Angela Merkel’s sway endures as new government notches up 100 days

(AFP) / 26 March 2014

After the Eurozone turmoil dominated her first two terms, Merkel now faces the worst political stand-off since the end of the Cold War, while at home her left-right government pushes ahead with social reforms opposed by business leaders. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has steered her power-sharing government through a rocky 100 first days in office with a high-profile resignation and the Crimea crisis but remains at the height of her powers.
After the Eurozone turmoil dominated her first two terms, Merkel now faces the worst political stand-off since the end of the Cold War, while at home her left-right government pushes ahead with social reforms opposed by business leaders.
However Merkel retains the confidence of Germans as her conservatives and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) chalk up on Wednesday 100 days of the “grand coalition”, trumpeting progress on a minimum wage, pension reform and a rent increase cap.

Crimea and punishment

Mahir Ali (Counter Point) / 26 March 2014

NATO’S WARNING last Sunday that Russian troops were massing on Ukraine’s eastern border was followed by Kiev’s announcement of impending conflict, even as it sensibly ordered the withdrawal of its forces from freshly annexed Crimea. The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), meanwhile, gathered in The Hague to thrash out a response. 

Satellite images show 122 potential objects in jet search: Malaysia

The images from Airbus Defence and Space in France show the objects in a 400-square-kilometre (160-square-mile) area of the ocean. 

Fresh satellite images taken during the search for a missing passenger jet show 122 “potential objects” in one area of the Indian Ocean, Malaysia said Wednesday.

The images from Airbus Defence and Space in France show the objects in a 400-square-kilometre (160-square-mile) area of the ocean, said Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

Hishammuddin told a daily press conference it was not possible to say whether the objects came from the Boeing 777 which crashed on March 8 with 239 people aboard.

Read more: US firm to launch legal action over flight MH370

Philippine peace prospects dim after arrest of rebel couple

The arrest on Saturday of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) chairman Benito Tiamzon and his wife, the party’s secretary general Wilma Tiamzon, was hailed as a victory by the armed forces. 

Prospects of reviving peace talks with Philippine communist insurgents grew dimmer following the arrest of a married couple who are senior rebel leaders, officials and analysts said Sunday.

The arrest on Saturday of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) chairman Benito Tiamzon and his wife, the party’s secretary general Wilma Tiamzon, was hailed as a victory by the armed forces.

How to grow creativity

All of us are creators at heart, all we need is to cultivate the spark 


I have been a creative writing tutor for more than 12 years, and I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked if creative writing could really be taught and if literary expressions could be inspired with training. I have always tottered between a “yes’ and “no” for an answer to this question, often leaving the questioner more baffled than before about the fundamentals of creativity.

Kids go for professional networking websites

In August 2013, LinkedIn launched a push to recruit career-minded youngsters by lowering its minimum age requirements and targeted users as young as 13. 

Career-oriented, passionate, driven, well-networked, hard working ... these are the kind of buzz words used in the ‘About Me’ description column of most professional networking websites like LinkedIn so that they can connect with a like-minded task force, or in the words of Zainab Zulfi: “... so that it helps my career.”

Tricks of the Pak-Afghan trade

Various hurdles in the way of Pak-Afghan bilateral trade are causing sharp decline in exports

Pak-Afghan trade target of $5 billion set for the 2015 is a remote possibility.

Though trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has increased substantially from $0.83 billion to $2.38 billion during the last seven years, yet owing to a number of tariff and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) mutual trade between the two countries in the first quarter of financial year (FY) 2014 has fallen by 15 per cent annually.

After talking to traders, exporters, local manufacturers and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) members, it seems Pak-Afghan trade target of $5 billion set for the 2015 is a remote possibility when it comes to tariff and non-tariff barriers NTBs.

The most recent of these barriers, termed as one of the reasons for sharp decline in mutual trade, is the ban on exports to Afghanistan in the local currency (rupee) that has taken effect from March 17.

Delay in the refund processing orders (RPOs) to the exporters is also one such reason of decline in exports as noted by Senator Ilyas Bilour, who said that exports of edible oil to Afghanistan has come to a standstill as the local traders have not been issued their refund processing orders (RPOs) for the last nine month.

The Council in question

The Council of Islamic Ideology is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons

Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) is in the limelight once again because of its agenda, focusing on a possible revision of Muslim Family Laws.

The CII, headed by a member of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F) Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, declared a few days ago that a wife’s permission was not necessary for a man to remarry. The matter of whether an underage child can be married with the consent of the father or guardian is also under discussion.

Earlier, the country has seen CII recommending against DNA tests for rape indictments, opposing sex change surgeries, and reviewing test-tube births.

Oxford study warns developing countries against dam projects

By Pilita Clark in London    

An ill-advised splurge on large dams across the developing world is likely to saddle countries with big debts, according to Oxford university researchers who have found such projects typically cost nearly twice as much as first estimated and rarely finish on time.

The findings are based on a study of 245 dams built in 65 countries since 1934, making it one of the most comprehensive analyses since a wave of mega-dams began around seven years ago, ending a 20-year lull in such works. Such projects, including Brazil’s Belo Monte dam in the Amazon and the Gilgel Gibe III dam in Ethiopia, promise to boost renewable energy in countries eager to increase their electricity supplies without burning more fossil fuels.

However, they often arouse opposition because they can require thousands to be uprooted from their homes and flood fragile ecosystems.

Anti-dam campaigners will be bolstered by the Oxford study, which found large dam construction costs were on average more than 90 per cent higher than initial budgets, while eight out of 10 suffered a schedule over-run. It concludes the Brazilian and Ethiopian dams, and similar ones in Pakistan, Myanmar and elsewhere, are likely to face “large cost and schedule overruns seriously undermining their economic viability”.

The research authors include Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, a prominent critic of the optimistic assumptions behind mega-projects such as the Olympic Games and new railway infrastructure.

“Our paper should not be seen as being against hydropower,” he said, adding there were many good examples of smaller hydroelectric projects in countries such as Norway and Portugal that made sound economic sense.

However, the financial and economic impact of huge dams in developing countries can be dire, Prof Flyvbjerg said, and their social and environmental effects are “often horrendous”.

“Taken together, that means it does not make much sense to build them,” he said. The reason so many projects do proceed is that the experts who make forecasts about them “can be usefully grouped into ‘fools’ or ‘liars’”, he said, explaining fools were recklessly optimistic while liars deliberately mislead to get projects going.

Part of the problem for developing countries is they often have to borrow a lot for imported goods or services to build big dams, putting pressure on public finances that can be exacerbated by sudden exchange rate swings.

The Itaipu dam Brazil built in the 1970s suffered a 240 per cent cost over-run that impaired the country’s finances for three decades, said Prof Flyvbjerg. Colombia’s Chivor hydropower project endured a 32 per cent cost over-run after the peso depreciated nearly 90 per cent against the dollar. Such risks are less of a problem in wealthier countries such as the US, home of the Hoover dam that is often cited as a success story. Dam proponents frequently argue they have learnt from past mistakes and can avoid the financial problems that plagued older dams.

However, the Oxford study, published in the Energy Policy journal, suggests the magnitude of cost overruns has not declined over time and dam budgets today are as wrong as at any time during the 70 years for which there is data.

“If leaders of emerging economies are truly interested in the welfare of their citizens, they are better off laying grand visions of mega-dams aside,” said Atif Ansar, co-author of the study.

   

Total Siyapaa

Critics wreak havoc on Total Siyapaa in reviews, but the star power keeps pulling audiences in         By Shahjahan Khurram  

Total Siyaapa hit the theatres on 7th March 2014 and by the looks of it, has failed to impress the critics. The much anticipated flick was hyped enormously and due to its subject content (two love birds hailing from either side of the warring border) commanded high expectations.

The film’s cast is a winner with Ali Zafar playing the lead role as Aman, a Pakistani boy who falls for an Indian girl named Asha, who is played by Yami Gautam. The two decide further their connubial prospects by introducing Aman to Asha’s parents. The ‘Aman ki Asha’ dream suffers a setback when it becomes apparent to Aman that Asha had not informed her kin that Aman was from the other side of the border. What follows after the ghastly revelation is a complex situation that escalates into verbal barbs being exchanged by Aman and Asha which are aimed to drive the audience towards hysteria.

Anupam Kher and debutante beauty Sara Khan add experience as well as diversity to the cast and the film venture. Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam have not let down their respective fans in their earlier movies. The audience can expect a fun-filled, unique Total Siyapaa experience from the rom-com.  Here are some of the reviews that the movie received:

Inspired by Spanish comedy Only Human, the film has a few funny moments. However, debutante director Eeshwar Niwas does not manage to maintain the tempo for long. – Hindustan Times

Ali shows flair for comedy but he doesn't get too many such moments. Yami is pleasant but her bewildered look distracts. Anupam Kher is quite wasted, and it's Kirron Kher who holds the madhouse together and provides the best laughs even with limited scope  –  Times Of India

Total Siyapaa was intended as a comedy of errors, but there were too many subtexts and characters crowding the second half. While the film managed to tick all the offensive stereotype jokes, the long-winded second half scratches out their efforts. Watch this only if you are a total fan of Zafar, Gautam and the Khers 

The mystery plane

  Iftekhar A Khan
The problem with conspiracy theories is that their proponents blame each other for being conspiracy theorists. Such theorists become active whenever an unexplainable event occurs. The missing Malaysian airliner MH370, with 239 passengers on board, is one such event.

Theories abound since the plane went missing but none seems plausible. The statements by the Malaysian prime minister and defence minister are inconclusive. The Malaysian government has asked 26 countries to help locate the plane, which, we are told, had continued to emit signals even when it had lost contact with the radar systems. But why there wasn’t a mayday call from the crew baffles everyone.

The Malaysian police even searched the homes of both the pilots and questioned their families to determine if they had any links with any terror group. The possibility of either of the pilots committing suicide was also considered, which in fact meant going too far in doubting the intentions of the commercial flyers who are always a select group among professionals.

However, look at the diverse opinions offered by various sources. While Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said, “The more information we get, the more we're inclined to conclude that it was not a terrorist incident”, UK-based Independent and Telegraph claimed that the plane had been steered to the tribal belt adjoining Pakistan and Afghanistan and landed there by the Taliban. How the Taliban managed to land a passenger jet 74 meters long with 61 meters wingspan beats all other theories.

Assuming that the Taliban had managed to land the plane, how would they meet the daily requirements of 239 passengers and keep the plane hidden from the world’s electronic surveillance system? The Independent and Telegraph might have compromised their credibility by devising such an outlandish theory.

When all this went on, former US deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott didn’t stay behind. He speculated: “...fuel load and range now lead some to suspect hijacker planned a 9/11-type attack on an Indian city.” Rajeev Sherma writing in Firstpost said nobody would have paid any attention to such an outrageous theory had it not come from Talbott. The theory, however, was not believable, analyst Sherma said. It seems everyone is fishing in troubled waters.

Some sources have compared Flight MH 370 with the hijacked planes that collided with the Twin Towers in New York, following which the world was not to remain the same. But passengers in those flights were able to use their cell phones and talk to their families and friends. Why didn’t the passengers aboard the Malaysian plane try contacting their families? Did events in the plane take place so suddenly that the passengers didn’t have time to use their cell phones?

Nevertheless, whenever the crew faces serious technical problems, it would immediately transmit an SOS call. The Air France flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro carrying 228 passengers on board crashed into the ocean in June 2009. Before it plunged into the water, the crew tried hard to gain control and prevent the plane’s descent but to no avail. In the case of the Malaysian plane, no such effort by the crew has come forward as evidence.

The possibility one would hesitate to proffer is that the plane suffered from structural damage and plunged into the sea. Not many seem to point in this direction since a powerful and influential group – the manufacturers of Boeing – would not agree that easily to bear the compensation for loss of precious lives. Even though a judicial investigation in France had charged Air France and Airbus Industrie for manslaughter and ordered them to pay 1,20,000 pounds to each passenger’s family.

The writer is a freelancecolumnist based in Lahore. 

Nawaz rules out sending troops to other countries

MIANWALI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ruled out sending troops to any other country, saying that no one has asked Pakistan to send military.

Prime Minister Sharif was talking to media after the inauguration ceremony held to name Pakistan Air Force Base Mianwali after M. M. Alam Air Base here on Thursday.

PM Nawaz said: “Neither any country has requested Pakistan to send forces nor Pakistan will send its troops to any other country.”

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Information Minister Pervez Rashid and Air Chief Tahir Rafique Butt were also present on the occasion.

Prime Minister Sharif said the visit of Bahrain King is in the favour of Pakistan, adding Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Prime Minister had also visited the country.

He asserted matters in Pakistan are moving forward.

APP adds:

The Prime Minister dismissed the impression that some countries had sought Pakistan’s assistance to move its armed forces for operation at their land.

Nawaz Sharif said the recent visits of the leadership of brotherly countries including Saudi Arabia Bahrain and Kuwait was testimony of their friendship and must not be linked with such assumptions.

Prime Minister Sharif said the visits of the leaders of Arab countries was in the Pakistan’s interest and more such visits would take place in future as well.

He also termed the visit of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa as fruitful and productive.

He said the country was facing serious challenges and it was the high time to take tough decisions.

Nawaz Sharif said the country could not afford wasting more time and steps were being taken to put it on the right path to development. He said that Pakistan could have been made a great country but regretted that ample efforts were not made in the past to exploit its marvellous potential.

His government without wasting time was making headway for the prosperity of the nation, he added.

 

Evolving human rights

Jonathan Power (Power’s World) / 20 March 2014

Beijing cares for only what you do and not what you think 


In 1913, following the overthrow of the last emperor of China, citizens walked, pedalled or rickshawed to the polling stations — although opium smokers, Buddhists and policemen were forbidden from voting. In the annals of the 2,500 years of Chinese civilisation it is the one and only time the Chinese have voted in a national election.
Under Mao Zedong, the communist leader who overthrew this nationalist government, any pretence of voting was given short shrift. Politics was outlawed and would-be dissidents severely punished. Only at the top level of Chinese politics — in the ruling politburo — were votes taken. Indeed, on some occasions, Mao was outvoted.
But once he was dead some of the leadership of the communist party did want to see a loosening up. There was what Bao Tong, personal aide of deposed Communist Party chief, Zhao Ziyang, called a “freedom faction”. For example, in 1995 politburo member Tian Jiyun called for direct elections for government officials. Politburo standing committee (the top organ of the party) member Li Ruihuan called for partial media privatisation. Deng Xiaoping, an outcast under Mao, who became the dominant leader shortly after Mao’s death, warned in 1980 of the dangers of “bureaucracy, over-concentration of power, patriarchal methods, life tenure in leading posts and various privileges”. Voting, albeit very tightly controlled, was introduced within the party. So were mandatory retirement ages, including that of the top leaders. Courts were revived as semi-independent bodies. Citizens were given the right to sue the government. Military members of the Politburo fell from half to 10 per cent. In 1987, village elections were encouraged, albeit the local party representatives too often engineered their own election. Deng even foresaw that “general elections could be held in China half a century from now”. (That would be in around 2030.)
But in 1989 all the hopes for a democratic spring were dashed. Students who had gathered in Tiananmen Square to protest bad governance were crushed by tanks sent in by order of Deng. Deng, who held no formal position but nevertheless had the final say in all major decision-making, overruled the party’s general secretary Zhao Ziyang, who favoured listening to the students and pushing along with more openness. Shortly after he was made to step down.
Many observers believe that because of the “Colour Revolutions”, the Arab Spring and the tense situation in Xinjian the rules against political dissent have been tightened up in recent years. Despite that there have been ongoing reforms: Educational institutions have more autonomy; and protests against misrule by local party officials and factory bosses have increased sharply and have often been listened to and demands met.
The legal world continues to be reformed. Last year the Supreme People’s Court sent a letter to a top Chinese leader with information laying out why the courts were not working as they should. They were being meddled with and not allowed to do their job. Sometimes people were being convicted for crimes they had not committed. In November the party’s central committee announced that false confessions from torture were disallowed. So were so-called “re-education camps”. The number of crimes punishable by death was reduced and the courts have become more transparent.
Although the notion of human rights is a relative novelty to Chinese it is quite surprising how much teaching of it is allowed. In over 10 universities around the country, Sweden’s prestigious Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights helps organise human rights courses. In Beijing University human rights can be the minor subject in a degree. Over five other universities have substantial human rights programmes. Wallenberg even lays on programmes for the police.
The Chinese professors Wallenberg works with are knowledgeable and also idealistic, accepting they will be unlikely to be promoted to the top of the academic tree, given their subject of interest.
“The government doesn’t care what you think. It cares only what you do” is the mantra of those concerned with human rights. Thinking inside a university is okay. The government is prepared to pounce when that rule is broken.

When it comes to human rights issues you can talk to your friends without fear of being listened to, travel abroad, sound off on social media or work quietly behind the scenes inside government and the legal system to advocate reform. But don’t protest publicly, don’t organise protests and don’t write that the government must go. The time has not come for that. We may have to wait, as Deng said, until 2030 for democracy and freedom of speech to arrive, and for human rights to be taken seriously

New Islamic initiative on cards

Issac John / 20 March 2014

Dubai plans to set up world’s first Shariah-compliant export and import bank 


Dubai is exploring the viability of setting up an export and import [Exim] bank based on Islamic finance principles to further bolster the emirate’s flourishing global non-oil trade that scaled a new peak with a Dh94 billion jump in 2013 to hit Dh1.329 trillion in value.
Dubai’s Department of Economic Development (DED) on Wednesday said it has enlisted Noor Investment Group to conduct a feasibility study for the Exim bank project, which would adhere to Shariah-compliant rules. Islamic finance avoids charging and receiving interest and also bans investing in sectors such as gambling that are deemed unethical according to religious norms.
The creation of an Exim bank is aimed at assisting businesses in the UAE to grow their trade flows by providing risk mitigation, financing and market access, DED said in a statement. “It is worth mentioning that  proposed Exim bank will be the first Shariah-compliant bank of its kind in the whole world,” said Ahmed Al Janahi, deputy chief executive of Noor Investment Group.
Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade grew eight per cent last year that exceeded twice the WTO’s 2.5 per cent global trade growth forecast. The buoyancy in foreign trade also underscored the all-round economic buoyancy as well as the increased diversity of the emirate’s export and import markets. During 2013, Dubai maintained a relative diversity in its external markets. As a result, foreign trade with the top five trading partners, including India, China, the USA, Saudi Arabia and the UK reached Dh468 billion, while rest of the partners accounted for a combined Dh861 billion.
The proposed bank will deal directly with international bodies and organisations and other Exim banks around the work to promote UAE trade. It will also coordinate with local authorities, regulators and companies in the trade sector to enhance cooperation. 
Sami Dhaen Al Qamzi, director-general of Dubai DED, said Dubai has one of the best infrastructures to serve as a regional hub for international trade flows.
“It is our aim to double trade flows over the next five years. The Exim bank, aligned to some of the best global operating models, will support the achievement of this objective and enhance our existing position,” said Al Qamzi.
Al Janahi said a dedicated team from Noor Investment Group is conducting the initial financial, administrative and marketing studies for the project. “The Exim bank will focus on enhancing Dubai’s international trade as we move towards Expo 2020,” he said.
Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, recently said that the better performance of the non-oil trade sector underscored the vibrant growth across all economic sectors of Dubai in particular and the UAE in general. He also indicated that Dubai is taking huge leaps ahead with the announcement of the ‘Smart Dubai’ initiative, which aims to raise the bar in enhancing the overall performance of the government sectors and boost the economic sector in particular.
Shaikh Hamdan also called on leaders and executives in Dubai government sectors to leave no stone unturned in search for fresh opportunities to further strengthen performance and set Dubai as an international benchmark for development and prosperity in addition to its role as a key link in global trade routes.
In 2013, Dubai’s imports surged Dh74 billion to Dh811 billion in 2013 from Dh737 billion in 2012. Exports and re-exports increased by Dh20 billion to Dh518 billion compared to Dh498 billion in 2012.
Dubai’s direct trade rose to Dh846 billion, up from Dh808 billion. Dubai free zones trade volume recorded Dh467 billion, compared to Dh417 billion. Customs warehouse trade went up from Dh10 billion to Dh16 billion.

Dubai teen sets record while trying to help kids in Nepal

Sudeshna Sarkar / 20 March 2014

15-year-old Kristen De Sousa acquires marathon record by running seven marathons on seven continents in less than 3 months. 

FLIGHT DIVERSIONS. Train cancellations. Illness and injuries. Passport and visa issues and delays caused by bad weather. All this would add up to a race against time for anyone. It’s been even more so for Kristen De Sousa, the Dubai teen who decided to run seven marathons on seven continents — in less than three months — and raise money for underprivileged children in another part of the world.

The De Sousas came to Dubai from Canada in 2000. They had learnt to cope with the famed desert summer and Kristen was an XIth grader at Dubai College when she overheard a conversation: “My mum and her friends, who run marathons, were talking one day (that) it would be so cool to run a marathon on all seven continents. So mum asked me if I would be interested. At first, I thought, NO WAY!!! I was not a runner and could not imagine running that distance.”

However, she could not stop thinking about it and after mulling it over, thought it would be an exciting adventure.

Then began a gruelling training under the scorching Dubai sun. Kristen trained six days a week, which included one long run and several short stints. Both during the training and while taking part in the marathons she had several injuries —  in the knees, ankles and Achilles’ tendons.

However, they were nothing compared to the red tape the family had to grapple with. They had to seek permission from each individual race director as marathon runners have to be at least 18. Mum Sharon had to submit a bundle of certificates from doctors, osteopaths and Kristen’s sports psychologist to prove that Kristen was physically and mentally capable of completing the races.

Then they had to raise the money for the runs as no sponsors were forthcoming. Finally Kristen’s pilot father Manuel funded the entire adventure.  The first marathon was in Ontario in November. It took Kristen over four and a half hours to cover 42.2km. There were about 1,000 runners in each marathon except for a few, like the one in freezing Antarctica. On that frozen continent, it was a punishing stretch with the course including hills, gravel, rocks, snow and ice and the temperature dipping to -18C.  Kristen finished the seventh — and last one — on January 30 in Chile with an ultra marathon of 50km.

This is not just the story of a young girl who became a marathon runner; it’s about a young girl who ran to reach out to youngsters like her. She wanted the marathons to help a charity.“I chose a charity that teaches teachers and students and builds schools,” the 15-year-old says. “I thought it was fitting as I am a student myself.” It’s a non-profit organisation called “Children of the Mountain”, founded by Irish trekker John Matthew who was moved by the warmth — and poverty — of the people he met while doing the Mt Annapurna circuit in Nepal in 2009. The charity says it aims to support underprivileged Nepali children by providing them education.

Through her online page, Kristen has raised over Dh24,000 for Children of the Mountain.

 “It was an amazing experience,” she says, asked how she felt while doing the marathons. “There were many times when I (wondered) if I could go on but I focussed on the goal and knew that if I completed it, I would help a lot of children out there.”

Her only self-indulgence in this has been to apply for official recognition that she is the youngest runner to have undertaken seven marathons on seven continents. Sadly, she could not make it to theGuinness Book of World Records since it does not recognise achievers under 16 when it comes to endurance challenges. Also, there are other younger contenders. But she has received her certificate from the Book of Alternative Records as “the youngest person to run seven marathons on seven continents in the shortest time of 88 days”.

So what now? “For now, I plan to let my injuries heal fully,” Kristen says. “I am also currently studying for my exams as I am in Grade XI. But I would like to continue running and do the crazy ones like the Glow in the Dark.”

Her decision to give something to children she has never seen has gifted something to Kristen as well.

“I was a shy person but I am much more confident now,” she says. “I do believe you can do anything you want to achieve if you just try and put a lot of hard work into it!”

Indian court convicts 4 for raping photojournalist

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Your stars today

Horoscope updated on March 20

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19) Avoid acting rashly or impulsively to defend a belief or cause. Sometimes its better to keep your opinions under your hat and let others have their say. Your energies can be channeled constructively through physical exercise. Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20) Be the best you can be. You could find yourself subtly challenged by others to put your best foot forward. Impress those in authority with your no-nonsense adeptness when unexpectedly put on the spot. Gemini (May 21 - June 20) The easy way could be the best path to take. Simple solutions to complex problems are appealing. Someone may offer you a tip or trick that, if implemented, could bring financial success, but might be overly complicated. Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Give unto others. Your good fortune may allow you to help others less fortunate. However, be mindful of whether you really want to help or youre simply looking to further your own ends. Leo (July 23 - Aug 22) Youre at the top of your game and able to make quick decisions. Follow your first instinct and dont hesitate to be the aggressor in business affairs. You can use your poker face to make a calculated bluff pay off. Virgo  (Aug 23 - Sept 22) If youre dared to do something, dont. Focus on taking a balanced approach to spending. You can be economical without denying yourself the little pleasures that mean so much. Avoid taking unnecessary risks. Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22) Thrills can lead to spills. It may be difficult to sit still with energetic Mars in your part of the zodiac. You could feel compelled to take risks whenever you see something exciting to do that breaks up the monotony. Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Accept the necessity of keeping exuberance and impetuosity under control. If you can work without interruption, much can be accomplished. Be sure to offer a detached and balanced viewpoint if someone needs advice. Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Share and share alike. You may receive more than you give this time around, but you can balance the debt later. Soon youll have an opportunity to take a much-needed rest from unexpected financial obligations. Capricon (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Push may be coming to shove in the business world. Dont start anything of importance that could affect your career or upset your home life. Avoid making sweeping changes that could have unforeseen consequences. Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Persevere. In order to deserve authority and lead the pack, you must be industrious and productive. To climb higher on the ladder of success, you must use a combination of determination and shrewdness. Pisces (Feb 19- Mar 20) Strut your stuff and make your mark. All your actions will be on display whether they rate applause or a basket of rotten tomatoes. Pair up with people who enjoy your company and share your favorite hobbies.

Women and children first as Russian forces seize base

AFP) / 20 March 2014

The events at the Novoozerne base in western Crimea mirrored a similar seizure of the main navy headquarters in Sevastopol. 


Women and children led a Russian take-over of a Ukrainian navy base in Crimea, the deputy commander told AFP, as some 50 servicemen were seen leaving with their heads bowed in the second such seizure on Wednesday.
“The self-defence militias came first, women and children marching in front of them, and the Russian soldiers behind,” Viktor, who did not give his surname, said from the occupied base.
“The Ukrainian soldiers, who were armed, did not react. The base is completely under Russian control, but the arms depot is guarded jointly by Ukrainians and Russians now,” he said.
The events at the Novoozerne base in western Crimea mirrored a similar seizure of the main navy headquarters in Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, in the south of the peninsula.
Ukraine’s navy said women were first to enter the base in that take-over, after Ukraine on Tuesday authorised its military to use their weapons as “self-defence” following a killing in Simferopol of one of their soldiers — the first death in the stand-off.
Some 50 servicemen were seen filing out at Novoozerne as Russian soldiers in balaclavas stood by and pro-Moscow militants raised the Russian flag over the base.
No Ukrainian soldiers wanted to speak except Andriy who said he was “happy that this is all over, happy that everything is calm and that no blood has been spilled.”
“There was no conflict or provocation by locals or the military,” he said.
As they came out with their heads lowered, the last blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag was taken down and replaced with the Russian tricolor.
“No filming!” shouted a Russian officer as the servicemen — who face prosecution for desertion — came out.
Some went to their dilapidated barracks outside the base with their wives, others left on an old minibus.
“We have a lot of friends here so it’s safe. It’s a pity to have to do this to them,” said a bystander Alexander, who himself used to serve in the Ukrainian army but said he had left in the 1990s.
Aram, an ex-Soviet Army soldier, said: “I respect these soldiers but they came from Ukraine, not Crimea. Ukraine doesn’t care what Crimea thinks”.
The base — one of the four biggest in Crimea — is near Lake Donuzlav, where Russian forces earlier this month deliberately sunk three of their own ships to block Ukrainian navy vessels.
The Novoozerne base was built by the Soviets in 1976 and is dotted with decorative Cold War missiles and communications equipment.
Four Russian soldiers could be seen standing guard on Wednesday, others patrolled the main base building — one with his finger on the trigger of his assault rifle.
None of them had Russian insignia — a pure formality since Russian signs were clearly visible on their vehicles and had been put up around the base.
Even before the Ukrainian soldiers left, two men were seen fixing a new emblem on the gate — a two-headed eagle, the symbol of the Russian empire.

Minerals and Gems From the Earth

More than 4,000 naturally occurring minerals—inorganic solids that have a characteristic chemical composition and specific crystal structure—have been found on Earth. They are formed of simple molecules or individual elements arranged in repeating chains, sheets, or three-dimensional arrays.

Minerals are typically formed when molten rock, or magma, cools, or by separating out of mineral-rich water, such as that in underground caverns. In general, mineral particles are small, having formed within confined areas such as lava flows or between grains of sediments. Large crystals found in geodes and other rocks are relatively rare.

Rocks themselves are made of clusters or mixtures of minerals, and minerals and rocks affect landform development and form natural resources such as gold, tin, iron, marble, and granite.

Silicates—including quartz, mica, olivine, and precious minerals such as emeralds—are the most common class of minerals, as well as the major components of most rocks. Oxides, sulfides, sulfates, carbonates, and halides are other major mineral classes.

Gemstones

Many minerals form beautiful crystals, but the most prized of all are gemstones. Uncut gems are often fairly ordinary looking. It's only when they are cut and polished that they obtain the brilliance and luster that makes them so valued.

Historically gems have been divided into precious and semiprecious classes. There are a number of semiprecious gems, many quite beautiful, but diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds continue to qualify as "precious." (At one time, amethyst was also considered a precious gem, but large reserves were later found in Brazil, reducing its value.)

Diamonds, made of carbon atoms, are the hardest natural substance found on Earth. Formed under extremely high pressure hundreds of miles underground, they are found in very few locations around the world. Graphite is also made of carbon atoms, but with a different arrangement—explaining why diamond is the hardest mineral and graphite (used in pencil lead) is one of the softest.

Rubies are formed of a mineral called corundum, comprised of aluminum oxide. The red color is caused by traces of chromium. Corundum also forms sapphirein many colors, which generally come from trace mixtures of iron, titanium, and chromium.

Emeralds are formed of a mineral called beryl whose chemical formula is a complex mix of beryllium, aluminum, silicon, and oxygen. The color comes from additional traces of chromium and vanadium. Different trace elements can produce other colors, allowing beryl to form semiprecious stones such asaquamarine.

Minerals and gems are classified by their physical properties, including hardness, luster, color, density, and magnetism. They're also identified by the ways in which they break, or the type of mark, or streak, that they leave when rubbed on a laboratory tool called a streak plate.

Aziz vows balance in S. Arabia, Iran ties

 BAQIR SAJJAD SYED

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is striving to strike a proper balance in its relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

This was stated by Foreign Affairs and National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz in an in-camera briefing to Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. He had been invited by the committee to brief its members on the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdel Aziz to Pakistan last month.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Committee’s Chairman Haji Adeel said the senators had been informed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would visit Tehran in a few weeks.

(A source from Tehran separately said Mr Sharif could be visiting Iran some time in May.)

Mr Aziz admitted that maintaining the balance in the two important relationships was tricky.

Prime Minister Sharif’s move to get an economic bailout from Saudi Arabia has complicated the foreign policy effort to keep a balance in relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran. And coincidentally this happens at a time when Riyadh and Tehran, pre-occupied with their bilateral rivalry, have little time and patience for Islamabad.

There are apprehensions in Tehran that Islamabad could have already entered Riyadh’s embrace by accepting the $1.5 billion donation to the Pakistan Development Fund.

The adviser assured the committee that the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline was not dead despite having been put on the backburner because of Tehran’s back-tracking on a $500 million loan pledge for the project.

Mr Aziz said $1.5bn given by Saudi Arabia for stabilising Pakistan’s economy was a “grant” and had no strings attached to it.

The senators questioned him about the quid pro quo for Riyadh’s donation and sought assurances from the government that the policy on Syria would not be changed following the Saudi gesture.

The adviser said that subscribing to the Geneva Process on Syria should not be implied as a demand for President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

He said although there was a proposal for exporting arms to Saudi Arabia, it would be ensured that Pakistan-made arms did not land in Arab conflict zones.

“The government is aware of repercussions of the Syrian crisis for the Muslim world in general and Pakistan in particular,” Mr Aziz was quoted as having told the committee.

The senators expressed the worry that reports of sale of Anza missiles to Saudi Arabia, delay in the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and the visit of King of Bahrain Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa pointed towards an impending shift in foreign policy. (The Bahrain king will arrive on Tuesday.)

When Mushahid Hussain drew Mr Aziz’s attention to the Kunming (China) attack and threat by a Pakistan-based Uighur militant group of carrying out revenge attacks against China, he said the government would address the security concerns of its strategic partner and important neighbour.

The meeting later unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Mr Mushahid Hussain denouncing the Kunming attack and expressing concern over the threat by the Uighur militants from their hideout claimed to be on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border.

'The Bold and the Beautiful' lands in the Emirates

DUBAI: The American soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' is taking the show on the road again, this time all the way to the money-soaked shores of the Arabian Peninsula.

Cast members including Katherine Kelly Lang and Don Diamont began filming scenes Monday overlooking Dubai's skyscraper-studded skyline.

Among the sights they're taking in are the city's main man-made palm-shaped island and the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

The crew of the show, which celebrates its 27th anniversary on air next week, will continue filming down the coast in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi.

Some scenes there are being shot at the Emirates Palace hotel, an opulent beachfront complex that is arguably the city's swankiest place to sleep.

It's a popular stopover spot for visiting royalty and heads of state as well as deep-pocketed tourists stopping by to pick up a pricey souvenir from its gold bar vending machine.

''Daytime shows don't typically get out on location, certainly not the way we have,'' Diamont, who plays businessman Bill Spencer on the show, told The Associated Press during a break from filming.

''I think for the fans it's very entertaining to show these exotic locales.''

''The Bold and the Beautiful'' has filmed overseas before, including in Italy, Mexico and Australia. But executive producer and head writer Brad Bell says the UAE is the farthest the show has traveled from its Los Angeles base.

Bell said he has long wanted to film in the Emirates because he is fascinated by the country's rapid growth and over-the-top attractions like the Palm Jumeirah island.

They chose to go for it now because lead actress Lang wanted to take part in last weekend's Abu Dhabi International Triathlon.

''I said 'we're going to load up the station wagon, get all the guys together and we're going to shoot there.' Because it's something I've always wanted to do,'' Bell said.

Cast members are shooting parts of nine episodes during just three days of filming in the Emirates, he said.

In the show, Spencer takes Lang's character, Brooke Logan, to the Emirates to get married. While the crew is reluctant to divulge too many details, things could go awry because her on-and-off-again lover Ridge Forrester, played by Thorsten Kaye, is also in town for filming.

Lang's character has been married so many times on the show that even she can't remember.

''I don't count anymore,'' she said.

''The Bold and the Beautiful'' has a wide international following, and says it is seen by millions of viewers in more than 100 countries.

It has been popular for years across the Arab world, though competition has grown as viewers tune in to increasingly popular Turkish soap operas and round-the-clock news and movie channels.

Episodes of the soap opera air three times a day on the Dubai One satellite network.

''Many people here come up, say how much they love the show,'' Lang said. ''I didn't know how popular it was here.''

For the Emirates, the three-day shoot is an opportunity to help develop the local entertainment industry. Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the country's two biggest cities, have each been working to entice filmmakers to the country.

A large part of 2011's ''Mission: Impossible _ Ghost Protocol'' was shot in Dubai. Scenes for the forthcoming ''Fast & Furious 7'' will be shot in Abu Dhabi in April.

An Abu Dhabi government-backed media hub known as twofour54 is acting as the local producer and is helping with logistics for ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' shoot, according to its head of sales, Jamal al-Awadhi.

The Abu Dhabi Film Commission is offering a 30 per cent rebate on crew spending. Bell hopes the show's Mideast foray changes viewers' perceptions of the region.

''I was just struck by how wonderfully open and welcoming everyone was. Just the beauty and extent of all there is to see here in Dubai, it's something that the world needs to see,'' he said. Episodes shot in the Emirates are expected to air in the US in late May.

Pakistan may grant India MFN status on Friday

 MUBARAK ZEB KHAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will grant on Friday Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India with a condition of receiving a substantial concessions in trade from New Delhi.

The decision is expected to be announced after a special cabinet briefing to be headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a well-placed source in the ministry of commerce told Dawn on Monday.

Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan had made a conditional offer for granting MFN status to India in January, and had sought access for 250 to 300 items at lowered duties.

At the time of the MFN offer, the commerce ministry has not linked the trade liberalisation with the resumption of suspended talks, which raised questions from other stakeholders for ignoring their issues while given the concession to India.

As a result, the decision was delayed which was scheduled to be announced in the middle of February during the proposed visit of Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma. However, delay in decision led to postponement of the Indian minister visit to Pakistan.

Earlier, the granting of MFN status to India was part of the composite dialogue, which was suspended since January 2013.

A high-powered committee headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had been constituted to handle the issue and opposing groups.

Mr Dar will brief the cabinet about the offers from India before the cabinet approves the recommendation of granting MFN to India.

The cabinet decision, according to the source, will be conditional that Pakistan will allow import of all commodities from India via Wagah border and will abolish the negative list of 1,209 items in one go.

After the cabinet approval, these decisions will be announced through a statutory regulatory order (SRO).

Items placed on the negative list are not allowed for import from India. At the same time, currently only 137 items are importable from India via Wagah border.

The source said that India has offered to lower its duties to 7.5pc in a period of six months after Pakistan’s announcement of the MFN for India, which will be further lowered to 5pc in a period of one year. India is not willing to remove NTBs and customs duties.

Major beneficiary of the concession in tariff will be textile sector, based in Punjab.

Similarly, India will reduce its list of sensitive products to 100 items immediately after the announcement of the decision, while Pakistan reciprocates the decision in a period of five years.

At the same time, the cabinet will also approve the decision like opening of Wagah border for 24 hours and shifting of cargos from trucks to containers.

The ministry of commerce, however, said that India would not be given transit facility to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics through Wagah route. This will be done in the second phase in future, the source said.

Ahead of the announcement, the ministry of commerce has started intense consultations with media persons to brief them about the positive aspects of decision. The last round of consultation with opposing stakeholders has also started and will conclude in the next couple of days.

The ministry of commerce has come up with a lot of excuses and explanation in a brief for media to defend the decision of giving MFN status to India, apparently criticising the previous governments in denying this right to India.

The brief has calculated nine advantages of granting MFN to India including potential export gains for some product group--- textile ($1 billion), cement ($300 billion), chemicals ($200 million), agricultural products ($300 million), mineral products ($100 million) etc.

Asian shares mixed, Crimea vote raises Russia tensions

 AFP

HONG KONG: Asian markets were mixed Monday on renewed concerns over Ukraine after Crimea voted to break away from the former Soviet republic and join Russia, leading the West to warn of further sanctions against Moscow.

Investors remained cautious following a sell-off last week fuelled by weak Chinese data, while eyes are on the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday to see if it will announce any more stimulus cuts.

Tokyo slipped 0.35pc, or 49.99 points, to 14,277.67 and Sydney shed 0.22pc, or 11.8 points, to 5,317.6.

But Shanghai climbed 0.96pc, or 19.33 points, to 2,023.673 while Seoul added 0.40pc, or 7.63 points, to end at 1,927.53. Hong Kong fell by 0.30pc, or 65.54 points, to 21,473.95.

Crimea voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to join Russia, further fuelling tensions in the worst crisis between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

While people in the predominantly Russian-speaking peninsula celebrated the result of the poll, Ukraine’s new pro-European leaders and the West branded it “illegal”.

The vote was organised after Russian forces seized de facto control of the region and pro-Moscow authorities took power in response to the ouster of Ukraine’s pro-Kremlin leader Viktor Yanukovych in February.

US President Barack Obama told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a phone call after the vote that a referendum that “occurred under duress of Russian military intervention, would never be recognised by the United States and the international community”.

He said the US and its European allies were “prepared to impose additional costs on Russia for its actions”.

“We’ve anticipated the results of the referendum. The key is what sanctions the US and the Europe will carry out and how Russia will respond to them,” said Masaru Ishibashi, head of the currency trading group at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.

And Osao Iizuka, head of foreign-exchange trading at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, told Dow Jones Newswires: “A further escalation of military tensions would lead to more risk-averse trading.”

Yuan weakens further against dollar:

The developments added to selling pressure in Asia following last week’s losses in reaction to downbeat trade and industrial production figures out of Beijing.

The dollar was up in afternoon forex business, buying 101.57 yen compared with 101.36 yen in New York Friday afternoon.

The euro bought $1.3880 and 141.08 yen against $1.3906 and 140.73 yen.

In China the yuan weakened against the dollar after the central bank at the weekend doubled the currency’s trading band as it slowly embarks on long-anticipated financial reforms.

The People’s Bank of China said it would allow the yuan to move up or down two pc daily – double the previous 1pc – on either side of a mid-point set under the guidance of the bank.

The Chinese unit was trading at 6.1541 to the dollar on Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trading System, compared with Friday’s close of 6.1502.

On oil markets New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for April delivery, was up four cents to $98.93 in afternoon trade, and Brent North Sea crude for May fell 36 cents to $107.85.

Gold fetched $1,378.76 an ounce at 1000 GMT compared with $1,370.09 late Friday. –

In other markets:

– Bangkok added 0.36pc, or 4.92 points, to 1,377.10. Thai Airways International gained 4.14pc to 15.10 baht, while telecoms company Advanced Info Service rose by 1.85pc to 220.00 baht.

– Kuala Lumpur’s main stock index gained 10.04 points, or 0.56pc, to 1,815.16. IGB ended 1.2pc higher at 2.61 ringgit, while Genting gained 0.8pc to 9.78 ringgit. Malaysia Airlines lost 4.2pc to 0.23 ringgit.

– Singapore closed up 0.60pc, or 18.42 points, at 3,092.14. DBS bank gained 1.14pc to Sg$15.91, while vehicle agribusiness company Wilmar International gained 1.77pc to Sg$3.45.

– Jakarta ended down 0.05pc, or 2.46 points, at 4,876.19. Cigarette maker Gudang Garam fell 1.48pc to 48,275 rupiah, while tin producer Timah lost 0.29pc to 1,715 rupiah.

– Taipei rose 0.14pc, or 12.47 points, to 8,700.01. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co was 0.87pc lower at Tw$114.0 while Hon Hai Precision gained 1.40pc at Tw$86.7.

– Wellington added 0.17pc, or 8.70 points, to 5,088.03. Telecom gained 1.22pc to NZ$2.48 and Air New Zealand was up 0.54pc at NZ$1.87.

– Manila closed 0.14pc higher, adding 8.75 points to 6,399.99. JG Summit Holdings rose by 2pc to 51 pesos while SM Prime Holdings gained 1.81pc to 14.66 pesos.

– Mumbai was closed for a public holiday.