Demi World Tour’ and after completing her dates Down Under she then moveson to the Far East leg of the tour. Demi recently claimed she believes she has a responsibility toraise awareness of mental health issues. The ‘Skyscraper’ hitmaker said: “My whole life - all I’vewanted to do is help. And I knew that singing could be a platform. And I thought that singingwas the loudest I was going to get. It wasn’t until I started talking and sharing my story that Irealized it was really reaching people. So that’s what I believe I’m here to do.”

Royal baby won’t be named CharlotteBritain’s Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge reportedly won’t be naming their second child

Charlotte. According to top historian Clarissa Campbell Orr from Anglia Ruskin University, who specializesin the British monarchy, the couple are unlikely to choose the name for the newborn if the child is a girl

due to the unfavorable fates of previous royal figures with the moniker. She told the Daily Express newspaper:“There is a popular tide of opinion hoping that if it is a daughter she will be named Charlotte. However, from thepoint of view of the Royal Family, this is unlikely to be a particularly favorable name. “George III’s wife, SophieCharlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was a very successful consort and weathered the disturbing episode of herhusband’s apparent madness, although her hair turned white with shock.” The couples eldest daughterCharlotte was also deemed a disappointment to the Royal Family after she married a Duke of Wurttemberg inGermany against their will. The odds on the name being chosen still stand at 40/1, with Alice, Elizabeth andDiana also prove popular amongst betters if the 33-year-old royal gives birth to a Princess. James currentlystands as the favorite if the baby is boy. Sam Smith “would chop off his toe” to be able to live like a “hobbit” inHobbiton.

Martin’s ‘parting gifts’for Gwyneth

Chris Martin has given Gwyneth Paltrow some intimate “parting gifts”, including handwritten song lyricsinspired by her. The former couple - who have children Apple, 10, and Moses, nine, together - filed fordivorce this week, over a year after they separated, but are doing everything they can to stay friends and

keep their relationship amicable. A source told the new issue of Grazia magazine: “They will share joint custody asa children and agreed they will alwaysspend Christmas, birthdays and significantholidays as a family. “Chris has even givenGwyneth parting gifts, including handwrit-ten lyrics of Coldplay songs that are abouther. “He knows they will be worth a lot ofmoney in the future and he wants her andthe children to have them.” Things are soamicable between the ‘Iron Man 3’ star andthe Coldplay frontman - who are now dat-ing Brad Falchuk and Jennifer Lawrencerespectively - they are even planning adivorce party for when the legal process iscomplete. The source added: “Gwynethand Chris have been regularly speaking onthe phone to ensure it all goes throughwith ease. “They’ve even joked about hav-ing a divorce celebration with friends andfamily once it’s complete.” It was previouslyclaimed Gwyneth, 42, and Chris, 38, willdivide their £200 million fortune equally,and they are even planning to waive anychild support arrangement. A source said:“They’re worth pretty much the sameamount so are planning to halve every-thing. They have too much dignity to rowabout who has what, who should have themost money and who should see most ofthe kids.” It is believed that Gwyneth willremain in the family home in Brentwood,Los Angeles whilst Chris will move toMalibu so the pair are not too far apart.

Huntington-Whiteley:Jason Statham

is my ‘best mate’

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley says her partnerJason Statham is her “best mate”. The 28-year-old model has been romancing the 47-year-old

action star for almost five years and Rosie believestheir relationship works well because they are suchclose friends as well as lovers and he can always makeher giggle. In the new issue of Self magazine, Rosiesaid: “We’re best mates. He makes me laugh every day.I almost feel like I never had a proper boyfriendbefore!” The catwalk superstar has made the moveinto acting in recent years and can next be seen in‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. Rosie decided she wanted tobecome an actress because she wanted to challengeherself in a new professional field. The blonde beautysaid: “I don’t always want to be the face of everything.I think you have to take risks in life and scare yourself.You have to push beyond your comfort zone in orderto grow.” Speaking about the six-month locationshoot for ‘Mad Max’ - which also stars Tom Hardy andCharlize Theron - she added: “You have to be fit andhealthy and strong. Your mind has to be strong, too.Not only for the stunts but also for the number ofhours you’re spending on-set.”

Panettiere describes motherhood as an ‘out-of-body experience’

Hayden Panettiere says becoming a mother has been like an “out-of-body experi-ence”. The ‘Nashville’ star gave birth to daughter Kaya - her first child with herfiancé Wladimir Klitschko - last December and since she welcomed her baby

into the world she has re-prioritized her entire life. Musing on motherhood in an inter-view with ‘Good Morning America’, Hayden, 25, said: “It’s out of body ... As long as yourkids are happy and healthy and all good - it’s fabulous.” She then added: “You just re-prioritize ... You hear that they’re healthy, and you just don’t care about yourself anymore. It’s the most out-of-body experience, where you go, ‘I will completely lay myselfon the line for my child. Without even a hesitation.’ “ The arrival of Kaya has had a simi-lar effect on world heavyweight champion boxer Wladimir. The 39-year-old pugilistpreviously said: “It has changed my life completely. I’m so happy to have Hayden in mylife. She’s the best mom I could even imagine. She’s a true, amazing mom ... I think[having] children is something that connects you until the end of your days no matterwhat. And I think that, Kaya, our daughter, has connected us forever. And that’s themost amazing thing. Everything else is coming, it’s something that needs to beplanned ... but the connection with the child is better than any marriage!”

Mulligandoesn’t care

about clothesCarey Mulligan doesn’t care what

she wears when she isn’t working.The ‘Great Gatsby’ actress - who is

married to singer Marcus Mumford -feels she is a “better person” when sheisn’t worried about her clothes or put-ting on make-up, so makes minimaleffort when she is at home on her farmin Devon, South West England. She said:“I like waking up in the morning andputting on whatever’s by the side of mybed, and putting on Wellington bootsand walking up a steep hill. And notwearing any make-up. “When you’reworking, everything’s so busy and soaesthetic. When all of that angst isn’t onyou, you’re just kind of a better person-more focused on other people ratherthan worrying about yourself.” The 29-year-old actress also admitted she fre-quently changes her hair style becauseshe thinks it makes it easier for audi-ences to accept her in a new role if shelooks different. She explained to the newissue of America’s Vogue magazine: “Ihave always felt that the less peopleknow about me, the better. “The moresimilar you look job to job, the morethey relate to you from your previousroles. That’s why I’ve done loads of reallystupid things to my hair in the past to tryto not look the same.”Roseanne Barr is going blind

The 62-year-old actress is suffering from eye diseases macular degeneration and glauco-ma but is determined to continue doing the things she loves while she still can. Speakingof how macular degeneration is causing her field of vision to narrow, she said: “My vision

is closing in now. It’s something weird. But there are otherweird things. “That one’s harsh, ‘cause I read a lot, andthen I thought, ‘Well, I guess I could hire somebody toread for me and read to me.’ But I like words and I likelooking. You do what you have to do. I just try and enjoyvision as much as possible-y’know, living it up.”And the‘Roseanne’ star revealed the problem runs in her family.She added: “My dad had it, too.” Roseanne has previouslyconfessed to smoking marijuana and says the drug helpsease the discomfort of glaucoma, a build-up of pressure inthe eye. She told The Daily Beast website: “It’s a goodmedicine, you know. “I have macular degeneration andglaucoma, so it’s good for me for that because I have pres-sure in my eyes. It’s a good medicine for a lot of things.”And the actress admitted she enjoys the narcotic for otherreasons too. She added: “It’s expansive. It opens yourmind. You’re like, ‘Wow’, you’re in awe. You look up into thestars. It makes you wonder. It doesn’t close that down.”

Harding to have her own fashion line out this year

Sarah Harding wants to have her own fashion line “out this year”. The former Girls Aloudstar - who recently just landed a role in TV soap ‘Coronation Street’ - is very interestedin creating a clothing collection and has hinted she already has one in development.

The 33-year-old beauty told BANG Showbiz: “I can’treally say too much about what I’ve got coming up, it’sa bit of a secret project! “I would like to have my ownfashion line out this year. That’s definitely somethingI’m considering.” Sarah’s current fashion love is the re-emergence of 70s style, because it’s “easy-wear”.Speaking at the Florence & Fred Autumn Winter collec-tion launch in London today the blonde bombshellsaid: “I’m loving the whole 70s comeback, I’d probablywear the majority of Florence and Fred. The fit is reallygreat and flattering on the clothes. I’m wearing it nowand it’s very easy-wear!” Sarah had to face an embar-rassing fashion faux par at the event as both she andSaturdays singer Vanessa White both turned up in theexact same white jumpsuit outfit. Dealing with themassively awkward situation like a true professional,Sarah laughed: “It’s actually really funny to see Vanessaand I wearing the same outfit this morning, greatminds think alike!”—Bang Showbiz


F E A T U R E S

l if e s t y l e

Geneva Tourism, one of Switzerland’s offi-cial tourist boards, has announced, yetagain, its participation in the Arabian

Travel Market, taking place on May 4, 2015.Geneva Tourism has been associated with theGCC for many years and is happy be to back toparticipate in one of the biggest travel eventsin the region. As an active player in the in theGCC, Geneva Tourism plans to focus on endors-ing the city as a leisure and corporate traveldestination.

Conveniently located in the heart of Europe,Geneva is the perfect gateway to Switzerland.It not only has one of the country’s most spec-tacular landscapes, it is also well known for itsexcellent quality of life. The city knows how towelcome its guests with great activities, ulti-mate shopping experiences, as well asSwitzerland’s most refined dining tables.

Geneva has much more to offer than whatpeople come to expect from it. Not many peo-ple know, but it is known as the gastronomycapital of Switzerland and has 140 ethnicrestaurants representing 5 continents andmore than 30 nationalities (including halal).With 55 restaurants awarded by the Michelinand Gault Millau guides, Geneva definitely hasgreat taste. And that’s not all. Each March,Geneva becomes one of the automobile capi-tals of the world, hosting one of the biggestautomobile exhibition - the Geneva MotorShow. The city also has many boutiques whereyou can discover all the prestigious interna-

tional brands and a choice of watches you willnot find anywhere else. Geneva also offers a

host of outdoor activities like water sports,nature parks and much more.

Last year, Geneva was nominated asEurope’s Leading City Break Destination at the

World Travel Award and was voted Europe’sLeading City Break Destination, 2014. Facingprestigious competitors such as Paris, London,Madrid, Rome or Dublin, the award proves thatGeneva has all the assets to be an attractiveleisure destination.

GCC’s tourist outflow to Europe has wit-nessed a steady increase over the past fewyears and the number of GCC tourists visitingGeneva in 2014 saw a 9.7% increase comparedto 2013. During this period, there was a total of219’812 overnights. The highest percentage ofthese tourists were from Saudi Arabia, followedby the UAE. Saudi tourists have also beenranked first in terms of daily tourist expendi-ture worldwide.

“We have a strong affinity with the GCC andwe’re happy to see an increase in GCC tourismto Geneva”, said Philippe Vignon, GeneralManager at Geneva Tourism. “Geneva has wel-comed people from the GCC for the last fewdecades and, as a result, we understand thechanging needs of this market and haveevolved accordingly. With our participation inthe Arabian Travel Market 2015, we plan toshowcase Geneva in all its glory”, he added.

The Arabian Travel Market has been theregion’s most popular travel event for 21 years,helping travel houses interact and network toenhance their businesses. ATM 2015 promisesto be bigger than ever, with the theme of‘Family Travel’, focusing on Travel technology,luxury and wellness.

Geneva rekindles its long-term association with the GCC

Geneva Tourism to participate in ATM 2015 and focus on GCC tourism

Missing weddingring plucked

from dog doo,returned to owner

An Alaska woman suspected herfamily’s dog snatched her weddingring, but she couldn’t find proof -

until the diamond-encrusted platinumband turned up months later at a local ballfield. Nikki Balovich lost her ring inJanuary, when she was pregnant andoften took it off her swollen finger, theDaily Sitka Sentinel newspaper reported.

The Sitka woman suspected Halli wasthe culprit because the 90-pound mastiffpuppy often carries household items in itsmouth. She spent time searching for theband, including checking Halli’s poop out-side. “I gave up, I thought it was longgone,” she said. “We take the dog every-where with us, on hikes, on the boat -what were the chances we’re going to findit?” Balovich had no evidence of the dog’sinvolvement until last week, when she sawa post on a Facebook sales site about aring being found in an “unusual place.”

Balovich had a gut feeling and contact-ed the poster, Bob Potrzuski. Turns out, hiswife found the ring while picking up dogpoop at a local ball field. Balovich alsorecently volunteered at the field, andbrought along Halli.

Potrzuski and his wife previously triedunsuccessfully to find the owner by puttingan ad in the Sentinel. They also called police.Balovich was reunited with her ring onThursday, her husband’s birthday. “It’s beenon my hands ever since,” she said. “My handwas feeling naked without it.” — AP

Nikki Balovich shows her platinum wed-ding ring that had gone missing inJanuary, after it was returned to her. — AP

It feels like a luxury restaurant, with starched-uniformed waiters pouring pricy wine andexplaining the intricate details of a gourmet

menu as diners gaze out at a spectacular moun-tain view. But all the servers, the impeccablydressed guests and even the kitchen staff send-ing out elaborately decorated plates are in factstudents at one of Switzerland’s famous hotelmanagement schools. “This is part of the stu-dent’s learning experience,” said StephaneBernard, a service instructor at the Glion school,overlooking the picturesque town of Montreuxon the shores of Lake Geneva.

The school is ranked among the top threesuch establishments in the world, all inSwitzerland. For more than a century, hotel man-agement schools in the wealthy Alpine nationhave been considered the best and draw stu-dents from around the globe. Glion alone hassome 100 nationalities attending, with Frenchthe biggest group followed by Chinese, Russianand Swiss. But these schools are facing a range ofnew challenges, with competing, less expensiveestablishments surfacing in Asia, the Middle Eastand elsewhere, in step with shifting global travelpatterns.

Sky-high tuition The soaring value of the Swiss franc, mean-

while, has made already sky-high tuition at theSwiss schools around 20 percent pricier for stu-dents writing their cheques in euros. The Swissschools acknowledge that worried parents haveenquired about price cuts, but insist that is notthe way to go. “I will never do that, because theincrease of the quality is more than the increase

of the price,” said Michel Rochat, who heads theEcole Hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL). EHL, theworld’s first hotel management school whichopened in 1893 and still tops global rankings,charges around 150,000 Swiss francs for itsthree-year bachelor program for internationalstudents.

Far from cutting the price, Rochat said heplans to raise it in September to reflect theschool’s annual revamp of 15 percent of its cur-riculum to keep up with an ever-changing globalhospitality market. And despite growing compe-tition from new schools in Asia especially, he saysSwitzerland’s reputation for innovation andexcellence, its stunning nature and stable econo-my provide an atmosphere that cannot be emu-lated. “We’ll still be on top 100 years from now,”Rochat said. Glion student Palita Lee agrees. “InSwitzerland, the standards are at the top,” shesaid, explaining why she had chosen to travelfrom Thailand for the program. The 19-year-oldgraciously tops up a glass of sparkling water andsuggests a good wine to go with the chickenordered by a classmate.

Future industry leaders She and the others work hard to carry out

their tasks professionally, but they do not plan tobe waiters or kitchen staff : they are beinggroomed as future industry leaders. “The impor-tant thing is that they try everything, that theylearn the needs of each profession and eachservice in the hotel so they can manage teams ofspecialists,” explained Alain Brunier, president ofthe Swiss Association of Hotel Schools and alsohead of the Geneva hotel school EHG. Lee says

she aims to manage hotels for a large chain soshe can travel the world.

Her Glion classmate, Federico Pironti, a 20-year-old Italian-Austrian student, says he has sethis sights higher. “My big dream is to own hotels,not manage them. To own a hotel chain. It’s anexpensive dream, I know,” he said, smiling under-neath his chef’s hat as he prepares desserts in thekitchen. These students view the tuition at Glion,a fully private institution charging around

185,000 Swiss francs for its three-and-a-half-yearbachelor program, as an investment that will cer-tainly pay off.

While an increasing number of students inother fields are graduating into unemploymentand uncertainty, students targeting the stillbooming global tourism industry have a wealthof options, Brunier said. A graduate may notimmediately land a job managing a five-star

Geneva hotel, “but if they are willing to travel tosay Shanghai or Dubai they can easily find notjust work but a position of responsibility,” he said.

Glion director of campuses Peter Cross says85 percent of graduates “have between two andthree job offers at graduation,” while the othersare either entering a family business or not look-ing for work for other reasons. “There is a strongguarantee of getting a job at the end of the pro-gram,” he said. Lucile Falguieres, who graduatedfrom Glion in 2005 and is currently associatesales and marketing director at the five-starFairmont Montreux Palace hotel, said she washired right out of school to manage a team of 30people at a luxury hotel in Dubai. And she saysshe has since hired her share of graduates fromGlion and other Swiss schools. “As soon as yousee a Swiss school, you tend to hire the person,”she said. — AFP

Swiss hotel schools eyeanother century as ‘world best’

Students work during noon rush hour at the Glion school, one of Switzerland’s famous hotel management schools. — AFP photos

A student takes orders.


M U S I C & M O V I E S

l if e s t y l e

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd yesterday madea surprise guilty plea on a charge ofthreatening to kill, with his lawyer describ-

ing the veteran rocker’s offence as “just an angryphone call”. Rudd had previously denied all alle-gations against him, but changed his plea on thefirst day of his trial at Tauranga District Court inNew Zealand, also admitting two minor drugpossession charges. As a result, judge RobertWoolff adjourned the matter after just 10 min-utes and extended Rudd’s bail until a sentencinghearing on June 26.

While threatening to kill carries a potential jailterm of seven years, Rudd’s solicitor Craig Tucksaid the 60-year-old would apply for a dischargewithout conviction. “What we can see now is thatthis matter was essentially just an angry phonecall that resulted in police getting a search war-rant... that was it,” Tuck told reporters outside thecourt. Rudd was arrested in November at hiswaterfront mansion in the North Island coastaltown of Tauranga, with court documents reveal-ing he was accused of threatening to kill a formeremployee.

He was allegedly upset about poor organiza-tion at a function to launch his solo album “HeadJob” in August, calling an associate four weekslater to say he wanted the ex-employee “takenout”, then phoning the man and threatening hislife. He allegedly offered the associate“NZ$200,000 ($153,000), a motorbike, one of hiscars or a house”. When police raided Rudd’shome, they found 0.478 grams of methampheta-mine and 91 grams of cannabis, the documentssaid. Rudd initially faced another charge of

“attempting to procure murder”, but it wasdropped after prosecutors decided there wasinsufficient evidence. A second charge of threat-ening to kill-relating to the ex-employee’sdaughter-was dropped yesterday.

‘Incalculable damage’ Australian-born Rudd, who has lived in New

Zealand since 1983, arrived at court in a luxury

gullwing Mercedes and was dressed conserva-tively in a blue jacket and tie. He said nothing toa waiting media throng, in contrast to previousappearances when he had dressed casually andmade rude gestures to reporters. Rudd’s lawyershave previously said the dropped murder-for-hire charge caused “incalculable damage” to thedrummer. Asked yesterday how his client’s repu-tation has suffered as a result of the case, Tuck

replied: “We’ve got a team of lawyers looking atthat right now.” Rudd first joined AC/DC in 1975and left in 1983, only to return 11 years later.

He was part of the AC/DC line-up inductedinto the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and wona Grammy for best hard rock performance withthe band for “War Machine” in 2010. But the legalwoes threaten to end his involvement with thehard rockers permanently, as a conviction would

make it difficult for him to tour with the band.Chris Slade-the band’s drummer in the early1990s-has replaced Rudd in recent appearancesand is set to play on AC/DC’s upcoming “Rock orBust” world tour. It was the second major line-upchange for AC/DC. Malcolm Young, the rhythmguitarist who founded the band with his brotherAngus, was placed in a care facility late last yearas he suffers dementia. — AFP

AC/DC drummer’s kill threat just an ‘angry call’

Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd stands in the dock flanked by security facing charges atthe District Court in Tauranga, New Zealand yesterday. — AFP photos

Phil Rudd arrives to face charges at the District Court .

Chicano Batmanspreads wings with

genre-merging sound

In their ruffled tuxedo shirts, the Los Angeles musi-cians Chicano Batman sport a retro look that evokesdecades past of performers in the working-class

Latino neighborhoods of their hometown. But withinfluences that range from psychedelia to tropicalia tofunk, Chicano Batman offers a glimpse at a future direc-tion of Latin music as the band builds off the diversityof traditions in the multicultural metropolis. After per-forming for years in the city’s Latin indie scene, ChicanoBatman has recently won a broader following. Theband opened this year on a tour of rocker Jack Whiteand played at Coachella, the influential music festival inthe California desert that closed on Sunday.

The band members welcome the growing audiencebut bristle at being pigeon-holed as a Latin band.“We’re doing this on our own merits. It’s not like thisweird affirmative action type thing,” frontman BardoMartinez said of playing Coachella. “I feel that we playvery tight and we provide a solid and very defined aes-thetic, which not a lot of artists do,” he told AFP at thefestival. Chicano Batman’s sound, for all of the diversityof influences, is consistent and identifiable. Working offan energetic but even-paced rhythm section, key-boards conjure up psychedelic rock while the extendedguitar stretches bring to mind jam bands. The lyricism,both in Spanish and English, is similarly evocative witha focus on sensory imagery. The song “Itotiani” is a ref-erence to an Aztec dancer and the music, and words,cast a smooth, calm atmosphere. “Her heart is beatingfast / Feeling the soul reborn,” Martinez sings inSpanish. “She has an air of Teotihuacan,” he sings of theancient Mexican city, and, in reference to the peanut-based sweet: “Her skin has the color of mazapan.”

Diverse upbringings Latin rock is hardly a new genre in the United

States. Guitarist Carlos Santana in the 1960s and 1970spioneered the fusion of Latin influences in rock, whileeast Los Angeles-bred Chicano rockers Los Lobos wonmainstream appeal a decade later. But coming from amore recent generation in Los Angeles, ChicanoBatman represents a greater array of musical influ-ences. Bassist and singer Eduardo Arenas recalledgrowing up with a love of gangsta rap and blaring IceCube from his car.

“That’s how you would represent yourself, that’s thevibe you give out. But then you go home and you’relistening to the things that your parents are listeningto,” Arenas said, citing as examples the Mexican popstars Los Bukis and Spanish romantic crooner JulioIglesias. The band also brings together backgroundsfrom within Latin America. Drummer Gabriel Villa grewup in Colombia with a love of salsa, meringue and val-lenato. The different musical education is witnessed inVilla’s style-notably his love of cowbells.

Martinez-who sings and plays keyboards and guitar,and also came up with the band’s attention-grabbingname-is half Mexican and half Colombian. He said thathe grew up on his father’s music collection that includ-ed everything from 1980s pop superstar Cyndi Lauperto Eric Clapton’s classic blues rock outfit Cream. Onekey difference that sets apart US-raised musicians,Martinez said, is the instruments that they pursue. “InLA, you’re not going to grow up playing a conga,” hesaid, referring to the Cuban drum.

“In Cuba there will be a million percussionists and afew guitarists, but here it’s the opposite,” he said. With anew album in the works, the band members have mixedviews on whether to focus on Spanish- or English-lan-guage lyrics. Arenas said that Spanish was more mean-ingful to him due to the personal connection. ButMartinez said that English felt natural. “Part of it is that Iwant to hit people as hard as I can,” Martinez said. “So if ittakes writing a song in English, so be it.” — AFP

Bardo Martinez of the Latin-infused psychedeliagroup Chicano Batman performing on day three of theCoachella Music Festival in Indio, California. — AFP

Lena Dunham is one of Variety’s Power of Women NewYork honorees. For more profiles on the honorees, clickhere. Lena Dunham wasn’t aware of the horrors of sex

trafficking until recently. But from the moment she heardabout Gems from her friend Audrey Gelman, Dunham knewshe wanted to shine a spotlight on the non-profit that helpsvictims of commercial sexual exploitation in New York.“What attracted me so much to the cause is that I’m a femi-nist and I’m a sexual assault survivor,” says Dunham, the starof HBO’s “Girls.” “I felt that it was important to me to not justcall attention to the circumstances (around) which I wasassaulted on a college campus, but also to call attention tosexual abuse survivors who have far less of a public voice.”

Girls Educational & Mentoring Services was startedin 1998 by British activist and author Rachel Lloyd. “Therehasn’t been enough awareness and education,” says Lloyd.She notes that society often considers these women lazyoutcasts instead of helpless victims. Once a low-income

teenager falls into the world of sex trafficking, it’s almostimpossible to start a new life, but that’s where Gems comesto the rescue. Last year, 371 women and girls sought theorganization’s services, which includes counseling, housing,legal help and job coaching.

“There are so many girls, particularly in urban areas, whoare born to parents who may be drug addicted and violent,”Dunham says. “These pimps are waiting at the bus to tellthese girls, ‘You seem amazing. I love you and want to beyour boyfriend.’ What feels like a loving relationship turnsinto them being forced to go out and make a living. What’shappening is rape. It’s statutory rape by the most basic defi-nition.”

Dunham has been working with Lloyd to build a libraryfor Gems. “This is an important organization,” Dunham says.Lloyd is grateful for Dunham’s voice. “It’s helpful because shehas a platform,” Lloyd says. “Our young women, while trau-matized and abused, have incredible potential.” — Reuters

Dunham helps victims of sex trafficking find hope

Lena Dunham

Music Review: Passion Pitfeeling the ‘Kindred’ spirit

America’s reigning synthpop king, PassionPit , is out with a third studio album,“Kindred,” a passable offering of tidy little

electro ditties. For their heartfelt lyrics, Passion Pit(aka Michael Angelakos and whoever is playinglive with him at any given gig) remains a musicaltastemaker’s dividing line. You’re either all in withAngelakos’ sparkling lead vocals and sprightlymelodies, or you’re likely off the train. Take “FiveFoot Ten (I),” for example. It’s ripe for a deeper clubremix, but as delivered it is little more than anaural glitter bomb. “I want to be all alone withyou/ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh” goes the cloying refrain tolittle resolution.

Lead single “Lifted Up (1985)” is better, soaringhigher and reaching far more artistically. Still, Ican’t help but feel that beneath Passion Pit’s well-polished tracks there are even better songs lurk-ing behind one too many layers of production. Ilike “Kindred.” Just not enough. — AP

Glenn Close still remembers theday that her younger sisterapproached her with a terrifying

secret: “I can’t stop thinking about killingmyself,” Jessie Close confided to Glennroughly 10 years ago. Bi l ly Kidd forVariety After doctors diagnosed Jessiewith bipolar disorder, and Jessie’s son,Calen Pick, with schizoaffective disorder,Close was determined to learn moreabout mental illness. She volunteered at

the New York recover y centerFountain House, and in 2010 started the

nonprofit Bring Change 2 Mind to raiseawareness.

“We thought the best thing to do waswork against the stigma that surroundsmental illness,” Close says, noting thatone in four people are affected by it. “It’sa chronic illness like anything else.”

Bring Change 2 Mind aims to start aconversation. Close tapped her friendRon Howard to direct the org’s first PSA,which stars the Oscar-nominated actressalongside Jessie, as well as other peoplewearing the names of their diseases on T-

shirts. Since then, an estimated 1 billionhave viewed online the PSAs, which havefeatured Wayne Brady and NFL widereceiver Brandon Marshall sharing theirstories. The Close sisters have used manyforums to talk about their mission, from aWashington, DC, summit to NPR toPeople magazine.

Close says she recently had anepiphany when she saw her nephew.“He would wear these dark glasses. Hehad this frightening look in his eyes. Iwas telling him, six months ago, he had

lost that look. He said, ‘Do you knowwhat that was? I was terrified.’ “Jessiesays she couldn’t be more proud of herbig sister, adding, “I would say Glenn isreally my hero as far as stepping up tothe plate and doing something aboutthe stigma.” Adds Pamela Harrington,the executive director of Bring Change 2Mind: “She was really one of the firstpublic figures to speak out in mentalhealth advocacy world. She’s been areally great beacon of hope for so manypeople.” —Reuters

Close fights to end mental illness stigma with bring change 2 mind

Filmstars Sienna Miller, JakeGyllenhaal and Sophie Marceau,as well as cult director Guillermo

del Toro are among the members ofthis year’s Cannes film festival jury,organizers announced yesterday.Other members of the jury for the Mayfestival, which is being presided overby the Coen brothers, are Canadiandirector Xavier Dolan, Spanish actressRossy de Palma and Malian composerRokia Traore. The jury will choose thewinners in a range of acting and film-making categories, including the topprize, the Palme D’Or, presented at theclosing ceremony on May 24.

Among this year’s crop of competi-tion entries is American film “The Seaof Trees” starring MatthewMcConaughey and Naomi Watts. Also

in the running is a film starring EmilyBlunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro,“Sicario”, about a CIA operation tobring down a Mexican cartel. CateBlanchett heads up another entry,“Carol”, a lesbian love story set in NewYork, while Rachel Weisz will be in twomovies: the Italian-directed “Youth”also featuring Michael Caine and JaneFonda, and Greece’s “The Lobster” withColin Farrel.

Other movies chosen includedseveral Asian picks-”The Assassin”from Taiwan, “Umimachi Diary” fromJapan, “Mountains May Depart” fromChina, and an Australian version of“Macbeth” starring MichaelFassbender and Marion Cotillard. TheCannes Film Festival will run fromMay 13 to 24. — AFP

Gyllenhaal, Miller, Marceau on Cannes jury

Jake Gyllenhaal

Sienna Miller

Sophie Marceau

39AC/DC drummer’skill threat justan ‘angry call’


Traditional coffee pots, left, and colorful clay dishes are on display at Al-Aqeeliya open-air auction market.

At an open-air market in SaudiArabia’s capital, haggling for agood deal is not just part of the

experience - it’s also part of the fun.The Al-Aqeeliya market in Riyadh is farfrom the upscale malls and designerboutiques found in the capital, wherearguing over the price would be con-sidered un-chic. Inside the market’stwists and turns, Yemeni and Saudimerchants smile to visitors, eager tosell the fragrant incense that burnsoutside their stalls and fills the air witha strong musk.

A group of elderly Saudi womenhave their own corner in the marketwhere they sell cotton dresses worn bywomen around the house. Dusty metaljewelry sits in piles inside woven bas-kets for buyers to rummage through,most of it made in Pakistan.

Families stroll around the market,looking for the best bargain in stallspacked with toys, makeup, kitchen-ware and traditional abayas andthobes - the black robes worn bywomen in the Arabian Peninsula andthe long white gowns worn by menacross the region.

At an auction in an empty quarterof the market, dozens of men drinktea, smoke cigarettes and yell outprices over one another in bids forhandmade Arabian swords, old mobilephones, wooden chests, copper andgold-colored tea kettles - even astuffed hawk.

One man came with a suitcase fullof beaded jewelry and sold the wholebag to an auction winner, who hadjust a few moments to inspect its con-tents before buying. Souvenir swordsthat sell as decorative pieces can gofor more than 40 Saudi riyals ($10) inone of the market’s stalls, but at theauction 10 or more together sells for100 riyals ($27). — AP

Bargains and bidding in a raucous Saudi open-air market

Dagger vendors sit together, one of them reciting poetry about traditional Saudi daggers, at Al-Aqeeliya open-air auction market, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Centre) A Saudi buyer talks to a vendor. (Right) Misfer Al-Qahtani, a 70 year-old retired National Guard officer wears his traditional Saudi dagger. — AP photos

Saudi men haggle at Al-Aqeeliya open-air auction market.

Clotheson displayfor sale.

Traditional coffee pots are lined up for sale.

Saudi vendors and

buyersgather at the

market.

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