15 Feb

basketball

THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Established in 1977 / www.arabtimesonline.com

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013 / RABEE’A AL-THANI 5, 1434 AH

NO. 14964

56 PAGES

150 FILS

Zain records $902 mln profit for 2012 — Details Page 39 —

Holidays set for February 24-26

Photo by Anwar Daifallah

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14, (KUNA): Kuwait Civil Service Commission set on Thursday the National and Liberation Day holidays between Feb 25 and 26, with work coming to a halt across ministries, government and public institutions.

CSC said in a press statement that Sunday, Feb 24 is a day off while it’s between two holidays, adding the holiday for the employees with the special nature of work will be determined by competent authorities to their affairs, and taking into

A Kuwaiti flag is hoisted on top of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) building on the occasion of the National and Liberation days.

‘Upgrades’ confirmed

Iran N-talks fail Newswatch DUBAI: Bahraini security forces killed a teenager on Thursday, an opposition website said, as activists demonstrated on the second anniversary of an uprising to demand democratic reforms in the US-allied Gulf Arab state.

Witnesses said the violence began early in the morning with groups of youths from mostly Shi’ite villages around the capital Manama blocking roads with barricades and using stones, fire-bombs and iron rods in clashes with security forces. At least three policemen were injured.

Security forces responded with tear gas and birdshot, the witnesses said.

(RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

DUESSELDORF: A strike by security guards over pay has disrupted travel for thousands of passengers passing through two of Germany’s busiest airports, the airports and service workers trade union Verdi said on Thursday.

Around 400 workers walked out of Duesseldorf airport in western Germany, according to Verdi. That resulted in 183 flights being postponed until Friday, the airport said.

At the northern airport of Hamburg 103 flights were cancelled, affecting more than 17,000 passengers. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑ MADRID: Spanish airline Iberia says 415 flights will be canceled next week due to a strike by labor unions protesting a company plan to lay off almost a fifth of its workforce.

Iberia said Thursday a government decree on minimum services guaranteed 90 percent of long-haul flights, 61 percent of medium-haul and 46 percent of domestic flights during the strike.

Unions representing most Iberia workers, but not pilots, have called strikes between Feb 18-22, March 4-8 and March 18-22. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

LONDON: American philosopher and constitutional law expert Ronald Dworkin, a liberal scholar who argued that the law should be founded on moral integrity, has died at the age of 81.

His family said Dworkin died of leukemia in London early Thursday.

Dworkin was a professor of law at New York University and emeritus professor at University College London.

He was one of the best known and most quoted legal scholars in the US and also an expert on British law. (AP)

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▲ ▼

US$/KD 0.28190/00

■ ▼

Yen/KD 0.003

Euro/KD 0.3762

British £/KD 0.4366

▲ KS E +13.32 pts at closing, Feb 14 See Page 45

▼ Dow -9.52 pts at closing, Feb 14 See Page 46

▲ Nasdaq +1.78 pts at closing, Feb 14 ▼ FTSE -31.75 pts at closing, Feb 14 ▲ Nikkei +55.87 pts at closing, Feb 14 ▲ Gold $1,646.00 per oz (London) ▼ ▲

NYMEX crude $97.36 per barrel Brent crude $118.06 per barrel 3-month $ LIBOR rate 0.29%

VIENNA, Feb 14, (Agencies): UN inspectors returned on Thursday from talks in Tehran with no deal on access to Iran’s nuclear sites and no date for new talks, failing to produce even a small signal of hope for wider big power diplomacy aimed at averting a war.

“Despite its many commitments to do so, Iran has not negotiated in good faith,” said a Western diplomat accredited to the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna who was not at the talks. “It appears that we now have to ask ourselves if this is still the right tactic.”

The deadlock is a chilling signal for a wider effort by six major powers to get Iran to curb a programme that they fear could give it the capacity to build a nuclear bomb, something Israel has suggested it will prevent by force if diplomacy fails.

Inquiry The IAEA and Iran “could not finalise the document” setting out terms for an IAEA inquiry into possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme, chief UN inspector Herman Nackaerts said at Vienna airport after returning from Iran.

He said no new date had been set for talks that have shown no progress in more than a year, adding: “Time is needed to reflect on the way forward.”

The United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany are due to meet Iran for separate talks in Kazakhstan on Feb 26 to tackle a decade-old row that has already produced four rounds of UN sanctions against Iran.

Continued on Page 8

lars overseas.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward in our efforts to work collaboratively to combat offshore tax evasion,” said Acting Secretary of the Treasury Neal Wolin.

“We are pleased that Switzerland has signed a bilateral agreement with us, and we look forward to quickly concluding agreements based on this model with other jurisdictions,” he said in a statement from Treasury, which oversees the IRS. FATCA imposes steep penalties beginning in 2014 on financial institutions that do not comply with the its demands. Banks and other financial institutions failing to comply with the law would Continued on Page 8

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim and Nihal Sharaf Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: MP Sadoun Hamad has said he will submit a grilling request against Minister of Oil Hani Hussein alone next Sunday or Monday without support from MP Abdullah AlTameemi unlike what was planned earlier.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Hamad stated the grilling of the Oil Minister will be included in the next agenda of the Parliament but it will not be discussed. He added, the grilling contains five confirmed issues in addition to the sixth — the Shell deal — the issue, which he said, he is still discussing with other colleagues as to whether or not to include it in the grilling.

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Madalena, 88, and Fortunato Corso, 89, a Bensonhurst couple married 72 years who met in Calabria, Italy, and married on Feb 4, 1941, pose for a photograph at their home in New York, on Feb 13. The couple were to be honored Thursday by Brooklyn borough President Marty Markowitz in a celebration of couples married 50 years or more. The Corsos, who met as teenagers have seven children — three girls and four boys. (AP) — See Page 14

Syrian rebels seize al-Shaddadeh AMMAN, Feb 14, (Agencies): Rebels seized a town in an eastern oil-producing province of Syria on Thursday after three days of heavy fighting in which 30 Nusra Front fighters and 100 Syrian troops were killed, a violence monitoring group said.

Taking Shaddadeh in Hasakah province from the forces of President Bashar al-Assad brings the rebels closer to the provincial capital Hasakah, 45 kms (30 miles) to the north.

Coinciding with the report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on the fighting was a video posted on YouTube showing fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front celebrating and chanting “Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), Nusra Nusra”.

Omar Abu Laila, a spokesman for the eastern command of the rebel Free Syrian Army, said rebel units including Nusra fighters now controlled al-Shaddadeh after over-

running state security and military intelligence compounds.

Hasakah, an ethnically mixed province of Arabs and Kurds, accounts for most of Syria’s oil output, which is estimated to have fallen by a third, to no more than 100,000 barrels per day, since an uprising against Assad’s rule erupted in March 2011.

Abu Laila said an army garrison guarding Continued on Page 8

Left behind, but not forgotten

Saudi names new Riyadh governor

Continued on Page 8

WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (Agencies): Advancing a US crackdown on tax evasion by Americans, the US Treasury Department said on Thursday Switzerland and the United States have signed a pact to make Swiss banks disclose more information about US account holders.

The agreement is the latest in a series between the United States and other countries designed to carry out the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, enacted in 2010.

The law requires foreign financial institutions to tell the US Internal Revenue Service about Americans’ offshore accounts worth more than $50,000. FATCA was enacted after a Swiss bank scandal showed US taxpayers hid millions of dol-

11 back bid

But the Islamic Republic, which denies any military dimension to its work and is asking for acknowledgement that it is entitled to produce nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes, is heading for a presidential election in June.

That fact alone makes it hard for any official to be seen to make concessions to foreign powers, let alone ones that suit Iran’s enemies, the United States and Israel, which is widely assumed to be the Middle East’s only nucleararmed power.

“On behalf of the Iranian nation, I say that whoever

RIYADH, Feb 14, (AFP): Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah on Thursday appointed Prince Khaled bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz as the new governor of the capital Riyadh, the official SPA news agency reported.

It said the king also named one of his sons, Prince Turki, as deputy governor in place of Prince Mohammed bin Saad, who had asked to step down.

The new governor succeeds the king’s half-brother Sattam who died on Tuesday at the age of 72 after occupying the post since October 2011.

A graduate of Britain’s

US, Swiss sign pact on tax evasion

MP to submit grilling of Oil on Dow, Shell deals

The intention to file the grilling request was announced on Feb 5, 2013 and it contained five basic issues — Kuwait’s deal with the Dow Chemical company, Kuwait’s project with Shell, recent promotions at the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiary companies, the partnership between Kuwait Petroleum International and the Israeli fuel company Derek Group and foreign oil refineries.

He disclosed 11 MPs have expressed their support to his grilling request. They have also said they will support the noconfidence motion should the issue come for voting, but there is a condition attached — to delete the Shell deal issue from the grilling request so as not to give the minister an excuse since the issue is before the court.

In the meantime, the Independents bloc Thursday issued a statement calling upon

Acknowledgement

Banks complain of compliance burden

OFWs say it with song in Philippines

Regina Millado holds an Ecuadorian rose she just bought that would be the centerpiece for a flower arrangement at the flower street called Dangwa on Valentine’s Day, on Feb 14, in Manila, Philippines. (AP)

MANILA, Philippines, Feb 14, (AP): Angelica Nino, a 22-year-old manager of a Manila restaurant, was preparing to assign shifts to her crew last week when she got a big surprise from her Filipino boyfriend who has been in Italy for a year on business.

To mark their first anniversary as a couple and as an early Valentine’s Day gift, he sent over a singer and a guitar player to serenade her and read out his love letter.

This scene was to be played out Thursday in restaurants, offices and homes across the Philippines on Valentine’s Day. With nearly 10 percent of the country’s 94 million people working abroad, clearly there was room for someone to play Cupid between long-distance lovers. And then was born a unique surprise sere-

nade service, which includes love songs, a cuddly teddy and a video recording of the romance-byproxy event that is shipped to the client abroad. To immortalize their love, the video is also posted on YouTube.

At the Yoshinoya restaurant, a video camera recorded the teary-eyed Nino listening to the love songs by the rental Cupids while hugging the teddy bear gift. Smiling co-workers — who were in on the surprise — and guests watched as Thor, a professional singer, performed.

The unique service was started by in 2010 by Jason dela Rosa, a former recording studio producer who said it is the first and only professional surprise serenade service in the country. The bulk of his clients are homesick and love struck Filipinos Continued on Page 8

‘D’ labels may be inaccurate NEW YORK, Feb 14, (RTRS): The amount of vitamin D in some supplements may be either much lower or much higher than what’s written on the label, according to a new analysis.

Researchers found that off-the-shelf pills from 12 different manufacturers had between 52 percent and 135 percent of their advertised vitamin D content.

And among vitamins Continued on Page 8

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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Violators to face legal action: Eng Al-Subaih

Municipality warns against placing unlicensed billboards KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14, (KUNA): The Kuwait Municipality urged the public not to place unlicensed banners on public roads and utilities, particularly those celebrating the country’s imminent national days.

In statements to KUNA, Kuwait Municipality General Director Eng. Ahmad Al-Subaih made it clear that unlicensed ads will be

removed and legal action will be taken against violators.

He pointed out that unlicensed billboards which are randomly hoisted at key places tarnish the image of main roads, major squares and could even cause traffic jams or accidents.

Eng. Al-Subaih asked citizenry and firms seeking to install ads at

any place to get license from Municipality Council office in the related areas to avoid ads removal.

Meanwhile, Al-Ahmadi Municipality General Director Eng. Yussef Al-Mullah unveiled that the Municipality teams have removed 253 unlicensed billboards across the governorate.

Al-Mullah disclosed that that

Municipality teams have recently carried out a campaign of inspections and busts of spoiled food stashes in warehouses as well as on the shelves of shopping centers and food outlets in the governorate.

The campaign resulted in closing six shops and referring scores others to investigations for not abiding by relative laws and regulations.

Easy to infiltrate automation system of MoSAL – sources ‘Labor’ employee admits of fraud KUNA photo

Al-Barjas (right), with Barghouti

KRCS, Global Fund discuss means of co-op The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria discussed, on Thursday, with Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) means of boosting cooperation.

After meeting with KRCS’ chief Barjas Al-Barjas, chief of foreign affairs at the Global Fund Patricia Magyar said in a press statement that the meeting aimed at spreading to the world of the Global Fund’s activities that support more than

150 underprivileged countries across the world.

The Global Fund was created to increase resources to fight three of the world’s most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need, she noted.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian National Initiative’s chief Mustafa Barghouti praised the efforts of KRCS in supporting the Palestinian people. (KUNA)

MoC to implement KD 1.3m projects KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Ministry of Communications will implement two projects at a total cost of KD 1.3 million to improve the infrastructure of the telecommunications network in the country, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting sources.

Sources revealed one of the projects is

the expansion and development of the international exchange structure to improve the quality of Internet and international call services; while the second includes supply, operation and installation of the system to protect the ministry’s network from hackers.

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: “The software system that interlinks ministry’s data is easy to infiltrate”, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting reliable sources from Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.

They cited an incident wherein an employee of one of the labor departments infiltrated the system and managed to install a software program that allowed him to access the computer of any employee without the need for password.

They revealed that the former director of the department discovered this matter after he noticed changes made to the data of companies without any reason, adding that he had also received complaints from several companies about these changes.

They explained that the suspected employee used to report for duty early everyday and leave late, adding that they noticed the changes in the system were carried out around 6:00 am and around 2:30 pm.

They added after the director contacted the immigration detectives, the latter monitored the employee and eventually summoned him for questioning. During interrogations, he confessed that he had infiltrated the automation system several times for various company representatives (mandoups) who paid him huge sums of money. He explained that when a certain company’s employee count reaches the maximum limit, he would transfer the employees to another big company with unused employee slots in order for the former company to recruit more employees.

Sources pointed out that almost KD 25,000 was confiscated from the suspect’s account after he admitted to investigations that he had acquired the money as bribes from several company and its representatives during his employment in the department.

PAAAFR ‘initials’ MoU with Holland KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14, (KUNA): Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for agricultural cooperation with a Dutch visiting delegation, Chairman of PAAAFR Engineer, Jassem Habib Al-Bader said.

He said in remarks to the media following his meeting with the delegation on Thursday that this memorandum includes developing and improving the agricultural sector in the country.

It also includes boosting and developing the training skills and methods, conducting scientific researches and tests in the field, exchange of expertise, besides application of modern agricultural technology, he stated.

Photos by Meshaal Nayef

Top: The German cruise ship in the Kuwaiti waters, and (above), tourists being received at the Shuwaikh Port.

German cruise ship with 457 tourists docks at Shuwaikh Port The head of the Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) Sheikh Sabah Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah welcomed at the Shuwaikh Port the German cruise ship MS Deutschland, which is making its second voyage to the Kuwait port.

The ship carrying 457

European tourists and 200 crew members was received by Director of the KPA Affairs Department Mohammed Khalifa Al-Baloushi and Affairs Handling Director at the Shuwaikh Port Salem Taqi in addition to the Cultural Attaché at the embassy

of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait Aleksander Tchemilis accompanied by members of local news agencies.

The tourists were received in the traditional Kuwaiti way comprising folklore dances and recitation of poems.

Kuwait Today Civil ID info: 1889988 Site for checking travel ban

Prayer Timings Fajr .................................................05:07 am Sunrise .................................................06:28 Zohr ................................................12:02 pm Asr ........................................................03:13 Maghreb ...............................................05:37 Isha.......................................................06:55

Weather Expected weather for the next 24 hours:

By Night: Cold with light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of 10-30 km/h.

By Day: Sunny with light to moderate north westerly to light variable wind, with speed of 0628 km/h.

Station Max Min Exp Rec Kuwait City 24 14 Kuwait Airport 23 11 Nuwaiseeb 24 10 Wafra 24 10 Salmi 20 07 Abdaly 24 08 Jalaliyah 23 09 Failaka 23 13 Ahmadi Port 21 14 Qaruh Island 19 16 Umm Al-Maradem 20 16

4-days forecast – Weather Friday, Feb 15 Expected weather..............sunny Max Temp .............................24C Min Temp ..............................13C Wind Direction ..............NW-VRB Wind Speed...............06-28 km/h Saturday, Feb 16 Expected weather partly cloudy + scattered rain + raising dust Max Temp .............................26C

www.kuwaitcourts.gov.kw/mojweb/NGeneral/Main.jsp

deaths Fatima Sulaiman Abdul Aziz Al-Khalifi, 83 years old, widow of Mansour Al-Masoud, buried on Thursday. Condolences: (Men) Faiha, Block 7, House 10, on 3rd Ring Road, Tel: 97722828-99702515- 9624939, (Women) Surra, Block 1, St 8, House 17, Tel: 99040538-9618991.

Mohammad Shaaban Al-Qasem, 60 years old, buried on Thursday.

Condolences: (Men) Sulaibikhat, Huseiniyat Umm Al-Baneen, Block 1, St 103, House 3, Tel: 66642227 (Women) Sulaibikhat, Huseiniyat Sayed Al-

Shuhada, Block 1, St 104. Mazana Awad Nafal Al-Otaibi, 79 years old, widow of Abdullah Mitlaq Said Al-Otaibi, buried on Thursday.

Condolences: Sabahiya, Block 1, St 12, House 5, Tel: 9901424866650511. Fatima Ali Hashim Mohamad Ashkinani, 67 years old, widow of Ashour Ghloom Al-Jafar, buried on Thrusday. Condolences: (Men) Maidan Hawally, Al-Huseiniya Al-Ashkinaniya, Tel: 55770101 (Women) West Mishref, Block 3, St 302, House 15, Tel: 25376041.

Feb 14, 2013 Min Temp ..............................15C Wind Direction.................SE-NW Wind Speed...............15-40 km/h Sunday, Feb 17 Expected weather...........sunny + ................................blowing dust Max Temp .............................24C Min Temp ..............................13C Wind Direction.......................NW Wind Speed...............20-40 km/h Monday, Feb 18 Expected weather..............sunny Max Temp .............................23C Min Temp ..............................11C Wind Direction ...................NW-N Wind Speed...............08-28 km/h

Marine Forecast Station

Max Min Sea Exp Rec Surf

South Dolphin Ahmadi L/V Beacon M28

20 17 19

Today’s Waves Ht Direction

14 16 4ft 08 - 4ft 14 17 4ft

SE SE SE

Beacon N6 Qaruh Island Umm Al-Maradem Sea island Buoy Salmiyah

22 19 20 19 22

12 - 4ft 16 18 4ft 16 - 4ft 14 17 4ft 15 - 4ft

SE SE SE SE SE

4-days forecast - Marine Friday, Feb 15 Expected weather..............sunny Sea state ........slight to moderate Wave height ........................1-4 ft Max Temp .............................24C Min Temp ..............................13C Wind Direction ..............NW-VRB Wind Speed...............06-28 km/h Saturday, Feb 16 Expected weather partly cloudy + ......................................scattered Sea state .......moderate to rough Wave height ........................3-6 ft Max Temp .............................26C Min Temp ..............................15C Wind Direction.................SE-NW

Wind Speed...............15-40 km/h Sunday, Feb 17 Expected weather...........sunny + ................................blowing dust Sea state .......moderate to rough Wave height ........................3-6 ft Max Temp .............................24C Min Temp ..............................13C Wind Direction.......................NW Wind Speed...............20-40 km/h Monday, Feb 18 Expected weather..............sunny Sea state ........slight to moderate Wave height ........................1-4 ft Max Temp .............................23C Min Temp ..............................11C Wind Direction ...................NW-N Wind Speed...............08-28 km/h

Tide times at Shuwaikh Port 1st high tide:.......................03:00 2nd high tide:......................15:15 1st low tide: ........................21:00

2nd low tide: .......................09:15 Sunrise: ..............................06:28 Sunset: ...............................17:36

Recorded yesterday at Kuwait Airport Max temp..............................22C Min temp...............................14C Max Rh.................................64% Min Rh..................................16% Max Wind................... N 53 km/h Total Rainfall in 24 hrs .....00 mm

Recorded yesterday at South Dolphin Min/Max/ Air Temp.................14/20C Min/Max Rel Hum .................37/76% Wind Dir./Wind Speed ......N/53 km/h Prev Wave Dir/Max Wave Ht ...N/2-ft Min/Max Sea Surface Temp .16/17 C Sea Current ...........End of Upwelling

– Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Meteorological Dept.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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Top UN official extols Kuwait’s efforts to assist Syrian refugees Donor confab extremely well organized: Amos BRUSSELS, Feb 14, (KUNA): Valerie Amos, UN Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Thursday praised HH the Amir of Kuwait for hosting the international donors’ conference on Syria on Jan 30.

Photos by Iehab Qurtal The Swiss Tourism Authority organized Wednesday a symposium to highlight the best tourism packages for GCC nationals, particularly Kuwaitis. A delegation from the authority and representatives of various Swiss tourism companies, hotels and resorts are currently visiting GCC nations, including Kuwait, to promote amazing tour packages for the summer.

It has been reported that around 17,000 Kuwaitis toured Switzerland, making Kuwait the third among the GCC nations in terms of the number of tourists visiting the country.

“We were hosted by HH the Amir of Kuwait which was extremely important.

Kuwait took the lead in terms of making pledges at that conference, pledging $300 million for humanitarian effort,” she told the Kuwait news agency, KUNA, during a visit to Brussels.

“I think that was very well received. The conference was extremely well organised and I think the fact of Kuwait taking the lead in the pledging led other countries to also respond generously,” said the UN’s top most humanitarian aid official.

“The Secretary General, myself the whole of the UN system are enormously grateful to the Amir and to the people of Kuwait for their efforts on our behalf,” noted Amos who has also served as leader of the House of Lords in the UK. She noted that the response from the other Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain was “extremely positive and recognized as such”.

Charities

Photo by Anwar Daifallah

Kuwaitis trying to fly a huge kite with Kuwait’s national flag colours along the Gulf Street.

Sharia panel holds seminar

Bid to prevent violence among youth KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Supreme Advisory Committee for the Implementation of Sharia has reaffirmed its commitment to activate its role in presenting laws to prevent violence among youths, in addition to finding out the reasons behind the rising number of young people engaged in violent acts and the right approach to deal with the issue, reports Al-Rai daily quoting Committee Chairman Dr Khaled Al-Mathkour.

Speaking in the seminar organized Wednesday by the Committee under the slogan “Youth Violence, Causes and Solutions”, Al-Mathkour pointed out the prevention of crimes in Kuwait requires a special blessing

and grace from Allah. He disclosed the panel will look into the papers presented in the seminar to come up with a proposal on curbing violence and it will be referred to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

On the other hand, Director General of the National Security College Major General Mohammad Rafe Al-Dehani said the crime rate in 2009 was low with only 24 crimes reported per 100,000 people and then it fell to around eight per 100,000. He added the unknown crimes report for the period starting from 2007 to 2011 showed that the lowest number of such crimes was recorded in 2009 with 7,653 cases.

News in Brief AUK receives MEW award: For the 5th consecutive year, the American University of Kuwait (AUK) receives the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) Award for Energy Conservation.

AUK has been receiving MEW awards since 2008 on their collaborative efforts with the ministry on energy conservation.

Abolghasem Alavinejad, Director of Campus Services at AUK, commented on this achievement saying “It is a great profesAlavinejad sional pleasure to be in line with MEW guidelines of energy conservation”.

The MEW relationship with AUK started when a team of ministry representatives visited the AUK campus in 2007 to inspect and provide advice on their energy conservation campaign.

The visitors were impressed by how the Campus Services Department at AUK had already been applying energy conservation practices including, using light-emitting diodes, controlling the usage, and preventing energy loss.

In continuation of its energy conservation efforts, the campus services Department at AUK maintains collaboration with MEW by sharing experience, data, and information on energy conservation methods.

The American University of Kuwait (AUK) is an independent, private, equal

opportunity, and co-educational liberal arts institution of higher education. The educational, cultural and administrative structure, methods and standards of AUK are based on the American model of higher learning.

The language of instruction is English.

More information on the American University of Kuwait can be found at www.auk.edu.kw. ❑ ❑ ❑

‘Allocate area in co-ops for eggs’: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has asked the Cooperative Societies Union to instruct the cooperatives to allocate an area for the delivery of eggs — one of the food added to in the ration cards for citizens, reports Al-Kuwaitiah daily quoting sources.

Sources attributed the delayed distribution of eggs to the failure of the distribution centers to make the necessary arrangements for the delivery of the new items included in the ration cards. ❑ ❑ ❑

Amos noted that a number of charities in the Gulf countries have been active in relief and aid work for Syrian refugees particularly in neigbhouring countries like Turkey and Jordan.

“The conference gave a recognition to that work which I think is important, “ she told KUNA. Earlier, speaking at a press conference Amos said she is in Brussels as part of a tour of a number of EU countries which are strong supporters of humanitarian work.

The focus of her visit is the humanitarian issues in Syria and Mali and the wider Sahel region, she said.

She will meet Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development, and will brief the EU Political and Security Committee.

She will also meet Belgian and NATO officials during her visit to the Belgian capital.

“In Syria the situation is deteriorating as the fighting continues to devastate the lives of millions of Syrians,” said the UN official.

She estimated that four million Syrians require immediate humanitarian assistance including three million who are internally displaced and over 700, 000 who have taken refuge in neighbouring countries.

“While political solution continues to evade us the humanitarian community continues to try do more to help Syrians caught up in the conflict,” she said.

Amos said she is talking to both the Syrian regime and opposition group to improve access to humanitarian aid.

“In the recent pledging conference for Syria which was oganised in Kuwait on 30 January, the international community came together to show support to the Syrian people and more than $1.5 billion was pledged,” she said.

“We are now working to turn this money into respond efforts on the ground. We are grateful to all of those countries which pledged and there were many European Union

‘MoI cooperation with ICRC vital’: Undersecretary at the Interior Ministry Lieut-General Ghazi Al-Omar said here Wednesday that cooperation between the Interior Ministry and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was “vital” to coordinate efforts within a regional context.

This came during Al-Omar’s meeting with head of the ICRC’s regional commission for the GCC Gerard Piternier.

On his part, Piternier thanked the State of Kuwait for its continuous support towards the ICRC’s mission. (KUNA) Amos

The meeting in progress.

KCCI board discusses issues tied to commercial, transportation sectors The Trade and Transport Committee in the Board of Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry held the second meeting for 2013 recently to discuss issues related to commercial and transportation sectors and finding ways to reduce traffic congestion caused by the road maintenance activities at Shuwaikh Port area and adjoining roads.

The members discussed the lat-

est developments in the sector and offered suggestions to designate an area for containers outside Shuaiba Area.

Meanwhile, the committee met a delegation from International Bank to prepare an integrated plan for developing the services rendered

by General Customs Department.

They also discussed the main problems the customs in Kuwait is facing and negative effects of these

problems on the business sector.

Many suggestions were presented during the meeting to improve the customs sector, which includes the implementation of automation system to facilitate unification of goods, while establishing customs units at the borders with full amenities, and elimination of convoy system which is considered the major obstacle against commerce in Kuwait.

MoC acquires system for retaining ‘same number’ KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Ministry of Communications has acquired the system needed to complete the procedures for allowing subscribers of telecommunication services to use the same number even if they switch to another provider, reports Al-Nahar daily quoting Communications and

Housing Affairs Minister Eng Salem Al-Utheina.

In a recent press statement, AlUtheina disclosed this came after the ministry obtained approval from the Central Tenders Committee (CTC), indicating the process of transferring to another company

with the same phone number will begin in April. He affirmed the ministry has started taking the necessary technical steps for the completion of the project. He said the final step is the signing of an agreement between the three telecommunication companies.

countries which did so either in the individual capacity or as part of the EU efforts,” she said.

The UN needs $1 billion to assist the Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries and $519 million for response effort inside Syria itself for the first six months of this year.

Amos said the situation in the Sahel is better than we feared last year.

“Early and rapid action has helped to save lives but the crisis is now aggravated with the conflict in Mali where over 1.2 million people are caught in the middle of armed operations,” she said.

She said that the UN is working with the EU to improve the response on the ground across the Sahel to tackle food and security issues.

As a former secretary of state for international development in the British government Amos has worked globally to tackle poverty in Africa.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

LOCAL

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‘Protesting laborers to face deportation’

DIWANIYA

a digest of public opinion

‘Minimum wage is KD 60’ KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Director of Labor Relations Department at Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Hadi Al-Enezi announced that the ministry will cancel the residence permits of all protesting laborers and deport them if they continue to violate public order through sitins, reports AlSeyassah daily.

He made this announcement during a press conference in response to recent sit-ins and demands for salary increments by laborers. However, such an announcement is an explicit violation of local and international labor agreements of which Kuwait is a signatory.

Top and above: Pictures taken at the meeting.

Salmiya residents, police in talks

‘Report crime incidents’ KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Coordination Committee of Indian Residents of Salmiya organized an interaction with Area Commander of Salmiya & his team recently in the Indian Community School auditorium. Captain Meshal Al-Mutairi, Lt Dhari Al-Shammari, Lt Dawood Faridhoon took part in the event. Captain Meshal Al Mutairi and his colleagues were accorded a rousing reception by the members of the coordination committee. This goodwill meeting was a grand success in terms of residents’ participation and confidence-building.

Basheer Batha, general convener of the committee, welcomed the gathering. In his address, he spelt out the reasons for inviting the esteemed guests and the community for an interaction. He said that such meetings will help to facilitate better interaction between the residents and the authorities.

Vijay Karayil, Chairman of the Salmiya Residents Coordination Committee, delivered the presidential address and highlighted the support Indians receive from the Kuwait authorities. He underlined that the Indians in Kuwait are indebted and grateful to the rulers of Kuwait for their benevolence and kind hospitality. He informed the community members that, in the context of crimes by some miscreants in the area, the coordination committee contacted Ambassador of India, Satish C Mehta and found full support from the Embassy officials. Indian Embassy represented the matter to Ministry of Interior and organized a meeting of the community with the authorities in Salmiya in the presence of Balram Upadhyay. Balram Upadhyay is the Counsellor, Consular & Chief Welfare Officer, of the Indian Embassy. Vijay further informed the gathering that the Salmiya police authorities were very patient and understanding and promised to look into the matter provided proper police complaints were filed. He also prompted the community members to register the case in the police station and assured them that the bilingual volunteers of the committee would help them as and when required.

Mukhtar Marouf and Harjinder Singh, patrons of the committee presented a memento to Captain Meshal Al-Mutairi and Adv Razak M. Payyoli and Sunil P. Antony, Convenors, presented mementoes to Lt Dhari Waleed Al-Shammari and Lt Dawood Faridoon.

Captain Meshal whole-heartedly praised the Indian community for their peace-loving nature and prompted them to register their complaints with the nearest police station. He assured the Indians that they would get full cooperation from Kuwait police in the event of any untoward incident.

Four volunteers came forward to help the community at any moment of time and gave their names and contact numbers. In conclusion, Mehaboob Kappad, Convenor of the Committee, presented the vote of thanks.

News in Brief Amiri letter for Indonesia: The envoy of HH the Amir and Diwan Amiri Advisor Dr Yousif Al-Ibrahim delivered a letter to the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The letter from HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah discussed bilateral relations and means to boost cooperation between both countries for mutual benefit.

On behalf of President Yudhoyono, the letter was received by Industry Minister Mohammad Hidayat.

(KUNA) ❑ ❑ ❑ GCC rejects Iran call: Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr Abdullatif Al-Zayani rejected Iran’s proposal to include the situation in Syria and the Kingdom of Bahrain on the agenda of the international meeting to be held by the end of this month between Iran and the 5+1 group on the Iranian nuclear program.

Al-Zayani said in a statement that the GCC states totally reject such Iranian attempts which confirm Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries and its ongoing efforts to destabilize security and stability of some Arab states.

He said that such attempts are meant to tamper with Iran’s negotiations file with the 5 +1 group by mixing political cards and an escape from the requirements and demands of the negotiations, in addition to Iran’s continued procrastination and lack of its seriousness in reaching a final solution that removes the regional and international concern over its nuclear program. (KUNA)

Al-Enezi said the labor law stipulates that the minimum wage of laborers is KD 60 according to the law 200/2011, indicating that the contracts signed by the laborer is based on consent by both employer and laborer and the employer reserves the right to increase the salary, which should not be less than KD 60.

He explained that the laborer has the right to transfer to another employer if his demands for salary increment are not met, adding that the embassies of the laborers commended the system of Kuwait that protects the rights of the expatriate laborers in the country.

Al-Enezi stressed no violations of the laborers’ rights have been committed and the ministry always strives to ensure the laborers are guaranteed their full rights based on the labor laws in the private sector.

Meanwhile, Head of Foreign Laborer Office affiliated to Kuwait’s General Labor Union Abdulrahman Al-Ghanim expressed his disappointment over the statement issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.

He pointed out that the right to conduct sit-ins is guaranteed according to the agreements of the international labor laws of which Kuwait is a signatory, adding that the international labor organization obliged Kuwait to amend the labor laws of its private sector to conform to the international laws.

He also pointed out that the local law only indicates that the starting salary should be KD 60 without specifying the maximum rate.

Al-Ghanim bid the ministry to resolve the grievances of the expatriate laborers who are unable to meet the increasing cost of living with merely KD 60 per month, affirming that the law has given everyone the right to conduct sit-ins without any bias based on nationality.

‘Kuwait, Riyadh views identical’ RIYADH, Feb 14, (KUNA): Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Ali Fahad AlRashid highlighted the deeply-rooted special bonds linking Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

“Kuwait and Saudi Arabia share identical views over regional and international issues,” Al-Rashid said in exclusive statements to KUNA at the end of his official three-day visit to the Kingdom.

He added that his talks with Saudi officials revealed a strong desire to develop and continue the distinguished cooperation between the two Arab nations in all domains and at all levels.

Al-Rashid voiced gratitude for the warm reception and hospitality he and his delegation received since they arrived in the Kingdom.

He also offered condolences to the Saudi leadership and people on the passing of Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh.

‘Deal on status quo will not be accepted’

‘Nothing less than true democracy’ “OUR political corridors are abuzz with talks on communications and initiatives taken by some parties to reach the so-called unconditional national reconciliation between those in power and those in the opposition,” columnist Sajed AlAbdali wrote for Al-Jaridah daily.

“I am aware of the objectives and motives that may move any ‘honest’ party to seek reconciliation or at least cool down the situation to some extent. I believe this step materialized primarily due to the concern about the future of the country following serious escalations, continued deterioration of development and economy and other very serious negative aspects. Although I know all these aspects, I find it difficult to understand the term ‘unconditional reconciliation’.

“Over the past months when the controversies and political conflicts had reached a crescendo may be they are still hovering there — many events have taken place, whether before or after the change in the election mechanism, which has given birth to what is now popularly known as ‘the Assembly of one vote’.

“The state witnessed several marches and demonstrations which have often ended in the forces suppressing them and in some cases ‘assaulting’ the demonstrators, a series of arrests and trials of common man and lawmakers, activists, tweeters - all related to events that are still continuing.

“So when we talk about ‘unconditional national reconciliation’, we find ourselves unable to underAl-Abdali stand the meaning of this phrase. Therefore we might ask: ‘Does it mean we go back to square one? That is to say cancel all achievements made so far on the political front including ‘the onevote Assembly as if it did not happen?’ I do not think so. However, does it mean this reconciliation ignores the fact or the reality on the ground and begins the process all over again?

“The phrase unconditional national reconciliation in fact is naive in light of the sequence of events today that have reached to a point of raising the ceiling of popular demands — demands for an elected popular government and full parliamentary system based on representation of parties explicitly and without equivocation.

“Thus, any waiver and acceptance of this unconditional national reconciliation is simply a waste of our main gain, which is the popular movement which boldly raises this high-ceiling ambitious claim.

“Yes, I am the one who wrote earlier about the need for the government and the opposition to sit at a table for a dialogue, but this dialogue should be to draw a map and a timetable to reach a consensus and put it into effect in a manner which will preserve the prestige of the ruling family, historically, symbolically and politically, and on the other side gives full constitutional rights to the people as a source of all powers, and not the acceptance of the status quo in return for withdrawing lawsuits, for example.

“The popular movement today has only one direction named ‘The people’s Government and full partisan parliamentary system. Any deviation from this trend in any other way is a defeat.

The term ‘unconditional national reconciliation’ is only a deception.”

Also: “After the return of stability and tranquility on the local arena, the issues of combating violence, paying more attention to the new generation and files of youths and their aspirations have become top priorities of the current phase, in spite of the attempts that have been exerted by ‘vested interests’ to disrupt and create tensions,” columnist Hassan Al-Muhaimzi wrote for AlSabah daily.

“The issue is no longer a matter of one vote or four votes given to an eligible voter, but as is evident and clear from the movements, we can say that it has exceeded the limits of democracy and parliamentary life, and we all are witnesses to what happened on the campus of the Kuwait University.

“Despite preparation and coordination for a festival at the university, students did not respond to the one-vote system and some aspirants were trying to politicize the university by illegal activities. This prompted the Union of Students to keep them away from talking part so as not to be subjected to sanctions and freezing their activities.

“The first rehearsal of chaos in the university failed, because the students had realized the dimensions of the agendas of others and their motives which appeared contrary to what they hide.

“The same attempts were foiled before when people stood against the schemes of those who incited the citizens to take to the street and announced that the stability and security of Kuwait is a priority and nothing should come at the expense of the country.

“So, the outlaws moved to the university in the hope their suspicious attempts might succeed, but these attempts too were stillborn.

“In spite of direct contacts with some international organizations and trying to tarnish the image of Kuwait in front of the human rights organizations, many other organizations knew very well that the history of Kuwait is plentiful with achievements in freedoms, democracy and human rights in every sense of the word and practice, but there are those who do not recognize the State of institutions and have reached a level of incitement to assault the securitymen.

The intention is create chaos.” ❑ ❑ ❑ “The Arab world remains an important and indispensable region despite the conflicts and difficulties it is currently facing; whether those related to the Arab Spring, its affiliations or the new concept adopted by the people suffering in the hands of tyrannical regimes to express their desire for freedom,” Dr Heila Al-Mekaimi wrote for Al-Nahar daily.

“No matter how long the current circumstances prevail, most Arab countries will definitely last, because faith remains the most important thing in the hearts of the people. The virtu-

al independence of the Western countries should not let the Middle East lose their power and it should not push them to surrender, considering the condition in the West is not better than what we have here.

“If we take Turkey as a case in point, it is facing a political problem while it keeps on struggling to be part of the European Union. We can see a similar scenario in Israel, particularly when the results of the last election showed that the people are against the system adopted by Prime Minister Netanyahu. These are just a few of the endless examples we can mention to drive our point across.

“The current circumstances in this part of the world clearly reflect the people’s desire for positive changes. They want to change the systems they have rejected but not everything we hear or see is the truth. Apparently, trivial issues are being used to conceal the most important ones.” ❑ ❑ ❑ “Division is the common feature of movements and organizations based on social dimension even if they try to hide behind a political cover. Under such circumstances, we must restructure the political scene in line with the constitutional and legal texts, especially after witnessing chaos and confusion around us,” Nasser Al-Abdali wrote for Al-Kuwaitiya daily.

“The aim of encouraging the creation of political movements with different names was to move from the voluntary work to political professionalism, while transforming clashes from the streets and the Parliament to new institutions where they will be solved without letting their fragments fly everywhere.

“Organizing the political arena is a good way to stop the interference of the ruling family in the internal affairs of any political movement. It will also prevent the use of tribal and sectarian issues against the society in general. It will give us a chance to focus on the implementation of important projects, away from clashes and troubles.

“In order to organize the political arena, the political groups should be divided into two categories — the first should be a merger between the conservatives and other groups with similar ideologies, while the second category includes the liberals and their groups. Each group should be given the opportunity to show its capabilities, so whichever wins the trust of the nation will execute its programs within a specific period, as the case in Western countries.” ❑ ❑ ❑ “Qatar is laced with courage, intrepidity and boldness when she involves directly in incidents without any form of dialogue or diplomacy as her officials speak bluntly with others,” columnist Abdulrahman Al-Awad wrote for Al-Sabah daily.

“However, she urges the concerned parties to think deeply and handle the options they have with seriousness. It was not surprising for the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem to take a bold new initiative during his speech at the inaugural international conference of the ArabInternational Community Relations Council.

“He demanded for formation of a committee that comprises of countries surrounding the Arabian Gulf. It was obvious that Iran and Iraq was included in his proposal. He claimed that the pending issues between Tehran and some Arab nations particularly in the Arabian Gulf can be resolved through constructive dialogue using a diplomatic and confidence-building approach.” ❑ ❑ ❑ “Article 100 of Kuwaiti Constitution grants lawmakers the right to grill the Prime Minister or any minister regarding issues within their jurisdictions. It stipulates that the grilling can only be discussed until at least eight days have passed after its presentation, except in case of urgency and with the consent of the concerned minister,” columnist retired Major General Hamad AlSura’e wrote for Al-Anba daily.

“Three grilling requests have already been submitted against the ministers of Communications, Oil and Health. The lawmakers presented the interpellations to query them about issues that fall within their respective jurisdictions. Each of the ministers has taken certain actions that require clarifications for citizens to know the truth behind the issues.

“It is unreasonable to grill a minister without asking him questions first through the National Assembly. The impromptu grilling against the Communications Minister seems ambiguous as though it is intended to pressurize him to succumb to a personal demand or use it as an opportunity to appoint certain individuals due to his determination about non-renewal of the Undersecretary’s tenure.” ❑ ❑ ❑ “After the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak said most leadership positions in the country were acquired through ‘wasta’, and that it is the source of corruption in the country, I wish he was firm and devoted to uproot corruption and rectify the mistake,” columnist Rashed Al-Radaan wrote for Al-Watan Arabic daily.

“It is shocking that someone in that capacity can say something like that without any Members of Parliament reacting to the statement.

If he had affirmed his devotion to rectify the mistake which was committed by past leaders and people’s representatives, he would be undoubtedly the number one person to lead the executive authority.

“Most civilian leaders in the country are either Sheikhs or friends of MPs (former and current), and it is impossible to hear that someone has been appointed in top government job based on his/her qualifications, competence and merits.

“It is usually people who are affiliated to certain parliamentary bloc, MP or sheikhs. In short, such appointments are based on political deals and transactions, which include even those who have been recently naturalized.

“Therefore, the Prime Minister should not tell us something which does not fulfill anything. If he is a courageous person, he should eradicate corruption and implement reforms.

“In other words, he should confront today’s enemies, who were yesterday’s friends, instead of trying to satisfy them by all means. The country needs realistic and tangible reforms, and not words coated with honey the sweetness of which has been extracted.’’ ❑ ❑ ❑ “It seems the opposition has started to fall apart. This came after the announcement made by the National Alliance and the Democratic Platform on their ‘separation’ from the opposition due to the alleged one-sided decision-making. Now, the Constitutional Movement and the Popular Bloc also declared their intention to take a similar step,” Faisal Mohammad Al-Hajiri wrote for Al-Anba daily.

“The reason behind the withdrawal of these movements from the opposition is that they have started noticing the dwindling popularity of the group as reflected in the low number of participants in their recent demonstrations. In previous seminars, we mentioned that it will not take long to see the opposition moving towards failure because its members don’t have one common point, while they have many differences. They claim to be fighting for public interest but they are actually focusing on their personal goals.

People are now aware of the real motives of the opposition so they no longer trust the group.

“Every citizen should obey the orders of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah. They should be thankful for having a ruler who has the ability to put Kuwait in a position desired by other countries which admire its stability and security. We should protect this image and respect as much as we can. We must not allow crisis-provokers and troublemakers to tarnish the reputation of the country.” ❑ ❑ ❑ “Nowadays, everyone is fighting only for their personal interests. A minister will only work for the interests of his political bloc without working towards the welfare of the country and its people.

Any given official is keen on promotions and benefiting from his status — in short, everyone is focused on personal benefit,” columnist Muhammad Al-Mulla wrote for Al-Shahed daily.

“One thing we keep forgetting and that is to ask ourselves what we have done for our country Kuwait. What have we done for the interests of the youth of this country — the youth who are currently in despair due to the current social situation in our country?

“In the past, students were allowed to work after school in some sectors of the government until a law was passed to prohibit them from utilizing their free time in something beneficial.

Currently, the youths are left with lot of time on hand, and in this time they engage in activities which make them prone to manipulation by the politicians.

“Our current society is not as a working society. It is sluggish. We ask for financial allowances assuming that we deserve them, while in real sense we don’t deserve any allowances because we are not a productive working society.

“This kind of feeling comes as a result of social injustice in the country, which is brought by individuals who pursue, self-gains at the expense of others. What I am trying to say is many people are not working for the sake of Kuwait or its people instead, they are working for the people with their interests. Therefore, we should not be shocked with the fact that we are living in chaotic entities.’’ ❑ ❑ ❑ “According to my personal conviction, the current MPs feel they are unfairly treated and there are people who are trying to tarnish the image and paralyze the National Assembly for some of the other reason, irrespective whether these people belong to the opposition or are progovernment,” columnist Rashid Al-Rada’an wrote for Al-Watan Arabic daily.

“What does it mean when several MPs say that the Interior Minister does not respect them and he does not deal with them in a proper manner, and whenever he attends sessions, he comes with nothing to say to them? What does it mean when several MPs say that no one pays attention to them when attending regional or international summits?

“What about an MP who is asked to introduce himself when attending a certain Diwaniya?

What about the pressure that is put on an MP requesting him/her to withdraw his/her interpellation? What about the media forgetting or rather ignoring to mention the name of Speaker of the Parliament in one of the social ceremonies? It goes on and on because there are so many ‘What abouts...

“Everything has a reason, and the reason for these cases and many more is the fact that the current Parliament is aggrieved and unjustly treated by many.

“The current Parliament needs to directly conduct a successful grilling against the Prime Minister and gather votes of no-confidence against the entire government. If that does not happen, the series of mockeries and scoffing will continue.” ❑ ❑ ❑ “I do not know how a lawmaker in Kuwait’s Parliament thinks humbly that Israel is targeting Kuwait at least at the current time. How can he perceive that Israel is interested in Kuwait as a priority at a time when Tel Aviv is busy confronting several countries from the Arab world with which it shares ‘unstable’ borders?” columnist Abdullah Al-Mesfir Al-Adwani wrote for AlAnba daily.

“I do not understand how an MP can grill a minister alone at a time when most or all his colleagues disagree with him or let’s say they are not interested in such an inquest.

“Moreover, that lawmaker is insisting in grilling the minister even if he has to do it alone.

It is known that it is important to have serious pivots to submit a grilling request; otherwise, what is the benefit of submitting such an inquest and suspending the sessions and legislations.

“I hope the lawmakers of the one-vote system will be objective in their expositions and discussions to get the respect of ministers.”

— Compiled by Ahmad Al-Shazli

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

LOCAL

5

Al-Shall Report KSE weekly performance less active; indices decline

Real estate market liquidity drops in Jan Local Real Estate Market – January 2013

L

atest available data from the Ministry of Justice, Department of Real Estate Registration and Authentication, for January 2013 indicated a noticeable drop in real estate market liquidity compared with December 2012. Total value of contracts and agencies trading scored about KD 302.7 million, down by -22.8% from December 2012 value of about KD 392.2 million.

January 2013 trading was distributed as follows: KD 260.6 million for contracts and about KD 42.1 million for agencies. Contribution value of private housing sale dropped slightly out of total sales and registered KD 161.1 million (53.2%) compared with KD 213.8 million (54.5%) in December 2012 achieving a drop by -24.7% and a drop in its contribution to the total.

Value of investment housing sales scored about KD 94.4 million (31.2% of total sales) versus 33.2% in December 2012 when they scored KD 130.4 million. This means they achieved a drop by -27.6% and a drop in their contribution in the total. Value of commercial activity sales scored about KD 50 million and its contribution to the total sales rose to 13.5% (11.4% in December 2012) while its absolute value dropped by -8.1% below its counterpart value in December 2012. Absolute value of warehousing activity went up by 83.8% vis-à-vis December 2012. Likewise, its relative contribution out of total sales rose to 2.1% (0.9% in December 2012).

If we compare January 2013 trading with that of January 2012 we note a drop in the real estate market’s liquidity from KD 345.2 million in January 2012 to KD 302.7 million in January 2013, a drop by -12.3%. The decline also affected the private and investment housing by -13.6% and -28.7% respectively.

Private and investment housing components captured 84.4% of the market liquidity in January 2013 (92.3% in January 2012).

Comparing the last 12 months’ trading (February 2012-January 2013) with the trading in the period (February 2011-January 2012) we notice that value of contracts and agencies between February 2012 and January 2013 scored KD 3.29 billion vis-a-vis KD 3.01 billion for the previous period achieving a rise by 9.2%. The rise also affected the private and investment housing, the commercial activity and warehousing which rose by 13.4%, 1.4%, 14.2%, and 66.1% respectively.

Public Administration and Public Finance In the 1980s oil market conditions changed considerably in favor of consumers. After establishing the International Energy Agency in 1974, it worked to increase oil production from outside the countries boycotting the West during October 1973 War. With energy rationing programs and the entry of the North Sea production, OPEC production dropped in the early seventies and oil prices dropped to $10 per barrel and OPEC disintegrated by December 1985. The American then vice-president George Bush Sr interfered then to rescue its countries from a probable chaos.

In the 1990s and after Asia Tigers crisis in October 1997, oil production also dropped and prices fell to just around $10 per barrel for the second time. At that time real threat to the political stability in the region occurred. Some countries were unable to meet necessary financial obligations. The United States interfered again to convince countries like Russia, Mexico and Norway to drop their production to support oil prices to avoid a serious political instability in the Gulf region. All those who are in power now, or workers in the oil industry, remember these two scenarios quite well and know how serious the conditions created by these two scenarios were.

It seems history repeats itself and so do its sins. The oil market, after a major prosperity, seems threatened by two factors whose danger is, as in the past, that they will be realized in the future and during unfavorable conditions. Their confrontation is not possible except by preemptive and precautionary policies but the public administration is asleep.

The first threat is the probable weakness in the performance of global economy.

The projected growth will not be as in the pre-2008 crisis. There are indications that major countries that were a source of support to demand in the oil market like China and India may lost about two percentage points (2%) of their historical economic growth rates at a time when the influence of the Arab spring on limiting the oil supply might disappear and the crisis with Iran might end, to join with Iraq as the biggest exporters. The second threat might come from a probable threat for a higher supply from the non-conventional oils like the shale oil whose amounts may be uncertain yet they will be negatively influential through increasing the supply in the near future.

In Kuwait, the public administration tended to greatly weaken its negotiating position at a time when there is a need for national reconciliation to rescue the country. It was not successful in its endeavor to support the development project and brought in a national assembly whose concern is to intensify attrition of public finance, and pushed the country to the worst political and social

Photo by Anwar Daifallah

Traders are seen at Kuwait Stock Exchange trading floor.

divisions in its history. The situation is very serious financially and economically and is moving in the same direction politically. The government is consuming its remaining balance of trust and respect more rapidly than it realizes.

We repeat that there is no winner or loser in where Kuwait is going. All are losers.

The Monthly Report of the State, Financial Administration Accounts – December 2012 In its monthly follow up report of the State’s accounts until December 2012, which is published on its website, the Ministry of Finance indicates sustained rise in revenues. Until 31/12/2012 — 9 months of the current fiscal year 2012/2013 — total received revenues scored about KD 24.260 billion, which is 74.1% higher than the total revenues estimated for the entire fiscal year in the amount of KD 13.9324 billion and a rise by 13.3% over the amount of received revenues in the same period of last fiscal year 2011/2012 in the amount of KD 21.414 billion.

In details, the bulletin estimates actual oil revenues until 31/12/2012 by about KD 22.841 billion, which is 78.9% higher than the estimated revenues for the entire current fiscal year in the amount of KD 12.7682 billion (94.1% of received revenues) due to increased prices on the one hand and because production hit the 3 million barrels/day limit, which is close to the maximum capacity. However, the annual average of oil production remains less than that. As such, the received oil revenues during the first nine months of the current fiscal year were higher by KD 2.555 billion, 12.6%, than its amount in the counterpart period of the preceding fiscal year. An amount of KD 1.420 billion were received from non-oil revenues during the same period, a monthly average of KD 157.754 million (KD 1.1642 billion estimated for the entire current fiscal year). This means the achieved will be higher for the entire current fiscal year by KD 729 million more than the estimated assuming revenue average would continue at the same said monthly average.

Expenditures allocations for the entire current fiscal year were estimated at KD 21.240 billion and what has been actually spent -according to the bulletin- until 31/12/2012 scored KD 8.158 billion, a monthly expenditures average of KD 906.439 million. We however do not recommend relying on these figures because there are expenses which have become due but have not been spent yet; besides, spending in the late months of the fiscal year is usually higher than in

Total Assets Equity Net Income Total Operating Revenues Total Operating Expenses Provisions and other Expenses

2012 (Thousand KD) 2,632,922 282,809 37,998 112,663 55,875 18,790 Ratios

2011 (Thousand KD) 2,627,839 262,190 25,454 110,615 63,786 21,375

1.44%

1.00%

14.1%

12.4%

33.4% 10.7% 22.7 3.3

28.7% 10.0% 26.7 3.2

Return on Average Assets (Bank’s equity holders & non controlling interests) Return on Average Equity (Bank’s equity holders) Return on Average Capital (Bank’s equity holders) Equity as percentage from Assets Price-Earnings ratio (P/E) Price-to-Book ratio (P/B)

the early ones.

Though the bulletin concludes that the budget surplus in the first nine months of the current fiscal year scored

KD 16.102 billion, we publish it as is because we believe the actual budget surplus figure in the end of these nine months will be less than the published

Thu Thu Diff Company Name 14/02/’13 07/02/’13 % The National Bank Of Kuwait 429.9 425.4 1.1 The Gulf Bank 291.3 291.3 0.0 Commercial Bank Of Kuwait 521.9 500.2 4.3 Al-Ahli Bank Of Kuwait 354.9 367.1 (3.3) Kuwait International Bank 312.6 312.6 0.0 Bank Of Kuwait & The ME 499.1 499.1 0.0 Burgan Bank 444.2 444.2 0.0 Kuwait Finance House 1098.1 1125.2 (2.4) Banking Sector 466.3 465.4 0.2 9 Commercial Facilities Co 241.8 249.0 (2.9) 10 International Fin Advisors 445.8 413.4 7.8 11 National Investments 193.8 191.3 1.3 12 Kuwait Investment Projects 818.6 818.6 0.0 13 Coast Inv & Development 58.8 60.1 (2.2) Investment Sector 330.9 330.9 0.0 14 Kuwait Insurance Company 66.2 63.9 3.6 15 Gulf Insurance Company 307.9 307.9 0.0 16 Al-Ahleia Insurance Co 187.8 187.8 0.0 17 Warba Insurance Company 98.3 100.0 (1.7) Insurance Sector 139.7 138.7 0.7 18 Kuwait Real Estate Company 93.6 87.0 7.6 19 United Realty Company 269.2 277.4 (3.0) 20 National Real Estate Co 245.6 245.6 0.0 21 Salhiah Real Estate Co= 1312.3 1372.9 (4.4)

figure as there are expenses which have become due but have not been spent yet and the monthly spending average will be ascending which will reduce the surplus the further we go on in the fiscal year and will inevitably be less with the issuing of the final account unless there will be substantial saving in the estimated expenditures.

In fact we use the “surplus” term figuratively. The increased oil revenues in oil producing countries is not surplus but substituting one asset by another or replacing oil with money. Surplus in public finance is the income which is more than the need for spending which is the outcome of real economic activity, or the outcome of taxes on the economic activity.

Ahli United Bank Financial Results FY 2012 Management of Ahli United Bank announced results of the current fiscal February 7 to February 14, 2013

Al-Shall Index # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Change Value % 5,083 0.2% 20,619 7.9% 12,544 49.3% 2,048 1.9% -7,911 -12.4% -2,585 -12.1%

Close 2012 416.4 294.8 514.7 342.7 307.4 493.1 428.0 1098.1 456.6 249.0 352.6 166.1 788.3 52.6 314.6 59.5 296.5 210.3 90.1 139.2 80.4 244.7 249.6 1494.0

Diff % 3.2 (1.2) 1.4 3.6 1.7 1.2 3.8 0.0 2.1 (2.9) 26.4 16.7 3.8 11.8 5.2 11.3 3.8 (10.7) 9.1 0.4 16.4 10.0 (1.6) (12.2)

22 Pearl Of Kuwait Real Estate Co Real Estate Sector 23 The National Industries 24 Kwt Pipe Ind & Oil Services Co 25 Kuwait Cement Co 26 Refrigeration Industries Co 27 Gulf Cable & Electrical Ind 28 Contg & Marine Services Co Industrial Sector 29 Kuwait National Cinemas 30 Kuwait Hotels Company 31 The Public Warehousing Co 32 Kwt Comm Markets Complex 33 Mobile Telecoms Co - ZAIN 34 Safat Energy Co Services Sector 35 Livestock Trans & Trdg Co 36 United Fisheries Of Kuwait 37 Kuwait United Poultry Co 38 Kuwait Food Co Food Sector 39 Sharjah Cement Co 40 Gulf Cement Co 41 Umm Al-Qaiwain Cement Ind Non Kuwaiti Companies General Index

43.5 212.8 185.5 49.0 640.7 83.6 423.7 81.3 256.4 571.2 110.0 1877.4 119.3 1727.4 54.4 1385.7 140.0 71.6 43.3 1813.1 631.3 311.2 338.7 493.0 219.8 446.7

47.0 216.7 187.2 49.9 648.2 81.9 463.6 97.1 266.2 502.2 110.0 1877.4 117.8 1758.6 51.5 1396.4 140.0 70.6 43.3 1813.1 631.1 299.5 342.7 478.3 218.3 448.0

(7.4) (1.8) (0.9) (1.8) (1.2) 2.1 (8.6) (16.3) (3.7) 13.7 0.0 0.0 1.3 (1.8) 5.6 (0.8) 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.9 (1.2) 3.1 0.7 (0.3)

40.8 214.1 182.1 49.9 670.8 78.0 503.6 98.2 273.8 564.9 112.2 1709.7 128.6 1696.2 48.6 1338.5 135.0 70.6 40.0 1714.5 597.6 268.4 322.6 426.8 208.1 438.2

6.6 (0.6) 1.9 (1.8) (4.5) 7.2 (15.9) (17.2) (6.4) 1.1 (2.0) 9.8 (7.2) 1.8 11.9 3.5 3.7 1.4 8.3 5.8 5.6 15.9 5.0 15.5 5.6 1.9

year ending December 31, 2012 which indicate the bank’s net profits, after deductions of KFAS share, Board of Directors’ remunerations, national labor support tax, the Zakat and the non-controlling interests rose to about KD 37.9 million (KD 25.5 million in 2011), up

by KD 12.5 million (49.3%). Net profit margin rose to 33.7% (23% for 2011) due to retreat in operational expenses by 12.4% or about KD 7.9 million to KD 55.9 million (KD 63.8 million in 2011).

Analysis of the bank’s financial statements shows rise in the bank’s operational revenues to KD 122.7 million (KD 110.6 million in 2011), an increase

by KD 2.1 million (1.9%). The rise in the bank’s revenues is due to the rise in financing revenues by about KD 1.5 million, or 1.6% to KD 97.9 million (KD 96.3 million in 2011).net financing revenues also rose by 13% or the equivalent of KD 8.2 million due to the retreat in distributions to depositors by KD 6.7 million and the rise in financing revenues by about KD 1.5 million as we stated above.

Total operational expenses scored about KD 55.9 million, a retreat by KD 7.9 million, 12.4%, below 2011 level which scored KD 63.8 million as depositors’ distributions retreated by KD 6.7 million.

Figures indicate that liquidity risk rate dropped to about 36.3% versus 41.7% for 2011. Interest rate risk increased to 0.208 times in 2012 (0.196 times in 2011).

Value of the bank assets rose 0.2% (KD 5.1 million) to KD 2632.9 million (KD 2627.8 million in the end of 2011).

Item of financing receivables increased by about KD 110.4 million, 6.8%, and scored KD 1728.1 million, about 65.6% of total assets vis-à-vis KD 1617.7 million, 61.6% of total assets in 2011.

Investment properties item rose by about KD 29.7 million and scored KD 32.2 million, 1.2%, of total assets compared to KD 2.5 million in 2011 (0.1% of total assets), while cash and balances at banks dropped by 36.9%, or KD 156.1 million, to a total of KD 267.2 million (10.1%) of total assets vis-à-vis KD 423.3 million (16.1%) of total assets in the end of 2011. Item of deposits at the Central Bank declined by KD 38.9 million (10.5%) and scored KD 332.6 million, 12.6%, of total assets versus KD 371.6 million, 14.1%, of total assets in 2011.

It is worth mentioning that the net rise in the bank’s profits contributed to the improvement of the main financial indexes. The return on equities index (ROE) relevant to the bank’s shareholders rose from 12.4% in 2011 to about 14.1% in 2012. Return on assets average index (ROA) (bank’s share holders and noncontrolling interests) rose from 1% in 2011 to about 1.4% now; return on the bank capital index (ROC) (bank’s share holders) also went up from 28.7% in 2011 to 33.4% in 2012.

The bank managed announced distribution of cash dividends by 18%, i.e. 18 fils per share. It also announced its intention to distribute bonus share by 10% (15% cash distributions and 5% bonus shares in 2011).

Per share earning (EPS) scored 36.2 fils (29.6 fils in 2011) a rise by 22.3%.

This means achieving return on the market value in the end of the year by 4.4% which is higher that its counterpart in 2011 which was at 3.7%. P/E retreated (improved) to 22.7 times (26.7 times in 2011). P/B index scored 3.3 times (3.2 times in 2011). It is a good thing to perceive noticeable improvement in the bank performance.

The Weekly Performance of Kuwait Stock Exchange The performance of Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) for the last week was less active, where all the indices showed a decrease, and the general index showed a decrease too. AlShall Index (value weighted) closed at 446.7 points at the closing of last Thursday, showing a decrease of about 1.3 points or about 0.3%, and an increase of 8.5 points or about 1.9% compared to the end of 2012.

The following tables summarize last week’s performance of KSE Description

Week 7 Week 6 Dif 14/02/2013 07/02/2013 % Working days 5 5 AlShall index (41 Companies) 446.7 448.0 -0.3% KSE index 6,397.6 6,288.7 1.7% Value Trade (KD) 181,626,924 208,407,131 Daily average (KD) 36,325,385 41,681,426 -12.8% Volume Trade (Shares) 2,660,319,821 3,312,583,767 Daily average (Shares) 532,063,964 662,516,753 -19.7% Transactions 37,410 43,024 Daily average (Transactions) 7,482 8,605 -13.0%

Most Active Sectors & Companies Description Value Traded % of Total Sectors KD Market Financial Services Sector 54,683,596 30.1% Real Estate Sector 43,824,374 24.1% Industrials Sector 28,280,657 15.6% Banks Sector 23,421,591 12.9% Oil & Gas Sector 14,011,353 7.7% Description Value Traded % of Total Companies KD Market Gulf Petroleum Investment (SAKC) 13,111,216 7.2% Investors Holding Group Co. KSCC 11,202,147 6.2% Abyaar Real Est. Dev. Co. KSCC 10,323,309 5.0% Kuwait Finance House 7,806,468 4.3% Equipment Holding Co. KSCC 7,663,053 4.2% Total 49,712,996 27.4% Al-Shall Index Week 7 Week 6 14/02/2013 07/02/2013 Increased value (# of companies) 13 11 Decreased value (# of companies) 19 19 Unchanged value (# of companies) 13 11 Total Companies 41 41

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

LOCAL

6

Court Cases Victim wins comp

Murder case hearing delayed to March 14

By Jaber Al-Humoud Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Criminal Court postponed to March 14 the hearing of a case filed against a police officer who was accused of killing his colleague Saud Al-Husseini. The court postponed the case to verify the medical report with psychologists to check the defendant’s level of sanity.

According to the court files, the Public Prosecution had accused the suspect of deliberately murdering his colleague when the latter abused him earlier that day.

However, an eyewitness said the suspect and the victim were not involved in any issues on the day of the murder. He explained that after the suspect shared a meal with the victim, he headed to the weapons room.

While the victim was heading to the kitchen to prepare tea, he passed the suspect on the way. The suspect then pointed the gun at the victim, shot him in the head and fled from the location. ❑ ❑ ❑ Man wins comp: The Court of First Instance has instructed an insurance company to pay KD 16,500 to a citizen as compensation for suffering 60 percent physical disability due to a traffic accident.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Attorney Raed Al-Wuhaib, demanded for the referral of his client to the Forensics Unit of the General Criminal Investigation Department to determine the extent of his physical disability. He also mentioned that the accident was caused by a motorist who had no license and was driving recklessly, yet he was fined only KD80 for the dam-

age he caused.

Al-Wuhaib disclosed his client lost his job as the company where he worked prior to the accident terminated his services because he can no longer perform his duties at work. He said his client also lost other opportunities like giving lectures in some centers and at the university despite holding a doctoral degree in Computer and Software. ❑ ❑ ❑ Egyptian acquitted: The Criminal Court has acquitted an Egyptian of trading in drugs.

Attorney Mohammed Al-Selaili, who represented the accused in court, argued there is no proof that his client traded in drugs. He pointed out the arguments and pieces of evidence presented by the other side were all circumstantial; hence, they are not enough to incriminate the Egyptian. He also stressed that the accused repeatedly denied wrongdoing during interrogation inspite of a previous report stating he was caught selling drugs to a young man.

After carefully weighing the arguments and evidence presented by both parties, the court ruled in favor of the accused; thereby, declaring him not guilty on the drug trafficking charge. ❑ ❑ ❑ Hearing delayed: The Court of Appeals postponed to March 6 the appeal submitted by political activist Abdul Hakeem AlFadhli against the verdict of two-year imprisonment and hard labor issued by the Court of First Instance for his participation in a Bedoun demonstration two years ago and attack on securitymen.

Photos by Anwar Daifallah

KISR officials visiting the area. (Inset): Officials speaking at the press conference.

KISR team visits ‘Alleyah’, ponder revival of area A team from Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) headed by the Director General of KISR Naji Al-Mutairi visited Alleyah area on Thursday morning for inspection based on a proposed study to

revive the area.

Al-Mutairi revealed that the project aims to revive the natural habitat of the location, which will serve as a model for rehabilitating other similar deteriorated areas of the

country.

He indicated that the inspection team will step up their efforts to ensure 50,000-60,000 plants of six different types will be planted in the area during the second phase of

the project in order the restore the habitat of the area.

He stressed that covering the dried-up area with plants will bring life to the area and benefit the environment.

Buggies, coal, water seized in crackdown on mobile hawkers Woman accuses husband of ‘kidnapping’ her

KUNA photo

Lt General Ghazi Al-Omar and senior officers at the opening ceremony.

New building inaugurated Ministry of Interior Undersecretary Lieutenant General Ghazi Al-Omar on Thursday inaugurated the new building of the Military Trials Administration, which is affiliated to the Legal Affairs General Department, in the presence of Assistant Undersecretary for Supporting Services Major General Eid Abu Sulaib and other officials.

Al-Omar visited a number of ministry departments to personally check on the work procedures in these areas, in addition to a surprise inspection visit to the General Criminal Investigation Department; during which he had a meeting with the department’s Director General Major General Dr Fahad Al-Dosari and several other officials.

Thief takes KD 2,500 chandelier

Cash stolen from expat’s car

By Meshal Al-Sanousi Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: An unknown individual broke the window of an Egyptian expatriate’s vehicle in Nugra and stole KD 3,000.

According to security sources, the Egyptian expatriate filed a case at Nugra Police Station. Investigations are ongoing to arrest the unknown suspect.

Meanwhile, an unknown individual stole a crystal chandelier worth KD 2,500 from one of the rooms of a Kuwaiti citizen’s house, which is under construction.

According to security sources, the Kuwaiti owner rushed to Andalous Police Station and filed a case against the unknown suspect.

Officers from General Department for Criminal Evidences rushed to the location to lift fingerprints and collect other evidences.

Investigations are ongoing to arrest the suspect.

And, an unknown individual broke into Sabah Al-Salem Cooperative Society and tried to steal cash from the till machine.

According to security sources, when the Operations Room of Ministry of Interior received information from the manager of Sabah Al-Salem Cooperative Society about the theft attempt, securitymen rushed to the location.

They discovered that the suspect broke into the cooperative society and tried to open the till machine but when he was unable to do so, he fled from the location.

Officers from General Department for Criminal Evidences rushed to the location to lift fingerprints and collect other evidences.

A case was registered and investigations are ongoing to arrest the unknown suspect.

News in Brief Rumours denied: The Kuwaiti Army has denied the rumors circulating in social networking sites about the death of police officers from United Arab Emirates, who are in Kuwait to participate in the drill of Peninsular Shield Forces, due to a traffic accident, says Al-Seyassah.

The Moral Guidance and Public Relations departments of the army held a press conference to affirm that the rumors are false. ❑ ❑ ❑

Two arrested: Two Arab nationals were arrested recently in Khaitan for possession of a hashish-filled cigarette.

According to security sources, while Farwaniya securitymen were patrolling Khaitan, they suspected two Arab nationals who were standing in front of a building.

Sensing their nervousness when they noticed the patrol vehicle, securitymen approached them and checked them to find a hashish-filled cigarette with one of them.

They were arrested and referred to the Directorate General for Drug

Control for necessary legal action against them. ❑ ❑ ❑

Shoplifter held: Police have arrested an Iranian man for shoplifting from a cooperative society in Abdullah AlSalem area, reports Alam Alyawm daily.

The shoplifter was ‘caught’ by the CCTV camera hiding cigarette packs and chewing gums worth KD 55.

Security guards seized the man after he left the cash counter without paying for the goods and handed him over to the police. ❑ ❑ ❑

Dog stolen: Police are looking for three people for stealing a dog belonging to the advisor at the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development, reports Al-Shahed daily.

The advisor in a complaint to the Salwa Police Station said according to his Asian servant three people stopped him and requested to see the dog. The men then threw sand in his face and escaped with the dog.

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: Public Relations Department, in collaboration with Hawkers Department affiliated to Public Cleanliness Department at Kuwait Municipality of Ahmadi Branch, launched a crackdown against mobile hawkers in Sabahiya and Riqqa recently and confiscated 60 bags of coal, 21 cartons of water, two cartons of pepper, buggies and other items, reports Al-Kuwaitiah daily.

Indian mugged

Kuwaiti citizen robs his friend

By Meshal Al-Sanousi

The inspectors referred the confiscated items to the scrapyard.

Public Relations Department bid citizens and expatriates to comply with the laws and regulations allotted by the Municipality. ❑ ❑ ❑ Husband accused: An unidentified Kuwaiti woman has filed a complaint with the police accusing her husband of ‘kidnapping’ her, reports Al-Anba daily.

In her complaint the woman said she had an argument over family problems with her husband and since the latter kept pestering her, she left the house and went to the home of her parents.

The husband reportedly called her and told her that he is willing to compromise and requested her to see him.

He came in his car and as his wife entered the car, he drove off and brought her back to his home against her wishes. ❑ ❑ ❑ Kuwaiti arrested: Police from the Capital Governorate have arrested an unidentified Kuwaiti man for stealing cooking gas cylinders and running over a Kuwaiti man near the Shamiya Cooperative Society, reports Al-Shahed daily.

The daily quoting security sources said when police received about the man, who had earlier been sentenced in absentia for stealing gas cylinders from a suburb of Abdullah Al-Salem, police from the Faiha Police Station rushed to the spot and ordered the man to pull over.

In a vain attempt to escape the man hit the pedestrian. During interrogation he has admitted to the crime.

He is charged with evading arrest, reckless driving and causing an accident. ❑ ❑ ❑ ‘I am a drug addict’: An unidentified

The body of the victim lies covered in a sheet.

Egyptian killed in accident

By Munaif Nayef Special to the Arab Times An Egyptian expatriate died while six individuals, among whom five are Kuwaiti citizens, sustained injuries due to traffic accidents that occurred throughout the country on Thursday.

In details, an Egyptian expatriate was changing the tires of his vehicle by the side of King Fahad Road when a heavy vehicle that was speeding down the road passed him. However, an iron bar, which was placed on the heavy vehicle and was protruding from the side, hit the

Iranian man and a young Kuwaiti woman who were caught consuming drugs in Fahaheel have been handed over to the concerned authorities, reports Annahar daily.

The daily quoting security sources said the arrest came when an unidentified person saw strange movements inside a parked car, he called the Operations Department of the Ministry of Interior.

During interrogation the woman admitted she is a drug addict. She also told police the Iranian is a drug trafficker and she came to Fahaheel to buy drugs from him. ❑ ❑ ❑

victim on the head, killing him instantly.

His corpse was referred to the Forensics Department and a case was registered for investigations.

Meanwhile, three Kuwaiti citizens sustained injuries when a vehicle overturned in Salmi desert.

Paramedics rushed to the location and referred the victims to Jahra Hospital for treatment.

In addition, a Kuwaiti citizen, his wife and his housemaid sustained injuries when his vehicle collided with another on Julai’a desert. Paramedics rushed to the location and referred the victims to Adan Hospital for treatment.

Man held with drugs: The Ahmadi police have arrested an unidentified 40year-old Kuwaiti man for possessing hashish, narcotic pills and drug consuming tools, reports Al-Shahed daily.

Police have also reportedly seized from the man an unidentified sum of money, which he admitted was proceeds from sale of drugs.

The suspect has been handed over to the General Department for Drug Control. ❑ ❑ ❑ Iranian nabbed: An Iranian man who attempted to steal cigarettes from the

Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: A Kuwaiti citizen was arrested recently for breaking into his friend’s house in Surra and stealing two wristwatches worth KD 14,000, KD 450 cash, laptop and official documents.

According to security sources, the owner of the house, who is a Kuwaiti citizen, filed a case at Surra Police Station against his friend who broke into his house early morning and stole two wristwatches one for male and other for female, KD 450 cash, a laptop and official documents. The suspect escaped when he was seen by one of the housemaids.

Securitymen noted details of the suspect and arrested him. He was detained in police custody to be referred to the Public Prosecution. ❑ ❑ ❑ Indian mugged: An unknown individual robbed an Indian expatriate of his wallet, which contained KD 55, and mobile phone in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh.

According to security sources, the Indian expatriate filed a case at Jleeb AlShuyoukh Police Station, informing securitymen that he was on his way to his flat when an individual in casual wear stopped him and hit him. He threatened him with a knife and robbed him of his wallet, which contained KD 55, and mobile phone. branch of Abdullah Al-Salem Cooperative Society has been handed over to the area police station, reports Al-Shahed daily.

It has been reported the suspect was seen hiding the cigarettes on a CCTV camera and after he left the cashier without paying for the cigarettes the guards caught him and handed him over to the police. ❑ ❑ ❑ Drug peddler caught: A Kuwaiti man who is believed to be in his 40s has been handed over to the General Department for Drug Control for possessing drugs and 1,900 narcotic pills, reports Al-Anba daily.

Maid avenges maltreatment on sponsor’s kid

Kuwaiti youths arrested for harassing compatriot women

By Meshal Al-Sanousi Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: Three Kuwaiti youths were arrested recently for harassing three Kuwaiti women and breaking the rear glass of their vehicle in Shamiya.

According to security sources, while the Kuwaiti woman was driving in Salmiya with her sister and a friend, three youths in a vehicle started following her. The driver requested her to stop but she refused.

When she stopped at a traffic signal, one of the youths stepped out of the vehicle and

approached hers. He requested her to pull down the glass to give her his mobile number. Even though she refused to do so, the youths continued to follow them on Arabian Gulf Street.

When they reached Shamiya, the Kuwaiti woman stopped her vehicle beside the road. One of the youths stepped out of the vehicle and approached her. She opened the window and slapped the youth, after which she closed the window and left.

However, the youth threw a stone at the vehicle, which caused the rear glass to shatter and the youths then fled from the

location.

The Kuwaiti woman rushed to Shamiya Police Station where she provided the vehicle number of the youths to securitymen. After carrying out necessary investigations, securitymen discovered that the youths are Kuwaiti citizens and arrested them.

A case was registered against them and they were detained in police custody to be referred to the Public Prosecution. ❑ ❑ ❑ Revenge of maid: A Filipina house-

maid was arrested recently for hitting the four-year-old daughter of her Kuwaiti sponsor and cutting her hair in Faiha.

According to security sources, the Kuwaiti woman filed a case against her housemaid at Faiha Police Station, informing securitymen that the suspect hit her four-year-old daughter and cut her hair, after which she ran away.

During investigations, securitymen discovered that the suspect regularly visits one of her female friends who work at Faiha Cooperative Society.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

LOCAL

7

‘KU to recruit experienced Arab professors’

Jahra lacks basic safety, security for workers KUWAIT CTIY, Feb 14: The Jahra Educational District building lacks even the most basic safety and security systems; thereby, endangering the lives of the workers there, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting sources.

Sources revealed the district forwarded a letter to the Installations Sector at the

Ministry of Education regarding the issue four months ago, but no concrete step has been taken until now. Sources said the sector has neglected the issue as if the lives of those working in the educational district do not matter.

Meanwhile, the Science divisions of Kuwait University (KU) have decided to

reduce the number of teaching hours of the teaching staff from 15 to 9, adding that the divisions are planning to recruit experienced professors from Arab universities for teaching in KU, reports AlKuwaitiah daily quoting reliable sources.

They indicated that this move is in line with commendations of the Higher Council

of KU, which stressed during its recent meeting the need to hasten the procedures for recruiting Arab professors, adding that no contracts have been signed so far.

In another report, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thikra Al-Rasheedi recently issued a directive on putting suggestion boxes in different facilities of the min-

istry, reports Al-Anba daily quoting sources.

Sources explained the minister took this step because she believes it is the best way to receive complaints and suggestions from the public or even the employees to improve the services and procedures in the institution.

In another development, the appoint-

ment of an undersecretary from outside surprised most of the employees, considering there are many qualified people inside the ministry.

Nevertheless, they still wished the new undersecretary the best in his latest job; hoping he will work in the interest of the public.

‘Arab finance ministers made strides in free trade zone talks’ Al-Shimali takes part in Arab League meeting CAIRO, Feb 14, (KUNA): Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mustafa AlShimali stated Thursday that Arab finance ministers have made significant progress on talks over the creation of an Arab free trade zone.

BBF Chairman Paul McKay with guest speaker Dr Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, a Canadian Clinical Psychologist of Behavioral Health (left).

“One of the most important issues that were thoroughly discussed in today’s meeting is the creation of the free Arab trade zone and the conferees made great strides in this file,” Minister AlShimali said in exclusive statements to KUNA following his participation in the 91st meeting of the Arab League’s Economic and Social Ministerial Council, held here Thursday.

“The Arab ministers have overcome almost eighty percent of the obstacles hindering the expansion of pan-Arab trade,” Al-Shimali said.

The Kuwaiti Minister said that the conferees have also agreed on forming a five-member ministerial committee to study all the challenges facing the implementation of economic integration among Arab states.

“There are still some problems that need to tackled, but I think they are not huge as the Arab ministers have reached understandings over the majority of relative issues,” he stated.

Exemption

Some of the participants of the BBF meeting

McKay addresses British Forum

‘Leadership crucial for success in business’

By Paul Francis X. Fernandes Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The British Business Forum (BBF), the voice of British business people in Kuwait held its February members’ meeting, at the British Embassy Wednesday, to a full audience of business professionals from the local community.

BBF Chairman Paul McKay opened the meeting by saying competent leadership is crucial for a company’s success. Recent studies, he said, indicate that businesses with strong leadership are 13 times more likely to outperform their competition, and three times more likely to retain their most talented employees.

Potential He went on to say, only 44 percent of human resource professionals report having formal processes for identifying employees with leadership potential and only 18 percent report having enough bench strength to meet the future requirements of the company.

Although these numbers are unsettling, he added, they aren’t surprising. Because there are few established best practices for identifying high-potential employees, current processes are plagued by bias and politics, and produce mixed results at best.

McKay told the Arab Times that more than anything else, employees want to be valued for ‘a job well done’ by those they hold in high esteem.

He added, “You’ll achieve better business success by paying attention to what is important to the people you employ for high motivation and positive morale.”

The guest speaker of the evening was Dr Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, a Canadian Clinical Psychologist of behavioral health who has extensive knowledge of cross-cultural principles as applied to learning and performance

optimization.

She has worked with individuals, teams, and corporations to enhance soft skills, to identify and capitalize on employee/team potential, and to motivate discretionary employee investment in the vision and goals of an organization.

At present, she provides psychological services for several large corporations in Kuwait, offering human resources consultations as well as professional development in the area of potential and performance.

An articulate trainer and workshop facilitator, Susannah, spoke about the leadership skills that professionals require in today’s diverse global culture.

Motivations She explained every person has different motivations for working and added, “The reasons for working are as individual as the person. But we all work because we obtain something that we need from work. The ‘something’ we obtain from work impacts our morale and motivation and the quality of our lives.”

Using PowerPoint to illustrate her talk, she went on to outline the most recent thinking about motivation, and what people want from work.

Her talk was followed by questions from the audience. It was interesting that several members spoke of the disconnect between what employers think people want at work and what people say they want for motivation; for example, employers far underrate the importance to employees of such things as flexible work schedules or opportunities for advancement in their decision to join or leave a company.

A closing note of the evening was - by paying attention to what is important to the people you employ for high motivation and positive morale, you will achieve awesome business success.

Al-Shimali went that “some countries have certain reservations about some tariff exemption and duty cuts proposals despite the fact that they already apply these measures through agreements with other non-Arab countries. I believe these facilities had to be given to Arab countries first.” He disclosed that the Arab finance minister will hold a meeting shortly to prepare for the upcoming Arab Summit in Doha late March.

Al-Shimali pointed out that Kuwait’s vision in the economic and social files is to enhance Arab youth’s contribution to national economies, citing HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah’s initiative in the Arab Economic Summit in 2009 to launch a fund to finance Small and Medium Enterprises in the Arab countries.

He said that the fund, which Kuwait launched with a $500-million contribution, is being run by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and has already started financing various projects in many Arab states.

The Minister urged all Arab countries to join the fund to benefit from its various services. Al-Shimali reiterated Kuwait’s eagerness to participate in Arab meetings and events to help bolster pan-Arab cooperation.

The meeting has tackled a wide array of key issues relative to the Arab economic, commercial and social integration such as food security, the joint electric network, the Arab free-trade zone and the joint customs union, preparations for the upcoming economic and social meeting at the summit and following up implementation for resolution passed in the previous summits held in Riyadh (2013), Sharm El-Sheikh (2011) and Kuwait (2009).

KUNA photos

Top: Al-Shimali addresses the Arab League meeting. Above: a general view of the conference

Jalila, Habtoor discuss tie-up DUBAI, Feb 14: A delegation from the Al Jalila Foundation for the Support of Education and Research met senior executives from the Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation at Al Habtoor Group’s head office in Dubai on Wednesday, February 13th to discuss the development of projects and plan of action to be implemented by the Al Jalila Foundation during the current year.

The delegation included Dr Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Board member, Dr Abdul Kreem Sultan Aloma, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, Carla Daorty, Communications Manager, and Dr Ayesha Abdallah, Managing Director of licensing in Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC). Attendees from Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation were Abdul Salam Al Marzooqi, Secretary General and Manager of the Foundation, and May Al Bouflasa, Manager of Charitable Activities.

Al Marzooqi said that Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor is always keen on supporting activities and charitable programs of institutions that contribute to promote social, educational and humanitarian development.

He stressed that the Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation would cooperate with leading institutions, including the Al Jalila Foundation, to achieve the strategic goals in support of charitable projects.

A group photo of the BSK students

Extra-curricular activities offered

BSK students enjoy life as Aggies KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The choice of university is a very complex decision depending upon factors such as predicted grades in the Sixth Form, chosen degree course, university facilities and extra-curricular activities offered; preferred country for study and financial status, to mention but a few. Pouring over university prospectuses or websites, the advice from teachers, conversation with family members and friends are the best starting points. However, there is no substitute once you have narrowed your choices down for actually visiting the universities in question.

Students in Year 11 at The British School of Kuwait had just such an opportunity when they were invited by the Student Engineers’ Council of the Texas A&M University, Education City, Doha, Qatar (TAMUQ) to attend the Future A&M Engineers (FAME ‘13) conference recently.

Graduate students from TAMUQ are affectionately known as “Aggies” which dates back to the agricultural origins of the founding university in

1876 in the Lone Star State of Texas, USA. Students from Kuwait, Dubai, Jordan and Qatar spent an actionpacked weekend getting a feel for life at one of the region’s top universities.

With the welcoming greeting of “howdy” from the organising committee the two days’ events were underway, carefully planned to encourage team building, cooperation and problem solving.Highlights included a team treasure hunt that involved solving clues related to landmarks around the campus and a quiz, Jeopardy,with questions on engineering, the liberal arts and sport.

“I think for all students though the best was saved for the last day; how do you design an apparatus from paper, parcel tape and pencils that will catch an egg dropped from ten feet without it breaking? The solutions were as varied as the teams themselves; however the most successful mimicked that of the resting place most eggs initially find themselves in....a nest. A cone shaped

device lined with shredded paper and supported by a pencil framework proved perfect. We were told by current students at the university that in its optimal form such a device can safely catch an egg dropped from 25 feet.”

As the conference drew to a close students had the opportunity to question university alumni and current students on life at TAMUQ. It is without doubt that this weekend will have helped inform decisions and for some, decide upon starting their higher education in Doha as an Aggie. Students from BSK returned to Kuwait with a different perspective of what it might be like to study abroad and for that opportunity extend their sincere thanks to the organising FAME’13 Committee, the Dean,Dr. Mark H. Weicholdand, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr Todd Kent.Once an Aggie, always an Aggie and for participating students from BSK they understand why graduates of Texas A&M are so loyal. Howdy!

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

8

‘Mercenaries and supporters of Israel responsible’

Iran mourns slain senior military commander TEHRAN, Iran, Feb 14, (AP): Prominent Iranian politicians and clerics led mourners at a funeral Thursday for a senior commander of the country’s powerful Revolutionary Guards who was killed this week while traveling from Syria to Lebanon, local media said.

The semiofficial Fars news agency identified the slain commander as Gen Hassan Shateri, and said he was in charge of reconstruction projects in southern Lebanon. He was killed on the road linking Damascus with Beirut on Wednesday, it said.

The exact details surrounding Shateri’s death — such as where he was killed and who killed him — were still murky two days later. Fars did not specify whether the slaying took place on the Lebanese or Syrian side of the border, although an Iranian official in Damascus said Shateri

was killed inside Syria.

Guards spokesman Gen Ramazan Sharif was quoted by Fars as saying “mercenaries and supporters” of Israel were responsible. It was unclear whether that allegation meant to implicate the Jewish state itself or rebels fighting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Israeli military had no comment.

Syria and its supporters often refer to the rebels as “terrorists” and “mercenaries” backed by foreign powers, including Israel, although Israel is not known to have any links with Syria’s rebels.

None of the dozens of rebel groups fighting in Syria claimed responsibility for the killing, though all are outspoken about their enmity for Iran because of its consistent support for Assad’s regime.

Shateri’s death points to the support that Iran, the region’s Shiite power, pro-

MP to submit

Swiss Finance Minister Evaline Widmer-Schlumpf told Swiss media on Wednesday that the country had no other choice but to sign the deal, pointing out that not doing so would be detrimental to Swiss financial institutions active on US capital markets.

The government stressed that regardless of whether it signed the deal or not, Swiss institutions would not be able to circumvent the US rules, but that with the agreement in place the implementation would be simplified.

Switzerland is one of seven countries which have so far agreed to comply with FATCA, which aims to ensure that all US citizens can be taxed by the Internal Revenue Service on their income and assets worldwide.

The FATCA law is controversial in many countries because it requires banks to reveal information about their clients.

Until now, tax agreements have only provided for the exchange of information “on demand,” meaning a country would already suspect possible tax evasion before requesting the information.

FATCA meanwhile requires foreign financial institutions to report all assets in accounts held by US citizens to the IRS. In anticipation of these rules and the workload they will entail, critics say Swiss banks have already begun actively eliminating American clients.

In light of this problem and to avoid trampling on Switzerland’s cherished banking secrecy rules, a number of exceptions have meanwhile been negotiated under the deal signed in Bern.

Social security funds, private pension funds and property and casualty insurers have been excluded from the Swiss FATCA filing requirements and bank compliance has been simplified, Bern said.

The new deal also ensures that information will not be transferred automatically without the client’s consent, although FATCA then requires banks to charge a 30-percent withholding tax on the US client’s assets.

If a client refuses consent, information about their holdings can still be exchanged, but then only through group requests under an existing double taxation agreement between Switzerland and the United States, Bern said.

Continued from Page 1 colleagues in the Parliament to give the government a six-month grace period to enable the ministers to implement their work programs.

The bloc members are Taher AlFailakawi, Faisal Al-Kandari, Saad AlBoos, Adel Jarallah Al-Choragi, Bader Al-Bathali, Hamad Al-Harshani, Mishari Al-Husseni and Nasser Al-Shimmari.

The statement added members of the bloc are working with other colleagues to realize the hopes and aspirations of the country and the citizens.

It added that the bloc believes the grilling request is a constitutional right of every MP as established by the law to guide government performance.

The bloc explained it will determine its stance after discussing the grilling requests that are presented; the bloc has demanded that the government be given six months grace period prior to using this constitutional tool to enable the ministers to execute government agenda before the minister is grilled.

The bloc stressed it hopes there is gradual accountability by lawmakers through parliamentary grilling and special sessions to discuss any shortcomings with the ministers.

The bloc said this does not mean the bloc has a negative stance towards the grilling requests. However, it needs time to discuss them and called for granting the concerned ministers time till the end of the current legislative round ends.

Meanwhile, MP Khaled Al-Shulaimi condemned the Valentine’s Day celebrations in Kuwait, describing it as “a heresy that is rejected in a Muslim society like ours” and called on the National Assembly “to adopt a law that prevents the spread of such corruptions.”

“We reject the spread of a culture of decadence and warn the government to be serious in deterring this moral corruption... Corruption now has seasons and festivals,” he stated.

In another development, MP Khaled Al-Adwa proposed on the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to present the Parliament with a report every three months on its initiatives to curb the price inflation of commodity. He said the ministry should provide a list of the prices of 50 basic commodities and their increases.

“The price manipulation of food commodities, medicine, and other consumables such as furniture and building materials occur continuously. The ministry stands before these manipulations handcuffed without taking any practical steps to limit these rises and this is threatening Kuwait’s food security,” he stated.

Meanwhile, MP Nawaf Al-Fuzai assured on Thursday that he “extends his hand of cooperation to HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Hmoud AlSabah in any reform steps he takes to fight corruption.”

Al-Fuzai said, “The minister has allegedly admitted that the majority of Kuwaitis who run the country did not arrive by the principle of competence but through wasta (connections) and that the era of corruption has ended and corruptors will be investigated and prosecuted.”

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court postponed until March 7 another case against an opposition activist — Nasser AlDaihani — who is charged with insulting HH the Amir on Twitter. Al-Daihani was arrested last December but is free on KD 1,000 bail.

Holidays set Continued from Page 1 account the public interest.

At the same time, the head of Public Relations and Citizens Service Department at Civil Service Commission (CSC) Jassem Al-Ruwais, said that 3849 citizens have applied for jobs through the automated recruitment system since the opening of registration on the first of February until today.

Al-Ruwais said in a press statement that the registration system is open 24 hours until Friday midnight, to give opportunity to all who wish to work to register either through the phone or via their website.

He also stressed on the need to comply with the date given through the registration system during the official working hours at morning.

Al-Ruwais also said that the applicants need to bring letters from the Supreme Committee for Disabled Affairs, Martyrs Office and the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs to review their applications at the Selection Department to facilitate their registration procedures.

US, Swiss sign Continued from Page 1 be frozen out of US financial markets.

The Swiss Bankers Association said on Thursday it welcomes the FATCA deal but remains critical of compliance burdens and administrative burdens of the US law.

Saudi names Continued from Page 1 Sandhurst military academy, Prince Khaled was promoted in 2011 to general commanding the kingdom’s ground forces.

SPA published a royal decree replacing him in that post by General Eid bin Awadh al-Shalawi.

At 89, King Abdullah’s age and declining health are a source of constant speculation on the future leaders of Saudi Arabia, a key player in the Middle East and the world’s largest exporter of crude oil.

Iran N-talks Continued from Page 1 thinks that the Iranian nation would surrender to pressure is making a huge mistake and will take his wish to the grave,” outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday, according to state television.

Yet while talks go nowhere, the diplomatic clock is ticking.

Iran is expanding a stockpile of highergrade 20-percent-enriched uranium ever closer to levels where a critical mass of weapons-grade material would be only a short step away — something that Israel says would be a “red line” for action.

Washington has also warned, in less direct terms, that it will do what it takes to prevent Iran getting the bomb. Late last year it set a March deadline for Iran to start cooperating with the IAEA’s investigation, warning Tehran that it might otherwise be referred to the UN Security Council.

Tehran says intelligence information pointing to nuclear weapons research in Iran is forged and baseless.

Iran was first reported to the UN Security Council over its nuclear programme by the IAEA’s 35-nation board in 2006, and was then punished with UN sanctions, as well as stricter US and European measures targeting its vital oil exports.

In negotiations since January 2012, the IAEA and Iran have been arguing over how the long-stalled investigation should be conducted, prompting Western diplomats to accuse Iran of endlessly playing for time.

Some diplomats and analysts say Iran is using its talks with the IAEA for leverage in the separate negotiations with world powers which, unlike the IAEA, have the power to ease sanctions.

The IAEA’s immediate priority had been to visit the Parchin base southeast of Tehran. It suspects explosives tests relevant to nuclear weapons may have taken place there, perhaps a decade ago, and then been concealed. Tehran denies the accusation.

In a note to member states, the IAEA

vides to both Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Lebanese militant Shiite movement Hezbollah. Tehran lends political and military support to Damascus, a close ally, as well as Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in the region.

The Syrian regime and Hezbollah are both critical to Iran’s Middle East strategy, and Tehran has pledged to continue its support for Assad as he tries to fend off a relentless and Shateri bloody rebellion aimed at toppling his family’s 40-year rule.

Tehran counts on Syria as a bridge to

Hezbollah — a dominant political force in Lebanon — and an important foothold for the Guard.

In September, the Guard’s top commander, Jafari, made a rare public acknowledgment that the elite unit has had high-level advisers in Lebanon and Syria for a long time, but was not more specific. Those comments marked the clearest indication of Iran’s direct assistance to its main Arab allies.

Thursday’s funeral for Shateri took place at a mosque in north Tehran, Fars and ISNA said.

Several high-ranking Iranian figures attended the service, including Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Guard chief Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari and the head of the Guard’s Quds Force, Gen. Ghasem Soleimani. Senior clerics, such as Ayatollah Ali Saeedi, the representative

of Iran’s supreme leader to the Guards, also took part.

Footage of the service broadcast on state TV showed footage of mourners carrying aloft a coffin.

It is unclear what Shateri was doing in Syria. The Iranian official in Damascus said Shateri was on a work visit and that three of his assistants were wounded in the attack. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

Fars, which is close to the Guards, said Shateri was a veteran of the 1980s IranIraq war, and served in Afghanistan before moving to Lebanon. He is to be buried Friday in his hometown of Semnan, some 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of Tehran.

Lebanese news reports provided a similar account of the killing but a different

Relatives carry the bodies of 2-year old Abdo Alhade Daeef and his 5-year old sister, Elaf Daeef, out of a hospital in Kfar Nubul after they were killed in an airstrike on the town of Hass, in the northern Syrian province of Idlib on Feb 14. A Syrian army jet fighter plane made an airstrike just after midday on the town of Hass killing at least 12 people, including four children. (AFP)

Russia could play a key role in ending conflict: Kerry

‘World must convince Assad to go’ WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): The world must persuade Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to see the writing on the wall, top US diplomat John Kerry said Tuesday, stressing Russia could play a key role in ending the conflict.

As observers wait to see if President Barack Obama plans any shift in US policy towards Syria, the new US secretary of state hinted at behind-the-scenes moves to try to cut off some of the last lifelines to the Assad regime.

But he made it plain that Assad needs to abandon hopes of riding out the war and instead accept the “inevitability” of his departure.

“We need to address the question of President Assad’s calculation currently,” Kerry told reporters. “I believe there are additional things that can be done to change his current perception.”

Kerry said he is convinced, given the current situation on the ground, “that there is an inevitability here” although it “hasn’t sunk into him yet.”

Washington has in recent months increasingly called on a key Syria ally, Moscow, to halt its support for the Assad regime. It has also accused Iran of propping up Assad with money, men and materiel.

Despite working to shape a viable political opposition to Assad, the US has stopped short of providing arms to

said it would “continue to work to resolve the remaining differences” and that “the timing for the next meeting will be decided in due course”.

“This conversation is on hold and IAEA won’t make foolish concessions to Iran,” said Mark Hibbs, proliferation expert at the Carnegie Endowment thinktank.

Meanwhile, adding weight to its announcement of a nuclear upgrade, Tehran has shown high-level UN officials high-tech equipment positioned at its main uranium enrichment site meant to vastly accelerate output of material that can be used for both reactor fuel and atomic arms, a senior diplomat said Thursday.

The diplomat spoke to The Associated Press shortly after the officials returned from Tehran, acknowledging that their latest in a series of trips to the Iranian capital that began over a year ago again failed to reach a deal to restart an investigation into suspicions that Iran is pursuing nuclear arms.

Herman Naeckerts, who headed the International Atomic Energy Agency team that visited Iran, said “remaining differences” scuttled attempts to finalize an agreement on how such an investigation should be conducted. He declined to say whether there was progress.

Syrian rebels Continued from Page 1 a nearby gas field, al-Ghabsa, had fled as armed opposition units advanced from the Euphrates River toward Shaddadeh.

“Shaddadeh and Ghabsa are now under our out control. In the next few days we will advance toward Hasakah City,” Abu Laila said, speaking by phone from eastern Syria.

He said Nusra detonated car bombs

the rebels, fearful of dumping even more weapons into an uncertain theater of war amid a rise of jihadist groups.

Various diplomatic initiatives led first by UN special envoy Kofi Annan and his successor Lakhdar Brahimi have so far failed to end the 23-month conflict that has claimed nearly 70,000 lives, according to UN estimates.

Obama, who a year ago predicted that Assad’s days were numbered, made barely a mention of Syria in his State of the Union speech late Tuesday, vowing only “to keep the pressure on a Syrian regime that has murdered its own people.”

Sense Kerry said after talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh that he would not go into specifics, but added that he had “a good sense of what I think we might propose.”

Syria will likely top Kerry’s talks at the State Department on Thursday with UN chief Ban Ki-moon as well as the EU’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

He revealed that his first foreign trip, expected in the coming weeks, would focus on the Middle East as well as garnering opinions on Syria, and hinted the US and Jordan could take renewed steps to urge Russia to bring more pressure to bear on Assad to quit.

near the security compounds in Shaddadeh, enabling the attacking force to storm the buildings and take the city, a pattern seen in other areas taken over by the mostly Islamist armed opposition.

Al-Nusra, which includes Iraqi commanders, has experience in making car bombs and the group lately helped opposition fighters take over the main Thalatheen Street in southern Damascus by exploding a car bomb in a security compound, according to opposition sources.

The rebel advance in Hasakah province has raised concern among the political leadership of the opposition, which has little control over the rebels, about deepening ethnic tensions between Arabs and Kurds, who already have decades long land disputes in the province.

Assad has tried to placate Syria’s one million Kurds since the uprising, promising to give citizenship to thousands of disenfranchised Kurds in Hasakah.

A tacit alliance has also emerged between Assad and the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which now a strong military presence in Hasakah and other Kurdish regions, to the discomfort of Turkey.

Massoud Akko, a Kurdish opposition campaigner in Norway in contact with Hasakah, confirmed that Shaddadeh has been overrun but said that taking Hasakah city would cause a bloodbath unless an agreement was reached with PKK fighters in the city.

“Taking a main city like Hasakah is important for the opposition but the PKK is entrenched there and an agreement with them has to be reached,” Akko said.

Akko pointed to a deal this month which ended fighting in Ras al-Ain, a town on the border with Turkey northeast of Hasakah, were tens of peoples with killed in fighting between the PKK and

Moscow has been sharply criticized for keeping up ties with the Assad regime as it battles the opposition rebels, and for continuing arms sales to Damascus.

“I still remain hopeful that there may be an equation where the Russians and the United States could in fact find more common ground than we have found yet with respect to that,” Kerry said, adding that Jordan’s King Abdullah II was expected to visit Moscow.

“The current situation is untenable,” agreed Judeh, saying there was general “agreement across the board that a political discourse” is needed.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz al-Khatib met for the first time in Munich earlier this month, with Moscow saying it wanted to keep in regular contact.

A top Russian diplomat also said that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid alMuallem and Khatib will make separate visits to Moscow in the coming weeks.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said there was no “secret among the countries that have been working to increase the pressure on Assad that he’s living in his own fantasy world about his staying power.”

the rebels who stormed the town in January.

Meanwhile, Syrian rebels on Thursday shot down two military warplanes over the northwestern province of Idlib, said a monitoring group.

Both jets were hit with fire from heavy machineguns while the air force was carrying out a series of raids in the area, much of which is under the control of the rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The warplanes were shot down in separate strikes, several hours apart, near the rebel-held town of Maaret al-Numan.

An Islamist rebel group, Ahfad alRasul (Grandchildren of the Prophet), claimed in an amateur video posted online to have brought down one of them, a Russian Sukhoi fighter jet, using antiaircraft weaponry.

A new peace plan for Syria, involving the creation of a senate to oversee a power transition, is currently making the rounds in the United Nations, Saudi newspaper Asharq Alawsat reported.

OFWs say Continued from Page 1 overseas who want to send their love to spouses, girlfriends and boyfriends from thousands of miles away.

“So even if you are overseas, and you send a serenade to your loved ones in the Philippines, you will get to experience what they experienced via the video,” said dela Rosa.

It is not unlike having flowers delivered to your loved one, but with the added zing of a song.

He said he and his business partner wanted to give the “singing telegram” that was popular in the US a more Filipino character, so they called their company Harana, or serenade in the local

name.

Al-Manar TV, which is owned by Hezbollah, identified the dead man as Houssam Khosh Nweis. It said he was the director of the Iranian Council for Reconstruction in Lebanon, and that he had lived in the country since the end of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The difference in the name could not immediately be reconciled, but Iranian military officials in Lebanon often work under an assumed name because their presence in the country is not publicized

by Hezbollah.

Lebanese security officials told The Associated Press there was no indication that the Iranian official was killed on Lebanese soil. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Tagalog language.

Harana is a dying Philippine courtship tradition in which a boy courting a girl goes to her house in the evening with a guitar player and singer in tow. They would sing love songs until the girl being wooed looks out the window or invites them in to meet her parents.

“Harana’s effect is different because harana is such a cultural thing for us, but we try to make it modern, with modern songs,” dela Rosa said.

Instead of just sending a plain message, “there is romance, there is a lot effort put into the event organizing, and the most we wanted to do is to record everything on video,” he added.

When the company was started, dela Rosa said, no one else in the world offered such a service, though similar services are available today in the US, Bolivia and Australia.

But its popularity in the Philippines is more telling because no other countries have such a high percentage of people who work abroad, mostly in service, medical and shipping industries.

Gloria Guevara, a 57-year-old accountant whose seafarer husband Eduardo is sailing in South America, said she was touched when she was serenaded on their wedding anniversary in her office in December. Her officemates were cheering, and some, like her, became mistyeyed.

“It really came as a surprise,” Guevara said. “Often he would send flowers or send money to my daughter for our lunch out, but for this anniversary it was a little different.”

She said Filipino families with members abroad have “so many things we miss out on, but you can try to make up for it by such gestures.”

The modern take on the traditional serenade does not come cheap. The fee for a basic package — including two to three songs by a professional singer, a personal message read with background guitar music, a teddy bear, and a CD containing a video and photos of the event — is 7,000 pesos ($170), which is equivalent to a quarter of the monthly wages of a restaurant manager like Nino. Dela Rosa said the price could go higher if the client requests a top-ranked singer or other extras.

‘D’ labels may Continued from Page 1 mixed by compounding pharmacies, the variation in doses was even greater — from 23 percent to 146 percent of the labeled amount.

“I’m not at all surprised that they’re very variable,” said Dr Pieter Cohen, who studies dietary supplements at Harvard Medical School in Boston but wasn’t involved in the new research.

“When you need a supplement to work, it’s really hard to find one that does,” he added — in part because of lax regulation.

Vitamin D supplements can be bought for a few dollars per month.

Together with calcium, they have been tied to improved bone health. Other medical claims made for extra vitamin D — such as its ability to lower blood pressure or boost immunity — are more tenuous.

For the new study, Dr Erin LeBlanc from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon, and her colleagues chemically analyzed pills from 15 vitamin D bottles purchased at local stores and two doses of compounded vitamins.

Supplement bottles were labeled as containing 1,000, 5,000 or 10,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D. Just one-fourth of the vitamins met the standard of all pills falling between 90 and 120 percent of the expected dose, based on a random selection of five pills per bottle.

Pills made by the one manufacturer that was verified by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) — a third-party tester — were all within six percent of the listed dose, LeBlanc and her colleagues found.

“Consumers buying those products can be more assured that what they’re getting in their pills is what’s labeled,” she said.

Compounded vitamin D pills were marked as 1,000 or 50,000 IU. Those high-dose vitamins can be prescribed by doctors and are mixed by pharmacies, unlike the store-bought brands. ❑ ❑ ❑ Source: bit.ly/Uep1H1 JAMA Internal Medicine

Newswatch Continued from Page 1 MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered security forces to be on high alert on Thursday to protect against attacks by militants ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Russia, which this week hosts the G-20 meeting of major world economies, is battling an Islamist insurgency in the Caucasus region which grew out of two separatist wars in its Chechnya province since the fall of the Soviet Union. (RTRS)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

MIDEAST

9

Tel Aviv confirms it held mystery ‘Prisoner X’

Recriminations in Israel over spy case JERUSALEM, Feb 14, (AFP): Recriminations grew in Israel on Thursday as more details emerged about the mysterious life and death of a prisoner held in top-secret who was believed to be an Australian-Israeli spying for Mossad.

As Israel finally admitted it had held a man with dual nationality in solitary confinement on security grounds who later committed suicide, a lawyer who met with him just days earlier said there was no indication the prisoner was planning to take his own life.

Prisoner X, who was identified by Australian media as Mossad agent Ben Zygier, is now known to have died in December 2010 while being held in Ayalon prison in Ramle near Tel Aviv in a case which Israel went to extreme lengths to cover up. But given that key details of the case including the reason for his arrest and the circumstances of his apparent suicide are covered by a strict gag order, the answers may remain elusive.

“When I saw him, there was nothing to indicate he was going to commit suicide,” said human rights lawyer Avigdor Feldman who met Zygier days before he was found hanged in his cell, which was under 24-hour surveillance.

Speaking to army radio, Feldman said he had met Zygier to offer him advice ahead of his trial as talks were under way over a plea bargain.

“He appeared rational, focused, he spoke clearly about the issue and didn’t exude any sense of self-pity,” Feldman said, expressing surprise that a prisoner who was being held in “a cell which was being monitored and checked 24-hours a day, could manage to commit suicide by hanging himself.”

‘One hunger striker’s condition critical’

UN ‘concerned’ about Palestinian detainees JERUSALEM, Feb 14, (AFP): A United Nations official on Wednesday expressed concern about the wellbeing of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons and in particular about the condition of hunger striker Samer Issawi.

A UN statement said that Humanitarian Coordinator James W. Rawley met in the West bank city of Ramallah with Palestinian prisoner affairs minister Issa Qaraqe, where Rawley “expressed the United Nations’ continued concern about Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody.”

“They discussed the situation of four Palestinian detainees currently on hunger strike and, in particular, the critical health condition of one Palestinian detainee,

Samer Issawi, who has been on hunger strike for more than 200 days,” it said.

Palestinian prisoner support group Adameer says six prisoners held by Israel are currently on hunger strike.

The longest serving are Issawi and Ayman Sharawneh who have been fasting for months to demand their release from imprisonment without trial.

Under what Israel calls “administrative detention,” suspects can be imprisoned without trial by order of a military court.

The order can be renewed indefinitely for six months at a time.

Rawley called for an end to the practise.

File photo shows a van carrying a member of one of Israel’s crime families, as it drives away from Ayalon prison at the central Israeli town of Ramle. An Australian-Israeli citizen who mysteriously died in Ayalon prison after an apparent career in Israel’s spy agency had denied the allegations against him and was considering a plea bargain just before he died, his lawyer said Feb 14. (AP)

Until Wednesday night, Israel imposed a complete media blackout on the details of the case, but after easing the restrictions, the justice ministry admitted jailing a man on security grounds who took his life in December 2010.

It said an inquest into his death had rendered a verdict of suicide just six weeks ago.

But other details of the case remained under a gag order,

leaving what commentators said was a growing list of “numerous and disturbing questions.”

“Was there an attempt here by the relevant agencies, including the attorney general and the law enforcement organisations, to whitewash the affair and prevent an external investigation into the circumstances of his death?” asked Shimon Shiffer in the top-selling Yediot Aharonot.

Gag orders silence press in digital age

East Asians gather in Japan to discuss aid to Palestinians PM Fayyad urges donors to share wealth It is the first time East Asian nations have gathered in support of Palestinians, to try to improve the efficiency of development aid programmes for the region.

The meeting drew ministers and senior officials from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, the United Nations, the World Bank, the UN “We find your experience in East Asia highly inspiring,” he told a Tokyo confer- Relief and Works Agency, the Islamic Development Bank and the Arab League. ence, citing the way countries in the region have moved away from reliance on overChina was not invited, a Japanese diplomat said.

Japan, the third largest donor for Palestinians after the US and the EU, wanted to bring seas aid and become economic powers. together fellow Asian nations and major global organisations to enhance East Asia’s diploThe Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEPAD) is jointly hosted by Japan and the Palestinian Authority. matic and economic presence in the Middle East, the diplomat said. Fayyad complained that Israeli occupation and hardline policies against Palestinians have hampered the development of a sustainable political process as well as that of social and economic institutions.

He asked East Asian nations for help in a wide range of areas “to benefit from vast wealth of experiences and expertise that your countries have amassed over years of development”.

“A number of you excelled and developed and moved from a state of reliance on aid, where we are today, to being in a state of being powerhouses in the economic sphere,” he said.

The conference was not designed to seek fresh aid pledges, Japanese diplomats have said.

Palestinian officials meanwhile used the forum to vent their anger against Israel and urged newly re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a two-state solution and return to the peace process.

“Regarding the peace process, obviously, we have been very much willing and ready to engage ourselves into a peace process with Israel,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Maliki said after the conference.

“Netanyahu preferred building settlements over negotiating with Palestinians,” he said.

“At least from our perspective, we are ready as long as Netanyahu recommits himself to Palestinians and foreign activists chant slogans as they march with their hands chained together during a protest held in solidarity with a two-state solution,” he said.

Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails in Gaza City, Feb 14. The demonstration was held in solidarity with Palestinian Democratic Front for Liberation of Palestine (DFLT) member Samer al-Issawi who has been on hunger strike for over 6 months. (AP) Maliki said the Palestinian Authority welcomed a planned visit to the region by US President Barack Obama next month, but he remained cautious about tangible and immediate progress toward peace.

Senior Vice-Foreign Minister Shunichi Suzuki and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad jointly chaired the meeting.

The group said it has its own medical reports chief of the forensic authority denied the justice CAIRO, Feb 14, (AP): An Egyptian opposition In a joint statement, the particprepared by doctors who saw el-Gindy in the minister’s statement and said the report was not group accused the government on Wednesday of ipants expressed concern about hospital and morgue. It shows that el-Gindy was final. covering up torture at the hands of security the current economic and finanstrangled, electrocuted on his tongue, and had a When the final report came out, it listed car forces. cial situation in Palestine, saying deep gash in the back of his neck. They claimed accident as the cause of death, leading some to The charge came after a government forensic it has presented an “obstacle” to he was tortured during detention. suspect foul play. Security officials deny that report claimed 28-year-old activist Mohammed state-building efforts and peace El-Gindy, who had taken part in anti-governthey held him. el-Gindy was killed in a car accident. It contrawith Israel through the “two-state ment protests that began last month, died Feb 4.

El-Gindy was a member of the Popular dicted family and friends, who said he died after solution.”

Word of his death provoked violent protests in Current opposition group, which called the he was electrocuted and beaten on his head They noted the importance of his hometown of Tanta northwest of Cairo. forensic report “fraudulent” and said it will chalrepeatedly in detention earlier this month. the role to be played by the priIn the case of the child killed, security offilenge it.

In a separate case, activists also accused vate sector in developing the cials had said they mistakenly killed a street “The Popular Current plans to pursue a legal authorities of trying to conceal the identity and Palestinian economy and said vendor on Feb 3. Security officials did not report complaint, charging that the forensic authorities age of 12-year-old Omar Salah, killed by securithey would consider holding an that the dead person was a 12-year-old and didhave forged it, and will go after all those who ty forces’ gunfire during clashes around Cairo’s international conference of busin’t record the case in hospital records or allow a took part in this crime,” the statement said.

Tahrir Square on Feb 3. ness leaders within the Ceapad forensic report, according to activists who comIt said those people including President In El-Gindy’s death, initially the justice minframework in a bid to increase pile data from visits to hospitals, morgues and Mohammed Morsi and his interior and justice ister, who oversees the state forensic authority, investment and trade, and develpolice stations. minister. said it was caused by a car accident. But then the op small and midsize businesses.

TOKYO, Feb 14, (Agencies): Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad urged East Asian donors Thursday to share their wealth and knowledge for nation-building efforts in his troubled region.

Egyptian opposition calls forensic report ‘fraudulent’

Govt accused of covering up torture

Spate of Iraq Muslim cemetery vandalised attacks kill 7 Jewish extremists blamed

JERUSALEM, Feb 14, (Agencies): Suspected Jewish extremists scrawled anti-Arab graffiti on the headstones in an ancient Muslim cemetery in west Jerusalem, police and witnesses told AFP on Thursday.

“The words ‘price tag’ and Stars of David were scrawled on around a dozen tombs in the Muslim cemetery in Mamilla in central Jerusalem,” a police spokeswoman told AFP, saying an inquiry had been opened.

An AFP correspondent at the scene said the vandals had also written “Mohammed is dead” and “Maale Rehavam” on the tombs

some of which date back to the 12th century.

Price tag is a euphemism for hate crimes carried out by Israeli extremists which generally target Palestinians or Arabs and their property.

Such incident often take place in retaliation for Israeli government moves to dismantle unauthorised settler outposts, with Thursday’s vandalism apparently linked to the removal of six caravans from the Maale Rehavam outpost in the southern West Bank a day earlier.

The move sparked angry protests by settlers and their supporters in and around Jerusalem.

BAGHDAD, Feb 14, (AFP): Attacks mostly targeting Iraqi security forces north of Baghdad killed seven people on Thursday, security and medical officials said, the latest in an uptick in nationwide violence.

Near the main northern city of Mosul, gunmen killed two brothers — a policeman and a soldier — inside their home, according to officials. The soldier was a bodyguard for Iraqi parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi.

Also close to Mosul, a roadside bomb targeting a police patrol killed two policemen and wounded one other.

Israel media breaks rules

JERUSALEM, Feb 14, (AP): Israel’s military censor, which has long served as the country’s guardian of state secrets, is suddenly under the microscope following a pair of sensitive reports broken by the international media.

An Australian broadcaster’s story this week about the suspicious death of an AustralianIsraeli prisoner held by Israel, following foreign reports of an Israeli airstrike in Syria last month, have revealed the limits of Israel’s decades-long censorship rules and courtimposed gag orders. In today’s Internet age, many are now asking whether these restrictions are even relevant.

The idea behind the objections is that in today’s communications environment, when everybody is essentially a publisher with a potentially worldwide audience, to censor “the media” is somehow akin to censoring conversation itself, which Israel, as a democracy, would never conceive of doing. “(Gag orders) are a tool that can’t deal with the media reality we live in: a globalized, hyper-connected, hyper-fast world. There is Netanyahu no real way to control the spread of information,” said Yuval Dror, an expert in digital communications.

The censorship office, which emerged from an agreement between editors and the government in the 1950s, has long wielded heavy control over reporting of Israel’s military and intelligence forays abroad and over domestic affairs it wants to keep under wraps.

Sensitive Journalists writing about potentially sensitive news must clear their stories with the censor’s office before they can be published. It has the authority to block or even delete reports deemed threatening to national security, and violations of the rules can result in penalties, including jail time, for journalists. Israel’s security establishment also often seeks courtissued gag orders on certain cases.

For years, the system was mostly able to prevent the release of sensitive secrets. But with the advent of blogs, Twitter and global news websites, the censor’s office has appeared increasingly archaic.

Today, Israeli media are forced to quote “foreign sources” after international media divulge details, such as the reports of an Israeli airstrike last month on a weapons convoy in Syria.

News in Brief Saudi executed: Saudi Arabia on Thursday executed one of its nationals in Riyadh after he was convicted of murdering another man, the interior ministry said.

Shbib al-Otaibi was beheaded by the sword for killing a fellow Saudi, Faleh al-Shibani, following a dispute between the pair, said a ministry statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

Otaibi’s execution bring to 13 the number of people beheaded in Saudi Arabia so far this year. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Iraqi judge removed: Iraq’s

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad (center), at the plenary session of the Conference of Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) in Tokyo on Feb 14. Japan hosted the meeting of Asian countries to discuss financial assistance for the Palestinian Territories. (AFP)

Underscoring the limitations of censor’s office was this week’s report by Australia’s national broadcaster that an Australian-Israeli man who worked for Israel’s Mossad spy agency had hanged himself in an Israeli prison.

While the report was easily accessible on the Internet, and Twitter and the blogosphere were abuzz with details about the case, the censor banned local media from discussing it.

Adding to the confusion, the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office urgently summoned editors of the nation’s major newspapers, apparently to discuss the case while ordering them not to write about it. Meanwhile, three lawmakers, who enjoy parliamentary immunity from censorship restrictions, gave speeches on the floor of parliament urging the government to respond to the Australian report.

Even so, newspaper headlines early Wednesday quoted the lawmakers’ speeches but made no reference to the Australian report, which was still under gag order.

Later Wednesday, the censor finally permitted local media to cite the Australian report, and details of the case flooded all the main radio, TV and news websites. Much of the discussion focused on the relevance of efforts to contain information, both through the censorship and court-issued gag orders.

“It’s the 21st century. You can’t prevent these things from being exposed,” said Yossi Melman, a security affairs commentator whose own article on the Australian report was removed shortly after being posted on the Walla! news site because of censorship. “And (Israel’s leaders) don’t want to learn a thing from the past.”

The censor’s office declined comment when asked about its relevancy in the digital age, but demanded this report be submitted for review and asked for changes in some of the wording, engaging in a semantic debate with Associated Press reporters.

In a front-page article, Aluf Benn, editor in chief of the prestigious Haaretz daily, accused the country’s security establishment of being stuck in a long-past era.

“Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are awash with people forwarding the information, sharing links to foreign websites, expressing opinions — and utterly ignoring those who are making pathetic attempts to turn back the clock to a time before WikiLeaks, and before bloggers who don’t give two hoots about the censor,” he wrote.

panel tasked with purging government ranks of former members of Saddam Hussein’s party has removed the country’s top judge from his post because of alleged ties to the now-dissolved Baath party.

The deputy chief of the country’s Justice and Accountability Committee, Bakhtiar Omar alQadhi, said on Thursday that the decision to remove Chief Judge Medhat al-Mahmoud from the Supreme Judicial Council was based on “strong evidence” supplied by parliament.

Al-Qadhi wouldn’t discuss the

8th anniversary

Kerry marks Hariri killing WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): US Secretary of State John Kerry vowed Thursday that the United States would stand by Lebanon as he marked the eighth anniversary of the killing of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

“This act of cold blooded mass murder sent shivers throughout the region,” Kerry said in a very personal statement, adding that Hariri’s assassination aimed “to undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence.”

“I will never forget sitting in Beirut soon after for my meetings held next to a portrait of Hariri shrouded in black.” details, saying that al-Mahmoud has 60 days to appeal. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

10

‘More like a bicycle than a modern fighting machine’

Afghan air force desperate for aircraft: commander KABUL, Feb 14, (AFP): Afghanistan’s fledgling air force is more like a bicycle than a modern fighting machine, its commander has said, pleading for advanced aircraft to fight the Taleban as US-led NATO forces prepare to withdraw.

Air power is crucial in the rugged country where a poor road network is often mined by insurgents, and the Afghan government is pressing hard for the US to boost its air capability before it pulls out next year.

“We will face huge and complicated challenges if the Americans do not provide us with these planes,” Major General Abdul Wahab Wardak told AFP, listing a range of attack and transport aircraft he says Afghanistan needs.

In Washington on Tuesday President Barack Obama announced that 34,000 US troops will withdraw from the country by the end of 2013, with the remaining half leaving by the end of 2014, taking with them their far superior firepower.

For the past 11 years NATO’s vast fleet of fighter jets, attack helicopters, unmanned drones and transport aircraft have supported ground troops in operations against the Taleban.

Last year coalition aircraft in Afghanistan flew 28,640 close air support sorties, firing weapons 4,082 times, according to official figures. Drones fired 494 times.

They also flew tens of thousands of surveillance sorties and flights carrying troops and cargo.

The US is negotiating leaving a small residual force in Afghanistan after 2014, but the overwhelming air power will all but disappear.

Allen given time to rest

Top US general may decline top NATO job WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): The Pentagon said Wednesday the former top US commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, will be given time to rest before his next assignment amid reports he has decided not to accept an offer to become the next top NATO commander.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta could not confirm if Allen wanted to drop out of the running for the NATO job but said he had advised him to take a break after finishing an arduous stint in Kabul.

“I had the opportunity to meet with him yesterday,” said Panetta, at what was likely his last press conference as Pentagon chief.

“My recommendation to him was, take your time, you know, be with your family, think about what you need to

do.

“I think your country will always find a way to make use of your great services, but you’ve got to make the decision as to what you want to do in the future.”

Foreign Policy first reported Allen would likely withdraw his name from consideration for the post of NATO’s supreme allied commander.

A Pentagon investigation had cleared the four-star general of any wrongdoing in a probe over emails with a Florida socialite who was caught up in the scandal that brought down CIA director David Petraeus.

But an official told Foreign Policy’s “Situation Report” that Allen did not want to subject his family to a highly public nomination process in which senators would be asking him about the emails, the reports said.

As part of its exit strategy Washington is helping rebuild the Afghan Air Force (AAF) — which currently has no fixedwing attack planes — but the government has complained that the process is too slow.

The air force chief, a stocky former MIG-21 fighter pilot under Soviet occupation in the 1980s, harks back to the old

days when the Afghan air force was a regional power to be reckoned with.

“To clarify the comparison of the air force we had in the past with now, I will give you this example,” he said.

“Back then it was as if you were riding an armoured vehicle. Today it is as if you are riding a bicycle.”

Watchdog cites ‘corruption’

Malaysia says in standoff with suspected Philippine militants Group are Filipinos who had been promised land: official KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14, (Agencies): Malaysia’s government said Thursday that its security forces have surrounded dozens of suspected Philippine militants in a remote area with a history of incursions by armed Filipino Islamic groups.

Datu.

“We know the situation is still under control. I confirm that no Malaysian citizens, to my knowledge, are being held hostage or for ransom,” Hishammuddin said.

“Security forces are still in control and negotiating with them, some of whom are armed.”

He declined to confirm that the gunmen were from the adjacent southern Philippines.

But asked whether Philippine authorities were involved in negotiations, Hishammuddin About 80 to 100 gunmen have been cornered in the Malaysian state of Sabah on said: “Of course they will have to be involved in the operations.”

Borneo island, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters.

National police chief Ismail Omar had said in a statement late Wednesday that “the intruHe said security forces were negotiating with the men near the small coastal town of Lahad sion is a result of the problems in the southern Philippines”.

But a Philippine official said they were unarmed Filipinos who had been promised land.

The standoff in Malaysia’s eastern Sabah state on Borneo island threatened to stir tension between the Southeast Asian neighbours whose ties have been periodically frayed by security and migration problems caused by a porous sea border.

“Our firepower is more than enough to arrest them but the government has chosen to negotiate with them so they leave peacefully to return to the south of the Philippines,” Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, on a visit to Sabah ahead of national elections, was quoted as saying by state-run Bernama news agency.

Malaysian police said in a statement the situation was under control, but did not say whether the men had agreed with a request to surrender.

A high-ranking Malaysian government source with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters the gunmen were suspected to be from a faction unhappy with the Philippines’ recent peace deal with the main Muslim rebel group.

Raul Hernandez, a spokesman for the Philippine Foreign Ministry, said his government was trying to get inforAn Afghan couple walks at the Karti Sakhi Shrine in Kabul, on Feb 14. Afghan couples have to go to uncrowded areas like cemeteries and mation about the incident and hilltops to find time alone as relations with the opposite sex outside of marriage are taboo. Valentine’s Day passes mainly unnoticed in was in touch with Malaysian strictly Islamic Afghanistan. (AFP) officials.

A senior Philippine military official said navy boats and an Russia arming Mali, more Islamist attacks feared aircraft had been sent to the border area. He dismissed the Malaysian account of the group, saying they were unarmed Filipinos who had been promised land in Sabah.

LONDON, Feb 14, (AFP): A document left behind troops defused a massive bomb in the north of Desert on Mali’s northern border with Algeria.

He said a meeting over the in the bombed remains of an al-Qaeda training the country, the latest bid by Islamist rebels to Abou Moussab Abdel Wadoud — a 42-yearland claim had attracted a large headquarters in the Malian city of Timbuktu gives strike back. old Algerian dubbed the “prince” of AQIM, who crowd and drawn the attention of a rare insight into the organisation’s thinking, a The head of Russia’s arms export agency said helped found the group in 2006 — chaired the Malaysian authorities.

British newspaper reported Thursday. it had delivered small amounts of light weapons meeting in which he outlined a “proposal and a “We know that these people The Daily Telegraph said it had found the for the West African nation’s poorly equipped vision for the future”. arrived there five days ago and Arabic-language document outside a building and deeply divided army. most of them are from nearby He is recorded as saying: “We have looked bombed by French forces who drove the “We are in talks about sending more, in small islands,” said the official, who carefully into it and have found it interesting and Islamists from the ancient city. quantities,” said Rosoboronexport chief Anatoly asked not to be identified. satisfactory for this period of time, therefore we The newspaper said the document was the Isaikin, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

“Some of them were already thought we would present it for you to discuss first page of minutes from the 33rd meeting of In the centre of the northern city of Gao, the residents in Sabah for a long time and give it careful consideration”. and they normally cross the borthe al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) scene of twin suicide bombings and a street batThe plan was to praise Ansar Dine for its “vicder without any problem.” leadership, held on March 18, 2012. tle in recent days, French troops defused a tories during the latest encounters which have Another Philippine military The AQIM chiefs discussed a plan to capihomemade bomb they said contained 600 kilobeen carried out by our Muslim heroes on this officer said the men were followtalise on the gains made in northern Mali by the grammes (1,300 pounds). grand desert”. But then AQIM intended to move ers of the heirs of the Sultan of Islamist rebel group Ansar Dine and Tuareg The bomb, four metal barrels filled with in and take over the cities they had gained.

Sulu - an island group off the minority rebels. It was suggested that AQIM explosives and connecting wires, was in the Also: southern Philippines – who had pushed aside the groups and took control. courtyard of an abandoned house and had been GAO, Mali: Russia revealed Wednesday it was there since at least Monday, according to an AFP been invited to Sabah by a At the time of the meeting, those groups had Malaysian opposition politician supplying guns to Mali’s government, as French just captured a string of towns in the Sahara correspondent at the scene. to discuss land issues.

Qaeda plan for northern Mali revealed

Jordan terror plot trial begins

Suspects plead not guilty AMMAN, Jordan, Feb 14, (Agencies): Eleven men suspected of links to al-Qaeda have pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges related to an alleged plot to attack the US Embassy and shopping malls in Jordan.

The suspects – two Jordanians and nine Jordanians of Palestinian origin – entered their pleas Thursday at the opening session of their trial at a military court in Amman.

The men have been in police custody since last October.

The indictment accuses them

Afghan women carry a banner during a march calling for end of violence against women, in Kabul, with the Darul Aman palace seen in the background, Afghanistan, Feb 14. Dozens of Afghan activsts have marked Valentine’s Day by marching in Kabul to denounce violence against women. Concern has risen after rights organizations last year found that Afghan women are frequently victims of violence – despite a law against it and increased prosecution of abusers. (AP)

of plotting simultaneous attacks on two shopping malls in the Jordanian capital to distract police as they assaulted the US Embassy.

The plot allegedly called for gunmen killing diplomats on the embassy grounds.

The men face the death penalty, if convicted.

Security officials initially said when they announced they foiled the plot in October that the members of the militant group had spent some time in Syria, without saying when they had returned to Jordan.

Angry outburst at 9-11 hearing GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba, Feb 14, (AP): A defendant in the Sept 11 war crimes case at Guantanamo has made an angry outburst at a court hearing on the US base in Cuba.

Walid bin Attash stood up to complain about searches of his cell while he and the four other defendants are in court. Bin Attash had to be warned by the military judge to sit down and stop talking or face removal from the courtroom. He sat after being calmed by his attorneys. Attorney Cheryl Bormann said guards had improperly taken privileged legal documents from bin Attash, a native of Yemen who accused of aiding the Sept 11 attacks.

‘US should hit pause button on Afghan aid’ WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (RTRS): The US government should reconsider whether to spend more on reconstruction aid in Afghanistan, the US watchdog that monitors the funds said on Wednesday, citing Afghanistan’s persistent corruption and inability to manage projects as US troops withdraw.

John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghan reconstruction, said $20 billion in US assistance for Afghanistan had been appropriated but not yet spent. Nearly $10 billion more in aid may soon be approved by Congress.

Sopko asked whether any of this money should be released.

A growing number of projects built with US assistance in Afghanistan are now in insecure areas as US troops Obama withdraw, putting them beyond the reach of American auditors to safely visit, he said.

“We have the opportunity to hit the pause button” as US troops are pulling out, Sopko told a House of Representatives committee.

“It’s an important opportunity to stop and reassess all of that money that hasn’t been spent, and make the determination, is it worth the risk?”

“There may be a reason to push the money out the door for a particular project or program ... . But at least justify it,” he said, speaking to the national security subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform panel.

Sopko’s remarks came amid growing questions over US spending on Afghanistan.

The subcommittee chairman, Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, said it was especially distasteful for Washington to be sending taxpayers’ money to “the most corrupt government on

Sidelights UK flies Ghana troops: Britain’s military has flown troops and heavy equipment from Ghana to Mali to support the international intervention in the west African nation.

The Ministry of Defense says a C-17 aircraft is carrying more than 120 members of a Ghanaian engineering company with vehicles and equipment to Bamako, where they will build accommodation and assist with projects like road building as part of the African-led support mission to Mali.

It added that the request from Ghana for a C-17 was made earlier this week. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Journalists get bail: Two Nigerian journalists and a cleric were granted bail on Thursday after being charged over a controversial radio programme on polio vaccines days before deadly attacks on polio clinics.

Gunmen attacked two polio clinics in the northern city of Kano on Feb 8, killing at least 10 people, after Wazobia FM broadcast a story on claims of forced vaccinations.

One of the Wazobia journalists said he was beaten and his equipment seized during an altercation at the cleric’s home when health officials were seeking to force the cleric to have his children immunised.

The programme also allegedly revived conspiracy theories surrounding polio campaigns, with previous claims having been made of the vaccines being part of a Western plot to harm Muslims. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Bomber kills 3: A suicide Malaysian policemen check a vehicle along the main road near Lahad Datu in Malaysia’s eastern Sabah state, on Feb 14.

Malaysian security forces in Borneo surrounded armed intruders believed to be from the southern Philippines and sought to persuade them to leave peacefully Thursday, authorities said. (AP)

the face of the planet” in a time of fiscal scarcity at home.

Afghanistan is regularly ranked as one of the world’s most corrupt countries. The inspector general’s audits have pointed out numerous weaknesses in the oversight of US reconstruction aid to Afghanistan, which is approaching a $100 billion over a decade of war. Much of this money has gone to help train Afghan military forces.

One of the US agencies that provides assistance in Afghanistan issued a statement after Sopko spoke defending the programs, saying they had helped Afghanistan make “dramatic” development progress over the last decade.

The statement from the US Agency for International Development, which oversaw about $1.9 billion in assistance in Afghanistan last year, also said that the agency carefully scrutinizes the recipients.

“US AID has conducted rigorous assessments of all ministries that receive US AID funds” said the statement by Alex Thier, the assistant to the administrator for the office of Afghanistan and Pakistan. “If the assessments identify vulnerabilities, US AID helps the ministry address the issues before they are eligible to receive funds.”

President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he would withdraw 34,000 troops — about half the US forces in Afghanistan — by the end of this year.

That would be followed by further troop withdrawals next year to wrap up the war there, Obama said in his State of the Union speech.

Sopko, who has been in his job for seven months, said his office will write letters to all US agencies operating in Afghanistan asking them to list the status of projects there.

Congress and the administration should examine the list and decide whether to forge ahead with the projects that have not begun, he said.

bomber killed three policemen and wounded another six in Russia’s North Caucasus on Thursday, hours before President Vladimir Putin was to meet with officials to discuss

Traffic accident

‘18 killed’ in Afghan crash KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb 14, (AP): Afghan officials say at least 18 people have been killed in a traffic accident in the country’s southeast.

Deputy provincial governor in Ghazni says the accident took place on Thursday on Afghanistan’s main north-south highway, when a bus with more than 50 passengers on board rammed into a truck. Ahmad Ali Ahmad says there were also numerous injuries.

Ahmad says the accident was due to reckless driving on the part of the bus driver, who was speeding on a narrow part of the highway in the Qarabagh district.

The main hospital in Ghazni province confirmed the death toll. security ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics.

The Kremlin is fighting to staunch an insurgency that aims to carve an Islamic state out of the Caucasus region, which borders Sochi, Russia’s planned site for the 2014 Games.

The suicide bomber detonated explosives at a security checkpoint as police stopped his car for a routine document check on its way into the city of Khasavyurt in Dagestan province, the Interior Ministry said.

“Police officers stopped the...car for a (routine) check.

Behind the wheel was a terrorist suicide bomber,” the ministry statement said. “When police officers walked up to the car, he detonated the explosive device.”

(RTRS)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

11

Man pleads guilty to manslaughter charge

Briton jailed for strangling S. Korean student LONDON, Feb 14, (AFP): A British man who strangled his South Korean ex-girlfriend to death then tried to book a flight to the United States was jailed for 10 years on Thursday.

Daniel Jones, 27, had pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter. He asphyxiated Da In Lee at his flat on April 8 last year following a row about domestic chores.

Lee, 22, was studying international relations at Aston University in Birmingham, Britain’s second city.

Passing sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court in central England, judge John Wait condemned Jones for his “callous” behaviour after the killing, which included attempts to use Lee’s credit card.

He accepted the jury’s findings that Jones did not intend to cause death or life-threatening injury.

“But this was an intentional assault: it was intended to frighten her, to terrify her, to demonstrate control over her.

“When you realised that by that dangerous and violent act you had stopped her breathing... you didn’t seek help for her — you covered her body, left her and sought to avoid responsibility.”

Wait said Lee was a “highly intelligent and well-liked” student. Police said afterwards that her family in South

‘Moment of joyful relaxation’

Kate pictures not scandalous: Chi editor LONDON, Feb 14, (AFP): The editor of Italy’s Chi magazine on Wednesday defended the decision to publish photographs of Prince William’s pregnant wife Catherine in her bikini, saying they were not in any way scandalous.

Alfonso Signorini told the BBC that the pictures were taken in a public place during the couple’s holiday on the Caribbean island of Mustique and showed nothing more than a “moment of joyful relaxation”.

St James’s Palace has condemned the decision to publish by the magazine, which is owned by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, saying it was a “clear breach of the couple’s right to privacy”.

The pictures, which are not being run by the British press but are available online, show Catherine wearing a blue bikini walking through shallow waters and then on the

beach with her husband, the second in line to the throne.

Signorini said: “They are images of such unexceptional normality that there is only limited mention of them on the cover of the magazine.

He added: “What our readers will see is simply a moment of joyful relaxation being enjoyed by a smiling, happy couple. Where’s the scandal in that?”

The royal couple are expecting their first child in July.

Kate, 31, was admitted to hospital in December with severe morning sickness but is now said to be recovering.

An Australian women’s magazine on Wednesday also defended its decision to print a copy of the pictures. Women’s Day editor Fiona Connolly said they were taken not by a paparazzi photographer but by a fellow holiday-maker.

Korea were “devastated” by her death.

The judge ordered that Jones be supervised for a

further period of five years after serving his sentence.

Intelligence sharing crucial despite abuse risks: Britain Qaeda biggest threat to UK, says Hague LONDON, Feb 14, (Agencies): Britain is justified in sharing intelligence with countries suspected of human rights abuses to protect itself, Foreign Secretary William Hague will say on Thursday, despite concerns over the torture of suspects and costly court cases.

been obtained through ill-treatment of suspects.

That has led to accusations of collusion in torture and a number of embarrassing legal defeats.

In a speech setting out the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, Hague will argue that Britain faces a “stark choice” over whether to turn away from states unable to guarantee that suspects won’t be abused or tortured.

Since the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Britain has been wrestling Hague, who oversees Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Government with how to uphold its opposition to all forms of torture whilst ensuring it could Communications Headquarters intercept agency, said there were risks in working with some gather information about planned attacks by militants, some of which might have countries, but that the dangers of disengaging were even greater.

Many countries would be able to give “credible assurances” that they will not mistreat suspects, Hague will say, according to advance extracts of his speech released by his office.

“Where this is not the case, we face a stark choice,” he will say.

“We could disengage, but this would place our citizens at greater risk of terrorist attack, in the UK or overseas. Or we can choose to share our intelligence in a carefully controlled way.”

Calling al-Qaeda “the greatest threat to the United Kingdom,” Hague will note that the nature of the terror group’s threat has changed in three ways: it is more geographically diverse, more fragmented and based “even more closely on the exploitation of local and regional issues.”

“A long term, coordinated international approach is the only way we can defeat terrorism,” Hague will say, according to excerpts of his speech released in advance by the Foreign Office.

“The bulk of our effort to counter terrorism is now overseas where terrorists train and plan for attacks in the West. We cannot do it without working with other countries.”

To make that cooperation possible, Hague will say that more must be done to improve respect for human rights and international norms in some countries where intelligence could be shared. He also will detail how British florist Joseph Massie poses for photographs beside his floral portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge by British florist Joseph Britain must work to ensure that Massie during a promotional display for the media to coincide with Valentine’s Day, in Trafalgar Square, London, Feb 13. The piece, information is gleaned and showing the couple after they were engaged, was made from 1,830 flowers and took 150 hours to make. (AP) shared in ways that are consistent with the UK’s laws and values.

“When we detect a terrorist plot originating in a third country, we want to be in a position to share information to stop that planning, and do it in a way that leads to the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the individuThen, as now, eurosceptics wanted the als concerned in accordance with LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): Prime Minister tries which are fed up with what they see as David Cameron’s promise of a vote on London’s semi-detached stance. Even the British leader to take a stand against what our own legal obligations, and Britain’s EU membership is a gamble he must United States, a close British ally, is opposed they saw as an undemocratic, costly and med- with their human rights respected take to end the bitter arguments that have poi- to a British withdrawal. British business dling European superstate eroding British at every stage,” Hague is expected to say. “We need to have a soned British politics for decades, a predeces- leaders also said they were worried the sovereignty.

Cameron will never sway those fervently coherent approach that is sustainsor who was seriously undermined by those uncertainty could weaken Britain’s econoopposed to Brussels, Major said, but he can able for the long term, that my. rows said on Thursday.

“It is a gamble for the country and for the persuade most voters that leaving the bloc upholds our laws and has safeJohn Major, a Conservative prime minister whose seven years in office were dogged by Conservative Party,” Major said in a speech at would undermine trade and Britain’s global guards, and that works to strengthen the ability of other influence. party infighting over Europe, said the referen- the Chatham House thinktank. to observe human rights The harder task will be to convince EU countries “The relationship with Europe has poidum could “heal old sores”. and meet their own obligations.

Cameron, who lags in the polls, delighted soned British politics for too long, distracted countries to hand back powers to London in Hague will argue that chooshis ruling Conservative Party’s rebellious parliament from other issues and come close areas like employment law, Major said in his ing to disengage with countries anti-EU wing last month when he said he to destroying the Conservative Party. It is statement. lacking the safeguards to share “It is difficult and ambitious, but I do information in such a way could would campaign for the 2015 parliamentary time to resolve the matter.”

The issue of Europe brought down think the prime minister has some signifi- put British citizens at greater risk election on a pledge to renegotiate the terms Major’s predecessor Margaret Thatcher in cant negotiating cards to play and I think it of a terror attack. Instead, he will of Britain’s EU membership.

He said an “in our out” referendum on the 1990 and divided the Conservatives is possible to negotiate some of those propose sharing intelligence “in country’s membership of the bloc would then throughout Major’s time in office from changes,” Major said. EU leaders do not a carefully controlled way” while be held by the end of 2017 — provided he 1990 to 1997, during which he faced want to lose one of the world’s biggest developing a more comprehenrepeated rebellions by eurosceptic party economies and an important link to the sive approach to respecting won a second term. human rights.

United States, he said.

However, the plans upset some EU coun- members.

Time to end rows over Europe: Major

‘Cameron right to gamble on EU referendum’

Doel 3 flaws unlikely: EDF Energy

‘British nuclear plant free from faults’ LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): The reactor at Britain’s Sizewell B nuclear power plant in Suffolk, is free of the manufacturing faults that led to the shutdown of two similar reactors in Belgium last year, operator EDF Energy said on Thursday.

Two pressurised water reactors (PWRs) run by GDF-Suez unit Electrabel were shut down last summer after thousands of cracks were discovered in their core tanks that stem from the manufacturing process.

Following the discovery Britain’s Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) ordered EDF Energy to carry out similar tests on Sizewell B, the country’s only PWR plant.

“The approved safety case presented by EDF Energy Nuclear Generation demonstrates that such flaws as found at Doel 3 and Tihange 2 are highly unlikely to be present in the Sizewell B reactor pressure vessel,” EDF Energy said in its operator’s report published on Thursday.

Britain’s ONR said it was now reviewing the report, but added that inspections carried out at Sizewell B before and during the start of operations in 1995 would have detected the faults that halted the Belgian units.

Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors have not been shut permanently but Electrabel needs to prove to the national regulator that the units are safe to restart.

The transhipment cold store is filmed of the Dutch company Nemijtek in Breda, the Netherlands, where some 150 tonnes of horsemeat is stored, on Feb 14. (AFP)

Britain’s Prince Charles (front left), and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, stir their cups of tea as they visit a stall at the Borough Market in London, on Feb 14. (AFP)

Consumers systematically duped

Horsemeat discoveries tip of the iceberg – UK LONDON, Feb 14, (Agencies): Discoveries so far of horsemeat in products sold as beef are likely to be the “tip of the iceberg”, a British parliamentary report into the scandal said on Thursday.

“The scale of contamination emerging in the meat supply chain is breathtaking,” said Anne McIntosh, a legislator who chairs the cross-party Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which published the report.

“More revelations will doubtless come to light in the UK and across the European Union.”

Growing revelations about the use of horsemeat in products labelled beef have raised questions about the safety of the European food supply chain and prompted governments to send out a European Union (EU)-wide alert.

The EU’s health chief said on Wednesday all companies that have handled falselylabelled horsemeat were under suspicion, adding that the European Commission was considering strengthening EU rules on product labelling.

The British parliamentary report concluded there were strong signs horsemeat had been intentionally substituted for beef.

“British consumers have been cynically and systematically Heath duped in pursuit of profit by elements within the food industry,” it said.

The issue first came to light on Jan. 15 when routine tests

by Irish authorities discovered horsemeat in beefburgers made by firms in Ireland and Britain and sold in supermarket chains including Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer.

Concern grew last week when the British unit of frozen foods group Findus began recalling its beef lasagne on advice from its French supplier, Comigel, after tests showed concentrations of horsemeat ranging from 60 to 100 percent.

“While this is primarily a food labelling issue, the suggestion of fraud on a massive scale, suggests that measures must be put in place now to prevent any further contaminated meat entering the food chain,” the report said.

Scandal It said Tesco and other major retailers had let consumers down by selling contaminated products, while regulator the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the government had been caught flat-footed by the scandal and unable to respond effectively.

The report said the British government needed to find the right balance between affordable food prices and regulations that ensure transparency and quality.

It recommended the FSA be given statutory powers to require producers to undertake testing and wants the agency to undertake a broader spectrum of testing for products found to have the highest levels of contamination, to provide assurances they do not contain other non-bovine DNA or substances that could be harmful to human health.

It said all results must be reported to the FSA, whether mandated by the Agency or carried out independently.

“The consumer cannot be left to face a Catch-22 where they can either pay for food that complies with the highest standards of traceability, labelling and testing, or accept that they cannot trust the provenance and composition of the foods they eat,” said McIntosh.

Six horse carcasses that tested positive for an equine painkiller may have entered the human food chain in France, Britain’s food regulator announced Thursday - and the agency’s chief said horsemeat tainted with the medicine may have been sold to consumers “for some time.”

The Food Standards Agency said eight out of 206 horses it checked had tested positive for phenylbutazone, commonly known as bute. It said of those

eight, six - all slaughtered by a firm in southwest England were sent to France and “may have entered the food chain.”

The agency said it was working with French authorities to trace the meat.

Environment Minister David Heath earlier told the House of Commons three horses might have entered the food chain, but the ministry later said six was the correct figure.

Britain’s chief medical officer, Sally Davies, insisted that horsemeat containing bute “presents a very low risk to human health.”

Davies said the drug is occasionally prescribed to patients suffering from severe arthritis, and while it sometimes produces serious side effects, “it is extremely unlikely that anyone who has eaten horsemeat containing bute will experience one of these side effects.”

“If you ate 100-percent horse burgers of 250 grams (8.8 ounces), you would have to eat, in one day, more than 500 or 600 to get to a human dose,” she said. “It would really be difficult to get up to a human dose.”

Authorities across Europe are testing thousands of meat products for the drug, and for horse DNA, after horsemeat was found in food products labeled as beef in several countries.

Food Standards Agency head Catherine Brown said that before the current crisis, the agency had tested about 5 percent of the horses slaughtered in Britain - and about 6 percent of those had shown traces of bute.

Bute “That would say there has been a significant amount of carcasses with bute in going into the food chain for some time,” she said. Pan-European police agency Europol is coordinating a continent-wide fraud investigation amid allegations of an international criminal conspiracy to substitute horse for more expensive beef.

The scandal has uncovered the labyrinthine workings of the global food industry, where meat from a Romanian slaughterhouse can end up in British lasagna by way of companies in Luxembourg and France.

It has also raised the uncomfortable idea that Europeans may unwittingly have been consuming racehorses, which are often treated with bute.

Britain’s Food Standards Agency said it had begun testing all horses slaughtered in Britain for bute, and that none would be exported for consumption unless they tested negative. The agency previously tested only a small percentage of slaughtered animals, which has fueled criticism of its failure to catch the horsemeat contamination sooner.

Almost no horsemeat is consumed in Britain, where hippophagy - eating horses - is widely considered taboo. But thousands of horses killed in the country each year are exported for meat to countries including France and Belgium, which have a culture of eating horsemeat.

A “horse passport” system, which records whether animals have been treated with bute, is meant to stop the drug entering the human food chain.

On Thursday, Britain’s Aintree race track said a slaughterhouse in northern England shut down this week by government investigators had a contract to dispose of fatally injured racehorses. The racecourse said it was “as confident as we possibly can be” that none of the meat had entered the human food chain.

The trail of illicit horsemeat stretching across Europe spread still further Thursday when Rangeland Foods, a processing factory in Ireland, said it had withdrawn some batches of burger products which contained beef supplied from Poland after it tested positive for up to 30 percent horse meat.

Food Safety Authority of Ireland said the products had been sold to the catering and wholesale sectors and distributed to Ireland, Britain, Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

See Also Page 17

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

ISSUES

12

More children on poverty line in five countries

Austerity’s children becoming Europe’s ‘lost generation’ BRUSSELS, Feb 14, (RTRS): Children across Europe are being driven into poverty by harsh government austerity and youth unemployment is soaring, threatening to create “lost generations” that could fire up a new continental crisis.

Global charity Caritas said on Thursday that around three out of every 10 children in Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Italy and Spain are in or have been pushed to the brink of poverty.

Greece said its youth unemployment had now exceeded 60 percent. Spain’s is above 50 percent and Portugal has just topped 40 percent.

Think tank Bruegel said the problem extended well beyond the debt-laden peripheral euro zone economies and

could come back to reverse Europe’s slow recovery from financial crisis.

In a report, Caritas said euro zone countries that have received international loans — plus Italy, which hasn’t — are creating a huge class of poorlyeducated and poorly-fed young people with low morale and few job prospects.

“This could be a recipe not just for one lost generation in Europe but for several lost generations,” Caritas said, citing the European Union’s own statistics.

While these countries’ future workers may suffer a loss of morale, qualifications and prospects, those that struggle through are likely to take their talents elsewhere.

Those with qualifications are already leaving in droves to seek work else-

‘Modest yr looms’

where, particularly in Germany where the number of Spanish and Greek jobseekers almost doubled during the first half of 2012.

Bruegel economist Zsolt Darvas said the relentless rise in youth unemployment not only destroyed morale at an important age of development but also threatened to reignite an economic crisis that appeared to be easing.

Problem “This is not just a problem for these (peripheral) countries. This is a European problem,” he said. Thirteen of the European Union’s 27 member states have youth unemployment above 25 percent.

Since 2010, Greece, Ireland, and

Portugal have received billions of euros in loans from the EU and the International Monetary Fund in return for spending cutbacks and tax rises.

Spain has had its banks bailed out.

In all four and Italy, the increasing rate of children close to poverty coincides with the height of the crisis in 2008 and then rises.

Caritas say children are becoming more impoverished due to cuts to welfare, unemployment benefits, rising value-added tax and increased fuel costs.

“It has become an established fact that children are more at risk of poverty than any other demographic,” Deirdre de Burca from Caritas said.

Figures from the European

Commission show that in 2011 over 30 percent of those aged 17 years or under in Spain and Greece were at risk of poverty or exclusion, a four percentage point rise since 2005.

In Portugal that figure was 28.6 percent in 2011. In 2005 Portugal had a similar number of underprivileged children but that figure had dropped to 25.5 percent in 2006. It was linked by the charity to the change there to the growing number of families evicted for not paying mortgages.

More broadly, Caritas reported a growing number of children coming to school hungry in Spain, Portugal and Greece.

In 2010, 37.6 percent of children were at risk of poverty or exclusion in

Ireland and 28.9 percent in Italy.

Figures for 2011 are not available Children are defined as nearing poverty and exclusion if they live in families with 60 percent or less the median income or have parents with little or no employment or lack basic essentials such as protein-rich foods, heating and clothes.

Caritas said governments must ask themselves what these trends will mean for children in the long run.

Studies show children from poor households are more likely to underperform at school and to struggle to find or keep a job.

“They are looking at a future where the prospect of unemployment is stretching out ahead of them,” de Burca said.

US

Speech fails to unite Congress WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (RTRS): The pomp and soaring rhetoric of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address roused his Capitol audience to standing ovations, but a day after, the US Congress was no closer to achieving major accomplishments in 2013 than it was before Tuesday’s speech.

In his annual address to a joint session of Congress — one designed to set the tone in Washington for the coming year — Obama offered plenty of big legislative goals: gun control, higher minimum wage, deficit reduction, immigration reform, climate change.

All are daily topics of conversation in the halls of Congress, and Obama tried to inspire lawmakers to act on each of those fronts.

But the Democrats and Republicans who jockey for power in a divided Congress see eye-to-eye on very few of these matters even though polls say voters yearn for cooperation over confrontation.

And so small steps, at best, are likely on a few but probably not all of the marquee issues.

“It’s going to be a modest year,” predicted Senator John Thune of South Dakota, a member of the Senate’s Republican leadership. “In terms of actually accomplishing something, I think there isn’t going to be a whole lot there,” he said in an interview.

If Thune is correct, Obama is in for a year that sees many of his initiatives advance in the Democratic-controlled Senate, only to die, or be trimmed down, in the Republican-held House.

Happy Then, it will be up to voters in the midterm congressional elections next year to decide on whether they are happy with that.

The morning after the speech began with Republican House Speaker John Boehner dismissing Obama’s call to raise the national minimum wage to $9 an hour, up from the current $7.25. “Let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty,” Obama urged.

Boehner, a former small businessman from Ohio, saw things differently. “When you raise the price of employment, guess what happens? You get less of it.” With those words, he appeared to drop Obama’s idea into a legislative trash can.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Capitol building, Republicans in the Senate Judiciary Committee were challenging Obama’s comprehensive immigration reform plans, and even some broad reform proposals signed off on by some senior Republican senators. Their focus was on first securing the southwestern border with Mexico.

Republican Senator John Cornyn, who is up for re-election in Texas next year, said the federal government has “a long, long way to go” before it achieves a secure border.

Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, echoing the sentiment of many of his House Republican colleagues, advised against comprehensive reforms. Deal with “discrete” bits of immigration reform rather than a “massive” reform bill, he advised.

Goal That likely was Sessions’ way of saying that Democrats ought to forget about achieving their goal of setting 11 million undocumented foreigners in the United States on a path to citizenship.

Obama’s plan for universal pre-school education? How are you going to pay for it without raising deficits, Republican after Republican said, seeming to doom the idea.

In one of the most emotional moments of Tuesday’s speech, Obama referred to the gun violence that has racked cities and towns across the United States. “The families of Newtown deserve a vote. The families of Aurora deserve a vote. The families of Oak Creek, and Tucson, and Blacksburg, and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence — they deserve a simple vote,” Obama said.

Families might see that vote, sort of.

“Guns? We’ll have the debate but if something passes and it well could pass the Senate, I’d be real hesitant to predict they would get an outcome in the House on that,” Senator Thune said.

One area where some sort of legislative action will be forced is on budget bills in coming weeks and months as the US government runs out of funds on March 27 and exhausts its borrowing authority around August.

But again, there will be a big fight over whether those bills are enacted with deficit reductions that are achieved only through spending cuts, as Republicans demand, or are coupled with tax increases on the rich, as many Democrats insist.

And lawmakers from the two parties are at odds over how to avoid the “sequestration” of sweeping public spending cuts.

US President Barack Obama walks back to the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Feb 13, following his arrival on Marine One helicopter, after a quick trip to a Linamar Corporation plant in Arden, North Carolina, the manufacturer of auto components. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building is in the background. (AP)

US president can’t wait for electoral miracle in 2014

Obama must show Johnson-like skills

By David Rohde NEW YORK, Feb 14, (RTRS): He quoted Jack Kennedy but sounded more like Lyndon Johnson.

In an audacious State of the Union address Tuesday, President Barack Obama made sweeping proposals to reduce poverty, revive the middle class and increase taxes on the “well off.” While careful to not declare it outright, an emboldened second-term president laid out an agenda that could be called a “war on inequality.”

“There are communities in this country where no matter how hard you work, it is virtually impossible to get ahead,” Obama declared in a blunt attack one a core conservative credo.

“And that’s why we need to build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class for all who are willing to climb them.”

In his 1964 State of the Union address, Johnson introduced the legislation that became known as the “War on Poverty.” Those laws — along with many others he shepherded — stand today as perhaps the greatest legislative achievement of any modern president. Whether or not one agrees with him, Johnson’s laws — from the Civil Rights Act, to Medicaid, Medicare and Head Start, to sweeping federal urban renewal and education programs — changed the face of American society.

Obama, of course, is very different from LBJ and governing in a vastly different time. While Johnson excelled at cajoling legislators, Obama reportedly finds it distasteful. Where Johnson could offer new federal programs, Obama must maneuver in an age where the federal government is distrusted. And while Johnson had full government coffers, Obama lives in an era of crushing fiscal constraint.

Those differences, though, make Obama’s second inaugural address and Tuesday’s State of the Union all the

more remarkable. As Richard W. Stevenson noted in the New York Times, “he continued trying to define a 21st-century version of liberalism that could outlast his time in office and do for Democrats what Reagan did for Republicans.”

Throughout, the speech, Obama emphasized the collective over the individual, and concluded by hailing the notion of citizenship. “This country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another,” he declared, “and to future generations.”

He was careful, however, to avoid comparisons with the big government programs of the 1960s.

“It is not a bigger government we need,” Obama emphasized, “but a smarter government.”

A central question, though, is: Can government be smarter, particularly in an age of partisanship? Can it counter the global economic forces that are battering the middle class and poor?

Challenges Johnson faced challenges as well, but he was a master of persuading his political opponents to support his proposals. Whether they agreed with them or not.

Robert A. Caro, the Pulitzer Prizewinning author and famed Johnson biographer, argued in an interview with Reuters last spring that Johnson’s “awesome” political skills could have overcome today’s partisan gridlock in Washington.

“It is in the nature of political genius,” Caro said, “to find a way to solve problems no one else can solve.”

In truth, making government “smart” is enormously difficult.

Technological changes that moved manufacturing overseas were largely beyond the control of government. A global competition for talent that creates staggeringly high wages for a skilled handful is difficult to reverse.

Widening partisanship at home makes any major policy change difficult to implement.

Obama clearly exaggerated the ability of the federal government alone to revive the middle class and the poor.

Government programs alone cannot counter the global economic changes that are putting so much pressure on average Americans. And without serious entitlement reform, the federal government will be unable to pay for the initiatives Obama outlined.

At the same time, Republican orthodoxy is wrong. Slashing the size of government will not magically solve our problems. Novel policies that move beyond 1960s liberalism and 1980s conservatism are needed.

In one promising sign, Obama pledged to work with states that come up with the “best ideas” to create jobs, lower energy bills and expand early childhood education. Outside Washington, many states are trying to find solutions to income inequality, soaring healthcare costs and the need for world-class public schools. This Pew Charitable Trusts website details the innovative efforts that are being made at the state level. Some are adopting starkly conservative approaches. And some decidedly liberal ones.

Obama’s new boldness is laudable.

But now that he has shown his Johnson-like vision, he should show Johnson-like political skills at implementation. His speech won praise, but his real legacy will be what he achieves legislatively.

Wednesday, the president began a three-state tour designed to build grass-roots pressure on Congress to enact his agenda. Some political analysts believe Obama hopes to win Democratic control of the House in 2014.

But this Congress, including the Republican-controlled House of

Representatives, is where legislation is enacted now. Obama cannot wait for an electoral miracle in 2014. He should not operate in perpetual campaign mode. Instead, he and Vice President Joe Biden should find ways to divide Republicans as they did with last month’s tax deal. Obama should end the aloofness that handicapped his first term.

President Johnson was “ruthless, insecure, compassionate, greedy and secretive” as president, according to Caro. Most of all, he worked members of Congress tirelessly.

Robert Dallek, another Johnson biographer, said LBJ studied his allies and rivals. “He understood what senators needed and what they wanted,” Dallek wrote. “ He knew what their tastes and intentions and aims and desires and wishes and hopes were.”

Over the past year, Obama and his team demonstrated that they are masters of contemporary American politics. They need to now be Johnsonlike masters of Washington as well. ❑ ❑ ❑ President Barack Obama turned his State of the Union roadshow to the topic of education on Thursday with a trip to Georgia, where he touted proposals to provide preschool access to all four-year-olds across America.

Obama proposed in his annual address to Congress on Tuesday that the federal government work with states to improve and broaden early childhood education to make the United States more competitive worldwide.

The White House cites evidence that investment in learning for very young children pays multiple benefits later, and his program seeks to make progress in closing the “achievement gap” — the chasm in test scores between children who grow up in poverty and the better off.

“Education has to start at the earliest possible age,” Obama said in a speech in Georgia, a state he said has shown leadership on the issue. “We are not doing enough to give all of our kids that chance.”

Obama’s proposal involves a costsharing partnership of the federal government and states to ensure children from low-income and middle-income families have access to good preschools, preparing them for kindergarten.

Price The White House has declined to put a price on the federal cost of the initiative, saying that will appear in the president’s upcoming budget proposal.

“This works. We know it works. If you’re looking for a good bang for your educational buck this is it,” Obama said.

Prior to his remarks, Obama visited the College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center, which serves infants to pre-kindergarten students, hugging the children and helping out with a series of learning games.

“Can I help?” he asked a group of kids working on a sculpture with blocks.

“We did it!” he exclaimed after they finished, giving high fives and fist bumps all around. Despite the appearance of a visit to a normally functioning school, CNN reported that College Heights had been on winter break, but the children were brought back for Obama’s visit.

Investing in education is part of a larger economic program Obama hopes to push through Congress, despite concerns about high deficits and an impasse with Republicans over government spending. Obama discussed his proposals for manufacturing during a visit to North Carolina on Wednesday.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

SUBCONTINENT

13

US had shown a lack of generosity over death of 24 troops: Munter

Ex-envoy blasts US ‘callousness’ on Pakistan WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): The former US ambassador to Islamabad on Wednesday criticized Washington’s “callousness” over the killing of Pakistani troops as he called for both nations to rethink how they see each other.

Cameron Munter served as ambassador during some of the most difficult times of the turbulent US-Pakistan relationship including the slaying of Osama bin Laden and a US border raid that killed 24 Pakistani troops in November 2011.

Munter, who resigned last year, said that the United States had shown a lack of generosity over the deaths of the 24 troops.

Pakistan shut down NATO supply routes into Munter Afghanistan until the United States apologized seven months later.

“The fact that we were unable to say that we were sorry until July cost our country literally billions of dollars,” Munter said, pointing to the costly shift to sending supplies for the Afghan war via Central Asia.

“But worse than that, it showed a kind of callousness that makes it so difficult simply to begin to talk about those things, that I’ve always tried to stress, that we have in common,” he said at the Atlantic Council, a think tank.

Munter steadfastly denied conspiracy theories and said the deaths near the Afghan border were a case of mistaken identity. Munter said that US-led forces “obliterated” the soldiers by firing from an AC-130, a powerful gunship.

“If you don’t have that in common — that you’re sorry when

‘This tradition reflects insensitivity’

Valentine’s Day sparks celebrations, protests in Pak ISLAMABAD Feb 14, (RTRS): Some Pakistanis celebrated Valentine’s Day on Wednesday with balloons and flowers, but others denounced the holiday as an insult to Islam.

In the port city of Karachi, home to 18 million people, billboards decorated with a black heart urged citizens to “Say No To Valentine’s Day”.

“This tradition reflects insensitivity, indignity and ignorance of Islam,” the signs read. They were put up by a group affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, a religious political party that holds six of 342 legislative seats.

Secular parties dominate Pakistani politics and are likely to win the vast majority of votes in elections due this year, but religious parties often wield political influence through street demonstrations.

“Valentine’s is against Islamic culture. In our view, relationships are sacred. We have arranged marriages in this culture and people don’t get married for love,” said Syed Askari, a spokesman for Jamaat-e-Islami.

“This is imposing Western values and cultures on an Islamic society.

The state broadcasting regulator, PEMRA, urged broadcasters to “respect viewers’ sentiments”.

there is nothing left of the bodies of 24 of your boys — then it’s very hard for many people, especially those who want a relationship with us... to defend us to their peers,” Munter said.

The border attack took place as Mitt Romney and other Republicans seeking the White House were attacking President Barack Obama for allegedly being too apologetic about the United States.

Munter pointed to comments by then candidate Newt

Gingrich. In 2011, the former House speaker berated Pakistan over the presence of bin Laden despite the billions of dollars in US aid to Islamabad, saying: “How stupid do you think we are?”

“If we have that kind of dismissive attitude — that we can give people money and they’re going to love us... and somehow that means they’re going to think the way we think — that’s equally stupid,” Munter said.

French & Indian leaders see progress on $12b fighter deal

A Pakistani girl waits to sell Valentine’s balloons and roses to customers in Islamabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, Feb 13. Supporters of Pakistan’s main religious party Jamaat-e-Islami staged a protest against Valentine’s Day on denouncing it as un-Islamic and calling for a ‘day of modesty’ instead. (AP)

N. Delhi halts payments to Finmeccanica in chopper scandal NEW DELHI, Feb 14, (Agencies): The leaders of France and India said negotiations on a $12 billion fighter jet contract, the world’s biggest defence deal, were making good progress after talks Thursday in New Delhi.

French President Francois Hollande is hoping his first visit to Asia will help push India to ink a deal to buy 126 fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation which has been on the negotiating table since January 2012.

Hollande and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also discussed agreements on issues ranging from nuclear power to short-range missiles on the first day of the French president’s two-day visit, which will also take him to Mumbai.

But the deal on the Rafale jets was the most burning issue, with the head of the Indian air force having said last week that he hoped it would be finalised by the middle of the year.

“The discussions on the MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) contract are progressing well,” Singh said at a press conference with Hollande.

Hollande said “the prime minister and myself noted that some progress has been achieved in the discussions and I do hope we can reach a conclusion”.

Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier, who is part of a large business delegation accompanying Hollande, told AFP last week the group hoped to conclude the sale this year.

India last year chose the French firm for exclusive negotiations to equip its air force with new fighters. While it says the discussions are proceeding smoothly it has already said the contract will not be signed during Hollande’s visit as it is being fine-tuned.

Another major project up for discussion was a contract for France’s Areva to build a 9,900megawatt nuclear power plant in the western state of Maharashtra.

The $9.3 billion framework agreement was signed during a visit to India in 2010 by then-president Nicolas Sarkozy. But it has run into stiff opposition from enviFrance’s President Francois Hollande (second right), lays a wreath with his partner Valerie Trierweiler (second left), at ceremony at Rajghat, ronmentalists concerned about the memorial of India’s founding father Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi on Feb 14. French President Francois Hollande embarked on a fresh seismic activity in the area and push to clinch a $12-billion sale of Rafale fighter jets as he held talks in India on his first visit to Asia since taking office. The Socialist pressafety fears following Japan’s ident was accompanied by a high-powered delegation of five ministers including Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Defence Minister JeanFukushima nuclear disaster.

Yves Le Drian and the chiefs of more than 60 top French companies. (AFP) But Singh said India remained committed to the project.

Meanwhile, India said Thursday it has suspended payments to an Italian company pending the outcome of an inquiry into whether a $748 million helicopter contract was won through kickbacks.

Indian Ocean atoll nation of 330,000 Sunni “The court has not fixed a date for the next MALE, Feb 14, (Agencies): The former president The government has “put on Muslims. The former president of the Maldives hearing and there is no threat of arrest,” Imad said. of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed can leave the hold all further payments” to took refuge for a second day Thursday in the “He (Nasheed) has nothing to fear. He can come Indian embassy where he has taken refuge Finmeccanica’s AgustaWestland country’s Indian embassy, and his party out of the embassy.” because the warrant for his arrest has expired, the helicopter unit until the inquiry by spokesman said he would not leave the building Armed police outside the diplomatic compound government said Thursday. the Central Bureau of Investigation until the current leader resigns. had withdrawn, Imad said.

Opposition leader Nasheed has said he would (CBI) is completed, a defence minAbdul Gafoor, spokesman for the Maldivian There was no immediate comment from remain at the Indian High Commission (embassy) istry statement said.

Democratic Party, said former President Nasheed or his Maldivian Democratic Party, until authorities assure him that he will not be The CBI investigation into Mohamed Nasheed was in danger and the party which considers his trial on charges of abuse of arrested and will be free to campaign for presialleged bribery of Indian governhad urged him to remain in the embassy in the power to be politically motivated. A conviction dential elections due in September. ment officials by Finmeccanica capital, Male. would prevent him from holding public office.

“Mr Nasheed is a free man and he can walk out was announced on Tuesday after “The threat level is high. The party is advising The stand-off comes amid political turbulence of the embassy,” government spokesman Masood the head of the Italian aerospace him not to step outside,” Gafoor told The in the upmarket holiday destination a year after Imad told AFP. “Police will not arrest him because giant was arrested in Rome.

Associated Press.

Nasheed, the nation’s first freely elected leader, the arrest warrant expired last night.”

Italian media reports said the Nasheed demanded in a statement Wednesday was ousted by violent protests and a mutiny by company’s chairman and chief Imad said police told courts that they could not that President Mohammed Waheed Hassan resign executive Giuseppe Orsi has been police and security forces. reach Nasheed, who took shelter at the embassy detained as part of an investigation and install a caretaker government to oversee the His spokeswoman, Mariya Didi, told AFP earcompound to evade an arrest warrant issued by a into alleged bribes paid to Indian election. He said Hassan could not be trusted to lier in the day that he wanted India to take a lead magistrate after he failed to turn up at his trial on government officials. hold a free and fair vote. in bringing an end to the political crisis in the Sunday.

Nasheed demands president’s resignation

‘Maldives ex-leader free to leave embassy’

5 securitymen among the dead

Bomb attacks kill 16 in NW Pakistan PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Feb 14, (AFP): Three separate bomb attacks in northwest Pakistan killed at least 16 people on Thursday, including five security personnel in a suicide blast at a checkpoint, officials said.

A bomber detonated a pickup truck loaded with explosives at a checkpoint in Hangu district, near the tribal areas where militants linked to the Taleban and al-Qaeda have strongholds, local police chief Mian Mohammad Saeed told AFP. “At least five security personnel have been killed and 11 injured. It was a suicide attack,” he said.

Earlier in the day a roadside bomb struck a bus carrying members of a

pro-government militia from the tribal district of Khyber, where fighting has recently intensified in a longrunning Pakistan military operation against insurgents.

The explosion in the village of Hassanzo in the neighbouring tribal district of Orakzai killed seven people and wounded 13, officials said.

“According to initial information, the van was hired by a local peace committee from Khyber and 20 members of the peace committee were on board together with the driver,” top Orakzai administration official Mehmood Hasan told AFP.

2 die after Dhaka war crimes protest DHAKA, Feb 14, (AFP): Two people died on Thursday after suffering injuries in violent clashes between police and Islamists earlier in the week during protests over war crimes trials in Bangladesh.

The demonstrators have been demanding a halt to the trials of opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party leaders for crimes including genocide and rape they are alleged to have committed during the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.

Nine people have now died of political violence including Jamaat supporters, some of whom were shot dead, since the Islamists launched the protests.

Indian students dance as they take part in a One Billion Rising rally in New Delhi on Feb 14. Indians were at the forefront of global protests on Thursday in the One Billion Rising campaign for women’s rights, galvanised by the recent fatal gangrape that shocked the country. (AFP)

Anoushka says was sexually abused

India leads day of ‘One Billion Rising’ MUMBAI, Feb 14, (AFP): Indians were at the forefront of global protests on Thursday in the One Billion Rising campaign for women’s rights, galvanised by the recent fatal gangrape that shocked the country.

Flashmobs, marches, singing and dances were planned in about 200 countries as part of the campaign’s day of action, timed to coincide with Valentine’s Day and aiming to bring an end to violence against women.

In New Delhi, the site of angry protests just weeks ago after the brutal rape of a student on a bus, campaigners said they would use the day to keep pressure on the government to introduce new measures to protect women.

“Our programmes have started in colleges and I am going with women taxi drivers to spread the word of equality because today is the day of love,” Kamla Bhasin, leading the Shankar campaign in South Asia, told AFP. Along with protests and candle-lit marches, India’s plans included a noisy “open drum circle” at sunset by the sea in Mumbai and a “ceremonial burial” of patriarchy and misogyny in Gurgaon city, near the capital.

Sydney, Singapore and Manila were among the cities to kickstart the day of action

by One Billion Rising, founded

by American playwright and leading feminist Eve Ensler, best known for her play “The Vagina Monologues”.

The campaign is calling on one billion people to rise against violence and take a stand for the one billion women — one in three in the world — who will be raped or beaten in their lifetimes.

Violence

Members of the Rabha tribe cremate bodies of victims of Tuesday’s clashes resulting from protests against a local government election in Darrangiri, about 130 kms (81 miles) west of Guwahati, capital of the northeastern Indian state of Assam, Feb 13. Violent clashes killed 11 people Tuesday when a tribe in India, fearing the government was infringing on its autonomy, protested a local government election in the northeastern state of Assam, police said. (AP)

As scores of flashmobs took place on beaches and city squares across Australia, Minister for the Status of Women Julie Collins told parliament it was “a sad fact that every day millions of women are subjected to violence and physical abuse”.

“Violence against women has no geographical financial or cultural boundaries; it is, regrettably, happening everywhere, every day,” she said.

In Singapore, dozens of activists with black balloons taped to their shoulders weaved through a jam-packed foyer of a busy mall to draw attention of

the passing shoppers.

At the blow of a whistle, the participants dramatically covered their mouths and froze.

After a minute, they shouted in unison: “Shout! Sexual harassment out!” and then released the balloons.

The demonstration was welcomed by Lim Shu Li, 28, who took part after her own experience of sexual harassment.

“It was an uncomfortable situation but I didn’t dare to speak up about it at that time.

So I thought this was a great message,” she told AFP. In the Philippines, the day began with celebrity-led flashmob dances in a crowded Manila park and will be capped by a concert of local artists, with events from bazaars to dance shows at 25 sites throughout the day.

Rallies were also held in New Zealand’s capital Wellington and at Auckland’s Bastion Point, where a Maori elder led prayers before about 100 women and children danced by the waterfront.

“We danced and sang and talked about cherishing women and loving our children,” organiser Helen Te Hira said.

“There was a real sense you were part of a world-wide movement that was taking a stand against violence.”

Abused Meanwhile, the daughter of legendary Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar said Thursday in a video released for a global women’s rights campaign that she had been sexually abused as a child by a family acquaintance.

Anoushka Shankar, herself a famed sitar player who used to play with her late father, said she had decided to go public in support of the One Billion Rising campaign against violence against women.

She dedicated her message to an Indian medical student who was gang-raped in a bus by six drunken men on December 16 in New Delhi, and later died in hospital from horrific injuries.

The crime sparked violent protests and a round of soulsearching in India about the treatment of women.

“As child, I suffered sexual and emotional abuse for several years in the hands of a man my parents trusted implicitly,” Shankar said in the message posted on YouTube from her home in London.

“Growing up like most women I know I suffered various forms of groping, touching, verbal abuse and other things like I didn’t know how to deal with, I didn’t know I could change,” Shankar said.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

14

World News Roundup LAPD Manhunt over

‘Fire not set on purpose’ LOS ANGELES, Feb 14, (AP): There was no question. The man standing before Rick Heltebrake on a rural mountain road was Christopher Dorner.

Clad in camouflage from head to toe and wearing a bulletproof vest packed with ammunition, the most wanted man in America was just a few feet (meters) away, having emerged from a grove of trees holding a large assault-style rifle.

As teams of officers who had sought the fugitive ex-Los Angeles police officer for a week were closing in, Dorner pointed the gun at Heltebrake and ordered him out of his truck.

“I don’t want to hurt you.

Start walking and Dorner take your dog,” Heltebrake recalled Dorner saying during the carjacking Tuesday.

The man, who wasn’t lugging any gear, got into the truck and drove away. Heltebrake, with his 3year-old Dalmatian Suni in tow, called police when he heard a volley of gunfire erupt soon after, and then hid behind a tree.

A short time later, police caught up with the man they believe was Dorner, surrounding a cabin where he’d taken refuge after crashing Heltebrake’s truck in the San Bernardino Mountains 80 miles (130 kms) east of Los Angeles.

Ensued A gunfight ensued in which one sheriff’s deputy was killed and another wounded. After the firefight ended, a SWAT team using an armored vehicle broke out the cabin’s windows and began knocking down walls. A fire started, and later, charred remains believed to be Dorner’s were found.

San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said Wednesday the fire was not set on purpose.

“We did not intentionally burn down that cabin to get Mr Dorner out,” he said.

His deputies lobbed pyrotechnic tear gas into the cabin, and it erupted in flames, he said. McMahon did not say directly that the tear gas started the blaze, and the cause of the fire was under investigation.

The sheriff said authorities have not positively identified the remains. However, all evidence points to it being Dorner, he said, and the manhunt is considered over.

A wallet and personal items, including a California driver’s license with the name Christopher Dorner were found in the cabin debris, an official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing probe.

Fortunato and Madalena Corso, a Bensonhurst couple married 72 years who met in Calabria, Italy, and married Feb 4, 1941, pose for a photograph at their home in New York, on Feb 13. (AP)

Other Lives Select group celebrates life-long marriage

NY couples toast 50-plus unions In this photo provided by the Governor’s office, six-year-old Ethan Gilman plays under the table during a visit to the Governor’s Office in Montgomery, Ala, on Feb 13. (AP)

Intensive The tourist community of Big Bear Lake that was the focus of the intensive manhunt was returning to normalcy Wednesday, and residents were sharing stories of the last weeks’ events. None was more dramatic than Heltebrake’s.

He said he wasn’t panicked in his meeting with Dorner because he didn’t feel the fugitive wanted to hurt him. “He wasn’t wild-eyed, just almost professional,” he said.

“He was on a mission.”

“It was clear I wasn’t part of his agenda and there were other people down the road that were part of his agenda,” he said.

Dorner, 33, had said in a rant that authorities believe he posted on Facebook last week that he expected to die, with the police chasing him, as he carried out a revenge campaign against the Los Angeles Police Department for firing him.

The end came in the same mountain range where Dorner’s trail went cold six days earlier, after his pickup truck — with guns and camping gear inside — was found abandoned and on fire near Big Bear Lake.

His footprints led away from the truck and vanished on frozen soil.

Deputies searched hundreds of cabins in the area and then, in a blinding snowstorm, SWAT teams with bloodhounds and high-tech equipment in tow widened their search.

Authorities for the most part looked at cabins boarded up for the winter, said Dan Sforza, assistant chief of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and often didn’t enter occupied homes where nothing appeared amiss.

One of the major remaining questions is how Dorner eluded such an intensive search. Remarkably, the cabin where he hid out at least part of the time was a stone’s throw from the searchers’ command post.

San Bernardino County Deputy Chief Steve Kovensky said Wednesday that searchers did not see any forced entry to the cabin when it was checked. But he could not provide details about exactly when the check was made, and did not say whether it ever was re-checked.

McGraw

Bloomberg

America ‘Kidnapper cared for son’: The mother of the Alabama boy who was kidnapped from his school bus and held in an underground bunker for six days said on Wednesday in Alabama she had not been allowed to speak with him during his captivity and worried that he would think she had abandoned him.

Jennifer Kirkland said in an interview on “The Dr. Phil Show” that she had found some comfort in knowing that her son Ethan’s abductor had cooked him chicken meals and asked law enforcement to fetch a red toy car he said the boy missed.

“I think he took care of Ethan to the best of his capabilities,” Kirkland said during the taped interview that aired on Wednesday.

Kirkland said her son’s disabilities may have touched a soft spot with 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes, who authorities said gunned down Ethan’s school bus driver on Jan 29 before fleeing with the kindergarten student to a homemade bunker near Midland City in southeast Alabama.

Ethan Gilman, who turned 6 two days after his Feb 4 rescue, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, attention deficithyperactivity disorder and Asperger’s syndrome, his mother said.

Dykes was shot and killed by law enforcement agents during the rescue.

“I was told in the beginning that (Dykes was) sympathetic to children with disabilities,” Kirkland said.

The talk show aired video of Ethan and his mother, during which the blond-haired child presented host Phil McGraw with a picture from a Power Rangers coloring book.

When talk turned to the boy riding the bus to school, Ethan whispered to his mother, “My bus driver is dead.”

Kirkland said Ethan had a special bond with slain bus driver Charles Poland.

Before he was killed, Poland had refused

NEW YORK, Feb 14, (Agencies): David Shamrakov will never forget the first time he saw the woman he would marry.

They were both young medical students in their native Ukraine. He spotted her from across their biology class and knew in an instant he had to introduce himself.

“Her eyes were like diamonds,” says Shamrakov, 82.

“This man was very, very smart — and handsome,” adds his wife, Faina, 83.

The Shamrakovs are among 300 couples who will gather for a Valentine’s Day party in Brooklyn, New York, that’s become an annual celebration of enduring love. It’s a select group: All of them have been married at least half a century.

“To me it’s the ultimate love story,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who has organized the Valentine’s Day party for the last 11 years. “In these days of high divorce rates, this shows that true love, commitment, communication and all that can make for a life-long marriage. That’s what they’ve proven against the odds.”

The Shamrakovs have now been married for 58 years and credit their mutual taste for the medical profession, music, reading and theater with keeping their bond strong decade after decade.

“I don’t know what the secret is but when I met her for the first time, she

to let the gunman take any of the children off the bus.

Poland, 66, always had Ethan sit directly

was so nice I fell in love with her,” says Shamrakov, who came to the US with his wife in 1993. “I respect her. I know I can’t do something if I know she’s not going to respect it.”

Renew On Thursday, Markowitz and his wife will renew their vows (they’ve been married a mere 13 years) and then he will make a ceremonial proclamation to the graying, grizzled veterans of love.

“I say, ‘I hereby declare you married forever.’ Everyone kisses if they’re able to and that’s it.”

Among the couples who will attend the love-filled function are Murray and Esther Redlitz, who have been married 66 years.

“He has a wonderful personality, he’s always on the bright side,” says Esther, 86, holding her husband’s hand. “I’m the pessimist, he’s the optimist.”

That the Redlitz are together is no small feat — the two are both Holocaust survivors from Poland who met under the worst of circumstances, trying to find missing family members after the Russian Army freed their concentration camps at the end of World War II. Most of their family members didn’t survive the camps, so their marriage a few years after the war was as much about survival as it was about love.

“We didn’t have nobody,” says Esther, recalling how Murray was the one constant as they made their way

behind the driver’s seat so he could keep an eye on the boy, Kirkland said. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

through Poland and Czechoslovakia before coming to the United States.

“The love we have for each other will be here till the day we die,” adds Murray, 86, who owned an emblem printing business in Manhattan and ran it with his wife for 26 years.

Compromise The key to their longevity, he says, is pretty simple: compromise, compromise, compromise.

“You’ve got to know each other for a while and then compromise,” he says. “Think what the other thinks.

Don’t be selfish.”

The borough’s longest lasting love pair may be Fortuno and Maddalena Corso, who tied the knot in Italy as teenagers 72 years ago.

“I liked her and so I got married,” says Fortuno, 89, a retired construction worker who still speaks Italian with his wife, who doesn’t speak any English.

“You’ve got to love each other and you’ve got to work at it together.”

Their daughter Madeline, one of the couple’s seven children, lives with her parents. She said for years her mother has done everything for her father — cooking dinner, maintaining the home and even washing his shoulders in the bath.

“My family, we tease them, we say, ‘Ma, you’re married 70 years, if you get divorced you get more than half,” says the daughter. “She tells everybody, ‘Listen, you make sure you love them and you respect them, that’s your best friend’.”

US thugs arrested: Three people have been arrested in the crime ridden city of Newark, New Jersey, on charges of strip-

‘Canadian Mounties abuse native women’

This July 28, 2012 photo provided by Bob MacDuff shows Lindsae MacDuff holding an automatic weapon at the Gun store in Las Vegas after her ‘shotgun wedding’. One Las Vegas shooting range is selling ‘take a shot at love’ packages that include 50 submachine gun rounds. (AP) Odds ’n’ ends Page 47

OTTAWA, Feb 14, (AFP): Human Rights Watch accused Canada’s federal police Wednesday of striking fear in the hearts of aboriginal women.

The fear of police expressed by 50 women and girls interviewed in the north of British Columbia province — the focus of the HRW investigation — was comparable with what its researchers witnessed in postwar Iraq and Libya, the group said.

“The threat of domestic and random violence on one side, and mistreatment by RCMP officers on the other, leaves indigenous women in a constant state of insecurity,” said Meghan Rhoad, co-author of an 89-page report on the matter.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it took the allegations “very seriously.”

ping a young man naked in the street and thrashing him with a belt — while filming the episode for an Internet video.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker said Wednesday that the vicious and humiliating beating, reportedly in response to an unpaid $20 to $30 debt, “was about human degradation.”

Among those arrested were the person stripping, then repeatedly belting the defenseless victim, and another who stood by filming. The video had more than 40,000 downloads on the Internet before being yanked by websites.

The assault took place last August and in the background of the video people can be seen walking past.

Booker, a popular Booker mayor in the troubled city, said apart from the “evil” attack, he was also concerned by the fact that “no police report was made whatsoever.”

“This level of inaction means that you are actually a participant in that evil itself,” he added.

The fact that the video went viral meant that justice eventually caught up with the perpetrators, he said.

“This was never reported. We would never know about it if people in social media, people who saw that video, did not engage,” he said. “It triggered an investigation. It took only four days to get these people apprehended.” (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Mayor seeks to ban Styrofoam: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will propose a ban on Styrofoam, the substance commonly used for take-out food containers that is almost impossible to recycle.

The mayor who has already targeted fat, sugar and salt in the city will turn to extruded polystyrene foam, saying it clogs up landfills, does not biodegrade and might harm human health.

Bloomberg will raise the proposal in his final State of the City speech on Thursday. The city provided reporters an advance text of the speech on Wednesday.

Bloomberg, in his 12th year as mayor, has made public health and sustainability hallmarks of his three terms in office, and he has taken aim repeatedly at the fastfood industry - most recently in his controversial plan to bar the sale of large portions of sugary soda, which goes into effect next month.

Styrofoam, he says, should go the way of lead-based paint, which the city banned from residential use in 1960. An estimated 20,000 tons of Styrofoam enter the city’s waste stream each year, and it can add an estimated $20 per ton to the cost of recycling because it needs to be removed from the recycling stream, the city said.

“After all, we can live without it. We may live longer without it. And the doggie bag will survive just fine,” the text of Bloomberg’s speech says.

Dow Chemical Co, which makes Styrofoam, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Similar bans have been adopted in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

The plan was likely to meet opposition from small businesses, since alternatives to Styrofoam tend to cost between two and five times as much.

“As this proposal moves forward, we hope that the concerns of the small businesses it affects — like cost increases — will factor in at least as heavily as environmental concerns,” said Andrew Moesel, a spokesman for the New York Restaurant Association. (RTRS)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

15

Hacking ‘Still vulnerable’

Zombie hack on easy password LOS ANGELES, Feb 14, (RTRS): Poor password security allowed hackers to broadcast a bogus warning on TV networks that the United States was under attack by zombies, broadcasters said, and one expert in the technology said the emergency channel they broke into remained vulnerable.

The attacks on Monday on a handful of stations prompted the government to order broadcasters to change passwords for the equipment that authorities use to instantly push out emergency broadcasts through what is known as the Emergency Alert System, or EAS. The FCC would not comment on the attacks, but in an urgent advisory sent to television Obama stations on Tuesday the agency said: “All EAS participants are required to take immediate action.”

It instructed them to change passwords on equipment from all manufacturers that forces emergency broadcasts on to television networks, interrupting regular programming. It instructed them to make sure that gear was secured behind firewalls and to also inspect systems to ensure that hackers had not queued “unauthorized alerts” for future transmission.

This undated image provided by Vogue shows former rep Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz (left), with her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, during a photo shoot at their home in Tucson, Arizona. The image and accompanying article by John Powers will be published in the March 2013 issue of Vogue, available on newsstands nationwide on Feb 19. (AP)

Immigration

Attack The attacks came at a time when officials and outside security experts are warning the United States is at risk of a cyber attack that could cause major physical damage or even cost lives.

President Barack Obama has told Congress that some hackers are looking for ways to attack the US power grid, banks and air traffic control systems.

While the zombie hoax appeared to be somewhat innocuous, the fact that hackers could easily broadcast an emergency message showed that they might be able to wreak havoc with more alarming communications.

“It isn’t what they said. It is the fact that they got into the system.

They could have caused some real damage,” said Karole White, president of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

White and his equivalent in Montana, Greg MacDonald, said they believed the hackers were able to get in because stations had not changed the default passwords they used when they shipped from the manufacturer.

The “zombie” hackers targeted two stations in Michigan, and several in California, Montana and New Mexico, White said.

‘It’s time to rewrite laws’

Calls for action at Senate hearing A Catholic receives ashes on his forehead while celebrating Ash Wednesday at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Feb 13, in New York City. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of pray and fasting for many Christians. (AFP)

Rising A male voice addressed viewers in a video posted on the Internet of the bogus warning broadcast from KRTV in Great Falls, Montana, a CBS affiliate: “Civil authorities in your area have reported that the bodies of the dead are rising from the grave and attacking the living.”

The voice warned not “to approach or apprehend these bodies as they are extremely dangerous.”

Larry Estlack, chairman of the Michigan Emergency Alert System, told Reuters that passwords sometimes do not get changed because the EAS uses equipment that is not easy to set up.

“Some people have trouble gettiing through the setup procedure.

It is fairly complex,” he said.

But Mike Davis, a hardware security expert with a firm known as IOActive Labs, said there were other ways to remotely access the systems that would allow hackers to bypass password checks even if they were changed.

Davis said he had submitted a report to the Department of Homeland Security’s US Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US-CERT, about a month ago that detailed security flaws in EAS equipment that he warned make it vulnerable to attacks.

“Changing passwords is insufficient to prevent unauthorized remote login. There are still multiple undisclosed authentication bypasses,” he told Reuters via email. “I would recommend disconnecting them from the network until a fix is available.”

Davis also said he was able to use Google Inc’s search engine to identify some 30 systems that he believed were vulnerable to attack as of Wednesday morning.

Officials with US-CERT could not be reached.

See Also Page 16

Clinton

Dworkin

America Nixon advised Clinton: Richard Nixon, in the final months of his life, quietly advised President Bill Clinton on navigating the post-Cold War world, even offering to serve as a conduit for messages to Russian President Boris Yeltsin and other government officials, newly declassified documents show.

Memos and other records show Nixon’s behind-the-scenes relations with the Clinton White House. The documents are part of an exhibit opening Friday at the Nixon Presidential Library, marking the centennial of his birth.

Clinton has talked often of his gratitude to Nixon for his advice on foreign affairs, particularly Russia. In a video that will be part of the exhibit, Clinton recalls receiving a letter from the 37th president shortly before his death on April 22, 1994, at a time when Clinton was assessing US relations “in a world growing ever more interdependent and yet ungovernable.”

“I sought guidance in the example of President Nixon, who came to the presidency at a time in our history when Americans were tempted to say, ‘We’ve had enough of the world,’” Clinton says in the video. “But President Nixon knew we had to continue to reach out to old friends and to old enemies alike. He knew America could not quit the world.”

The documents from late February and early March 1994 show Nixon, then 81, in his role of elder statesman. It was two decades after he left the White House in disgrace during Watergate.

The exhibit is an attempt to present a fuller picture of Nixon. It includes the wooden bench he often warmed as a second-rate football player in college, and illustrates events often eclipsed by the scandal that drove him from office.

Media reports from the time discussed interaction between Nixon and Clinton before his trip, including a phone call. The records, provided to The Associated Press by the library, fill in the backstory, detailing Nixon’s advice as well as his willingness to assist US interests abroad.

They include a confidential National Security Council memo from a senior

WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AP): Lawmakers who are shaping the fate of the millions of people in the US illegally were told by one Wednesday that it’s time to rewrite immigration laws so that they, too, can live the American dream.

“What do you want to do with me?” an emotional Jose Antonio Vargas demanded of senators. “How do you define American?”

The first Senate hearing on immigration policy this year pointed toward an emerging bipartisan consensus that the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants should be offered a path to citizenship. But passionate divisions over the issue also surfaced as one Republican decried amnesty and shouting protesters interrupted the proceedings.

“You really mean that we’re not going to have enforcement, but we’ve got to have amnesty first,” Sen. Jeff Sessions, a top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, confronted the panel’s chairman, Democratic Sen Patrick Leahy.

Leahy and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano rejected the argument that border security must be the focus before a comprehensive immigration package or any pathway to legalization can be done.

“Too often the border security refrain simply serves as an excuse,” Napolitano said. “Our borders have in fact never been stronger.”

Division An immigration overhaul is a priority for President Barack Obama and lawmakers after a brutal election in which voters again elected a divided government. Democrats control the White House and the Senate, while Republicans hold the House majority.

But for all of the division and

Clinton aide who spent three hours with Nixon, shortly before the former president would make his 10th, and final, trip to Russia that year.

polarization in Washington, the hearing produced evidence of bipartisan agreement to fix what all agree is a broken system - and finally dispense with a wrenching issue that has bedeviled lawmakers for years.

Vargas’ testimony produced a striking moment in which one of the 11 million illegal immigrants at the center of the debate confronted the elected officials reconsidering the law.

Illegal A former journalist who acknowledged his illegal status in a high-profile piece in The New York Times Magazine in June 2011, Vargas recalled his journey to the US from the Philippines in 1993. He told lawmakers that he never knew he was here illegally until he applied for a drivers’ permit, and that he lived for years in fear until he decided to go public and start an advocacy group.

He has so far avoided deportation.

“Too often, we’re treated as abstractions, faceless and nameless, mere subjects of debate rather than individuals with families, hopes, fears, and dreams,” Vargas told committee members. “We dream of a path to citizenship so we can actively participate in our American democracy.” Democrats on the panel offered praise and encouragement.

Republicans had little response.

For Vargas and others in his position the deliberations offered some encouraging signs mixed with unmistakable notes of caution.

Leahy declared in opening the hearing, “In my view it is time to pass a good bill, a fair bill, a comprehensive bill ... Too many have been waiting too long for fairness.”

Republican Sen John Cornyn said the focus must be border security. “I do not believe the border is secure

The aide, R. Nicholas Burns, writes that Nixon is generally supportive of White House policy on Russia but thinks the administration has not been tough

and I still believe we have a long, long way to go,” he said.

Protesters interrupted the hearing several times, with some shouting and waving banners against deportations, which have increased markedly under the Obama administration despite its push to find a political accommodation for many who have been living in the US Later people in another group stood and silently turned their backs to the dais where the senators sat. They wore signs on their backs reading “human rights” and “immigrant rights.” Leahy chided them for interrupting proceedings.

Obama says he is determined to finally make good on his promise to the Latino community to sign into law a comprehensive immigration bill with border security, employer enforcement, improvements to legal immigration and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already here.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of eight senators has been meeting to develop a bill by next month that accomplishes eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants while also containing enough border security and enforcement measures to gain conservative support.

Confident The four Democrats in the Senate negotiating group met with Obama at the White House on Wednesday, telling him they were confident a bipartisan bill could be agreed to “in the coming weeks,” a senior Democrat said later, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private. A White House statement said Obama reiterated his intention to offer legislation of his own if Congress fails to act, and told senators that continuing to strengthen the border should not be mutually exclusive from a pathway to citizenship.

enough when it comes to Russia’s dealings with its neighbors. Nixon also advises that US aid to Russia should be linked to US security aims, such as nuclear bal-

‘Food sporadic’

Cruise a nightmare

In a Feb 12, 2013 photo provided by the US Coast Guard, the tugs Resolve Pioneer and Dabhol (left), tow and steer the 893-foot Carnival Triumph cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico. (AP)

WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): Passengers on a stricken cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico are enduring a nightmare after days without power, waiting hours for sparse meals and relieving themselves in plastic bags, one said Thursday.

The ship Triumph, owned by Carnival, suffered an engine room fire Sunday that left it disabled and adrift as it carried more than 4,000 people. It is being towed to Mobile, Alabama and was to arrive Thursday afternoon.

“Sanitation is a huge problem.

Food is very sporadic,” Baker said.

Indeed, heeding Mother Nature’s calls is not a pretty sight.

The Senate bipartisan plan makes a pathway to citizenship conditional on border security first, something on which Republicans have insisted. Obama’s immigration proposals don’t make that linkage, and it’s emerging as a point of contention.

The bipartisan Senate negotiators are operating separately from the Senate Judiciary Committee, but the committee would probably vote on any legislation they produce. First, numerous thorny issues would have to be solved. Questions Wednesday touched on how to define border security, how to structure a future worker program, how to ensure employers can and will verify the legal status of their workers, and how to craft a path to citizenship that would not advantage illegal immigrants over those attempting the process legally.

The action comes in a rapidly shifting political environment. Polls find more Americans support eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants and many Republican leaders are coming around to the same view after their party’s dismal showing among Latino voters in the November elections.

But, as the hearing made clear, deep divisions exist within the Republican Party that could threaten any legislation in the Senate, where Republicans hold enough votes to stall legislation, or in the House, where majority Republicans are waiting to see what the Senate does before taking any action.

Republican Sen Lindsey Graham, a Judiciary Committee member who is part of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” working on an immigration bill, drew out Napolitano about the urgency of quick action on immigration legislation.

ance and a reduced threat from the Russian military, rather than emphasizing the value of domestic reforms there.

Nixon also offered to carry messages to Yeltsin and others as his own, the memo says. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

US legal scholar Dworkin dies: Ronald Dworkin, the American philosopher and constitutional law expert best known for articulating the principle that the most important virtue the law can display is integrity, has died. He was 81.

His family said Dworkin died of leukemia in London early Thursday.

Dworkin was a professor of law at New York University and emeritus professor at University College London.

He was one of the best known and most quoted legal scholars in the United States and also an expert on British law.

He articulated the moral idea that the state should act on principle so each member of the community is treated as an equal.

A frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books, Dworkin’s books included “A Matter of Principle,” ‘’Law’s Empire,” and “Justice for Hedgehogs.”

He is survived by his wife Irene Brendel Dworkin, his children Anthony and Jennifer Dworkin and two grandchildren. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

16

World News Roundup Military ‘Disappointed’

Civility lost in DC meanness WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (Agencies): Looking back at a long political career, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday lamented an increasingly bitter atmosphere in Washington, saying there was “too much meanness” on display.

His comments come amid a mounting budget crisis in a deeply divided Congress and after Republican lawmakers renewed threats to block the appointment of the man nominated to succeed Panetta at the Pentagon, former senator Chuck Hagel.

Panetta, who served for decades in Washington as an influential lawmaker before holding powerful posts under two Democratic presidents, said his only “disappointPanetta ment” in his job as Pentagon chief was how Congress sometimes failed to play a constructive role.

“I always felt that — you know, that the leadership in the Congress and the leadership of whatever administration was involved here, that when it came to the big issues facing this country, that there was a willingness to work together to resolve those issues,” he told a news conference.

“There will always be party differences. There will always be political differences. There will be ideological differences,” he said.

“But there are also some lines that are there that make that process work, lines that involve mutual respect; lines that involve, you know, courtesy and a degree of respect for each other, despite whatever their decisions are.”

But traditions of courtesy and civility were “breaking down” among lawmakers, he said.

“It becomes too personal. It becomes too mean,” he said.

“Everybody’s got legitimate points, but there’s a way to express it in a way that compliments our democracy, doesn’t demean our democracy. And I think, you know, what you see on display is too much meanness.”

Panetta first entered politics as an aide to a Republican senator, Thomas Kuchel, in 1966, then served under president Richard Nixon in the Office for Civil Rights, before resigning over differences with the White House.

He left Washington and worked for New York City Mayor John Lindsay and later was elected as a Democrat to Congress from California, serving for 17 years.

During Bill Clinton’s presidency, Panetta served as budget director and later chief of staff. Under President Barack Obama, Panetta led the CIA from 2009 to 2011 and then served as defense secretary.

On his last trip abroad as US defense secretary, Leon Panetta was asked what he thought of “Zero Dark Thirty,” the movie about the intense manhunt and daring raid that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

“You know what,” chuckled Panetta, who as CIA director oversaw the raid two years ago. “I lived it. It’s a great movie, but I lived it.”

As he heads home to California, the 74-year-old Panetta will inevitably be remembered more as the CIA director who got bin Laden than as the Pentagon chief who oversaw shrinking defense budgets and the winding down of the Afghanistan war.

But military officials and analysts say Panetta, who had decades of public service but just 19 months as defense secretary, also left a mark on the Pentagon.

He removed barriers to women in direct combat jobs, which had limited their ability to reach the highest ranks. And he oversaw the lifting of the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

Panetta helped fashion a US defense strategy for the post-9/11 era and won military chiefs’ support for $487 billion in cuts to defense spending, all while maintaining a sense of collegiality and consensus, officials said.

Senate Republicans, who verbally browbeat Panetta’s likely successor, Chuck Hagel, at his confirmation hearing, praised the outgoing defense chief, not least for trying to hold the line on even deeper budget cuts.

“Nobody was more passionate, no one was more outspoken than Leon Panetta and I am grateful,” said Sen John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, who nonetheless disagreed with his decision on gays in the military.

Revolutionary change did not mark his tenure, and some fault him for being too eager to find consensus.

He leaves behind a Pentagon that is two weeks away from deeper, acrossthe-board spending reductions that he railed against for months.

This undated file photo shows the historical marker commemorating the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 on the road near the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wounded Knee, SD. (Inset): This photo shows a cross on a grave at the Wounded Knee National Historic landmark in South Dakota. James Czywczynski, 74, is trying to sell a 40-acre fraction of the landmark for $3.9 million to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. But leaders on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation say the asking price for a property appraised at less than $7,000 is just too much. (AP)

Landowner trying to sell portion of Wounded Knee One of the country’s poorest Native American tribes wants to buy a historically significant piece of land where 300 of their ancestors were killed, but tribal leaders say the nearly $4 million price tag for a property appraised at less than $7,000 is just too much.

James Czywczynski is trying to sell

a 40-acre fraction of the Wounded Knee National Historic Landmark on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The land sits adjacent to a gravesite where about 150 of the 300 Lakota men, women and children killed by the 7th Cavalry in 1890 are buried.

Czywczynski, whose family has

owned the property since 1968, recently gave the tribe an ultimatum: purchase the land for $3.9 million or he will open up bidding to non-Native Americans. He said he has been trying to sell the land to the tribe for years.

The ultimatum comes right before the tribe is poised to receive about

$20 million from the Cobell lawsuit — a $3.4 billion settlement stemming from a class-action lawsuit filed over American Indian land royalties mismanaged by the government for more than a century.

“I think it’s ridiculous that he’s putting a price on it like that,” said Kevin Yellow Bird Steele, a tribal council

representative from the Wounded Knee district, who thinks Czywczynski is putting pressure on the tribe because of the impending money. “We need to come down to earth and be realistic. We’re not rich.

We’re not a rich tribe.”

Czywczynski insists the site’s historical significance adds value. (AP)

Cybersecurity Pentagon creates new medal for cyber, drone warriors

Battle looms after Obama directive

In this photo provided by Naval Air Systems Command, a Standard Missile — 3 (SM-3) Block 1A interceptor is launched from the USS Lake Erie during a Missile Defense Agency and US Navy test in the midPacific, on Feb 12. The SM-3 Block 1A successfully intercepted a target missile that had been launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii. (AP)

Allen

Bronstein

WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): President Barack Obama’s order aimed at ramping up protection from cyberattacks will address only a small portion of threats and sets up a fresh battle in Congress over legislation.

Obama acted this week after two failed attempts in Congress to pass measures to protect critical infrastructure from computer attacks.

US administration officials and lawmakers acknowledge that the order creates no new authority and that legislation is needed to better safeguard networks for key systems such as power grids, banks and air traffic control.

“The executive order is not a substitute for legislation,” said General Keith Alexander, head of the National Security Agency and the military’s Cyber Command.

“We need legislation and we need it now,” Alexander told a gathering Wednesday to discuss the president’s order. “From my perspective, the threats are real and growing.”

Because most of the networks in question are in private hands, officials

during his 19-month Afghan tour. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑ Esquire report slammed: The US

say they must rely on voluntary reporting by industry of any cyber threats or attacks. Legislation would be needed to shield businesses from liability when they do report potential malware threats.

Threat Obama, in his annual State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, said the United States was facing a “rapidly growing threat from cyberattacks.”

The president also urged Congress to pass legislation “to give our government a greater capacity to secure our networks and deter attacks.”

Senator Jay Rockefeller, co-author of a pending cybersecurity bill, welcomed the executive order and said it “will improve the partnership between the government and the private sector needed to defend our country.”

But other lawmakers were miffed that the president acted alone.

Without protections and incentives from legislation, the order “will be ineffective and carry consequences for entities that choose to participate,” said House Homeland Security

government has not denied health insurance to the Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden despite a magazine article that

North America

Failed “We had our issues with the president last time,” Ruppersberger told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “We don’t agree on everything but we do agree we have to work together.”

implied otherwise, officials said Wednesday.

In a lengthy profile this week in Esquire magazine, the commando —

Not guilty plea in Saudi rape case

Allen cleared in email probe: The man who ran the US war effort in Afghanistan until this past weekend, General John Allen, is weighing whether he still wants the military’s top job in Europe after being cleared of professional misconduct in a Pentagon probe, officials said on Wednesday in Washington.

Just days before his confirmation hearing for the European post last November, Allen became ensnared in the scandal that prompted retired General David Petraeus to resign as CIA director. Allen’s emails with a Florida socialite emerged in the FBI investigation and were referred to the Pentagon.

A Pentagon probe last month cleared him of any wrongdoing and the White House announced it would proceed with Allen’s nomination as NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe.

Allen is now weighing his options, officials say. Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who met with Allen on Tuesday, acknowledged the Marine general had been under tremendous pressure

Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said.

Republican Representative Mike Rogers, who heads the House Intelligence Committee, and ranking Democrat Dutch Ruppersberger reintroduced the Cyber Intelligence and Sharing Protection Act (CISPA), a bill that passed the House last year but died in the Senate.

“We are in a cyber war now, and most Americans don’t know it,” Rogers told a forum.

“And at this point, we’re losing.

Nation states like China are stealing our intellectual property at a breathtaking pace.”

Ruppersberger said he was optimistic about the bill’s chances despite the failure in the last Congress, when the White House threatened a veto and the Senate opted for a different course.

Mazen Alotaib with his attorney Don Chairez (left), and court interpreter Theresa Tordjman during his arraignment in District Court in Las Vegas, Nev, on Feb 13. Alotaib, a Royal Saudi Air Force sergeant, pleaded not guilty in the rape of a 13-year-old boy. (AP)

LAS VEGAS, Feb 14, (AP): A Saudi Arabia air force sergeant stood in shackles Wednesday in a Nevada courtroom and pleaded not guilty to abducting and raping a 13-year-old boy at a Las Vegas Strip hotel on New Year’s Eve. Through an Arabic language translator, Mazen Alotaibi, 23, acknowledged that he understood the nine felony charges that could put him in a Nevada prison for the rest of his life.

“But it’s not right,” he said through the interpreter.

Clark County District Court Judge Stefany Miley set a May 13 trial date on the charges: firstdegree kidnapping, two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14, four counts of lewdness with a child under 14, sexually-motivated coercion and burglary.

Cybersecurity legislative efforts failed amid opposition from civil libertarians who claim it could allow too much government snooping and conservatives who say it would create a new bureaucracy.

Also: The WASHINGTON:

Pentagon unveiled a new medal on Wednesday to honor “extraordinary” troops who launch cyber attacks or drone strikes from their consoles, even if they do not risk their lives in combat.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, announcing the new “Distinguished Warfare Medal,” said it was time to recognize those who play a crucial role in modern warfare with hi-tech weapons far from the frontline.

“Our military reserves its highest decorations obviously for those who display gallantry and valor in actions where their lives are on the line, and we will continue to do so,” Panetta told a Pentagon news conference.

“But we should also have the ability to honor the extraordinary actions that make a true difference in combat operations.”

whose identity was kept secret — is portrayed as a neglected hero who must buy private health insurance and struggle to earn income after retiring from a 16-year career in uniform.

The newspaper Stars and Stripes first questioned the article’s reference to the SEAL receiving “no healthcare” in his retirement, saying the magazine’s author, Phil Bronstein, got his facts wrong.

But Esquire stood by the story, saying “nowhere in Bronstein’s piece does he write that the Shooter was ‘denied’ healthcare,” and that the SEAL had to purchase insurance for himself and his family in the private market. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Canadian spy discharged: A Canadian Navy officer convicted of spying for Russia has been stripped of his rank and kicked out of the military, Defense Minister Peter MacKay announced Wednesday in Ottawa.

Sub-Lieutenant Jeffrey Delisle pleaded guilty in October to passing secrets to a foreign government. He was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison — the strongest punishment for espionage in Canadian history.

“Mr Delisle’s unauthorized disclosure of secret information is intolerable, inexcusable and inconsistent with the integrity and loyalty that Canadians expect from their men and women in uniform,” MacKay said in a statement. (AFP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

17

Religion Cloistered life

Hidden from world: pope VATICAN CITY, Feb 14, (RTRS): Pope Benedict will see out his life in prayer, “hidden from the world”, he said on Thursday in his first personal comment on his plans since he stunned Roman Catholics by announcing his retirement.

His remarks, in a voice that was hoarse at times, followed Monday’s resignation notice which spoke of “a life dedicated to prayer”; the Vatican has said the 85-year-old German will live within its walls. His seclusion may allay concern that the first living former pope in centuries might trouble Church unity.

Speaking unscripted to thousands of priests from the diocese of Rome, in what turned out to be a farewell address in his capacity as bishop of the Reese Italian capital, Benedict outlined a cloistered life ahead, once he steps down in two weeks time: “Even if I am withdrawing into prayer, I will always be close to all of you and I am sure that you will be close to me, even if I remain hidden to the world,” he said.

After Feb 28, when he becomes the first pontiff in hundreds of years to resign instead of ruling for life, Benedict will first go to the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, and then move permanently into the four-storey Mater Ecclesiae convent, in the gardens behind St Peter’s Basilica.

The Vatican has already said that he will not influence the election of his successor, which will take place in a secret conclave to start between March 15 and 20 in the Sistine Chapel.

Priests arrive in procession at St Peter Basilica on their way to an audience held by Pope Benedict XVI in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, on Feb 14. Pope Benedict XVI is continuing his farewell tour with an off-the-cuff meeting with Roman priests, an annual encounter that has taken on poignant new meaning with his impending resignation. (Inset): Pope Benedict XVI waves during an audience with Rome’s parish priests on Thursday at the Paul VI hall at the Vatican. (AP/AFP)

Food Spanghero in spotlight over horsemeat bill

Drug find stokes health fears

Emotional But his unprepared comments to his priests at the emotional meeting in the Vatican’s modern audience hall was the first time the pope had spoken specifically in public about how he will spend his time after his resignation.

The Vatican, which is navigating uncharted waters since his shock announcement, said experts have still not decided what his title will be or whether he will wear the white of a pope, the red of a cardinal or the black of an ordinary priest.

“In my opinion, once he resigns he should put aside the white cassock and put on the robes of a cardinal,” said Father Thomas Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University and an author of books on the Vatican.

“He should no longer be called pope, or Benedict, or your Holiness, but should be referred to as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,” Reese added.

“After the new pope is elected, he should attend his installation along with the other retired cardinals and pledge his allegiance to the new pope.”

Thursday’s meeting with priests was the latest event in what has become a slow-motion, long goodbye to the man who has led the 1.2 billion-strong Roman Catholic Church for eight years.

On Wednesday night, he presided at an Ash Wednesday Mass that was moved to the vast St Peter’s Basilica from its original venue in Rome.

A capacity crowd gave him a thunderous standing ovation at his last public Mass. In his homily he said the Church had been at times “defaced” by scandals, divisions and rivalries.

Moved “Thank you. Now, let’s return to prayer,” the pontiff said, bringing an end to several minutes of applause that clearly moved him. In an unusual gesture, bishops took off their mitres in a sign of respect. Some of them wept.

One of the priests at the altar, which according to tradition rests above the tomb of St Peter, took out a handkerchief to dry his tears.

The Wednesday night homily appeared to be one of his last testaments to a Church that has been shaken by scandals around the world and closer to home.

Benedict’s papacy was rocked by crises over the sexual abuse of children by priests in Europe and the United States, most of which preceded his time in office but came to light during it.

His reign also saw Muslim anger after he compared Islam with violence. Jews were upset over the rehabilitation of a Holocaust denier.

During a scandal over the Church’s business dealings, his butler was accused of leaking his private papers.

The Vatican said 117 cardinals will be eligible to enter the March conclave to choose Benedict’s successor. Cardinals lose their right to elect a new pope if they turn 80 before the See of St Peter becomes vacant, as it will on Feb 28.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel receives flowers from a florists’ association for Valentine’s Day on Feb 14, at the Chancellery in Berlin. (AFP)

Steinbrueck

Gauck

Europe Steinbrueck slams Merkel: Angela Merkel’s main challenger in this year’s German election attacked her record in a combative speech on Ash Wednesday, accusing the chancellor of stealing policy ideas and cynically profiting from reforms introduced by his Social Democrats (SPD).

Peer Steinbrueck, a former finance minister whose campaign to unseat the popular Merkel got off to a disastrous start last year, tried to reassure the SPD faithful about their prospects in the September vote, vowing to fight for victory and showing off the sardonic wit and feistiness for which he is known.

“The voters need to decide whether they want a politician whose edges have been filed back to nothing, or someone who isn’t afraid to speak out for what they believe in,” said Steinbrueck, mocking Merkel’s cautious leadership style.

The one-hour speech was one of several being given across Bavaria on what is known in Germany as “Political Ash Wednesday”, a long-standing tradition in which politicians spar with each other to mark the end of carnival season.

The verbal exchanges became a national phenomenon in the mid-1970s thanks to Franz-Josef Strauss, the bullish former leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), whose colourful attacks on the opposition were legendary.

“It’s not true that I eat a Social Democrat for breakfast every day,” the corpulent Strauss once barked. “I only eat what I like.”

This year, the war of words was expected to be unusually scrappy. In addition to the federal election, voters in Bavaria will also go to the polls in September to pick a regional government. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑ Schavan replaced: Germany has sworn in a new education minister after her predecessor stepped down over claims that she plagiarized parts of her doctoral thesis decades ago.

In a low-key ceremony Thursday, President Joachim Gauck formally accepted the resignation of Annette Schavan, who denies the plagiarism allegations and has vowed to contest her university’s decision to strip her of her doctorate.

He swore in Johanna Wanka, a mathematician, former university professor and outgoing regional education minister in the state of Lower Saxony. That state’s conservative-led government narrowly lost a regional election to the center-left opposition last month.

Both Schavan and Wanka are members of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party.

Duesseldorf’s Heinrich Heine

LONDON, Feb 14, (AFP): Europe’s scandal over horsemeattainted food spiralled Thursday after Britain announced that a potentially harmful drug had been found in horse carcasses sent to France.

Britain’s Food Standards Authority said it had found traces of the equine drug phenylbutazone — which can cause a serious blood disorder in humans in rare cases — in six carcasses exported to France by British abattoirs.

“Six were sent to France and may have entered the food chain,” the FSA said in a statement after testing the carcasses of 206 horses slaughtered in Britain.

“The FSA is gathering information on the six carcasses sent to France and will work with the French authorities to trace them.”

British officials stressed that the low levels of the drug found in the meat posed little risk to human health.

Two supermarket chains in Germany, Real and Edeka, became the latest retailers embroiled in the widening scandal on Thursday when they revealed tests had discovered traces of horsemeat in lasagne meals which they had already withdrawn from sale.

Supermarkets across Europe have pulled millions of frozen ready meals from the shelves since last week, after tests revealed that large quantities of horsemeat had made their way into products labelled as beef.

Meanwhile tests by the FSA found no traces of phenylbutazone — also known as bute — in prodUniversity revoked Schavan’s doctorate this month after concluding that she plagiarized parts of her 1980 thesis. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Man arrested after threats: A Norwegian reported to be a far-rightist

ucts made by frozen food giant Findus, whose lasagnes had been found to contain up to 100 percent horsemeat.

The products had already been withdrawn from sale.

“The results of bute testing in withdrawn Findus food products have come back negative,” British agriculture minister David Heath told parliament.

The FSA, which has been testing all British horse carcasses for bute since Jan 30, said the six containing the drug had been exported to France before the test results came back.

The British agency said it had introduced a faster testing system this week to ensure that results would come back within 48 hours.

“This will mean that all horse carcasses have to test negative for bute before they can enter the food chain,” the FSA said.

The scandal has revealed a sprawling chain of production spanning abattoirs and meat suppliers — all of whom deny fraudulently passing horsemeat off as beef — in countries including Britain, France, Luxembourg and Romania.

Probe The EU’s crime-fighting agency Europol said on Thursday that Britain has asked it to coordinate an international probe into how the contamination became so widespread.

“What we as an intelligence agency can offer is coordination and analysis,” Europol spokesman Soren Pedersen told AFP. After emergency talks in Brussels on Wednesday, the EU’s health was arrested Wednesday after threats forced police to cordon off public buildings in Oslo where memories remain vivid of bloody attacks in July 2011.

The man, said by police to be aged around 20, was arrested after a bus driver

commissioner Tonio Borg said the bloc was calling on all of its 27 member states to carry out DNA tests on beef products.

The European Commission also urged checks for bute in all European establishments handling raw horsemeat.

“No one has the right to label as beef something that is not beef,” Borg said. “Someone will be held responsible, even criminally responsible.”

Meanwhile, French company Spanghero was billed for 42 tonnes of low grade horsemeat, a newspaper reported Thursday in a revelation that casts doubt on the French company’s claim to have never knowingly bought or sold the product at the centre of a Europe-wide food fraud scandal.

Probe Le Parisien newspaper published a bill dated January 4 that was made out to Spanghero and printed on the headed paper of Draap Trading, the Dutch-run, Cyprus-based intermediary which sourced meat in Romania for Spanghero.

The bill contains the numbers 0205 0080, which the paper said was an international code for frozen horsemeat. Spanghero did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for an explanation of the bill.

Le Parisien said Romanian authorities had shown it three similar bills. In total, the bills add up to orders for 42 tonnes of minced offcuts — the fat, tendons and other pieces left over after the horse has been deboned and the prime cuts removed. heard him late Tuesday make threatening statements on the phone, implying he might attack the parliament building.

Police cordoned off the parliament and Oslo town hall from Tuesday night until the man was arrested at midday Wednesday.

Europol breaks up Internet fraud gang

A woman places candles on the ground during a gathering, on Feb 14, to pay homage to an unemployed man who died the day before setting himself on fire outside the state employment agency in Nantes. The man had sent messages to journalists warning he would self-immolate this week after being declared ineligible for unemployment benefits. (AFP)

MADRID, Feb 14, (RTRS): A network of online fraudsters who masqueraded as European crime-fighting agency Europol and collected millions of euros in fake fines has been broken up –

by Europol.

The group, which worked across 30 countries over the past two years, paralysed computers with a virus and left messages purporting to be from organisations like Europol and the police, saying users could only regain access to their machines if they paid a fine.

“It’s impossible to know for sure how many citizens were affected by this, but we estimate hundreds of thousands of Europeans were,” Europol Director Rob Wainwright said at a news conference in Madrid on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, a Cypriot supermarket chain has destroyed more than 16 tonnes of beef burgers over fears they were contaminated with horsemeat, the authorities said on Thursday.

The unnamed supermarket company had decided to take the action to dispose of the burgers in January after news first broke of horsemeattainted beef in Europe, said health inspector Christos Christou.

The scandal has since engulfed the continent, with Cyprus also reportedly involved in the food chain that led to the sale in British supermarkets of horsemeat in frozen lasagne.

Christou told state radio that the supermarket company in Cyprus had destroyed 16.5 tonnes of beef burgers suspected of being tainted with horsemeat.

The Cypriot authorities, he said, had also confiscated burgers from the chain until there was documented proof submitted by the companies involved that they were “clean”.

But the authorities said no horsemeat had entered the island’s food chain, and that checks were being carried out to ensure that all meat products were safe.

Veterinary services director George Kyriakides told the semiofficial Cyprus News Agency that no horsemeat had been sold to any consumers.

“What we are saying is that so far, according to the facts given to us and the checks we carried out, no horsemeat has entered the food chain in Cyprus,” Kyriakides said, without elaborating.

The suspect was not named but Norwegian media said he was a 27-yearold with links to the far-right Norwegian Defence League.

“This person is known by our services,” an Oslo police spokesman, Johan Fredriksen, told a news conference. “He has already made threats in the past.”

The police said they had found a jacket — without saying whether it was bulletproof — along with a gas pistol and a bag full of clothes.

The spokesman said the vigorous response by the authorities was justified by vigilance needed nearly 18 months after Anders Behring Breivik killed a total of 77 people on July 22, 2011. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Ivorian sets himself alight: An immigrant from Ivory Coast set himself on fire in Rome airport on Thursday after receiving a deportation order, sparking panic among passengers in the busy terminal, Italian media reported.

A police officer quickly put out the flames with a fire extinguisher but the man was badly burnt and has been hospitalised in a serious condition.

The officer has also been hospitalised.

The part of the airport where the man set himself on fire was closed to the public for an hour.

He had been ordered to present himself to border police at the airport for expulsion from Italy.

The man used a fuel tank and was seen being carried away in a stretcher, wrapped in a fire blanket. (AFP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

18

World News Roundup Moldova Filat’s move a threat

PM denounces coalition accord CHISINAU, Feb 14, (RTRS): The pro-Western bloc that has run Moldova since 2009 appeared headed for collapse on Wednesday after Prime Minister Vlad Filat denounced the founding coalition agreement and accused his allies of corruption.

The implosion of the threeparty Alliance for European Integration could trigger a snap election and slow the ex-Soviet republic’s progress towards agreements on political association and free trade with the European Union.

Such turmoil could also hurt an economy already weakened by falling European Filat demand for major Moldovan products such as wine, and stall talks with the breakaway Transdniestria region.

Filat, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and prime minister since 2009, said his party would no longer adhere to the coalition deal with its partners, the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party.

Elite “LDP urges its coalition allies to review this document,” Filat told reporters, saying Moldova was turning into an oligarchy run by a privileged elite.

“While we have been running the country, some have used their power as a cover for restoring communist-era schemes ... I can compromise, but not when it comes to ... European values and fighting corruption,” he said.

The coalition agreement splits important government and state positions in the nation of 3.6 million people between the three parties, an arrangement that Filat said needed to be excluded from a possible new deal.

Marian Lupu, head of the centre-left Democratic Party and parliament speaker, described Filat’s declaration as “absurd”.

Lupu said he would postpone the opening session of parliament which had been set for Feb 14 since the Alliance now, in effect, had no majority.

“He makes his partners out to be devils but portrays himself as an angel, though he himself has sold his soul to the communists,” said Lupu, accusing Filat of playing into the hands of the communist opposition by throwing into jeopardy the signing of a political association agreement with the EU. Resignation Last month, Filat called for the resignation of Prosecutor General Valerii Zubco, an appointee of the Democrats, after a local pressure group accused Zubco of involvement in the death of a businessman on a hunting trip and a subsequent cover-up.

In an apparent tit-for-tat move, state prosecutors in turn launched abuse-of-office investigations against finance and health ministers - both of whom are appointees of Filat.

Escalating the stand-off, deputies from Filat’s party on Wednesday supported a move to strip an influential businessman and the Democrats’ main financial backer of his post as first deputy parliament speaker.

With communists indicating they would not form a new concord with Filat’s party, the dispute could trigger an early election.

The Alliance took power in 2009 after the communists, who had ruled since 2001, failed to win a majority. Though it united all major non-communist groups, the Alliance’s rule has been plagued by infighting, back-biting and stalemates.

Despite political instability, Moldova’s legal reforms have won praise from the EU, which has launched negotiations on association and free trade deals which could be signed in 2013.

Moldova, one of the poorest nations in Europe with an average monthly wage of about $280, relies heavily on exports of goods including wine to the EU and remittances from its citizens working abroad, many of whom are in the EU. Growth fell to about zero last year due to a sharp decline in exports to Europe.

A view of the debris of an An-24 plane which made an emergency landing in the eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk on Feb 14. (AFP)

Crashed Ukrainian plane hit weather station A plane that crashed at a Ukrainian airport, killing five people, hit the airport’s weather station while landing in thick fog, officials said Thursday.

The Soviet-built An-24 twinengined turboprop carrying soccer fans headed for a match against a German team crashed while trying to land at Donetsk airport Wednesday evening. Of the 44 passengers and

eight crew on board, five were killed and nine others injured.

Donetsk Prosecutor Volodymyr Vyshinsky said the plane, which was flying from the Black Sea port of Odessa, grazed the weather station with its left wing as it was approaching the landing strip, then hit the ground with its right wing and broke into two pieces.

Airport weather stations are slim, unmanned towers that hold the sensors and measuring equipment that record weather data. They are separate from the airport’s control tower.

Investigators are considering pilot error, faulty ground support equipment and poor weather conditions as possible causes.

Witnesses said the plane quickly

caught fire. Passengers were able to escape from the burning aircraft through a hole in the fuselage left by the crash. The plane’s pilot Serhiy Meloshenko blamed bad weather for the accident.

“There was heavy fog,” Meloshenko told Channel 5 television in a weak voice from a hospital bed. “The landing strip was poorly

visible, or to be more precise, it was not visible at all.”

Yuri Molod, head of South Airlines, which operated the flight, told the 1+1 TV channel that the plane was in good condition and blamed the pilot for the crash-landing. Molod said the pilot should not have landed in the fog and should have diverted to another airport. (AP)

Russia Arrest of Georgian MP sought over protests

‘NGOs mustn’t meddle in Russia’s affairs’

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin addresses senior officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) during an annual meeting of top FSB officials in Moscow on Feb 14. (AFP)

Davitashvili

Gruevski

Europe Georgia lawmakers scuffle: A televised debate between Georgia’s rival lawmakers ended in a brawl, highlighting increasing tensions between the camps of the country’s feuding president and prime minister.

“You are scum, a killer and not a man,” Koba Davitashvili, a lawmaker from the ruling Georgian Dream coalition, shouted at the opposition United National Movement party lawmaker, Sergo Ratiani.

Ratiani in response smashed a glass of water on the table in front of himself, in the live talk show broadcast Wednesday night.

As a female presenter tried in vain to calm down the situation, the musclebound Davitashvili approached Ratiani and the two fought for several seconds, exchanging blows, before they were separated by TV staff.

The debate came amid rising tensions between supporters of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ruling party and those of President Mikheil Saakashvili who are now in opposition in parliament.

(AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

MOSCOW, Feb 14, (Agencies): Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned foreign-funded organizations against “meddling” in the country’s affairs.

Russia last year passed a law requiring all such non-governmental organizations to register as “foreign agents” — a derogatory term in the Russian language. The bill also made foreign-funded NGOs liable to an unlimited number of inspections and checks that could paralyze the activities of any charity, human rights activists have said.

In his speech to the board of the intelligence agency FSB, successor to the KGB, Putin on Thursday defended the bill, saying that Moscow won’t tolerate “any meddling in our internal affairs, any forms of pressure on Russia.”

Since the law was passed in November not a single Russian NGOs has registered as a foreign agent, thus protesting the legislation. Putin on Thursday insisted that the NGOs abide by this law.

Putin also hinted at his view of the foreign-funded NGOs’ hidden agenda.

“No one has the monopoly of speaking on the behalf of the entire Russian society — let alone the organ-

houses and caused the temporary closure of the Albanian capital’s airport as unexploded ordnance landed near it.

Investigators said it was started by a lit cigarette, in the factory where some 1,400 tons of explosives, mostly obsolete

izations which are run (by foreigners) and funded by foreign resources, which means they cannot help serving foreign interests,” he said.

The Interfax news agency quoted FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov as saying that the United States has “raised geopolitical pressure” and still views Russia “as a major rival on the international stage.”

Critics say Putin, a former KGB colonel, has used the NGO law and other recent legislation to incite antiAmericanism. Putin insisted amid last year’s anti-government protests that they were inspired by the US State Department. ❑

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Russia’s ban on imports of chilled German meat is unjustified and disproportionate and must be reversed immediately, the European Union said, according to a filing at the WTO seen by Reuters on Thursday.

Russia has said the ban, which took effect on Feb 4, was intended “to secure safety of imported chilled pork, beef and poultry from Germany to Russia”.

It is not related to the European horsemeat scandal. Justifying its plan to impose emergency import restrictions to the WTO — World Trade

artillery shells, were stored for disposal.

According to the Tirana court’s ruling Wednesday, factory owner Mihal Delijorgji and manager Dritan Minxolli had their terms reduced from 10 to sixand-a-half years and from 18 to 12 years,

❑

❑

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Russia on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for a Georgian politician allied to President Mikheil Saakashvili accused of funding last year’s street protests against Vladimir Putin.

The Investigative Committee said Georgian parliament member Givi Targamadze was accused of “preparing to organise mass disturbances on

respectively. Former Defense Ministry official Ylli Pinari’s sentence was reduced from 18 to 15 years. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Azerbaijan holds ex-lawmaker:

Khalip allowed to ‘travel’ in Britain

Albanian court cuts sentences: An Albanian appeals court on Wednesday reduced sentences for several top defendants convicted in a deadly ammunition factory blast and acquitted one defendant.

The decision was met with dismay by relatives of the deceased.

The explosion at Gerdec near Tirana in March 2008 killed 26 people, wounded 300 others, destroyed or damaged 5,500

Organization — last month, Russia simply stated: “There is no proper control by the veterinary service of Germany,” without elaborating.

The ban came against a background of frosty relations between Moscow and Berlin, which has called for greater democracy in Russia and voiced concern over the country’s human rights record.

“The European Union strongly disputes the basis for this notification (by Russia),” the EU said in the filing, which was sent to the WTO on Feb 8 and circulated to the global trade body’s members on Feb 13.

It said that all food product exports from the bloc had to comply with EU safety standards as well as the requirements of importers, as long as they met international standards.

An Armenian wedding party crowd near a bonfire to mark Trndez, an ancient pagan festival now absorbed into the Christian calendar, in Yerevan on Feb 13.

(AFP)

MINSK, Feb 14, (AFP): Belarus has allowed a former opposition presidential candidate’s wife, who was convicted of organising mass riots, to leave the exSoviet country, she said Thursday, vowing to come back.

Irina Khalip, who received a suspended sentence after being arrested during a violent crackdown on protests over a December 2010 vote, said she was allowed to visit her husband Andrei Sannikov in Britain, where he was granted political asylum last year. “I am still a convict,” she told AFP. Khalip said she was allowed to travel to Britain for Sannikov’s 59th birthday, as well as to Russia, where the headquarters of her employer, opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta, are located.

the territory of the Russian Federation together with Sergei Udaltsov” and two other leftist protest leaders.

Udaltsov was placed under house arrest in connection with the same investigation last week. He faces up to 10 years in jail if put on trial and convicted.

Targamadze sits in the Georgian parliament as a senior member of the opposition United National Movement Party of Saakashvili — a top foe of Putin’s Kremlin after the 2008 Moscow-Tbilisi war. ❑

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A strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook Thursday the remote and largely uninhabited Sakha region in Russia’s eastern Siberia, ITAR-TASS quoted the local emergency ministry service as saying.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the quake, whose epicentre was recorded 300 kms (185 miles) north of the northeastern Sakha village of Ust-Nera.

The tremor struck 10 kms (six miles) below ground at 5:13 Moscow time (1313 GMT), the Sakha emergency ministry said.

The US Geological Survey estimated the quake at magnitude 6.6.

Azerbaijan arrested a former lawmaker from President Ilham Aliyev’s ruling party over a corruption scandal that gripped Azerbaijan last year, prosecutors said.

The former MP from the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party, Gular Akhmedova, is accused of offering to guarantee a seat in parliament for academic Elshad Abdullayev in return for a $1 million bribe.

“Akhmedova promised Abdullayev to help him in securing a deputy’s seat and fraudulently laundered his one million dollars,” the office of Azerbaijan’s prosecutor general said in a statement.

She was ordered to be held in pre-trial detention for two months. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Opposition to boycott polls: Macedonia’s main opposition party said Wednesday it would boycott March local polls after the ruling coalition rejected its call for an early legislative vote.

“Without snap elections, we are not going to take part in the local polls” on March 24, said Gordan Georgiev of the leading opposition Social Democratic SDSM party.

But the conservative government of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski has rejected opposition calls to have both a local and early parliamentary vote on that date.

Georgiev said the party deputies in the Macedonian parliament — 29 of 123 MPs — were considering whether to officially return their mandates as an “additional pressure to force early legislative elections.” (AFP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

19

North Korea Red lines

Dearth of data clouds N-test SEOUL, Feb 14, (AFP): Urgent efforts to find out the type of device detonated in North Korea’s latest nuclear test appeared to be getting nowhere Thursday, with South Korean experts unable to detect any radioactive fallout.

The North’s test on Tuesday triggered an immediate scramble to collect and analyse any fallout data that might provide crucial clues about the nature of the test and the progress Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme has made.

While seismic data was able to shed light on the likely yield of the underground test — estimated at 6-7 kilotons — the main hunt was for Kim elusive radioisotopes that might confirm the type of fissile material that was used.

Experts are particularly keen to establish whether the North switched from plutonium — used in the 2006 and 2009 tests — to a new and self-sustaining nuclear weaponisation programme using highly enriched uranium.

The South’s state-run Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said Thursday it had analysed eight atmospheric samples apparently collected by warships and air force planes equipped with highly sensitive detection devices.

“No radioactive isotope has been found yet,” the commission said in a statement.

Their priority target was traces of xenon gases released in the detonation that would point to the weapon type. “We are analysing samples and xenon has not been found,” the commission statement said.

If the underground test was well contained, it is quite possible there would be little or no radioactive seepage into the atmosphere.

A Seoul government source quoted by Yonhap news agency suggested that was the case, saying the entrance to the tunnel where the test was conducted remains intact.

And even if some gases did escape, scientists stress there is a large amount of luck involved in collecting them. No xenon gases were detected after the North’s 2009 test.

As well as the military detectors, the commission said there were 122 automated devices across South Korea that were continually capturing and analysing air samples.

The detection effort is running on a very tight deadline. Xenon133m, a metastable isotope needed to pin down the fissile material type, has a half-life of just over two days.

Proof of a uranium test would confirm what has long been suspected: that the North can produce weapons-grade uranium, doubling its pathways to building more bombs in the future.

Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-Seok said the missile was accurate enough to target “the office window of the North’s command headquarters”.

It has “deadly destructive power” that could “restrain the enemy headquarters’ activities” during wartime, Kim told reporters.

North Korea has tested three atomic bombs and is widely believed capable of firing a nuclear warhead. But in the eyes of the United States, North Korea most definitely is not a nuclear weapons state.

Experts believe that North Korea made military progress through its latest nuclear test on Tuesday. But for US policymakers, an even larger impact may be whether Pyongyang — and other aspiring nuclear states — benefit politically.

North Korea is seen as seeking recognition of its arsenal to ensure regime survival. North Korea, which declared itself a nuclear state in a constitution last year, said Tuesday that its nuclear “deterrent” was a “treasured sword.”

Secretary of State John Kerry called for a strong international response to North Korea partially as a signal to Iran, which has pursued a nuclear program that some Western and Israeli officials fear is aimed at building a bomb.

“It is important for the world to have credibility with respect to our non-proliferation efforts,” Kerry said, amid calls for even tighter sanctions against North Korea.

The new Kabuki-za theatre, part of a 29-storey office building in the upscale Ginza shopping district, is illuminated ahead of its April opening in Tokyo, on Feb 14. Lights began to shine on Tokyo’s celebrated home of traditional kabuki theatre on Feb 14, as the renovated venue prepares to raise the curtains on a new era. (AFP)

Japan’s renewed kabuki theater lights up Lights began to shine on Tokyo’s celebrated home of traditional kabuki theatre on Thursday, as the renovated venue prepares to raise the curtains on a new era.

The new Kabuki-za theatre, part of a 29-storey office building in the upscale Ginza shopping district, has now started an evening illumination

program ahead of its April opening.

The theatre occupies the bottom floors of the tower, retaining some elements of the original facade, which evokes medieval Japanese castles and temples with its curved roofs and red paper lanterns.

Standing 145 metres (470 feet) high, the new skyscraper is the tallest

building in the area. Overlooking an eastern section of the Japanese capital, the summit of Mount Fuji can be seen on clear days.

For decades, the kabuki-za has been the premiere venue to see the 400-year-old stylised performing art, whose all-male casts perform in extravagant costumes and mask-like

facial makeup.

The new four-storey playhouse, with an 1,800-seat capacity, is the fifth version of the theatre, whose history dates back to 1889.

The previous building, which was built in 1951 to replace the one that was heavily damaged in World War II, was demolished in 2010 due to

worries over its ability to withstand earthquakes.

The new building has been designed to function as a refuge in case of disasters such as earthquakes, as communities across Japan heighten their disaster readiness in light of the deadly earthquake and tsunami of 2011. (AFP)

Japan Obama vows to defend Japan

Tokyo has no plans to up defenses Japanese comedian Haruka Minowa displays 550 million yen ($6 million) for the Green Jumbo Lottery as the first tickets went on sale in Tokyo on Feb 14. Thousands of punters queued up for tickets in the hope of becoming a millionaire. (AFP)

TOKYO, Feb 14, (Agencies): Japan has the right to develop the ability to make a pre-emptive strike against an imminent attack given a changing security environment although it has no plan to do so now, the defence minister said on Thursday, days after North Korea conducted a third nuclear test.

Any sign that Japan was moving to develop such a capability in response to North Korea’s nuclear programme could upset neighbours China and South Korea, which have reacted strongly in the past to suggestions it might do so.

Threat

Kerry

Dalai Lama

Asia ‘NKorea needs strong response’: The world must show its resolve in the face of North Korea’s nuclear provocations or risk emboldening Iran, which is under scrutiny over its uranium enrichment program, Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday in Washington.

Kerry said nations must agree on a “swift, clear, strong and credible response” to Pyongyang’s third nuclear test and the authoritarian regime’s “continued flaunting of its obligations.”

In defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, the latest issued last month, North Korea on Tuesday detonated a nuclear device at a remote underground site. It is seen as a key step toward its goal of building a bomb small enough to be fitted on a missile capable of striking the United States.

Iran, like North Korea, is also under stiff sanctions, and negotiations with the West over its nuclear program have similarly stalled.

Iran maintains the program is peaceful, for generating energy and for medical research, not for weapons. It said Wednesday that it has begun installing a new generation of centrifuges that will allow it to vastly increase its pace of uranium enrichment in defiance of UN calls to halt such activities.

There has been speculation that North Korea and Iran could be cooperating on missile and nuclear development. Kerry did not draw such a connection but did say the cases were linked because they both concerned nonproliferation.

“It’s important for the world to have credibility with respect to our nonproliferation efforts,” Kerry told reporters after meeting Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh at the State Department.

“Just as it’s impermissible for North Korea to pursue this kind of reckless

“When an intention to attack Japan is evident, the threat is imminent, and there are no other options, Japan is allowed under the law to carry out strikes against enemy targets,” Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told Reuters in an interview.

“Given Japan’s political environment and the peace-oriented diplomacy it has observed, this is not the time to make preparations (for building such capability).

“But we need to carefully observe the changing security environment in the region.”

North Korea conducted its third

effort, so we have said it’s impermissible with respect to Iran. What our response is with respect to this will have an impact on all other nonproliferation efforts.”

The UN Security Council has issued three separate resolutions on North Korea, in response to its nuclear and missile tests

nuclear test on Tuesday, drawing condemnation from the United States, Japan, Europe and the North’s only major ally, China.

Onodera said Japan needed to strengthen its ballistic missile defence in view of the North Korean threat.

“Japan, the United States and South Korea managed to respond well to North Korea’s missile launch on Dec 12. But North Korea is expected to boost various capabilities further. We need to improve corresponding capabilities as well.”

But he declined to say whether it was more urgent than ever to lift a self-imposed ban on exercising the right of collective self-defence, or coming to the aid of an ally under attack.

Exercising that right is now prohibited under a long-standing interpretation of Japan’s pacifist constitution but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made clear he wants to lift the ban and a panel of advisers has begun discussing the topic.

Onodera called on China to join the United States, Japan and other countries in tightening sanctions against North Korea, noting that Pyongyang had gone ahead with the test on Monday in defiance of Beijing’s urging not to.

since 2006. The latest resolution, which tightened sanctions, followed a December satellite launch that the US says could serve to develop the North’s ballistic missile capability. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ Tibetan protester dies: A Tibetan

“I think China is the one that is most concerned about the development ...

From now on, it is necessary for us, including China, to seek effective steps, effective economic measures (against North Korea).”

Hotline Onodera urged China to work with Japan to set up hotline and other communications channels between Tokyo and Beijing to prevent any accidental clash over disputed East China Sea islets, while reiterating that the islands belonged to Japan.

Sino-Japanese ties cooled sharply after Japan’s government in September nationalised three of the disputed islets, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

The island row has escalated to the point where both sides have scrambled fighter jets while patrol ships shadow each other, raising worries that an unintended collision or other incident could lead to a broader clash.

“There already is a preliminary agreement between Japan and China to set up a maritime communication mechanism,” Onodera said.

Also: WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama pledged Wednesday a “steadfast” commitment to defend Japan,

man who set himself on fire in Nepal’s capital in the latest in a string of selfimmolations protesting China’s rule over Tibet has died at a hospital, police said Thursday in Kathmandu.

The man died Wednesday night, hours after he self-immolated, police spokesman

South Korea flexes new missile muscle

This undated picture released on Feb 14, in Seoul by South Korean Defence Ministry shows the test-launch of its new cruise missile being fired from a warship. Two days after North Korea’s nuclear test, South Korea flexed its military muscle on Feb 14, launching air and navy drills and touting a new cruise missile that can hit targets in the North ‘anywhere, anytime.’ (AFP)

SEOUL, Feb 14, (AFP): Two days after North Korea’s nuclear test, South Korea signalled Thursday the deployment of a new cruise missile capable of a precision strike on members of Pyongyang’s high command.

The defence ministry called in reporters for a special video presentation of the recently deployed missile being fired from a warship and a submarine.

“The cruise missile unveiled today is a precision-guided weapon that can identify and strike the office window of the North’s command headquarters,” ministry spokesman Kim MinSeok told reporters.

It has “deadly destructive power” that could “restrain the enemy headquarters’ activities” during wartime, Kim said.

including preventing nuclear attacks on its ally in the wake of North Korea’s third nuclear test, the White House said.

In a telephone call, Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed steps to respond to the “highly provocative violation of North Korea’s international obligations, a White House statement said.

Pyongyang triggered international outrage on Tuesday by carrying out its latest nuclear detonation in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

US and South Korean monitors said the underground nuclear test was much more powerful than North Korea’s previous tests in 2006 and 2009.

Obama and Abe agreed to cooperate on tougher UN sanctions against North Korea.

The pair “pledged to work closely together to seek significant action at the United Nations Security Council and to cooperate on measures aimed at impeding North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs,” the White House said.

A Japanese foreign ministry official said separately the two leaders “agreed to work together for the prompt adoption of a new UN resolution on enhancing sanctions” on North Korea.

Keshav Adhikari said. Police are still trying to identify the man, who appeared to be about 21 years old, and no one has claimed the body yet, he said.

Nepalese authorities have stepped up patrols and surveillance in areas of Katmandu where Tibetan refugees live to try to stop such protests from taking place again, Adhikari said. Dozens of police officers in riot gear guarded Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital, where the man died.

The man doused himself with gasoline, set himself ablaze and chanted anti-China slogans as he ran down a street near the Boudhanath stupa in the northeastern outskirts of Katmandu.

The dramatic protest marked the 101st time since 2009 that a Tibetan monk, nun or layperson set themselves on fire, according to officials from the Tibetan exile government, based in India. The protesters are calling for Beijing to allow greater religious freedom and the return from exile of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who lives in India.

Witnesses saw the man enter a cafe in Katmandu’s Boudhanath district – home to many Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries – and ask to use the bathroom. After spending some time there, he went into the street and lit himself on fire.

He ran a few steps, covered in flames and chanting slogans against China, before collapsing in front of the mammoth Boudhanath stupa, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the country, surrounded by prayer wheels and decorated with colorful streams of flitting prayer flags. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

20

World News Roundup Australia Backpacker missing

Son ‘beheads’ dad in Sydney SYDNEY, Feb 14, (Agencies): A man was charged with murder after allegedly decapitating his father in Australia on Thursday, with reports saying he was killed as he attempted to intervene in a fight between his son and wife.

Toufic Zahab, 69, died after he was reportedly attacked with a brick and a knife inside his home in a western Sydney suburb.

Police confirmed the man’s head was cut off and his wife was being treated for shock after the attack allegedly carried out by their son Khoder, 42.

“A man has been charged Zahab with murder following the death of a man at Bankstown this morning,” police said in a statement.

“Police were called to the home... shortly after 6:00 am today, responding to reports of a domestic violence incident.”

Struggle Khoder was arrested at the home after a short struggle and was later charged with his father’s murder as well as common assault and assaulting police.

“The scene itself is quite disturbing. It’s been a difficult morning for both the family and the police, and ambulance (staff) are currently looking after their welfare,” acting Bankstown superintendent Glen Fitzgerald said.

Relatives gathered outside the house told media that the son pushed his mother down the stairs and then attacked his father when he tried to intervene.

Zahab’s grandson Abdul, told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Everyone’s devastated and shocked.

“He was a wonderful man, a beautiful man, well known in the community. This is the most unexpected thing that could occur.” ❑ ❑ ❑ Australia’s government on Thursday canceled a planned visit by North Korean diplomats in the wake of the secretive nation’s recent nuclear test.

Officials from Pyongyang had been scheduled to visit Canberra this weekend to try and reopen its embassy, which North Korea closed in 2008 for financial reasons.

The bid to reopen the embassy was initially welcomed by Australia, with Foreign Minister Bob Carr saying last month the move would give Australia the opportunity to air its concerns about what it views as North Korea’s “catastrophic position on human rights.”

But on Tuesday, North Korea detonated a nuclear device at a remote underground site, defying UN Security Council resolutions.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard condemned the nuclear test, which is seen as a key step toward North Korea’s goal of building a bomb small enough to be fitted on a missile capable of striking the US. ❑ ❑ ❑ A British backpacker was missing in Australia’s remote Outback Thursday after failing to return from a hike, sparking a police search with fears he may have come to harm.

The 18-year-old was last seen on Tuesday evening when he set off from the Upshot Station homestead, about 130 kms (80 miles) from the far-flung Queensland town of Longreach, some 700 kms inland from the coast.

Police launched a land and air search, fearing for the man’s safety due to his lack of familiarity with the property, which sprawls across 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares).

“Lack of water, the heat, venomous snakes and injury are probably our greatest concern,” Sergeant Dave Perry told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ❑ ❑ ❑ A pistol owned by British explorer Captain James Cook, who first claimed Australia for Britain nearly two and half centuries ago, sold on Thursday for A$219,600 ($227,100), above the top estimate set by auctioneers.

The brass pistol, an early 18th century Continental Flintlock holster pistol with a 13-bore barrel made by Dutch gunmaker Godefroi Corbau Le Jeune, had a pre-sale estimate of A$100,000 to A$200,000.

One of a rare handful of personal effects remaining from the explorer, the gun went to a private buyer in Victoria, Australia, said Cassandra Hilber, at Leski Auctions.

“There was a lot of interest from New Zealand as well,” she added.

Cook reached the coast of Australia in April 1770, the first recorded European to encounter the continent’s eastern coast, after mapping the coastline of New Zealand.

Filipino theater artist Monique Wilson flashes the No. 1 sign with students from St Scholastica’s College, an all-girls’ school, as they dance at their campus in a global kickoff campaign dubbed One Billion Rising, to end violence against women and children on Valentine’s Day, Feb 14, in Manila, Philippines. Thousands of women and children in various cities in the country danced in the streets, in malls and other places to express support for the One Billion Rising Campaign which also counts Australia and New Zealand as the first countries ‘to rise’ for the campaign. (AP)

Crime Most of the victims Japanese tourists

Guam rampage toll hits 3 A couple walks on the banks of Inya Lake as they enjoy Valentine’s Day in Yangon, Feb 14. (AFP)

Aquino

Yudhoyono

Asia 5 dead, 5 missing in mine slide: A wall of a huge coal-mining pit collapsed in the central Philippines, killing at least five workers and burying eight others, officials said Thursday in Manila.

George San Pedro of the Semirara Mining Corp, which runs the coal mine on Semirara Island in Antique province, said three people were rescued after the landslide struck around midnight. Company officials initially reported three dead but said two more bodies were retrieved later Thursday, bringing the death toll to five, with five others still missing.

The workers were taking a break from the 24-hour mining operations when the landslide hit, officials said. The pit is among the country’s largest mines.

Company officials halted mining operations to ensure the safety of workers and allow an investigation of what set off the landslide, San Pedro said.

Regional police chief Agrimero Cruz Jr said it has rained in recent days but it was unclear whether the weather had contributed to the landslide. No major earthquakes have been detected recently in Antique, about 350 kilometers (215 miles) south of Manila, Philippines under the govt of Benigno Aquino Jr. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

HAGATNA, Guam, Feb 14, (Agencies): A third person has died after being hit by a car during a rampage in Guam’s tourist district that left two others dead and 11 people injured, officials said Thursday.

Spokesman Tony Muna of the Guam Visitors Bureau said that a 51-year-old man taken to Guam Memorial Hospital in critical condition died Thursday morning, local time.

Authorities are not immediately releasing his name while a complaint filed against 21-year-old Chad Ryan De Soto is updated, Muna said.

A Japan Foreign Ministry official who requested anonymity identified the person killed as 51-year-old Hitoshi Yokota. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of department rules.

De Soto, of Tamuning, is accused of plowing into several people with his gray Toyota Yaris late Tuesday as he drove onto a sidewalk and into a convenience store at the Outrigger hotel in the Tumon district. Authorities say he then got out of his car and started stabbing people he came across.

Questions Authorities said that De Soto hurt six people with his car and eight with his knife.

Muna said the 51-year-old victim was hit by De Soto’s car.

Muna says four victims remain hospitalized in the US territory: a 51-yearold woman listed in “guarded” condition, a 70-year-old woman in stable condition, and two girls in stable conThe comments also follow some media criticism of the son for rarely turning up at parliament.

The Democratic Party’s latest problems surround its chairman, Anas Urbaningrum, who has been linked to a

dition - a 3-month-old and an 8-monthold. A 22-year-old woman in stable condition was transferred to a hospital in Japan, while six patients were treated and released.

Hospital officials reached Thursday referred questions to Muna.

A Guam judge ordered De Soto held on $2 million bail. The prosecution requested the bail after saying the suspect committed “heinous, extreme” violence rarely seen in Guam, a tropical island about 1,500 miles south of Tokyo that is heavily dependent on tourism.

Superior Court Magistrate Judge Alberto Tolentino appointed a public defender to represent De Soto.

A video of the brief court proceedings posted online by the Pacific Daily News shows De Soto, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, telling Tolentino he has no job.

Court documents posted by the newspaper say the two Japanese women stabbed to death were 81-yearold Kazuko Uehara and 29-year-old Rie Sugiyama.

Those injured with De Soto’s knife included Sugiyama’s 8-month-old son.

The baby is hospitalized in stable condition, the newspaper reported.

De Soto told police he wanted to hurt as many people as he could, first with his car and then with his knife, according to a declaration filed by Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Quan.

De Soto is charged with two counts of aggravated murder, for which he faces 15 years to life in prison. He also graft case involving the construction of a sports stadium. A leaked document widely reported in the media said he had been named a suspect in the case by the powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) but there has been no official con-

Survivors Many of the victims of a frenzied knife attack in the Pacific nation of Guam had been on the island to attend a wedding, it emerged Thursday, as the death toll from the attack rose to three.

Survivors and witnesses told of their horror as a man clutching foot-long (30 centimetre) knives in each hand launched a bloody attack on unsuspecting holidaymakers after ploughing into them with his car.

All 14 victims, including an eightmonth-old baby and a three-year-old toddler, were Japanese.

Two women, 29-year-old Rie Sugiyama and her grandmother Kazuko Uehara, 81, were pronounced dead on Wednesday. A third victim, a so-far unidentified 51-year-old man, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday, medics said. firmation. ❑

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Ex-cop cleared of ‘charges’: A former head of Singapore’s narcotics police was cleared of corruption on Thursday

Store in Philippines pulls Chinese globes

Leader’s family tightens grip: Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has turned to one of his sons to help him rescue the ruling party which opinion polls suggest faces crushing defeat in an election next year.

Late last week, Yudhoyono effectively ditched the chairman of the Democratic Party, who has become its latest member to be embroiled in a corruption scandal.

Yudhoyono said he would take charge of the party.

“I will concentrate on performing my duties as secretary general of the Democratic Party,” the Kompas daily website quoted the son, Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono, commonly called Ibas, as saying, adding he was stepping down as a member of parliament.

faces a charge of attempted aggravated murder for using a knife to attack Sugiyama’s baby, and eight counts of aggravated assault.

It appeared that most of the people injured in Tuesday’s attack were Japanese tourists.

Guam is well-known for scuba diving, white beaches and historic World War II battle sites, and it depends heavily on tourism - particularly from Japan - for its economy.

Japanese people accounted for 73 percent of the 1.1 million visitors to Guam in the 2011 fiscal year, according to Guam Visitors Bureau data.

South Koreans made up 13 percent, followed by 4 percent from Taiwan.

Couples stand in a queue at a gymnasium for a mass wedding in Manila on Feb 14. Some 400 couples exchanged vows inside a packed gymnasium on the outskirts of Manila’s Makati financial district, as a school band played love songs that drowned out the heavy traffic outside. (AFP)

MANILA, Feb 14, (AFP): The Philippines’ largest bookstore chain has withdrawn Chinesemade globes showing Beijing’s claims to most of the South China Sea from its shelves, a government spokesman said Thursday.

The globes were sold by the National Bookstore up until Wednesday, foreign office spokesman Raul Hernandez said in a statement.

“The National Bookstore has withdrawn all the educational globes, which reflect China’s nine-dash line encompassing the South China Sea, from its stores,” Hernandez said.

after a court rejected charges that he demanded ... sex from a contractor to help her win government deals.

Ng Boon Gay, former director of the Central Narcotics Bureau, was accused of giving confidential information to a technology supplier who testified for the prosecution, but her statements were found to be inconsistent and unreliable.

“I am satisfied that the prosecution has failed to hold a case against you beyond reasonable doubt,” District Court Judge Siva Shanmugam told Ng after a trial that captivated Singaporeans with its lurid details.

Supporters of Ng, 46, applauded after the verdict was announced. His wife Yap Yen Yen leaned her head on a relative’s shoulder and wiped tears from her eyes, and the couple left the courthouse Loong holding hands.

“It’s very nice to get acquitted on Valentine’s Day,” national broadcaster Channel NewsAsia’s website quoted Ng as saying.

Ng, one of the most senior public officials ever tried in Singapore for corruption, was accused of demanding ... sex from Cecilia Sue, 36, a computer systems sales executive, in exchange for helping her win contracts.

He admitted during the trial that he had sexual relations with Sue but said they had an extramarital affair that involved no corruption or coercion.

High-level corruption cases are rare in Singapore under its PM Lee Hsien Loong, a corporate and financial centre known for an efficient and well-paid bureaucracy. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Conservatives protest v-Day: Islamic conservatives in Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-populated nation, voiced opposition to Thursday’s Valentine’s Day celebrations, saying they promote teen “sex parties” and premarital sex.

After the deputy mayor in the conservative city of Depok on Jakarta’s outskirts urged parents to stop their children from celebrating, local religious leaders voiced support.

“We don’t want to completely ban Valentine’s Day but it’s not for teenagers,” Depok secretary of the country’s largest Muslim organisation Nahdlatul Ulama, Raden Salamun Adiningrat, told AFP. “Teenagers see it as a time to express love and affection and they often end up in sex parties, like in the West.”

The Head of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in Depok, Habib Idrus Al Gadhri, declared the day “haram” (forbidden) for Muslims, claiming it is part of the culture of “infidels”. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑ Indonesia churches attacked: Attackers threw petrol bombs at three churches in central Indonesia Thursday, in the latest assault on religious minorities in the world’s biggest Muslim-populated nation.

Police in the south of Sulawesi island reported three consecutive attacks between one and four in the morning, national police spokesman Agus Riyanto told reporters.

“As we understand, the attackers threw water bottles filled with flammable materials at the churches,” he said, adding that the door of the first church caught fire.

Witnesses managed to put out the flames and the churches were only slightly damaged. No one was hurt, Riyanto said.

Attackers hurled petrol bombs at two other churches over the weekend in Sulawesi. (AFP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

21

Africa Book tying gens protected: Angola received a boost to its free speech from Portugal, which refused to allow Angolan generals to stop the publication of a book exposing corruption and human rights abuses in the southern African country’s lucrative diamond mines.

Portuguese prosecutors this week threw out a libel suit against a book that alleges Angolan generals own a diamond company and a security firm that carried out killings and the torture of workers toiling in the southern African nation’s mines.

The dismissal of the challenge, brought against Angolan writer Rafael Marques and his publisher Marques over his book “Blood Diamonds: Corruption and Torture in Angola,” represents a free-speech victory for a nation where the government has long been accused of corruption and mismanagement of oil and diamond riches.

While the challenge played out in Portugal, Angola’s former colonial ruler, Marques said in Johannesburg, the court case could have bankrupted and effectively silenced him while frightening others investigating government corruption.

“Their belief was being very rich and very powerful, especially within the Portuguese economy where they have made massive investment, they would have create the situation by whereby I would not be able to afford a lawyer to defend myself,” the author told The Associated Press on Wednesday. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ Monitors criticize Belgium: A world monitoring group on conflict diamonds said Wednesday in Harare, it wants restrictions on the sale of Zimbabwe diamonds tightened after calls to relax them by diamond companies in Belgium.

Belgium has argued the controls hurt revenue filtering down to ordinary Zimbabweans. But Global Witness insisted in a statement circulated Wednesday the European nation’s interests were “closer to home” in its diamond center of Antwerp that promotes diamond gifts around St Valentine’s Day, marked Thursday.

The eastern Zimbabwe fields of Marange, where diamonds are mined, have long been mired in allegations of killings, human rights violations and corruption.

The group warned against what it called “a love triangle” between Belgium, its diamond dealers and Zimbabwe. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Catholic faithfuls participate in a mass during the celebration of Ash Wednesday in El Calvario parish in San Salvador, El Salvador on Feb 13. Ash Wednesday marks the Christian period of Lent, prior to the Holy Week. (Inset): Catholic faithfuls take part in the celebration of Ash Wednesdy at Managua’s cathedral on Wednesday. (AFP)

Drugs Peru to start uprooting coca in rebel haven

Perez sees paradigm shift on policy

Journalist freed: A Somali journalist was freed after being detained without charges for more than a week for speaking out against the imprisonment of a fellow reporter.

Daud Abdi Daud was released but he said Wednesday in Mogadishu, that the Somali government wants to charge him in court with “offending the president’s wife.” Government officials declined to comment on Daud’s claim that he will be charged.

Daud, a Radio Kulmiye reporter, said he was released Tuesday after more than a week in custody, though authorities treated him well.

He said his arrest stemmed from an incident last week when a Mogadishu court handed down one-year prison sentences to a woman who said she was raped by security forces and a reporter who interviewed her.

Daud said he spoke at the court saying that a journalist can interview any woman at her home, even if she is the president’s wife, and that prompted his arrest. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

A police officer walks through a parking lot lined with packages of seized marijuana for a media presentation at the metropolitan police headquarter in Bogota, Colombia, Feb 13. Police said they found 3 tons of marijuana in a truck, the biggest seizure of the drug in the city in a decade. (AP)

Chavez

Calderon

Activist in bid to ban observers: An activist asked a Nairobi court Wednesday to compel Kenya’s polls body not to accredit European or US election observers for the March 4 presidential elections, accusing them of bias.

The activist, Samson Owimba Ojiayo, wants the High Court to issue an order directing Kenya’s Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not to accept representatives from the European Union or United States, saying that they have already taken a stand on the vote.

“It is clear from the position taken by these countries that they will not be impartial in monitoring the election,” Ojiayo’s lawyer told the courtroom in Nairobi. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Protest shuts Mandela university: South Africa’s historic Fort Hare University, attended by Nelson Mandela and Robert Mugabe, has shut down due to a student protest over fee increases, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday in Johannesburg.

“A decision was taken to temporarily shut down the university and students were ordered to vacate the premises by Tuesday afternoon,” said Zintle Filtane.

Violence broke out this week when students at the school’s main campus in the southern town of Alice protested against a 90 percent increase in housing fees.

According to the university, property was destroyed and classes suspended as students barricaded the entrance to the campus and held illegal gatherings.

On Monday police used rubber bullets to disperse one of the protests, resulting in the arrest of 21 students. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Zimbabwe sets key poll dates: Zimbabwe will vote on a new constitution in March and hold crunch elections in July, the prime minister said Wednesday, setting a timetable that will decide the fate of veteran President Robert Mugabe.

“There will be a referendum in March,” said Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare, hailing the new constitution as a major step toward democratic reform.

Officials from Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change and Mugabe’s ZANU-PF told AFP that the referendum will be held on March 16.

“The date agreed to by the principals is the 16th,” Mugabe spokesman George Charamba told AFP. “It’s a firm date now and we are working towards that.” (AFP)

Lat/Am ‘Chavez gets tough treatments’: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is undergoing “extremely complex and tough” treatments following cancer surgery, his vice president said Wednesday in Caracas, Venezuela.

It was the first time that the government described Chavez’s latest treatment following his surgery in those terms. The government has not given details about what sort of treatments Chavez is now undergoing in Havana, more than two months after his fourth cancer-related surgery on Dec 11.

“You all know that we’ve gone through extremely complex moments in December, you remember, in January. Later, the whole post-operative cycle concluded. And today our commander is receiving complementary treatments, as we have said, extremely complex and tough treatments,” Vice President Nicolas Maduro said on television, without giving details.

“He is carrying out, let’s say, assimilating as he would say, in the spirit of battle, but they’re complex treatments … that should at some point begin to close the cycle of treatment of his illness,” Maduro said. “We have passed along to him all the strength … and all the love of the Venezuelan people.” (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

7 Colombian soldiers killed: At least seven soldiers were killed Wednesday in clashes with suspected FARC guerrillas in southern Colombia, in some of the worst fighting since peace talks resumed between the government and the rebels.

The army said five soldiers were injured in the attack, adding that it launched the assault on FARC-controlled territory in San Antonio de Getucha, in Caqueta province.

“We launched an operation deep in (FARC’s) southern block with a goal of protecting our civilian population,” the army said in a statement.

It added that intelligence sources indicated the FARC suffered an “undetermined number of dead and injured” in the fighting.

The latest fighting came just hours before two captive police officers were to be released by the FARC, which has been

MADRID, Feb 14, (RTRS): Guatemalan President Otto Perez said on Wednesday he is feeling less alone in his drive to re-think the fight against drug-trafficking than a year ago, when he shocked fellow Central American leaders with a proposal to decriminalise narcotics.

Guatemala, like its neighbour Mexico, is racked by violence from drug-trafficking cartels that ship South American cocaine to the United States. A Central American nation of 15 million people, Guatemala has one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Most Latin American countries have long had zero-tolerance drug rules, largely encouraged by the United States, which for decades has poured money into its southern neighbours to eradicate crops of coca, the raw material for cocaine.

Perez, a former military officer who took office early last year, has been an outspoken voice saying that spiralling drug violence in Latin America is fed by billions of dollars from US drug consumers and is a market force that cannot be stopped without a fresh approach.

Soon after taking office he broached the subject of decriminalising drugs with his closest neighbours, an idea immediately rejected by his counterparts in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

But a year later, he said there is more openness and a growing consensus to discuss change. A number of countries from Brazil to Mexico have relaxed penalties for small-time drug possession or are looking to do so.

Uruguay’s congress is debating a bill that would put the state in charge of regulating marijuana cultivation.

In October, Mexico’s then-President Felipe Calderon and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos joined Perez in taking a landmark call to the United Nations asking for a global debate on an alternative to the current

holding them since last month. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑ ‘6 men confess in rapes’: Six men

war on drugs.

Signs

that a growing movement in the United States to decriminalise marijuana use has also dampened their enthusiasm for drug prohibition in their own countries.

November elections saw voters in Washington state and Colorado become the first US states to approve measures to tax and regulate marijuana sales for recreational use.

While concrete action from the UN is still a remote possibility, Perez still sees signs of change.

“For the first time heads of state are openly talking about this. It used to be a taboo. Sitting presidents would not talk about it, only former leaders,” Perez told Reuters in a brief interview in Madrid, where he is on an official visit to drum up interest from investors in his Central American country.

“We are seeing the first steps toward changing this trend and this paradigm,” said Perez, 62.

Latin America is the top world producer of cocaine and marijuana, feeding the huge demand in the United States and Europe. Domestic drug use has risen and drug gang violence has caused carnage for decades from the Mexican-US border to the slums of Brazil.

Perez has proposed what he calls a “third way” in between all-out drugs legalisation and complete prohibition.

He says the latter approach has failed as illegal drug use remains high despite decades of being outlawed around the world.

He has not said exactly how decriminalisation or a regulated market would work, but has called for a global discussion on looking at new approaches.

He has written that it would be a “discrete and more nuanced approach that may allow for legal access to drugs currently prohibited, but using institutional and market-based regulatory frameworks.”

“At the beginning I felt very alone,” Perez told Reuters.

“Fortunately as time passed I feel in better and better company. It takes time to change global trends but there is a trend shift in thinking toward regulation of drugs,” he said.

Latin American leaders have said

Supporters of decriminalisation efforts in countries such as Argentina say that chasing small-time drug users clogs up court systems and uses up police resources.

They say decriminalisation would free up funds for treatment and prevention programs and for chasing bigtime traffickers.

Some experts urge caution as different countries look at decriminalisation, saying the judicial system should still play a role in getting people with drug problems into treatment.

“We should have a global debate.

We need to talk about the best way to deliver prevention and the role of the criminal justice system,” said Kevin Sabet, a former senior advisor to US President Barack Obama.

Sabet, who co-founded a group called Project SAM to battle the legalise marijuana movement in the United States, said countries that are pursuing changes in drug policy should focus on prevention and treatment without looking at full decriminalisation.

Meanwhile, Peru is intensifying its anti-drug efforts and will eradicate coca fields for the first time ever this year in a thicket of lawless jungle valleys where rebels often ambush soldiers, officials said on Wednesday.

Carmen Masias, the head of Devida, Peru’s anti-drug agency, said the government would eradicate 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) this year of coca, the main ingredient in cocaine.

detained in the recent rape of six Spanish tourists in Acapulco have confessed to the crimes, authorities said on Wednesday.

Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam said prosecutors have gathered evidence against another suspect in the attack, which

Efforts

Beija-Flor second

‘Vila Isabel’ tops

Mexican sculptor Pedro Reyes poses behind an instrument that mimics the sound of a base guitar, made from seized guns, at his workshop in Mexico City, Feb 13. (AP)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 14, (AFP): The Vila Isabel samba school was crowned champion of the 2013 Rio Carnival on Wednesday for its parade highlighting Brazil’s agricultural might as “the world’s breadbasket.”

In a feverishly awaited verdict, a 40-member jury gave the Rio school, considered a cradle of samba music in Brazil, the third title of its 65-year-old history.

Vila Isabel received 299.7 points, edging the popular BeijaFlor with 299.4 and sparking scenes of jubilation at its northern Rio headquarters.

The 40 judges gave their verdict based on choreography, music, dancing and creativity.

With its 3,800 dancers and seven giant fantasy floats, Vila Isabel was the last of 12 elite samba schools to dazzle a capacity crowd early Tuesday at the 72,000-seat Sambodrome.

That would be a 56 percent increase from last year’s record and push down overall coca production for the first time in decades, by about 6 percent.

Peru is virtually tied with Colombia as the top cocaine producer, with about 62,500 hectares (154,400 acres) of coca plants, according to UN data.

The eradication push — along with the construction of an airfield for antidrug operations and an increased military presence — shows President Ollanta Humala, a former army officer, is moving ahead with promises to “pacify” a region known as the VRAEM. The bundle of river valleys in southeastern Peru is the most densely planted coca growing area in the world — and the favored hideout of remnant bands of the Shining Path rebels who went into the drug trade after their leaders were captured in the 1990s.

Humala’s toughening stance differs from a growing chorus of Latin American presidents who have questioned the US-led “war on drugs” or called it a failure.

Citing “security reasons,” Masias declined to say how much eradication work would occur in the VRAEM. But she stressed it would not be a token effort relative to Peru’s numerous other coca growing areas.

Wresting control from the Shining Path in the VRAEM is crucial for Humala’s economic plans as the area overlaps with Peru’s main natural gas reserves, which the president has vowed to fully exploit to meet soaring domestic demand for electricity in the fast-growing country.

The rebels have so far mocked Humala’s goal of stamping them out.

Last year they captured 36 natural gas workers in their first large-scale kidnapping since 2003, leading Humala’s interior and defense ministers to step down. About 17 soldiers were shot and killed last year in a series of ambushes by rebels, mostly in the VRAEM.

has further tainted the reputation of the Pacific resort, already damaged by gruesome beheadings and mutilations by drug cartels.

The seventh suspect remains at large.

The six men gave a complete recount of the Feb. 4 attacks, which took place in a beach house on the outskirts of Acapulco where 12 Spanish tourists and a Mexican woman were staying, Murillo Karam told reporters.

“We have those six suspects, who have confessed,” he said. “I can tell you with all seriousness that this case has been solved.”

The men range in ages from 16 to 30.

Murillo Karam said there is “plenty of evidence” of their role in the attack. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Guns turned into instruments: The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are now making music.

Mechanical hammers ping against ammunition magazines from assault rifles.

Gun barrels cut to different lengths ring like marimbas. Pistol parts strike metal plates, like cymbals, to create rhythmic, syncopated sounds.

In 2012, then-president Felipe Calderon inaugurated a billboard in Ciudad Juarez which, facing Texas, spelled out the words “No More Weapons” in welded pieces of decommissioned guns.

Reyes also hopes to take his message international, with an exhibition of the musical instruments in London’s Lisson Gallery in March and later in the United States. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

22

World News Roundup Environment ‘Reject pipeline’

Stars, activists protest project WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AP): Celebrities and environmental activists, including lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr and civil rights leader Julian Bond, were arrested Wednesday after tying themselves to the White House gate to protest the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada.

Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune also was arrested — the first time in the group’s 120year history that Kennedy Jr a club leader was arrested in an act of civil disobedience. The club’s board of directors approved the action as a sign of its opposition to the $7 billion pipeline, which would carry oil derived from tar sands in western Canada to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Activist Bill McKibben, actress Daryl Hannah and NASA climate scientist James Hansen also were arrested, along with more than 40 others. They were charged with failure to disperse and obey lawful orders, and released on $100 bond each.

The protesters are demanding that President Barack Obama reject the pipeline, which they say would carry “dirty oil” that contributes to global warming. They also worry about a spill.

Step Many business and labor groups support the 1,700-mile (2,736-kilometer) pipeline as a source of jobs and a step toward North American energy independence.

The 4-year-old project has become a flashpoint in the debate over climate change, with opponents labeling it a “carbon bomb” that could trigger global warming.

Supporters call that rhetoric overblown and say Obama should approve the pipeline as part of his “all of the above” energy policy, which encourages a wide range of domestic energy development.

In an interview before his arrest, Brune said civil disobedience was justified because of the threat posed by tar sands oil, which is difficult to produce and emits significantly more greenhouse gases than conventional oil. The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest environmental group and generally shies away from extreme tactics.

“We want to send a strong message that we expect the president’s ambitions to meet the scale of the challenge and reject a pipeline that carries dirty, thick oil” that contributes to global warming, Brune said. The president’s supporters want Obama to “fight with both fists” against climate change, Brune said.

The made-for-media protest came ahead of a rally planned for Sunday on the National Mall, where organizers are expecting at least 20,000 people to protest the tar sands pipeline and urge Obama to act forcefully on climate change.

Contest Kennedy, president of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a New Yorkbased environmental group, said he was being arrested “with regret,” noting that he would prefer to contest the pipeline in court — and may eventually do so.

Kennedy, whose father was an attorney general and US senator, called the pipeline “a boondoggle of monumental proportions” that will “ruin the lives of millions of people,” through increased carbon pollution and likely spills.

Obama was visiting a manufacturing plant in North Carolina when the demonstration occurred. As he made his way to a factory in Asheville, protesters held signs saying “Stop coal” and “No to Keystone.”

Obama has called climate change a serious threat and in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night urged Congress to combat the phenomenon. If Congress fails to act, he will use executive authority to take steps to cut greenhouse gas pollution and encourage increased use of cleaner sources of energy, Obama said.

Obama has twice thwarted the Keystone XL pipeline because of concerns over its route through sensitive land in Nebraska, but has not indicated how he will decide on the pipeline now that Nebraska’s governor has approved a new route.

The State Department has authority over the project, because it crosses an international border, but most observers expect Obama to make the final decision.

Bond, former chairman of the main US civil rights group, said he participated in the pipeline protest “because I’m an American and I’m worried about the planet.” He called the pipeline a human-rights issue, since many landowners in the six states where it will travel have been unable to resist Calgary-based TransCanada, the pipeline operator, as it seizes their property.

A handout photo released on Feb 11, by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) shows an image from the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-meter telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile, featuring the bright star cluster NGC 6520 and its neighbor, the strangely shaped dark cloud Barnard 86. This cosmic pair is set against millions of glowing stars from the brightest part of the Milky Way - a region so dense with stars that barely any dark sky is seen across the picture. This part of the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer) is one of the richest star fields in the whole sky - the Large Sagittarius Star Cloud. The huge number of stars that light up this region dramatically emphasize the blackness of dark clouds like Barnard 86, which appears at the center of the picture. (AFP)

Science Higgs Boson collider closes for revamp

Experts prep for next quantum leap

This undated photo taken by independent researcher Philippe Verbelen and released by online scientific journal PLOS ONE shows a Rinjani Scops owl perching on a tree on Lombok island, Indonesia. The new species of owl believed to be found nowhere else in the world was discovered by accident on the Indonesian island when researchers in search of another bird noticed its distinct song. (AP)

Yudhoyono

Salvador

GENEVA, Feb 14, (AFP): Seven months after its scientists made a landmark discovery that may explain the mysteries of mass, Europe’s top physics lab will take a break from smashing invisible particles to recharge for the next leap into the unknown.

From Thursday, the cutting-edge facilities at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) will begin winding down, then go offline on Saturday for an 18-month upgrade.

A vast underground lab straddling the border between France and Switzerland, CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) was the scene of an extraordinary discovery announced in July 2012.

Its scientists said they were 99.9 percent certain they had found the elusive Higgs Boson, an invisible particle without which, theorists say, humans and all the other joined-up atoms in the Universe would not exist.

The upgrade will boost the LHC’s energy capacity, essential for CERN to confirm definitively that its boson is the Higgs, and allow it to probe new dimensions such as supersymmetry and dark matter.

“The aim is to open the discovery domain,” said Frederick Bordry, head of CERN’s technology department.

Theorites

Ecology Owl ID’d as new species: Researchers looking for a nocturnal bird in Indonesia accidentally identified a new species of owl - one that has a distinct whistling song and is believed to exist nowhere else in the world.

The Rinjani Scops owl was first identified in 2003 and has since been spotted only on Lombok island, about 25 kms (15 miles) from the popular resort island of Bali. The findings were published Wednesday in the online journal PLOS ONE. The small owl, with brown and white feathers and big golden eyes, had been confused with a similar-looking species for more than a century. But scientists from Sweden and the US, who were visiting the island doing separate research on another nocturnal bird, both recorded the Rinjani Scops owl’s vocalizations. They noticed that its whistled note was entirely different from other songs, including that of the widespread Moluccan Scops owl, or Otus magicus.

“I am surprised that the true identity of this bird has remained hidden from the scientific world for so long,” George Sangster, lead author from the Swedish Museum of Natural History, said in an email. “The Rihnjani Scops owl is quite common and can be found on various parts of the island.

It is also very vocal, so it is hard to miss.”

He said the discovery was not published for 10 years due to the work needed to verify the finding.

The owl has long been known by Indonesian bird experts, but they too

“We have what we think is the Higgs, and now we have all the theories about supersymmetry and so on.

We need to increase the energy to look at more physics. It’s about going into terra incognita (unknown territory),” he told AFP. believed it was part of the more widespread species.

“We are proud of this new discovery as it has added another endemic species in

Theorised back in 1964, the boson also known as the God Particle carries the name of a British physicist, Peter Higgs.

He calculated that a field of bosons could explain a nagging anomaly: Why do some particles have mass while others, such as light, have none?

That question was a gaping hole in the Standard Model of particle physics, a conceptual framework for understanding the nuts-and-bolts of the cosmos.

One idea is that the Higgs was born when the new Universe cooled after the Big Bang some 14 billion years ago.

It is believed to act like a fork dipped in honey and held up in dusty air.

Most of the dust particles interact with the honey, acquiring some of its mass to varying degrees, but a few slip through and do not acquire any. With mass comes gravity — and its pulling power brings particles together.

Supersymmetry, meanwhile, is the notion that there are novel particles which are the opposite number of each of the known particle actors in the Standard Model.

This may, in turn, explain the existence of dark matter — a hypothetical construct that can only be perceived indirectly via its gravitational pull, yet is thought to make up around 25 percent of the Universe.

At a cost of 6.03 billion Swiss francs (4.9 billion euros, $6.56 billion dollars), the LHC was constructed in a 26.6-kilometre (16.5-mile) circular tunnel originally occupied by its predecessor, the Large Electron Positron (LEP).

Indonesia,” said Yoppy Hidayanto, coordinator of Burung Indonesia which is headed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a bird conservation group in

Operations That had run in cycles of about seven months followed by a fivemonth shutdown, but the LHC, opened in 2008, has been pushed well beyond.

“We’ve had full operations for three years, 2010, 2011 and 2012,” said Bordry.

“Initially we thought we’d have the long shutdown in 2012, but in 2011, with some good results and with the perspective of discovering the boson, we pushed the long shutdown back by a year. But we said that in 2013 we must do it.”

Unlike the LEP, which was used to accelerate electrons or positrons, the LHC crashes together protons, which are part of the hadron family.

“The game is about smashing the particles together to transform this energy into mass. With high energy, they are transformed into new particles and we observe these new particles and try to understand things,” Bordry explained.

Question Meanwhile, the particle collider that gave scientists a glimpse of what may be the Higgs Boson shut down Thursday for a two-year revamp that will allow it to pursue the quest with renewed vigour.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), straddling the border between France and Switzerland, has been working non-stop for three years to find the elusive boson.

The boson is theorised to explain the mysteries of mass.

CERN, which operates the collider, said its crew began winding down the Bogor, West Java. “There are still so many things that could be explored about birds in Indonesia.”

The new owl’s English name comes

Action urged

Dolphins face threat

Olive Ridley turtle return to the Bay of Bengal sea after laying eggs at the Rushikulya river mouth beach in Ganjam district, 140 kms (88 miles) south of Bhubaneswar, India, on Feb 14. Olive Ridley turtles nest their eggs in parts of the Bay of Bengal Sea’s Orissa coast. (AP)

WELLINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): Scientists have urged New Zealand to take immediate action to protect the critically endangered Maui’s dolphin, amid warnings the marine mammal could become extinct by 2030.

The animal, the world’s smallest dolphin sub-species, is only found in waters off the North Island’s west coast and experts estimate the adult population has dwindled to just 55, the Society for Marine Mammalogy said.

In a letter to New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, it said scientific data showed up to five dolphins a year died after becoming entangled in fishing nets.

vast facility just after 7:00 am (0600 GMT) on Thursday.

It is due to go completely offline on Saturday.

“We have every reason to be very satisfied with the LHC’s first three years,” CERN’s director general, Rolf Heuer, said in a statement.

“The machine, the experiments, the computing facilities and all infrastructures behaved brilliantly, and we have a major scientific discovery in our pocket.”

The LHC smashes invisible particles together to better understand the micro-moment after the creation of our Universe some 14 billion years ago.

Located in a 26.6-km (16.5-mile) circular tunnel, the LHC was the scene of an extraordinary discovery announced in July 2012.

CERN’s scientists said they were 99.9 percent certain they had found the Higgs Boson, an invisible particle without which, theorists say, humans and all the other joined-up atoms in the Universe would not exist.

At a cost of up to 50 million Swiss francs (40 million euros/$54 million), the upgrade will boost the level of energy at which the LHC smashes protons together.

This is necessary to confirm definitively that its particle is the elusive Higgs, and allow the LHC to probe new dimensions such as supersymmetry and dark matter.

The LHC is due to be back online by 2015, but CERN will not be idle during the shutdown.

Its scientists have to sift through a vast mountain of data, equivalent to 700 years of full HD-quality movies. from Mount Rinjani, Indonesia’s secondhighest volcano, located on Lombok. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Eagle has first offspring: The first Philippine eagle bred in captivity has sired her first offspring, in what conservationists said Thursday was a small victory in efforts to save one of the world’s rarest raptors.

The bird was hatched after a dramatic wait on Feb 9 at the Philippine Eagle Foundation in the southern island of Mindanao, the group’s executive director Dennis Salvador told AFP. “This is a triumph for the Philippine Eagle, but there is still a long way to go to for these majestic creatures to grow in number in the wild,” Salvador said.

“It (the bird) is in very good condition, although we had a very problematic hatch — we waited with baited breath for it to finally come out of the shell,” he said.

The chick’s mother is an eagle named Pag-asa (Hope) that was the first raptor bred in captivity at the centre in 1992, Salvador said.

The Philippine eagle, or Pithecophaga jefferyi, found only in the country’s vanishing forests, is the world’s largest eagle and is considered “critically endangered”.

(AFP)

Director aims to create seamless blend of history, fiction

Oscar nominated Pinochet film ‘No’ divides Chile

Film

PARIS, Feb 14, (AFP): More than 20 years after Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet was forced from power, director Pablo Larrain says the reaction to his Oscar-nominated film about the campaign to oust him is evidence of the depth of feeling he still provokes.

Larrain’s film “No”, up against Michael Haneke’s widely tipped “Amour” for best foreign language film, tells the story of a brash young advertising executive who takes on the apparently doomed task of masterminding the campaign against Pinochet in a 1988 plebiscite on his presidency.

Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal stars as ad man Rene Saavedra who, with an atmosphere of gloom and defeatism engulfing

the ‘no’ campaign, is asked to use his talent for selling soap powder to transform the opposition’s chances.

Despite initial scepticism he agrees and ultimately succeeds in turning things around with his feelgood “Chile, happiness is coming” slogan and campaign.

The vote led to Pinochet being forced to hand power in 1990 to Patricio Aylwin, the first democratically elected president since socialist Salvador Allende was ousted in a 1973 military coup.

Forced “Many people remember how Pinochet arrived after the coup against Allende, but few know how he was forced out and I wanted to tell the story of how a message of

joy and optimism contributed to his defeat,” Larrain told AFP in an interview.

Pinochet, who ruled Chile with an iron fist from 1973-1990, came to symbolise Latin American military repression.

In the years after his ouster, he never stood trial on any charge, after his lawyers successfully argued that “mild dementia” prevented him from defending himself.

He died aged 91 in 2006.

“Not a leaf moves without my knowledge,” he once said, as thousands of Chileans were tortured, executed and forced into exile following the 1973 coup.

Sold to over 50 countries worldwide, the film plunges the viewer into a period when Pinochet’s posi-

tion seemed unassailable, without the benefit of historical hindsight.

Using cameras with very low resolution to match the look of the archive footage, Larrain said he aimed to create a seamless blend of history and fiction.

Memory “My motivation was not just to do a work of memory. What I wanted to do was to tell this fascinating story and rescue a moment that was very important for Chilean society.”

The Pinochet era deeply divides Chile even today with some Chileans hailing him for replacing socialism with free-market policies, despite his notoriety.

During his rule, thousands of people were executed or disap-

peared from custody, presumed killed.

At the time of his death he was an international pariah and faced more than 250 charges for alleged rights abuses, including masterminding the infamous “Caravan of Death” that killed 75 regime opponents after he seized power.

Larrain, 36, grew up during the 1980s under Pinochet’s dictatorship Two of his earlier films “Tony Manero” (2008), and “Post Mortem” (2010), also drew on the Pinochet era although they tackled it from different angles.

“I think the big problem in Chilean society is impunity,” he said.

“There’s been no justice.

Pinochet died free and most of the

torturers and assassins are free.

That doesn’t allow for the wound to heal and doesn’t allow for Chilean society to move forward.”

For that reason, he said, the film sparked much debate in Chile where “everything that can be said about a film” was said.

“None of the political factions were happy because they wanted it (the film) to legitimise their own political perspective.

“But this film is only a subjective glance. It was not to teach a history class,” he added.

Larrain expects the Academy Award to go to Austrian director Haneke but says he is proud to have been nominated and had the opportunity to carry the torch for Chilean film.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Features

Variety

This publicity photo released by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment shows Bruce Willis in a scene from the 1988 film, ‘Die Hard’. (AP)

Film ‘Safe Haven’ routine romantic thriller LOS ANGELES: Participant Media has formed a $100 million film fund with Doha Film Institute with the goal of financing 12 to 16 feature films, the companies said Wednesday.

The revolving fund extends for a five-year period and the partners will collaborate on developing, producing and arranging distribution for various projects.

In addition to the film fund, Participant and DFI are exploring a joint venture to create content for Participant’s new television channel, which will launch in August.

Participant will create a Middle East branch based at Doha Film Institute’s Qatar headquarters as part of the pact.

(RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

NEW YORK: Vendome Pictures will produce and finance “El Bulli,” a new film about one the most famous and influential chefs of the past 25 years, Ferran Adria.

Adria, a huge influence on the molecular gastronomy movement, closed the restaurant in July 2011 at a time it was fielding 2 million reservations requests a year but could only serve a few thousand guests.

The chef has already been the subject of one movie, the 2011 documentary “El Bulli: Cooking in Progress.”

David Wilson has penned a script about the restaurant and chef based on Lisa Abend’s book “The Sorcerer’s Apprentices: A Season in the Kitchen at Ferran Adria’s elBulli.” The film will be set in the restaurant’s final year, mixing a factual look inside the kitchen with fictional flourishes.

Abend spent six months in elBulli in 2009 reporting on the restaurant’s rigorous training program that hosted 32 gifted young chefs who paid their way to train with one of the world’s most demanding chefs.

Vendome Pictures’ CEO Philippe Rousselet will produce this fictionalized account with Jeff Kleeman and John Lesher. They are currently looking for a director, with

Latest ‘Die Hard’ pointless, joyless

By Christy Lemire

I

t’s supposed to be a parody of itself, right?

That’s the only way to explain the ridiculously over-the-top, repetitively numbing fifth film in the “Die Hard” franchise, the clunkily titled “A Good Day to Die Hard.”

John McClane used to be a cowboy. Now, he’s a cartoon character — specifically, Wile E. Coyote, given how many times he should be seriously injured and/or killed in this movie. He’s shot at, involved in several serious car accidents, crashes through glass windows and ceilings and plummets through floor after floor of high-rise scaffolding. The most he suffers is a scratch here and there, and then he’s ready to pop back up again with a bemused twinkle in his eye and a wry quip.

Part of the charm of this character, which was crucial in defining Bruce Willis’ career, was the regular-guy, Reagan-era resourcefulness he represented; now, he’s weirdly superhuman. But as charismatic as Willis ordinarily is in the role, even he can’t fool us into thinking he’s actually enjoying himself this time. Essentially, this is an opportunity for Willis to show off how great he still looks in a tight T-shirt at age 57; even the obligatory “yippee-ki-yay” line feels phoned in.

Barrage “A Good Day to Die Hard” is pointless and joyless, a barrage of noise and chaos, an onslaught of destruction without the slightest mention of consequence. Dozens of people should be dead from one lengthy car chase alone; “Die Hard” keeps on driving. Director John Moore (“Behind Enemy Lines.” ‘’Max Payne”) mistakes shaky-cam and dizzying zooms for artistic finesse in his action sequences. This is a film that has not one but two scenes in which helicopters just sit there,

hovering in the sky, firing countless highpowered rounds into buildings.

But the most obnoxious element of all in Skip Woods and Jason Keller’s script may be the hastily wedged-in father-son feel-goodery that occurs in the midst of all this madness.

You see, Willis’ unstoppable New York cop has traveled to Moscow to track down his bitter, estranged son, Jack (Jai Courtney), whom he believes to be in some sort of criminal trouble. It turns out Jack is actually a spy working undercover to protect a government whistleblower named Komarov (Sebastian Koch), and dad has arrived just in time to ruin his mission.

So now the two McClanes must team up to keep Komarov from being kidnapped by generically menacing Russian bad guys; Komarov’s heavily lipsticked daughter, Irina (Yuliya Snigir), is also involved somehow, with wavering alliances. They all want Komarov to lead them to a hidden file — it sounds so Cold War, it may as well have been microfilm — but of course the file is the MacGuffin. It probably isn’t even really a file.

McClane picks up whatever weapon is nearby and solves every problem that comes their way but he also finds time to nag his son for calling him “John” instead of “dad.”

Whether this is intended as comic relief in the heat of the moment or genuine sentiment, it clangs and feels too cute. McClane also repeatedly laments “I’m on vacation!” just as things are about to get hairy. We’d all be better off if Willis took a vacation from this character for good.

“A Good Day to Die Hard,” a 20th Century Fox release, is rated R for violence and language. Running time: 97 minutes.

One star out of four. ❑ ❑ ❑ It’s easy to understand why Hollywood

plans to commence shooting this year. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

LOS ANGELES: Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired North American distributions rights to “A Teacher,” Hannah Fidell’s debut feature about a teacher who is having an affair with her student.

Burdge

Rousselet

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month and will screen at South

by Southwest in March.

Oscilloscope plans to release the movie in theaters, on VOD and digital later this year, and will likely release it day-and-date on VOD and in theaters.

Fidell’s movie explores the

loves doing business with author Nicholas Sparks. His books are huge best-sellers, and several of the films adapted from his novels — “Message in a Bottle,” ‘’The Notebook,” and “Dear John” — have achieved impressive box office grosses. The latest Sparks adaptation, “Safe Haven,” will probably continue his winning streak, especially with its Valentine’s Day opening pegged to lure female fans. A thriller element that has not been present in earlier Sparks movies is designed to draw reluctant male viewers to see the picture, but they won’t respond with the same enthusiasm as his core audience of woozy romantics.

The mystery plot recalls a 1991 Julia Roberts movie, Sleeping with the Enemy, in which the heroine fled an abusive husband and tried to re-invent herself in a brand new community. In this case our heroine, Katie (Julianne Hough), runs away from a toxic marriage in Boston, boards a bus, and on a whim gets off in a small seaside community in North Carolina. There she meets a sensitive widower, Alex (Josh Duhamel), raising two young children on his own. Because of their troubled histories, they approach each other warily, but there’s little doubt about where their relationship is headed. Before long, however, a nasty blast from Katie’s past arrives to threaten her newfound bliss.

Flat The first problem with the film is that the burgeoning romance is too flat to generate intense audience empathy. Alex’s daughter, who barely remembers her mother, warms to Katie immediately, but her older brother has a harder time with his father’s new relationship.

Still, this complication isn’t especially well developed in the screenplay by Dana Stevens and Gage Lansky. In addition, the two main characters are such paragons that there are no

gradual emotional unraveling of Diana (Lindsay Burdge), a young, attractive high school teacher. She has been sleeping with her student, Eric (Will Brittain), but begins to oscillate between extreme anxiety and insatiable lust for her younger sexual partner. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

real psychological impediments to their union.

To jack up the tension, director Lasse Hallstrom (who also helmed the film “Dear John”) keeps intercutting scenes of a grim, hard-drinking Boston cop (David Lyons) determined to track Katie down. But the gauzy romantic interludes prove to be something of a yawn. When her nemesis finally arrives in North Carolina, the film does develop some effectively suspenseful moments. But the drama is a long time coming.

A related problem is the casting. The best Sparks movie, “The Notebook,” had the strongest cast, with talented newcomers Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams balancing seasoned veterans James Garner and Gena Rowlands. To put it as charitably as possible, the actors in “Safe Haven” are not in the same league. Hough, better known as a singer and dancer than a dramatic actress, is likably spunky, but Duhamel fades into the background, and there are no lively supporting players in the ensemble. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that Hallstrom, who burst into prominence with his fine direction of child actors in the Swedish film “My Life as a Dog,” fails to draw vivid performances from the two actors cast as Alex’s children.

Hallstrom’s direction is generally lackluster.

The picture is certainly competent, but a dozen other journeyman directors could have executed this piece just as efficiently. It’s hard to see much evidence of the talent that brightened “My Life as a Dog,” “The Cider House Rules,” or even “Chocolat.” The seaside locations are tenderly evoked by cinematographer Terry Stacey and production designer Kara Lindstrom, but the film isn’t visually memorable or dramatically vibrant. It does, however, have one sentimental surprise at the end that testifies to Sparks’storytelling shrewdness. (AP)

NEW YORK: Universal Pictures announced Tuesday that it will release a new movie from “Despicable Me” producer Illumination Entertainment July 4 weekend in 2015. The studio would not disclose anything else about the movie, which will be Illumination’s sixth feature film since Chris Meledandri

founded it in 2007.

However, we can tell you what it will and won’t be. It will be an original, animated movie, a spokesman for Meledandri and Universal told TheWrap. That means it won’t be the reboot of the Grinch that Illumination and Universal are cooking up.

(RTRS)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

NEWS/FEATURES

24

People & Places

Music Groban scores

Endless tops songs of love NEW YORK, Feb 14, (RTRS): When it comes to love, sometimes old songs say it best.

The 1981 Motown ballad “Endless Love” by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie topped Billboard magazine’s “Top 50 ‘Love’ Songs of All Time” list on Wednesday, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The duet, written by Richie and used as the theme song for Franco Zeffirelli’s film of the same name, earned Richie an Academy Award nomination for best original song.

The list is based on the Rihanna rankings on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart from its start in 1958 until today. As might be expected, every song has the word “love” in the title.

Boyz II Men’s 1994 hit “I’ll Make Love to You,” 2011 pop dance track “We Found Love” by Rihanna and Calvin Harris, 1977’s “How Deep Is Your Love,” from the Bee Gees and 1976’s “Silly Love Songs” by Wings round out the top five.

The oldest song dates from 1958, “To Know Him Is to Love Him” by The Teddy Bears. Rihanna’s “We Found Love” is the most recent entry on the list.

Version Whitney Houston’s 1992 version of “I Will Always Love You,” Mario’s 2004 “Let Me Love You,” 1990’s “Because I Love You (The Postman Song)” by Stevie B., 1977’s “Best of My Love” from The Emotions and the Ray Charles 1962 classic “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” complete the top 10.

This is the fourth year that Billboard has issued a list for Valentine’s Day, although in 2011 its “Love Stinks” compilation took the opposite approach with the 30 biggest heartbreak hits.

Two real-life couples appear this year, Captain & Tennille with 1975’s “Love Will Keep Us Together” and Jay-Z and Beyonce with 2003’s “Crazy in Love.”

Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey have three entries each on the list, along with Paul McCartney with The Beatles and his own band Wings, for “Silly Love Songs,” 1973’s “My Love” and “She Loves You” from 1963.

The complete list can be seen at http://billboard.com/lovesongs. ❑ ❑ ❑ Singer Josh Groban scored his third No. 1 on Wednesday as his latest album shot to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart, edging out new entries from Tim McGraw and rock band Coheed and Cambria.

“All That Echoes,” Groban’s sixth studio album, sold 145,000 copies in its first week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, making it the singer’s third charttopping album since 2007’s holiday set, “Noel.”

Country crooner McGraw debuted at No. 2 with his 12th studio album, “Two Lanes of Freedom,” selling 107,000 copies.

McGraw and his country singer wife, Faith Hill, were also presenters at Sunday’s Grammy Awards.

“Now 45,” the latest installment of the “Now Music” compilations featuring chart hits by One Direction, Maroon 5 and Pink, landed at No. 3 this week.

British folk band Mumford & Sons’ album “Babel” climbed the chart from No. 7 to No. 4, following the band’s big Grammy night win on Sunday for Album of the Year. ❑ ❑ ❑ Jimmy Iovine and Dr Dre will launch a new paid subscription music service this summer branded under the successful Beats headphone brand, Iovine said in New York.

Speaking at AllThingsD’s conference in Laguna Beach, the chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M sought to explain why his service will be better than the ones currently available. One reason? It’s being designed by creative people instead of geeks.

“Most technology companies are culturally inept,” Iovine said. “The way content companies never get tech right, [tech companies] never get culture right. They can hire anyone they want to sing in front of advertisements, but they never get curation right.”

Iovine then said that everyone offers the same service except for Apple, for which he reserved high praise. Steve Jobs was able to create a great service because he mirrored the current generation, boasting a background in both culture and technology.

In this March 18, 2011 file photo, country singer Eric Church performs at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. (Inset): In this Dec 5, 2012 file photo, Hunter Hayes performs at the Grammy Nominations Concert Live! at Bridgestone Arena, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP)

Music Swift, Lambert up for top honor

Church leads ACMs noms

This undated file photo shows Emmett Till, a black 14-year-old Chicago boy, who was brutally murdered near Money, Mississippi, Aug 31, 1955, after whistling at a white woman. Epic Records is going to ‘great efforts’ to take down a new Future remix leaked over the weekend with a vulgar lyric by Lil Wayne that has offended the family of Emmett Till. (AP)

Jobs

Gaga

Variety NEW YORK: Red Bull, “Epic Rap Battles of History” and a “Halo” web series have all won Streamy Awards, which recognize the year’s best in online video, Dick Clark Productions and Tubefilter announced on Wednesday. The awards show takes place on Sunday, but the producers announced 19 winners in advance.

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn,” a liveaction web series set in the world of the popular video game, is the biggest winner so far with three awards. It won Best Editing (Michael Louis Hill), Best Production Design (Kasra Farahani) and Best Cinematography (Brett Pawlak).

The show, which aired on the gamerfriendly Machinima Prime YouTube channel, debuted in October in advance of the release of the “Halo 4” video game.

Stewart Hendler directed the series, and though he was not nominated for his work on “Halo,” he won the Best Direction Streamy for his work on the Bryan Singerproduced “H+ the Digital Series.”

Two other shows are already repeat winners as well — “Epic Rap Battles of History” and ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.”

“Epic Rap Battles,” which pits figures like Hitler and Darth Vader against one another in musical one-upmanship, won “Best Music Series” and “Best Original Song.” Peter Shukoff (alter ego Nice Peter) and Lloyd Ahlquist (alter ego Epic Lloyd) won the latter award for a video that pitted tech titans Steve Jobs and Bill Gates against one another. Their YouTube channel is part of the Maker Studios network. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb 14, (AP): They don’t call him Chief for nothing: Eric Church is the top nominee at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards.

The rising country music star has seven nominations for the April 7 awards show in Las Vegas. Hunter Hayes is next with six, followed by Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert at five apiece.

Swift and Lambert are up for the academy’s top honor — entertainer of the year — with Lambert’s husband, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. Swift is going for her third straight win in that category.

Shelton and Bryan will co-host the broadcast, to air live on CBS from the MGM Grand.

Along with naming nominees in a series of videos online Wednesday morning, the academy also awarded trophies in the three new artist categories. Jana Kramer is the new female vocalist of the year, Brantley Gilbert is the new male vocalist winner and Florida Georgia Line took new vocal duo or group, as voted by fans. Those three acts will now compete for new artist of the year.

Fans will continue to have a say in that category and entertainer of the year. Fans can vote in those categories beginning March 25 at http://VoteACM.com.

Hayes began an incredible run on the awards show circuit with a nomination for best new artist at the ACMs last year. He didn’t win, but has since has been on a streak. He won the Country Music Association’s best new artist in November, was tied with Swift as the top-nominated country artist at Sunday’s Grammy Awards,

WASHINGTON: Lady Gaga has canceled the rest of her “Born This Way Ball” tour due to a hip problem that requires

where he performed, and now takes center stage in Las Vegas.

“It’s amazing. That puts it in perspective,” a groggy Hayes said a few minutes after his manager woke him up with the news. “I’m kind of feeling like I’m part of the family now, especially now, with this. That’s such an honor, such a huge compliment. This is serious. This is for real. This says that my music’s been accepted by this community and it’s unbelievable — and that’s one of the best feelings in the world.”

Double Church’s “Chief” is up for album of the year along with Swift’s “Red,” Bryan’s “tailgates & tanlines,” Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” and Little Big Town’s “Tornado.” Jay Joyce scored a rare double in the category: He produced the Church and Little Big Town albums and will take home a trophy if either wins. He’s also up for producer of the year.

“Chief,” released in 2011, slipped through a loophole and into the category for the second straight year.

Academy rules allow an album to be nominated outside its usual qualification period if it did the bulk of its sales during the next opening. The album reached platinum last year and currently sits at more than 1.3 million copies sold.

That album’s inclusion may have cost Zac Brown Band’s “Uncaged” a nomination just three days after the band took home the Grammy for best country album. Another potential nominee left off the list was Brad Paisley, who had been nominated every year since 1999.

Church also is up for male vocalist of the year with 2012 winner Shelton,

surgery, Live Nation Global Touring said Wednesday.

In a statement, the tour operator said

Bryan, Aldean and Toby Keith.

Lambert will be going for her fourth straight female vocalist of the year award with Swift, Underwood, Martina McBride and Kacey Musgraves, a newcomer who earned four nominations.

Others with four nominations include Bryan and Little Big Town.

That quartet is up for vocal group of the year with Lady Antebellum, which has won the award three straight times, Zac Brown Band, Eli Young Band and The Band Perry.

Surprise 2012 vocal duo winner Thompson Square is nominated in that category again along with Sugarland, Big & Rich, Florida Georgia Line, and Love and Theft.

Church also is nominated in the song and single of the year categories for “Springsteen.” Lambert’s “Over You,” Hayes’ “Wanted,” Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and Lee Brice’s “A Woman Like You” round out the song of the year category.

Lambert, EYB and Hayes join Church in the single of the year category with LBT’s “Pontoon.”

Like Hayes, the idea of family was on Lambert’s mind. She wrote “Over You” with Shelton. It’s a song Shelton’s late father encouraged him to write about his brother, who died young.

“What an exciting day!” Lambert wrote in an email to The Associated Press. “Country music is a family and we’re gonna have a big reunion in Las Vegas for the ACM Awards. I’m blessed every day and thrilled to be nominated, and it’s extra special to be nominated with Blake for song of the year.”

the superstar singer has a labral tear of the right hip.

“She will need surgery to repair the

Pen knives on pier ended crime: Gibb

Jeff Nolan, Hard Rock's Music & Memorabilia Historian, admires Jimi Hendrix' 1967 Gibson SG Custom guitar at the launch of Hard Rock International's traveling music memorabilia collection, ‘Gone Too Soon’, on Feb 13, at Hard Rock Cafe New York. ‘Gone Too Soon’ pays tribute to music icons whose lives and career where tragically cut short and will be on tour at Hard Rock locations in the US throughout 2013. (AP)

SYDNEY, Feb 14, (AFP): The sole surviving member of the Bee Gees on Thursday revealed he and his brothers could easily have turned to crime rather than music as he unveiled a statue in their honour in Australia.

Barry Gibb, with brothers Robin and Maurice, grew up in Redcliffe in Queensland state, where the band was formed and they performed as the Bee Gees for the first time.

Barry unveiled on Thursday a walkway — Bee Gees Way — and a statue depicting the brothers aged nine to 12, recalling the simple joys of his childhood.

“We made the decision to throw the pen knives off the jetty — they’re out there somewhere — and to make the decision that it was either going to be a life of crime or a life of music.”

problem, followed by strict down time to recover,” said the statement. “This, unfortunately, will force her to cancel the tour so she can heal.”

In a series of tweets Tuesday, Lady Gaga said she had been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for some time, and that it had worsened over the past month.

“I hid it from my staff, I didn’t want to disappoint my amazing fans,” she tweeted.

The latest tweet had described her condition as a case of synovitis, an inflammation of the joints. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

LONDON: Bass player Rick Huxley, one of the founding members of the Dave Clark Five, has died. He was 72.

Clark announced Huxley’s death Tuesday, saying the news was “devastating.”

Huxley played on the band’s signature hits from the era when they briefly Huxley rivaled the Beatles in popularity. They were part of the British invasion that included the Rolling Stones, The Kinks and other bands.

Their best-known songs included “Bits and Pieces” and “Glad All Over.” They enjoyed a large following in the United States after appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, the Sunday night television show that also introduced the Beatles to American audiences.

The band, with a middle-of-the-road pop rock sound, was known for drummer Clark’s driving beat and exuberant vocals. But it faded after several years when harder-edged bands such as Cream, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Doors rose to popularity. The Dave Clark Five broke up in 1970 after 12 years together.

They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

Huxley, who suffered from emphysema, died Monday. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

BEACON, New York: The high school in Pete Seeger’s upstate New York hometown has named its theater after the 93year-old folk singer and his wife.

A ceremony held Tuesday night unveiled a bronze plaque outside the theater at Beacon High School in Dutchess County. The plaque identifies the venue as “The Seeger Theatre” and is adorned with an engraving of a banjo, Seeger’s signature instrument.

The Poughkeepsie Journal (http://pojonews.co/V7FBKp ) reports that the school board voted in October to name the theater after Seeger and his wife of nearly 70 years, Toshi. The couple has lived in Beacon for decades and the folk singer helps out local students.

After the dedication ceremony, students performed a musical tribute to the couple, including such Seeger classics as “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “If I Had a Hammer.” (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

GREER, South Carolina: Rapper DMX has been arrested in South Carolina for driving without a license.

Authorities say the 42-year-old, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was arrested early Wednesday. Simmons already faced several charges of driving without a license. Deputies say an officer pulled him over after watching Simmons leave a gas station, get into a car and drive away.

Simmons was released after paying a fine. It isn’t clear if he has an attorney.

(AP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

NEWS/FEATURES

25

Film Happy in her work

Late stage gift timed just right LOS ANGELES, Feb 14, (RTRS): The life of an artist is full of surprises, and none has been bigger for French actress Emanuelle Riva than the one that has come late in life. The response has been overwhelming to her performance in this year’s meditative “Amour,” which brought her the first Oscar nomination of her career — and makes her the oldest Best Actress nominee ever, at Riva 85.

Riva was best known previously for her role in the 1959 French New Wave classic, “Hiroshima Mon Amour,” directed by Alain Resnais. In Michael Haneke’s “Amour,” she plays a wife declining inexorably toward death, losing her physical and intellectual grasp.

The loving husband who cares for her is played by Jean-Louis Trintignant, whose breakout role was playing Brigitte Bardot’s young suitor in the original version of “And God Created Woman.”

After a lifetime of steady roles in France, Riva has spent the better part of the past year responding to global interview requests and accepting accolades, including a New York Film Critics Circle award in January that led to her first trip ever to New York. The Oscars will be her first trip to Los Angeles. It will also take place on her 86th birthday.

TheWrap spoke by phone to Riva from her family home in Les Vosges, a region in eastern France.

Question: Thank you for making the time to speak to us.

Answer: I am horribly tired. I don’t have a moment to rest. They don’t leave me in peace. But, my word, I said I’d do it.

Q: Have you been surprised by the response to “Amour”?

A: It surprises us, this much success. I didn’t expect so much interest. But it’s not only to me, it’s to the film, those who worked in the film. We are very happy for this huge public response.

Q: How did Michael Haneke approach you about doing the role?

A: It’s not me who decided. It’s Haneke who decided. When a director like him chooses someone, he is so precise. He knew me from “Hiroshima Mon Amour.” I was 30 years old. He hadn’t seen me since that time. And he wanted to meet me. It was done very classically. A director looks for an actor, he has a vision, we met.

Q: And then what happened?

A: We did a rehearsal with the scene in the kitchen — when she begins to depart, to go elsewhere.

[For my character, it’s about] the regard that’s no longer there. The absence. It’s terrible. He looked at it closely. He wanted to see me on the screen. He said I touched him deeply in this scene.

Q: Were you afraid of confronting this theme of mortality?

A: Afraid? No, not at all. Why would I be afraid? This role presents the subject of the film that touches each of us, every human on the planet. As an actress, it’s so exciting to be engaged in a role like this. I would never have felt fear for this. If an actress is afraid, she should head for the door right away.

I was so happy in the work.

Every day, every day. Two months of work. It was such happiness — a feeling of complete fullness. Of life, of death, of love. I never lost the excitement of the work. I was so infinitely happy during this shoot.

So serious, but it wasn’t sad at all.

Q: How did you react to the Oscar nomination?

A: I found out in New York, I was there for the critics circle award. The 10th of January, early morning. My neighbors who help me when I travel shouted for joy. I was barely awake. They were screaming, “You’re nominated!” I stayed very calm. I got up and said, “I’m not nominated.” Of course I was very happy.

Q: And how do you feel about coming to the Oscars?

A: I am very calm in the face of all of this. I am 85 years old. I am not going to flop about like a fish.

What makes me nervous is these hours on the plane. Frankly, it seems like a hell of a journey to me. It’s so long. But I will do things to the end. I will fall in someone’s arms if I need to.

This adventure, this gift, in the last stage of my life — it’s not easy to measure up — but it’s the exact moment in my life when I could do it. Before would have been too early. Later might have been too late. But it’s a great treasure to participate in this film.

Chinese director Cui Zi’en poses at the novotel ‘les Halles’ in Paris. (AFP)

Film Digital video filmmakers give voice to the marginalised

Directors dodge censors in China Actor Paul Rudd poses for photographers during a photo call for the film ‘Prince Avalanche’ at the 63rd edition of the Berlinale, International Film Festival in Berlin, on Feb 13. (AP)

Tarantino

Kidman

Variety NEW YORK: Reginald Hudlin, director of films like “Boomerang” and “House Party,” never expected to be going to the Oscars as a best-picture-nominated producer of a slavery-era spaghetti Western

by Quentin Tarantino.

“I didn’t think it was happening when it was happening,” Hudlin says, laughing.

The wide-ranging career of the 51-yearold filmmaker has included a three-year stint as President of Entertainment for BET, executive producing TV shows like “The Boondocks,” writing the Marvel comic book “Black Panther” and directing episodes of “Modern Family” and “Everybody Hates Chris.” So when Tarantino called up Hudlin to ask if he wanted to help produce “Django,” he was stunned.

“Quite frankly, I just didn’t believe him,” Hudlin recalled in a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles.

But Hudlin had long known Tarantino, who told him that a conversation they had had years earlier about Hollywood’s depictions of slavery (or lack thereof) helped lead Tarantino to write “Django Unchained.”

A week later, Hudlin was in Louisiana scouting locations for the film that would eventually land five Academy Awards nominations and gross more than $340 million worldwide. He shares the best picture nomination with producers Stacey Sher (who produced Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction”) and Pilar Savone (who has risen in Tarantino’s productions since being the director’s assistant on “Kill Bill”).

Hudlin is the most prominent AfricanAmerican behind the scenes of the hit film, which courted the black community ahead of its release and mostly won its support. Spike Lee was one notable exception. (He refused to see it, saying “American slavery was not a Sergio Leone spaghetti Western. It was a holocaust.”) And a limited-edition line of action figures of the film’s characters including slaves and slave-owners - drew protests and eventually the dolls’ withdrawal from sale.

“We knew from the beginning that we were working with nitroglycerin,” says Hudlin. “Was there a tremendous amount of discussion and conversation and analysis to make sure we were calibrating this thing exactly right? Absolutely. It was explosive material, but I always had confidence that as a team, we would deliver the right movie.”

For Hudlin, “Django” represents the kind of film he’d like to see more of: original movies with multi-ethnic casts that don’t reuse well-trod genre tropes.

“Django” goes against the conventional

PARIS, Feb 14, (AFP): With rapid economic growth transforming China, independent filmmaker Cui Zi’en is one of a growing number of directors dodging the censors in order to document the changes through the eyes of some of the most marginalised in Chinese society.

“We’re a heroic, comic, lost generation. We have nothing,” says one young man in Cui’s documentary “Night Scene” about the lives of young male prostitutes in Beijing.

A film scholar and gay activist who has written nine novels including China’s first gay novel, Cui has for the last 12 years focused on low-tech digital video (DV) filmmaking as his preferred means of expressing himself.

His 40-odd films have covered everything: from the only children produced by China’s one-child policy imposed in the late 1970s, to the problems faced by millions of rural migrants who have flocked to the cities in search of work.

Cui, 54, began making films as soon as the technology became accessible due to falling prices in 2001.

Digital video was not only cheap but also had the added advantage of being beneath the radar of China’s censors.

“The censors exert their rights over anything submitted to them,” Cui told AFP in an interview in Paris.

Movement “As I am part of the independent cinema movement, we do not recognise the authority of the censors,” he said.

Instead, Cui and his fellow independent filmmakers bypass the censors and screen their work at gay or independent film festivals, in bars and at universities, post them online or distribute them on copied DVDs. The social upheaval sparked by China’s breakneck economic growth has given independent filmmakers a wealth of material.

The nation faces social problems thinking that neither films starring black actors nor Westerns can find large audiences abroad. It’s been a huge success

Misfits pair up for tedious job

Quirky comedy film ‘Prince’ charms Berlin BERLIN, Feb 14, (RTRS): Cinema has a new odd couple in “Prince Avalanche”, a low-budget film set in the remote, fire-ravaged forests of Texas and starring Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch as an unlikely pair of workers painting markings on a seemingly endless road.

The tedium of their work allows space for them to argue, bicker, compete and bond in David Gordon Green’s oddball remake of a 2011 Icelandic movie called “Either Way”.

In competition at the Berlin film festival, where it premieres on Wednesday, “Prince Avalanche” has received mostly warm reviews, with the Hollywood Reporter calling it an “odd little gem of a movie”.

Green, best known for stoner comedy “Pineapple Express”, took an unusual approach to making the film: he decided to adapt an Icelandic picture even before he had seen it.

“I watched the film for the first time really with the intension of remaking it, which is really strange,” he told reporters in Berlin.

He set the action in the late 1980s rather than today, because it allowed him to cut his characters off completely from an outside world with no Skype, mobile phones or iPads – generally a time when “things were more pleasant.”

For Hirsch, there were parallels with his most famous role to date in Sean Penn’s 2007 “Into the Wild” in which he plays Christopher McCandless, who turns his back on society and wanders into the Alaskan wilderness.

In “Prince Avalanche” his character Lance is just the opposite – a young drifter who hates being away from the buzz of the city and the company of his girlfriends.

“I love shooting in nature, that’s

for sure, but I think because I’m so identified with the part in ‘Into the Wild’ I like the idea of playing a character that didn’t really like nature and hated to be alone from the beginning,” he said.

“I certainly love nature and I love being in the wilderness, but I was raised in Sante Fe, New Mexico but also in Los Angeles, California.”

Green rushed to shoot the movie, which took just 16 days to film, in order to capture the devastation caused by a 2011 wildfire at Bastrop State Park.

He kept his crew to a minimum – no more than 10 people on set at any time – and allowed the actors to improvise.

The barren landscape, which was quickly recovering its colour and vitality, was captured by Green’s regular director of photography Tim Orr.

ranging from an ageing population and the impact on future growth of the one-child policy, to graft and a gender imbalance due to the aborting of female foetuses.

Initially, Cui, an associate professor at the Film Research Institute of the Beijing Film Academy, concentrated on avant-garde features. But in 2007 he turned to documentaries.

“What I want to do in my films is to write another history of China, giving a voice to the marginalised, people whose rights are unrecognised and neglected through filming their way of life, of surviving,” he said.

Two of Cui’s films “Night Scene” and “Queer China, ‘Comrade’ China”, which traces the history of homosexuality in China, are featured in a China

season at Paris’s Forum des Images in February.

Homosexuality remains a sensitive issue in China, where it was officially considered a form of mental illness as recently as 2001 and same-sex marriages or civil unions have no legal basis.

“Before I came out, I was someone who was well regarded and esteemed because I was a writer, film director and a teacher.

are between 30 and 50 million gay people in the nation of 1.3 billion, Cui said.

In addition to the difficulties of being gay in China, Cui added that he was also subjected to scrutiny by the authorities.

Government security officials once quizzed him after he attended a film festival in the US and he was later banned from collecting a literary prize awarded by a human rights organisation in New York.

Despite this, he says he is determined to carry on telling the stories of people at the bottom of Chinese society.

“The marginalised interest me, people who are fighting against life,” he said.

internationally, taking in more than $187 million.

“If those historical models were always

Repression “But the moment that I came out, all this was turned on its head and I was subjected to repression,” he said. Such treatment was a deterrent to others wanting to declare their sexuality, he added.

Experts in China estimate that there correct, we wouldn’t be talking right now,” says Hudlin. “Those films travel because the world is represented in those films.

‘Rare find’

Obama plugs ‘Beasts’

The film ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ actress Quvenzhané Wallis smiles in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, on Feb 13, attended by middle and high school students from the District of Columbia area and New Orleans taking part in an interactive student workshop with the cast and crew of the movie, hosted by US First Lady Michelle Obama. (AP)

WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AP): US First Lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday gushed over the Oscar-nominated film “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” calling it one of the “most powerful and most important” movies in a long time in a ringing endorsement delivered less than two weeks before this month’s Academy Awards ceremony.

The first lady commented during a Black History Month workshop at the White House for about 80 middle- and high-school students from Washington and New Orleans.

The movie was set in Louisiana.

“It’s rare these days to find a movie that can so completely and utterly captivate such a broad audience and that was one of the things that struck me about this movie,” she said. “It managed to be beautiful, joyful and devastatingly honest.”

The audiences are voting with their dollar saying: We want more diversity.” (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

LOS ANGELES: Four former Best Actress winners will converge on stage at this year’s Oscar telecast, the show’s producers said Wednesday.

Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon will present an award, although the show’s producers were mum about whether or not they will take the stage together. If they do, it may mean a return to a format that was deployed and favorably received during the 2009 broadcast.

During that show, former winners of acting awards appeared on stage together to give short speeches praising each of the nominees. That was revived in a slightly modified form in the 2010 telecast, in which co-stars or celebrity friends of the various nominees were called on to pay tribute before the winner was announced.

Traditionally, the previous winner of an acting award reads out the nominees and hands out the statue without assistance.

Berry won the Oscar for her performance as a grieving widow in “Monster’s Ball” (2001), Bullock for her work as a feisty housewife and football fan in “The Blind Side” (2009), Kidman for playing a depressive Virginia Woolf in “The Hours” (2002) and Witherspoon for channeling June Carter Cash in “Walk the Line” (2005). (RTRS)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

26

Move over Hamburger Helper

New meal starters help amateur chefs make a ‘meal’

By Candice Choi

T

here’s nothing more satisfying than a home-cooked meal, especially if it comes out of a can or a pouch.

As more people try their hand at mimicking sophisticated recipes from cooking shows and blogs, food companies are rolling out meal kits and starters that make amateur chefs feel like Emeril Lagasse or Rachael Ray in the kitchen.

Call it the next generation of dinnerin-box sets like Rice-A-Roni and Hamburger Helper that were rolled out as moms flooded the workforce in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. But the new kits and starters go beyond just browning meat and throwing evaporated cheese and sea-

sonings into boiling water — the idea is to make people feel like they’re making their meals from scratch.

General Mills Inc. has a line of “Progresso Recipe Starters,” which are pre-made sauces in flavors such as “Fire-Roasted Tomato” and “Creamy Portabella Mushroom” that can be a base for a variety of dishes. Kraft Food Group Inc.’s “Sizzling Salads” dinner kits pair a meat marinade with salad dressing: you provide all the other ingredients. And Campbell Soup Co. has “Skillet Sauces” that can be mixed with fresh meat and veggies. Total prep time: 15 minutes.

Scott Jones, a public relations specialist in Fort Worth, Texas, uses Kraft’s

Velveeta Skillets, a deluxe version of mac-n-cheese in a box with flavors such as Chicken Alfredo and Lasagna.

Jones likes that the box suggests ways to customize the recipe by doing things like using different types of meats. He says the creamy cheese packets are a step up from powder mixes. And he likes adding personal touches (Think: diced tomatoes and peppers.) It’s not the same as the pot roasts feasts that he cooks on Sundays but on weekdays it allows him to give his family a “satisfying meal, quickly and conveniently.”

Cooking shortcuts long have been an American way of life, of course. But demand has grown for time-saving recipes as busy Americans eat more

meals at home to save money. The NPD Group estimates the average number of meals eaten at home at 902 last year, up from 870 four years earlier.

At the same time, there’s a growing “foodie culture” that values authenticity and fresh ingredients. It may be why sales of Rice-A-Roni — essentially a box of rice and powdered seasoning mix — have dropped 16 percent to $196 million from five years ago, according to the market researcher Euromonitor International.

The companies that make the new starters say it’s too early to make sales projections but the hope is to appeal to the people who want it both ways: a home-cooked meal that doesn’t require

much sweat and labor. In particular, companies are aiming for those in their 20s and 30s whose cooking skills may be outmatched by their increasingly sophisticated tastes.

“Their definition of cooking is different,” says Darren Serrao, who heads innovation for Campbell Soup, based in Camden, N.J. “Assembly is cooking.”

Indeed, Kraft Sizzling Salads dinner kits aren’t exactly your mother’s “made from scratch’ recipes.

They direct people to heat up some chicken with the marinade and toss a salad with the dressing. But in case aspiring home cooks need some extra guidance in their culinary adventures, Kraft provides cooking tutorials online.

In a video for the Chicken Caesar meal kit, a woman demonstrates how to squeeze the marinade over four chicken breasts in a frying pan. She then guides viewers through the steps of adding croutons and shredded cheese into a bowl of chopped lettuce. The finishing touch? Squirting in some Kraft dressing.

Progresso’s sauces involve a little more work. For example, let’s say you want beef stroganoff. All you need is two pounds of boneless beef sirloin, an onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and a can of Progresso’s Recipe Starters in Creamy Portabella Mushroom flavor.

The dish takes 35 minutes from start to finish, according to the recipe on the can. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

28

Himalayan weaving

Pashmina … Nepal’s pride

By Chaitali B. Roy Special to the Arab Times

click Drinking problem?: You are no longer alone! Confidential helpline 99641389. ❑ ❑ ❑ Narcotics Anonymous: NA can help with addiction problems. Totally confidential: 94087800 English/Arabic. ❑ ❑ ❑ Cancer online support group: If you are Cancer patient or family member fighting with this deadly disease, come join our online support group. Best way of dealing with this disease is providing support and share our experience with each other. There are lot of things which even doctors can’t tell so be member of this website and start sharing your experiences which may help others. October is recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). The primary purpose is to promote self examination and screening mammography as the most effective way to save lives by detecting breast cancer at early stage. For more information visit: http://fightingwithcancer.webs.com/

Pushkar Man Shakya wearing Pashmina

Latest Bridge bi-weekly results: The results of the bi-weekly bridge games played on Jan 27: 1st: Bianca Mousalli/Ahmed Tawfik; 2nd: Ibrahim Al Qattan/Numan Turki; 3rd: Dr Abdul Aziz Dashti/Khalid Al Obeid; 4th: Stephanie/Dia Kassawat; 5th: Hisham/Sudhir Dumra; 6th: Imran/Sam Jacobs.

Bridge tournament is being held every Sunday and Wednesday at 20:00 hours.

Played at the Graduates Club, next to Kuwait Engineering Society. Interested bridge pairs or individual players please contact Mohammed Merchant, Tel: 24815622, 24841158, 99612287. ❑ ❑ ❑ IBL registration: Indian Bowling League Season 4 will commence in March 2013. Kindly register your teams before that. It’s a mix of different nationalities and open to all. It’s fun and a good indoor sport. You will learn many things about it that you never knew. Email your applications to uly334@gmail.com IBL Season 3 – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set =a.10151366929589939.510911..5125449 38&type=1&l=63ddf1e93d Feb 16

Jewelry exhibition: FA Gallery presents collectible jewelry exhibition by Lama Hourani from Feb 16 to Feb 23.

The exhibition will feature her latest collections of handmade art-to-wear pieces and timeless classics.

Lama Hourani is a Jordanian jewelry designer residing between Amman, Barcelona and Shanghai. Hourani was recently honored as a global leader for 2012 by the World Economic Forum for her contribution to society, winner of the best innovative Design Award under the Young Arab Designers category by The Middle East Watches, Jewellery & Pens Awards. For details log on to www.thefagallery.com ❑ ❑ ❑

Pashmina artisans at work

Music

TIES Book Club: Join our first Book Club session on Saturday, Feb 16, 2013, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am. For all Passionate Readers are welcome!! Stop in and meet new friends and welcoming environment. To sign up or for more information contact us on 97228860 or email us tiesbookclub@gmail.com. ❑ ❑ ❑ TIES Desert Camp: All are welcome for an outdoor event like never before! Its TIES Center all day Desert Camp on Saturday, Feb 16, 2013 from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. Transportation will be provided.

Don’t miss out!! For reservation please call us on 25231015/6 or 97228860 or visit our website www.tiescenter.net Feb 17

Turkish language course: The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey announces that a new classes of Turkish Language for beginners will start at the Embassy’s Tourism, Culture and Information Office on Feb 17, 2013. The lessons will be two times in a week for six weeks, for further details and registration please contact: ■ the Embassy at Tel: 22277405 (only from 9 am to 3 pm).

■ or fill the application form on http://kuveyt.be.mfa.gov.tr and send it to the e-mail: embassy.kuwait@mfa.gov.tr ❑ ❑ ❑

AWARE eighth diwaniya: You are cordially invited to AWARE’s eighth monthly diwaniya presentation entitled, “The meaning of “As-Shakour = ready to appreciate service,” which is among the 99 names and attributes of Allah on Sunday February 17, 2013 at 7:00pm.

Knowing Allah necessitates knowing the meanings of His names, being affected by them and applying those meanings in your daily life. Knowing and understating those beautiful names and attributes will have a strong impact on your life in this ephemeral world. It will also determine your destiny in the Hereafter. The more you delve into the names and attributes of Allah, the more you love Him, which leads to exerting your utmost efforts in getting closer to Him in worship. Among Allah’s 99 attributes is As- Shakur is translated into “The Appreciative”. What are the other meanings of As-Shakour?

What are the implications of understanding and putting into action this realization? How does Allah thank us yet He is our creator, cherisher and sustainer?

Everything we enjoy is given to us by Him. To learn more about this beautiful

Nine-year-old Chinese student of British School of Kuwait and the Kuwait Music Academy Hai Wei Li won the Golden Cup and the First Prize of The Young Musicians of the Gulf Competition in Dubai for the Best Musician and Pianist in the ‘Under 15’ category. The competition was first organized in Bahrain 15 years ago and continues to this day in Dubai. Li was one of the 84 contestants who took part in the competition from countries around the world.

attribute of Allah (SWT), you are welcome to the AWARE Center on February 17, at 7:00pm. The speaker will be Hassan Twaha (AWARE Education Manager.)

For more information, please call 25335260/80 or e-mail: Htaware.hassan@gmail.com

will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its parliament. But the country had been going through some political crisis. So

est known as the abode of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, the small land locked Himalayan nation of Nepal has lots to offer. A land of yaks and yetis, high mountain peaks and sherpas, temples and monasteries, amazing adventure opportunities against dramatic landscapes and a rich offering of handicrafts, Nepal is a haven for mountain lovers. Pashmina, a high value weave is amongst its most popular and finest exports.

“Not many people know that some of the world’s finest pashmina comes from Nepal,” smiled Pushkar Man Shakya, present Vice-President of the World Craft Council Asia Pacific (South Asia) and former president of the Federation of Handicraft, Nepal, who was in Kuwait for craft week, an event held during Kuwait’s 19th Al-Qurain Cultural Festival, co-organized by the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific Region and the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL). “We are here at the invitation of Ghada al Qaddumi, President of the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific Region to participate in an event which celebrates traditional craft and its bearing on cultural heritage.”

Tradition Like the Bedouin weaving of Kuwait, weaving in Nepal has a long tradition. The mountain people of Nepal wove yak wool, sheep wool or vegetable products. The dhaka shawls worn by women and the men’s topi caps are still made by hand. “The tradition of weaving is very old, but I do not know exactly how far it can be traced back,” observed Pushkar Shakya. Like any other craft, weaving started in the Himalayan nation as a necessity and it is only in recent times that craft grew into an art form with a wide reach. The earliest mention of weaving in Nepal, is interestingly found in the Indian treatise Arthashastra dating back to 2nd century AD during the Mauryan times. Textiles from Nepal made their way to the great city states of Northern India, where they found a ready market.

“Historically pashmina stated to be produced in Nepal many years back and today we are the biggest exporters along with India.”

The word Pashmina comes from the Persian word ‘pashm’ which means wool. Pashmina was woven to provide people living in high altitudes a protective wrap from the devastating cold. “The origins of Pashmina in Nepal dates a long way back, when people of Nepal had to depend on the fabrics they wove for easy travel, warmth and in particular, survival.” The words Pashmina and Cashmere are used interchangeably causing confusion, but research showed that Pashmina is woven from fine wool, known as Cashmere in the West. With time Pashmina diversified into a variety of Cashmere blends and flattering colours that are extraordinarily popular in countries like the US, UK and Japan.

“Pashmina is the name of a product and not that of a brand, but sadly enough people today use this name to refer to products made of silk or other synthetic material. I have

how did that happen? What are the roots of those crises. Albara Alwuhaib is going to answer these questions and many more in the next Diwanya.

Albara Alwuhaib is an engineer, who works for the ministry of interior & was sent to work as an assistant manager to the Kuwait Memorial Museum. He is also doing volunteer work to a number of non-profit organizations including the Aware Center, Kuwaiti Human Rights

Bangladesh Embassy closure:

Sixth Form Intro at ESF: The

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will remain closed on Thursday, Feb 21 on the occasion of the Shahid Dibash and International Mother Language Day.

English School Fahaheel will hold a special Introductory evening for prospective Sixth Form students and their parents on Feb 18 at the Lloyd Webber Theatre. The event has been organized by Sixth Form staff.

The evening will provide information on courses offered at ESF and the extensive counseling services offered to students when applying to Universities.

Guests will also view the impressive Sixth Form facilities ESF has to offer.

Students at ESF have always enjoyed considerable success in attaining places at top Universities around the world. You too can be part of ESF’s select students.

AWARE diwaniya: “The AWARE Center cordially invites you to its diwaniya presentation entitled, “History Of Kuwait’s Democracy,” by Albara Alwohaib on Tuesday Feb 19, at 7:00pm.

February is the time of national holidays in Kuwait. This year also, Kuwait

foundations, & Kuwait Transparency Society. He is also a founder of a book club, which is part of Aljalees project. In June 2012, he gave a presentation entitled, “The Kuwaiti Resistance,” to the American Army at Camp Arifjan.

For more information, please call 25335260/80 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw Feb 21

Feb 18

Feb 19

come across normal shawls and stoles that are touted as Pashmina.

Some people sell products made of sheep wool or nylon as Pashmina.

This hurts the reputation of the market,” complains Pushkar Shakya. A long porous border with India ensures easy movement of goods both ways, diffusing claims about the place of production.

“This is one of the best products that Nepal has to offer the world. It has very good value addition. It passes through a labour intensive process where it is hand spun, scoured, and dyed with either vegetable dye or artificial dyes that have met very high international standards,” says Pushkar Shakya who runs his own manufacturing company called S3 International.

Originally Pashmina comes in colours like grey, off white or brown.

Pashmina is made from the wool of the Chyangra goat, found in the high altitudes of Nepal, India and Pakistan. “Pashmina is thinner, lighter and at the same time warmer than any other wool,” explained Sajil Shakya, son of Pushkar Shakya, a young Nepali who is bringing his own ideas into preserving this ancient art form and helping it evolve with time. “There is very good reason for this,” he continued.

“Pashmina comes from the underbelly fur of a special breed of mountain goat found in very high altitudes and as everybody knows Nepal has some of the highest mountains in the world and that is where the goats are, and that is where the bulk of Pashmina comes from. Having said that, India too has the Himalayas and Kashmir is a very cold place, it is obvious that they too will be producing Pashmina.” How does one take the insulating fluff of a mountain goat and turn it into a fashion statement?

The process is long and arduous and as Pushkar Shakya said ‘labour intensive’.

Survives The short, thin, shiny, inner coat of hair of the Himalayan mountain goat Capra Hircus that survives 12,000 feet above sea level insulates it during the long harsh winters.

Each Pashmina hair is about 12-14 microns, which is approximately one sixth of the diameter of human hair. Each goat produces 80-100 gms of ultra fine hair that is shed naturally. When the weaving process is completed, it goes for mending, washing and dyeing. “We use internationally approved dyes, that are good on the skin.”

Several years back, the art of making Pashmina made a comeback of sorts in Nepal. People set up factories with power looms, hired artisans and entered the export market.

But with time, observed Sajil, only a few entrepreneurs with a focus on quality survived.

The Nepali delegation to Kuwait also included Hari Gopal Chyashi, a noted artisan, an expert in weaving Pashmina, nettle,hemp, bamboo, banana, pineapple and other natural fibres.Chyashi took to weaving at a very young age and with time acquired the status of a master craftsman who went from one remote village to another teaching and spreading his art among villagers. “I have been weaving since childhood. I believe we need to preserve this heritage and that is why I go around spreading the art of weaving.”

Feb 22

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom: Indian

The children and teaching team from The Sunshine Kindergarten (TSK) in Salwa are always looking for ways to stay healthy and safe.

During Health Week the PKG and KG classes took part in their annual Sports Days, always a highlight of the school calendar. Using the huge sports arena in their sister school, The British School of Kuwait (BSK), the TSK chil-

dren took part in several events that were designed to promote fitness and agility. Well done to them all and well done to their mums and dads for ensuring that they buckle up, eat healthily and stay safe and well!

For more information about The Sunshine Kindergarten you can follow us on twitter, Facebook or look at our website www.tsk.edu.kw

Youth Society brings another unique show “JhoomBarabarJhoom” featuring world famous ghazal and qawwali singer Sabri Brothers and his team on Feb 22 at 6:30 pm sharp at Kuwait Medical Association Auditorium, beside Mubarak Al Kabeer hospital, Jabriya, Kuwait.

Young talents from Kuwait will be another attraction of the evening. For more details, please contact: 66127231, 69674121, 66869007, 67738135 and 99225378.

Email iyskuwait@gmail.com; Web Page: www.iyskuwait.com Feb 25

India Embassy closure: The

Some pashmina woven shawls

Some people say that the Pashmina from Nepal is several micron thinner and finer than the ones from India.

When combined with silk, the material lends itself to hand-woven products such as shawls, stoles, scarves that are shipped all over.

The high demand for Pashmina has kept the tradition of hand weaving alive in Nepal. The introduction of better technology, availability of skilled labour has made this most incredibly fine and luxurious material which has enjoyed popularity among royalty and other elites a must have. As the skilled Nepalese artisans continue to spin the thinnest, silkiest hairs and weave them into articles that are luxuriously rich, soft, warm and lightweight, we are assured of the survival of a tradition that goes a long way back.

Heritage

B

Embassy of India will remain closed on the following days during the month of February 2013: Feb 25, 2013 – Monday, National Day of Kuwait Feb 26, 2013 – Tuesday, Liberation Day of Kuwait ❑ ❑ ❑

HMWA organizes grand prog: Hyderabad Muslim Welfare Association is going to organize a grand yearly programme on the life of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) titled “Prophet Mohammed Greatest Social Reformer on 25th feb 2013 soon after Friday prayer in Masjid-e-Abdullah Al Mehri next to famous Edi Stores and in front of Titanic building in Salmiya. Prominent scholars from kuwait will speak on the selected topics focusing life of Prophet (PBUH) and his message to whole humanity and in particular to Muslim Umma.

Dear Brothers it is yet again a great opportunity to learn more and more about Seerah of our beloved Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). And to show our Passion, love and respect to our beloved religion of Islam and enlightened our lives with good deeds preached by Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) HMWA executive committee request

Continued on Page 30

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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NEW YORK: New York Fashion Week is fading to black.

Fall previews wrap up Thursday night, with the rescheduled Marc Jacobs show, but there’s been a steady parade of dark clothes straight on through to Wednesday, Day 7.

Black is basic, right? Black also is the color most likely to be worn by the front row of editors, retailers and stylists filling the Lincoln Center tents and venues around the city.

For the past few seasons, however, the insiders had been buzzing about brights. It was a trend that easily translated to a variety of consumers and price points.

Miche lle Sm ith

NEW YORK

Marchesa Equestrian portraits from the 17th century helped inspire a new season of redcarpet artistry by designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig.

In particular, a painting by Francisco de Goya called “Portrait of Maria Teresa de Vallabriga on Horseback.”

“Highlighting Goya’s influential style of dark shaded color applied in layers, the techniques used to craft this collection are derived from the same grandeur of exquisite detail and romance,” the designers said in their notes.

Michael Kors Kors went for “chic survival mode” on his runway for men and women, inspired

by October’s Superstorm Sandy.

A black rubberized shaker-knit sweatshirt was worn with taxicab yellow track pants that had tuxedo stripes made of more black leather. For those who need to make it to the office during a storm — literal or figurative — there was a gabardine-leather toggle coat and rubberized pullover sweater with black cotton trousers.

Above and below: Models display creations by Michael Kors, Michelle Smith, Rolando Santana, Marchesa, Proenza Schouler, Rachel Zoe and Titania Inglis at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Feb 13, in New York. (AFP/AP)

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Galliano’s clothes made news Wednesday even as he tried to keep out of the public eye.

Galliano has been almost entirely hidden away since he was sacked by Dior in 2011 after yelling anti-Semitic insults in a Paris cafe.

There were hints of his return Tuesday in the collection of Oscar de la Renta, who recently invited Galliano to spend three weeks in his workshop and was seen as adding a few Gallianoesque flourishes to his designs.

Then, on Wednesday, the New York Post caused a stir by pubglis lishing Titania In a photo of Galliano in what appeared to be a very trendy version of the ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jewish garb under the screaming headline: “SHMUCK!” oe Z l e h c a R The Post story suggested that Galliano was trying to insult Jews, but others quickly interpreted the get-up as a fashionista’s way of paying homage. ❑ ❑ ❑

Nanette Lepore Stars aligned for Lepore in a collection with a cosmic theme.

She said she found herself intrigued by the surfaces and textures beamed back from Mars by the Exploration rover over the past few months. She was drawn to prints that looked like manipulated images of Earth’s land and water from far away.

Naeem Khan A Khan gown makes a grand entrance. Maybe that’s why First Lady Michelle Obama seems to like them so much for big events.

On Khan’s runway was a silver-and-navy crystal gown with a tulip top and cape effect. And an embroidered black-andwhite evening coat with a fox-fur cuff worn with an all-over lace blouse and trim tuxedo trouser.

Reed Krakoff

Kors Michael

Santana

Many designers have very Rolando specific themes or inspirations for their collections — a painting, an ancient scroll, a mountain — but Reed Krakoff finds all that a bit contrived.

For him, it’s a matter of a mood, or severr Schoule al moods, that he tries to explore.

Proenza Krakoff’s “moods” were, he said, “utilitarian and functional, combined with fluThe utilitarian part came via tailored idity, combined with sensuality.” coats and jackets, in colors of classic navy, charcoal and military green.

The feminine and sensual elements came in flowing skirts, an occasional silky

Smith Michelle dress — like a black-and-ivory “liquid satin” frock — or blouses that looked

functional in front but were sheer, filmy and delicate at the back.

Rachel Zoe Zoe went a little more tailored — and a little tougher — for the new season, shaking off some of her bohemian rock-star girlfriend.

But she did lend a nod to “rock ‘n’ roll underground London.” She clearly likes music and the 1970s style, too, but she said in her notes she also found inspiration in “the equestrian lifestyle.”

That translated into lovely shades of caramel chocolate brown and dark green, especially rich in leather. A pair of pleated

LONDON: Leading British designers such as Vivienne Westood, Christo-pher Kane, Alice Tempe-rley and Burb-erry’s Chris-topher Bailey, will showcase their latest creations alongside emerging young talent when London Fashion Week kicks off on Friday.

Fashionistas say the ever-youthful and innovative London will herald a return to sleek mininalism and lady-like finishes with a touch of androgyny, stylised tailoring, modern art-inspired pieces and origami-style detailing. (Agencies)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

30

Event to showcase Unni Menon, Sajla Saleem and Praseetha

Kozhikode association organises gala festival for a cause

By Valiya S. Sajjad Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The third annual gala Qualitynet Kozhikode Fest, 2013, will be held on Friday, Feb 15, organized by Kozhikode District Association at the Integrated Indian School, Abbasiya, from 4.30 pm to 10.30 pm.

The event will be inaugurated by Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Satish

C. Mehta, and veteran journalist and educationist Malayil Moosakoya will be felicitated.

The event will showcase some of the leading South Indian playback singers including Unni Menon, Sajla Saleem and folk singer Praseetha.

Laugh riots are expected too with the arrival of famous TV comedians and mimicry artists.

The motto of Kozhikode Fest 2013 is to ‘Strengthen Karunyam,’ a

scheme to help the underprivileged section of Kozhikode district in Kerala by providing help for treatment of terminal diseases like cancer, kidney ailments, heart ailments, etc.

The scheme has gone a long way since it was inaugurated a year ago.

The association has extended help to 42 patients and distributed around Rs 8 lakhs to deserving candidates. “We are receiving large number of requests for financial assistance for medical

treatment and we plan to continue this humanitarian work more vigorously in the coming years.”

The association has conducted medical camps in far off places and arranged free medical check-up and medicines. The 2 medical camps organized at United Poultry Company in Salmi near Saudi border where the medical facilities were quite inadequate was among the most noteworthy medical camps the association

arranged last year.

Moreover, the association has been in the forefront of the struggle of Indian expatriates for a direct flight between Kozhikode and Kuwait. Air India Express started plying direct flight services between Kozhikode and Kuwait since the last season, which was a moment of triumph for the association. The steps taken by the association for securing the release of a member, Biju

Kollaraveettil, from terrorists in Philippines also deserves special mention.

True to the secular traditions of Kozhikode, the association celebrates festivals of all religions with participation of members from all communities.

The association has a separate wing for ladies and children Mahilavedi and Balavedi - that are very active in their respective fields.

U-12 boys team

U-12 girls team

U-14 girls team

U-14 boys (A) team

U-16 boys (A) team

U-16 girls team

UIS lifts Bosconian Trophy for the 10th consecutive year United Indian School (UIS) has come out in flying colours at the recently concluded Don Bosco Inter School Basketball Championship. It added another feather to its cap by lifting the trophy for the 10th consecutive year. The tournament was conducted in six categories U-12, U-14 and U16 for boys and girls and UIS won in all six categories.

In the U-12 Girls category UIS defeated Indian Community School

(17-09) and won the cup. UIS budding star Binny Elza was the top scorer in this match and she has been selected as the Best Player in this category. The other members of the team were Ruby, Rachel, Latisha, Sandra, Anna, Ann, Esly, Varsha, Gloria, Ria and Archana.

In the U-12 boys category UIS defeated Delhi Public School (2523). In this match Renil, San, Nikhil and Binil were the top scorers. San

Shajihas been selected as the Best Player in this category. The other members of the team were Govind, Gokul, Albin, Dylon, Steve, Darin, Avalon and Shaheen.

The matches for the U-14 Girls category were conducted in the League format and UIS defeated all other schools in this category.

Rinnah, Vanessa and Namrita were the main scorers. Rinnah Rejihas been selected as the Best Player in

this category. The other members were Reshma, Anu, Rayan, Irin, Ruth, Khalood, Divya, Lisha and Aksa.

In the U-14 boys category UIS defeated India International School in the final by 40-15. Arjun, Nikhil and Jeevan were the main scorers. The other members were Ruben, Joel, Justin, Sanu, Shinto, Ashlin, Steve, Noha and Juwal.

The U- 16 Girls category matches

were also conducted in league format. Rinu, Priya and Ashmiya were the top scorers. Rinu Sibi is selected as the Best Player in this category.

The other members were Amalu, Merlin, Meera, Liya, Ashlin, Benita, Angelin, Stefyand Aleena.

In the U-16 Boys category UIS defeated Carmel School (44-37) in the final. Prince, Aditya, Joel, Nigil and Kris were the main scorers. In this Category Prince Reji has been

next P.G.A. Everton Football Coaching Course at the new location by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School, Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street. Courses are available for boys and girls aged from 3 to 18 years. For further details see http://www.pga-kuwait.com.kw/ or contact academy Director Mike on 99981327 or Executive Director Baker on 66918666. ❑ ❑ ❑

click Latest Continued from Page 28 all the members and people from Hyderabad and other areas to participate in great numbers and bring your near and dear ones and get educated ourself with the message of Islam which is Peace, love and service to humanity.

For further details Contact 99481599, 50605074, 66605881

KLL registration: Kuwait Little League (KLL) has kicked off registration for the 2012-2013 baseball and softball season. The various divisions and corresponding age groups are as follows: Tee Ball: Boys and Girls — 5 to 7 years old; Minors: Boys and Girls — 8 to 10 years old; Majors: Boys and Girls — 11 to 12 years old; Juniors: Boys and Girls — 13 to 14 years old; Seniors: Boys and Girls —15 to 18 years old; Softball: Girls only — 11 to 18 years old.

Challenger* – Boys and Girls — 7 to 12 years old (for children with special needs).

Persons who deem themselves eligible as volunteer baseball coaches, umpires or team parents are also welcome to register.

For registration and more information please visit www.Q8LL.ORG. ❑ ❑ ❑

Feb 28

YMCA membership campaign: YMCA Kuwait is conducting membership Campaign until Feb 28. Persons who wish to become a member of YMCA Kuwait and persons who would like to contribute their time, efforts and services for the society and humanitarian causes may please contact – 97542985.

March 6

KLT Box Office shows: The Kuwait Little Theatre Box Office is now open for ‘An Evening with Andrew Lloys Weber’.

The collection of songs for this show is dazzling, including numbers from well known shows such as Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard and many more. There really is something for everyone’s musical taste in what is guaranteed to be an evening of beautiful music. Directed and produced by KLT regulars, Mike Ricketts and Helen Newton, it’s sure to be an evening you should not miss! Show dates are: Wednesday 6th March, Thursday 7th March and Thursday 8th March. Book now by logging on to www.theklt.com

Kwt-Brits football supporters: A new football supporters website for British expats living and working in Kuwait has been set up by an Everton supporter, Trevor Powell. The Kuwait Brits Football Supporters Association (KBFSA) site aims to provide contact information for supporters of each others’ whereabouts and also in the future hopes to organise social events such as quizzes and even five-a-side matches on a home international teams basis. We need expats to register their support and hence we can then start to cast around for a suitable meeting venue. The site can be accessed at www.kbfsa.co.uk. ❑ ❑ ❑

April 9

NPIS organizes annual fun fair: New Pakistan International School is going to organize annual fun fair at Sha’ab Park on March 9 from 8 :00 am to 4:00 pm. All are welcome. You can buy tickets from the school office during working hours.

April 12

Konkani drama: Comedian Agostinho will present in Kuwait his new Konkani drama ‘Corruption Kabar?’ on Friday, April 12, 2013 at 4:30 pm at the Kuwait Medical Association Hall, Jabriya. The star cast includes veteran Sabina Fernandes, Jessica Gomes, comedian Janet, Jr Nelson, Salu de Loutolim, Jaju Fernandes, Filipe Almeida, Sylvester Vaz, comedian Selvy Correia, comedian Agostinho Temudo and above all the singing sensation Seby de Divar. For more details, contact tel 99923176, 99540232 or e-mail flexq8@yahoo.com Aug 30

Konkani Drama: M.A. Production is all set to present a Konkani Drama (Tiatr)

selected as the Best Player. The other members were Amit, Sujin, Kevin, Rahul, Vaibhav, Anand and Kiran.

UIS expresses its gratitude to all the parents and well-wishers who have rendered their support. We are also grateful to Christopher, Ivan, Michael, Philip and all other Don Bosco oratory members for organizing such a wonderful tournament to encourage young talent.

Some photo from the event

Kuwait Cricket for schools:

Kuwait Tamil Sangam holds mega musical nite Kuwait Tamizh Sangam (KTS) celebrated their annual mega programme ‘Andrum, Indrum, Endrum’ ‘Mega Musical Nite’ at American International School auditorium Maidan Hawally, on Feb 1.

Programme started with Tamizh Thai Vazhthu followed by lighting of the traditional Kuthu Vilakku.

The show was anchored by one of the most vibrant and popular TV host Priyadharani. The programme stood

out for its repertoire starting from devotional, melody, folk to fast numbers from Tamil movies of different eras.

Anooradha Sriram, a versatile playback singer captivated the hearts and minds of the crowd and enthralled the audience with her exquisite, unique, rich voice.

She was aptly supported by Sri Raaj Melodies Orchestra ensemble headed by Sridhar. Sridhar along

with Parveen’s mellifluous voice was equally extravagant. Frenzied participation of all the musicians on stage added limelight to the programme.

Well known play back singer Vel Murugan’s lively performance of folk songs was notable. The show was interspersed with ‘Robo’ Shankar’s hilarious and enjoyable mimicry which maintained the vibrancy of the show. His timing was apt and related

to the current events happening at that moment in the auditorium.

KTS President Dr P. Ravikumar and General Secretary A. Mariappan along with event sponsors released the yearly souvenir Pongal Malar.

More than 1500 audience thoroughly enjoyed the well organised show till the end late in the evening. Kudos to the KTS team on their successful and professional event management.

“MOJE DHUVENCHEM KAZAR” to be staged on 30 August 2013 with an emotionally charged storyline, humour and music, written by M.Dias and directed by Sylvester Vaz & M.Dias to be held at Kuwait Medical Association Auditorium (near Blood Bank), Jabriya. Popular actors and singers will be flown from

India including Seby de Divar – Goa’s singing sensation, John D’Silva – Goa’s best known comedian and character artiste, Yvonne – new sensation in comedy, Fr Nevel Gracias (Vell’lekar) – well known actor and writer, Sylvester Vaz – Hitman of Konkani stage, besides a few prominent well established actors and

singers from the tiatrist fraternity in Kuwait. The proceeds of this drama will be sent to Old Goa Retreat Centre. Please make note in your diary to attend this must-to-see by all parents and children, and support this noble cause.

Await for more details how to obtain your entry passes or email:

dias_q8@yahoo.com Tel: +965 66698257, 99616965, 65095345. http://goablog100.blogspot.com/2013/02/ moje-dhuvenchem-kazar.html

Sports Football Coaching Course: The

Kuwait Cricket, the apex body of cricket in Kuwait would like to invite school cricket teams to participate in their tournaments which are planned to be held at the turf ground at Sulaibiya. Kuwait Cricket intends to conduct two cricket tournaments for U-15 and U-18 school children who should have valid Kuwait residence and be a student of their respective school. Physical Education officials or Managers of various schools in Kuwait are hereby requested to contact Murali Kutticode on 99542107 for more information. The tournaments will be played on Saturdays at Sulaibiya grounds and the matches will be 30 overs.

Participation of school cricket teams will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the open cricket tournament and we look forward to your confirmation of attendance. Any inquiries may be directed to the contact phone numbers or email addresses mentioned

Continued on Page 33

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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Cook It Light Enchiadas made light and healthy

Easy low-calorie cheesecake delicious and rich-tasting

By Jeanne Jones

vored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau, to the mixture.

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veryone loves cheesecake, but this dessert is so high in fat and calories that we feel guilty eating it very frequently. Unlike most low-calorie cheesecakes, this one truly is delicious and rich-tasting, and it has a smooth, creamy texture. It also is quick, easy to make and great for entertaining, because it can be made a day in advance. The top of it tends to crack a bit while baking and cooling, so I usually top it with fresh fruit just before serving. This time of year, when the fresh fruit selection is more limited than during the summer months, I often use either bananas or frozen berries. One of my favorite berry toppings is a raspberry glaze. The only ingredients you need to make it are a bag of thawed frozen raspberries, 1/4 cup sugar and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Put them all in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour the pureed mixture through a strainer to remove the seeds, then pour the strained topping over the chilled cheesecake. To add a bit more depth to the flavor of the berry glaze, you also can add a tablespoon of an orange-fla-

Low-calorie cheesecake 1/2 cup graham-cracker crumbs 16 ounces nonfat cream cheese 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 cup nonfat sour cream 3 egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups sliced fruit, optional 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Add the graham-cracker crumbs, and shake the plate to coat the entire surface. Set aside.

2. Combine the cream cheese, sugar and flour in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until thoroughly mixed and creamy. Beat in the sour cream, egg whites and vanilla.

Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes, remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

3. Cracks will form in the top of the cheesecake during baking and cooling.

Cover them before serving by spooning sliced fruit or pouring a topping over the top.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains approximately: 104 calories; negligible fat; 1 mg cholesterol; 112 mg sodium; 21 gm carbohydrates; 4 gm protein; negligible fiber.

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Dear Jeanne, My family loves the flavors in Mexican food, but it always seems to be so full of fat. Can you make this recipe healthier?

— B.R., Sacramento, California.

Enchiladas 1 pound ground beef Oil 1/4 cup butter 1 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1 can (16 ounces) tomatoes, chopped 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 1/4 cup chopped green chilies 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt

12 corn tortillas 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided use 1 cup sour cream Brown the beef in the oil and drain the fat. In a separate pan, melt the butter, and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, cumin, chili powder and salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.

Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add 1/4 of the tomato mixture to the meat. Panfry the tortillas one at a time to soften.

Divide the meat and 2 cups of the cheese among the 12 tortillas. Roll each tortilla and place in a 9-by-13-inch pan, seam side down. Add the sour cream to the remaining tomato mixture and pour over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

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Dear B.R., You’re right about the flavors and the fat that accompanies them. I have reduced the fat so much that you won’t believe how good this tastes. I also changed it from beef to chicken enchi-

ladas. If you prefer ground meat, use lean ground turkey breast.

Low-fat chicken enchiladas 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 cup prepared salsa 1 cup fat-free sour cream, divided use 1-1/3 cups reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided use 1 cup onion, chopped 1 cup fat-free chicken broth 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 can (15 ounces) no-salt-added tomatoes, chopped 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 12 corn tortillas 1. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Spray a skillet with nonstick spray and cook the chicken over medium-high heat until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Place in a large bowl and set aside. When cooled, add the salsa, 1/2 cup of the sour cream and 1 cup of the cheese.

2. Spray the skillet again and add the onion. Saute over medium-high heat for

Food

2 to 3 minutes, adding chicken broth as needed to keep the onions from browning. Add the garlic, cumin and chili powder, then the tomatoes, tomato sauce and the rest of the chicken broth.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

4. Dip the tortillas, one at a time, in the tomato-sauce mixture. Place about 1/3 cup of the chicken filling in each one, then roll them up and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Add the remaining sour cream to the sauce and pour over the enchiladas in the pan.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese over the top and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains approximately: Original Recipe: 751 calories; 55 gm fat; 152 mg cholesterol; 1,244 mg sodium; 35 gm carbohydrates; 32 gm protein; 5 gm fiber. Revised Recipe: 393 calories; 7 gm fat; 82 mg cholesterol; 745 mg sodium; 43 gm carbohydrates; 42 gm protein; 5 gm fiber.

Last Meal ‘My goal is to make people happy’

Passion for cooking inspires chef Mahat

By Cinatra Fernandes Arab Times Staff

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hef Mohammed Ambrim Mahat is The Regency’s freshest import from Malaysia. Chef Mahat is all about the food and all about the love, “For me, the purpose of life is just to be happy. To be happy you must eat good food. To eat good food, you need to put love into the food.”

Chef Mahat started his culinary journey two decades ago, “I was wandering around thinking of what to do after high school. I just wanted to go everywhere and do everything. The best job at the time was in the navy. But I couldn’t join the navy because I had been in an accident earlier.”

So Chef Mahat leaned back into what he already knew; as a child he had watched his mother cook the traditional nasi lemak and had even helped her to sell it. “Mothers are very important because that is where we all start. I always go back to my mum because she instilled in me, a passion for cooking,” he said.

Different

An employee of Japanese laver processing company Maruzen displays sheets of ‘nori’ or laver with cutting out patterns of cherry blossoms at the annual super market and trade show in Tokyo on Feb 13. The company made arts with laser processing on the sheets of Japanese popular food. (AFP)

Simple, satisfying snacks for Oscars viewing party

Recipe for wet, dry popcorn toppings

By Elizabeth Karmel

O

f all of the awards shows I love to watch (and I love to watch them all), the Oscars is my favorite. And it’s a great excuse to throw a party. Many of my friends do the ‘red carpet’ thing for their own parties and ask guests to dress in their black tie best. But I prefer watching in comfy clothes and snacking on simple but satisfying nibbles. After all, it’s a very long show!

This year, I am going to make popcorn the old-fashioned way — on the stovetop — and flavor the hot kernels three different ways. Everyone loves popcorn and there is no other food that is so closely associated with movies. Even though I sometimes make microwave popcorn just like the rest of the world, when I make it from scratch, I can’t believe the difference in taste. Microwave popcorn is a mere shadow of the original.

There are basically two ways to top popcorn — wet and dry.

Let’s start with wet toppings, such as melted butter. Melted butter is always a crowd pleaser, but you have to make that version just before serving or else it gets soggy. Plus, buttered popcorn is always best hot. Other wet toppings, such as melted chocolate, should be applied to popcorn spread flat on a baking sheet, then allowed to cool. Otherwise it becomes soggy.

To cook the popcorn for use with a dry topping, I use a heavy enameled cast-iron Dutch oven set over medium heat. I heat the empty pot for about 2 minutes over low heat, then pour in the olive oil and the popcorn, increase the heat to medium and immediately place the lid on the pot. The heavy pot helps prevent the popcorn from burning and almost all of the kernels pop. I find that a good olive oil gives the popcorn a great flavor and that you won’t even want to add melted butter.

As soon as the popcorn is popped, I pour it out of the pan into the biggest bowl I have. I toss the popcorn with the seasoning and continue to toss so that the steam doesn’t make the popcorn soggy. When the steam dissipates, I toss it a few more times, taste

Enameled The advantage of dry flavor toppings is that you can make the popcorn a few hours in advance, then serve it room at temperature. Just make sure to add the spices while the popcorn is hot. My three favorites are truffle salt, Parmesan cheese and a sweet and spicy barbecue rub.

In this image taken on Jan 28, 2013, the recipe for Stovetop Popcorn Many Ways with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and salted peanuts is shown in Concord, NH. (AP)

to make sure that I have enough flavoring, then let it come to room temperature in the bowl. At this point you can place it in serving bowls or baskets or even individual paper bags to give your guests.

And don’t forget to pair your gourmet popcorn with a flute of sparkling wine. The make the perfect high-low party combination!

Stovetop popcorn many ways Start to finish: 10 minutes Servings: 1/2 cup corn kernels will produce about 12 cups popcorn 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil (depending on the size of the pot) 1/3 to 1/2 cup popcorn kernels (depending on the size of the pot) Fine-grain sea salt or other seasoned toppings Heat an empty cast-iron Dutch oven over low heat for 2 minutes.

Add enough olive oil to the pot to thinly coat the entire bottom. Add a single layer of popcorn kernels. You want them to be touching but not more than one layer thick. Increase the heat to medium and place the lid on the pot. Wait until popping begins, then turn the heat down slightly.

Shake the pot every 30 seconds or so. Start shaking a bit more when the popping starts to subside. When the kernels stop popping in unison and you only hear one pop every couple of seconds, it is done.

Pour the popcorn into a large bowl.

Season generously with the toppings listed below, or another one of your favorites. Toss the popcorn in the bowl and sprinkle with additional seasoning several times to make sure you have an even coating. Serve immediately or let cool.

Dry popcorn toppings ■ Truffle salt ■ 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese ■ Barbecue rub (use purchased or the recipe below) Sweet and spicy barbecue rub Start to finish: 5 minutes Makes about 1 cup 1/4 cup paprika 2 tablespoons superfine sugar 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons dried chipotle chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon cayenne 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Wet popcorn toppings Be certain to spread the popcorn flat on a baking sheet before adding wet toppings, then let it set before serving.

■ Melted chocolate ■ Melted chocolate and peanut butter ■ Melted caramels and a pinch of salt

Dry popcorn toppings ■ Maple sugar and crispy bits of smoked bacon ■ Mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and chopped salted peanuts ■ Mini M&Ms, chopped roasted almonds and dried coconut ■ Ragin’ Cajun Spice mixture ■ Lemon-pepper salt ■ Italian spice blend and finely grated Parmesan cheese (AP)

But choosing to become a chef wasn’t an easy one and was met with ridicule, “I am the only chef in the family. I remember that when I first told them I wanted to be a chef, everybody laughed at me because they thought it was not a job for a man. But of course, now things are very different. Now they think I am a VIP.” In the last two years, he has been nominated in the Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards and considers this a great honour. “There is sense of great satisfaction in being selected among the best,” he said. Someday, he would like to become an Executive Chef in Asia; until then, his goal is to make people happy.

Assam laksa Yield: 1 serving Ingredients: 6 tbs belacan (Shrimp Paste); 3 lbs fresh, whole sardines, rinsed.

For the broth: 10 tbs. vegetable oil; 6 long red chilies, cut into 4 pieces crosswise; 3 shallots, cut into 3 pieces crosswise; 4 garlic cloves; 3 lemongrass stalks, peeled over outer layer and cut into 6 pieces crosswise; 4 tbs. galangal root, defrosted and cut into 3 pieces crosswise; 1/2 tbs. turmeric root, fresh or frozen, cut in half crosswise; 6 cups chicken stock; 6 cups crab stock; 3 galangal flower heads; 1/2 cup tamarind pulp; 7 dried red chilis; 4 tbs Assam skins, rinsed very well under warm water; 2 tbs salt; 1 tbs sugar; lime juice to taste.

For the garnish: 1 pineapple; 2 English cucumber; 2 sprigs of Vietnamese mint leaves; 2 sprigs of mint; 5 Thai chili, sliced to thin rounds; 1 cup ikan Bilis; 1-1/2 lbs. lai fun or laksa noodles, blanched.

Method: Cut the belacan into small pieces and lay them out on a baking tray. Slide the tray under a hot broiler. Shake the pan every so often to rotate the pieces. Toast until the belacan becomes very fragrant, is darker in color, and when pressed down with the back of a spoon, is softer and more powder like, rather than tacky and paste like. Remove from broiler and transfer the pieces to a bowl.

With the back of a spoon, press the pieces and mash down to powder the ingredients. If you have a mortar and pestle, you can pound the belacan in the mortar to achieve this as well. Reserve.

Scale and wash the sardines. Filet

Chef Mahat

them, reserving both the bones and the filets and keeping the skins intact with the filets. Place both on a plate lined with a paper towel and hold in the fridge until ready to add them to the broth in a few minutes.

Make the broth: In a large saucepan or stockpot, add the vegetable oil over medium heat.

Add the long red chili, lemongrass, shallot, garlic, galangal root, turmeric root and toasted belacan. Cook the vegetables until they begin to soften and become very aromatic. Do not allow them to brown.

Add half of the sardine filets and all the sardine bones and sweat with the vegetables for about 5 minutes.

Add both of the stocks to another pot and bring to a boil together.

Once, hot, add the stocks to the sardine pot and stir to incorporate. Add the tamarind pulp, the galangal flower, Assam skins and dried chilies. Bring to a simmer and adjust the seasoning with sugar and salt and keep simmering for 30-45 minutes.

Strain the liquid through a mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Return the liquid to a saucepot and to the heat.

Adjust the seasoning with salt and lime juice.

The broth should be sweet, salty, sour and deliciously fish funky.

While the broth is simmering, break the sardine filets up with a spoon, slightly mashing them into the broth. Remove the broth from the heat and hold, with a lid over the pot, on a burner, off of a flame and let it chill out while you finish the rest of the laksa prep.

Make the garnish: Remove the core from the pineapple and discard. Cut the pineapple into 1 inch long batons that are about _ inch thick.

Cut the ends off the cucumber and cut crosswise into 1_” cylinders. Julienne the cucumber.

Tear the Vietnamese mint leaves in half.

Tear the regular mint leaves in half.

Slice Thai chilies crosswise into thin rounds.

Thai Chili — Slice into thin rounds, crosswise.

In a pot with the vegetable oil heated 325 degrees, fry the ikan bilis until golden and crunchy. About 5 minutes, give or take.

Remaining sardine fillets — cut them up into 1-1/2” pieces Bring a pot of lightly salted boiling water to a boil.

Bring the sardine broth back to a boil, and then turn to a mellow simmer and drop in the cut up sardine fillets.

Add the noodles to the boiling water, for 2 minutes.

Check the broth, adjust the seasoning again if necessary. As the broth sits and cooks, the flavor will change. You might taste it once and the flavors appear strong, but after 10 minutes, you might taste it again and you find they are flat.

Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

When you think the broth is spot on, transfer the noodles and broth to a large serving bowl.

Top th ents and

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

32

Horoscope

By Jacqueline Bigar Happy birthday for Friday, Feb 15, 2013: This year your imagination and creativity flourish. Be careful not to overthink a possible financial bonus or change. Stay as grounded as possible when dealing with important life issues. A revision of your finances also might be in order. If you are single, you could find that you become unusually possessive of someone you are dating. Realize what you have to offer. If you are attached, you might consider keeping separate checking accounts. You’ll discover that many battles over money can be eliminated as a result. CAPRICORN can be controlling.

The Stars Show the Kind of Day You’ll Have: 5Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1Difficult

Capricorn - (Dec 22 - Jan 19) ***** Your imagination gets a hold of your typically disciplined mind. You might want to get to the bottom of a problem. Pretend that you are each per-

son involved, and you will find the right solution.

Your intuition is very strong at the moment. Trust it.

Tonight: How you like it.

Aquarius - (Jan

20 - Feb 18)

**** Work from home if you can. You might have pushed someone past his or her limit. Let this person know that you realize you crossed a boundary and won’t do it again. A judgment you have made no longer works, which you will see clearly soon. Tonight: Order in.

Pisces - (Feb 19 - Mar 20) ***** Tap into your ingenuity. Others could be delighted by a suggestion you make. Listen to what their responses are. You have the ability to see past the obvious and isolate the issue. Knock down a barrier that is hiding some vulnerability. Tonight: Hang out with a loved one.

home decor

Aries - (Mar 21 - Apr 19) *** Tension surrounds financial matters, especially those involving a long-term goal. What you desire is in the offing, so just relax and look for the best path. Go with the moment, and honor an internal desire. Not everything is as you see it. Tonight: Run an errand or two on your way out.

Taurus - (Apr 20 - May 20) ***** Reconsider your options regarding a child or loved one. Sometimes you can be a rather strict authority figure. Relax, and let everyone get grounded before initiating a potentially difficult discussion.

Tonight: Wherever you are, others appreciate your presence.

Gemini - (May 21 - June 20) ***** Rethink a decision, especially as others

seem to want to do their own thing. A long-desired goal that might have seemed difficult to realize could become a reality. Think twice about an opportunity that seems to be spiraling toward you.

Tonight: Do your own thing.

Cancer - (June 21 - July 22) *** You dance to someone’s tune. Those observing you wonder what you are responding to. When you detach, life looks different and you feel renewed. Share more of your enthusiasm with trusted friends. An immediate reaction is not a final reaction. Tonight: Where there is music.

Leo - (July 23 - Aug 22) *** You find the present activity level to be high and difficult to work with. Someone could be too direct for your taste; in fact, you might view him or her as being harsh. You would appreciate a different style, but you aren’t going to change this person.

indoor gardening

braided rug To begin, gather a pile of fabric scraps. Cut these scraps and rags — on either the lengthwise or crosswise grain — into the longest strips possible. These bands should be 2 inches wide and (ideally) 3 to 5-feet long (tear the strips — when you can — to save time, and sew short pieces together to get the right lengths). Sort the strips — by color — into bags or boxes.

You’ll have to decide how big your rug will be before you start it, because those proportions will tell you how long to make the center braid.

To make the center braid, pick three strips of cloth and sew them together at one end. Now start braiding the strips, making it into a long rope. Now start coiling the strips. Finally, when your rug is the right size, trim each strip to about an inch long. Weave each of these tips under a loop, and stitch them all in place.

Tonight: Leader of the gang.

Virgo - (Aug 23 - Sept 22): ***** Reach out to someone at a distance. This person has a unique approach, but you understand where he or she is coming from. You could feel rather overwhelmed at the moment. Detach, and you will relax. Tonight: Where you can let your imagination roam.

Libra - (Sept 23 - Oct 22) **** Relate to a key person directly. He or she might be unusually perceptive and could be changing right in front of your eyes. One-on-one relating will help ignite the sparks that exist between you.

Keep it light, especially as you have a lot to do.

Tonight: Homeward bound.

Scorpio - (Oct 23 - Nov 21)

beauty tips

**** Review a situation, and evaluate your expectations. Be realistic; otherwise, you might be disappointed. A bond with a child, new friend or key loved one is changing. Just observe, and you could be delighted at what happens. Tonight: Let others choose what and where.

Sagittarius - (Nov 22 - Dec 21) **** Invest more time in a friendship. You really like this person, but you rarely take the time to get past the customary greetings. Make an effort in the near future to bridge the distance between you. Take time to confirm that your budget is on target.

Tonight: Stay level-headed.

❑

❑

❑

Born today: Actress Jane Seymour (1951), comedian Chris Farley (1964), actor John Barrymore (1882)

taste buds

allamanda cathartica

vitamin e vital for ageing skin

egg pate

Allamanda cathartica is commonly known as Golden trumpet. They are evergreen shrubs and scandent climbers from scrub and forest in tropical North, Central and South America. They have simple leaves, which may be alternate, opposite, or whorled, and are grown for their showy, usually terminal cymes of large, trumpetshaped flowers. Allamanda needs warmth and a humid atmosphere.

Site: Some direct sun is essential.

Temperature: Keep the plant warm — minimum 60°F in winter.

Water: Water moderately from spring to autumn.

Water sparingly in winter.

It is not only important but beneficial to include Vitamin E in your diet as it helps prevent your skin from becoming dry and dull. It is also known to prevent age spots, dandruff formation and wrinkles.

If you suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure or an overactive thyroid please consult your doctor before taking any Vitamin E supplements. Sources of Vitamin E include the following: ■ Whole wheat bread ■ Milk ■ Asparagus ■ Broccoli ■ Egg yolks ■ Leafy greens ■ Liver ■ Olives ■ Soybeans ■ Sunflower seeds ■ Nuts

Ingredients: Large bunch of parsley Small bunch of spring onions (scallion) bulbs 1 tbsp lemon juice 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved 1 tsp salt 10 grinds of black pepper 1 rounded tbsp mayonnaise Method: Chop the parsley and the spring onions finely in the food processor. Add lemon juice, then add the hardboiled eggs, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the hard-boiled eggs are finely chopped. Turn into a bowl and add enough of the mayonnaise to bind the mixture into a pate. Taste and re-season if necessary. Pile into a shallow bowl and chill until required. Serve with scoop crisps or spread on fingers of challah.

Dear Abby Cemeteries’ peace ‘shattered’ by kids

By Abigail Van Buren Dear Abby: Please use your wide reach to educate well-meaning parents about how their children should behave when visiting cemeteries. I’m a funeral professional who takes pride in helping families honor their heritage and transition from grief to recovery. I especially enjoy helping to allay children’s fears about death and cemeteries.

Often parents allow their children to roam the cemetery as if it were a playground or public park.

I have seen kids pull up expensive flowers on other graves and “take them to Mommy.”

Naturally, the family who bought the flowers come back a few days later and accuses US of trashing them.

I have seem mourners leave precious personal mementos on their loved ones’ graves only for kids to take them as playthings. I have seen kids deface grave markers, entertain themselves by bouncing rocks off headstones or open up brass and bronze cameos, exposing the photos to the elements.

The worst is unsupervised kids running off in packs and gathering up the little colored Abigail Van Buren flags that are placed to assure a grave gets dug and set up in time for a pending service. Imagine flying in for the burial of a loved one and the grave isn’t ready because some child grabbed the marking flag while the parents stood idly by. Cemetery employees have been fired for this.

Parents, please teach your children that their natural curiosity and playfulness should find their outlet in more appropriate settings. And please, keep your dogs at home. You wouldn’t want a stranger’s dog doing his business on your expensive marker or loved one’s grave, would you?

— The last person to let you down in California Dear last person to let you down: I’m happy to spread the word.

Folks, if your children are too young to understand when you tell them the cemetery isn’t a playground, that they must remain quiet, respectful and not touch other people’s property, then they should not be present at the burial. When entering or leaving the cemetery, children and adults should refrain from walking on the graves.

Ditto for using it as a dog park.

The Golden Rule applies here: Don’t do unto others what you wouldn’t want them to do ONTO you. ❑ ❑ ❑ Dear Abby: When I married, I moved away to another state and made some great new friends where I live now. My family visits every few months and I recently started including some of my friends in my family gatherings and bringing some of them home with me when my husband and I go to visit.

I recently found out that my family has been inviting my friends for weekend getaways and camping trips. They even invited my friends to spend the last long holiday weekend with them — without inviting me!

I was hurt and offended when I found out. I have nothing against my family and friends getting along, but I always thought I’d be included.

Am I overreacting?

— Excluded in Rochester, NY. Dear excluded: Perhaps. Not knowing your friends or family members, I can only guess that when you introduced them they may have found some interest in common that you don’t necessarily share. But don’t waste time on hurt feelings or pouting because you don’t own your friends, and what your relatives choose to do with their time is out of your control.

(Source: Universal Uclick)

Blue is one of the most popular colours in the world and is said to have a calming and peaceful effect on people. The early years children of Kuwait National English School recently spent a day exploring the colour along with how it interacts with their environment.

A good place for children to develop creativity in their thinking is to focus on the everyday things in our world which we often don’t pay attention to.

Hooray for Blue and all it does for us!

what’s on today ■ ‘AMG presents Dido & Aeneas’: Ahmadi Music Group (AMG) presents ‘Dido & Aeneas’ by Henry Purcell on Feb 14, 15 and 16 at 7:00 pm at the Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyyah, Maidan Hawalli. For details log on to www.ahmadimusicgroup.com ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ Qattan art workshop: The Khalifa AlQattan’s Children & Youth Fine Arts Workshop will be held for three days from Feb 14 till Feb 16, Thursday through Saturday at the AbdulAziz Hussain Cultural Center in Mishref, by the co-op.

The workshop will take place during the morning from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and afternoon from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.

Participation age is from 4 to 14 years old and is for free. We only require the young artist to come and draw.

The application form is printed behind the painting for easy recognition of the owner of the painting. Each child is allowed one entry only. This is the one that will be judged by the panel of judges who will select the winning paintings.

After the paintings are collected, a committee of veterans artists will choose the best paintings of all age groups. The maximum number is 100 paintings. And since we are against competition, we do not have first, second or third place, all the paintings which have been selected (all 100) are winners! They are all awarded the Khalifa AlQattan Certificate of Excellence, a Trophy, and a gift of art supplies during the grand opening of the exhibition.

The Khalifa Al-Qattan Children & Youth Fine Arts Exhibition will be held in the same Center in Mujeb Al-Dosary’s Art Hall, on 12th of March at 5:00 pm. ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ KLT presents Daisy Pulls It Off: Kuwait Little Theatre (KLT) is proud to present Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan. Daisy Pulls It Off is a hilarious parody of wholesome adventure stories. Set in a 1920s girls’ English boarding school, new girl Daisy Meredith, a girl from a poor background, is forced to face and overcome snobbish prejudice and schoolgirl pranks from the wealthier girls. Along the way she and her new best friend Trixie Martin, search for missing treasure, perform a daring rescue, and make an amazing discovery.

Come and join Daisy and Trixie today, Thursday 14th February and Friday 15th February at 7.30pm. To book your tickets,

please e-mail www.klt.boxoffice@gmail.com. Don’t forget to include which show date you are booking for, how many tickets you require, your full name, contact number and e-mail.

Alternatively, you can call our Box Office on 99373678 between 9am and 4pm or send us a text anytime! ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ KCP special concerts: The Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia (KCP) kicks off the Concert Season 2013 with a Special Gala Concert today at 20:00 hours at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Al-Hashemi II Ballroom.

Taking part in the concert are internationally renowned artistes Hanan El-Guindi (mezzo soprano) — soloist from the Cairo Opera House and Bartolomiej Rybak (piano accompaniment) — renowned Polish pianist, composer and pedagogue based in Kuwait and Indian Sid Ramchander (piano solo).

The program includes composition by L. Van Beethoven, G. Bizet, Franz Chopin, Franz Lehar, S. Rachmaninoff, C. SaintSaints and Franz Schubert.

Tickets for the event are priced at KD 8.

For reservation call Radisson Blu Hotel 25673000 or it can be done at the door. The organizers request the concert goers to come 15 minutes early.

For more info log on to www.kuwaitcp.com ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ KLT auditions: Auditions for the Kuwait Little Theatre’s (KLT) summer musical ‘Grease’ will be held at the theatre on Friday 15th February 11am – 2pm, Saturday 16th February 3-5pm and Monday Feb 18, from 7-9pm. For more information log on to www.theklt.com ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ Curtorcares tourney: Curtorcares United Club will hold their One Day Sevena-Side tournament on Feb 25 at Sabah Hospital ground, Shuwaikh. Clubs desiring to field two teams please contact Nicholas Rebello on 97993276 or Seby 99053718.

Draw of the tournament will be held today at Sabah Ground after the first match of the ongoing tournament. ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ TKK picnic: Tulu Koota Kuwait under the leadership of Ramesh Kidiyoor is proud to announce the “Family Picnic” scheduled to be held today at Mishref Garden from 9:00

emergency number 112

Items for the What’s On page can be sent directly to the Arab Times, P.O. Box 2270, 13023, Safat or faxed to 24818267 or email to arabtimes@arabtimesonline.com.

All items on this page are published as a courtesy to the public. These announcements can include birthday greetings, weddings, social functions or any other non-commercial events. Photographs of all events are welcome.

Seerah. These classes will provide a good opportunity for all Muslim ladies to refresh their basic teachings in Islam and Hadiths of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). An interaction of day-to-day live achievements, challenges and ideas can be shared among the ladies to learn from each other.

Basic teachings in Islam from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon (every Saturday); Seerah from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm (every Tuesdays). All classes are free of charge.

For more information please contact us on 25231015-6; mobile 97228860 or visit our website at www.tiescenter.net. ❑ ❑ ❑

am to 6:00 pm.

You can sign up your teams in advance for the kabaddi, volleyball and throw ball and ensure your participation with our Sports Secretary Ronald D’Souza Tel: 99865712 and membership renewal.

Please contact TKK Pro Paustine Pinto, Tel: 66614622 For more details pls. contact 97875789 Our Web www.tulukootakuwait.org Mail ID info@tulukootakuwait.org ❑ ❑ ❑

■ Father’s Love Int’l Ministries: Have you had a challenging week? Want to hear something different for a change?

Something positive and energizing?

At Father’s Love International Ministries, you will find all these and much more …

Love, Laughter, Life, Liberty.

You will find a community of God-loving believers, who come every Friday, Saturday and Monday to praise and worship together, pray together and listen to God’s word together at the Father’s House.

There is always a word of blessing and edification for everyone who comes to Father’s House.

So don’t be left out! Come join the family!

You will be restored, revived, and renewed and greatly rewarded!

Father’s Love Encounter Services on Fridays — 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Bible Study on Saturdays — 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Empowerment Services on Mondays — 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

For directions please call 99664030, 66550209. www.fathersloveim.com ❑ ❑ ❑

■ Valentine Dance 2013: Come today to celebrate the most awaited musical presentation ‘A Valentine Dance 2013’ will be organized by ‘Kitchen of RockBank’ with special guests.

Musicians and bands: New Version Band, Selda Band, and Free Fall Band at the Asia Asia Royal Hall, Al Watiya Complex, Kuwait City from 7:00 pm onwards. The event is sponsored by KORG. For more info, please contact 55633740, 90098427 or 50942441.

Celebrate the day with music and songs to meet the sentiments. ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ SIK presents Art: SIK (Staged in Kuwait Productions), presents the Tony award winning comedy ART, by Yasmina Reza, at the Mousetrap theatre in Jabriya (NES campus) from today at 7:30 pm. Tim Waddell, Hassan Rawas and El Elsharif star as the three friends whose relationships go awry when one spends a small fortune on a piece of abstract, modern art. Tickets for each production can be booked via our website at www.StagedinKuwait.com. ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ Basic teachings in Islam: TIES Ladies Club cordially invites all ladies to the new classes of basic teachings in Islam and

■ Kozhikode Fest: The third annual Qualitynet Kozhikode Fest will be held today organised by K\ozhikode District Association at the Integrated Indian School, Abbassiya, from 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm. ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ TIES Friday sermon: TIES Center cordially invites you to ‘Jumaa’ sermon every Friday at Al-Sanad Mosque (behind Islamic Institute) address Qurtuba, Block 2, Street 6 (behind Islamic Institute).

For more information please contact us on 25231015/6, 97226690 or visit our website on www.tiescenter.net

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

33

A flyer of the event

click Sports Continued from Page 30

A flyer of the event

tives will be arranged shortly and please feel free to contact Kuwait cricket with your positive feedback.

Contact details: Murali Kutticode, Director, Junior & Corporate cricket Tel: 99542107 or kutticode@yahoo.com

below: A meeting of School representa-

Courses NYF – yoga classes: Yoga classes available for all age groups and different health problems, weight reduction, depression etc by well experienced Indian female yoga teacher near Al-Rashid Hospital, Salmiya. Separate workshop,

A flyer of the event

meditation, advanced breathing exercise classes, healing courses available according to the requirements of different schools, hospitals and organizations at your place. For more details contact 99838117, 99315825. ❑ ❑ ❑

Free Arabic course: IPC and all its branches is opening Free Arabic Language Course for non-Arab Ladies accessible in beginners and advance levels. Class in Islamic and Quran courses are also presented in different languages. Registration is on!

Call the nearest IPC branch: Rawdah:

Offers 2 alternatives for Level 1 — Call: 22512257. 1. Once a week class (4-month course); 2. Twice a week class (2-month course) Salmiyah: 25733263, 97533263; Kheitan: 24730137, 99285459; Mangaf: 23723002 ext 124/123; Jahra: 24558830, 97533948.

Cinema Cinema programme from Thursday 14/2/2013 to Wednesday 20/2/2013

Bullet To The Head (Dig) (Silvester Stallone, Jason Momoa) Sharqia 1

13:30, 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Muhalab 1 13:30, 00:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 15:30 (Daily) Fanar 1 18:00, 22:00 (Daily) Marina 2 00:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Avenues 1 12:45 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:15, 21:45 (Daily) 00:05 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 7 14:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:15, 18:30, 20:45, 22:45 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Al-Kout 4 20:00 (Daily) 00:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Grand cine 4 13:30, 15:30, 17:30, 20:30, 22:30 (Daily)

Safe Haven (Dig) (Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel) Sharqia 1 Muhalab 1 Fanar 3

15:45, 20:00 (Daily) 17:30, 19:45, 22:00 (Daily) 13:30, 23:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 19:30 (Daily) Marina 1 16:30, 20:45 (Daily) Avenues 5 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 18:30 (Daily) Avenues 10 13:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:00, 18:15, 20:30, 22:45 (Daily) 01:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 9 17:15 (Daily) 360° 11 12:45 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:15, 19:30, 21:45 (Daily) 00:05 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Al-Kout 4 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 17:30, 22:15 (Daily) Bairaq 2 16:15, 20:30 (Daily) Grand cine 3 14:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:30 (Daily)

Gambit (Dig) (Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz) Sharqia 1 Fanar 1

18:00, 22:30 (Daily) 13:45, 00:05 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 20:00 (Daily) Marina 2 15:45, 22:15 (Daily) Avenues 2 13:15 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:15, 01:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:15, 19:15, 21:15, 23:15 (Daily) 360° 2 14:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:15, 18:15, 20:15, 22:15 (Daily) 00:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Al-Kout 3 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 17:45, 22:00 (Daily) Bairaq 3 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 17:30, 21:45 (Daily) Grand cine 2 13:00, 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:15 (Daily) 00:30 (Thu, Fri)

Sharqia 2 Muhalab 3 Fanar 4

Marina 3 Avenues 9 360° 5 360° 6

Al-Kout 1

Bairaq 1

12:30 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 16:15 (Daily) 13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 16:45 (Daily) 13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 15:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:45 (Daily) 13:15 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 16:45 (Daily) 13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:00, 19:00 (Daily) 13:15 (Sat) 14:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22:00 (Daily) 12:45 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 14:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 16:30 (Daily) 12:30 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 14:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 16:00 (Daily)

How to find us

A Good Day To Die Hard (Dig) (Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney) Sharqia 2

14:15, 00:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 20:15 (Daily) Muhalab 3 14:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:30, 22:45 (Daily) Fanar 4 16:45, 20:30, 22:30 (Daily) 00:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Marina 3 18:30, 20:30 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Avenues 4 12:30, 23:45 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 14:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:00, 19:15 (Daily) 21:30 (Sun to Fri) Avenues 11 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:45, 18:00, 20:15, 22:30 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 10 13:15 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:30, 17:45, 20:00, 22:15 (Daily) 00:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 12 12:30 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 14:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:00, 21:30 (Daily) 19:15 (Sat to Thu) 23:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 13 13:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:00, 18:15, 20:30, 22:45 (Daily) 01:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Al-Kout 2 13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 15:00, 01:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 21:00, 23:00 (Daily) Bairaq 2 14:00, 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:30, 22:45 (Daily) Laila 16:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 22:30 (Daily) Grand cine 6 13:00, 15:30, 18:00, 20:15 22:30 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri) Grand cine GC 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:00 (Daily) 00:15 (Thu, Fri)

3Ala Gosety (Dig) (Ahmed Helmi, Ghada Adel, Edward, Hasan Hosny) Sharqia 2 Muhalab 3 Fanar 5

Marina 2 Avenues 5 Avenues 6

360° 1

The Snow Queen (Dig-3D) (Ivan Okhlobystin, Nyusha)

360° 14

Grand cine 5 13:00, 14:00 (Daily)

360° 9

Al-Kout 1 Bairaq 1 Plaza Laila Ajial 2

18:00, 22:30 (Daily) 20:30 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 15:15, 00:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 17:30, 19:45, 22:00 (Daily) 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 17:45, 20:00 (Daily) 16:00, 21:00 (Daily) 23:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 12:30 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:30, 20:00, 22:30 (Daily) 01:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 13:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:15, 18:45, 21:15 (Daily) 23:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 12:30 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 14:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 19:45, 22:15 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:15, 22:30 (Daily) 17:45, 20:00, 22:15 (Daily) 00:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 15:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 21:45 (Sat, Sun, Tue, Wed) 18:00 (Daily) 19:45, 22:00 (Daily)

1. 360°

Zahra’a Area, South Surra, 6th Ring Road, corner of King Faisal Highway Ajial Complex, Fahaheel

Plaza

3. Al Bairaq

Between Jaber Al Ali East & Al Agalia West

Ajial 1

4. Al Fanar

Al Fanar Complex, Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya

5. Al Kout

Al-Kout Complex, at the end of the Coastal Road, Fahaheel

6. Al Muhalab

Al Muhalab Complex, Behind Hawalli Clinic, Hawalli

7. Al Sharqiya

Arabian Gulf Street, Souq Sharq, near the Amiri Hospital

8. Granada

Abraq Khaitan, off the Old Airport Road

Ajial 4

9. Laila Gallery

Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya

Metro 1

10. Marina

Marina Mall, Between Salem Al Mubarak Street & Arabian Gulf Street, Salmiya

11. Metro

Metro Complex, Farwaniya, near Crowne Plaza Hotel & Farwaniya Garden

12. Plaza

Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya

13. The Avenues

The Avenues Mall, Al Reggai near Al Rai, 5th Ring Road & Ghazali Road Intersection

12:30 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 23:00 (Daily) 01:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Avenues 3 14:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:15, 18:30, 20:45, 23:00 (Daily) 01:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 8 13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 00:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 15:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:30, 19:45, 22:00 (Daily) Al-Kout 1 20:30 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Bairaq 3 19:30 (Daily) 23:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Grand cine 1 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:15 (Daily) 00:30 (Thu, Fri)

Broken City (Dig) (Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe) Sharqia 3 Muhalab 2 Fanar 2 Marina 3

16:30, 22:45 (Daily) 15:45, 22:15 (Daily) 16:00, 20:15 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 22:30 (Daily)

13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:30, 21:30 (Daily) 00:05 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 4 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 (Daily) 23:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Al-Kout 3 15:30, 19:45 (Daily) 00:05 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Laila 20:15 (Daily) Grand cine 7 13:30, 16:00, 19:45, 22:00 (Daily) 00:15 (Thu, Fri)

(David Lyons, Brenton Thwaites) Sharqia 3 Muhalab 2 Fanar 3 Marina 1 Avenues 8 360° 5

Al-Kout 2

18:45 (Daily) 18:00 (Daily) 17:30, 21:45 (Daily) 18:45 (Daily) 18:15, 20:15, 22:15 (Daily) 15:15 (Fri, Sat) 17:15 (Tue to Sun) 19:15, 21:15, 23:15 (Daily) 01:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 19:00 (Daily)

Muhalab 2 Fanar 2

The Guilt Trip (Dig) (Barbra Streisand, Seth Rogen) 16:00 (Daily) Fanar 1 Marina 1 Avenues 1

14:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 15:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 19:30 (Daily) 360° 15 13:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:45, 18:00, 22:30 (Daily) Al-Kout 2 17:00 (Daily) Grand cine 8 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:15, 22:15 (Daily)

Snowflake, The White Gorilla (Dig) (Claudia Abate, Pere Ponce) 15:45 (Daily) Fanar 3 Marina 3 Avenues 8 360° 3

Al-Kout 4 Bairaq 3 Ajial 2

15:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 14:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 16:15 (Daily) 13:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon, Tue) 15:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 17:00, 19:00 (Daily) 15:45 (Daily) 15:30 (Daily) 16:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:00 (Daily)

Special 26 (Dig) (Hindi) (Kajal Agarwal, Manoj Bajpai) Avenues 7 18:30 (Daily) 360° 14 Ajial 3

17:30 (Daily) 16:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 19:00, 22:00 (Daily)

Warm Bodies (Dig) (Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer) Avenues 8 00:15 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 15

20:15 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon)

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (Dig-3D) (Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton) Avenues 9 20:45, 22:45 (Daily) 00:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 360° 3 21:00, 23:00 (Daily) 360° 6 00:05 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) Grand cine 5 17:00, 20:30, 22:30 (Daily)

‘Gambit’ starring Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman is now showing in Kuwait cinemas.

IMAX Imax film programme at The Scientific Centre

Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Tornado Alley 3D 10:30 am, 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm To The Artic 3D 11:30 am, 3:30 pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 12:30 pm, 6:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 4:30 pm, 8:30 pm

Monday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Born to be Wild 3D 10:30 am, 3:30 pm, 9:30 pm Tornado Alley 3D 11:30 am, 5:30 pm, 7:30 pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm 8:30 pm To The Arctic 3D 4:30 pm, 6:30 pm

Tuesday

Avenues 7

Save Your Legs! (Dig)

15:45 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:45, 21:45 (Daily) 15:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:30, 21:30 (Daily)

Sunday

Grand Al-Hamra, tel: 22270333, www.grandcinemas.com

Mama (Dig) 12:30 (Thu, Sat, Mon) 14:30, 01:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 20:45 (Daily) 13:45, 00:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 20:15 (Daily) 14:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:15, 22:45 (Daily)

Lokpal (Dig-Malayalam)

NB: Friday no show before 1:30 pm On Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday no show before 3.30 pm and after 11.15 pm in Sharq, Mohalab, Fanar, Marina, Al Kout, Bairaq, 360 and Avenues.

On Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday no show before 5:30 pm in Plaza, Laila, Ajial, Metro and Granada.

Regular show KD3:000; 3D-Digital — KD3.500; VIP show — KD6.000. ‘On Monday, price is KD1.500 except Digital movies.

Movies inquiries and Fax Back hotline 1803456

Marina 1

Metro 2

18:30 (Daily) 21:45 (Thu, Fri, Mon) 15:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:30, 21:30 (Daily) 15:45, 22:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 18:45 (Daily) 21:45 (Sun, Tue, Wed)

(Mohanlal, Kavya Madhavan)

14. The Scientific Center Opp Holiday Inn, Salmiya, Gulf Road IMAX

(Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) Sharqia 3

Mirchi (Dig-Telugu) (Prabhas, Anushka Shetty)

2. Ajial

15. Grand Cinemas

14:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon, Tue) 20:30 (Daily) 23:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon)

Jayanta Bhai Ki Luv Story (Dig-Hindi) (Vivek Oberoi, Neha Sharma)

Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Tornado Alley 3D 10:30 am, 3:30 pm 6:30 pm, 8:30 pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 11:30 am, 5:30 pm, 9:30 pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30 pm, 7:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 2:30 pm Journey to Mecca 4:30 pm

Wednesday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am To The Arctic 3D 10:30 am, 2:30 pm, 6:30 pm Tornado Alley 3D 11:30 am, 5:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 8:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 4:30 pm

Thursday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30 am, 2:30 pm 6:30 pm To The Arctic 3D 11:30 am, 8:30 pm Tornado Alley 3D 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 4:30 pm

Friday Fires of Kuwait 2:30 pm Tornado Alley 3D 3:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 8:30 pm To The Arctic 3D 4:30 pm, 7:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 6:30 pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 9:30 pm

Saturday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30 am, 1:30 pm, 8:30 pm Tornado Alley 3D 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30 pm, 6:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 3:30 pm Journey to Mecca 4:30 pm Notes: All films are in Arabic. For English, headsets are available upon request. “Fires of Kuwait” is in English. Arabic headsets are available upon request. Film schedule is subject to changes without notice.

For information call 1848888 or visit www.tsck.org.kw

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

34

Couch slouch

Beyonce shows marriage and Blue Ivy in documentary LOS ANGELES, Feb 14, (RTRS): Beyonce is letting fans into her private life, introducing daughter Blue Ivy to the world and talking about motherhood, marriage and miscarriage in a new documentary.

The 31-year-old pop singer and her rapper husband, Jay-Z, 43, one of music’s most influential couples, have guarded their privacy fiercely.

But in “Life is But a Dream”, airing on Saturday on cable channel HBO, Beyonce

gives fans a glimpse of how she works and even a peek at baby Blue Ivy, who has been shielded from paparazzi since her birth in January 2012.

The film, which Beyonce co-directed, is part of a return to performing after a year off since her first child was born.

Beyonce began her comeback with a controversial lip-synched performance of the national anthem at President Barack Obama’s inauguration in January, followed by a live performance at the Super

Bowl halftime show that wowed critics.

At the New York premiere of the documentary on Tuesday, the new mother said she wanted to share her altered perspective on life.

“Knowing that at this point in my life, this age is so wonderful because I see everything differently and I hope that I can share that with other people,” she said.

The “Crazy in Love” singer addresses the widely reported claim from 2011 that

she was faking her pregnancy, calling it “the most ridiculous rumor I’ve ever heard of me.”

“To think that I’d be that vain ... especially after losing a child. The pain and trauma from that just makes it mean so much more to get an opportunity to bring life into the world,” she says in the documentary.

The HBO film shows footage of a sonogram, Beyonce’s growing bump and grainy video of herself posing nude as she

neared her due date.

The arrival last year of Blue Ivy Carter gained worldwide media attention and prompted Beyonce to share more with her fans, launching a Tumblr page with snapshots of her family life.

Her miscarriage had been kept secret from the public until Jay-Z referred to it in his song “Glory,” that he released following the birth of Blue Ivy. In the documentary, Beyonce touched on the topic briefly, saying, “It was the

saddest thing I’ve ever been through.”

“My life is a journey. ... I had to go through my miscarriage, I believe I had to go through owning my company and managing myself ... ultimately your independence comes from knowing who you are and you being happy with yourself,” she said.

“Life is But a Dream” also gives a peek into the Grammy-winner’s four-year marriage to Jay-Z, showing the couple singing Coldplay’s “Yellow” to each other.

tv highlights Animal Planet 05:55 Call Of The Wildman 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 World Wild Vet 07:35 Wildlife SOS 08:00 The Really Wild Show 08:25 Extraordinary Dogs 08:50 Extraordinary Dogs 09:15 Dogs 101 10:10 Rescue Vet 10:35 Rescue Vet 11:05 Wildest Africa 12:00 Animal Cops Phoenix 12:55 Call Of The Wildman 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 14:45 Animal Precinct 15:40 Wildest Africa 16:30 Escape To Chimp Eden 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Dogs 101 18:25 Baby Planet 19:20 Bad Dog 20:15 Bondi Vet 20:40 Safari Vet School 21:10 Call Of The Wildman 21:35 Escape To Chimp Eden 22:05 Wildest Africa 23:00 Shark Attack Survivors 23:55 Whale Wars: Viking Shores 00:50 Animal Cops South Africa 01:45 Crime Scene Wild 02:35 I’m Alive 03:25 Wildest Africa 04:15 Shark Attack Survivors 05:05 Whale Wars: Viking Shores 05:55 Call Of The Wildman

BBC Lifestyle 06:00 Living In The Sun 06:50 Perfect Day 07:15 Indian Food Made Easy 07:45 The Hairy Bikers USA 08:10 Homes Under The Hammer 09:00 Bargain Hunt 09:45 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 10:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 11:50 MasterChef 12:40 Come Dine With Me 13:30 The Hairy Bikers USA 13:55 The Hairy Bikers USA 14:20 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 14:45 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 15:10 Bargain Hunt 15:55 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 16:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 18:00 Homes Under The Hammer 18:50 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 19:45 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 20:05 New Scandinavian Cooking 20:30 Come Dine With Me 21:20 Perfect Day 21:45 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 22:30 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 23:15 Bargain Hunt 00:00 Homes Under The Hammer 00:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 02:10 Come Dine With Me 03:00 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 03:25 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 03:50 House Swap 04:35 MasterChef 05:00 Bargain Hunt 05:45 Living In The Sun

Movies

News

General

Boomerang

tv today 10: Ultimate Alien 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Powerpuff Girls 05:40 Generator Rex 06:05 Ben 10 06:00 Watching The Detectives 07:00 Murder Casebook With Fred Dinenage 08:00 The FBI Files 09:00 Psychic Detectives 09:30 Psychic Detectives 10:00 Crime Stories 11:00 Snapped: Women Who Kill 12:00 Beyond Scared Straight 13:00 After The First 48 14:00 SWAT 15:00 Murder Casebook With Fred Dinenage 16:00 The FBI Files 17:00 Psychic Detectives 17:30 Psychic Detectives 18:00 Crime Stories 19:00 The FBI Files 20:00 Murder Casebook With Fred Dinenage 21:00 Snapped: Women Who Kill 22:00 The Devil You Know 23:00 The Co-Ed Killer: Born To Kill 00:00 The Black Widow: A Web Of Suspicion 01:00 Aileen Wuornos: Born To Kill 02:00 Watching The Detectives 03:00 The Black Widow: A Web Of Suspicion 04:00 The Co-Ed Killer: Born To Kill 05:00 Snapped: Women Who Kill 06:00 Watching The Detectives

Discovery Channel

Disney XD

06:05 American Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Desert Car Kings 08:45 Masters Of Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Auction Kings 10:30 Auction Kings 10:55 How Do They Do It? 11:25 How It’s Made 11:50 Sons Of Guns 12:45 World’s Top 5 13:40 How We Invented The World 14:35 Border Security 15:05 Auction Kings 15:30 Auction Kings 16:00 The Will: Family Secrets Revealed 16:55 Masters Of Survival 17:50 Mythbusters Dirty Dozen 18:45 American Guns 19:40 How Do They Do It? 20:05 How It’s Made 20:35 Auction Kings 21:00 Auction Kings 21:30 Fast N’ Loud 22:25 Jesse James Outlaw Garage 23:20 American Chopper 00:15 Fast N’ Loud 01:10 Jesse James Outlaw Garage 02:05 American Chopper 03:00 Mythbusters Dirty Dozen 03:55 Border Security 04:20 Auction Kings 04:50 Auction Kings 05:15 How Do They Do It? 05:40 How It’s Made 06:05 American Guns

07:00 Kickin It 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Almost Naked Animals 08:15 Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies 08:40 Slugterra 09:05 Scaredy Squirrel 09:30 Ultimate Spider-Man 09:55 Zeke & Luther 10:20 Kick Buttowski 10:45 I’m In The Band 11:10 Rekkit Rabbit 11:35 Rated A For Awesome 12:00 Iron Man Armored Adventures 12:25 American Dragon 12:50 Kick Buttowski 13:20 Pair Of Kings 13:45 Zeke & Luther 14:10 Rated A For Awesome 14:35 I’m In The Band 15:00 Kick Buttowski 15:25 Pair Of Kings 15:50 Phineas And Ferb 16:00 Phineas And Ferb 16:15 Toy Story 17:35 Slugterra 18:00 Crash & Bernstein 18:25 Scaredy Squirrel 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:00 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Phineas And Ferb 19:25 Phineas And Ferb 19:40 Mr. Young 20:05 Slugterra 20:30 Zeke & Luther 20:55 I’m In The Band 21:20 Rated A For Awesome 21:45 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:10 Ultimate Spider-Man 22:35 Ultimate Spider-Man 23:05 Kick Buttowski 23:30 Scaredy Squirrel 07:00 Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies

Crime & Investigation

06:00 Phineas And Ferb 06:15 Suite Life On Deck 06:40 My Babysitter’s A Vampire 07:05 Phineas And Ferb 07:15 Phineas And Ferb 07:30 Phineas And Ferb 07:55 Jessie 08:20 Good Luck Charlie 08:45 Doc McStuffins 09:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:35 The Hive 09:45 Mouk 10:00 Jonas 10:25 So Random 10:50 Hannah Montana 11:15 Sonny With A Chance 11:40 Kim Possible 12:05 Shake It Up 12:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:55 Phineas And Ferb 13:20 Austin And Ally 13:45 Suite Life On Deck 14:10 A.N.T. Farm 14:35 Phineas And Ferb 14:45 Phineas And Ferb 15:00 Phineas And Ferb 15:25 Shake It Up 15:50 Austin And Ally 16:15 Jessie 16:40 A.N.T. Farm 17:00 Lion King 1.5 18:15 Prank Stars 18:30 Prank Stars 18:45 Phineas And Ferb 19:10 A.N.T. Farm 19:35 Good Luck Charlie 20:00 Jessie 20:30 That’s So Raven 20:50 Cory In The House 21:15 Phil Of The Future 21:40 Hannah Montana 22:05 Good Luck Charlie 22:30 Good Luck Charlie 22:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place 23:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place 23:45 Hannah Montana 00:10 Hannah Montana 00:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 01:00 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 01:25 Replacements 01:50 Replacements 02:15 Emperor’s New School 02:40 Emperor’s New School 03:05 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 03:30 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 03:55 Replacements 04:20 Replacements 04:45 Emperor’s New School 05:10 Emperor’s New School 05:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 06:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Cartoon Network

Disney Junior

06:05 Ben 10 06:30 Ben 10 06:55 Angelo Rules 07:00 Casper’s Scare School 07:30 Casper’s Scare School 08:00 Mucha Lucha 08:25 Johnny Test 08:45 Adventure Time 09:05 Total Drama World Tour 09:30 Total Drama World Tour 09:55 Ben 10: Omniverse 10:20 Young Justice 10:45 Thundercats 11:10 Regular Show 12:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 12:50 Foster’s Home For... 13:15 Foster’s Home For... 13:40 Courage The Cowardly Dog 14:30 Powerpuff Girls 15:20 Angelo Rules 16:10 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 16:35 Young Justice 17:00 Ben 10: Omniverse 17:20 Transformers Prime 17:40 Johnny Test 18:00 Level Up 18:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 18:50 Adventure Time 19:15 Regular Show 19:40 Mucha Lucha 20:05 Total Drama World Tour 20:30 Total Drama World Tour 20:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 21:20 Hero 108 21:45 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 22:10 Grim Adventures Of... 23:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:50 The Powerpuff Girls 00:40 Chowder 01:30 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 01:55 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:20 Foster’s Home For... 02:45 Foster’s Home For...

03:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 04:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 04:25 Ben

06:00 Jungle Junction 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 06:50 Special Agent Oso 07:05 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Imagination Movers 08:40 Cars Toons 08:45 Handy Manny 09:00 The Hive 09:10 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:05 Doc McStuffins 10:20 Doc McStuffins 10:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:00 Lilo And Stitch 11:30 Cars Toons 11:35 Mouk 11:45 Art Attack 12:10 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 12:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 13:10 Doc McStuffins 13:25 Handy Manny 13:40 Jungle Junction 13:55 Timmy Time 14:05 The Hive 14:15 Mouk 14:30 Little Einsteins 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 15:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:00 The Little Mermaid 16:25 Lilo And Stitch 16:55 Imagination Movers 17:20 Handy Manny 17:35 The Hive 17:45 Lilo And Stitch 18:10 Doc McStuffins 18:25 Doc McStuffins 18:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:10 The

Al Jazeera English

BBC World

00:00 NEWSHOUR 01:00 News 01:30 101 East 02:00 NEWSHOUR 03:00 News 03:30 Inside Story 04:00 Witness 05:00 NEWSHOUR 06:00 News 06:30 People & Power 07:00 News 07:30 The Stream 08:00 News 08:30 News 09:00 Al Jazeera World 10:00 News 10:30 Inside Story 11:00 News 11:30 The Stream 12:00 News 12:30 101 East 13:00 NEWSHOUR 14:00 News 14:30 Inside Story 15:00 Revolution Through Arab Eyes 16:00 NEWSHOUR 17:00 News 17:30 The Stream 18:00 NEWSHOUR 19:00 News 19:30 Earthrise 20:00 News 20:30 Inside Story 21:00 NEWSHOUR 22:00 News 22:30 South2North 23:00 The Cafe

06:00 BBC World News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC World News 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 The Ideas Exchange 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 BBC World News 11:00 GMT With George Alagiah 11:30 GMT With George Alagiah 12:00 Impact 12:30 Impact 13:00 Impact 13:30 The Ideas Exchange 14:00 World Have Your Say 14:30 World Have Your Say 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 BBC World News 15:40 Weekend World 16:00 BBC World News 16:30 BBC Focus On Africa 17:00 BBC World News 17:30 Middle East

MBC Action

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse 21:00 The Last Airbender 23:00 The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day 01:00 Mystic River 03:15 Some Body 04:30 Jagged Edge 06:00 Big Trouble in Little China

MBC 2 08:30 The Out-of-Towners 10:30 Dragonball: Evolution 12:00 Music and Lyrica 14:00 Australia 17:00 Killers 19:00

— See Page 48 — Adventures Of Disney Fairies 19:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 20:05 Timmy Time 20:15 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:25 Doc McStuffins 20:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:10 The Hive 21:20 Timmy Time 21:30 Mouk 21:45 Handy Manny 22:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 The Hive 22:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:00 Timmy Time 23:10 Animated Stories 23:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 23:30 Jungle Junction 23:45 Handy Manny 23:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:20 Little Einsteins 00:50 Special Agent Oso 01:00 Special Agent Oso 01:15 Lazytown 01:40 Jungle Junction 01:55 Jungle Junction 02:10 Handy Manny 02:20 Handy Manny 02:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 03:00 Lazytown 03:25 Special Agent Oso 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Imagination Movers 04:20 Handy Manny 04:30 Handy Manny 04:40 Special Agent Oso 04:50 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Timmy Time 05:10 Lazytown 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction

06:00 Bananas In Pyjamas 06:25 Gerald McBoing Boing 06:45 Jelly Jamm 07:00 Ha Ha Hairies 07:25 Baby Looney Tunes 07:50 Lazy Town 08:15 Krypto The Superdog 08:40 Jelly Jamm 09:05 Gerald McBoing Boing 09:30 Cartoonito Tales 09:55 Bananas In Pyjamas 10:20 Ha Ha Hairies 10:45 Lazy Town 11:10 Krypto The Superdog 11:35 Baby Looney Tunes 12:00 Jelly Jamm 12:25 Gerald McBoing Boing 12:50 Cartoonito Tales 13:15 Krypto The Superdog 13:40 Lazy Town 14:00 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 14:25 Tom And Jerry Tales 14:50 Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries 15:20 Johnny Bravo 15:45 Tom & Jerry 16:10 Pink Panther And Pals 16:35 The Garfield Show 17:00 What’s New Scooby-Doo? 17:25 Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries 17:50 Tom And Jerry Tales 18:15 The Looney Tunes Show 18:40 Taz-Mania 19:05 Moomins 19:30 Pink Panther & Pals 19:45 The Garfield Show 20:00 Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries 20:20 Tom And Jerry Tales 20:45 Moomins 21:10 Dexters Laboratory 21:20 Johnny Bravo 21:35 Puppy In My Pocket 22:00 The Garfield Show 22:25 What’s New Scooby-Doo? 22:50 Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries 23:15 Tom & Jerry Tales 23:40 The Looney Tunes Show 00:05 Taz-Mania 00:30 Pink Panther And Pals 00:55 Moomins 01:20 Tom & Jerry Kids 01:45 A Pup Named ScoobyDoo 02:10 Puppy In My Pocket 02:35 Wacky Races 03:00 Looney Tunes 03:25 Duck Dodgers 03:50 Dastardly And Muttley 04:00 Dexter’s Laboratory 04:30 Wacky Races 04:55 Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries 05:20 Tom & Jerry 05:45 The Garfield Show 06:00 Bananas In Pyjamas

09:00 Battlestar Galactica 09:45 The 4400 10:30 Top Gear USA 11:15 Most Daring 12:00 NCIS 13:00 The Mentalist 13:45 Nikita 1445 Hawaii Five-O 15:30 Action Ya Dawry 16:30 House of Wax 18:00 Nikita 19:00 WWE Main Event 20:00 V For Vendetta 22:00 Hawaii Five-O 23:00 Action Ya Dawry 00:00 Final Destination 02:00 Action Ya Dawry 03:00 Rome 04:00 V For Vendetta 05:45 The Mentalist 06:30 Hawaii Five-O 07:15 Knockout Sportsworld 08:15 Human Target

Sports TV listings

Disney Channel

OSN Movies Action 06:00 Vengeance 08:00 True Justice: Dark Vengeance 10:00 Reign Of Fire 12:00 Bending The Rules 14:00 True Justice: Dark Vengeance 16:00 Sucker Punch 18:00 Bending The Rules 20:00 The Last Exorcism 22:00 The Echo 00:00 Intruders 02:00 The Last Exorcism 04:00 True Justice: Dark Vengeance 06:00 Bending The Rules

OSN Cinema 05:00 The Warlords 07:00 Blackthorn

E! Entertainment 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Opening Act 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Fashion Police 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:30 Behind The Scenes 17:00 Scouted 18:00 E! News 19:00 E!es 20:00 Married To Jonas 20:30 Married To Jonas 21:00 Ice Loves Coco 21:30 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 22:30 E! News 23:30 Chelsea Lately 00:00 Dirty Soap 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E! Investigates 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 E!es 05:05 E!es 06:00 THS

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ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

HEALTH

35

Health Hospira gets FDA notice

Experts urges tough track for fake meds WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (Agencies): Health experts are urging the United States and other countries to boost their ability to identify fake or subpar medicines and close loopholes that allow products to be falsified or diluted.

In an international system in which different companies in many countries make ingredients for single treatments, no country alone can effectively enforce quality control on drugs that can be the fine line between life and death, stressed a report by the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM).

“Falsified and substandard medicines are a grave public health problem because they are ineffective, promote drug resistance, and even cause severe illness and death, particularly in developing countries where they regularly flood the market,” said Lawrence Gostin, health law expert at Georgetown University Law Center who led the group of 12 experts who did the study.

“We’re calling on WHO, in collaboration with regulators, companies, Major jolt and civil society worldwide, to adopt a global code of practice, build national regulatory capabilities, and promote international cooperation,” Gostin said.

Fake versions of the cancer drug Avastin were given to US patients in MOSCOW, Feb 14, (AFP): In 2011 and 2012, for example, but sima familiar scene of Russian ilar problems occur even more fredaily life, Ivan Alexandrov quently in poor countries, the commitsmoked a cigarette outside a tee found. Avastatin is made by Moscow metro station as other Switzerland’s Roche.

Smokers huff, puff over ban

Nature “Given the international nature of modern manufacturing and trade, every nation has a stake and a role to play in ensuring the production and sale of high-quality medications,” said Gostin, who is director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Public Health Law and Human Rights.

Counterfeit and substandard medications with little or no active ingredients can hasten drug resistance, do not treat disease, and boost health care costs. In addition, products that contain dangerous ingredients have sickened and killed people around the world, the report explains.

It urges the WHO to increase its cooperation with regulators worldwide.

“What we’re seeing in the United States — and doubly so in developing countries — is a race to the bottom,” Gostin said. “Unscrupulous drug suppliers seek the state or country with the weakest regulatory and law enforcement standards. We need to encourage a status competition for the finest regulatory oversight.”

So the report urges a mandatory drug tracking system.

US “agreement on a federally mandated tracking system has been slowed by costs associated with changing drugs’ primary packaging and labels as well as wholesale repackaging, the report found.

“Without a national system, however, companies face the burden of meeting competing state demands. For example, California will require unique serial numbers on bottles and vials by 2015,” it said.

Adoption The report also urges adoption of the terms “substandard” and “falsified” to refer to products that pose a public health risk, asking parties to refrain from using the term “counterfeit” except in trademark infringement cases.

“Consistent use of terms would improve nations’ abilities to document the extent of the problem, determine causes, and discuss possible solutions,” it added.

FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg commended the report and said many of its recommendations already were being carried out by the US Food and Drug Administration.

“To meet the challenges of today’s global marketplace, the FDA is transforming from a predominantly domestically focused agency to one that is fully prepared to help ensure product safety and quality within a globalized world,” she said in a statement.

Fake and substandard drugs have become an increasing concern as US pharmaceutical companies move more of their manufacturing overseas.

The risk made headlines in 2008 when US patients died from a contaminated blood thinner imported from China.

The Institute of Medicine report made clear that this is a global problem that requires an international response, with developing countries especially at risk from phony medications. Drug-resistant tuberculosis, for example, is fueled in part by watereddown medications sold in many poor countries.

“There can be nothing worse than for a patient to take a medication that either doesn’t work or poisons the patient,” said Lawrence O. Gostin, a professor of health law at Georgetown University who led the IOM committee that studied how to combat the growing problem. “It’s unreliable unless you know where it’s been and can secure each point in the supply chain,” Gostin said.

Patient safety advocates have pushed for that kind of tracking system for years, but attempts to include it in FDA drug-safety legislation last summer failed.

The report also concluded that: ■ The World Health Organization should develop an international code of practice that sets guidelines for monitoring, regulation and law enforcement to crack down on fake drugs.

■ States should beef up licensing requirements for the wholesalers and distributors who get a drug from its manufacturer to the pharmacy, hospital or doctor’s office.

■ Internet pharmacies are a partic-

commuters stepped out of the heavy doors and immediately lit up.

But under a draft law already passed by parliament banning smoking in public places, from next year such scenes will be a thing of the past in Russia.

If the law is passed by the upper house and then signed

by President Vladimir Putin, Russia will from 2014 have European-style bans on smoking in restaurants and bars as well as long-distance trains.

The ban will even apply outdoors in a radius of 15 metres (yards) around metro stations, a tough prospect in a country where 40 percent of the adult population is believed to smoke.

“Our lawmakers forget that smokers also have certain rights and they also forget the main thing, that we smokers, at least in this country, are still 40 percent,” said Alexandrov, a lawyer, smoking with a cup of takeaway coffee.

“I think it’s a violation of our rights. Why are we protecting the rights of gay people or ethnic minorities (but not smokers)? We’re not a minority, we are around the same number as non-smokers.”

The new legislation would be a major jolt for smokers who until now have enjoyed a virtual free pass.

Smokers often dine in the nicest sections of restaurants and cafes and smoke-free bars are virtually unknown.

The more radical aspects of the legislation follow European precedents but go further than current public opinion in Russia.

A November opinion poll by the Levada independent polling agency found that only 17 percent of respondents backed a complete smoking ban in restaurants, while 73 percent backed non-smoking zones.

As temperatures hovered above zero, a few lit up on the historic Arbat pedestrianised street packed with souvenir stalls, cafes and restaurants, but most preferred to smoke inside.

“In winter it’s very cold. You can go outside on the street but it’s bad in the winter,” said student Darya Grun, 17, smoking as she waited for a friend on the street in a down jacket.

She argued a ban would also be ineffective in Russia, pointing at failed initiatives to stop people drinking bottled beer outside, for example, and questioning how it would be enforced.

ularly weak link, because fraudulent sites can mimic legitimate ones. The report urged wider promotion of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s online accreditation program as a tool to help consumers spot trustworthy sites.

The Institute of Medicine is an independent organization that advises the government on health matters. ❑ ❑ ❑ Medical devices: Hospira Inc, a hospital products maker that has grappled with regulatory issues at manufacturing plants for the past 18 months, said it had received a notice over the quality of its medical devices from the US Food and Drug Administration.

The company reported the notice during a conference call on Wednesday after announcing a profit for the fourth quarter vs a year-earlier loss as sales of generic injectable drugs, IV solutions, drug pumps and other products increased more than 8 percent.

Hospira said the FDA completed an inspection of its medical device quality systems at its headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois, last month and issued a list of 10 objectionable conditions. The list is known in the industry as a Form 483.

Some of the quality systems assessed as part of the Lake Forest inspection included supplier quality systems and medical device reporting and complaint systems, a Hospira spokeswoman said.

A scientist is pictured on Aug 27, 2010 working on stem cells at a US university. Researchers in Japan have moved one step closer to clinical trials using adult stem cells in a therapy they hope will prove a cure for common sight problems, an official said Thursday.

Japan researchers close in on stem cell trial Researchers in Japan have moved one step closer to clinical trials using adult stem cells in a therapy they hope will prove a cure for common sight problems, an official said Thursday.

The ethics committee at the Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation in Kobe, west Japan, on Wednesday approved a trial treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells.

The trial is aimed at creating retinal cells that can be transplanted into the eyes of patients suffering from AMD, a presently incurable disease that affects mostly middle-aged and older people

and can lead to blindness.

The institute, together with the government-backed research institute Riken, “will submit an application for a clinical trial with Riken to the Health Ministry by the end of next month,” hospital official Kosuke Nagi told AFP. If a clinical trial using iPS cells is approved, it “would be the first ever”, a health ministry official said, adding a trial using embryonic stem cells — harvested from human embryos — had been undertaken by a US firm.

The ministry’s deliberation process will take a few months before approval, the official said.

Stem cells — infant cells that develop

into the specialised tissues of the body — have sparked great excitement because they offer the chance of rebuilding organs damaged by disease or accident.

Until fairly recently, the only way to obtain stem cells was to harvest them from embryos.

Religious conservatives, amongst others, have objected to research on human embryonic stem cells because they hold that the destruction of a foetus, necessary for the harvest, is wrong.

But pioneering work done in 2006 by Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University, a Nobel Laureate in medicine last year, succeeded in generating stem cells

from skin tissue.

Like embryonic stemcells, iPS cells are also capable of developing into any cell in the body, but crucially their source material is readily available.

Yamanaka has called for the government to support his research financially, running in a charity marathon to raise funds in 2011, but his Nobel Prize has significantly boosted his clout and the issue enjoys widespread public support in Japan.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said last month his government will earmark 110 billion yen ($1.18 billion) for research towards the clinincal use of iPS cells.

(AFP)

More US women using ‘morning after’ pill

Hyper-parents harm children

A file picture taken on June 25, 2010, shows a man smoking outside the headquarters of Russian gas giant Gazprom in Moscow. A draft law already passed by Russia’s parliament banning smoking in public places. If the law is passed by the upper House and then signed by President Vladimir Putin, Russia will from 2014 have European-style bans on smoking in restaurants and bars as well as long-distance trains. (AFP)

Health NYC woman on life support dies: A US woman who initially battled her parents for the right to be taken off life support has died in Mineola, New York.

According to her mother, Sungeun Grace Lee died Sunday. She was 28.

The financial analyst was found to have a tumor on her brain stem in 2011.

She later asked to be taken off the ventilator, but her devoutly Christian parents opposed that. A judge sided with Lee, permitting her to go off life support, but Lee changed her mind and stayed on the ventilator. She died at her parents’ home, where she had been since November. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ Chinese woman dies of bird flu: A woman in southwestern China died of bird flu on Wednesday, state media said, a rare case in the country of a fatality from the H5N1 virus since a major outbreak a decade ago. The 21-year-old patient from Guiyang passed away 13 days after showing symptoms, Xinhua news agency said in Beijing, citing the health ministry.

Another city resident, a 31-year-old man who developed signs of the virus around the same time, was reported over the weekend to be in critical condition.

More than 365 people have died of bird flu globally since an 2003 outbreak, the World Health Organisation said in its latest report. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑ Clues to melamine survival: Scientists wondering why some children and not others survived one of China’s worst food safety scandals have uncovered a suspect: germs that live in the gut.

In 2008, at least six babies died and 300,000 became sick after being fed infant formula that had been deliberately and illegally tainted with the industrial chemical melamine. There were some lingering puzzles: How did it cause kidney failure, and why wasn’t everyone equally at risk?

A team of researchers from the U.S. and China re-examined those questions in a series of studies in rats. In findings released Wednesday, they reported that certain intestinal bacteria play a crucial role in how the body handles melamine.

Still, the research is pretty strong, said microbiologist Jack Gilbert of the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, who wasn’t involved in the new study. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Lower arsenic rice strain found:

LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): Turbocharged parents still running their university-aged children’s schedules, laundry and vacations could be doing more harm than good with a study on Wednesday showing these students were more likely to be depressed and dissatisfied with life.

Researcher Holly Schiffrin from the University of Mary Washington in Virginia found so-called helicopter parenting negatively affected college students by undermining their need to feel autonomous and competent.

Her study found students with overcontrolling parents were more likely to be depressed and less satisfied with their lives while the number of hyper-parents was increasing with economic fears fuelling concerns over youngsters’ chances of success.

“You expect parents with younger kids to be very involved but the problem is that these children are old enough to look after themselves and their parents are not backing off,” Schiffrin, an associate professor of psychology, told Reuters.

“To find parents so closely involved with their college lives, contacting their tutors and running their schedules, is something new and on the increase. It does not allow independence and the chance to learn from mistakes.”

Schiffrin’s study, published in Springer’s Journal of Child and Family Studies, was based on an online survey of 297 US undergraduate students in which students described their mothers’ parenting behavior and their own autonomy and researchers assessed their happiness and satisfaction levels.

The study comes as debate rises over how much parents should run their children’s lives to make them succeed.

Schiffrin said the increase in technology had changed the involvement of parents in their children’s college lives as the once-a-week phone call home was replaced with regular texting, emails and messaging.

The competitive marketplace and jostling for top college slots and the best jobs has also boosted the involvement of parents in college lives.

She said to counteract this, rising numbers of universities were starting to run parental orientation days parallel to events for students to help encourage parents to give their children more freedom.

In the UK, a housemaster from top British public school, Eton College, is involved in a campaign to get parents to slow down a little, arguing that hyperparenting may in fact demotivate a child and even cause psychological damage.

Mike Grenier said the increase in helicopter parenting in the past 10 years had accompanied a changing attitude towards childhood, with more anxiety and fear over youngsters now seen as being at risk and vulnerable if confronted with failure.

The greater focus on testing and success at exams has fuelled this and raised

Aromatic rice from Bangladesh’s Sylhet region has a lower arsenic content than many other grains — offering a safer alternative in a country with a huge poisoning burden from rice grown in contaminated water, scientists said Wednesday.

The Sylheti rice also contained higher levels of the essential nutrients selenium and zinc, according to a study published in the journal Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging. (AFP)

Women advised to take supplements

Folic acid tied to lower autism risk WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (AFP): Children born to women who started taking folic acid supplements four to eight weeks before pregnancy appear to be at a lower risk of autism, a study showed.

Pal Suren of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and colleagues looked into the use of folic acid supplements before and during early pregnancy, and any impact on the later risk of various disorders on the autism spectrum.

“Our main finding was that maternal use of folic acid supplements around the time of conception was associated with a lower risk of autistic disorder,” the authors wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The journal recalled that many countries recommend flour be enriched with folic acid to lower the risk of birth defects, and that women are often advised to take folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy.

Despite the practice, European and North American studies have found that many pregnant women take less folate in their diet than is necessary to prevent

neural tube defects.

Suren’s research appears to confirm that the advice to take folic acid supplements is well-founded.

The 85,176 Norwegian children who took part in the study were born between 2002 and 2008.

Among the sample, 270 children, or 0.32 percent, were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, and researchers found that there was an inverse association between folic acid use and subsequent autism risks.

About 1 in 88 children, or 1.14 percent, in the United States have been identified with an autism spectrum disorder, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mothers who took folic acid supplements in early pregnancy had a 40 percent lower risk of having children with autistic disorder compared with mothers who did not take folic acid, the researchers found.

Folic acid is found in naturally high levels in foods such as dark leafy greens, asparagus and broccoli, as well as citrus fruits.

anxiety levels further.

“There is a very fine line between the helicopter parent and the committed and caring parent while at the other end of the spectrum is the negligent parent which can be more dangerous,” Grenier told Reuters.

“But this time of austerity seems to be ratcheting up the tension with more competition for jobs.”

Grenier said it was disconcerting to see parents putting children as young as 3 or 4 into tutoring to ensure they get into the best schools and remain in the best schools to get top university places.

“There is the fear that if they don’t get the right school and don’t get the right university then they won’t get the opportunity to fight for the best jobs,” he said.

“The stakes are higher in people’s minds.”

Grenier is an advocate of a movement called “slow education”, a concept adapted from the Italian culinary movement that has prompted a wider philosophical approach to travel, business, living and now schooling.

“The real danger of hyper-parenting is that it is intrusive and parents don’t let their children make their own decisions, take risks and learn for themselves,” he said.

between 2006 and 2010, compared to about 4 percent in 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its report released on Thursday.

Among those who used the pill during those four years, 59 percent said they took it just once, while 24 percent said they used it twice, the report said.

Seventeen percent said they used it three times or more.

Emergency contraception has been available by prescription in the United States since 1999. One version of the morning-after pill, known as Plan B, has stirred the most political controversy.

Plan B, much like regular birth control, stops pregnancy by blocking the release of a woman’s egg, or it may prevent fertilization or implantation in the uterus. But it must be taken within days after intercourse to work.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved sales of Plan B to adult women without a prescription in 2006 after years of contentious debate. It later loosened the restriction to include 17-year-olds.

Women’s health groups lauded the move as a way to prevent unwanted pregnancies. But conservatives warned it could lead to promiscuity, especially among youth, and more sexual assaults.

Amy Allina of the National Women’s Health Network said CDC’s findings show morning-after pills are not replacing conventional birth control methods for most women, although “there are some for whom it’s clearly not a onetime thing.”

Activists are still pressing for overthe-counter access and no age restrictions.

Also: WASHINGTON: More US women are taking the “morning-after” pill, but generally just once, according to the government’s first report on how the emergency contraception drug has been used since regulators eased access to it in 2006.

About 11 percent of sexually active women, or 5.8 million, used the pill

Chan

Gilbert

Rice is the main staple in Bangladesh, where a study published in The Lancet in 2010 found that as many as 77 million people out of a population of some 160 million may have been exposed to toxic levels of arsenic in contaminated ground water.

The UN’s World Health Organisation under its Director General Margaret Chan has called the country’s arsenic crisis “the largest mass poisoning of a population in history”. (AFP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

HEALTH

36

CSPI urges govt to take actions

US health advocates seek safe sugar limits for drinks NEW YORK, Feb 14, (RTRS) Anti-obesity advocates who want to curb Americans’ sugar habit on Wednesday asked the government to set a safe level for added sugars in soda and other beverages.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which is leading the regulatory push, has urged the government to take actions to reduce Americans’ sugar consumption since the 1970s.

The consumer group’s 54-page regulatory petition filed with the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday is part of a broad public health campaign to trim waistlines in the United States, where more than two-thirds of adults and nearly one-third of children aged 2 to 19 are overweight or obese.

Sugar-sweetened drinks are a significant source of extra calories in the US diet and are closely linked with weight gain, which often accompanies serious and costly illness such as diabetes and heart disease.

If history holds true, the latest request will not result in swift action from the FDA. The American Beverage Association (ABA) and other industry groups have aggressively, and often successfully, fought efforts to reduce sugary drink consumption via regulation or taxes.

They say the industry is being unfairly blamed for the nation’s obesity crisis.

“Everyone has a role to play in reducing obesity levels — a fact completely ignored in this petition,” ABA said in a

Women at higher risk for anterior cruciate ligament injuries

ACL surgery may not shorten WNBA career: study NEW YORK, Feb 14, (RTRS): A common knee surgery that can sideline athletes for months does not ultimately affect the career length of women invited to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), according to a new study.

“With appropriate rehabilitation, ACL injuries do not mean an early end to an otherwise promising athletic career,” said lead author Dr Moira McCarthy, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

McCarthy told Reuters Health she was surprised and impressed by just how many women enter the WNBA with a history of knee injury or surgery.

In particular, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which runs through the knee joint and connects the thigh and shin bones, can be damaged during running or pivoting. Women are at higher risk for ACL injuries than men, and that gender divide widens in intense sports like basketball and soccer.

To see whether female athletes with repaired knees suffer long-term career consequences, McCarthy and her colleagues looked at a healthcare database for 500 players entering the WNBA combine, an invitation-only precursor to the draft, from 2000 to 2008.

Fifteen percent of the athletes reported having torn an ACL, compared to

less than a tenth of one percent in the general population. Almost all the injured athletes had reconstructive surgery.

No position on the team appeared more likely to suffer damage to the ACL or to the meniscus, another part of the knee joint subject to tearing injuries.

“The meniscus is a shock absorber, a shock transmitter, all the pounding that goes on in a performance athlete can wear that down,” Dr Richard Parker, an Orthopedic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio who wasn’t involved in the study, told Reuters Health.

And each ACL injury is different, Parker said. Most people take six or

eight months to return to sport, but “We all hear the story about the person who gets back at four months, and the person who doesn’t get back at all.”

With or without a history of surgery at these locations, the average WNBA career lasts between three and four years.

McCarthy’s team also found that neither career length nor the round in which an athlete was drafted were affected by having had knee repairs.

Parker points out that some women with more severe injuries probably could not return to their previous level of play and were not invited to the combine, skewing the results.

statement.

CSPI Executive Director Michael Jacobson, hopes Wednesday’s action will force soda makers to more aggressively change over to lower-calorie drinks.

“As currently formulated, Coke, Pepsi, and other sugar-based drinks are unsafe for regular human consumption,” Jacobson said. “The FDA should require the beverage industry to re-engineer their sugary products over several years, making them safer for people to consume, and less conducive to disease.”

Americans, on average, consume 18 to 23 teaspoons of added sugars each day, according to data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the US Department of Agriculture. That’s 300 to 400 calories worth of added sugars daily, significantly more than experts consider healthy.

The American Heart Association advises consuming no more than six teaspoons of added sugars per day for women and no more than nine teaspoons for men.

A typical 20-ounce bottle of soda con-

tains about 16 teaspoons of sugars, often from high-fructose corn syrup.

A Tufts University review of studies published over 17 years found that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was the most consistent dietary factor associated with weight gain.

The ABA, the soda industry group, challenges such links, saying obesity rates have risen even as US consumption of full-calorie sodas has declined.

During the 1990s regular soft drinks were the No. 1 source of added sugars and

the greatest single contributor of calories in the US diet. Those beverages now account for 41 percent of added sugar calories versus 59 percent for foods, according to a National Center for Health Statistics March 2012 data brief.

Americans on average drink 44.6 gallons of soft drinks each year, down from a peak of 54 gallons in 1998, according to Beverage Digest. Diet drinks, water and teas currently account for a bigger portion of the soda industry’s sales than sugary drinks, driving a decline in the overall

intake of added sugars.

CSPI and its supporters, which include dozens of scientists, doctors and public health departments, hope to convince the beverage companies to make an even bigger shift to low-calorie sugar substitutes.

FDA classifies high-fructose corn syrup and other sugars as “generally recognized as safe.” That classification is based on scientific consensus that the ingredient is not harmful under the intended conditions of use.

Scientific consensus is that added sugars are unsafe at current consumption levels, CSPI said.

CSPI’s petition asks FDA, which oversees most food products, to set a safe level for added sugars in beverages and to require that the limits be phased in over several years.

FDA said it received the petition and will respond to CSPI. CSPI has made similar FDA requests before.

The nonprofit sued the agency in 2005 for failing to set sodium limits for food — a move health experts say would help save thousands of lives each year. FDA has not yet set such limits, but food makers have lowered sodium in some products with varying degrees of success.

CSPI scored a victory, though it took years, when FDA required that arteryclogging artificial trans fat be included in food labels starting in 2006. That effort, along with state and city trans fat bans, resulted in a sharp decline in use.

Alba 2012 profit slumps 54 pct on lower prices Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), which owns the world’s fourth-largest aluminium smelter, posted a 54.4-percent slump in 2012 profits on Thursday, citing lower prices for the decline.

Alba reported net profit of $256 million for 2012, down from $562.1 million in 2011, according to a bourse filing in Bahrain.

The company also blamed higher energy costs for the decline in

income. Sales fell 16 percent yearon-year to $1.98 billion in 2012.

Aluminium cash prices at the London Metals Exchange dropped 16 percent in 2012 with an average cash price of $2,019 per metric tonne versus $2,398 per metric tonne in 2011, Alba said. The country’s state-run energy supplier had raised the price of gas it sells to Alba at the beginning of 2012 by $0.75 per million British thermal

Market Movements JAPAN AUSTRALIA HONG KONG S. KOREA EUROPE

-

Nikkei All Ordinaries Hang Seng KRX 100 Euro Stoxx 50

Change +55.87 +32.70 +198.09 +67.93 +21.51

units (mmbtu) to $2.25/mmbtu, Tim Murray, the current chief executive, said in February last year.

Murray, who was previously chief finance and supply officer, assumed the CEO role in October.

Alba said on Thursday its board had recommended a dividend of $52 million for the second half of 2012, taking the full-year total to $105 million or $0.74 per share.

(RTRS)

14-02-2013

Closing pts 11,307.28 5,057.20 23,413.25 4,177.40 2,635.25

INDIA PHILIPPINES FRANCE GERMANY

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Qatar may invest as much as $3.5 bln in Russia’s VTB

Sensex All Shares CAC 40 DAX

Change -110.90 -2.80 -28.93 -80.70

Closing pts 19,497.18 4,091.38 3,669.60 7,631.19

Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is in advanced talks with Russia’s secondlargest bank VTB about injecting between $3 billion and $3.5 billion into the banking giant, the Telegraph reported.

VTB will likely issue the Qataris with $1.5 billion of new equity and $1.5 billion of mandatory convertible bonds under the structure of the deal, the daily said citing sources.

The deal may be announced by next week, the paper said. VTB

shares jumped as much as 3.76 percent on the report, while the overall Russian market was 0.08 percent down by 0717 GMT. VTB declined to comment on the report.

Representatives for Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund were not immediately available for comment.

Bankers from Goldman Sachs and Citigroup are thought to be working with VTB on the capital raising, according to the Telegraph.

The deal would be a solution for both VTB’s capital position and Russia’s state privatisation drive, as the bank is next in line for the government to reduce its stake.

VTB has planned to issue new shares equivalent to at least 10 percent of its equity this spring, raising between $1 billion and $3 billion to booster its capital base to continue active business operations, such as lending. (RTRS)

Business behavioural change

Professionals urged to improve ethics T

he financial reforms that are in full swing around the world will remain incomplete and ineffective if they do not also fundamentally improve the behavioural norms of those working in finance and investments. Yet, the signs are that an unbalanced emphasis on new regulations and industry structures risks neglecting the equally important need to improve the values and conduct of practitioners.

Nitin Mehta from Raghu CFA Institute and Raghu Mandagolathur from CFA Society Kuwait discuss the need for behavioural change for finance and investment professionals.

Happily, the template for a solution already exists: professions have long regulated their members’ behaviour for

the ultimate benefit of society. Of course, it was not always so. In earlier times, there were no restrictions to practise as a doctor, lawyer or an accountant. But frequent experiences of malpractice led to an inevitable realisation that controls were required to establish standards of practise in order to protect the public.

Today, most of us would not consult a doctor for our health unless she was properly certified, current in her expertise, and followed an ethical code.

Yet, many readily entrust their savings to those who do not have these qualifications. After the recent crisis, it seems high time that what we expect from healthcare is also demanded from ‘wealthcare’. Greater professionalisation of workers in finance should be sought as a remedy which complements new regulations.

Society rightly demands more from a profession and its members than it does from a trade and its craftsmen.

In return for status, self-regulated

Nitin Mehta

autonomy, and often rich rewards, a profession extends a public warranty that it has established conditions of

Gold demand falls for first time in three yrs US, European coin and bar investment also dropped LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): Global gold demand fell last year for the first time since 2009 as jewellery buying abated in the key Indian and Chinese markets and US and European coin and bar investment dropped, the World Gold Council said on Thursday.

While gold consumption is expected to stabilise this year, it may be some time before it revisits record levels seen in the depths of the financial crisis, the WGC said in a report.

“It’s hard to see a major move up in demand (this year),” the WGC’s managing director for investment, Marcus Grubb, said. “Demand will remain high, but we’re talking small single-digit numbers in terms of growth from the current tonnage level.”

“The tonnage last year was 4,405 tonnes for consumer demand, and if you add in over-the-counter demand, it’s another 100 tonnes higher,” he said. “We would expect 2013 to be quite similar to that.”

Grubb said he sees gold prices, which have traded between $1,625-$1,695 an ounce this year, staying within their current trading range, although potentially market-destabilising events such as upcoming US budget talks could push them higher.

Gold is down 1.4 percent this year after posting its biggest quarterly drop since 2008 in the last three months of 2012.

Buying by central banks peaked in the fourth quarter at 145 tonnes. In the full year, central bank purchases continued their upward trend to hit a 48-year high at 534.6 tonnes.

Grubb said he expected the official sector to match last year’s buying in 2013. “Emerging country central banks regard quantitative policies as divisive and (believe they) affect the value of the assets that they hold — the dollar and euro, for example,” he told the Reuters

Global Gold Forum.

“Because they are concerned about sovereign debt as an asset class, they are diversifying away from traditional currencies and buying gold as a hedge.”

But jewellery demand overall fell 3 percent last year to 1,908.1 tonnes, with the biggest absolute decline noted in India, the world’s largest gold consumer, where a weak rupee left consumers struggling against record-high local prices.

In the fourth quarter it rose 11 percent, however, helped by a 35 percent rebound in Indian jewellery demand. “Jewellery could have a good year in 2013,” Grubb said. “Western demand might at last improve as the US economy and others improve.”

China, the second-biggest gold buyer behind India, saw a 1 percent drop in jewellery demand to 510.6 tonnes, its first annual decline since 2002.

Overall demand was flat in China in the full year and fell 12 percent in India, although buying rose in the final quarter as buyers scrambled to avoid a widely anticipated hike in import duty announced in January.

Increases “Provided we see no more increases in import duty, we still think we will see India continue to recover from what was a difficult year in 2012 overall,” Grubb said. “Some of the buying may have been pulled into Q4 (by anticipation of the duty hike), but overall we think that will be countered by other factors.”

He said a higher number of auspicious gold-buying occasions in the first quarter of 2013 would likely favour the metal.

“When you look at the full year, we’re anticipating that we’ll see 865-965 tonnes of demand,” he said.

A rebound in Indian consumption helped overall jewellery demand rise 11 percent in the final quarter, In China, demand is expected to recover to between 780-880 tonnes this year, against 776.1 tonnes last year.

“The jury’s out on a major re-acceleration of growth in Chinese gold demand,” Grubb said. “Last year we saw the first significant slowdown in the Chinese

economy in years. That did affect these numbers.”

“What you’re seeing in January and February is a re-acceleration in the Chinese economy,” he said. “We will see what that does to gold demand in the first part of 2013.”

Bar and coin investment fell sharply in the United States and Europe last year, with US offtake dropping by more than a third to 53.4 tonnes and European buying down 29 percent to 273.6 tonnes.

Overall investment demand last year fell 10 percent to 1,534.6 tonnes. That was led by a 17 percent dip in bar and coin demand, with bar investment falling by a fifth to 941.1 tonnes.

Investment via gold-backed exchangetraded funds rose, however, with ETF demand up by more than half at 279 tonnes.

“There was a pick-up in US coin and bar demand towards the end of the year because of the fiscal cliff,” Grubb said.

“But overall for the year it was weak, and it reflects the fact that in Europe the announcements by the European Central Bank took away tail risk in the mind of the investor.”

“The announcement of OMT (bondbuying) in Europe and quantitative easing in the United States also mitigated fears of a near-term crisis, and I think that’s why bar and coin demand fell.

Institutional investors and private wealth took a different view — you see the ETF tonnages went up 51 percent and overthe-counter (demand) had a strong year.”

He said while more optimism over the outlook for the global economy was likely to encourage investment in other assets like stocks, the fact that much of that was driven by extremely loose monetary policy meant gold investment was unlikely to fall.

“Investors are trying to call a turn in the asset cycle,” Grubb said. “The jury’s still out on whether this will be the year when it actually happens. Even if you do start to look at the world more optimistically in 2013, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a role for gold in your portfolio. There clearly is, to keep the risk down as you pursue more volatility.”

Partnership to help cos gain competitive advantage

Axios Systems signs deal with Arabian ITS KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: Axios Systems, a leading provider of IT Service Management (ITSM) solutions, recently announced a joint partnership with Arabian ITS, a fast growing IT systems integrator and managed services provider in Kuwait.

Arabian ITS was originally attracted to Axios because the two organizations share the same ITSM ideals. assyst is focused tightly around the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL(r)) principles, something the

clients of Arabian ITS will find of great value.

Arabian ITS wanted a solution that was an enterprise-scale packaged application that would be simple to deploy to clients, offered extreme flexibility and a pain-free implementation - assyst met all of these criteria.

Markos Symeonides, Executive Vice President of Axios Systems Middle East commented “We are proud to be partnering with one of the leading integrators in Kuwait.” Symeonides went on to add

“Their market penetration coupled with our laser focus on ITSM Software Solutions provides a rich mix of capabilities never seen before in the Kuwait market.”

Since Axios Systems first setup in the Middle East in 2004, they have continued to expand and now count several reputable companies among their clients, including Qatar Petroleum, Dubai Petroleum, Emaar Properties, AL Jazira Bank of KSA, Saud Hollandi Bank, Gulf News.

entry, standards of fair practice, disciplinary procedures and continuing education for its members. In doing so, the profession improves the quality of its practitioners for the benefit of their clients. While the most conscientious employers and practitioners join professional associations and adopt their standards, many more do not. A lack of consistent regulation is usually the cause of such a state of affairs.

The GCC region is initiating major regulatory reforms as a swift response to the financial crisis and its aftermath.

Celebrated cases of corporate failures, restructurings, defaults and other impediments are sought to be remedied through establishment of new regulatory structures (like ESCA in UAE or the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) in Kuwait) or through new strictures.

However, this is not an assurance to prevent recurrence of similar problems or emergence of new problems.

The money management industry in the GCC should progress on profes-

sionalism as much as it progresses on regulatory reforms. Recruitments to key positions involving financial advice both at institutional and retail level still happen based on networking skills and language proficiency rather than professional skills as measured by relevant global qualifications combined with multi-disciplinary experience.

As the region goes through the next phase of massive government expenditure, it is imperative that regulatory progress is accompanied by a realization of the need to professionalize the workforce especially at a decision making level.

The recent crisis revealed how serious flaws had developed in the culture of finance. Over recent decades, secular shifts in values resulted in too much emphasis on profits and not enough on professionalism; an excessive celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship, and not enough of ethics; an unhealthy focus on building a career,

instead of character and competence. In other words, a swing in favour of business success and away from professional values. If this arc is not reversed and trust restored, there may not be much of a business left.

Much needs to be done urgently.

Regulators should drive broader professionalisation of the financial sector; greater emphasis on professionalism must properly complement and balance the regulatory and industry overhaul reshaping finance.

At the same time, employers should require their most valued employees to actively seek professional status as a condition of employment; long-term competitive advantages and investor confidence could be built in this way.

And individual practitioners should adopt the higher standards and obligations of a profession, transforming their work into a vocational calling. Nothing less than such co-ordinated action will reshape the future of finance and protect the laity.

Equities to see substantial investment: Dugan

Market outlook upbeat in 2013

By Joana Saba Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: Following the recent launch of Coutts 2013 Investment Outlook, the Arab Times held an interview with Coutts Chief Investment Officer (Asia & Middle East) Gary Dugan on the current state of the world market, as well as prospects for the Gulf and the future of the EU. Dugan outlined the pros and cons of the international market in light of the trajectories of 2012, predicting a good 2013 on the basis of overall good returns from the bond and equity markets in 2012.In addition, he spoke specifically of the prospects in the Asian market, giving examples of both the problems and the strengths experienced by the markets in Japan, India and China.

“The way we look at things, last year ended on a positive note. There are some very good returns from bond markets and equity markets, and that laid the groundwork for a good 2013,” Dugan told the Arab Times, stating however that it would be a bad year for bonds and sukuk.

“Over the last 2-3 years about 1.3 trillion dollars has gone into US mutual funds and invested in bonds, whereas 350 million dollars have come out of equity funds. So we think that 2013 will be a year where we see more substantial investment in equities, and that could easily lead to equity market returns of 10-20% around the world,” he added.

Reason Speaking particularly of China, he noted that there was reason to be optimistic, due to good growth and increased consumer spending, with retail sales up 15% this January alone.

However, he stated that this was not reflected in the equity market, and that while the Hong Kong market was benefiting from international money, the local market couldn’t, adding that the market was on a very low valuation.

“But last week, for example, the local market was up 5% in one week, so we’re starting to see local money come back there, and that will generate some very good returns,” he noted.

On the Indian market, he stated that the implementation of new continuous positive government policy since September is giving way to remarkable change, one small example being the increase of train fares for the first time in 9 years.

“That’s going to be painful for the population, but the government just couldn’t afford the subsidies any longer. So, they get subsidies down, the deficit comes down, and that would enable the central bank to cut interest rates, and if they cut interest rates, that reinforces the improvement in the economy,” explained Dugan.

He noted the 30% rise in the equity market, but stated that this could be at risk in upcoming elections if policy is once again changed.

“On Japan, the market’s done very well already, and we think there’s

Gary Dugan, Coutts Chief Investment Officer (Asia & Middle East)

more to come. The market’s been driven by a couple of things; firstly it’s the fall in the value of the yen, and that’s coming from the huge quantitative easing that we see from the central bank,” he continued.

He stated that the policy has been pushed for by the newly appointed PM, and that it is likely to continue, with the appointment of a new head of the Central Bank in April, noting that should he win the upper-house elections he would be in a good position to make positive policies.

“The fall in the value of the yen already has led to upgrades to corporate profit forecast and upgrades to GDP forecast,” he added. “Given that this economy seems to be in recession all the time, it’s almost startling and amazing to see the GDP growth this year will be around 2% based on current forecasts.”

He also added that there is a return to the market from investors, and that the market’s strong growth could lead to a 10-20% increase “given the free flowing printing of money happening at the central bank.”

Benefit On the Middle East market, he stated that it should benefit from the broader context of emerging markets due to low valuation in the region.

“Typically across the GCC, we’re seeing valuations that are 20-30% below those of the broad emerging bond,” he stated, but added that there are challenges.

“The problem is accessibility,” he stated, “[as] international investors have only got limited access to the markets of this region.”

“Secondly, the challenge from this region is where is the growth going to come from in 2013? 2012 saw a massive expansion of government spending, which will be difficult to repeat, and also, looking across the region in terms of oil production, there’s limited upsize for the increase in oil production this year.”

He stated that the cheapness of the markets is an encouraging factor as it will invite international investors.

However, he noted that one problem is modest loan growth, due to reluctance towards the use of credit.

“In terms of things that could go wrong in this story, one thing that

could go wrong is that policy makers could get it wrong, particularly in the US,” continued Dugan. “The US budget deficit today is around about 100% Of GDP, which is a very high number internationally. As a comparison, the Eurozone is about 90%. On the US government’s own forecast, debt GDP could rise to 200% if they don’t change their policies.”

The second risk Dugan outlined resulted from there being too much cash remaining at home. “When the world wakes up there’s going to be less money around, and we have got to just face up to the fact that global growth is a little bit weaker. That’s when things are going to get tougher.

But we believe that will be reflected more in bond markets having a difficult year this year rather than equities.”

He noted that there had been a massive change in bond’s yield, particularly in the US where it went from 1.6 to 2. However, this period is coming to an end, and as it does, some of the money that previously went to bonds will be changed to equities.

Trickle “It starts to become a trickle that becomes a flood, and in that flood, some of the emerging market bonds could get damaged. They’re not particularly deep markets, and a lot of the investors have gotten there for higher yields,” he noted.

“I spent time working in Dubai, which has seen yields drop from 7-9 down to 2-3. The truth is somewhere between those two numbers, but when people start to sell, withdrawal from the bond markets, then yields could rise very sharply and people could suffer some quite considerable losses,” he said, adding that in Asia this process is exacerbated due to leveraged bond losses.

He further added that gold was bought both for insurance purposes and to diversify currency, but that gold has a downsize risk. Currently standing at $ 1550, gold could go up to $ 1660 on the chart, but following this could go down to $ 1350, due to the low demand for gold in India resulting from the fall in the value of the rupee.

Further, he stated that banks are no longer buying gold, with a 30% decrease in buying due to the fall of its value in certain places, the stronger performance of the euro and the increased interest in the remnimbi.

“Finally, on oil, everyone keeps talking about this huge surplus of oil coming out of the US. Well, I’ve always said if the US has got a surplus, they always find a way of spending it or using it themselves,” stated Dugan, adding that although there is oil, it’s more inaccessible, and more difficult to extract, so “the idea that the world is awash in oil again, I don’t think is true.”

Further, Dugan spoke on recent socio-political developments in the region and how they have or may affect the market in the Gulf, and particularly in Saudi Arabia.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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Kuwait Food Co earns KD 45.90m

Mabanee Co chalks net profit of KD 33.27 million KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Board of Directors of Mabanee Company (Mabanee) met on Feb 14, 2013 and adopted the annual financial statements of the company for the year ending Dec 31, 2012.

Particulars Dec 31, Dec 31, 2012 2011 Profit (Loss) (KD) 33,277,658 20,780,402 Earnings per share (fils) 53.28 34.2 Total current assets 17,791,184 13,661,839 Total assets 384,241,248 307,186,553 Total current liabilities 54,920,831 52,388,785 Total liabilities 189,866,361 160,466,569 Total shareholders equity 193,869,278 146,719,984 The total revenue from transactions is worth KD 5,841,348.

The Board of Directors of the company recommended cash dividends of 20% of the nominal value of the shares 20 fils per share and bonus shares of 10% of the paid-up capital of 10 shares for every 100 shares for the fiscal year ending Dec 31, 2012.

Note that these recommendations are subject to approval by the shareholders and the competent authorities. ❑

❑

Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Investments has begun talks with lenders about refinancing a $2 billion loan due to mature in May, three banking sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The firm, which owns a stake in commodities trader Glencore and is the largest shareholder in Italian bank UniCredit, has sent out a request for proposals (RFP) asking banks about options for renewing the existing facility.

Details about the structure of the new deal are still being worked out, although one

Board of Directors of Kuwait Food Company met on Feb 14, 2013 and adopted the annual financial statements of the company for the year ending Dec 31, 2012.

Particulars Dec 31, Dec 31, 2012 2011 Profit (Loss) (KD) 45,903,000 48,022,000 Earnings per share (fils) 117 123 Total current assets 244,185,000 235,666,000 Total assets 602,980,000 581,063,000 Total current liabilities 192,243,000 188,824,000 Total liabilities 252,097,000 251,775,000 Total shareholders’ equity 313,355,000 291,379,000 The total revenue from transactions is worth KD 256,000 and total expenses from transactions with related parties amounting to KD 170,000.

ately available for comment.

A period of marketing to other banks is expected to start shortly. Should the deal commence syndication in the next few days, it is expected to close by the end of the first quarter, one of the sources, a regional banker, said.

Kufpec has a $320 million loan which matures in May. That facility was funded by ten banks led by Citigroup and NBK in 2008 and paid a margin of 100 basis points over the London interbank offered rate (Libor), according to Thomson Reuters data.

The new loan will not refinance this facility, which will be retired when it reaches maturity, a second banker, based in London, said.

London-based banker hinted it could be self-arranged by Aabar and have a similar structure to the current deal. The three sources spoke on condition of anonymity as the information is not public.

Aabar, a unit of Abu Dhabi sovereign fund International Petroleum Investment Company, borrowed heavily to build up holdings in a number of major companies, including carmaker Daimler.

However, aside from participating in UniCredit’s rights issue and building a stake

in Dubai-based builder Arabtec , the firm kept a low profile in 2012, mirroring Abu Dhabi’s cautious investment strategy over the period. Its chief financial officer and general counsel both left the investment firm in the second half of last year, sources told Reuters in November.

Aabar relinquished its Daimler stake in October to the banks behind a March 2009 derivatives deal underpinning the purchase after the investment firm failed to keep up its funding. (RTRS)

Zain records $902 mln profit in 2012; EBITDA logs $2.04b Customer base rises 6 pct to 42.714 million

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Kufpec picks banks for loan DUBAI, Feb 14, (RTRS): Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (Kufpec) has picked five banks to arrange a $750-million, five-year loan to help fund its general business operations, three banking sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Kufpec has chosen Bank of TokyoMitsubishi, HSBC Holdings, JP Morgan Chase, National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) and Royal Bank of Scotland to arrange the loan, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. NBK and JP Morgan are coordinating.

Kufpec is owned by state oil firm Kuwait Petroleum Cooperation and has an international focus.

A Kufpec spokesman was not immedi-

Abu Dhabi’s Aabar seeks $2 bln loan refinancing — sources

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: Zain Group, the pioneer of mobile telecommunications in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa, announces today its consolidated financial results for the twelve months ending 31 December 2012.

Twelve Months 2012 Key Performance Indicators (Kuwaiti Dinars and USD) Total Managed Active Customer: 42.71 million (up 6 percent on December 2011) Consolidated Revenues: KD 1.28 billion ($4.58 billion) EBITDA: KD 570.7 million ($2.04 billion) Net Income: KD 252.1 million ($902 million) EPS: KD 0.065 ($0.23) For the 12 months in 2012, Zain Group generated consolidated revenues of $4.58 billion (KD 1.28 billion) compared to 2011 consolidated revenues of $4.79 billion (KD 1.32 billion). EBITDA for the same period amounted to $2.04 billion (KD 570.7 million) reflecting an EBITDA margin of 44.5 percent.

Net Income amounted to $902 million (KD 252.1 million), compared to 2011 net income of $1.033 billion (KD 284.9 million).

Earnings per share for the 12 months stood at $0.23 (KD 0.065), compared to $0.27 (KD 0.073) in the previous year.

Additionally, shareholders equity stood at $6.1 billion (KD 1.7 billion).

Subsequently, the Board of Directors recommended a cash dividend of $0.18 (KD 0.050) per share subject to the

Annual General Assembly and regulatory approvals.

Zain Group’s consolidated customer base grew by 6 percent and stood at 42.714 million active customers across all operations at the end of 2012. The Group added 2.451 million new active customers over the past twelve months.

Remarks and operational commentary from Zain Group Chairman and CEO:

Challenging Commenting on the full-year results, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zain Group, Asaad Al Banwan said: “2012 has been a challenging year and Zain’s financial indicators suffered from sharp currency translation impact in some of the markets in which we operate, which cost Zain’s bottom line approximately $109 million.”

Al Banwan continued: “In 2012, the Group’s key financial indicators were relatively stable. Without the effects of the currency translation impact, consolidated revenues would have been $4.88 billion (KD 1.4 billion), while EBITDA would have been $2.15 billion (KD 601.7 million), and net profits $1 billion (KD 282.6 million).”

Zain Group continued to adhere to its policy of reducing administrative, operational and finance costs during 2012, helping the company lower its overall costs during the year through effective streamlining and efficiency drives.

Al Banwan also took the opportunity to express his hope and confidence that Zain Group’s management will continue to successfully pursue the company’s growth plans under the leadership of the recently appointed Group CEO, Scott Gegenheimer. Al Banwan described Gegenheimer as, “one of the most capable and experienced telecom executive

leaders in the world”.

On his part, Zain Group CEO, Mr. Scott Gegenheimer said: “Our Kuwait operation achieved a technological breakthrough in 2012 when it became the first operator in Kuwait to launch a nationwide LTE network.”

Gegenheimer continued: “Zain KSA successfully completed its rights issue with a full subscription during the summer; a development that formed part of a wider plan to restructure the company’s capital. Zain Group continued to back its Saudi Arabia operation both administratively and financially, having taken the strategic decision to increase its ownership in Zain KSA to 37 percent in the wake of the company’s rights issue.”

Zain KSA went on to utilize the cash generated from the rights issue to repay some debt in addition to investing in network improvements and services.

Additional support from Zain Group ensured the Saudi operator improved its financial performance and results, which led to a reduction in its net loss by 9 percent year-on-year in 2012.

Instability As a result of the political unrest and economic instability in Sudan and South Sudan, Zain Group faced a number of challenges highlighted by the sharp volatility of the exchange rate and the devaluation of the Sudanese pound, (which fell by 55 percent against the US dollar during 2012).

Commenting on the situation in Sudan and South Sudan, Gegenheimer said: “I hope that the recent talks between Sudan and South Sudan will result in political stability, favorable economic recovery, support of the local currency, and an increase in the purchasing power of the

average Sudanese citizen.”

Gegenheimer continued: “Zain continues to have confidence that once structural issues in this part of the world are resolved we will again benefit from the substantial growth of our operations there, despite the heightened taxation and fuel costs.”

Commenting on Zain Iraq, Gegenheimer said: “In 2012, our operation in Iraq achieved remarkable results, including a 7 percent year-on-year rise in its consolidated revenues, 6 percent rise in net profit.”

He added: “We expect tangible growth opportunities in Iraq, especially on the back of the widespread expansion of our network into the northern regions of the country. This expansion has helped grow the operation’s customer base substantially, resulting in a 10 percent increase in customers during 2012 to reach 13.7 million.

ZainIraq also continues to be the market leader with respect to customer numbers, and plans to proceed with its stock market listing in H1 2013.

Zain Group also entered a number of strategic partnerships with global companies during the course of the year with the dual aim of reinforcing its operational position and maximizing its value proposition to customers.

An example of such cooperation is the Partner Market agreement Zain Group entered into with Vodafone Group in September 2012, which allowed the two Groups to bolster each other’s presence and services in the region and other parts of the world.

Zain also began to offer high-quality mobile services (data and Wi-Fi) to its customers at favorable rates through partnering with international Wi-Fi specialist iPass.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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Islamic fund launched to aid smaller Tunisia firms Tunisia plans to provide Islamic financing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) via a tie-up between the public and private sectors, which could serve as a model for other Arab states trying to repair their economies after political turmoil.

The Tunis-based Bank of Financing Small and Medium Enterprises (BFPME) has agreed with the Jeddah-based Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a private

investment arm of the Islamic Development Bank, to aid smaller companies in Tunisia.

The plans include a 50 million dinar ($32.3 million) sharia-compliant SME fund. It was launched on Wednesday

by Tunis-based United Gulf Financial Services – North Africa (UGFS-NA), which is 60 percent owned by Bahrain-based United Gulf Bank.

“The success of the fund will serve to increase foreign direct investment and further develop Islamic banking

in the country,” UGFS-NA chairman Mohamed Fekih said in a statement.

The fund, financed by the ICD and the Tunisian government’s Deposit and Consignment Fund, will focus on urban areas, and hopes its investments will create up to 1,000 new jobs.

The plans also call for the ICD to assist BFPME, which has a capital of 100 million dinars, in developing Islamic lending products tailored for SMEs. (RTRS)

Dubai’s Drake and Scull Q4 net profit beats view Contractor Drake & Scull International reported a higher fourthquarter profit on Thursday as the firm’s projects in Saudi Arabia gained momentum.

Drake, in which Goldman Sachs Inc bought warrants worth $40 million, reported a fourth-quarter net profit of 46 million dirhams ($12.5 million), the company said in a statement on Dubai’s bourse.

This compares to a net profit of 42 million dirhams reported during the

same period in 2011, a spokesman told Reuters after the announcement.

The earnings beat estimates of four analysts who forecast an average quarterly net profit of 17.5 million dirhams.

Revenue for the quarter was 1.2 billion dirhams.

Drake, which specialises in mechanical, engineering and plumbing (MEP) operations, has been gradually expanding its operations outside of Dubai following a slowdown in the

emirate’s once-booming real estate sector.

The company attributed its fourth quarter growth to construction progress in its civil projects across Saudi, one of the contractor’s key markets.

Drake’s joint venture with Arabian Construction Co won a new $720 million contract in Saudi Arabia in December, one among a series of contract wins last year in the kingdom. (RTRS)

IMF says not aware of receiving Cairo’s revised economic plan

Egypt pound hits record low after forex auction CAIRO, Feb 14, (RTRS): Egypt’s pound weakened to a record low against the dollar in interbank trade after a foreign currency sale on Thursday, but trading volumes were low as authorities reduced the flow of dollars into the market.

The pound traded at 6.73 against the dollar after the central bank sold $38.3 million, with the cut-off price falling to 6.7204 Egyptian pounds per dollar versus 6.7188 earlier this week.

It was the bank’s 22nd auction of foreign currency since it introduced the sales in December as part of efforts to control the pound’s slide, but it has cut back in the past week on the volume of dollars on offer.

Prices, driven by demand which has forced ordinary Egyptians to buy their dollars on a black market that shadows official trade, have continued to fall steadily.

“It is very clear that the central bank is slowing down the pace of deprecia-

tion but it will continue,” one trader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Two years of political unrest have triggered a flight into dollars, draining foreign reserves which the central bank said fell to $13.6 billion at the end of January — below the $15 billion level needed to cover three months of imports.

Since the central bank introduced the regular auctions in late December, the pound has weakened by just over eight percent and the amounts offered at auctions have tapered.

Earlier this month the central bank tightened the pound’s trading band in the interbank forex market, limiting banks to buying or selling hard currency in a band of 0.01 pounds below or above the weighted average bid at auction.

“Whenever there is an auction there is always a new time low because it is on a depreciation basis,” the same trad-

Ankara to diversify suppliers

Turkey cuts Iran crude imports by 29% in Dec DUBAI, Feb 14, (RTRS): Turkey imported 29 percent less Iranian crude oil in December than November, data from the Turkish energy watchdog showed, as the country followed a pledge to cut purchases as part of western trade sanctions against Iran.

Iranian crude imports dropped to 82,849 barrels per day (bpd) or 350,385 tonnes from November’s 116,000 bpd or 474,784 tonnes, according to data from EPDK. This brought Turkey’s total Iranian oil imports to 7.56 million tonnes in 2012, or 151,829 barrels per day (bpd), a drop of around 15 percent from 2011 and from volumes contracted with Iran, which were around 180,000 bpd.

Once reliant on Iran for more than half its crude oil imports, Turkey has reduced its purchases as the United States and European Union have tightened sanctions on the trade with Tehran.

Turkey obtained an initial waiver from the United States on Iranian oil imports for 180 days from June 11 after Ankara made an initial 20 percent import cut before the EU sanctions came into effect last July.

The exemption was renewed in early December for another 180 days.

The United States and many of its allies say Iran is enriching uranium for weapons purposes, while Iran says its programme is for peaceful purposes.

Iranian oil has fallen to 39 percent of Turkey’s total crude oil purchases from 49 percent in 2011, according to data from Turkish Statistics Office and the energy watchdog. The statistics office stopped providing a country-bycountry breakdown for crude oil imports at the end of 2012.

Turkey made it clear it will not stop buying Iranian oil, but it has intensified efforts to diversify its suppliers.

Its imports from OPEC members Saudi Arabia and Iraq have increased as Iranian supplies have fallen, making the two countries Turkey’s biggest suppliers after Iran.

Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said in early January that Turkey was seeking to raise its crude imports from Libya to 10 million barrels a year from the current 7 million.

er said.

Egypt is negotiating for a $4.8 billion IMF loan but talks have stalled since the government postponed ratification of the deal in December due to political unrest at the time.

On Tuesday rating agency Moody’s cut Egypt’s credit rating to B3 from B2 and added it may cut it further, citing doubts about its ability to secure the IMF loan and economic impact of a new round of political unrest.

“There is a shortage in dollars.

Everyday the pound goes to a record low and the picture is not clear.

Political stability or news about the IMF loan could strengthen the pound,” another trader, speaking on condition of anonymity said.

The International Monetary Fund’s chief spokesman on Thursday said he was unaware of the Fund receiving a revised economic program from Egypt, a precondition for securing a vital $4.8 billion loan.

Lebanon to launch tender to run state-owned telcos DUBAI, Feb 14, (RTRS): Lebanon will launch a tender to run its two state-owned mobile phone operators, currently managed

by Kuwait’s Zain and Egypt’s OTMT, as part of a plan to revamp the telecoms sector, a senior government adviser said.

The telecoms ministry wants to award contracts for an extended 3-5 year period to manage the two state-run mobile phone operators, Touch and Alfa.

The government also plans to create a submarine cable link to Cyprus to increase bandwidth and spin off mobile telecom transmission towers into a separate state-owned business that could also be managed by a private company.

Transform “We want to transform Lebanon into a digital hub,” Karim Kobeissi, senior adviser to the Ministry of Telecommunications, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

Unlike other countries in the region that have liberalised their telecom sectors, Lebanon has kept its infrastructure under state control. Its mobile phone penetration rate was 89 percent in 2012, lagging many other countries in the Middle East.

The existing contracts of Zain and OTMT to run Touch and Alfa ran their course at the end of January but have been extended to end-February to allow the cabinet to consider the revamp.

Kobeissi said new companies could win the tender, but there were no plans for a third mobile company to operate alongside Touch and Alfa.

“It will be open for qualified telecom operators,” he said. “It’s still early to see if other companies are interested.”

The management contracts of Zain and OTMT have been renewed repeatedly, usually on an annual basis, since they took up the work in 2004 and 2009

Tamar in talks to sell gas to Jordan JERUSALEM, Feb 14, (RTRS): The US-Israeli consortium developing the Tamar natural gas field off Israel’s Mediterranean coast is in talks to sell gas to Jordanian companies, financial news site TheMarker reported on Thursday.

The Tamar prospect, whose estimated reserves of 274 bcm made it one of the largest discoveries of the past decades, is expected to begin production in the next few months.

TheMarker said the Tamar group has been holding secret talks to supply gas to Arab Potash and other plants on the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea through an extension of a gas pipeline. It noted that Jordan imports 97 percent of the fuel it needs, while the Jordanian energy sector relies 88 percent on natural gas.

Jordan, like Israel, has suffered from a wave of attacks on pipelines from Egypt. But Egypt still supplies Jordan with gas while it halted supply to Israel last year.

Texas-based Noble Energy leads the Tamar drilling group with a 36 percent stake. Isramco Negev owns 28.75 percent, Avner Oil Exploration and Delek Drilling hold 15.625 percent each and Dor Gas Exploration has a 4 percent stake.

respectively. Touch is the market leader, with a 53 percent share of Lebanon’s mobile phone subscribers.

Touch and Alfa’s combined revenue for 2011 was $1.6 billion, of which $1.4 billion went to the government, Business Monitor International estimates.

for cutting Egypt’s credit rating earlier this week.

Kandil said on Thursday he expected an International Monetary Fund team to visit this month for talks on a loan agreement seen as vital to supporting the country’s economy.

Asked when the IMF mission would return to resume stalled talks on the $4.8 billion loan, Kandil said: “Within this month, God willing.”

Egypt concluded an initial agreement for the loan in November but in December postponed ratification because of political unrest.

The Egyptian government has repeatedly said the IMF delegation would return soon to finalise a deal.

Kandil said in an interview broadcast late on Wednesday that the government had finished revising a programme of economic reforms seen as vital to securing the loan.

Many economists believe the government could postpone ratification of

an IMF deal until parliamentary elections expected to get under way in April or May to delay austerity measures that could hit the popularity of the ruling Islamists.

“What we need desperately, even more than financing is for the streets to calm down and for some patience and hard work from the citizens,” Kandil said.

Egypt’s state-owned EGPC has issued a tender to buy up to a total of 9 million barrels of crude oil in the second quarter, more than in previous quarterly tenders, trade sources said.

EGPC is seeking 3 million barrels per month between April and June of medium-sour crude oil. The tender closes on March 18.

In the last two quarterly tenders, it asked for 2 million barrels per month.

For the first quarter, only half the asked for amount was awarded due to the country’s growing currency crisis.

Petraco and Arcadia were the winners with Iraqi Basra Light.

Dubai financial hub sees growth in Asia and Africa Number of registered firms up 7 pct, employment jumps 16 pct in 2012 DUBAI, Feb 14, (RTRS): The Dubai International Financial Centre, a business zone, says it aims to double the number of companies there over five years by serving as a base for business with China, south Asia and Africa, not merely the Gulf.

With political unrest plaguing parts of the Middle East and Western financial firms still retrenching because of debt problems in their home markets, the business environment is challenging for Dubai.

But Jeffrey Singer, chief executive of the DIFC Authority, which manages the business zone, said Dubai could keep expanding rapidly as the Gulf’s main financial centre by becoming a conduit for trade and investment with a larger region.

“Increasingly institutions are using Dubai not just as a base for business in the Gulf, but as a base to access a much wider area,” he said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday.

Ventures

Bid to revamp telecoms sector

Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil late on Wednesday said the government had finished revising a program on economic reforms. He later said he hoped the IMF team would return to Egypt this month to resume talks on the loan.

“As far as I am aware, we have not yet received the economic program,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters.

“We understand the Egyptian authorities have been working on revising their economic program. And once this step is completed, we will discuss the timing of a possible mission to Cairo to assess the revised program.”

The IMF accord is seen as critical for propping up Egypt’s battered finances.

Ratification would also unlock billions of dollars of further aid from foreign states, economists say.

Ratings agency Moody’s cited uncertainty about the government’s ability to secure the loan as one reason

The DIFC, opened in 2004, is one of the United Arab Emirates’ “free zones”, offering foreign investors 100 percent ownership of their ventures and business-friendly regulation.

The number of registered firms operating in the DIFC rose 7 percent last year to 912, while workers at those firms jumped 16 percent to 14,000. The DIFC has declared it wants to double its size in the five years from 2011, when it had 848 companies.

The DIFC has had to contend over the past year with the shrinkage of some of its top US and European clients. This week, Citigroup Inc began laying off investment bankers across its Europe, Middle East and Africa division, with 50 positions to be eliminated in the near term.

But Singer said that overall, cutbacks of investment bankers and back-office staff at Western institutions in the DIFC had been more than offset by their expansion in other areas, as foreign

Muscat posts $8.4 bln budget surplus for 2012

Oman Dec inflation up 2.2% y/y MUSCAT, Feb 14, (RTRS): Oman’s consumer price growth reached 2.8 percent in December, slightly up from a revised 2.7 percent in the previous month, data from the National Center for Statistics & Information showed.

Oman Consumer Inflation pct change month/month pct change year/year

12/12

11/12

12/11

0.1 -0.3 (-0.2)

0.0

2.8 2.7 (2.8)

3.3

Note: Preliminary figures are in brackets.

Food prices, which make up over 30 percent of the basket, increased 1.8 percent on an annual basis in December and 0.7 percent from the previous month.

Rents and energy costs, which account for over 21 percent of consumer expenses, rose 1.6 percent yearon-year and 0.1 percent month-onmonth in December.

Average inflation decelerated to 2.9 percent in 2012 from a three-year high of 4.0 percent in 2011. Analysts polled

by Reuters in January expected average firms tried to capture part of the oil-rich Gulf’s infrastructure spending boom.

In some cases, retrenchment by foreign firms in the Gulf has prompted them to bring staff back from other parts of the region to Dubai, actually boosting their presence in the DIFC. “The European presence has grown every year in terms of both employment and the number of firms here,” said Singer, an American who took his job last July after heading the NASDAQ Dubai exchange.

Much of the DIFC’s future growth is expected to come from Chinese institutions. Assets at Industrial &

inflation of 3.3 percent in 2013.

High oil prices helped Oman post a budget surplus of 3.22 billion rials ($8.4 billion) in 2012, a turnaround from a deficit of 113.2 million rials in 2011, data from the finance ministry showed on Thursday.

The surplus is equivalent to 12 percent of the sultanate’s 2011 gross domestic product, according to a Reuters calculation based on the latest official data.

Oman Budget 01-12/12 revenue (mln rials) (12,491) expenditure balance

01-11/12 01-12/11 13,981.5 12,881.5

10,624.7

10,758.7 9,588.8 10,737.9 3,222.83,292.7 -113.2 (1,753)

The ministry also revised its initally reported 2011 revenue figure sharply down, resulting in a small deficit instead of the surplus previously recorded. It did not explain the change.

The originally released figures are in brackets.

Oman based its 2012 budget plan on a projected oil price of $75 a barrel and predicted a deficit of 1.2 billion rials.

Oman’s National Center for Statistics & Information released the following preliminary, nominal gross domestic product data for the first nine months of 2012.

Oman GDP (nominal) Jan-Sept/12/ H1/12 Jan-Sept/11 pct change year/year 13.1 16.2 n/a mln rials 22,023.3 15,202.3 19,469.1

Note: Minister for Financial Affairs Darwish al-Balushi had estimated last month that actual 2012 state expenditure was about 13 billion rials, which would have produced a budget surplus of about 1 billion rials. The finance ministry did not explain why its data was so different from the minister’s initial estimate.

Note: Oman does not release inflation-adjusted GDP data on a regular basis. The government said last month that real GDP growth was an estimated 8.3 percent in 2012; analysts polled by Reuters in January predicted growth of 4.4 percent in 2013.

Commercial Bank of China’s (ICBC) Middle East unit, which operates from Dubai, soared 128 percent from a year earlier to $6.1 billion in the first half of 2012.

Four Chinese institutions - ICBC, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China and Petrochina - now have presences in the DIFC. Singer said the DIFC was discussing the possibility of others coming, but declined to elaborate.

Trade in the Chinese yuan by banks in Dubai has been increasing; ICBC said it conducted $2.1 billion of yuan transactions in the interbank money

market in the first half of 2012, up 58 percent. Last week Emirates NBD, Dubai’s largest bank, said it had started offering yuan accounts.

Dubai may struggle to become a major market for trading the yuan, however, if it does not arrange for clearing of trades to be done locally.

Yuan clearing is conducted in Hong Kong and Taipei, and last week China named ICBC as the clearing bank for yuan business in Singapore, but Singer said any similar arrangement for Dubai would depend on discussions between UAE and Chinese authorities.

Sompo Japan backed out of bidding

Three insurers to bid for Yapi Kredi Sigorta ISTANBUL, Feb 14, (RTRS): Three global insurers are expected to make binding offers for Turkish bank Yapi Kredi’s insurance arm on Friday, banking sources said, a deal expected to rank as the largest in the country’s growing sector.

Japan’s Dai-ichi Life Insurance, Zurich Insurance and Germany’s Allianz SE are in the race for Yapi Kredi Sigorta, a joint venture between Italy’s UniCredit SpA and Turkey’s Koc Holding, three banking sources familiar with the matter said.

“Binding bids will be submitted on Feb 15,” one of the sources said, adding the deal was expected to close by the end of the first half of this year.

Turkey, Europe’s fastest growing economy in 2011, is attractive for for-

TPAO, Shell sign Black Sea exploration deal ANKARA, Feb 14, (RTRS): Royal Dutch Shell signed an agreement with Turkey’s state-owned energy company TPAO on oil exploration in the western Black Sea region on Thursday, envisaging drilling at least one well under the deal.

Shell executive Andy Brown said the cost of drilling the well would be around $150-200 million.

Turkey has stepped up explo-

ration efforts in the Black Sea and Mediterranean in cooperation with foreign companies as it tries to reduce its import dependence.

Turkey’s energy imports, which amounted to $60.1 billion last year, are behind a gaping current account deficit, its main economic weakness. In its exploration work in the Black Sea Turkey has yet to find any

oil.

TPAO signed an accord with Shell for hydrocarbon exploration and production in the Mediterranean and southeastern Turkey in November 2011.

That agreement included plans for shale gas exploration near the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. It started exploration at the Saribugday 1 field there last August.

eign insurers looking to diversify away from competitive home markets where there is less chance for growth.

Yapi Kredi Sigorta shares rose as much as 7 percent on the news, and were trading up 3.5 percent at 20.80

lira by 0945 GMT. The business has a market value of $1.2 billion, according to Reuters data.

The shares have risen 22.6 percent year-to-date and 75 percent in the last year in anticipation of a deal.

Another insurer, Sompo Japan Insurance, was short-listed for the bidding but backed out of the process, two of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter has not been made public.

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EU plans financial trading tax from 2014 Investors, insurers say tax will hit savers LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): The European Union’s executive formally proposed on Thursday a tax on financial trading in 11 countries to raise up to 35 billion euros annually, a step investors said would hit savers and pension pots.

The European Commission set out how its financial transaction tax (FTT), aimed at making banks pay for taxpayer help they received in the financial crisis, would apply from next January, the rate at which it would be set, and safeguards to stop avoidance.

Critics said the tax would cut trading volumes, reduce the pensions of future retirees and could lead to double taxation

on some transactions.

The plan was requested by 11 countries representing two-thirds of EU economic output that have already agreed to voluntarily press ahead with the tax after the bloc’s 16 other members refused to back an earlier, pan-EU proposal.

Attempts to introduce a global “Tobin Tax”, named after the US economist who devised a tax on transactions in the 1970s, have also foundered due to US opposition.

EU Tax Commissioner Algirdas Semeta said the bloc’s financial sector was “under-taxed” to the tune of 18 billion euros ($24 billion).

“It lays the final paving stone on the road towards a common FTT in the EU,”

he said in a speech to present his plan.

The Commission said 85 percent of the targeted transactions, which will not include foreign exchange trading, take place between financial firms, but if some costs were passed on to consumers, this would not be “disproportionate”.

“Any citizen buying, for example, 10,000 euros in shares would only pay a 10 euro tax on the transaction,” it said.

How to stop banks passing on their costs to professional and retail customers is a much tougher question to address.

Member states will haggle over the plan, with changes likely before it takes effect. Only the 11 countries have a vote and their agreement must be unanimous for the plan to take effect.

The tax would be set at 0.01 percent for derivatives and 0.1 percent for stocks and bonds.

Austria’s finance minister Maria Fekter backed the plan, saying she expected the levy to raise “at least” 500 million euros a year for her country’s coffers.

Pension funds will come under the tax’s scope, but the cost will be “extremely limited” if their turnover in shares is low, Semeta said.

But Jorge Morley-Smith, head of tax at Britain’s Investment Management Association, said the plan was a tax on pensions and savers.

“Potentially, the impact could be devastating in reducing activity ... and could

erode up to six out of every 30 years’ worth of contributions to an actively managed retirement savings plan,” Morley-Smith said.

Stock lending could also become uneconomical because the average fee is less than the planned tax on it, he added.

Insurance Europe, which represents the bulk of the bloc’s insurance sector, said the tax would harm savings products at a time when people should be encouraged to save for retirement.

Many of the plan’s basic elements follow the discarded pan-EU proposal, but the anti-avoidance safeguards have been beefed up and new exemptions added.

The new “issuance principle” means a transaction will be taxed whenever and

wherever it takes place, if it involves a financial instrument issued in one of the 11 countries.

This is aimed at stopping trades moving out of the so-called FTT zone to London or elsewhere and reinforces an earlier “residence principle” that says if a party to the transaction is based in the FTT area, or acting on behalf of a party based there, then the transaction will be taxed regardless of where it takes place.

The Commission says the combination will remove incentives to relocate trading, though not everyone is convinced.

A tax in just 11 countries could lead to double or multiple taxation elsewhere, said Ben Jones of Eversheds law firm.

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ex-Lloyds Bank CEO says most PPI policies not mis-sold The former head of Britain’s biggest retail bank said the majority of insurance policies taken out on loans and mortgages were not mis-sold, blaming false claims for the rising bill for banks paying compensation.

Eric Daniels, chief executive of Lloyds between 2003 and 2011, said banks had paid out on some claims from customers who did not even have payment protection insurance (PPI) because they could not cope with the number of complaints.

“A fair number of bogus claims were paid out because the number of claims were so overwhelming that banks could not analyse whether or not they were genuine or not,” he told a panel of lawmakers on Thursday.

Banks are facing a bill of over £12 billion ($18.7 billion) to compensate customers wrongly sold policies meant to protect borrowers who lost jobs or became ill, and industry sources have told Reuters they expect the number to double.

Daniels said he believed around half of PPI claims were “completely illegitimate”.

Commission Member Andrew Turnbull, a former head of Britain’s Civil Service, had countered that fraudulent claims were “irrelevant” in the context of the wider mis-selling.

PPI is the most complained-about financial product ever in Britain, with the financial ombudsman service having received more than half a million cases. (RTRS)

UK’s Labour backs mansion tax to help low earners The leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party called for a “mansion tax” on the wealthy and a new lower income tax band as he stepped up his attempt to cast Prime Minister David Cameron as a ruler for the rich.

With Labour ahead by up to 12 percent in the polls at a time when Cameron’s coalition government is pushing through deep austerity measures to try to reduce a large budget deficit, its leader Ed Miliband is keen to establish his party’s economic credibil-

ity ahead of the next election in 2015.

Setting out some of the first concrete ideas of what his party would offer voters, Miliband said a Labour government would introduce a tax on houses worth over £2 million ($3.1 million).

“We would use the money raised by a mansion tax to reintroduce a lower 10 pence starting rate of tax, with the size of the band depending on the amount raised,” he said in a speech in Bedford, central England, on Thursday.

Cameron’s Conservative-led coali-

tion has sought to remind voters whenever it can that it was the previous Labour government, of which Miliband was a member, that left the country with a record budget deficit.

Miliband has tried to distance himself from the policies of ex-Labour prime ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, and conceded the former Labour government had been wrong to abolish the 10 pence starting rate of income tax he was proposing reinstating. (RTRS)

BoJ steps aimed at ensuring economic recovery: Shirakawa

Recession-hit Japanese economy contracts again TOKYO, Feb 14, (AFP): Japan’s economy shrank for a third quarter at the end of 2012, data showed Thursday, leaving it mired in recession owing to weak export demand, but analysts and the central bank eyed a rosier outlook.

Tokyo saw a 0.1 percent contraction in October-December from the previous three months, underlining the work ahead for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s new government as it tries to boost growth while fending off claims it is manipulating the yen to lift exports.

Financial turmoil in key market Europe, a strong yen and a diplomatic row with China have hurt Japan, frustrating hopes that it would cement a recovery from the 2011 quake-tsunami disaster that battered domestic demand

and output.

The country logged modest growth of 1.9 percent for 2012 over the previous year.

Japan has seen a mixed bag of economic data lately as factory output rises while the export picture remains cloudy, with a record trade deficit for 2012.

However, the yen has weakened in recent months, which helps exporters’ competitiveness and provided a muchneeded boost to their latest earnings results.

On Thursday the Bank of Japan gave an upbeat assessment of the economy after a two-day policy meeting, saying it appeared to have stopped weakening and adding: “Exports continue to decrease, but the pace of decrease has

Inflation drops to 3-yr low

India’s economy falls short of lofty estimates MUMBAI, India, Feb 14, (AP): India’s statistics agency is forecasting economic growth of only 5 percent for the fiscal year ending March, the weakest in a decade. It’s a big comedown from just a couple of years ago when officials boasted India could grow at 10 percent or more a year and overtake China.

The finance ministry has accused the statistics agency of being too pessimistic. That spat aside, there’s no question that Asia’s third-largest economy is now not growing fast enough to produce sufficient jobs for its burgeoning youth population.

Here are some questions and answers on India’s slump.

Question: Two years ago, India was growing at 9 percent or more, as fast as China. What happened?

Investment in the economy has slowed sharply because many businesses, foreign and local, have little confidence the government will make significant improvements to India’s creaking infrastructure, ponderous bureaucracy and extravagant corruption. Power outages last year affecting hundreds of millions dramatically underlined strains on the power grid. The poor condition of highways and rail is another major bottleneck for business. Ordinary Indians, meanwhile, have slowed spending because of high inflation, which also inhibits investment, since weaker consumer demand gives businesses less reason to expand.

Q: Is 5 percent growth really that bad? The US, Japan and Europe would be happy to grow that fast.

India’s needs fast growth to lift more people out of poverty and provide enough jobs for its swelling population. Average income per person was about $1,500 in 2011, not even one thirtieth of average incomes in the US. More than half of India’s 1.2 billion people are under 30 years old and some 13 million Indians reach working age each year, according to the IMF. India’s finance ministry estimates the country needs at least 8 percent growth each year to create enough new jobs.

Q: What does India’s slump mean for the world economy?

It dims hopes that India along with China will help drive a rebound in a global economy that is weighed down by a sluggish U.S. recovery and recession in Europe. Global companies from automakers to retailers who hoped Indian consumers would drive new revenues might have to scale back their plans for the country.

Q: Can India’s central bank help?

Its scope to cut interest rates to boost the economy has been limited by high inflation. Central bankers feared that lower interest rates would only worsen inflation and further impoverish many Indians by pushing up prices for food and other essentials. So they kept interest rates high until inflation showed signs of moderating. It reached a three-year low of 7.2 percent in December and the Reserve Bank of India last month made a modest cut to its main lending rate. But analysts say inflation is still at a worrisome level and any further interest rate cuts likely won’t be big enough to have much impact on borrowing and investment. And as the central bank has repeatedly said, India’s economic problems are too complex to be solved by it alone.

Q: Are India’s deficits also a problem?

India’s government is running a steep budget deficit, spending more than it collects in taxes. The country also has a big current account deficit because its imports, swelled by oil and gold, exceed exports. The deficits aren’t by definition a prob-

lem as long as investors are willing to finance them and believe the debts will ultimately be repaid. If doubt creeps in, India’s creditors would demand higher rates of interest to continue financing the country. In extreme circumstances that could lead to a government default or balance of payments crisis. Right now, the twin deficits are a symptom of India’s economic weaknesses and show its vulnerability. India’s government wants to reduce its budget deficit but has to proceed cautiously, because a too sharp withdrawal of deficit spending would further slow economic growth.

Q: It sounds like India’s problems are too hard to solve.

They’re difficult, but there are some steps India’s government can take. It can reform regulations to make doing business easier. The World Bank’s ease-of-business survey ranks India 132 of 185 countries and lists India as one of the world’s five worst countries both in enforcing contracts and dealing with construction permits. Businesses say the government must also follow through on pro-growth policies such as opening retail and aviation to more foreign investment and forming a special commission to solve delays blocking major infrastructure projects. It would also help to streamline the country’s notoriously tangled bureaucracy.

been moderating”.

It said there were signs of a pick-up in overseas markets. “Japan’s economy is expected to level off more or less for the time being, and thereafter, it will return to a moderate recovery path,” it said.

The bank held off making any new policy announcements after last month’s unveiling of indefinite monetary easing and the adoption of a two percent inflation target. Both moves followed intense pressure from the new government.

The BoJ’s view mirrored those of analysts, who said a better picture abroad and government spending to fuel growth were having an effect.

“While the figures were worse than expected, they aren’t too bad — we could see it rebound in the future,” said

Hideki Matsumura, senior economist at Japan Research Institute, referring to the quarterly results.

Key to Japan’s outlook was demand in the United States and an easing in the debt crises in Europe, while some of the nation’s biggest firms have said a slump in shipments stemming from the diplomatic row with China was softening.

Tokyo’s trade deficit with Beijing doubled to a record 3.52 trillion yen ($38 billion) last year, as the feud over a set of islands in the East China Sea spurred a consumer boycott of Japanese goods in China.

Tokyo’s new aggressive economic policy — which has seen the yen tumble about 17 percent against the dollar since November — has raised eyebrows over-

seas.

The unit’s steep decline has sparked criticism, particularly from Europe, that the government is engineering a devaluation to boost its exports that risks setting off a global currency war.

But Japan dismisses the charges, with BoJ chief Masaaki Shirakawa on Thursday adding his voice to the issue.

The nation’s top central banker said BoJ policies were only aimed at boosting the country’s deflation-plagued economy, not manipulating the yen’s value.

“Our purpose is not to guide exchange rates, but to overcome deflation in the near-term,” he told a press briefing in the Japanese capital.

Markets have cheered Abe’s strong stand, betting his administration may

Eurozone recession deepens as German economy falters France output contracts by 0.3 percent BERLIN, Feb 14, (AP): It was only a matter of time. With many of its debt-ridden euro partners in recession, Germany could only swim against the tide for so long.

Figures Thursday showed that output in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, contracted by more than anticipated in the last three months of 2012. And it was the German drop that lay behind a deepening of the recession across the economy of the 17 European Union countries that use the euro.

Eurostat, the EU’s statistics office, said the eurozone’s annual economic output shrank by 0.6 percent in the final quarter of 2012 from the previous three-month period. The decline was bigger than the 0.4 percent drop expected in markets and the steepest fall since 2009, when the global economy was in its deepest recession since World War II.

There are hopes, though, that the fourth quarter of 2012 will mark the low point for the eurozone, and Germany in particular. Many economists are predicting that the eurozone recession may end in the first half of the year.

Nevertheless, Thursday’s figures highlight the scale of the problems that have afflicted the single currency zone over the past year. Fears of a break-up, if not a collapse, of the currency dented confidence at a time when many governments were embarked on fairly severe debt-reduction programs.

In 2012 as a whole, the eurozone economy shrank by 0.5 percent, a stark contrast from the 2.2 percent growth recorded in the US and the 1.9 percent in Japan.

“The fourth quarter’s bigger-than-expected fall underlined the fact that, while sentiment towards the region has improved, the hard news on the economy remains distinctly weak,” said Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics.

The eurozone has contracted for three straight quarters — a recession is officially defined as two quarters of negative growth. The eurozone is not alone in finding it increasingly tough as the year progressed but the fourth quarter figures confirm the region is struggling worse than others.

If the quarterly rate is annualized, Capital Economics’ Loynes said, the eurozone would be contracting by around 2.5 percent, much worse than 0.1 percent drop in the US and Japan’s 0.4 percent fall.

Eurostat does not provide annualized comparisons.

Weaker

Also: MUMBAI, India: India’s stubbornly high inflation eased to a three-year low of 6.6 percent in January, a glimmer of good economic news that adds to expectations the central bank will further reduce interest rates to boost slowing growth.

The wholesale price inflation figure released Thursday was down from 7.2 percent in December, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. January was the fourth month in a row that inflation has receded.

The improved inflation picture gives the Reserve Bank of India more room to spur investment and spending, said Vidya Mahambare, an economist with the Indian rating agency Crisil. He said a fall in core inflation, which excludes volatile fuel and food prices, to 4.1 percent is also reassuring for the central bank.

Worrisomely high inflation has been the main reason that the central bank has hesitated to cut interest rates to help revive Asia’s thirdlargest economy.

India’s economy is expanding at its slowest pace in a decade, with gross domestic product predicted to grow as little 5 percent in the fiscal year ending in March. That’s down from 9 percent in early 2011, and it’s paired with rising budget and current account deficits.

Many analysts say any interest rate cuts won’t be large as inflation is still higher than the RBI would like.

The bank has pledged to bring wholesale inflation down to below 4.5 percent.

Manufactured goods led the drop in overall inflation, with price rises slowing to 4.8 percent in January over a year earlier. Fuel and power costs were up by 7.1 percent, but that was down from 9.4 percent in December.

However, there were sharp increases in food costs. Overall food prices rose 11.8 percent in January, the highest increase in six months.

Pulses were up 16.9 percent and potatoes surged 79.1 percent.

“Food inflation remains high, which is not good news for the majority of Indians for whom expenditure on food is a major part of their budget,” said Mahambare,

succeed in achieving the strong growth that eluded previous administrations.

The lower house of parliament on Thursday approved a separate extra budget worth 13.1 trillion yen ($140 billion) to help finance planned government stimulus.

“Housing and public works investments supported the economy,” Naoki Murakami, chief economist at Tokyo brokerage Monex, said in a note.

“The economy will rise from (its) bottom with a recovery in the global economy and a turnaround in monetary policy. Growth in January-March is likely to be above one percent at an annualised rate.”

Containers are piled up at the Duisburg harbour, Germany, Feb 14. (AP)

No more QE from BoE

Britain to miss triple-dip recession LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): Britain’s battered economy will not sink into recession for the third time in four years even if, as seems likely, the Bank of England refrains from providing stimulus via extra asset purchases, a Reuters poll showed.

The economy will expand a mere 0.2 percent in the current quarter, having contracted 0.3 percent in the final months of 2012, but thus missing a third recession, according to the poll of 55 economists taken in the past week.

The BoE marginally cut its own growth forecasts on Wednesday, but it said it stood ready to add to its quantitative easing programme if warranted.

The survey showed a median 35 percent chance of another recession in the next 12 months, similar to a poll taken last month, with none of the economists polled predicting a contraction in the current quarter and only six forecasting stagnation.

“We’ll miss it — narrowly,” said Ross Walker, UK economist at RBS. “The underlying picture is not really affected by it. Where it does matter is if you were to get a negative print then it can weigh on confidence, certainly from a business investment point of view.”

Talk of another slump has hit business and consumer confidence but Britain’s government has stuck with tough austerity measures designed to slash the public

deficit. Wage rises failing to keep up with inflation have further dented optimism.

Finance Minister George Osborne has staked his reputation on strengthening Britain’s public finances and weak growth, or no growth, would hurt tax revenues. His plan has already been pushed two years off track.

With Britain teetering on the edge — pressured by a toxic mix of the government’s deficit-cutting drive, the struggling economy of its main trading partner, the euro zone, and with real wages falling — the International Monetary Fund and the opposition Labour party have called for Britain to rein in its austerity plan.

Upturn A Reuters poll also predicted the euro zone will claw its way out of recession but there is no prospect of a major upturn.

The employers’ association, the Confederation of British Industry, said on Wednesday the government needed to cut day-to-day spending more deeply in order to spur longer-term investment and get the economy growing more quickly.

The economy will likely expand 0.9 percent this year, down from 1.0 percent predicted a month ago, and 1.6 percent in 2014.

Britain’s central bank has so far pumped 375 billion pounds of new money into the economy to support growth. The poll did not expect them to

restart their printing presses with a further bout of quantitative easing.

Economists in the survey gave a 43 percent chance of the programme, which was suspended in November, being restarted. That is marginally higher than the 40 percent likelihood given in a wider poll taken two weeks ago.

Canadian central bank chief Mark Carney, who takes the helm at the Bank of England in July, cooled expectations last week that he would push for sweeping changes in monetary policy when he assumes the top job.

As in all recent polls there was no change predicted to BoE interest rates, with medians from the 72 economists forecasting they would stay at their record low of 0.5 percent until July 2014 at least — the end of the forecasting horizon.

Only two banks see a hike across the six quarters polled, and they have both only pencilled in a 25 basis point hike between April and June 2014.

The BoE targets inflation at two percent but price pressures will not ease that far until July 2014 at least, according to the poll. Carney said this week that inflation targeting was still the best approach.

“With further deterioration of growth limited and sticky inflation remaining a problem, the BoE will likely hold back any further asset purchases,” wrote Julius Baer economists in a research note.

The worry for European policymakers is that output is declining not just in the weaker, debt-laden economies such as Greece and Spain, where governments have been aggressively increasing taxes and cutting spending in order to get a grip on their public finances and relieve the pressure inflicted on them by skeptical investors.

The standout from the quarterly figures was Germany. Its economy shrank by a quarterly rate of 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter, more than the 0.4 percent expected, as demand for its exports from its European neighbors were dragged down by the underlying economic malaise.

France, Europe’s second-biggest economy, also saw output drop by 0.3 percent.

Both economies are now one quarter away from recession.

Eurostat figures show that seven eurozone countries are in recession — Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Portugal, The Netherlands and Finland.

ING economist Carsten Brzeski said the German figures were disappointing but that there was “no reason to start singing the blues on the German economy.” He noted improving confidence indicators and rising factory orders and industrial production. “There is increasing evidence that the economy should pick up speed again very quickly,” he said.

For the eurozone as a whole there have been some rosier signs of late. In the first few weeks of 2013, key indicators such as unemployment figures, business confidence and inflation have shown that the eurozone may be over the worst.

Meanwhile, financial markets have become less concerned about the region’s debt woes — thanks, in part, by the promise last summer by the European Central Bank to help out countries struggling with their borrowing costs.

France, however, appears to be a greater cause for concern as its economy faces a number of problems that don’t trouble Germany as much. The French government has to keep a tight leash on its finances, unemployment is around 10 percent and its exporters are struggling, not least in the auto sector, with both PeugeotCitroen and Renault struggling.

Though many analysts think France’s recent structural reforms will help make the economy more competitive, any tangible gains will not be seen for a while.

“Unfortunately, their positive impact on competitiveness, employment and activity will take time to materialize and will do little to mitigate economic pain in the short term,” said Herve Goulletquer, an analyst at Credit Agricole CIB. Alongside the debt-reduction efforts that governments are pursuing across the eurozone, the region’s exporters also have to contend with a currency that has been rallying on foreign exchange markets, potentially making their products less competitive in the international marketplace.

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Democrats offer bill to curb Big Oil’s US tax benefits Senate Democrats on Wednesday introduced a bill to eliminate billions of dollars in tax benefits enjoyed by big oil and gas companies, one day after President Barack Obama renewed his call for plugging tax loopholes in his State of the Union address.

Obama and fellow Democrats for years have targeted oil and gas tax breaks, a move that Republicans and some Democrats from oil-producing states fiercely oppose. The

measure focuses on provisions such as immediate expensing for drilling costs and the use of a tax break for manufacturing. A bill to end these benefits died in the Democratic-controlled Senate last year, with four Democrats voting to block it. This year’s plan is unlikely to move forward in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Sponsored by Senate Democrat Robert Menendez of New Jersey and

Exxon Mobil, Rosneft sign Arctic deals

with more than a dozen co-sponsors, the bill would curb breaks used by the “big five” oil companies: Exxon Mobil Corp , BP Plc, ConocoPhillips, Chevron Corp and Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Ending the breaks would raise $24 billion over a decade to help reduce the federal deficit, its backers say. Some Democrats want to use money to stave off $85 billion in automatic spending cuts set to kick in on March 1. (RTRS)

Exxon Mobil Corp and Russian partner Rosneft have signed an agreement that will give the US company exploration access to an additional 234,000 square miles (606,000 sq. kms) in the Russian Arctic.

A separate agreement will give Rosneft the opportunity to acquire a 25 percent interest in the Point Thompson unit on Alaska’s North Slope.

The companies also said Wednesday they will study a potential liquid natural gas project in the Russian Far East.

The agreements were announced Wednesday on the website of Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobil. Rosneft President Igor Sechin and Exxon Mobil Exploration Co. President Stephen Greenlee signed the agreements in Moscow in the

presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The agreements will give Exxon exploration access to seven new blocks in the Chukchi Sea, Laptev Sea and Kara Sea. “The agreements signed today bring the already unprecedented scale of the Rosneft and ExxonMobil partnership up to a completely new level,” Sechin said in the announcement. (AP)

Results underscore stock markets recent resurgence

Retirement balances of 401(k) faithfuls quadrupled in past decade BOSTON, Feb 14, (RTRS): US workers who stayed put in the same company 401(k) plan for the past decade saw the size of their accounts quadruple to an average of nearly $200,000, despite major stock market turmoil, Fidelity Investments said on Thursday.

The results underscore the stock market’s recent resurgence and how important it is for 401(k) participants to keep contributing to their accounts, even when their balances decline, like they did during the height of the financial crisis. This is

good feedback for young workers, too, because more 401(k) plans automatically enroll them in retirement plans while escalating their contribution rates each year, experts said.

Boston-based Fidelity looked at 1.1 million 401(k) participants who stayed in the same company plan continuously during the 10-year period that ended Dec 31. The average account balance for the 10-year continuous group increased by 324 percent to $199,800 from $47,100, said Beth McHugh, vice president of mar-

Youngstown NAMII promising

Obama sees manufacturing revival ‘model’ in Ohio State WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (RTRS): A former furniture warehouse in a struggling Rust Belt city has emerged as a national model for innovation after President Barack Obama highlighted it in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday.

Obama now aims to convince Congress to spend $1 billion to replicate the model nationwide.

But it will be a tough sell to Republicans, who oppose government spending on industry and argue private capital will respond if there is real demand.

Yet even before the facility is fully up and running, local business leaders say Youngstown, Ohio’s National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII) is already spurring interest in a promising new technology known as “3D printing” that could bring new manufacturing jobs to the region.

They say the federal government is bringing together researchers and businesses that could make the region a hotbed of cutting-edge manufacturing.

“This is absolutely a net positive for the Youngstown area,” said Eric Planey, a vice president with the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce.

Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing creates solid objects from a digital model by laying down successive thin layers of material, rather than the traditional “subtractive” approach, in which objects are created by cutting them out of a solid chunk of metal or plastic.

The process has been used to build prototypes for 25 years, but now is making its way into regular production. Companies such as General Electric Co plan to use 3D printing to build lightweight aircraft parts, while dentists use it to create crowns in the space of an hour rather than two weeks.

The Obama administration has been promoting the idea of a manufacturing revival as laborsaving technology, rising costs overseas and cheap energy at home have prompted some manufacturers to bring factory jobs back from overseas.

Boosted Economists say the United States is long past the days when steel mills, auto plants and machine jobs boosted millions of unskilled Americans into the middle class. Manufacturing now represents 12 percent of the US work force, down from 20 percent in 1979.

Youngstown has seen some manufacturing jobs return since its giant steel mills shut down in the 1970s, but increased automation means that they employ fewer people than they would have several decades ago.

A new pipe factory that would have needed 1,000 workers 25 years ago now employs 350, Planey said, while a General Motors assembly plant that employs 5,000 produces as many cars as it did when it employed 14,000 people.

Obama administration officials say manufacturing might not ever employ as many people as it once did, but the sector has broader benefits to the economy because it spurs research and development

and boosts exports.

Taking a page from similar efforts in Germany, the administration last year picked Youngstown as the site of an “innovation institute” that would spread new manufacturing ideas among a wide range of businesses.

“You are using a facility as essentially like a teaching hospital,” Gene Sperling, the director of the White House National Economic Council, said on a conference call on Wednesday.

“When there are developments in technology and research, you have the capacity to share them with smaller businesses.”

Government agencies such as the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, NASA and the National Science Foundation put up $30 million for the effort, matched by $40 million from businesses such as Northrop Grumman Corp and universities including Carnegie Mellon.

In his State of the Union speech, Obama asked Congress to spend $1 billion to set up 14 more innovation centers across the nation. He said he would set up three facilities on his own, using existing funds, if lawmakers do not act.

Stimulus Republicans, who have fought Obama’s stimulus for green technology, are unlikely to soften their stance on spending.

“Washington has a spending problem that threatens the prosperity of every child, every family, and every small business in America,” House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, who ran an Ohio manufacturing firm before entering politics.

When the Youngstown center is fully up and running in the next several weeks, the 11,000 manufacturers in the region will get a chance to learn how 3D printing works and determine whether they want to invest in it themselves, said NAMII president Ralph Resnick.

Local workers also could learn how to operate the new equipment, and experts could ensure that the final product will meet existing quality standards.

The idea is to create enough of a body of expertise around the technology to turn the region into a hotbed of additive manufacturing, Resnick said.

“What we’re looking to work on is pervasive issues,” ones that affect many manufacturers, he said. “If we solve it, it’s all good for the community in general.”

Like other forms of “high tech” manufacturing, additive manufacturing doesn’t have much use for low-skilled workers doing repetitive tasks on an assembly line.

But if it catches on, it could create more demand for industrial designers, inventory managers and other skilled workers, said Todd Grimm, an industry consultant based in Kentucky. It also could spur a new wave of business startups as the barriers to entry are much lower than they are in traditional manufacturing, he said.

“The economy will benefit. To what extent? Will it even be measurable? Who knows — that’s for somebody with a crystal ball,” he said.

ket insights at Fidelity.

During the same period, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index only rose 62 percent, showing how important 401(k) contribution rates are to building up retirement account balances.

Jack VanDerhei, research director of the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute, called the Fidelity figures remarkable. But he said there are even better results to ponder if you look at participants who are older and have more tenure in their 401(k) plans than the overall average.

“You’re going to find even more amazing results if you slice the numbers that way,” VanDerhei said.

“People who have had the highest ratio of contributions always look best.”

Indeed, 401(k) participants ages 55 to 59 in the 10-year continuous group measured by Fidelity had an average balance of $251,700 at the end of 2012, McHugh said.

For a broader view of retirement activity, Fidelity’s latest analysis of about 20,500 workplace plans covering 12 million participants showed

that the average 401(k) balance hit $77,300 at the end of 2012. That was an increase of 12 percent from a year earlier.

The rise in 2012 is less celebratory, though, when you factor in inflation.

During the first half of 2000, for example, the average 401(k) balance was higher at times than it was at the end of 2012, Fidelity said, using inflation-adjusted figures.

Still, for a 15th straight quarter, more participants increased their savings rate than decreased it during the

final three months of 2012, Fidelity said.

And McHugh said there are far fewer extreme investors today than compared to late 2007. A higher percentage of 401(k) participants are using funds blended with stocks and bonds, rather than putting most of their money in just stocks.

That’s a far cry from the aggressive investing that took place in 2007, when the allocation to stocks was 65 percent compared to 52 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, according to Fidelity’s analysis.

American Airlines, US Airways unveil $11 billion merger deal Tie-up will form world’s biggest air carrier by traffic NEW YORK, Feb 14, (RTRS): AMR Corp and US Airways Group unveiled an $11 billion all-stock deal on Thursday that gives creditors of the bankrupt American Airlines parent control of the combined airline.

US Air’s management team, led by Chief Executive Doug Parker, will assume operational control of the airline, while AMR creditors will wind up owning 72 percent of the combined carrier and take five seats on the 12-member board.

US Airways will have four seats on the board. The remaining seats will be filled by AMR representatives.

“It has been the most successful airline restructuring in history, and we had been very focused from the outset on creating the most value for our owners,” AMR CEO Tom Horton told Reuters.

The airline, which will carry the American Airlines name, will be 2 percent larger than current No. 1 United Continental Holdings Inc in terms of traffic — the number of miles flown by paying passengers worldwide.

The merger, subject to approvals from regulators and the US Bankruptcy Court, could help speed up the recovery of the US airline industry as carriers will have more room to boost fares as yet another competitor is eliminated.

“Wall street has been enamored of consolidation from an industry perspective because it will help control capacity,” said George Hamlin, president of Hamlin Transportation Consulting. “But I’m not sure being large for its own sake is going to guarantee success. A lot of pieces need to be put together. A lot of pieces will need to be shed.” The new American will be based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Parker, who has long advocated industry consolidation and began pursuing a merger in early 2012, will the CEO. “The value of the merger is so great that we’re excited about getting the work done,” Parker told Reuters. “Integrating airlines can be difficult sometimes, but we’ve (already) done one at US Airways. We know what to do and know what mistakes to avoid.”

Parker, 51, the longest-serving CEO of a major US airline, kick-started the industry’s consolidation wave when his America West Holdings bought US Airways out of bankruptcy in 2005.

Tom Horton, who became AMR’s CEO when it filed for bankruptcy, will serve as chairman of the combined airline through the first annual meeting of shareholders, after which Parker will take over.

Situation

American Airlines planes are seen on the tarmac at the Miami International Airport on Feb 12, in Miami, Florida. (AFP)

Data suggests improving labor market

US jobless claims drop 27,000 WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (RTRS): The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, offering hope the sluggish labor market recovery may have picked up a step.

Initial claims for state jobless aid dropped 27,000 to a seasonally adjusted 341,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The prior week’s claims figure was revised to show 2,000 more applications were received than previously reported.

Last week’s drop in claims exceeded economists’ expectations for only a 6,000 decline and pushed first-time filings down to the lower end of their range for this year.

“It does seem as if claims are trending down a bit. We think payroll growth will pick up this year and this sort of gradual downtrend in claims seems consistent with that,” said Sam Coffin, an economist at UBS in New York.

But some economists said a blizzard that slammed the East Coast late last week and difficulties smoothing out the data for seasonal fluctuations could have artificially depressed claims.

While they were encouraged by the decline, they urged caution against reading too much into the data.

“Claims may not be giving a reliable signal about the labor market,”

said Daniel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan in New York.

A Labor Department analyst said claims for Illinois and Connecticut, one of the states hardest hit by the snowstorm, had been estimated. He said given that most claims are filed online, the blizzard appeared to have little effect on the broader data.

US financial market were little moved by the data as investors focused on news the euro zone economy slipped deeper into recession in the fourth quarter. Stocks on Wall Street were little changed, while the dollar and US Treasury debt prices rose.

Evidence The data offered more evidence that US companies are no longer aggressively laying off workers. However, they still appear to be in no hurry to step-up hiring against the backdrop of still lackluster demand.

The economy has struggled to grow much more than 2 percent since the 2007-09 recession ended, and the jobless rate rose 0.1 percentage point to 7.9 percent in January.

High unemployment prompted the Federal Reserve last year to launch an open-ended bond buying program that it said it would keep up until it saw a substantial improvement in the outlook for the labor market.

It also has committed to hold inter-

est rates near zero until unemployment reaches 6.5 percent, provided inflation does not threaten to push over 2.5 percent.

Job gains averaged 181,000 per month in 2012, far less than the at least 250,000 that economists say is needed to significantly reduce the ranks of unemployed.

“The rate of job losses has slowed in early 2013, which is consistent with a modest pickup in net job creation,” said John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics in New York.

“Our projection for 2013 is that the average pace of job growth will be around 175,000 per month and we judge this drop in claims to be broadly consistent with this forecast.”

Last week, the four-week moving average for new claims, a better measure of labor market trends, rose 1,500 to 352,500. The average had approached a five-year low in the prior week.

The number of people still receiving benefits under regular state programs after an initial week of aid dropped 130,000 to 3.11 million in the week ended Feb 2.

That was the lowest level since July 2008 and could be a function of people either securing jobs or simply exhausting their benefits. So-called continuing claims had hovered around 3.2 million since late November.

Horton’s role had been one of the last sticking points for a deal, people familiar with the situation said, with AMR’s board pushing for a bigger role for him.

“Tom Horton and his team did not want this a few months ago,” said Hamlin. “But they are realistic and saw that this is what they needed to do.”

The tie-up is the fourth major merger in the US airline industry since 2008, when Delta Air Lines bought Northwest.

United and Continental merged in 2010, and Southwest Airlines bought discount rival AirTran Holdings in 2011.

The new, larger American Airlines would return to the leadership position among US carriers that it ceded in recent years as high labor costs made it difficult to compete with restructured rivals.

Passengers of US Airways and American would gain access to new destinations. The standalone American is currently third in terms of traffic behind United and Delta, both of which used Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to cut costs and find merger partners.

A combined American-US Airways would have revenue of about $39 billion, based on 2012 figures, ahead of United Continental, which had revenue of about $37 billion.

US Airways stockholders will receive one share of common stock of the combined airline for each US Airways share, the companies said in a statement.

US Airways shareholders will get 28 percent of the equity of the combined airline. The remaining 72 percent will be issuable to stakeholders of AMR and its debtor subsidiaries, American’s labor unions and current AMR employees.

“American work groups may be taking a little bit of a pay cut ... (while) US Airways work groups, on the other hand, will probably get a pay raise,” Avondale Partners analyst Fred Lowrance said.

Unions representing the carriers’ pilots, flight attendants and ground service workers said they support the deal, while the machinists union said its renewed contracts must be completed before it supports the merger.

The transaction is expected by the two companies to generate more than $1 billion in annual saving by 2015.

The companies said they expect $1.2 billion in one-time transition costs, spread over the next three years.

Rothschild is financial adviser to American Airlines. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Jones Day, Paul Hastings, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and K&L Gates LLP are providing legal counsel.

Barclays and Millstein & Co are financial advisers to US Airways, while Latham & Watkins LLP, O’Melveny & Myers, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, and Dechert LLP are serving as legal counsel.

Moelis & Co and Mesirow Financial are financial advisers to the unsecured creditors. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Togut, Segal & Segal LLP are the creditors’ legal counsel.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

BUSINESS

44

IMF says currency war fears ‘overblown’ The International Monetary Fund said Thursday that worries over currency wars are “overblown” and that it did not see major currency values as being particularly out of line.

“On the so-called talk of currency wars which we feel is overblown,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters, “our multilateral assessment doesn’t indicate very significant deviation from fair value for the relevant currencies.”

Speaking ahead of the G20 minis-

ters meeting Friday and Saturday in Moscow, where especially Japan’s efforts to force the yen lower will be a hot topic, Rice acknowledged that the issue of competitive devaluations, raised by many countries with strengthening currencies, should be monitored.

“These are obviously developments to watch with an eye on a cooperative approach, and of course the IMF will do its part in this effort,” Rice

said.

The G20 meeting comes as eurozone leaders have voiced worries about the euro’s appreciation, and others have assailed Japan for pushing the yen sharply lower to boost its economy.

Earlier this week the United States urged the world to refrain from “competitive devaluation”, a message echoed by the EU commission, France and Germany. (AFP)

EU to monitor any collateral squeeze from new rules The European Union’s markets watchdog will monitor the use of collateral as tough rules forcing banks to hold more in order to make derivatives markets safer are prompting some lenders to warn there may not be enough quality holdings to go around.

Collateral refers to cash and assets such as government bonds which parties to a derivatives trade post as security. The aim of the reforms is to avoid another situation like that when derivatives-laden Lehman Brothers crashed

in September 2008 with little visibility about how far their debts would impact others.

“In view of the potential financial stability risks linked to relative collateral scarcity, the availability and use of collateral needs to be monitored,” said the European Securities and Markets Authority in its first report on trends, risks and vulnerabilities in the 27-country bloc’s markets.

“The availability of collateral will thus remain a concern for a while,” it said.

However ESMA estimated that the supply of higher-quality collateral was estimated at 11.8 trillion euros in Europe last year, against demand at 4.1 trillion euros – weakening some claims from industry that a collateral crunch is looming.

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association, a trade body, has said regulators may be “overshooting and creating a collateral crunch” with the new, tougher derivatives rules. (RTRS)

Oman gains 0.3 pct; Qatar index sheds 0.4%

UAE mkts slip from multi-year highs; Egypt extends decline DUBAI, Feb 14, (RTRS): Slight profittaking pushed most regional markets lower on Thursday as investors failed to find a positive catalyst to advance prices that seem stretched.

Markets in the United Arab Emirates slipped from multi-year highs but selling pressure was muted, giving hope of further upside in coming sessions.

“First-quarter expectations will channel into the market and dividends should entice people and help stocks (rise) further in the short-term,” said Marwan Shurrab, vice-president and chief trader at Gulfmena Investments.

Other analysts said the market’s early-year gains have been sharp, with many stocks at or above fair value, and fresh positive catalysts are required to justify a further hike.

UAE markets have surged this year

as traders bet on improved corporate earnings. Fourth-quarter results have been broadly positive, although profits at Dubai bellwether Emaar Properties and Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties — among the UAE capital’s most liquid stocks — missed analysts’ estimates.

New development projects have helped sustain a positive sentiment on UAE equities. Dubai on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for a new $1.6 billion man-made island as it resumes constructing extravagant developments, despite the emirate being littered with stalled or abandoned projects commissioned in the boom years of the previous decade.

Dubai’s large-cap stocks headed declines. Emirates NBD and Emaar dipped 3.4 and 1 percent respectively.

The emirate’s benchmark slipped 0.5

percent, easing away from Wednesday’s 38-month high. It rose 1.9 percent for the week. Some investors tend to sell ahead of the weekend to reduce their risk exposure.

Abu Dhabi’s benchmark dipped 0.7 percent, also down from a 38-month high. First Gulf Bank was the main drag, slipping 2.7 percent.

Elsewhere, Qatar’s index lost 0.4 percent, snapping a rally which helped it hit a 10-month high in the last session. Industries Qatar shed 2.5 percent and Commercial Bank of Qatar eased 0.7 percent.

In Egypt, the market extended declines. The index slipped 0.3 percent to close at 5,716 points, trimming 2013 gains to 4.6 percent. The market has been moving within a tight range as the government struggles to stabilise the

economy and manage widespread protests.

It has been trading within a range of 400 points since Jan. 9 - which is unusual for Egypt’s volatile market.

“The buyers are not strong enough to break above the 5,800 levels and the sellers failed to push the prices lower,” said Mohabeldeen Agena, head of technical analysis at Cairo’s Beltone Financial. “The market will continue to trade sideways in the short-term unless there is a catalyst.”

Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil said he expected an International Monetary Fund team to visit this month for talks on a longawaited loan agreement seen as vital to supporting the country’s economy.

Orascom Construction Industries shed 1.1 percent. The construction firm

said its shareholders approved the offer to acquire its ordinary shares listed in Cairo in exchange for cash or OCI shares listed in Amsterdam.

Traders are concerned about the possible liquidity drain if the bluechip OCI delists after the offer goes through.

Commercial International Bank shaved 0.3 percent and Egypt Kuwait Holding lost 0.8 percent.

Elsewhere, Kuwait’s measure gained 0.2 percent as banks supported.

National Bank of Kuwait advanced 1 percent, while Gulf Bank and Ahli United Bank gained 1.2 and 1.1 percent respectively.

Muscat’s index ended 0.3 percent higher.

Dubai ■ The index declined 0.5 percent to 1,894 points.

Abu Dhabi ■ The index fell 0.7 percent to 2,935 points.

Qatar ■ The index retreated 0.4 percent to 8,793 points.

Egypt ■ The index slipped 0.3 percent to 5,716 points.

Kuwait ■ The index climbed 0.2 percent to 6,398 points.

Oman ■ The index gained 0.3 percent to 5,898 points.

Bahrain ■ The index rose 0.7 percent to 1,091 points.

See Also Page 45

investment funds Funds Fund Manager Valution Valued date Currency Net Asset Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Value (NAV) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

National Bank of Kuwait

Private Equity Funds

Money Market Funds

Watani KD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Feb 5, 2013 KD 1.377 1.377 Jan 29, 2013 Watani KD Money Market Fund (Islamic) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Feb 5, 2013 KD 1.161 1.161 Jan 29, 2013 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Feb 5, 2013 USD 1.284 1.284 Jan 29, 2013 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund (Euro) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Feb 5, 2013 Euro 1.236 1.237 Jan 29, 2013 Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Feb 5, 2013 USD 1.091 1.090 Jan 29, 2013 to Islamic Shariah principles) Equity Funds NBK Gulf Equity Fund NBK Weekly Jan 31, 2013 USD 1.049 1.038 Jan 23, 2013 NBK Kuwait Equity Fund NBK Weekly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.656 0.653 Jan 23, 2013 NBK Qatar Equity Fund NBK Weekly Jan 31, 2013 USD 1.357 1.342 Jan 23, 2013 Islamic Ijara Fund IX Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic Ijara Fund X Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic Ijara Fund XI Wafra Capital Partners LP Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Thahabi Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Thahabi Ijara Fund VI Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Thahabi Ijara Fund VII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Nov 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 Oct 31, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund I Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund II Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31, 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31, 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund IV Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Dec 31 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 Nov 30, 2012 Alternative Funds Watani US Real Estate Income & Growth Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Monthly Sept 30, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 June 30, 2012 Watani European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly Sept 30, 2012 Euro 1,000.000 1,000.000 June 30, 2012 Central European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly Sept 30, 2012 Euro 10,000.000 10,000.000 June 30, 2012 Islamic European Real Estate Fund – A Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Sept 30, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 June 30, 2012 Islamic European Real Estate Fund – B Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Sept 30, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 June 30, 2012 Islamic Asian Real Estate Fund Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Quarterly Sept 30, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 June 30, 2012 Islamic China India Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Sept 30, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 June 30, 2012 R.Estate Security Funds Islamic Global RE Securities Fund Class A Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly Dec 31, 2012 USD 1,062.376 1,048.180 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic Global RE Securities Fund Class B Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly Dec 31, 2012 USD 1.017.974 1.013.814 Nov 30, 2012 Islamic Turkey Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P. March 19, 2008 USD 1,000.000 Multi Asset Funds Thahabi Multi Asset Fund – Con Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Dec 31, 2012 USD 93.044 92.730 Nov 30, 2012 Thahabi Multi Asset Fund – Mo Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Dec 31, 2012 USD 82.671 82.140 Nov 30, 2012 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund – Con Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Nov 30, 2012 USD 92.730 92.410 Oct 31, 2012 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund – Mo Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Nov 30, 2012 USD 82.140 81.586 Oct 31, 2012 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund – Plus Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Nov 30, 2012 USD 66.330 65.623 Oct 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Gulf Bank Al Basha’er GCC Equity Fund Kwt. Fin. & Inv. Co. & Gulf Fin. House Monthly Jan 31, 2013 USD 7.270 6.9878 Dec 31, 2012 Coast Fund Coast Investment Co. Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.644 0.643 Dec 31, 2012 Sanaya Dow Jones Kuwait Index Fund Industrial & Financial Investment Co. Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.629 0.614 Dec 31, 2012 Markaz Capital Preservation Programs 1 Monthly Nov 30, 2012 KD 0.959 0.959 Oct 31, 2012 Markaz Capital Preservation Programs 2 Monthly Nov 30, 2012 KD 0.960 0.995 Oct 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Commercial Bank Tijari Islamic Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Tw. Monthly Feb 7, 2013 KD 0.325 0.325 Jan 23, 2013 Tijari Indian Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Weekly Feb 11, 2013 KD 0.840 0.841 Feb 5, 2013 ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Al Ahli Kuwaiti Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.943 0.928 Dec 26, 2012 Al Ahli Gulf Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly Jan 28, 2013 KD 0.824 0.794 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Boubyan Bank Boubyan KD Money Market Fund Boubyan Bank Weekly Feb 12, 2013 KD 1.022 1.021 Feb 5, 2013 Boubyan Sukuk Fund Boubyan Bank Daily Dec 25, 2013 USD 770.110 1,001.180 May 11, 2011 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Burgan Bank Burgan Financial Fund Burgan Bank Daily Jan 2, 2013 KD 1.009 1.009 Dec 31, 2012 Burgan Equity Fund Burgan Bank Monthly Jan 27, 2012 KD 1.845 1.828 Dec 23, 2012 ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Local Fund

Al Raed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Feb 7, 2013 KD 0.991 0.998 Jan 31, 2013 Kuwait Investment Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.651 0.624 Dec 31, 2012 Al Hilal Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Feb 4, 2013 KD 0.583 0.583 Jan 31, 2013 KIC Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.930 0.929 Dec 31, 2012 Al Atheer Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.072 1.044 Dec 31, 2012 International Global Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Feb 6, 2013 USD 22.730 22.400 Jan 30, 2013 Diversified Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Feb 6, 2013 USD 17.500 17.440 Jan 30, 2013 European Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 Euro 15.800 15.500 Dec 31, 2012 Pacific Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Feb 6, 2013 USD 32.520 32.550 Jan 30, 2013 Al-Awaed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2012 KD 0.917 0.914 Dec 31, 2012 North American Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Tw. Monthly Jan 31, 2013 USD 13.870 13.210 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

lnternational Financial Advisors Local Fund

IFA Islamic Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly Oct 21 2012 KD 0.200 0.195 Sept 30, 2012 IFA Investment Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly Oct 22, 2012 KD 0.284 0.275 Sept 18, 2012 International IFA International Guaranteed Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly Dec 31, 2010 KD 9.040 0.703 Nov 30, 2010 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

National Investment Co. (NIC) Equity Funds

Al- Wataniya Fund NIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.617 0.599 Dec 31, 2012 Al-Safwa Fund NIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.461 0.457 Dec 31, 2012 Al-Darji Fund NIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.461 0.453 Dec 31, 2012 Mawarid Fund NIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.555 0.537 Dec 31, 2012 Zajil Fund NIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.745 0.733 Dec 31, 2012 Al Mada Investment Fund NIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 USD 0.650 0.615 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al Mal Investment Al Huda Islamic Fund Al Mal Investment Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.399 0.395 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Coast Investment Co. Coast Investment Fund Coast Investment Co Daily Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.664 0.643 Dec 31, 2012 Coast Pearl Fund Coast Investment Co Dec 31, 2012 KD 0.790 0.789 Nov 30, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) Mumtaz Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Feb 07, 2013 KD 4.164 4.250 Jan 31, 2013 MIDAF Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Feb 07, 2013 KD 3.080 3.116 Jan 31, 2013 Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Feb 07, 2013 KD 1.633 1.657 Jan 31, 2013 Markaz Arabian Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Feb 07, 2013 USD 2.829 2.860 Jan 31, 2013 FORSA Financial Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 3.996 0.963 Dec 31, 2012 Energy Fund Kuwait Financial Center Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.772 0.772 Dec 31, 2012 Real Estate Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.374 1.375 Dec 31, 2012 Markaz Fixed Income Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Jan 31, 2013 USD 10.740 10.750 Jan 24, 2013 Markaz Idikhar Fund Kuwait Financial Center Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.447 0.446 Dec 31, 2012 Markaz Islamic Income Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Oct 31, 2012 KD 0.219 0.218 Sept 30, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Kuwait & Middle East Financial & Inv. Co. Al Rou’yah Fund KMEFIC Monthly Jan 21, 2013 KD 1.423 1.367 Dec 31, 2012 Gulf Gate Fund KMEFIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.857 0.824 Dec 31, 2012 Al Awsat Money Market Fund (USD) KMEFIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.688 0.688 Dec 31, 2012 Al Awsat Money Market Fund (USD) KMEFIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 USD 4.787 4.784 Dec 31, 2012 Amwal Islamic Money Market Fund KMEFIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.549 0.549 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Global Investment House

Money Market Funds Islamic Real E. Funds

Kuwait Finance & Investment Co (KFIC) Al Wasm Fund KFIC Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.396 0.384 Nov 30, 2012 Al Basha’er GCC Equity Fund KFIC & Gulf Finance House Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 USD 7.270 6.988 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

KAMCO KAMCO Investment Fund KAMCO Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.977 0.940 Dec 31, 2012 Kuwait Private Equity Opportunities Fund KAMCO Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.678 0.678 Dec 31, 2012 Kuwait Education Fund KAMCO Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.428 1.428 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al Madar Finance Shuwaikh Real Estate Fund Al Madar Bi-weekly Dec 31, 2012 KD 1.438 1.486 Sept 30, 2012 US Index Fund Al Madar Monthly Jan 25, 2013 KD 1.825 1.653 Nov 23, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al Madina Finance & Investment Co. India Fund Al Madina Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.873 0.845 Dec 31, 2012 Al Madina Fund Al Madina Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.473 0.473 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Wafra International Investment Co. Wafra Equity Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.855 0.819 Dec 31, 2012 Wafra Bond Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.001 0.998 Dec 31, 2012 Fajir Islamic Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.619 0.589 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shuaa Capital Co. Saudi Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly Jan 28, 2013 USD 8.470 8.470 Dec 20, 2012 The Arab Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly Feb 05, 2013 USD 24.180 24.160 Jan 29, 2013 Emirates Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly Feb 05, 2013 AED 7.340 7.270 Jan 29, 2013 Qatar Gate Fund (Q) Shuaa Capital Monthly Jan 31, 2013 QAR 94.840 89.110 Dec 31, 2012 Qatar Gate Fund (N) Shuaa Capital Monthly Jan 31, 2013 QAR 93.200 87.830 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Investment Dar Co. Al Dar Real Estate Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.134 1.133 Dec 31, 2012 Al Dar Funds of Fund Al Dar Asset Management Weekly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.470 0.470 Dec 31, 2012 Al Dar Money Market Fund Al Dar Asset Management Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.872 0.868 Jan 21, 2013 Al Dar Securities Fund Al Dar Asset Management Weekly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.550 0.524 Dec 31, 2012 Al Nokhba Fund Al Dar Asset Management Monthly Dec 31, 2012 KD 0.406 0.408 Nov 30, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Global Umbrella Fund - US Global Umbrella Fund - Asia/Japan Global Distressed Fund Zenith Fund Mayur Hedge Fund Global KD Bond Fund GCC Large Cap Index Fund Al-Mamoun Fund A Al-Mamoun Fund B GCC Large Cap Fund Al-Noor Fund Global Saudi Equity Fund Global KD Money Market Fund Global USD Money Market Fund Global US Real Estate Fund GCC Real Estate Fund Global Asia Real Estate Fund Global Real Estate Ijarah Fund

Al Aman Islamic Fund Al Aman Investment Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.471 0.452 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Housing Finance Co (ISKAN) Masaref Investment Fund ISKAN Weekly Feb 7, 2013 KD 0.911 0.906 Jan 31, 2013 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Gulf Investment Corp.

Gulf Bond Fund Gulf Investment Corp Weekly Jan 31, 2013 USD 13.910 13.950 Jan 25, 2013 Gulf Premier Fund Gulf Investment Corp Weekly Jan 31, 2013 USD 21.630 21.460 Jan 27, 2013 Gulf Islamic Fund Gulf Investment Corp Weekly Jan 31, 2013 USD 6.700 6.650 Jan 24, 2013 GIC KD Bond Fund Gulf Investment Corp Monthly Jan 31, 2013 USD 0.980 0.980 Jan 24, 2013 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Ahli United Bank (formerly BKME)

Kuwait Investment Co.

Fixed Income Funds Index Funds Equity Funds

Global Opportunistic Fund Global Quarterly Sept 30, 2009 USD 106.060 107.180 Global Opportunistic Fund II Global Quarterly Sept 22, 2009 USD 110.920 110.390 June 30, 2009 Private Equity Fund Global Quarterly Sept 30, 2009 KD 0.829 0.859 June 30, 2009 Global Buyout Fund Global Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD 564.740 603.390 June 30, 2009 Country Fund Palestine Dedicated Fund Global Monthly Dec 31, 2012 USD 86.740 91.810 Sept 30, 2011 Global Egypt Fund Global Monthly Jan 31, 2012 USD 38.740 38.110 Dec 31, 2011 Sectoral Funds EPADI Fund Global Weekly Jan 29, 2013 USD 108.550 107.870 Jan 22, 2013 Islamic Funds Global GCC Islamic Fund Global Weekly Jan 29, 2013 USD 89.250 88.450 Jan 22, 2013 Al-Durra Islamic Fund Global Monthly Feb 07, 2013 KD 1.168 1.190 Jan 31, 2013 Global Islamic Fund of Funds Global Weekly Dec 31, 2012 USD 67.276 76.860 Aug 31, 2011 Global Islamic Fund Global Monthly June 28, 2012 KD 1.271 1.286 March 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al Aman Investment

Al Ahli Bank

Hedge Funds

Funds Fund Manager Valution Valued date Currency Net Asset Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Value (NAV) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global

Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Weekly Monthly Weekly Weekly Weekly Bi-weekly Bi-weekly Bi-weekly Weekly Monthly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly

Nov 30, 2012 Nov 30, 2012 Nov 30, 2012 Nov 30, 2012 Dec 31, 2012 Jan 31, 2013 Feb 07, 2013 Feb 07, 2013 Feb 07, 2013 Jan 29, 2013 Feb 10, 2013 Feb 10, 2013 Feb 10, 2013 Feb 05, 2013 June 30, 2012 June 30, 2009 June 30, 2009 Dec 31, 2008

USD USD USD USD USD KD KD KD KD USD SAR SAR KD USD USD USD USD USD

148.640 114.260 168.060 94.840 94.020 0.824 1.319 0.534 0.534 120.160 168.016 166.442 1.114 134.320 0.265 0.675 0.850 850.790

152.630 117.130 167.850 94.910 92.180 0.819 1.331 0.539 0.539 118.210 168.573 166.016 1.114 134.440 0.378 0.710 0.857

Sept 30, 2012 Sept 30, 2012 Sept 30, 2012 Oct 30, 2012 Nov 30, 2012 Dec 31, 2012 Jan 31, 2013 Jan 31, 2013 Jan 31, 2013 Jan 22, 2013 Feb 05, 2013 Feb 05, 2013 Feb 05, 2013 Jan 29, 2013 March 31, 2009 March 31, 2009 March 31, 2009

Al Awasat Money Market Fund Ahli United Bank Monthly April 30, 2012 KD 1.132 1.104 Sept 30, 2010 Al Amin Islamic Market Fund Ahli United Bank Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.142 1.142 Dec 30, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Bayan Investment Co Ea’mmar and Estethmar Fund Bayan Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.442 0.411 Dec 31, 2012 Al Themar Securities Fund Bayan Investment Co Weekly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.452 0.445 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Tharwa Investment Co. Tharwa Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Weekly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.212 1.193 Jan 10, 2013 Tharwa Islamic Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly Jan 31 2013 KD 0.683 0.682 Jan 10, 2013 Tharwa Arab Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 USD 1.422 1.251 Jan 10, 2013 Tharwa World Fund Tharwa Investment Co Weekly Jan 31, 2013 USD 1.073 1.042 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Bank Al-Bilad Al Seef Fund Bank Al-Bilad Daily Feb 3, 2013 KD 0.524 0.528 Jan 27, 2013 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Commercial International Bank Commercial Int’t Bank Fund I CI Asset Management Weekly Feb 12, 2013 EGP 196.760 196.730 Feb 11, 2013 Commercial Int’t Bank Fund II (Istethmar) CI Asset Management Weekly Feb 07, 2013 EGP 62.940 61.600 Jan 31, 2013 CIB and Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt Fund CI Asset Management Weekly Feb 07, 2013 EGP 43.270 42.450 Jan 31, 2013 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Noor Financial Inv. Co. Noor Islamic Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.678 0.676 Dec 31, 2012 Noor Real Estate Income Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2013 KD 1.124 1.126 June 30, 2012 Noor Kuwait Islamic Equity Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2013 KD 0.633 0.636 May 31, 2011 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium Kuwait Real Estate Fund Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 1.692 1.685 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Manafae Investment Co. Manafae First Fund Manafae Investment Co Monthly Dec 31, 2012 KD 0.665 0.665 Dec 26, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al Zumorroda Investment Co. Zumorroda GCC Fund Al Zumorroda Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.558 0.528 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al Safat Investment Co. Al Safat Local Shares Equity Fund Al Safat Investment Co. Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.201 0.204 Nov 30, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al-Imtiaz Investment Co. Al-Imtiaz Investment Fund Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.847 0.847 Dec 31, 2012 Al-Imtiaz Real Estate Fund Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.889 0.889 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

BankMuscat BankMuscat MSCI Kuwait Fund BankMuscat Daily Feb 6, 2013 USD 0.429 0.431 Feb 5, 2013 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al-Muthana Investment Co. Muthanna Islamic Index Fund (MUDX) Al-Muthana Investment Company Daily Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.384 0.376 Dec 31, 2012 Muthanna GCC Islamic Banks Fund Al-Muthana Investment Company Weekly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.636 0.615 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

CapCorp Investment Co. CapCorp Local Fund CapCorp Investment Company Weekly Feb 7, 2013 KD 0.924 0.936 Jan 31, 2013 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Amar Finance & Leasing Co. Amar Real Estate Fund Amar Finance & Leasing Company Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.901 0.901 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al-Dhow Investment Co.

Waed Real Estate Fund Al-Dhow Real Estate Company Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.906 0.922 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Al-Fouz Investment Co.

Al-Fouz Real Estate Fund Al-Fouz Investment Company Annual Sept 30, 2012 KD 0.997 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Securities House Co.

Diyar Real Estate Investment Fund Securities House Company Monthly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.949 0.991 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

A’ayan Leasing & Investment Company

Awa’ed Real Estate Fund A’ayan Leasing & Investment Co. Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.680 0.680 Dec 31, 2012 Makaseb Estate Fund A’ayan Leasing & Investment Co. Quarterly Jan 31, 2013 KD 0.716 0.724 Dec 31, 2012 ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Industrial & Financial Investment Company Direct investment Fund

Industrial and Financial Investment Co. (IFIC)

Jan 31, 2013

KD

1.193

1.179

Dec 31, 2012

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

BUSINESS

45

Name: Kuwait Sharia Compatible Indices

Providers: Al Madar Finance & Investment Co.

Description: Index of Sharia compatible companies traded on the KSE

Website: www.almadar-fi.com

Index name Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Composite Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Kuwait Only Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Active Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Banking Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Investment Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Insurance Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Real Estate Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Industrial Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Services Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Food Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Islamic Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Non Kuwaiti Sector Kuwait Stock Exchange Index - Price S&P 500 DJ Islamic Index.

Bloomberg ticker AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC KWSEIDX SPX DJIM

Today’s value as of February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 February 13, 2013 February 13, 2013

Today’s closing value 203.22 198.55 88.86 335.20 96.69 25.43 55.82 142.95 281.17 278.82 154.54 251.90 6,397.64 1,520.33 2,399.32

Prev closing value 203.67 199.11 89.50 336.43 96.53 24.43 55.44 143.46 282.65 278.82 154.71 246.44 6,384.32 1,519.43 2,395.10

% change -0.22% -0.28% -0.71% -0.36% 0.17% 4.10% 0.68% -0.36% -0.52% 0.00% -0.11% 2.21% 0.21% 0.06% 0.18%

1-week change -0.31% -0.39% 4.80% -1.91% 6.57% 10.45% 1.86% -0.47% -0.32% 0.03% -0.48% 2.63% 1.73% 0.54% 0.19%

3-month change 5.29% 4.80% 20.60% 1.96% 21.42% 33.72% 1.63% 6.92% 6.28% 14.19% 4.69% 8.26% 10.29% 12.34% 10.69%

YTD change 2.58% 2.44% 15.94% 0.73% 9.36% 18.72% 4.23% 1.50% 2.69% 5.20% 2.86% 8.06% 7.81% 8.41% 5.43%

12-month change 8.58% 7.00% 26.00% 5.90% 47.22% -21.80% 26.73% -1.98% 6.95% 21.53% 9.09% 29.51% 7.28% 12.58% 6.59%

bad weather cuts Iraq’s exports

24-month change -8.11% -9.77% 21.08% -7.53% 95.18% 4.12% 26.60% -16.83% -15.87% 13.54% -3.74% 20.13% -3.95% 14.38% 4.79%

Bad weather in the Gulf cut oil exports from Iraq’s southern Basra port to around 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) on Thursday from 2.06 million bpd a day earlier, shipping sources said.

Iraq exports most of its crude through the south and weather and technical problems have in the past made it difficult for the

OPEC member to keep exports steady despite installation of new single point mooring platforms.

“High winds make it difficult for oil vessels to reach the offshore ports at the Gulf. Loading operations were halted at the single point moorings,” a shipping source said. (RTRS)

Kuwait National Cinema soars 50 fils; Zain slips

Kuwait bourse adds 13.32 pts, volume falls

By John Mathews Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: Kuwait stocks covered more ground Thursday to end week on a firm note. The index rose 13.32 points in volatile trade to a fresh multi-month high. The banks shined and some of the mid-caps too drew speculative interest even as the other heavy weights closed mixed.

The KSX 15 gauge rose 2.79 points to 1031.6 pts after pulling lower in the previous session whereas the weighted index was up 1.16 pts at 429.55 points. The volume turnover receded below the 600 million mark after rising in the last three sessions. 548.37 million shares changed hands — down 17.72 percent from Wednesday. KSE had rallied over 310.86 pts during whole of January.

The sectors closed mixed during the session. Technology outpaced the rest with 2.19 percent rise whereas telecom shed 1.18 percent, the worst performer of the day. Volume wise, real estate dominated with 37.13 percent market share and financial services came in next with 33.41 percent.

Kuwait National Cinema Co spiked 50 fils with thin trading to close at 0.910 and Automated Systems gained 20 fils. Aref Energy Co climbed 7 fils and RISCO fol-

provisions amounted to KD 121.4 million, up 13% from the year before while net profit was almost flat at KD 30.9 million. The Board has recommended the distribution of 5% bonus shares.

lowed suit. Kuwait Gulf Links took in 2 fils on back of 6.6 million shares.

United Projects Co rose 10 fils to KD 0.590 and Independent Petroleum Group Co was up by same measure. The company has posted a net profit of KD 5.83 million and earnings per share of 40.35 fils in 2012 and the board has recommended a cash dividend payout of 30 % or 30 fils.

Bourse heavyweight Zain dropped 10 fils to KD 0.790 extending an identical fall in the day before while Wataniya Telecom shed 20 fils. Agility dialed up 10 fils on back of 1.06 million shares. The stock has rallied 70 fils so far during the month and is up 60 fils from start of the year.

Jumped

Choppy The market opened choppy and moved sideways in early trade. The index drifted lower thereafter amid profit taking in select counters and hit the day’s lowest level of 6372.16 pts almost half way into the session. It snapped back and peaked at 6405.28 points before falling again below the red. The bourse rebounded again in the final minutes and managed to close with modest gains.

Top gainer of the day, Wethaq Takaful, climbed 8.77 percent to 62 fils and Muntazahat rallied 8 percent to stand next. Tahssilat dived 7.58 percent, the steepest decliner of the day and Investors Holding Group topped the volume with 73.81 million shares.

Reflecting the day’s gain, the market spread was skewed towards the winners.

55 stocks advanced whereas 48 closed lower. Of the 141 counters active on Thursday, 38 closed flat. 8,300 deals

Photo by Anwar Daifallah

Trading in progress at Kuwait Stock Exchange. The bourse wound up the week on a positive note.

worth KD 43.25 million shares were transacted — down 2.46 percent in value from the day before.

“The index (is in) overbought territory while the odds for a retracement lower have increased,” Reuters quoted Bruce Powers, a technical analyst with Orpheus Capital earlier in the month.

On the downside, Gulf Petroleum Investment Co dropped 8 fils to KD 0.545 with a volume of 17.41 million shares and Burgan Well Drilling Co edged 2 fils lower with thin trading volume. Jazeera Airways fell 5 fils to KD 0.370. The stock has gained 50 fils year-

to-date.

Kuwait Cement Co eased 5 fils to KD 0.425 while Metal and Recycling Co was unchanged at KD 1.140. United Industries Co edged 2 fils lower to KD 0.106. UIC has chalked a net profit of KD 3.34 million and earnings per share of 7.07 fils in 2012. The Board of Directors has recommended a 5 percent cash dividend payout.

In the banking sector, National Bank of Kuwait rose 10 fils to KD 0.990 with a volume of 4.51 million shares and Gulf Bank was up 5 fils after stagnating in the day before. The bank’s income before

Commercial Bank of Kuwait jumped 30 fils to KD 0.720 whereas Al Ahli Bank pulled 10 fils lower. Burgan Bank added 10 fils while Kuwait Finance House held steady at KD 0.810. Boubyan Bank fell 10 fils to KD 0.650 off early highs.

Ahli United Bank was unchanged at KD 0.830 off early lows and Kuwait International Bank followed suit. The bank has recorded a net profit of KD 13.16 million and earnings per share of 14.1 fils in 2012. The Board of Directors has recommended a cash dividend payout of 7 percent.

National Real Estate Co ticked 2 fils up on back of over 3 million shares and Tamdeen Real Estate rose 4 fils extending the modest rise on Wednesday.

Mabanee Co climbed 20 fils whereas Mazaya Holding inched 1 fils lower.

Kuwait Investment Co crept 2 fils higher while International Financial Advisors slipped 1 fils after trading 2.59 million shares. The company has announced selling 4,450,000 of Kuwait Clearing Co. shares to International Finance Co for KD 3,471,000 generating a profit of KD 267,049 profit, which will be reflected in fourth quarter results.

National Investment Co pulled up from early lows to end unchanged at KD 0.154 and Kuwait Projects too was not did not budge from its previous close. KAMCO

knocked off 6 fils whereas Bayan Investment Co added 2.5 fils. First Investment Co nudged 2 fils up to KD 0.120 and Al Tamdeen Investment Co followed suit.

The bourse has been markedly positive during the week. It closed higher in all the five sessions and gained 108.92 pts week-on-week. The index has soared 156.88 pts from start of the month and is trading over 7.81 percent higher year-todate. KSE, with 213 listed companies, is the second largest bourse in the region.

In the bourse related news, Mashaer Holding has announced a net profit of KD 4.31 million and earnings per share of 25 fils in the 2012 as against KD 5,20 profit and earnings per share of 29 fils in the year before. The Board of Directors recommended a cash dividend payout of 15%.

INOVEST has logged an annual net loss KD 2.53 million and loss per share of 8.91 fils in 2012 as compared to KD 6.54 loss and 22.96 fils LPS in 2011. The Board of Directors recommended no dividend payout for the fiscal year.

Securities Group Co has chalked a net loss of KD 5.87 million and loss per share of 23.05 fils in the nine-month period ending Dec 31, 2012. This compares with KD 7.79 million loss and loss per share of 30.56 fils in the same period last year.

Al-Themar International Holding Co. has recorded a net loss of KD 5.12 million and loss per share of 5.06 fils in the nine-month period ending 31 Dec 2012 as against KD 6.93 million loss and loss per share of 6.85 fils in the same period last year.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

BUSINESS

46

Berkshire, 3G buy ketchup maker Heinz in $28 bln deal Billionaire Warren Buffett’s investment powerhouse Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital announced Thursday that they would take over venerable US ketchup maker Heinz in a deal worth $28 billion.

The buyers heralded 144 year old HJ Heinz Co’s strong, global portfolio of prepared food brands, which Buffett called “great tasting” products.

the

Stock Exchange after the announcement, adding to a 17 percent gain over the past 52 weeks.

“Heinz has strong, sustainable growth potential based on high quality standards, continuous innovation, excellent management and great tasting products,” Buffett, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, said in a statement.

(AFP)

Heinz said it was the largest ever takeover in the food industry.

The two buyers will pay Heinz shareholders $72.50 per share in cash — a 20 percent premium on Heinz’s Wednesday closing price.

Counting debt assumed by the buyers, the deal valued Heinz at about $28 billion, they said.

Heinz shares soared to $72.51 in opening trade on the New York

such as Nespresso coffee capsules and Maggi stock cubes — rose by 10.2 percent to hit 92.2 billion Swiss francs.

But in the Asia, Oceania and African regions, which have been Nestle’s main growth drivers, sales rose by 8.4 percent to 18.9 billion Swiss francs, down from an increase of 11.4 percent in 2011.

(AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

NEW YORK, Feb 14, (Agencies): European stock markets were lower and the euro slid against the dollar on Thursday after data showed the euro zone slipped deeper into recession in late 2012 than had been expected.

But US jobless data and a $23.2 billion bid in cash by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and private equity firm 3G Capital for ketchup and baby food maker H.J. Heinz helped turn sentiment and trim equity losses.

LONDON: Aircraft engine maker Rolls-

The euro tumbled to a three-week low against the dollar and plunged against the yen after data on gross domestic product painted a dismal picture of the euro zone’s economy.

Economic output in the 17-country region fell by 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter, EU statistics office Eurostat said, while Germany contracted by 0.6 percent, marking its worst performance since the global financial crisis was raging in 2009.

The downturn marked the currency bloc’s first full year in which no quarter produced growth, extending back to 1995. For the year as a whole, GDP fell by 0.5 percent.

Germany is expected to rebound but the figures suggest the bloc as a whole could remain in recession in the first quarter of this year, despite a recent jump in market sentiment as fears that the currency bloc could fall apart have faded.

MSCI’s all-country world equity index fell 0.2 percent to 355.99.

In Europe, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top companies slipped 0.17 percent to close at 1163.59. The yen rallied to session highs versus the dollar as investors pared bearish bets on the Japanese currency. The dollar fell as low as 92.92 yen and last traded at 93.12, down 0.27 percent on the day.

The euro fell 0.86 percent to $1.3338.

Oil prices initially fell after euro zone figures curbed expectations of accelerating global growth and higher energy demand. The stronger-than-expected drop in US jobless claims last week helped lift US crude markets, and Brent rebounded to trade slightly above breakeven.

Royce said Thursday that net profits surged last year, boosted by strong revenues and the sale of its stake in USbased International Aero Engines, and appointed its new chairman.

Earnings after taxation soared to £2.281 billion ($3.537 billion, 2.642 billion euros) in 2012, compared with £850 million in 2011, the firm announced in a results statement.

Rolls-Royce, which also makes power systems for use on land and at sea, added that underlying revenues advanced eight percent to £12.2 billion and its order book swelled four percent to £60.146 billion. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

SAN FRANCISCO: Cisco’s latest quarterly report provided further evidence that spending on technology gear is rising modestly in most parts of the world, despite persisting concerns about a still-shaky economy.

The earnings announced Wednesday, covering the fiscal second quarter ending on Jan. 26, exceeded analyst projections for the world’s largest maker of computer networking equipment.

Cisco Systems Inc’s quarterly performances and forecasts are widely regarded as a way to assess the state of the technology industry.

That’s because the San Jose, California, company cuts a broad swath while selling its routers, switches, software and services to corporate customers and government agencies around the world. In addition, Cisco’s fiscal quarters end a month later than most other major technology companies, giving it additional time to assess economic conditions. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

SYDNEY: Anglo-Australian mining titan Rio Tinto posted its first annual loss in 18 years Thursday, plunging US$2.99 billion into the red on hefty writedowns on its Mozambique coal and aluminium businesses.

The US$14.4 billion in impairments, announced last month, prompted the resignation of chief executive Tom Albanese and saw Rio slump on underlying earnings of US$9.3 billion.

“Our business performed well in 2012, generating strong cash flows and underlying earnings of US$9.3 billion,” said Rio chairman Jan du Plessis. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

NEW YORK: Global media and finan-

MUMBAI: Tata Motors Ltd, posted its

cial information group Thomson Reuters said on Wednesday it would cut 2,500 jobs in its risk division by the end of the year as part of a cost-cutting drive.

Chief executive James Smith announced the cuts as he released the company’s quarterly and annual financial results, saying the move “positions us for far greater improvement in 2014.”

Smith said 2012 “was a watershed year despite an economic environment that proved to be even more challenging than we had anticipated” and cited “numerous operational issues needing repair.” (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

first drop in profits in five quarters as its Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) business faced higher spending and a drop in operating margin after 18 months of soaring profit.

Rising investment costs and falling profitability at the British carmaker, whose profits have propped up its weaker parent for the past year and half, combined with a drop into the red for the Indian company’s domestic business.

JLR said operating margin was 14 percent in the December quarter, down from 17 percent a year ago, also due in part to a shift towards less profitable models. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

VEVEY: Swiss-based food giant Nestle warned Thursday that business was likely to be tough this year, after its 2012 results showed a slowdown in growth in emerging markets.

Nestle’s net profit of 10.6 billion Swiss francs (8.8 billion euros, $11.5 billion), representing an increase of 11.5 percent on the 2011 performance, was slightly ahead of analysts’ forecasts.

Sales at what is the world’s top food industry player — known for products

Commission filings show Zuckerberg has been building his stake Facebook, the potential of which he contends is underestimated by the market.

One SEC filing showed that Zuckerberg acquired 18 million Facebook shares in midDecember at a price of zero, indicating they were tied to his compensation as chief of the social network. (AFP)

Oil rises on concerns of US supply

FRANKFURT: Sportswear firm Puma said it is pulling out of the sailing market to concentrate on other sports such as soccer and running to rebuild its flagging business, leaving an Americas Cup team seeking a new sponsor.

The German company, which on Thursday reported a 70 percent drop in its annual profit, is going through its biggest reorganisation in 20 years to restore the business and get its products back in fashion in the United States, Europe and China.

The group is closing stores, cutting product lines and last month said it would stop sponsoring rugby union football, no longer providing kit for Ireland’s team after the next season. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

NEW YORK: PepsiCo’s net income rose 17 percent in the fourth quarter on higher prices and strength in Latin America.

The US-based drink and snack maker’s earnings and revenue beat analysts’ estimates. It also provided a 2013 adjusted earnings forecast in line with Wall Street expectations and raised its quarterly dividend by 5.6 percent.

The stock climbed in premarket trading Thursday.

The results mark the end of what CEO Indra Nooyi said would be a “transitional year,” with the company embarking on a cost-cutting program and stepping up investment in its flagship brands. PepsiCo’s brands include Frito-Lay, Gatorade and Quaker. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑

least a year.

Zuckerberg sold about 30 million shares when the Menlo Park, California-based social network made its stock market debut in May at an opening price of $38.

Shares slid to a low of $17.55 in September but have regained ground, trading at $28.04 at the close of trading on the Nasdaq exchange on Wednesday.

Securities and Exchange

Mark Zuckerberg’s stake in Facebook has climbed to nearly 30 percent since the leading social network made its dismal stock market debut, according to a filing Wednesday with US regulators.

Zuckerberg owns 632.65 million Facebook shares as compared with the slightly more than 500 million he held in September when the stock’s sagging price prompted a promise he would not sell any for at

Equities ‘retreat’ as euro zone recession deepens; euro tumbles

bottomline

DETROIT: General Motors Co reported a weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter profit on Thursday, citing wider losses in Europe and lower vehicle prices plus higher costs in its core North American market.

But its shares rose slightly as the largest US automaker also made an accounting change in the quarter, intended to signal confidence that it will continue to be profitable in coming years.

“An entrenched GM investor may see no need to sell, while a prospective investor may see no need to rush in,” Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said in a research note. (RTRS) ❑ ❑ ❑

Zuckerberg owns nearly a third of Facebook: regulators

US US stocks were little changed on Thursday as a flurry of merger deals and better-than-expected jobs data offset signs of economic weakness in Europe and Japan Shares of H.J. Heinz Co jumped 20 percent to $72.51 after it said Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital will buy the food company for $72.50 a share, or $28 billion including debt.

Also supporting the market was data showing the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected in the latest week.

Stocks fell earlier after a report the euro zone’s gross domestic product contracted by the steepest amount since the

MUMBAI: An Indian regulator has frozen the bank accounts of two companies of the giant Sahara group after it failed to obey a court order to repay billions of dollars illegally collected from investors.

Sahara, a household name in India and sponsor of the national cricket team, raised 240 billion rupees ($4.4 billion) in illegal bond sales to 30 million small investors between 2008 and 2011. (AFP)

first quarter of 2009. In addition, Japan’s GDP shrank 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter, crushing expectations of a modest return to growth.

“The only reason a company buys another company is because they see an upside. Even though we are at multiyear highs, this kind of activity shows that there is more room for a rally, feeding optimism to the market,” said Randy Frederick, director of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab.

But Frederick added the market would have to see small corrections before breaking above current levels, where indexes have been hovering for almost two weeks. The S&P 500 is up more than 6 percent so far this year, near its highest level since November 2007.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 13.75 points, or 0.10 percent, at 13,969.16. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 0.45 point, or 0.03 percent, at 1,519.88. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 1.35 points, or 0.04 percent, at 3,195.53.

lose momentum on lingering signs of a weak global economy, with data on Thursday showing a contraction in the euro zone economy.

Berkeley Futures associate director Richard Griffiths said the FTSE 100 could fall 200 points over the next month, but others expected it to maintain an upwards path, on hopes of a gradual global economic recovery that should support equities.

“People generally want to see the market go higher. They want to see the FTSE attacking 6,400 points,” said Mike Mason, senior trader at Sucden Financial Private Clients.

Mason said the FTSE would continue to attract money since equities had better returns than cash or benchmark government bonds, where returns have been hit as central banks have kept interest rates at record lows to try and boost the economy.

Colin McLean, managing director at SVM Asset Management, said many investors were still looking to use any market weakness to buy equities for relatively cheap prices.

Europe

Asia

European stocks fell on Thursday following news that the eurozone recession deepened in the final three months of last year, but some major companies were boosted by upbeat results.

London’s FTSE 100 index of leading companies fell 0.50 percent to 6,327.36 points, while Frankfurt’s DAX 30 shed 1.05 percent to 7,631.19 points, and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.78 percent to 3,669.60 points.

Madrid’s IBEX 35 index gave up 0.71 percent to 8,247.4 points, hit hard by tumbling bank shares, and Milan’s FTSE MIB dropped 1.0 percent to 16,545 points.

In Paris, BNP Paribas shares rose 2.0 percent to 46.75 euros after the French bank said net profits rose 8.3 percent last year to 6.55 billion euros, outperforming most of its rivals.

The price of shares in French automaker Renault jumped 7.6 percent to 46.50 euros, even though the group posted a 15.3-percent drop in 2012 net profit to 1.77 billion euros. But the results were far stronger than those of PSA Peugeot Citroen, which was downgraded one notch by Standard and Poor’s to ‘BB minus’ on Thursday a day after posting a record 5 billion euro loss for 2012.

Shares in French energy giant EDF rallied 5.0 percent to 14.95 euros after it announced a 5.3-percent gain in annual net profit and reassured over its plans to cut as much as one billion euros in costs this year.

Asian markets rose on Thursday, with dealers looking ahead to an upcoming G20 meeting, while Hong Kong enjoyed healthy gains as dealers returned from a long break.

Tokyo shares climbed as the yen retreated again after posting strong gains on Wednesday, while there was little reaction to news Japan was stuck in recession as its economy shrunk for a third straight quarter in OctoberDecember.

Hong Kong, which was closed from Monday to Wednesday for Chinese New Year, added 0.85 percent, or 198.09 points, to end at 23,413.25 as investors caught up with a regional advance over the same period.

Tokyo was up 0.50 percent, or 55.87 points, higher at 11,307.28, while Sydney gained 0.66 percent, or 33.2 points, to 5,036.9, its highest since September 2008.

Seoul was up 0.18 percent, or 3.54 points, to close at 1,979.61.

Tokyo released data showing the economy contracted 0.1 percent in OctoberDecember from the previous quarter, and expanded just 1.9 percent in 2012 from the previous year, when Japan was hit by the quake-tsunami disaster.

The BoJ later wrapped up a two-day policy meeting, holding off making any new announcements after last month adopting a two percent inflation target and unveiling fresh easing measures.

However, it gave an upbeat assessment of the economy, saying it appeared to have stopped weakening, adding: “Exports continue to decrease, but the pace of decrease has been moderating.”

In other markets: ■ Manila slipped 0.22 percent, or 14.58 points, to close at 6,513.41.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co dropped 0.69 percent to 2,860 pesos and Semirara Mining Group fell 7.9 percent to 237.20 pesos.

■ Wellington ended 0.42 percent, or 17,80 points, higher at 4,239.20.

UK Britain’s benchmark share index fell from five-year highs, hit by weakness at telecoms group Vodafone and engineer AMEC, although many traders stayed positive on equities for the longer term.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index, which touched a five-year intraday high on Wednesday, closed down 0.5 percent, or 31.75 points lower, at 6,327.36 on Thursday.

Some traders said the FTSE’s rally, which has seen the index rise some 7 percent since the start of 2013, could soon

Fletcher Building gaining 1.01 percent to NZ$9.03 and Telecom Corp down 2.20 percent at NZ$2.22.

■ Singapore closed down 0.32 percent, or 10.57 points to 3,290.47.

DBS Bank dropped 0.60 percent to Sg$15.01, while Singapore Airlines gained 0.28 percent to Sg$10.86.

■ Kuala Lumpur shares lost 0.27 of a point, or 0.02 percent, to close at 1,630.89.

UEM Land added 5.2 percent to 2.22 ringgit, Petronas Dagangan rose 1.5 percent to 22.78 while Felda Global Ventures fell 0.4 percent to 4.49 ringgit.

■ Jakarta ended up 17.11 points, or 0.37 percent, at 4,588.67.

Astra Agro Lestari gained 0.53 percent to 19,000 rupiah and Ramayana Lestari Sentosa rose 3.57 percent to 1,160 rupiah.

■ Bangkok rose 0.83 percent or 12.63 points to close at 1,526.74 Banpu added 0.52 percent to 383.00 baht, and PTT Plc edged up 0.28 percent to 362.00 baht.

■ Mumbai fell 0.57 percent or 110.9 points to 19,497.18 points.

Bharti Airtel fell 4.02 percent to 312.4 rupees, and Reliance Communications fell 4.27 percent to 67.2 rupees.

Oil Oil prices rose on Thursday as fears about gasoline supply pulled the complex higher, outweighing concerns of weakening economic output in the euro zone.

Gasoline prices rose more than 2 percent on Thursday on the expectation that a busy refinery maintenance season could draw down stockpiles, despite current healthy levels.

Gasoline inventories on the US East Coast rose to their highest in nearly a year, according to government data on Wednesday.

Brent crude oil edged up 15 cents to $118.03 per barrel by 12:10 pmEST (1710 GMT). April Brent futures became the front-month contract on Thursday. US crude rose 57 cents to $97.58.

The US RBOB gasoline contract was up more than 9 cents to $3.09.

Expectations of higher oil demand were dampened by European data. Euro zone economic output fell 0.6 percent in the final quarter of 2012, according to the European Union’s statistics office. This is a greater drop than the 0.4 percent expected by analysts polled by Reuters.

Data showed the number of Americans filing claims for unemployment fell more than expected last week, suggesting an accelerating economic recovery for the world’s largest oil consumer.

Gold Gold fell to a six-week low on Thursday on renewed economic worries over the euro zone, which weighed down on bullion’s inflation-hedge appeal. The metal fell around 0.5 percent after data suggested the euro zone slipped deeper than expected into recession in the last three months of 2012 after its largest economies, Germany and France, shrank late last year.

Gold dropped 0.4 percent to $1,635.60 an ounce by 1:12 pm (1812 GMT), having earlier hit $1,633.19, which marked the lowest price since Jan 4.

exchange rates – Feb 14 US dollar BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman KBE

Sterling pound

Transfer .280450 .282600 .282800 .282550 .281400 .283500 .281150 .283250 .281400 .283500 .281200 .283300 .281400 .283500 — — .282600

Cash .433145 .442145 — .445000 .434000 .447000 .435613 .449446 .435200 .444240 .434500 .443530 .431460 .444000 — .467000 —

Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman KBE

BEC Muzaini Dollarco Gulf Bank ABK KBE

Euro Cash .375045 .382045 — .384000 .376000 .384000 .373307 .385570 .376560 .385160 .339010 .347320 .373450 .384750 — — —

Japanese yen Cash .294500 .312500 — .004550 — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Transfer .294500 .312500 .003025 .004050 .003009 .003032 .003010 .003060 .030051 .030422 .003588 .003636 .029975 .030464 — .003200 —

Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Sell

Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Sell

Cash .469210 .519210 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cyprus Pound

Yemeni riyal

Thai baht

South African rand

Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Sell

Transfer Cash Draft — — — — — — — — — .693000 .693900 .693900 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cash Draft Transfer .128400 .127400 .127400 .136400 .137400 .137400 — .001320 .001320 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cash Draft Transfer .091350 .090790 .090790 .096850 .096790 .096790 — .094900 .094900 — — — — — — — — — — – — — — – — — —

Cash Draft Transfer .025948 — — .034448 — — — — — — — — — — — — .032051 .032051 — — — — — — — — —

Draft .280450 .282600 .282800 .282550 .281400 .283500 .281150 .283250 .281400 .283500 .281200 .283300 .281400 .283500 .287900 .287900 .282600

Danish kroner BEC

Transfer .432145 .441145 .441450 .441220 .436916 .440176 .439521 .446295 .436700 .441240 .436000 .440530 .435900 .440990 — .475000 —

Cash .278700 .282850 .281600 .284000 .274000 .284000 .278650 .285250 .276400 .285000 .276200 .274800 .278900 .285000 — — —

Draft .469210 .519210 — — .050686 .051065 .050446 .051360 .050620 .051130 .046462 .046997 .050340 .051750 — — —

Indian rupee

Transfer .469210 .519210 — — .050686 .051065 .050446 .051360 .050620 .051130 .046462 .046997 .050340 .051750 — — —

travellers cheques BEC Commercial Bank Gulf Bank Al-Ahli Bank

Draft .432145 .441145 .441450 .441220 .436916 .440176 .439521 .446295 .436700 .441240 .444600 .436000 .435900 .440990 .444400 .475000 —

Cash .004919 .005320 – .005450 .004000 .006750 — — — — — — — — — — —

US dollar .2828000 .2840000 .2854580 .2831500

Draft .005179 .005254 .005245 .005242 — .005286 — .005324 — — .005094 .005093 .005182 .005270 — — .005252

Transfer .005179 .005254 .005245 .005242 — .005286 — .005324 — — .005094 .005093 .005182 .005270 — — .005252

Sterling .4445000 .4510000 .4549210 .4444000

Draft .375045 .382545 .381070 .381065 .378216 .381038 .376656 .382866 .378060 .382160 .380190 .340510 .377330 .382110 .378620 .382570 .385600

Transfer .375045 .382545 .381070 .381065 .378216 .381038 .376656 .382866 .378060 .382160 .380190 .344320 .377330 .382110 .378620 .382570 .385600

Pakistani rupee Cash .002605 .002885 — .003100 — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Euro — .3870000 .3853120 .3836200

Draft .002852 .002892 .002879 .002875 — .002900 — .002915 — — — — — .002949 .002951 .003175 .002889

Draft .294500 .312500 .003025 .004050 .003009 .003032 .003010 .003060 .030051 .030422 .003588 .003636 .029975 .030464 — .003200 —

Sri Lanka rupee

Transfer .002852 .002892 .002879 .002875 — .002900 — .002915 — — .003233 — — .002949 — 003175 .002889

Cash .001953 .002533 — .002950 .002000 .003500 — — — — — — — — — — —

Draft .001933 .002238 .002232 .002230 — .002250 — .002266 — — .002546 — — .002307 — .002510 .002245

Transfer .001933 .002238 .002232 .002230 — .002250 — .002266 — — .002546 — .002307 — .002510 .002245

local gold BEC Muzaini Exchange

Swiss franc Cash .302306 .311806 — .310000 .305000 .315000 — — .302400 .312710 .279180 .289100 — — — — —

Draft .303306 .310306 .309580 .308435 .306820 .309110 .304703 .310810 .306400 .310210 .283180 .286600 .305470 .310530 — — —

Transfer .303306 .310306 .309580 .308435 .306820 .309110 .304703 .310810 .306400 .310210 .297119 .299506 .305470 .310530 — — —

Bangladesh taka Cash .003287 .003887 — .003850 — — — — — — — — — — — .004250 —

Draft .003531 .003586 .003567 .003562 — .003602 — .003615 — — — — — — — .004170 .003574

Transfer .003531 .003586 .003567 .003562 — .003602 — .003615 — — .004017 — — — — .004170 .003574

Korean won Cash — — — — — — — — —

Draft — — — — — — — — —

Gold 999 kg — 15,060.000

Transfer — — — — — — — — —

Canadian dollar Cash .277100 .285600 — .288000 .279000 .290000 — — — — .277897 .282890 — — — — —

Draft .275100 .284100 .283370 .285615 .280965 .283061 .279140 .284472 .280640 .284010 .286988 .277020 .279980 .284320 — — .287900

Transfer ..275100 .284100 .283370 .285615 .280965 .283061 .279140 .284472 .280640 .284010 .286988 .277020 .279980 .284320 — .267000 .287900

Philippine peso Cash .006937 .007217 — .007200 — —

Draft .006498 .006968 .006958 .006939 — .007031 — — .007070 — — — — — .006449 — — — — — .007289 .006000 .006467 — — — .006995

Transfer .006498 .006968 .006958 .006939 — .007031 — .007070 — — .006449 — — .007289 .006467 — .006995

Syrian pound Cash Draft Transfer .003153 .003153 .003153 .003373 .003373 .003373 — — — — — — — .003073 .003073 — — — — — — — — — — — —

Gold 999 10 tola 1,802.3400 1,772.000

Gold ounce — 483.000

Swedish kroner Cash .409200 .459200 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Draft .409200 .459200 — — .044735 .045069 .043978 .044793 .044660 .045140 .041155 .041482 .044444 .045600 — — —

Transfer .409200 .459200 — — .044735 .045069 .043978 .044793 .044660 .045140 .041155 .041482 .044444 .045600 — — —

Saudi riyal Cash .074777 .075360 — .077000 .072000 .076000 .074148 .076208 .073970 .076660 .073684 .075774 .074060 .076150 — — —

Australian dollar Cash .285438 .296038 — — .298900 .300000 — — — — — — — — — — —

Draft .275100 .284100 — — .291249 .293423 .289725 .295155 .291080 .294530 .284712 .286988 .290190 .294710 .237000 — —

Transfer .275100 .284100 — — .291249 .293423 .289725 .295155 .291080 .294530 .284712 .289490 .290190 .294710 .237000 — —

Draft — — — — — — — — —

Gold gm 22k — 13.785

Transfer — — — — — — — — —

Transfer .074827 .075467 .075444 .075310 .075060 .075620 .074880 .075674 .074970 .075660 .074280 .075640 .074820 .075630 — — .075518

Hong Kong dollar Cash .034388 .037138 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Iranian tuman Cash .000161 .000162 — — — — — — —

Draft .074827 .075467 .075444 .075310 .075060 .075620 .074880 .075674 .074970 .075660 .075640 .072340 .074820 .075630 — — .075518

Draft .033888 .036988 .036468 — .036286 .036556 .036118 .036706 — — — — .036290 .036560 — — —

Transfer .033888 .036988 .036468 — .036286 .036556 .036118 .036706 — — — — .036290 .036560 — — —

UAE dirham Cash .076014 .077163 — .077200 .076325 .077092 .075720 .077830 .076390 .077160 .075223 .077374 .076325 .077092 — .078600 —

Draft .075514 .076964 .077036 .076905 .076644 .077216 .076467 .077285 .076560 .077240 .077237 .074510 .076340 .077250 .078390 — .077045

Transfer .075514 .076964 .077036 .076905 .076644 .077216 .076467 .077285 .076560 .077240 .075832 .077237 .076340 .077250 — .078390 .077045

Singapore dollar Cash .225729 .231792 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Draft .224792 .230792 .230290 — .227688 .229387 .226168 .230050 .227430 .229680 .216673 .218433 .227020 .230120 — — —

Transfer .224792 .230792 .230290 — .227688 .229387 .226168 .230050 .227430 .229680 .222630 .216673 .227020 .230120 — — —

Lebanese pound

Malaysian ringgit

Cash Draft Transfer .000138 .000173 .000173 .000238 .000193 .000193 — .189800 .189800 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cash Draft Transfer .090033 .087431 .087431 .096033 .094431 .094431 — — — .093500 .091455 .091455 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Gold gm 21k — 13.150

Gold gm 18k — 11.275

100 gm 999 – —

10 gm 999 – 157.000

Bahraini dinar Cash .743677 .751677 — .750000 .743611 .751084 .737559 .758083 .744270 .751750 — — — — — — —

Draft .743177 .751677 .751430 .748045 .746716 .752289 .748380 .752723 .745920 .752690 .740873 .750398 .744450 .752830 — — .751300

Transfer .743177 .751677 .751430 .748045 .746716 .752289 .748380 .752723 .745920 .752690 .740873 .750398 .744450 .752830 — — .751300

Jordanian dinar Cash .393486 .400966 — .400000 .390000 .405000 — — — — — — — — — .415000 —

Transfer .393010 .400510 .399520 .398295 — .400990 — .401203 — — .394853 .398939 .395500 .402090 .401670 .415000 —

Transfer .393010 .400510 .399520 .398295 — .400990 — .401203 — — .394853 .398939 .395500 .402090 .401670 .415000 —

Indonesian rupiah Cash .024000 .030000 — — — — — — —

Draft .024000 .029000 — — — .000030 — — .000029

Transfer .024000 .029000 — — — .000030 — — .000029

Omani riyal Cash .728513 .734193 — — .728978 .736304 .722171 .742451 .729620 .736960 .735741 — — — .752000 — —

Draft .723013 .734013 .734830 — .731194 .736651 .729298 .737246 .730430 .736940 .734440 .722120 .728850 .738170 .748000 — —

Transfer .723013 .734013 .734830 — .731194 .736651 .729298 .737246 .730430 .736940 .734440 .719020 .728850 .738170 .759930 — —

Egyptian pound Cash .039401 .042100 .042100 .043000 .042000 .047000 — — — — — — — — — .056000 —

Draft .039926 .041956 .041929 .041940 — — — .042363 — — .047830 .049026 — .042660 — — .041937

Transfer .039926 .041956 .041929 .041940 — — — .042363 — — .047830 .049026 — .

042620 — — .041937

New Zealand dollar Cash .233644 .243144 — — — — — — —

Draft .231644 .241644 — — .235406 .240350 .237270 .241440 —

Transfer .231644 .241644 — — .235406 .240350 .237270 .241440 —

All rates in KD per unit of foreign currency

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

LEISURE

47

C 2012 The New York Times, distributed by The New York Times Syndicate

Scratch pad

odds ’n’ ends LAS VEGAS:

Biologist Crystal Crimbchin hands out Valentine’s Day cards to African Penguins at the California Academy of Sciences on Feb 13, in San Francisco, California. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the colony of African Penguins at the California Academy of Sciences received heart-shaped red valentines with hand written messages from Academy visitors. (AFP)

Conceptis Sudoku

Challenger

The grid must be so completed that every row, column and 3x3 box has every digit from 1 to 9 inclusive.

By Steve Becker

DIRECTIONS: Fill each square with a number, one through nine.

■ Horizontal squares should add to totals on right.

■ Vertical squares should add to totals on bottom.

■ Diagonal squares through center should add to total in upper and lower right.

Yesterday’s solution

THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION.

Answer to yesterday’s puzzle

contract b r i d g e

Today’s Challenge Time 1 Minutes 47 Seconds Your Working Time __ Minutes __ Seconds

Word by Word

Even

(Hata)

Even Homer sometimes nods.

Hata Homerous yokhti ahyanan.

Numbers

6044

Six thousand and forty four Setat alaaf wa arbaah wa arbaoun

One Las Vegas shooting range is selling “take a shot at love” packages that include 50 submachine gun rounds.

Another is offering wedding packages in which the bride and groom can pose with Uzis and ammunition belts. And a third invites lovebirds to renew their vows and shoot a paper cutout zombie in the face.

Never known for its understatement or good taste, Sin City is bucking the US trend of avoiding flippant gun promotions after the Connecticut school shooting in December left 20 young children dead. Instead, it is embracing tourists’ newfound interest in big guns the only way it knows how: by going all in.

Capitalizing on the state’s relaxed gun laws, shooting ranges offer an armory of military-grade weapons that aren’t accessible in other states. And because this is Las Vegas, they also allow customers to destroy photographs of exes, make souvenir T-shirts full of holes and shoot fully-automatic weapons in barely-there bachelor party man-kinis.

Some gun control advocates say the promotions trivialize the dangers of high-powered weapons.

“These gun stores and shooting ranges offer bad puns in poor taste in their efforts to put a happy face on firearms, yet each day more than 86 Americans die from gun violence,” said Josh Sugarmann, who is executive director of the Washington DC-based Violence Policy Center.

“While Las Vegas gun promoters present assault rifles with highcapacity ammunition magazines as harmless Valentine’s Day props, the vast majority of Americans understand their true role: militarybred weapons that threaten police and public safety,” he said.

At least half a dozen ranges opened in Las Vegas last year, triggering a marketing arms race.

Before visitors even pick up their bags at McCarran International Airport, they are confronted by ads for the Gun Store, Las Vegas’ most venerable shooting range. One ad features a blonde posing with an MP5 submachine gun under the words, “Try one.”

Machine Gun Las Vegas, which opened last winter, hires former gogo dancers as hostesses and sells its “femme fatale” package with the slogan, “There’s nothing like the scent of Cordite in a woman’s hair.”

(Cordite is an alternative to gunpowder).

“We give what people are asking for, whether it’s the ‘mob experience’ and they want to test a Tommy gun, or a bachelor package, and they want a limo to take them to the club afterward,” said Lianne Heck, marketing director at Range 702, which opened in October.

This year, gun ranges are extending their tongue-in-cheek promotions to Valentine’s Day, always a moneymaker in this matrimony-and-sex-obsessed town.

The Guns and Ammo Garage is offering free vow renewals by the “Pistol Packing Preacher” for one day only. The Gun Store has built a permanent “shotgun weddings” chapel, because nothing makes a memory quite like the sound of gunfire.

Bob MacDuff of Canada said his “I do’s” there last July before posing with AK-47s for wedding pictures and going shooting with his 25 guests. He encourages others to celebrate their love with weapons in hand.

“For people who are gun people, you can’t find a better option,” MacDuff said.

British tabloids have chided the Las Vegas gun ranges.

“What hope for the US when couples can now get married with weapons?” read the headline of a Jan. 7 article in the Sun reporting that that no couples had canceled their shotgun weddings after the national tragedy. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

SPORTS

48

Baghdatis sends Gasquet packing in Rotterdam

Azarenka, Williams storm into Qatar Open quarter-finals DOHA, Feb 14, (Agencies): World number one Victoria Azarenka and secondranked Serena Williams eased into the Qatar Open quarter-finals with dominant third-round victories on Thursday.

American Williams, the 15-times Grand Slam champion who could return to the top of the rankings if she wins the tournament, crushed Pole Urszula Radwanska 6-0 6-3.

Belarussian Azarenka, who won last month’s Australian Open, demolished American Christina McHale 6-0 6-0 in just over an hour and Russian third seed Maria Sharapova overpowered Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-3 6-3.

“I felt like I came out very focused, with a good mindset and a good game plan,” Azarenka said on the WTA website.

“There were a few close games, but I felt like I was really taking advantage of every opportunity I had and not letting her play her game,” added the top seed who notched the sixth 6-0 6-0 win of her career.

Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat former world number one Ana

Ivanovic 6-1 7-6 and will next face Caroline Wozniacki, another former world number one, who defeated German Mona Barthel 7-6 6-3.

“It wasn’t great tennis out there today — the wind was a huge factor,” Wozniacki said. “To be honest it was just about getting the ball in play today.

Marcos Baghdatis handed Frenchman Richard Gasquet only his second loss of the season as the Cypriot scored a 6-4, 64 win to reach the quarter-finals of the Rotterdam World Tennis on Thursday.

Gasquet lined up in Rotterdam as the

WTA Qatar Open Aljazeera sport +10

ATP 500 - Rotterdam Aljazeera sport +8

(15:00 local)

(14:30 local)

“I was just trying to get it in and hoping for the best. It was a struggle, but I got through it,” added the Dane.

Australian Sam Stosur reached the last eight with a 6-4 7-5 win over Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and sixth seed Sara Errani knocked out Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 7-5 5-7 6-2.

Czech Petra Kvitova completed the quarter-final lineup after recovering from a slow start to overcome Russian Nadia

fourth seed, having already won two tour titles this season and boasting an unbeaten record apart from a defeat to compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open.

But the world number 10 never got going against Cypriot Baghdatis, who had also beaten him at the London Olympics last year.

“Richard was probably tired, he’s played a lot of tennis this season,” said Baghdatis.

Petrova 4-6 6-4 6-3. ❑

❑

❑

“He was not at his best and tired from last week,” he added, in reference to Gasquet’s run to victory in Montpellier.

“I’m happy with how I played. I was aggressive at the right time and served well. It’s good to win a match like this.”

Baghdatis won in 76 minutes with nine aces and two breaks of serve and will now face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Friday.

Meanwhile, Finn Jarkko Nieminen beat German qualifier Matthias Bachinger 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Bachinger had caused a surprise on Wednesday when he eliminated Italian sixth seed Andreas Seppi. ❑

❑

❑

Argentina’s David Nalbandian beat Chilean qualifier Jorge Aguilar 7-5, 5-7, 63 in a difficult first-round match at the Brazil Open on Wednesday.

Nalbandian smashed 11 aces and broke serve four times to beat Aguilar in 2 hours, 12 minutes at the indoor clay-court tournament.

Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos, who won his first ATP title by beating Rafael Nadal

Rodriguez wins stage

last week in Chile, retired because of nausea and fatigue while trailing Paul Capdeville of Chile 7-6 (5), 0-6, 0-3.

Meanwhile, former world number one Rafa Nadal withdrew suddenly from the doubles at the Brazil Open on Wednesday because of what organisers said was a desire to preserve his strength for the singles competition.

The 26-year-old Spaniard, who returned to action at the Chile Open last week after a left knee condition had sidelined him for seven months, was down to play both singles and doubles in Sao Paulo.

However, he was already complaining of lingering pains before making his doubles debut alongside Argentine David Nalbandian in a 6-3 3-6 11-9 victory over Spaniards Pablo Andujar and Guillermo Garcia Lopez on Tuesday night. ❑

❑

❑

John Isner powered his way into the SAP Open quarterfinals by pounding 14 aces in a 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-3 victory over Canada’s Vasek Pospisil on Wednesday.

The hard-serving American overcame a shaky second set, held off two break points

Younis & Shafiq inspire Pakistan

Froome seizes lead in Oman DJEBEL AKHDHAR, Oman, Feb 14, (AFP): Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez, of the Katusha team, won the fourth stage of the Tour of Oman on Thursday, as Britain’s Chris Froome snatched the overall leader’s red jersey.

Rodriguez was victorious on the mountaintop finish to the 143km stage, finishing four seconds ahead of Froome, of Sky, and 22 seconds in front of Australia’s Cadel Evans of the BMC team.

Rodriguez’s compatriot Alberto Contador was fourth, 27 seconds back.

In the overall standings, Froome took the red jersey from Slovakia’s Peter Sagan and now leads by a margin of 24 seconds from Evans and 25 seconds from Contador.

Younis was caught behind off Vernon Philander 13 balls before the close for 111, while Shafiq was unbeaten, also on 111.

CYCLING

CRICKET

Sagan was some way off the pace on the day, as was Froome’s compatriot, and Sky team-mate, Bradley Wiggins.

“I owe the red jersey to the team today, they were fantastic,” said Froome.

“With riders like Bradley Wiggins who helped position me into the climb, riders like Ritchie Porte who helped me on the slope, just to control the breakaway, it’s a complete team effort today, it had to pay off.

“It was very tactical between Contador, (Vincenzo) Nibali and Rodriguez, with a few accelerations, each time leaving me behind a bit (...)

I thought I’d better get moving, and I made a move and just tried to stay clear,” Froome said of the gruelling climb to the finish.

Friday’s fifth stage is a 144km ride from Al Alam Palace to the Ministry of Housing in Boshar.

“Tomorrow is gonna be very hard, it’s by no means over yet,” added Froome.

The pair put on 219, a record partnership for any wicket by Pakistan against South Africa.

It was a remarkable turnaround after the South African fast bowlers scythed through their top order early in the day.

Pakistan seemed in danger of another humiliation following their dismissal for a record low of 49 on the way to a 211-run defeat in the first Test in Johannesburg.

“After the first Test match we had a lot of meetings and chats about how we play Test cricket,” said Younis.

“It was tough again this morning but everyone knows that if you have a good partnership you have a good chance to come back.

“It is all about the partnership and how you motivate yourself again and again and fight for your country.”

Graeme Smith’s decision to bowl was prompted by cloudy weather, which followed early morning rain.

It seemed fully justified as Morne Morkel took two wickets and Philander and Dale Steyn claimed one each, with none of the batsmen looking comfortable.

Younis, Pakistan’s most experienced batsman, had to survive some challenging deliveries from Steyn at the start of his innings, and admitted: “I was lucky, I played a few balls and missed.”

Shafiq followed a fighting half-century in the second innings in Johannesburg with an innings which grew in quality the longer it progressed.

“Asad Shafiq is improving every day, he has a good future for Pakistan,” added Younis, who also said he had encouraged the younger player by advising him to play his natural game.

“My theory is very simple. If there is a ball (to hit), go for it.”

It was slow going at times, with Younis and

Duo hit centuries in fightback against S. Africa CAPE TOWN, Feb 14, (AFP):Centuries by Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq transformed Pakistan’s fortunes on the first day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands on Thursday.

Pakistan were 253 for five at stumps, having been reeling at 33 for four after being sent in.

Russian Maria Sharapova serves to Czech Klara Zakopalova during their WTA Qatar Open tennis match on Feb 14, in the Qatari capital, Doha. (AFP)

Colombia’s Uribe a stroke behind

Lydia Ko leads Women’s Australian Open CANBERRA, Australia, Feb 14, (AP): South Korean-born 15-year-old Lydia Ko shot a 10-under 63 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Women’s Australian Open.

The New Zealand-based amateur won the New Zealand Women’s Open last Sunday for her third victory in a professional tournament. Last year, Ko

GOLF won the New South Wales Open in Australia to become the youngest player to win a pro tour event and the Canadian Open to become the youngest LPGA Tour winner. She also won the US Women’s Amateur.

Ko opened with a bogey on the 10th hole, birdied the next four holes and eagled the par-5 15th. She bogeyed the 16th and birdied Nos. 17-18 to make the

Prior says England may be forced into IPL review LONDON, Feb 14, (AFP): England wicketkeeper Matt Prior warned Thursday of the prospect of rows between players and administrators unless the England and Wales Cricket Board softened its stance towards the Indian Premier League.

The lucrative domestic Twenty20 competition attracts players from all around the

turn at 6-under 30 at Royal Canberra.

Ko added birdies on Nos. 2-4 and 6, dropped a stroke on No. 8 and closed with her 11th birdie. While still in high school, she hasn’t had time to spend in class this year due to her golf commit-

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in the third set with aces and finished off the pesky Pospisil behind some pretty passing shots. Isner will play either Xavier Malisse or Matthew Ebden on Friday.

After dropping out of the Australian Open and losing his last Davis Cup match in the United States’ win over Brazil last weekend, Isner enjoyed only his third win in 10 matches since the U.S. Open last September.

Two-time defending SAP Open champion Milos Raonic was the top seed, setting up the possibility of a power-packed final should both advance. The 13th-ranked Raonic also had an opening-round bye.

The Canadian will play in the second round on Thursday against Michael Russell, who won an all-American matchup over qualifier Donald Young 6-3, 7-5.

Also, Alejandro Falla of Colombia outlasted Flavio Cipolla of Italy 7-6 (1), 7-6 (10); Australia’s Ebden beat qualifier Rik de Voest 6-2, 7-5; wild-card Steve Johnson upset Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic 6-7 (2), 6-4, 76 (6); and fourth-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany beat Canada’s Jesse Levine 6-3, 6-1 in the late match.

05:15 Dep Tolima vs Cerro Porteno Football, Aljazeera Sport .TV 06:15 Chile vs Egypt (R), Aljazeera Sport +7 06:30 LA Lakers vs LA Clippers - Basketball, Aljazeera Sport +6 06:30 La Clippers vs La Lakers (L), Aljazeera Sport +6 08:00 Basketball - Copa Del Rey (R), Aljazeera Sport +7 09:30 Bayer Leverkusen vs Benfica (R), Aljazeera Sport +6 10:00 Kiev vs Bordeaux (R), Aljazeera Sport +7 11:15 Newcastle United vs Metalist (R), Aljazeera Sport +6 11:45 Basel vs FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (R), Aljazeera Sport +7 13:00 La Clippers vs La Lakers (R), Aljazeera Sport +6 13:30 Paraguay vs Chile (R), Aljazeera Sport +7 14:30 ATP 500-Rotterdam - Tennis, Aljazeera Sport +8 14:45 Argentine vs Columbia (R), Aljazeera Sport +7 15:00 WTA Qatar Open - Tennis, Aljazeera Sport +10 15:00 Ajax vs Steaue Bucuresti (R), Aljazeera Sport +6 16:00 Lekhwiya vs al Khor Football, Aljazeera Sport +7 16:45 Umm Salal vs Al Gharafa - Football, Aljazeera Sport +6 19:00 Khimki vs Olympiacos Basketball, Aljazeera Sport .TV 19:00 El

world.

However, the ECB will not allow any of their centrallycontracted England players to play longer than half a season in the Indian franchise tournament because of Test commitments.

Such a position means many England cricketers are not considered to be attractive targets in the big-money player auction

ments. “I’ve got the Thailand Open next week and then the New Zealand LPGA Championship,” Ko said. “After that, I will start opening books.”

Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe was a stroke back while South Korea’s Jiyai

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that takes place before each edition of the IPL, with Prior ‘unsold’ for the past two years.

Star batsman Kevin Pietersen briefly called time on his England limited overs career last year after a refusal by team management to release him for the full duration of the IPL, although other factors were involved in a move that has since been rescinded.

Shin was two behind after a 65.

Canada’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham, playing in one of the final groups of the day, Ayako Uehara of Japan and South Korea’s Lee Mi-hyang shot 66 to be tied for fourth.

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Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali plays a shot from South African cricketer Dale Steyn (unseen) on day one of Test match between South Africa and Pakistan in Cape Town at Newlands on Feb 14. (AFP)

Shafiq adding only 14 runs in the first 13 overs after lunch.

The 50 partnership was posted off 151 balls, but their second 50 was scored off 88 deliveries and the pair scored freely in the afternoon before the second new ball was due.

Younis reached his 21st Test century — and his fourth against South Africa — after facing 192 balls and hitting six fours and three sixes, all of the sixes coming off left-arm spinner Robin Peterson.

The stocky Shafiq followed in the last over with the old ball, notching his third Test hundred off 201 balls with 13 fours and a six.

Steyn appeared to have made a breakthrough with his third delivery with the new ball when Younis, on 105, was adjudged leg before wicket by umpire Steve Davis.

But the batsman immediately called for a review which showed that the ball flicked the inside edge of his bat before crashing into his front pad.

South Africa vs Pakistan Scoreboard CAPE TOWN, Feb 14, (AFP): Close of play scores on the first day of the second Test between South Africa and Pakistan at Newlands on Thursday.

PAKISTAN, first innings Mohammad Hafeez c Smith b Steyn .......17 Nasir Jamshed c De Villiers b Philander ...3 Azhar Ali c De Villiers b Morkel..................4 Younis Khan c De Villiers b Philander ....111 Misbah-ul-Haq c Elgar b Morkel ................0 Asad Shafiq not out ................................111 Sarfraz Ahmed not out ...............................0 Extras (lb4, nb3).........................................7 Total (5 wkts, 90 overs)..........................253 Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Jamshed), 2-21 (Hafeez), 3-33 (Azhar), 4-33 (Misbah), 5-252 (Younis)

Champions League 2012/13: Matchday 7a - Round-of-16, 1st Leg H/Ls 07:30 WWE Smackdown 2013

Fox Sports Middle East 06:00 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Northwestern at Ohio State 08:00 Academy: Tom Lehman - Driver 08:30 School of Golf - Short Game Special 09:00 Feherty - Chubby Chandler 10:00 Golf Central International 10:30 School of Golf - Chapter 5: Chip It Like a Champ 11:00 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Northwestern at Ohio State 13:00 Rip to the Tip 2011 A Band of Brothers 13:30 The Moto: Inside the Outdoors Spring Creek National 14:00 Car Warriors 2 Corvette 15:00 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Northwestern at Ohio State 17:00 European Tour Africa Open Rd. 2 20:30 Ringside Boxing Ik Yang v Mario Padilla from 22:30 Courtside Jones 23:00 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Northwestern at Ohio State 01:00 The Moto: Inside the Outdoors Spring Creek National 01:30 Car Warriors 2 Corvette 02:30 European Tour Africa Open Rd. 2 06:00 NHL: Dallas

Bowling: Philander 21-8-45-2 (2nb), Steyn 19-7-34-1, Morkel 16-6-37-2 (1nb), Kallis 13-2-34-0, Peterson 19-0-85-0, Elgar 2-0-14-0 To bat: Tanvir Ahmed, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan SOUTH AFRICA: G. Smith, A. Petersen, H. Amla, J. Kallis, A. de Villiers, F. du Plessis, D. Elgar, R. Peterson, V. Philander, D. Steyn, M. Morkel Match situation: Pakistan are 253 for five wickets in the first innings Toss: South Africa Umpires: Steve Davis, Bruce Oxenford (both AUS) TV umpire: Billy Bowden (NZL) Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

Stars at Vancouver Canucks

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OSN Sport 4 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE NXT 08:00 WWE Vintage Collection 09:00 Ping Pong World Championships 10:00 US Bass Fishing 11:00 NHL 13:00 WWE NXT 14:00 UAE National Race Day Series 15:00 V8 Supercars Highlights 17:00 UFC On Fox 20:00 UFC On Fox 22:00 Live Top 14 00:00 WWE SmackDown 02:00 UFC TUF 03:00 Ping Pong World Championships 04:00 US Bass Fishing 05:00 NHL

Note: All timings local Other TV Listings Page 34

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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Paralympic day to top off Diamond weekend

Ban frustrates Indian athletes MUMBAI, Feb 14, (Agencies): Indian boxing’s pin-up boy Vijender Singh drags himself to the ring in the north Indian city of Patiala each day, sweats out mechanically and leaves wondering if it was all worth the trouble.

Singh’s frustration reflects the mood of the athletes in a country that has been kicked out of the Olympic family for allowing government interference in the functioning of its controversial Olympic committee.

To make matters worse for local boxers, the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation has separately been suspended by the sport’s international governing body (AIBA) for “possible manipulation” in its September elections.

“It’s very frustrating,” Singh told Reuters by telephone.

“We can’t go to any camps, can’t compete in any competitions but still train day in and day out to stay in shape.

“We ask ourselves every day ‘Why are we training? What’s the use of it when we are banned?’

“The urge to train harder will come only when we can see a ray of hope.”

Singh’s middleweight bronze in the 2008 Beijing Games helped raise boxing’s profile in India, which otherwise remains Singh obsessed with cricket.

“It (ban) shouldn’t have happened. It is not good for Indian sports and Indian boxing.

Whatever needs to be done should be done and this ban should be lifted as soon as possible.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) due to government interference in its Dec 5 elections, which also saw a tainted official being elected to a key post.

Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in custody following corruption charges that swirled around the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, was elected unopposed as the secretarygeneral despite the IOC declaring the elections “null and void”.

While the athletes may still compete under the IOC flag, the prospect does not excite discus thrower Krishna Poonia.

“It is obviously a matter of concern. Till this crisis is solved, there will always be concerns surrounding our participation in competitions and that too under some other flag,” the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist told Reuters.

“It’s very confusing for us. We hope we won’t suffer like the boxers.”

Bhanot and his IOA colleagues continue to defy the IOC and there appears no immediate solution either, something shooter Joydeep Karmakar finds exasperating.

“The way out is pretty simple and basic — follow the Olympic Charter,” he said by phone.

India should take the opportunity to weed out vested interests from sports administration, said Karmakar, who narrowly missed out on a bronze in men’s 50m rifle prone at the London Olympics.

Singh echoed Karmakar’s views and urged administrators to put national interest above anything else.

“I think the whole of India should be involved in solving this crisis. It’s a loss for India and every Indian citizen,” the 27-year-old boxer said. “If the officials are doing this for their personal gain, they are betraying the country.”

IOC member Randhir Singh acknowledged the athletes were suffering for no fault of their own.

“You have to go by the IOC rules. If it carries on like this any further, it’s possible that the Indian athletes will not be allowed to participate anywhere,” he told Reuters.

“Who will suffer in the end? Obviously the Indian athletes and that too just because of the whims and fancies of a few.”

In London, London’s Olympic Stadium will stage three days of athletics in July, including one devoted solely to Paralympic competition, British Athletics has announced.

The London Anniversary Games, which will take place from July 26-28 and in the process mark a year since the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, will incorporate the annual two-day Diamond League meeting on the Friday and Saturday, but also, for the first time, a day of purely Paralympic competition on the Sunday.

Sebastian Coe, who chaired the London 2012 Organising Committee and is now chairman of the British Olympic Association, said it was terrific news.

“I am delighted that the London Anniversary Games has been confirmed as three days of international athletics this July.

“London 2012 was an amazing year for British sport and what a way to celebrate its success by welcoming the world back to London once more to watch the biggest names in athletics.”

British middle distance great Coe, the Olympic 1,500 metres gold medallist at both the 1980 and 1984 Games in Moscow and Los Angeles respectively, added he hoped this July’s event would build on the success of London 2012.

“It is an important part of the London 2012 legacy that as many people as possible experience world class sport in the world class facilities at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and I’m sure the London Anniversary Games will go a long way to inspiring the next generation of track and field fans.”

Former Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu, who grew up in Stratford, added: “The London Diamond League has always been one of my favourite meets so it’s fantastic that it’s retaining its two day format.

“The atmosphere in the stadium was phenomenal last year and I’ll never forget it — it was very special for me as a local girl.”

Officials had already announced the London Diamond League meeting would move to the Olympic venue in the eastern district of Stratford from Crystal Palace in south London. ❑ ❑ ❑ Former Olympic shot put champion Udo Beyer has for the first time admitted doping, saying in a documentary that it was his personal decision and that he won the gold medal in 1976 in Montreal because he was “the best” and not because he doped.

Beyer competed for East Germany, which had a systematic doping program for its top athletes, many of whom have said they were not aware they were being given performanceenhancing substances.

Speaking in the film “The Lone Wolf” shown at the Berlin Film Festival this week, Beyer said he knew what was happening.

“I knew everything that was done with me.

Things I did were my own decision. I gave myself the right to do it,” Bayer said in the film.

“There were things I refused and there were things I did. And there were no secret things in the tea,” the 57-year-old former athlete tells filmmaker Sandra Kaudelka, a former diver.

Asked if his victory in Montreal had been unjust, Beyer replied; “No, not at all. I was the right Olympic champion because I was the best in the competition.”

Beyer said doping accounted for only “two or three percent” of an athlete’s performance.

“Everything else is hard work. And if you are not properly trained, you can swallow as many pills as you want ... you will never be a top athlete,” he said.

Rogge, board may face ‘revolt’ over sport vote Furore over wrestling’s expulsion from Olympics PARIS, Feb 14, (AFP): Wrestling may be facing a bleak time as regards its Olympic future but it could have the last laugh at the International Olympic Committee’s Session in September in Buenos Aires.

IOC members were already angry that such an important issue as voting a sport off the Olympic programme should be decided initially by the 15member Executive Board.

OLYMPICS Now that anger, mixed with the backlash over the expulsion of wrestling — one of the few sports to have crossed over from the Ancient Games to Pierre de Coubertin’s modern version — could boil over at the Congress from Sept 7-10.

It could also cast a shadow over the climax of IOC President Jacques Rogge’s 12-year term, but it’s a scenario that some members believe was entirely avoidable.

One of them, who is not a member of the Executive Board, told AFP it could end up making the whole process look ridiculous.

“We could see because of the furore over wrestling’s expulsion that the next EB meeting (in St Petersburg, Russia, from May 2931) decides to put forward three sports including wrestling for consideration at the Congress,” the member said.

“If that is the case then wrestling stands a very good chance of being voted back onto the programme.

“Then where does that put this whole process? It just makes it look ludicrous. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place. There is enough to be voted on in Buenos Aires with the city for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Rogge’s successor.

“It should have been held over till next year, if at all.”

The furore surrounding wrestling’s predicament is in stark contrast to the rather muted reaction to the voting off of baseball and softball in 2009, probably because they ended up being replaced by the commercially attractive golf and rugby sevens.

Morten Dibbert (left), of SG-Flensburg-Handewitt trys to stop Leon’s Felipe Borges Dutra during the Handball Champions League match SG-Flensburg-Handewitt vs Ademar Leon in the northern German city of Flensburg on Feb 13. (AFP)

This time round, however, the candidate sports don’t carry as much glamour as those two.

However, unlike baseball and softball — who have joined forces to try and regain their Olympic spot — wrestling, for many, belongs in the Olympics because of its historic ties to the Games.

“The reason there was such an uproar round the world to wrestling’s exclusion is because of its history and being a symbol of the very essence of what the Games was about,” said the IOC member.

Wrestling will now, though, have to do something they were guilty of not doing before the EB meeting to ensure they stay in the race to regain their spot — lobbying.

“The trouble for wrestling is that they don’t have an IOC member so

when it came to the lobbying there was no one on the inside fighting for them,” said the member.

“By voting wrestling off they were safe in that they weren’t offending one of their own — an IOC member.”

Wrestling was also outmanoeuvred by modern pentathlon and taekwondo, who realised they were facing problems in retaining their places and started their campaigns almost as soon as the London Games finished in August.

They both fought highly effective campaigns with modern pentathlon’s success a coup for IOC EB member Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, who will hope for another one on Sept 7 when Madrid is up against Istanbul and Tokyo for the right to host the 2020 Games.

Istanbul and Tokyo — both of whom have strong traditions in the sport — were not pleased by the exclusion of wrestling.

The president of the Turkish wrestling federation, Hamza Yerlikaya was furious.

“To have the 2020 Olympics in Istanbul without wrestling is unthinkable,” he said. “We won’t allow it.”

In the end wrestling’s future may well rest on who wins the bid to host the Games as their vote takes place after the vote on the bid city.

A Tokyo or Istanbul win would boost their chances, a Madrid one perhaps less so.

But which ever way it goes, IOC members will hope the mess brings a change from Rogge’s successor in the voting system the next time the issue comes around.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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50

‘National glory trumps everything’

Australians may struggle as Lions loom large MELBOURNE, Feb 14, (RTRS): The British and Irish Lions tour at the sharp end of the Super Rugby season means it is going to be an uphill battle for Australia to get more than their one guaranteed team into the playoffs this year.

The arrival of the fabled red-shirted tourists may have Australia’s finest playing out of their skins in the hope of winning a green and gold jersey, but national duty will rob the five teams of their top players just when they need them most.

Exactly how long Wallabies duties will

RUGBY keep them away from their provinces is yet to be determined but Australia coach Robbie Deans has talked of assembling his squad for a three-week camp ahead of the first Lions test on June 22.

That would leave teams scrapping for a playoff spot without their best players in their third-last and penultimate matches of the season.

The Australian Rugby Union, which hopes to reap A$30 million ($31 million) from the Lions tour, has made it clear national glory trumps everything but has held out the possibility that Deans may not get things entirely his own way.

“Clearly sanity will prevail,” ARU chief executive Bill Pulver told Reuters in

Melbourne on Wednesday.

“There are a couple of games in that final round of the Super Rugby competition that could be influential in terms of teams making the semi-finals.

“And making the finals series is actually a big deal for any Super team, so we will address those on their merits when that arises.” That hurdle aside, the competition’s rules hold that at least one side will join New Zealand and South African teams in the finals by winning the Australian conference.

The Canberra-based ACT Brumbies appeared to be cantering into the playoffs last year only to suffer a shock loss at home in the final round and thereby surrender the conference to the 2011 champion Queensland Reds. The Reds were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but their qualification was a credit in itself after having suffered a horror run of injuries throughout the season.

Unfortunately, it is ‘deja vu’ for Reds fans this year with the team battling another bout of injuries ahead of their seasonopener at the Brumbies.

World class scrumhalf Will Genia will miss at least the first six rounds with a knee injury, while captain James Horwill is set to miss at least the Brumbies match with a rolled ankle.

The team is also short of quality backrowers with the evergreen Radike Samo

Stability the watchword for New Zealand challengers WELLINGTON, Feb 14, (RTRS): Stability has been embraced by four of New Zealand’s five Super Rugby coaches ahead of the 2013 season as they seek to wrest the title away from Dave Rennie’s Waikato Chiefs.

Only new Auckland Blues coach John Kirwan made wholesale changes with 16 new players included in his 32-man squad as he seeks to reinvigorate a moribund franchise.

The All Blacks-laden Blues were tipped as winners of the competition last year but injuries to key players and big name signings Ma’a Nonu and Piri Weepu failing to spark caused the team to self destruct.

The influx of fringe players towards the end of last season, brought about by the injury toll and former coach Pat Lam having nothing to lose, lay out a path to the future that Kirwan has embraced.

Despite the new faces in the playing roster, arguably the best addition to improving the team’s fortunes has been that of Kirwan and his fellow coaches.

Kirwan wasted little time in asking former All Blacks coach Graham Henry to come on board as a technical adviser. Both are Auckland rugby icons, with the team’s three Super Rugby titles all coming while Henry was involved.

In contrast to Kirwan’s sweeping changes, Rennie, who guided the Chiefs to their first Super Rugby title with a 37-6 victory over the Sharks in the 2012 final, has adopted an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mantra.

The Chiefs finally clicked last year under their rookie coach as their unsung forwards provided the grunt and a platform for flyhalf Aaron Cruden to run the game.

Despite having lost Sonny Bill Williams from his backline, Rennie has tweaked rather than overhauled his squad and added players that give him solidity rather than out and out game-breaking ability.

Mark Hammett at the Wellington Hurricanes has also made few changes with 24 players returning from his 2012 squad.

The arrival of All Blacks prop Ben Franks to join a front row of Dane Coles and the promising Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen is a boost, while teenage loose forward Ardie Savea is already being compared to All Blacks great Michael Jones.

The loss of winger Cory Jane to a knee injury will test their depth in the outside backs, though the 30-year-old has said his last two Super Rugby seasons were hardly of the standard he expected of himself.

sidelined and Wallabies flanker Scott Higginbotham lost to the Melbourne Rebels in the offseason.

Of all the Australian teams, the Reds know how to cope with adversity, however, and their run of victories in six straight “must win” matches to qualify for last year’s playoffs show they know how to win the tight ones.

“We’ve got a strong focus on making sure we’ve got the depth to get through a

torrid lengthy season without any breaks in it,” Queensland’s title-winning head coach Ewen McKenzie told Reuters.

“The teams that get through are the ones that cover their injury situations.”

The Brumbies were the surprise package last year as they shrugged off several seasons of under-achievement under World Cup-winning South African coach Jake White.

Their pack will be boosted by the

recruitment of one of the world’s best openside flankers in David Pocock, while a much-improved backline led by livewire flyhalf Christian Lealiifano should trouble most sides in the competition.

The New South Wales Waratahs will look to emulate the turnaround the Brumbies enjoyed last year after their Wallabies-laden squad won just four matches in 2012.

A new coach in Michael Cheika, who

guided Leinster to a Heineken Cup triumph in 2009, and a new skipper in flanker Dave Dennis has shaken up the team, but the ever-sceptical Waratahs fans will be wary of another false dawn.

The Perth-based Western Force and Melbourne Rebels have underlined Australia’s lack of depth in rugby by struggling to make an impression since joining the competition in 2006 and 2011 respectively.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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EPL, British Council unveil support for initiative

‘Premier Skills’ sets out to develop UAE youths through soccer LONDON/DUBAI, Feb 14: The English Premier League, Bolton Wanderers FC and the British Council today unveiled their support the ‘Premier Skills Community Coaching Initiative’, an innovative programme that will use football as a tool to engage with and develop the skills of young people in the UAE. The English Premier League’s Premier Skills Programme will be visiting Dubai from March 30 to April 4, 2013, to look at the scenario and challenges in the UAE in using football for education and social inclusion, as well as to explore the scope for a Premier Skills project between the

UAE and the UK. Between 2010-2013, more than 1,100 coaches are being trained and by the summer of 2013 the target of the Premier Skills programme is to reach more than 500,000 young people through coaches in

SOCCER 20 countries, including the UAE. In partnership with E-Sports the sixday, full-time Programme, to be held at GEMS World Academy, will offer students aged 16 and above a community

coaching award endorsed by and branded under the English Premier League.

Ian Laithwaite - Head of Bolton Wanders Community Trust said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in the UAE to gain an internationally recognised qualification and also enhance their personal profile with a worldwide football brand.”

Since the first pilot in 2007, Premier Skills has been delivered across 20 countries, including Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South

Korea, Sudan, Tunisia (including Libyan participants), Uganda and Vietnam.

James Tucker, Director of Education, Bolton Wanderers Football Club said: “This innovative programme we are unveiling today in the UAE uses the ‘football for good’ concept, leveraging the interest in the Premier League to address wider educational and social issues in local communities. This concept is being successfully delivered by Premier League clubs across the UK.” “The programme is about learning from some of the innovative and successful work being delivered in the UK and

applying some of the learning to the UAE,” added Tucker.

Tucker added: “UAE partners will play a crucial role in the Premier Skills programme. Premier Skills looks to work with existing partners, programmes or networks to build on the current work and look to share expertise and training in ‘football for good’. We are looking for UAE partners who have an interest in supporting the concept of Football for Good and community development. These partners will provide access to venues and equipment which can be used during the course. Other roles could be around put-

ting forward participants to attend the course as well as access to networks of community coaches or sports clubs. The important aspect is that partners have the potential to apply and embed the learning from the course within their networks and in local communities.”

Premier Skills will use the global pulling power of football as a tool for the development of wider skills, community development and English Language learning. It builds upon research that shows there is a high demand worldwide for community coaching and leadership development through sport.

Senators suffer double blow in Penguins match Blues down Red Wings

‘Premier Skills’ participants seen receiving instructions.

Eaton vows to go after Chaibou

Much-investigated referee denies fixing soccer games ZURICH, Feb 14, (AP): It was in the final minutes of a June 2011 soccer game between Nigeria and Argentina when the little green flags on computer screens in London started to change color.

Nigeria was leading 4-0 in the exhibition match of little significance, and more and more money was being laid down around the world on the possibility that one of the teams would score another goal before the game was over.

Monitors hired by the soccer governing body FIFA to detect deviations from expected betting patterns — helped by computer algorithms — spotted something fishy.

The game’s 90 minutes of regular time ended without another goal. Referee Ibrahim Chaibou ordered additional time added to the clock — normal in most soccer games to make up for stoppages in play throughout the contest for injuries or other minor delays. He added six minutes — a substantial amount for such a minor game.

When that time ran out, the game continued, with the score still at 4-0. The clock reached 98 minutes.

That’s when Chaibou called Nigerian defender Efe Ambrose for touching the ball with his hand — an Chaibou infraction that brought a penalty kick for Argentina.

Ambrose couldn’t believe it. Video replays showed the ball touching him halfway up his thigh, with his arm behind his back and his hand nowhere near the ball. The replay also suggested that Chaibou had a clear view of the play.

But the referee pointed straight to the spot and patted his elbow twice as if to confirm his call beyond any doubt. Nigerian players crowded around him, one even laughing in bemusement. Argentina scored the penalty, and the game ended 4-1.

Within days, both FIFA and the Nigerian Football Association announced they would look into the possibility that the match had been fixed.

The world’s most popular sport is under sus-

SOCCER tained attack from criminal gangs that corrupt players, referees and soccer officials into rigging matches — determining in advance the result of a game, or how many goals are scored and when.

The profits from betting on fixed games are so vast that at least two organized crime groups have recently switched from drug trafficking to match-fixing, Interpol chief Ron Noble told The Associated Press. Sportradar, a European company that monitors worldwide betting, says up to 300 games a year could be fixed in Europe alone.

Referees are tempting targets for match-fixers because their decisions can significantly alter a game’s outcome. They also make bad calls all the time for reasons that have nothing to do with corruption, so any investigation centers on collaborating evidence, such as unusual spikes in betting or confessions from people paid off by crime gangs.

Chaibou, a slim, bald 46-year-old from the West African country of Niger, is one of football’s most-investigated international referees.

Matches in which he officiated have been investigated by FIFA, the Nigerian Football Association and the South African Football Association. At least five of his matches have been flagged as suspicious by betting monitoring companies, an action that usually prompts FIFA and national football organizations to look into the possibility that it was fixed.

None of those have resulted in formal charges or sanctions, and Chaibou denies any connection to match-fixing. He says he has retired from soccer and now works in Niger’s military.

In a telephone interview from his home in Niger’s capital of Niamey, Chaibou acknowledged that soccer authorities have been questioning him about matches he officiated, including the Argentina-Nigeria game.

“The people from FIFA have already asked me. ... They asked me all the questions about this goal. They asked around everywhere, a bit to everyone,” he said. “I judged it to be a penalty, so I gave a penalty ... to make everyone

happy. That’s it.”

It wasn’t the first time Chaibou had officiated a suspicious match. In 2010 and 2011, he was the referee at five exhibition matches between national teams in Africa, the Middle East and South America that were flagged by a leading betting monitoring company as potentially fixed, according to confidential company reports seen by the AP. Before the FIFA-South African investigation was completed, Chaibou turned 45 and was forced to retire from FIFA’s approved international referee list in December 2011 due to age limits. That also automatically canceled the investigation, since FIFA investigates only active referees, and no sanctions were issued.

“Ibrahim Chaibou left football before FIFA could launch any potential disciplinary action against him,” the FIFA media department said in an email, adding that Chaibou “could of course be investigated again, should he return to soccer.”

Chris Eaton, a former security chief for FIFA, said the governing body’s investigators tried and failed to question Chaibou in the six months before his retirement, a development he called disappointing.

“People who have serious allegations of corruption against them ought to be properly investigated, if only to clear them of the allegations or confirm them,” he said.

FIFA, which has pledged a zero-tolerance fight against corruption in soccer, manages a list of about 2,000 elite referees and linesmen who are qualified to handle national team and international club matches. Each year, FIFA’s 209 national associations propose candidates between the ages of 25 and 45 who have worked in top-tier matches for at least two years. A referees committee has veto power over the nominations.

To be accepted, referees must have achieved acceptable grades in domestic matches and must pass FIFA-approved fitness and medical tests. They cannot hold an official position at any soccer club. Successful candidates get to wear a FIFA crest on their shirt.

In 2010, Chaibou was hired for matches in South Africa, Bahrain, Bolivia and Ecuador and small tournaments played in Egypt.

Many of them were organized by Wilson Raj Perumal, who has been convicted of match-fixing in Finland for Asian crime syndicates, and wrote about the fixes in a series of jailhouse letters to a Singaporean journalist in which he linked Chaibou to suspicious matches in South America. After serving his sentence and being released, Perumal has been helping law enforcement authorities in Hungary and Italy uncover rigged games. He has given testimony that is considered a major breakthrough in uncovering match-fixing in Europe.

Perumal’s company hired Chaibou to officiate at two games in 2010 — South AfricaGuatemala and Bahrain-Togo. The first was investigated by FIFA and the South African soccer federation; the second involved a team of impostors. Eaton said that when Perumal was arrested in Finland in February 2011, he had Chaibou’s number on his phone.

Chaibou also officiated two other games in South America — Bolivia-Venezuela and Ecuador-Venezuela — in October and November 2010, respectively, according to documents provided by FIFA. Both of those matches raised flags with betting monitors, according to confidential betting reports. In a letter written from jail, Perumal claimed the Bolivia match was “sold to an investor in China” — a euphemism for Asian crime gangs.

In Ecuador, the home team won 4-1, helped by penalties scored by both teams that were “similarly questionable,” according to a confidential betting monitoring report.

When asked by the AP whether he knew Perumal, Chaibou became combative.

“You already asked me this question last time. I told you I don’t know him. I don’t know him!” he said, his voice rising. “I told you I don’t know these people.”

In two previous calls to Chaibou, AP had not mentioned the name.

In 2010, Bahrain’s soccer federation hired Perumal to arrange an exhibition match between its national team and that of Togo.

But when the match was played in the Bahraini capital of Manama in September of that year, the rag-tag team from Togo contained none of the players from its national squad. Its coach was not that of the Togolese team, but rather Tchanile Bana, who was serving a twoyear ban by Togo for a previous soccer scam.

PITTSBURG, Feb 14, (Agencies): Ottawa suffered a double blow on Wednesday when they lost standout defenseman Erik Karlsson to an Achilles injury during their 4-2 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Karlsson, the reigning Norris Trophy winner for the NHL’s top defenseman, sustained a laceration late in the second period when he was pinned against the boards by Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke.

The Senators said Swede Karlsson would require surgery and was out indefinitely.

“Obviously, the way he’s playing and how much he means for us, for our team, it feels terrible,” said Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson.

“And I feel really bad for him.”

Cooke said there had been no intent to injure Karlsson.

“It’s a complete accident.

Obviously, I feel terrible about it,”

ICE HOCKEY Cooke told reporters. “It’s happened a few times over the past couple years, and it’s scary.”

Pascal Dupuis put the Penguins ahead in the first period before Ottawa grabbed a 2-1 lead through Stephane Da Costa and Jim O’Brien midway through the second.

James Neal restored the Penguins’ lead with his ninth and 10th of the season before Sidney Crosby made the game safe with a wrist shot in the third.

Crosby also picked up a pair of assists for the Penguins (9-5-0), who welcomed defensemen Kris Letang and Matt Niskanen back to the team from injury. Ottawa (7-5-2) lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Senators goaltender Craig Anderson was coming off a 42-save shutout against the Sabres on Tuesday but finished with 26 stops against Pittsburgh. Karlsson had scored the opener in Ottawa’s 2-0 win over Buffalo.

Marc-Andre Fleury had 27 saves for the Penguins, who moved within a point of Eastern Conference-leading New Jersey.

Blues 4, Red Wings 3, OT In Detroit, Alexander Steen stuffed in a rebound 52 seconds into overtime, lifting St Louis past Detroit for a slump-stopping victory.

St. Louis snapped a five-game losing streak that followed a 6-1 start.

The Red Wings had won a season-high three straight, a stretch that started with a 5-1 victory over St Louis, and had beaten the Blues four games in a row at home. Detroit blew a two-goal lead in the first period and chances to win in the third period on a pair of power plays.

St. Louis goalie Jake Allen, making his first NHL start in his second game in the league, made 15 saves. Jaroslav Halak missed his fifth straight game because of a groin strain.

Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Tarasenko and Chris Stewart also scored for the Blues. Tomas Tatar, Drew Miller and Pavel Datsyuk scored for Detroit.

Flames 7, Stars 4 In Calgary, Alberta, Mike Cammalleri had three goals and an assist in his return from a hip injury to lead Calgary past Dallas.

After missing the last three games because of a hip flexor, Cammalleri scored his first three goals of the season to reach 200 for his career.

Roman Czervenka added a goal and an assist, and Jay Bouwmeester and Jiri Hudler also scored. Alex Tanguay, Lee Stempniak and Jarome Iginla each had two assists, and Leland Irving made 30 saves.

Brendan Morrow scored twice for the Stars, Eric Nystrom and Cody Eakin added goals, and Jaromir Jagr had two assists. The Stars had won four straight, including a 4-1 victory in Edmonton on Tuesday.

T.J. Brodie #7 of the Calgary Flames tries to check Eric Nystrom #24 of the Dallas Stars during an NHL games at Scotiabank Saddledome on Feb 13, in Calgary, Canada. (AFP)

NHL Results/Standings WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (RTRS): Results and standings from the NHL games on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh 4 Ottawa 2

St Louis Calgary

Eastern Conference

New Jersey Pittsburgh NY Rangers Philadelphia NY Islanders

L OTL 2 3 5 0 5 0 7 1 7 1

Boston Toronto Ottawa Montreal Buffalo

L OTL 1 2 5 0 5 2 4 1 8 1

GA PTS 28 19 34 18 30 14 40 13 43 9

GF 32 39 35 35 39

GA PTS 25 18 33 16 27 16 33 15 48 11

GF 38 46 32 30 36

GA PTS 36 15 36 13 40 11 46 10 46 9

Chicago Detroit Nashville St Louis Columbus

Carolina Tampa Bay Winnipeg Florida Washington

L OTL 4 1 5 1 6 1 6 2 8 1

W 10 7 6 7 4

L OTL 0 3 4 2 3 4 5 1 7 2

GF 44 36 25 43 30

GA PTS 28 23 36 16 26 16 43 15 41 10

GF 35 27 29 33 23

GA PTS 25 18 32 13 34 13 39 11 29 9

GF 42 36 34 35 26

GA PTS 33 19 29 17 36 15 35 14 32 10

Northwest Division Vancouver Minnesota Edmonton Calgary Colorado

Southeast Division W 7 6 5 4 4

3 4

Central Division GF 35 45 33 34 36

Northeast Division W 8 8 7 7 5

Detroit (OT) Dallas

Western Conference

Atlantic Division W 8 9 7 6 4

4 7

W 8 6 5 4 4

L OTL 2 2 6 1 5 3 4 3 6 1

Pacific Division Anaheim San Jose Dallas Phoenix Los Angeles

W 9 7 7 6 4

L OTL 2 1 3 3 6 1 5 2 5 2

Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

Doping scandal

ASADA to interview 150 people SYDNEY, Feb 14, (AP): The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency will interview about 150 athletes, support staff and administrators over the findings of the damning crime commission report revealed last week that indicated widespread use of performance enhancing substances in professional sport and links between users and organized crime.

ASADA said in a statement Thursday that the interviews would involve two major Australian sporting codes, widely reported to be the National Rugby League competition and the Australian rules Australian Football League.

The doping agency says the num-

ber of interviews may grow if “new lines of inquiry” are uncovered.

ASADA said its investigation is both “complex and wide-ranging” and expected to take several months. It said it will name clubs or individuals expected to be involved.

“ASADA is unable to talk publicly about its investigation and that includes speculating about, or naming clubs or individuals until such time as its legislation permits,” ASADA said. “This ensures the integrity of the investigation and the privacy of any individual under investigation is protected.”

The Australian Crime Commission released the findings

of a year-long investigation, “Project Aperio,” last Thursday without releasing the names of clubs or individuals under investigation - triggering concern across the country and bringing descriptions of the day being the bleakest for sport in this country.

The ACC said there is evidence of at least one potential case of match-fixing, widespread use of prohibited substances - including peptides, hormones and illicit drugs - and the infiltration of organized criminal groups in the distribution of performance and image-enhancing drugs.

The primary targets of the report are the NRL and AFL.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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JC-Net edge out Rated-PG 52-51 Panasonic outplay Tamaraws as NADEC suffer last gasp loss against War Commander

By Iddris Seidu Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: After a 7-day hiatus, the AlEktasad United Exchange Company/Ultimate Tailoring PHILBACK (Philippines Basketball Club in Kuwait) 9th conference tournament games in Riggae continued over the weekend with JCNet barely edging past Rated-PG 52-51 in a 5’8” division group “A” clash while Panasonic outplayed Tamaraws 64-58 in a highly contested game of the same division.

Best of the Rest Kameda faces Pareio

Ref says told of bribe claim JC-Net Team

Panasonic Team

PSK Rules Team

Iloilo Stallions Team

The game really got down to the wire as the two seeded teams of the crowded 5’8” division battled for the win. Carcabuso for PG drew first blood with two consecutive 2-pointers in the opening minutes, instantly upping the pressure on the JC-Net tailors. It didn’t take long, however before Net’s Julius weaved his way

BASKETBALL past the mid-court line to send a long drive into the hoop for 3 points to open scoring for his side.

Julius’ teammate Barrera picked on his opening to score some two more points and was shoved down on his way to the third. He converted the two resultant free throws. JC-net finished the first round a point ahead, 17-16.

JC-Net’s Captain Francis weighed in in the team’s scoring effort, lobbing in a 3-pointer scoring some rebounds that landed his way to increase his side’s tally to 27 points at the half time mark.

But that was way behind PG’s 31 as Santiago became uncontainable in the face of a massive PG counterattack, contributing 8 points totally.

Both sides kept up the pressure in the ensuing rounds, tying the scores at 5151 with just minutes left on the clock.

And as the nip and tuck continued, Julius who had been hunkering down earlier emerged to slot in a pass from Francis, thus stealing the game, 52-51 from Rate-PG at the buzzer. Julius scored 20 in the win with Jonas and Francis also contributing 10 and 8 apiece. PG’s valiant loss was paced by Santiago who shot 15 with Carabuso adding 14 in the effort.

Tamaraws on the other hand lost 5864 to Panasonic in another exciting encounter on court number one.

Panasonic ruled the first half comfortably to finish ahead 27-23 with Tabano, Galileo, Ariel and Bong teaming up to wreak the havoc. Sensing defeat, Tamaraws returned from the half time break with all five playing offense and defense in swarms. But it was Penafluor and Gandol who stood out with their delectable runs, hitting the opposition hoop with remarkable accuracy.

Tamaraws really run like Stallions in their strategy to claim the initiative to dominate the last half but could only manage to raise their tally to 39 which way behind Panasonic’s 45 at the close of the third round. Panasonic took the momentum to the end, finishing 64-58 in their favor with Tabano leading all scorers with 18.

Elsewhere in the 5’8” group, Adonis and Gasper scored 13 and 9 points to lead Mismo to a convincing 53-33 victory against Legend. The game was very much a lopsided affair in favor of Mismo but the Legends also occasionally had their moments with Philips and Michael finding the hoops for their side. The rounds ended 19-12, 26-18, 38-22 and finally 53-33. Philips finished with 13 while Michael chipped in 8 to pace their side’s loss against the more formidable Mismo squad.

Meanwhile, the NADEC team was left licking their wounds after suffering a last gasp 67-68 loss at the hands of War Commander. Batil did the maximum scoring for the Commander at 19. Lacap at 17 was the second best. Rounds one and two were ruled marginally by Commander, 17-10, 32-27. Thereafter, the Commander momentum seemed to have fizzled off with NADEC rallying onto the driver’s seat, just a nose ahead, 43-42 in the third round. The final round saw a pitched battle raging with both sides ruthless in their slaughters but it was the War Commander that won the day with just a point ahead, 68-67 to close the game.

Kyle and Moje led scoring with 25 and 19 apiece to pace the PSK-Rules’ scorecard in a game that saw all hands on deck to clinch the win against Azkals, 65-54. The story on the opposition side however was different as Valencia and Reyes mostly did the scoring with their 18 and 10 markers while the rest was handled by a few other team mates in the loss.

Elsewhere on the hard court, OICStallions coasted into a comfortable win, 64-44 against Tropang-Shaab in the next match, finishing with a whopping 20-point lead as Captain Milla and Garcera held their nerves to find the last four crucial baskets of the match to clinch the win. Milla dealt the opposition ring the heaviest pounding, scoring 25, with Gerald, the cliffhanger shooter, pitching the scoring higher by 19

BRISBANE, Australia, Feb 14, (Agencies): The referee who officiated the Sonny Bill WilliamsFrans Botha fight has told Australian Associated Press that he was informed about an alleged bribe offered to the veteran South African heavyweight boxer before Friday’s bout started.

Williams, a dual rugby international for New Zealand, defeated Botha on points in a 10round WBA bout in Brisbane.

Botha, who challenged Lennox Lewis and Vladimir Klitschko for world titles in a 23year career, has since claimed he didn’t know the fight was been reduced to 10, condemned the anti-doping procedures and alleged that an Australia-based promoter offered him a bribe to throw the contest.

Boxing official Tony Kettlewell was quoted as telling AAP on Thursday that former IBF world lightweight champion Philip Holiday, an assistant in Botha’s team, relayed the bribe allegation to him.

“Philip just said (Botha) was offered so much money to throw the fight and he refused to,” Kettlewell was quoted as saying.

Kettlewell said he thought it was “hearsay” but he reported it to another judge, Steve Marshall, “just to let him know.”

“I didn’t get a chance to speak to any other official about it because we were busy on the night,” he said. ❑

Jelmer Team

Mismo Team

Oasis Team

Rated PG Team

Tisok Team

Tropang Shaab Team

Azkalz Team

‘Lee has case to answer over alleged match-fixing’ LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): British snooker player Stephen Lee has a “case to answer” following an investigation into alleged matchfixing, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association said on Thursday.

Englishman Lee, 38, who has won five ranking tournaments since turning professional in 1992 and reached a world ranking high

points.

The match on court number one between Jelmer and EMS saw an amazing twist in the tail when Jelmer came from behind at the end of round three to finish four points ahead, 67-63 at the buzzer. Both sides though were

of five, is currently suspended from competition.

The WPBSA said the alleged breaches relate to four matches in 2008 and 2009, including one at the 2009 world championship, and followed a referral by the Gambling Commission in October last year.

“The WPBSA has gathered a large amount of material from the

very aggressive on hitting the court in the opening round with Escalona for EMS and Espadero for Jelmer vying for the lead. The game ended 67-63 for Jelmer.

In other matches of the weekend, Americana Nuggets upended IKEA 71-

Gambling Commission, West Midlands police and third parties in relation to these allegations,” the WPBSA said in a statement.

“This has been a complex investigation where the material has had to be traced, recovered and reevaluated with regard to the WPBSA rules.

“The available evidence has now been considered and in accor-

38 while Mathar went down to DHL 73-64 in the inter company group.

Unisteel also had an easy ride, demolishing NSC 97-66 in the same group with Kalexco winning 81-76 against First Kuwaiti in the next match.

D’Lush was also among the winners of

dance with the Disciplinary Rules, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee has decided that there is a case for Stephen Lee to answer in relation to a breach of the WPBSA Members Rules.”

The WPBSA added that an investigation into suspicious betting in relation to Lee’s Premier League match with John Higgins in October last year was ongoing.

the day, crushing Oasis 90-73 in game five. LDJ Ilonggo for their part won a contest against Open Kitchen, 80-51 while FKTC beat Diko Motors 70-61 in an open division encounter. EMT went down 68-76 against Vipers in the final game of the day.

❑

Japan’s Koki Kameda will defend his World Boxing Association bantamweight title against Yonfrez Pareio of Venezuela in April, his gym announced on Thursday.

The bout, to be fought on April 7 in Osaka, will be his sixth defence of the title since winning it when he beat Alexander Munoz of Venezuela in December 2010.

“I’m going to prepare and try to win by a knockout in my favourite city of Osaka,” said Kameda, 26. “I will become a father for the second time later this year. I’m going to fight for my children and wife.” ❑

Kuwait Steel Team

❑

❑

❑

All Blacks center Richard Kahui will quit New Zealand rugby union to play in Japan at the end of the 2013 Super 15 season.

The 27-year-old Waikato Chiefs player made his debut for New Zealand in 2008 but has played on 17 tests because of a succession of injuries. He has undergone four shoulder reconstructionns and missed the entire 2012 international season.

Kahui said Thursday he has signed a two-year deal with the Toshiba club in Japan.

He says injuries had “forced me to make some very hard decisions about my future and make the most of the opportunities while I can.” ❑

❑

❑

Alejandro Blanco has been reelected as president of the Spanish Olympic Committee for a second four-year term, as Madrid seeks to win the right to host the 2020 Summer Games.

Blanco, who has been in charge of the committee since 2005, ran unopposed for Thursday’s vote.

Blanco says Spain’s economic crisis represent a challenge but that “we are now facing four more years in which the good news will outweigh the bad.”

The Spanish capital is bidding for the Olympic Games for a third straight time. It is a finalist along with Istanbul and Tokyo for the decision to be announced on Sept 7 in Buenos Aires. ❑

❑

❑

He has not uttered one word yet, but Kobe Bryant’s mere presence on a Twitter-like Chinese-language microblogging site has stirred plenty of excitement.

Sina Weibo has verified that the NBA superstar has set up an individual account on its hugely popular site. Bryant’s followers numbered more than 100,000 within hours on Thursday.

Bryant is widely known and extremely popular in China. The Los Angeles Lakers star has several fan pages on Sina Weibo.

One of them — “Home of Kobe” — has more than 200,000 followers. Along with other sites, it posted a welcome message for Bryant and encouraged fans to leave comments for him by promising to help translate some of the remarks.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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53

ITTF World Tour 2013 kicks off

Ai carries Japan hopes at Kuwait Open

By Iddris Seidu Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour 2013 Kuwait Open kicked off Thursday at the Kuwait Sports Club in Kaifan with top seeded tennis players in the men’s and women’s categories participating.

The event which is slated to last four days, February 14-18, saw rounds 1 and 2 women’s singles and men’s singles scheduled qualification matches played on tournament day-one.

Kahlifa Jali, technical advisor to the Kuwait Table Tennis Association, stated that the tournament, seventh in the series, is a pro-tour tournament under the International Table Tennis Federation with all or most of the world’s top tennis players participating.

The event which is the biggest in the ITTF World circuit with the biggest prize money of three hundred thousand US Dollars (USD 300,000) which,

according to Khalid AlSalhi, an event official and president of African Table Tennis Federation, is why all the top players are interested to participate.

African and Arab countries are not in the competition because it is difficult for them to compete and qualify for the main round. Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon are the only Middle East and African countries represented in the tournament.

TABLE TENNIS There is round the clock live television coverage of the event in Kuwait with Kuwait TV channel 3 beaming live pictures.

All top players are interested to participate in the event because the winner at the end of the day will find it easy to qualify for the final of the world tour.

After the tournament concludes in Kuwait on February 18, the players will take a day’s break and get down to

Slip crew ensures tip-top slopes

Ligety eyes 3rd slalom gold as Hirscher looms SCHLADMING, Austria, Feb 14, (AFP): The World Ski Championships could not have been any better scripted for American Ted Ligety, winner of two gold medals ahead of competing in his favoured giant slalom event on Friday.

The 28-year-old was a shock winner of the opening super-G and then showcased his technical abilities in the slalom to nail super-combined gold, suitably filling the void felt in the US camp by the absence of the injured Lindsey Vonn.

Ligety will be bidding to defend his giant slalom title on the back of an impressive World Cup season in which he has totally dominated the event.

But his path to gold is not without Ligety its dangers, and slalom specialist Marcel Hirscher will be on hand in his attempt to win Austria a first individual gold medal.

“I did not expect to have two gold medals before the giant slalom (GS),” Ligety said.

“I was hoping to get medals in the super-G and the combined but I didn’t think they’d be gold so that’s definitely a pleasant surprise so far, but maybe that puts a little added pressure for the GS, we’ll see.”

Ligety said there was also added pressure from his performances on the World Cup circuit, having won three of four giant slaloms so far this season.

He rebounded from a pre-season

SKIING rage against the sport’s governing body, the International Ski Federation (FIS), for changing rules on ski dimensions, to mastering the new modifications.

Hirscher won the season’s other giant slalom, in Val d’Isere.

“Having had that success this year, there is definitely more pressure just because you value those achievements that much and you definitely want it,” Ligety said.

“I’ll try to defend my title in the GS and after winning the last couple of races here there’s more pressure but at the same time it’s not more pressure than I’ve dealt with before in other World Cup races.”

Hirscher said being part of the gold medal-winning Austrian set-up in Tuesday’s team event had been nothing but beneficial.

“I think it was a good test. I think I can deal well with the pressure,” the media star said of trying to meet the expectations of a medal-hungry public in the host nation where skiing is considered a national sport.

But the 23-year-old Hirscher was in confident mood when turning to his own expectations in the technical events.

“I know this: if I get to the bottom without any mistakes, I’ll be on the podium in the giant slalom and slalom,” he said. q q q Thousands watch live or on television when Ted Ligety or Lindsey Vonn race down icy slopes at over 100kph, but without perfect courses — and the preparation that goes into that — there can be no competition.

Gone are the days when champions like Toni Sailer or Jean-Claude Killy bumped along irregular courses in toplevel competitions.

Nowadays, race slopes are smoothed to perfection, lines in the snow indicate where the skiers — hurtling down at high speeds requiring split-second decisions — must turn and any tracks they leave behind are quickly ironed out before the next racer starts.

Generally unseen, an army of little elves in mint green works to make this

possible at the World Ski Championships.

Among them are the vital 160-man slip crew.

Recognisable by the red bibs over their green volunteers’ jacket, they slide down the course before and during each event, smoothing out irregularities where a racer’s skis may have carved into the snow, in a bid to allow the next starter a spick-and-span run.

The only requirements for the job: “You have to be a good skier and your heart has to beat for these races. You have to enjoy doing this and be motivated to work at 4am with a helmet torch,” says Matthias Buechle, from Sulzfeld, Germany.

When heavy snowfall threatened to delay the start of the championships, the slip crew worked all night in the dark and in less than ideal weather, going up and down the slope, relentlessly pushing the fresh powder off the course just using their skis.

All this, they do for free. Except for the ski outfit and bib, which are provided by the International Ski Federation, the equipment is their own, from skis to boots, helmet and gloves. Only food and accommodation are provided.

“It’s tiring, of course. Due to the weather we were on the course for many hours and many days... But as volunteers we’re not forced to do anything,” says Buechle, who already worked at the last world championships in Garmisch and at last year’s World Cup finals in Schladming.

As course workers, they also get to be close to the action and to the athletes, even if they rarely see the actual races.

“When you’re here, it’s not as a spectator but as a volunteer and to contribute to the world championships.” For the artwork — the blue lines defining the course — the Picassos are in charge.

The 14-man (and -woman) crew came specially from Garmisch where they already performed at the last worlds two years ago.

“And after this we’re going straight home and doing (the World Cup races in) Garmisch again,” said Robert Marka, as he refilled the large plastic container on his back before taking off again on skis to complete his paint job.

On the men’s downhill race, the Picassos sprayed hundreds of litres of blue food colouring and anti-freeze onto the slope, repeating during the race as was necessary.

“You have to sacrifice some time,” said Marka, who had to take two weeks off from his job with automaker BMW to come to Schladming. A keen ski racer himself, he insists however: “it’s fun.”

From installing the security nets to manning the Picassos’ refueling station, much of the race preparation is done by volunteers like Gottfried Schwabegger, a recent retiree: “I go wherever they need me.”

At any race, dozens of course workers on skis are dotted along the side of the course, ready to spring into action to flatten the snow with shovels or screw in slalom gates that might have come undone.

In total, some 500 volunteers are directly involved with the course, from slip crew to Picassos and gatekeepers.

The Austrian army was also roped in for some of the heavy work of clearing fresh snow, and helped set up perimeter fences.

A reminder of how dangerous the work of these volunteers can be, however, came in the men’s super-combined race when a slip crew member found himself on the course as Switzerland’s Sandro Viletta came speeding down at 110kph, narrowly missing him.

Another course worker had to be airlifted after falling and injuring themselves in the women’s super-G in the opening race of the championships.

Some of the players in action.

another round of hostilities in the Qatar Open on February 20th and then on to China and Japan in June and finally the Berlin Open in Germany in mid November to close the events for the year.

The number 1 seed for the Men’s

Singles is the newly acclaimed world number 1, Xu Xin! China’s new world number 1 will lead the Chinese National team which includes Zhang Jike, Ma Long, Wang Hao, Fang Bo and Yan An. Chuang Chih Yuan is seeded position 5 after Wang Hao, followed by Europe’s

Ai Fukuhara pictured at the event.

Dimitrij Ovtcahrov and then Jun Mizutani.

One of the big names in Japanese pro-tennis participating in the tournament is Ai Fukuhara who became a professional tennis player at age 20 now ranks number 1 in the women’s

singles category in Japan and number 7 worldwide. She told Arab Times that with all the world class seeded players in the Kuwait Open Tour, nothing can be guaranteed until after she finishes her first match in the qualification schedule which will be on Saturday, Feb 16.

The ITTF World Tour is a Grand Prix series in which players compete in International Open tournaments around the world and earn grand prix points and prize money according to how well they perform. The best performers (who also meet the qualifying criteria) are then invited to the end of year Grand Finals where a prize fund of one million US dollars is up for grabs.

2013 sees 20 events within the ITTF World Tour. The top rated events are now called the Super Series, followed by the Major Series plus the two challenger series of Euro-Africa and the Americas.

There are 5 (or 6) Super Series events, 6 Major Series events plus six Euro-Africa and two events in the Americas.

France’s Worley wins GS at worlds, Maze second Austria’s Fenninger claims bronze SCHLADMING, Austria, Feb 14, (AP): Tessa Worley mastered a difficult giant slalom course to perfection twice, earning France its second gold medal and fourth overall at the world skiing championships on Thursday.

Worley, a bronze medalist two years ago, posted the fastest time in both runs on the Planai course, which has a steep and icy finish and is also being used by the men.

Worley finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 8.06 seconds to lead the field by over a second, a massive margin in skiing.

Defending champion Tina Maze of Slovenia, who has already won this season’s World Cup GS title, came 1.12 back in second for her third medal of the worlds after winning the super-G and placing second in the super-combined.

Anna Fenninger of Austria was third, 1.18 behind to earn the home nation its fourth medal.

SKIING “A dream has come true,” said Worley, who won seven races on the World Cup — all in GS. “I am very relieved.

Winning in Schladming is great. This is not just a race, this is the world championship.”

Worley said the rock-hard course, including an unusual steep part for a women’s GS, favored her.

“I like difficult hills,” Worley said. “I knew before the start I could be really fast on this hill. I just had to ski freely and avoid mistakes.”

Worley’s victory followed up on gold for Marion Rolland in downhill, silver for Gauthier de Tessieres in super-G and bronze for David Poisson in downhill.

“I am very proud of them all,” Worley said. “We have a great atmosphere in our team and now I am a part of the party.”

France won its sixth gold medal in women’s GS at the worlds and matched the record held by Switzerland.

After winning four races this season, Maze started as a clear favorite but was already over a second behind Worley after a disappointing opening run.

Maze had to adjust her line shortly after the start and never looked comfortable as she struggled for rhythm.

The Slovenian bounced back by putting in an attacking second run with an impressive finish.

“This medal is nicer than all others,”

France’s Tessa Worley skis in the Women’s Giant slalom first run at the 2013 Ski World Championships in Schladming, Austria on Feb 14. (AFP)

Maze said. “I had a bad feeling after the first run. Everything went wrong and I was very down. It was my worst run all season. I tried to stay positive and then my second run was really great.”

Fenninger, who lost her super-combined title last week, was relieved to finally win a medal in her last event at her home worlds.

“It was an extremely difficult world championship,” Fenninger said.

“Somehow I didn’t believe in (a medal)

anymore. It was hard, all the pressure.

Today, I just tried to have fun while racing.”

After failing to finish both the super-G and the super-combined races, and placing 11th in downhill, Fenninger left the team base near Schladming for two days and went home.

“I was thinking, ‘what is really important to me?’ That’s just ski racing,” Fenninger said. “I tried to forget all the rest and ski like it’s just an ordinary

World Cup race.”

In her first appearance at a major championship, American teen Mikaela Shiffrin finished 2.30 behind in sixth for her career best GS result.

“I had a lot of fun today and I think I skied well,” Shiffrin said. “I know where I can improve so it’s always a good feeling coming out of a day knowing that you can be better but you did well.”

Shiffrin will be among the favorites for Saturday’s slalom.

‘Grant Prix team insulated from Mallya problems’

Sutil at Force India for seat-fitting LONDON, Feb 14, (Agencies): Adrian Sutil moved closer to a return to Formula One after the German driver visited the Force India factory for a seat-fitting.

A spokesman for the only team still to finalise their 2013 driver line-up said the 30-year-old was at the Silverstone factory ahead of the second pre-season test in Spain starting on Feb 19.

“At this stage the test driving schedule for the Barcelona test is not finalised, but there is a possibility

MOTOR RACING Adrian could be involved,” he said.

“The driving schedule will be communicated on Monday.”

Britain’s Paul Di Resta is confirmed as one of the race drivers but there are several candidates hoping to join the Scot at a mid-level team with hopes of scoring regular points and challenging for podium finishes.

Force India finished seventh of 12 teams last year.

Sutil knows the ropes, having spent his entire Formula One career with the team in its various guises as Midland, Spyker and then Force India from 2006 to 2011.

The German left at the end of 2011 in controversial circumstances after he had been involved in a Shanghai nightclub brawl, for which he was handed an 18-month suspended sentence and fined 200,000 euros ($268,700)for grievous bodily harm by a German court.

Meanwhile, Force India insisted Thursday its Grand Prix team would be able to carry on despite co-owner Vijay Mallya’s financial problems.

Shares in Indian businessman Mallya’s debt-laden Kingfisher Airlines plunged Wednesday after banks said they would start recalling loans worth $1.5 billion.

The liquor baron is, though, expected to recoup funds from the $2 billion

sale of a majority stake in India’s United Spirits but the deal must still clear regulatory hurdles.

Despite its name, the Force India

Adrian Sutil

Grand Prix team is based at the nerve centre of British Formula One at the Silverstone track in central England.

And deputy team principal Bob Fernley stressed there was a financial as well as geographical separation between Mallya’s other business interests and Force India.

“There is a disconnect between what happens in Vijay’s business and what Vijay is doing on the F1 team,” Fernley told the jamesallenonf1.com website.

“So it doesn’t matter what happens there. The shares in United Spirits have quadrupled in the last few months, so he did a wonderful deal there.

“But whether Kingfisher or United Spirits is doing well or not doesn’t affect the team, and it’s very difficult for us to get that message across, although we have been trying for several years. “We get a story every three or four months where we are about to go bankrupt, or someone is selling us or whatever, and we’ve had that for five years, so we are used to it.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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54

Plumlee leads Duke past UNC

Hoosiers ‘overwhelm’ Nebraska for easy win BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, Feb 14, (AP): Indiana spent the first 15 minutes Wednesday night contending with Nebraska’s deliberate style.

The Hoosiers spent the final 25 decimating it.

Cody Zeller fought through foul trouble to score 16 points, Christian Watford finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds and No. 1 Indiana eventually pulled away from the Cornhuskers for a resounding 76-47 victory.

Indiana certainly played like it wanted to stay atop the polls for a third straight week after getting a reprieve last week when all of the top five teams lost. If the Hoosiers beat Purdue again Saturday, there may not be much of a debate about who’s No. 1.

Player apologizes To players, Wednesday night’s game felt like two in one.

Turkoglu suspended The first was frustrating as Nebraska repeatedly ran the shot 20 games for drugs clock inside of 10 seconds and refused to let Indiana speed up the ORLANDO, Florida, Feb 14, pace. But the Hoosiers refused to (AP): Orlando Magic forcrack under the ward Hedo Turkoglu of pressure by takTurkey was suspended 20 ing care of the games by the NBA on ball and waiting Wednesday after testing patiently for a positive for steroids.

The NBA said Turkoglu chance to make tested positive for their move. methenolone, an anabolic When they steroid. He began serving got the opening, the suspension Wednesday the Hoosiers night when the Magic hostquickly reverted ed the Atlanta Hawks. to form and Turkoglu took full responseized control Watford sibility for the positive test as the defense and apologized to the Magic clamped down, the shooters warmed organization, fans and felup, and instead of folding when low teammates. He said he Zeller went to the bench with two took medication from a trainfouls midway through the first half, er in Turkey this past sumthey surged. mer to help him recover Nebraska simply couldn’t keep up. from a shoulder injury and Indiana (22-3, 10-2 Big Ten) has mistakenly neglected to won seven of its last eight, rejoined check it against the NBA’s Michigan State atop the league standlist of banned substances. ings and is one win away from retaining “As a player this is the the No. 1 spot for a third straight week. worst situation that you want to be in,” Turkoglu said. “I’m Duke 73, UNC 68 just sorry to put the organiIn Durham, North Carolina, with zation in this situation. ... I its star big man on the bench with should have doublefoul trouble, Duke went small to beat checked and researched its top rival — and one of its smallest and shouldn’t be in this situplayers came up big. ation.”

The run that propelled the secondHe is the eighth player suspended for performanceenhancing drugs under the NBA’s drug testing policy. He is the second Magic player to be suspended under the policy in four years. Former Magic forward Rashard Lewis was suspended 10 games in 2009 after testing positive for an elevated testosterone level.

Turkoglu said he was tested by the league in December and learned of the suspension Tuesday night. General manager Rob Hennigan said Turkoglu informed the team of the positive test a week ago.

Turkoglu sat out the Magic’s past three games for what the team said were flu-like symptoms and a sore back. Hennigan said those ailments were legitimate and unrelated to the positive test.

BASKETBALL ranked Blue Devils to a 73-68 victory over North Carolina on Wednesday night started when Mason Plumlee sat down and backup guard Tyler Thornton warmed up.

Plumlee finished with his usual big numbers — 18 points, 11 rebounds — while Quinn Cook scored 18 points and Rasheed Sulaimon finished with 13 for the Blue Devils (22-2, 9-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).

But the contributions of Thornton couldn’t be overlooked.

Thornton finished with nine points on three 3-pointers — or, as many points as he had in his previous three games combined — and two of those 3s came during the run midway through the second half that completely flipped the game’s momentum.

Duke shot 44 percent — 52 percent after halftime — and erased a slow start with that timely run and win its sixth straight this season and sixth in eight meetings in college basketball’s fiercest rivalry.

P.J. Hairston matched a career high with 23 points and Reggie Bullock had 15 points with four 3-pointers for North Carolina (16-8, 6-5), which led for the first 26 minutes but went on to lose its second straight.

The Tar Heels were 13 of 23 from the free-throw line and missed 7 of 10 during a critical late stretch while falling to 1-4 this season against ranked opponents.

Miami 74, FSU 68 In Tallahassee, Florida, if it hadn’t been for a coaching change a couple years ago, Shane Larkin may have been playing for Leonard Hamilton at Florida State.

Instead, Andy Enfield, the Florida State assistant recruiting the 5-foot11 guard, left to take the head coaching job at Florida Gulf Coast and Larkin chose Miami.

The son of baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, Shane showed Seminole fans Wednesday night what might have been.

The Miami sophomore point guard scored 13 of his 22 points in the final 7 1-2 minutes to help third-ranked Miami hold off Florida State 74-68 for its 12th straight victory.

No one was more impressed than Hamilton, who had Larkin in his summer camps for two years.

Reggie Johnson added 15 points for Miami (20-3, 11-0 ACC), which became the first team to start the league season 11-0 in a dozen years.

The 6-10, 290-pound Johnson came off the bench and spurred a 255 run midway through the first half to help the Hurricanes wipe out an early 13-2 deficit on their way to a 38-30 halftime advantage.

Durand Scott had 13 points and Julian Gamble 10 for the Hurricanes, who will try to keep their ACC slate perfect Sunday when they visit Clemson.

Connecticut 66, Syracuse 58 In Hartford, Connecticut, since the Big East was formed there were always games that stood out on the conference schedule.

One of the best of the rivalries was Syracuse against Connecticut. Two Hall of Fame coaches, dozens of AllAmericas, even a six-overtime game that took the rivalry to another level.

It’s over for now.

When Connecticut beat No. 6 Syracuse 66-58 on Wednesday night it meant is that there are no scheduled games between the national powers.

Syracuse will play next season in the Atlantic Coast Conference while Connecticut will stay in the realigned Big East although the Huskies could be enticed to head to another conference if asked.

Toronto Raptors’ Landy Fields (left), defends New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Feb 13, in New York. (AP)

Clippers beat Rockets for third win in a row Spurs edge Cavaliers 96-95 LOS ANGELES, Feb 14, (AP): Caron Butler scored 17 of his 19 points in the opening quarter when the Clippers shot 77 percent and Los Angeles led all the way in beating the Houston Rockets 106-96 for their third NBA win in a row.

BASKETBALL Blake Griffin had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Chauncey Billups had 19 points, Jamal Crawford scored 13 points and Chris Paul had 10 points and 11 assists as the Clippers started all their regulars after the lineup had been hit by injuries during their recent Grammy road trip.

Chandler Parsons scored 17 points, Jeremy Lin added 14 points and James Anderson had a season-high 14 for the Rockets, who have lost five straight to the Clippers and three of five overall.

James Harden missed the game with a sprained right ankle and sore left knee after stepping on David Lee’s left shoe in the fourth quarter against Golden State.

Harden is the Rockets’ lone All-Star selection.

Spurs 96, Cavaliers 95 In Cleveland, Kawhi Leonard made a 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining to give San Antonio its 14th win in 15 games with a victory over Cleveland.

Leonard’s basket came after Dion Waiters’ jumper with 9.5 seconds to go put Cleveland up 95-93.

The Spurs, who have won 14 of 15, had stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on the floor together for the first time since Jan 13.

Kyrie Irving, who was held to a season-low six points, missed a desperation runner from the top of the key as time expired.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 24 points while Gary Neal scored 15.

Raptors 92, Knicks 88 In New York, reserve Alan Anderson scored 26 points in one of the few good offensive performances for either team, and Toronto beat New York for its fourth straight victory.

DeMar DeRozan added 20 points for Carter the Raptors, who overcame a 4-for-21 performance from Rudy Gay because Knicks star Carmelo Anthony was just as bad. Anthony finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds but shot 5 of 24 for the Knicks, who dropped their final two games leading into the All-Star break.

J.R. Smith led the Knicks with 26 points. Raymond Felton had 16 but shot 3 of 9.

Mavericks 123, Kings 100 In Dallas, Vince Carter scored 26 points to pass Larry Bird on the NBA’s career scoring list, and Dallas Mavericks headed into the All-Star break with a victory against Sacramento.

Carter scored 17 of Dallas’ last 21 points in the third quarter to help turn aside a Sacramento rally. He made five of seven 3-pointers in the quarter and ended the night with 21,796 career points for 29th on the all-time list. Bird had 21,791.

Dirk Nowitzki finished with 17 points, including a 3-pointer to put Dallas ahead 100-79 early in the fourth quarter.

Tyreke Evans scored 23 as the Kings lost their 18th regular season game in a row in Dallas.

Nets 119, Nuggets 108 In New York, Joe Johnson scored 26 points, including five 3-pointers, and C.J Watson added 25 points and five 3s to help Brooklyn beat Denver.

All-Star center Brook Lopez had 23 points and eight rebounds, and Kris Humphries chipped in with 14 points for Brooklyn.

The 119 points were a season high for the Nets, who also tied a season best with 16 3-pointers.

Brooklyn is now 2-1 in games played without star point guard Deron Williams, who has sat out the last two due to sore ankles.

Pacers 101, Bobcats 77 In Indianapolis, Paul George posted his first career triple-double with 23 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists, and Indiana snapped a two-game skid with a win over Charlotte.

Tyler Hansbrough tied a season high with 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Pacers starting in place of David West, who was sidelined by an eye injury.

Byron Mullens led the Bobcats with 19 points and Gerald Henderson chipped in 14.

Hawks 108, Magic 76 In Orlando, Florida, Josh Smith had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and Al Horford added 26 points and 12 rebounds to help Atlanta blow past Orlando.

The Hawks led by as many as 38 and decimated the Magic defense on the way to earning their ninth consecutive regular-season win over their division rivals.

Jameer Nelson and Andrew Nicholson led the Magic with 10 points apiece. No other Orlando players reached double-figures.

Celtics 71, Bulls 69 In Boston, Kevin Garnett scored eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and added 11 rebounds, and Boston overcame poor shooting to beat Chicago.

Paul Pierce went only 2 for 12 from the floor but he hit a 3-pointer that bounced

NBA RESULTS/STANDINGS WASHINGTON, Feb 14, (Agencies): Results and standings from the NBA games on Wednesday.

San Antonio 96 Cleveland 95 Indiana 101 Charlotte 77 Atlanta 108 Orlando 76 Boston 71 Chicago 69 Toronto 92 New York

88 Brooklyn Detroit Utah New Orleans Milwaukee Dallas Charlotte

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division NY Knicks Brooklyn Boston Philadelphia Toronto

W 32 31 28 22 21

L 18 22 24 29 32

PCT .640 .585 .538 .431 .396

GB 2-1/2 5 10-1/2 12-1/2

W 32 30 26 21 16

L 21 22 25 33 37

PCT .604 .577 .510 .389 .302

GB 1-1/2 5 11-1/2 16

Oklahoma City Denver Utah Portland Minnesota

12 40 Western Conference

108 85 93 63 92 100 .231

24-1/2

W 39 33 30 25 19

L 13 21 24 28 31

PCT .750 .611 .556 .472 .380

GB 7 10 14-1/2 19

PCT .691 .577 .472 .352 .321

GB 6-1/2 12 18-1/2 20

PCT .778 .647 .527 .442 .358

GB 7-1/2 13-1/2 18 22-1/2

Pacific Division LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Sacramento Phoenix

Southeast Division

Miami Atlanta Washington Orlando

Denver Washington Minnesota Portland Philadelphia Sacramento

Northwest Division

Central Division Indiana Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

119 96 97 99 94 123

W 38 30 25 19 17

L 17 22 28 35 36

Southwest Division

W

L

PCT

GB

35 29 15 15

14 22 36 37

.714 .569 .294 .288

7 21 21-1/2

San Antonio Memphis Houston Dallas New Orleans

W 42 33 29 23 19

L 12 18 26 29 34

Milwaukee Bucks’ Mike Dunleavy (17) and Ekpe Udoh (13) defend as Philadelphia 76ers’ Jrue Holiday (11) drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Feb 13, in Milwaukee. (AP)

around the rim to give Boston a fivepoint lead with 3 minutes to play. The Celtics shot just 36.8 percent but still had the advantage over the Bulls, who made just 36.5 percent of their shots.

Joakim Noah had 10 points and 16 rebounds, and Carlos Boozer had 11 and 11 for Chicago. Reserve Marco Belinelli added 12 points in under 20 minutes for the Bulls.

Pistons 96, Wizards 85 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Will Bynum scored six of his 20 points during a late run to help lead Detroit to a win over Washington.

With the game tied at 76, Bynum scored six straight points to give Detroit the lead with 3:23 to play. Jose Calderon pushed it to nine with a 3-pointer, and the margin was 11 before John Wall broke Detroit’s surge.

Calderon led the Pistons with 24 points, while Greg Monroe finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds as Detroit rebounded from a lopsided home loss Monday to New Orleans Emeka Okafor had 20 points for the Wizards, and Wall finished with 16 points and nine assists.

Bucks 94, 76ers 92 In Milwaukee, Monta Ellis scored 28 points, Brandon Jennings added 21 and Milwaukee rallied in the fourth quarter for a victory over Philadelphia.

Samuel Dalembert had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who ended a fourgame losing streak. Milwaukee heads into the All-Star break with a four-game lead over the 76ers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Evan Turner had 20 points for Philadelphia, while Spencer Hawes added 19 points and nine rebounds. Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 12 assists for the Sixers.

Milwaukee didn’t take its first lead until about 9:20 remained.

Jazz 97, Timberwolves 93 In Minneapolis, Al Jefferson had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Paul Millsap scored 21 points to power Utah Jazz to a victory over Minnesota.

Jefferson helped the Jazz overcome a sluggish start against his former team to pick up a rare road win against a Western Conference opponent. Utah is 4-13 on the road against the West.

Derrick Williams had 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, and Ricky Rubio had 18 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for the Timberwolves, who shot a season-low 34 percent.

Nikola Pekovic had 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Luke Ridnour scored 18 points for Minnesota, which lost for the 16th time in 19 games.

Hornets 99, Trail Blazers 63 In New Orleans, Anthony Davis had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and New Orleans handed Portland its fifth straight loss.

Davis, who missed all seven of his field goal attempts on Monday night in Detroit, was 10 of 17 against Portland, scoring on an array of dunks, tip-shots and even jumpers from as deep as 20 feet.

Ryan Anderson added 14 points and Jason Smith 13, both in reserve roles.

Greivis Vasquez had 10 points and eight assists in 26 minutes.

Damian Lillard had 12 points and Victor Claver 11 for Portland, which lost starting guard Wesley Matthews to a sprained right ankle early in the game and played poorly throughout.

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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55

It’s not over yet, No favours for Wolfsburg: Mandzukic say Mou, Fergie Bayern look to extend lead to 18 points

Dortmund happy to return home with draw MADRID, Feb 14, (AFP): Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho insisted Thursday that the Champions League duel with Manchester United, which will probably decide his fate and legacy in Spain, is far from finished.

The two sides battled out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-16 tie at the Bernabeu, a result which should give United a slight edge ahead of the return at Old Trafford on March 5. But Mourinho, already a Champions League-winning coach with Porto and Inter Milan, backed his Real team to score again in Manchester.

Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria from Argentina duels for the ball with Manchester United’s Jonny Evans (up), during their Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Feb 13. (AP)

Spain keep lead

Nigeria leap up rankings ZURICH, Feb 14, (RTRS): Nigeria leapt 22 places up the FIFA rankings on Thursday following their win at the African Nations Cup, but the continent remained without a team in the top ten.

The Super Eagles, who edged Burkina Faso 1-0 in Sunday’s final in South Africa to win the competition for the first time in 19 years, rose to 30th place in the table, their best position for three years.

Their opponents, who exceeded expectations by reaching the final, stayed outside the top 50 but have jumped 37 places to 55th.

Ivory Coast, beaten by Nigeria in the quarter-finals, remained Africa’s highest-ranked side in 12th, followed by Ghana seven places below.

Surprise package Cape Verde, who reached the quarter-finals on their debut, moved up 13 places to 63rd.

CONCACAF’s highest-ranked team were Mexico in 15th while the best Asia could muster was Japan, who are 28th.

Five-times World Cup winners and 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil remained in 18th spot, their lowest-ever ranking, after losing 2-1 to England in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s first game back as coach last week.

The win took England up two places to fourth.

South America showed their strengthin-depth as Venezuela climbed 10 places to 45th, leaving all of the continent’s 10 teams in the top 50.

There was no change in the top three where world and European champions

SOCCER Spain lead, followed by Germany and Argentina.

The Turks and Caicos Islands, Bhutan and San Marino were tied in 207th and last place.

1. (1) Spain 2. (2) Germany 3. (3) Argentina 4. (6) England 5. (4) Italy 6.

(5) Colombia 6. (7) Portugal 8. (8) Netherlands 9. (10) Croatia 10. (9) Russia. ❑

❑

❑

There are no A-League matches under investigation for match-fixing by local law enforcement agencies and reports A$40 million were wagered on one match are incorrect, Football Federation Australia (FFA) said on Thursday.

Last week, Victoria police Assistant Commissioner Graham Ashton claimed more than “40 million dollars” had been wagered on one match in the Australian top flight, expressing concerns that such amounts could lead to match-fixing.

“FFA can confirm that the amount wagered was in fact in vicinity of A$5 million ($5.17 million),” Australian soccer’s national governing body said in a news release.

“The error occurred when media outlets reported the estimated figure in Australian dollars instead of the correct denomination of Hong Kong dollars.

“The bets were held on the Round 10 fixture between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday 7 December 2012.

“The media reports also incorrectly stated that law enforcement agencies investigating match fixing were concentrating on an A-League match.

“FFA has been advised that no ALeague matches are subject to investigation by Australian law enforcement agencies.”

“We can definitely score at Old Trafford, many teams have done already this season and they’ll know that,” said Mourinho, whose side fell behind to a Danny Welbeck goal on Wednesday before former United star Cristiano Ronaldo levelled.

“Because of the football culture in England I don’t think they can play as defensively there.

“It’s easy to understand — if they score first we have to score, if we score first we’re in the lead.”

The Portuguese coach was defiant about the pressure facing him going into the second leg.

“I don’t feel pressure, I work well to do my best job. Real Madrid can score goals away, life goes on. See you all in three weeks’ time,” said Mourinho.

United manager Alex Ferguson was the happier with his side’s performance and the result, picking out goalkeeper David De Gea, back in his home city, Welbeck and Phil Jones for special praise.

“I thought De Gea was excellent and made four or five top saves, but he’s been performing well all season, he’s done well,” said Ferguson.

“We would have taken 1-1 before the game.

In the first-half I was disappointed at how deep we played, but the away goal is important. It’s not finished but it gives us a good chance to go through.

“We had four attacking players in our team so I think we came to win the game. We were deep especially in the first-half, but we made chances.

“We’ll play differently at home. They counter-attack very well but we have goals in our team. It’s still 50-50 but the team that scores first will have a good chance.”

Asked why captain Nemanja Vidic, who has battled a knee injury for large parts of the season, did not start, Ferguson admitted that Jonny Evans and Rio Ferdinand were better options.

“I played Vidic against Everton (on Sunday), because I thought it was more his game. He can only play every eight or nine days, like Rio, and we didn’t have enough days to get him right.”

Meanwhile, Germany defender Mats

BERLIN, Feb 14, (AFP): Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandzukic will be looking to show his old club VfL Wolfsburg what they are missing when they host the runaway Bundesliga leaders on Friday.

Mandzukic has been in great form since joining Bayern last July from Wolves and his five goals in the three league games so far in 2013 have helped the Bavarians open a 15-point lead at the top of the table.

By both finishing and creating chances — he has netted 14 goals in 18 matches — Mandzukic has restricted Germany striker Mario Gomez to only the occasional start for Bayern.

“I knew I had to believe in myself from the start,” said the 26-year-old Croatia star. “Now I expect to play in every game.”

Having left Wolfsburg after two years, 20 goals and 56 league matches, the former Dinamo Zagreb forward has been in outstanding form and there will be no place for sentiment with the league leaders hunting their 18th league win from 21 games “We want to be the boss on the pitch again,” said Mandzukic, who still backs his old team to thrive with Wolves coach Dieter Hecking having picked up two wins in his four matches since taking charge in December.

“They have a good team and good individual players, but I think they

need some time until everything works the way it should be.”

Bayern will not underestimate Wolfsburg, who earned a shock 3-2 win against defending champions Borussia Dortmund in December, especially with Brazil playmaker Diego bossing the midfield.

“They have plenty of what it takes to make life difficult for every opponent, but they’ve often lacked consistency,” said Bayern midfielder Toni Kroos of the 2009 German champions who are currently 12th in the league.

One factor in Wolfsburg’s favour is Bayern’s looming Champions League tie against Arsenal in London next Tuesday.

“We’ll start thinking about that as of Saturday. It still gives us enough time to prepare for Arsenal,” said Kroos.

Bayern have few injury problems for the trip to Wolfsburg with Javi Martinez struggling with a bruised toe while back-up striker Claudio Pizarro (flu) and Dante (stomach problems) should both be fit.

Wolves striker Patrick Helmes could make his first appearance of the season and is rated as “50-50” by Hecking after tearing knee ligaments last August.

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund have a tough match at home to fourthplaced Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday after Wednesday’s

from flu, while Dutch striker KlaasJan Huntelaar is recovering from a burst blood vessel in his eye.

Japan defender Atsuto Uchida (torn muscle in his thigh), Dutch forward Ibrahim Afellay (muscle tear) and Greece’s Kyriakos Papadopoulos (knee surgery) are all out, while Austria defender Christian Fuchs is back from suspension.

Third-placed Bayer Leverkusen

SOCCER

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp reacts during the UEFA Champions League round 16 football match with FC Shakhtar in Donetsk on Feb 13. (AFP)

Champions League last 16 tie at Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk which ended 2-2.

With Galatasaray looming in Istanbul next week in the Champions League, 10th-placed Schalke need to break their terrible recent form with just one win in their last 10 league games at Mainz on Saturday.

Coach Jens Keller has a host of problems with both midfielders Marco Hoeger and Jefferson Farfan suffering

should have few problems against second-from-bottom Augsburg while Hamburg are waiting on the fitness of Germany goalkeeper Rene Adler, who has pulled a strained stomach muscle.

Hamburg are up to seventh after their impressive 4-1 win at Dortmund last Saturday while ‘Gladbach drew 33 at home to Bayer Leverkusen.

Friday VfL Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich Saturday Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg, Werder Bremen v Freiburg, Mainz 05 v Schalke 04, Hamburg v Borussia M’gladbach, Fortuna Duesseldorf v Greuther Fuerth, Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt Sunday Nuremberg v Hanover 96, Hoffenheim v VfB Stuttgart

SOCCER Hummels said Borussia Dortmund are relishing their Champions League last 16, secondleg, clash at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in a fortnight after 2-2 draw in Ukraine.

Dortmund twice came from behind and were heading towards their first European defeat of the season before centre-back Hummels powered home from a corner, three minutes from time.

However, Dortmund’s impressive result will be overshadowed by the deaths of five fans and 12 injured when a plane from Odessa, south Ukraine, carrying 45 people crashed while landing at Donetsk airport, just hours before kick-off.

A minute’s silence was held as a mark of respect.

The draw means Dortmund are unbeaten in Europe and Hummels said Dortmund have all to play for in the second leg at Borussia’s Signal Iduna Park on March 5.

“It is important that we are going into the second leg level and a 0-0 would see us through,” said Hummels.

“Certainly there were a few dangerous moments in defence, but against such an attack-minded team you can never avoid this.

“We were twice behind, so that is a fantastic consolation result.”

Donetsk captain Darijo Srna’s free-kick was cancelled out by a first-half equaliser from Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski before Brazilian Douglas Costa restored Shakhtar’s advantage 22 minutes from time.

Hummels’ header puts Dortmund in pole position to reach the quarter-finals for the second-leg at Borussia’s Signal Iduna Park stadium in a fortnight.

Having beaten Real Madrid, Manchester United and Ajax to win Group D, Dortmund came perilously close to joining current holders Chelsea in suffering defeat at Shakhtar’s notoriously tricky Donbass Arena.

“We were punished for a couple of defensive mistakes, which was annoying,” said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

“2-1 wouldn’t have been a bad result to take back to Dortmund, but the 2-2 was very important for the team’s mood before the second leg.”

Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu meanwhile said he considered the draw a fair result.

“It’s a pity to lose the lead in the last minutes but the result seems to be fair,” Lucescu said.

“Borussia are a very strong and well-organised team, while we looked unimpressive in the beginning because of lack of match practice.

“But the finals stages showed we are capable of getting a positive result.

In the next few weeks we will try to improve on our fitness.”

With reports in the German media Mourinho Lewandowski is set to join rivals Bayern Munich, Hans-Joachim Watzke said they are confident of offering the Poland star a deal which will seal him extend his contract past June 2014.

“Nothing has been decided and we are still confident,” said Dortmund’s chief executive officer.

United States’ Carli Lloyd (10) battles Scotland’s Emma Mitchell (18) for the ball during the second half of an international friendly soccer match on Feb 13, in Nashville, Tenn. The US won 3-1. (AP)

Toluca win Copa opener

Boca upset at home ARGENTINA, Feb 14, (RTRS): Six times South American champions Boca Juniors were humbled 2-1 by Toluca of Mexico in their opening Libertadores Cup match at La Bombonera.

Boca, losing finalists last year, were leading at halftime in Wednesday’s Group One match after their goalkeeper Agustin Orion saved a penalty for the second match in succession.

But defensive errors allowed Toluca, who had lost three straight Mexican league games, to snatch a shock victory.

It was Boca coach and four times Libertadores Cup winner Carlos Bianchi’s first game in charge in the competition for nearly a decade.

Uruguayan striker Santiago Silva put Boca ahead in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot after centre back Matias Caruzzo, conceding a second spot kick in five days, had brought down Tolucs Paraguayan forward Edgar Benitez.

The Mexican side missed the chance to equalise when Orion, who stopped a penalty in Boca’s 3-2 home win over Quilmes in the Argentine championship on Saturday, saved defender Carlos Rodriguez’s weak spot kick in the 50th

SOCCER minute.

Undeterred, Toluca continued to dominate in the second half, tearing Bianchi’s defence apart with veteran former Mexico midfielder Zinha pulling the strings.

Striker Carlos Esquivel levelled in the 57th minute and Benitez struck a fine winner in the 72nd.

“We’ve got problems managing matches and playing as we want to,” Bianchi told reporters before fielding questions about the availability of watching playmaker Juan Ramon Riquelme who is not yet match fit. “We all hope Roman can provide us with better ball control, vision, shooting, set pieces,” said Bianchi, who shared in a string of titles with Riquelme in the pair’s previous spells at Boca.

Substitute striker Lucas Viatri came close to salvaging a draw for Boca but his shot came back off the post.

Ronaldinho shone as Atletico Mineiro beat Sao Paulo 2-1 at home in an all-Brazilian Group Three match.

The Brazil forward hoodwinked the opposition defence at a throw-in by taking a drink of water and was unmarked to receive the ball and slip a brilliant pass through to striker Jo for the opening goal in the 13th minute. Central defender Rever headed the second, also laid on by Ronaldinho, in the 72nd minute and substitute Aloisio pulled one back ten minutes later. Brazil striker Fred scored the only goal as Brazilian champions Fluminense won 1-0 away to Caracas FC of Venezuela in Group Eight.

Red Devils achieve record revenue

Sponsors put Utd on course to meet ‘financial targets’ LONDON, Feb 14, (RTRS): Deals with new sponsors put English soccer club Manchester United on course to hit financial targets this year, matching the club’s success on the pitch so far this season.

United, top of the Premier League, signed six new sponsorship deals with companies around the globe in the last three months of 2012, one of the busiest periods in the soccer calendar.

“Manchester United achieved record revenue and record adjusted EBITDA (underlying profit) in the second quarter driven by our commercial operation, which continues to experience extremely strong growth particularly in sponsorship,” said club vice chairman Ed Woodward.

United had revenues of £110 million ($171 million) in the three months to December 31 and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 50 million for the period, in line with analyst forecasts.

United claim to be the world’s best supported soccer team with more than 650 million followers worldwide and has signed a series of sponsorship deals for everything from beer to paint in recent months to tap into fans’ passion for the club.

The club repeated its forecast for revenue for the year to come in between 350 million and 360 million pounds, while EBITDA, its preferred measure of profit, was seen in the range of 107 million to 110 million.

United lead the Premier League by 12 points and appear certain to regain the title they lost to local rivals Manchester City on the final day of the season last May. They drew 1-1 with Real Madrid in Spain last night as two of the world’s richest clubs met in the first leg of a last 16 Champions League tie.

United shares have also taken flight on the New York Stock Exchange after a much criticised listing last August. They

now trade at almost $19, up from the $14 listing price, and making the club worth more than $3 billion.

US asset management company BlackRock has bought more than 8 percent of the floated shares, dispelling the notion that serious investors are not interested in soccer clubs.

The American Glazer family retain a tight hold on the club after the listing used a dual-share structure.

English Premier League soccer club Manchester United has signed a new sponsor for its training kit for the next eight years, the latest in a series of commercial deals cashing in on its huge global following.

United, English champions a record 19 times and controlled by the American Glazer family, are unusual in that their image is strong enough to attract backers for both their training kit and the famous red shirts they play in.

The club called an early halt to its existing agreement with training kit partner DHL after July’s record $560 million deal to have the Chevrolet brand on its playing shirts for seven years showed the club it could aim higher.

Chevrolet’s sponsorship begins in 2014.

Until then, United will receive about 20 million pounds ($31 million) a year to carry the name of U.S. insurer Aon on the team’s playing shirts.

The training kit deal will run for eight years from next season but the club was surprisingly coy about identifying the new backer at this stage.

“At the request of our new training kit partner, we have agreed to withhold further details pending a formal announcement,” vice chairman Ed Woodward told financial analysts on a conference call.

DHL had been paying about 10 million pounds a year for its innovative training kit deal, sources with knowledge of the agreement said. The sponsorship had been due to run for four years from 2011.

PRIME TIME

ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013 friday— (all times are kuwait local) 10:30 icc cricket 360 .......................................... osn sport 1 11:00 big ten men’s basketball ............................ fox sports 13:00 futboll mundial ........................................ osn sport 2 14:30 atp 500- rotterdam - tennis ............. aljazeera sport +8 15:00 wta qatar open - tennis ................. aljazeera sport +10 19:00 khimki vs olympiacos - basketball .. aljazeera sport +6 22:00 milan vs parma - football ................ aljazeera sport +1 22:30 lille vs rennes ................................. aljazeera sport +4

56

Sports

Zenit outgun misfiring Liverpool Chelsea pip Sparta in Czech PARIS, Feb 14, (AFP): Liverpool were left to regret a string of missed chances as Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg completed a convincing 2-0 victory in their Europa League last-32, first leg match on Thursday.

Two goals in three minutes midway through the second half turned the tide in Zenit’s favour after both sides had squandered a hatful of opportunities on a badly churned-up pitch in Russia’s former Imperial capital.

That makes the home leg at Anfield an uphill struggle, but disappointed Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers tried to put a brave face on the defeat.

“I thought we looked solid and a threat going forward and could have been in the lead at halftime,” he said.

“But we gave away two poor goals tonight.

Hulk We ended up losing the game when we should have won it.”

Big-money Brazilian signing Hulk put the Russians ahead in the 69th minute with a blistering shot from the edge of the area which just clipped Martin Skrtel to wrongfoot Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Then on 72 minutes, Sergei Semak turned up the heat on Liverpool when he ghosted in behind Skrtel and Glenn Johson to arrive unmarked on the left to clinically dispatch Aleksandr Anyukov’s cross from the right past Reina.

For Liverpool, Luis Suarez was the chief culprit and could have a hat-trick in the first half alone but for some profligate finishing.

But his worst miss came early in the second half as a good collective move orchestrated by Steven Gerrard ended with Stewart Downing teeing up Suarez in front of goal but he curled his shot casually wide.

Racist taunts from some of Zenit’s more vociferous fans, which Liverpool officials had feared after recent incidents at the club, failed to materialise.

Also in Russia, Anzhi Makhachkala beat Sparta’s Lukas Vacha (left), challenges Chelsea’s Marko Marin (right), during their Europa League round of 32 first leg soccer match in Prague, Czech Republic, Feb 14. (AP)

Germany’s Hannover 3-1, despite falling behind to Szabolcs Huszti’s 22nd minute strike.

Samuel Eto’o put them back on terms, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker tapping in a pass from Willian, and Odil Ahmedov put them ahead just after the break before Moroccan midfielder Mbark Boussoufa sealed it in the 64th minute.

In the Czech Republic, Chelsea substitute Oscar wasted no time getting his name on the scoresheet, grabbing the only goal of a largely lacklustre game in the 82nd minute against Sparta Prague, just 45 seconds of coming off the bench.

Oscar collected a ball from Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard and fired home into the bottom corner of the net.

Napoli’s players had to face the wrath of the club’s passionate fans at the end of a

SOCCER comprehensive 3-0 drubbing at home to Viktoria Plzen.

Once Vladimir Darida had put the Czech side ahead, Napoli were always playing catch-up and were exposed when Frantisek Rajtoral doubled the lead in the 79th minute and it only got worse as they went in search of a consolation goal and Stanislav Teci made it 3-0 a minute from time.

In Amsterdam, Ajax outplayed Steaua Bucharest of Romania 2-0 with goals from Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld (28) and promising right back Ricardo van Rhijn (49), while Benfica grabbed victory away to Bayer Levekrusen in Germany, with Oscar Cardozo scoring the only goal of the game on the hour.

In Valencia, Levante overwhelmed Olympiakos of Greece 3-0. Pedro Rios set the ball rolling as early as the ninth minute and a Jose Barkero penalty five minutes before the break and an Obafemi Martins strike in the 56th minute finished off the Greeks.

French side Bordeaux came away from the Ukraine with a valuable 1-1 draw agaisnt Dynamo Kiev with Ludovic Obraniak’s 23rd minute equaliser cancelling out Nigerian international, Lukman Haruna’s opener three minutes earlier.

Best of the Rest

SA TV pulls Olympian ads, world of athletics shocked

Pistorius charged with murder JOHANNESBURG, Feb 14, (RTRS): South African “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee who became one of the biggest names in world athletics, was charged on Thursday with shooting dead his girlfriend at his upscale home in Pretoria.

Police said they opened a murder case after a 30-year-old woman was found dead at the Paralympic and Olympic star’s house in the Silverlakes gated complex on the capital’s outskirts.

Pistorius, 26, and his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, had been the only people in the house at the time of the shooting, police brigadier Denise Beukes told reporters, adding witnesses had been interviewed about the early morning incident.

“We are talking about neighbours and people that heard things earlier in the evening and when the shooting took place,” Beukes said outside the heavily guarded residential complex.

Police said a 9mm pistol had been found at the scene.

Beukes said police were aware of previous incidents at the Pistorius house. “I can confirm that there has previously been incidents at the home of Mr Oscar Pistorious, of allegations of a domestic nature,” she said.

Pistorius, who uses carbon fibre prosthetic blades to run, is due to appear in a Pretoria court on Friday.

“He is doing well but very emotional,” his lawyer Kenny Oldwage told SABC TV, but gave no further comment.

A sports icon for triumphing over disability to compete with able-bodied athletes at the Olympics, his sponsorship deals, including one with sports apparel group Nike, are thought to be worth $2 million a year.

South Africa’s M-Net cable TV channel said it was pulling adverts featuring Pistorius off air immediately after blanket coverage of the arrest in a country more used to

honouring Pistorius as a national hero.

“We are all devastated” Steenkamp’s colleagues in the modelling world were distraught.

“We are all devastated. Her family is in shock,” her agent, Sarita Tomlinson, tearfully told Reuters.

“They did have a good relationship.

Nobody actually knows what happened.”

Pistorius, who was born without a fibula in both legs, was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics and reached the 400-metre semifinals in London 2012.

In last year’s Paralympics he suffered his first loss over 200 metres in nine years. After the race he questioned the legitimacy of Brazilian winner Alan Oliveira’s prosthetic blades, though he was quick to express regret for the comments.

South Africa has some of the world’s highest rates of violent crime, and many home owners have weapons to defend themselves against intruders, although Pistorius’s complex is surrounded

by a three-metre high wall and electric fence.

In 2004, Springbok rugby player Rudi Visagie shot dead his 19-yearold daughter after he mistakenly thought she was a robber trying to steal his car in the middle of the night.

Before the murder charge was announced, Johannesburg’s Talk Radio 702 said the athlete may have mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar.

Pistorius was arrested in 2009 for assault after slamming a door on a woman and spent a night in police custody. Family and friends said it was just an accident and charges were dropped.

Olympian undergoes police tests Steenkamp, a regular on the South African social scene, was reported to have been dating Pistorius for several months.

In the social pages of last weekend’s Sunday Independent she described him as having “impeccable” taste. “His gifts are always thoughtful,” she was quoted as saying.

South Africa’s Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius (center), leaves the Boshkop police station on Feb 14, in Pretoria East, to be taken into police custody after allegedly shooting dead his model girlfriend having mistaken her for an intruder at his upscale home. (AFP)

Some of her last Twitter postings indicated she was looking forward to Valentine’s Day on Thursday.

“What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow???” she posted.

Pistorius was on Thursday being processed through the police system. “At this stage he is on his way to a district surgeon for medical examination,” the police brigadier said.

“When a person has been accused of a crime like murder they look at things like testing under the finger nails, taking a blood alcohol sample and all kinds of other test that are done. They are standard medical tests,” Beukes said.

Pistorius is also sponsored by British telecoms firm BT, sunglasses maker Oakley and French designer Thierry Mugler.

“We are shocked by this terrible, tragic news. We await the outcome of the South African police investigation,” a BT spokeswoman said before Pistorius was charged.

A Nike spokesman in London said before hearing of the murder charge that the company was “saddened by the news, but we have no further comment to make at this stage.”

Pistorius also has a sponsorship deal with Icelandic prosthetics manufacturer Ossur.

“I can only say that our thoughts and prayers are with Oscar and the families involved in the tragedy,” Ossur CEO Jon Sigurdsson told Reuters. “It is completely premature to discuss or speculate on our business relationship with him.”

Neighbours expressed shock at the arrest of a “good guy.”

“It is difficult to imagine an intruder entering this community, but we live in a country where intruders can get in wherever they want to,” said one Silverlakes resident, who did not want to be named.

“Oscar is a good guy, an upstanding neighbour, and if he is innocent I feel for this guy deeply,” he said.

Dr Mekaimi to conduct course: FIFA Management & Administration Instructor Dr Hussain Al Mekaimi will conduct a training course on the Art of Management & Administration which is being organized by the Qatar Football Association from Feb 17 to Feb 23, 2013 for football officials in Qatar, says a press release issued by the Kuwait Football Association. ❑ ❑ ❑

KFA to hold press conference: The Kuwait Football Association (KFA) President Sheikh Dr Talal Fahd Al Sabah will hold a press conference next Sunday prior to the soccer final match of HH the Crown Prince Cup for the 2012/2013 sports season, according to a press release issued by the KFA. The match will be played next Tuesday, Feb 19, 2013 at the Kuwait Football Club Stadium.

The final will be played between the AlArabi Football Club and the Al-Qadsiya Football Club.

The pre-match press conference which will be held next Monday at the KFA house at 11:00 am will be attended by the head coaches of the respective clubs. ❑ ❑ ❑ Maradona a father for the 4th time: Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has become a father for the fourth time, after his former partner gave birth to a son in a private clinic in Buenos Aires, the woman’s lawyer said on Thursday.

“Both the baby and Veronica (Ojeda, Maradona’s former partner) are in good health, they are doing very well and are accompanied by the mother’s sister and her family,” lawyer Jorge Auruccio told journalists outside the clinic.

Auruccio said that the baby, named Diego Fernando, was born at 11:57 pm local time on Wednesday (0257 GMT Thursday) and weighed 3.2 kg (7lbs).

“From the nose upwards he looks like Maradona,” the lawyer added.

Maradona, who is already a grandfather, currently lives in Dubai where he works as an ambassador for the Dubai Sports Council.

He separated from Ojeda several months ago but she still decided to name the baby after the star of Argentina’s 1986 World Cup win.

Diego Fernando is the fourth child of the former footballer, who had girls Dalma and Giannina with his ex-wife Claudia Villafane, and is also the father of anoher son, Diego Junior, who lives in Italy.

His grandson, Benjamin, is the son of his daughter Giannina and the Manchester City star Sergio “Kun” Aguero. (AFP) ❑ ❑ ❑

Lee returns to FC Tokyo: Japan international striker Tadanari Lee will come back to FC Tokyo on loan after missing playing

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MILAN, Feb 14, (RTRS): Cagliari President Massimo Cellino has been arrested as part of an investigation into the Is Arenas stadium where the Serie A club has been staging their home matches this season, a source close to the investigation said on Thursday.

Mauro Contini the mayor of Quartu Sant’Elena, the Cagliari district where the stadium is located, was also arrested along with another local official by the Forestry corps, an agency of the Italian police, the source said.

They were charged with embezzelement and false representation in the rebuilding of the stadium.

The sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport showed a photograph of Cellino standing in front of a blue gate which it said was the Buoncammino prison in Cagliari.

The Sardinian club issued a statement of support for its 56year-old president who has been at the helm since 1992, apart from a break in 2005-06.

“Officers, employees, technical staff and players are close to their president Massimo Cellino in these difficult times,” said the statement.

“We have faith in the work of the judiciary and are confident that the investigation will show the non-invovlement of president in the alleged facts.”

time with English side Southampton this season, J-League club officials said on Thursday.

The 27-year-old forward, who struck home the winner in the 1-0 victory over Australia in the final for a record fourth Asian Cup in January 2011, had been sidelined by Southampton this season due to injuries.

Lee has played in seven games and scored one goal for Southampton in the 2011-2012 season.

“I decided to move to FC Tokyo for half a year from Southampton. I thought about many things and I made the decision. I will do my very best for FC Tokyo and try to improve myself and the team,” said Lee in a statement.

Lee, a fourth-generation ethnic Korean, moved up from FC Tokyo’s under-18 team to the top side in 2004 before gaining Japanese nationality in February 2007. (AFP)

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Cagliari president arrested in probe

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