02 Nov

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

‘Transformation’ needed to meet challenges in oil industry

Rapper breaks new ground in conservative Pakistan

Pakistan’s Butt, Asif guilty of spot fixing

Talk of controls, double standards at cyber meet

17 13 27 Amir hopes won’t have to

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use ‘constitutional tools’

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150 FILS

www.kuwaittimes.net

THULHIJJA 6, 1432 AH

Oppn MPs meet Amir • National Bloc calls for new PM

Max 26º Min 19º Low Tide 10:44 & 22:38 High Tide 02:50 & 17:35

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Moses had 10, MPs have 13

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

was contemplating the other night about the quest of the opposition to meet His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah. The Amir honestly had too much tolerance for this opposition group because their demands are ridiculous. Even if some of their demands are fair, they are doing it the wrong way. In all honesty, I am always attacking parliament because they are never serious and never fight for the country’s development. Their issues are so trivial and personal. They have an agenda. But I have to mention MP Khaled Al-Adwah. He was asking the government for change. Imagine, guys! The request was for a project. I was thrilled and excited. In all honesty, it is a beautiful project.

Khaled is asking the government, why not build a physiotherapy hospital? I have been writing about the lack of such a clinic in Kuwait for a long time. The project is about a modern, high quality and high-tech and competitive rehabilitation hospital with highly trained staff. He was saying that if the project goes ahead, it should not be done at random.

He suggested that from the beginning, Kuwait should seek advice and knowhow from well-known international hospitals who are advanced in this field. Thank you, Khaled! I hope all MPs start thinking like you and start coming up with proposals instead of going on strike and rallying.

Because for the last couple of years, the parliament has come with nothing. I call them the thirteen commandments. Moses had 10 but parliament exceeded them: Number 1. Can women come to labs in Kuwait University wearing gloves or not? In Kuwaiti dialect, they call them dsous (gloves).

Number 2. Should women be allowed to drive wearing a niqab (face veil) or not?

Number 3. Should women be allowed to wear niqabs to the university and sit for exams?

Number 4. Segregation in the universities in Kuwait.

Number 5. Implement segregation in public schools. They tried to do it in private schools and partly failed.

Number 6. Ban surveillance cameras in schools and universities.

Number 7. They tried their best when the mobiles were new in Kuwait to ban mobiles with cameras. Mind you, not for security reasons, but what they claim are social reasons.

Number 8. Banning parties and celebrations during Eid and national days and graduations or any kind of festivities.

Number 9. Try to ban sheesha (hubblybubbly) cafes.

Number 10. Limit the working hours of cafes and restaurants till the clock strikes midnight. That reminded me of Cinderella and her pretty sandals.

Number 11. Banning females from working in coffee shops and restaurants after 8 pm.

Number 12. Women should not jog on the seaside or play sports wearing sports shorts.

Even if they are not Muslim.

Number 13. They attempted to pass a bill banning women from walking dogs by the seaside, claiming that they do this to lure men. This included women not to wear bikinis on the beaches.

KUWAIT: Britain’s Prince Charles meets HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday. — AP

Britain maintains hard line against Assad govt

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Bashar Al-Assad’s regime has clearly lost legitimacy, a senior British official declared at a press conference at Bayan Palace yesterday. Alistair Burt, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) State Minister for Middle East Affairs, noted even if there is a process of reforms taking place [in Syria], the UK government believes that

Assad’s regime has lost legitimacy especially in the midst of killings and repressions.

“Unless the killing of innocent civilians stops, our position is clear on the matter,” he asserted.

However, Burt said that any intervention by Western governments is premature. “Unlike in Libya, Arab countries have yet to come up with a clear call for intervention.

Continued on Page 13

Alistair Burt speaks to reporters during a press conference.

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: HH the Amir yesterday expressed hope that “developments will not compel him to use his constitutional tools” after meeting with two groups of opposition and pro-government lawmakers. The statement came in a day of political drama when lawmakers opposed to Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad AlSabah appear to have gained the support of 25 MPs, the number required to vote him out of power.

The liberal five-MP National Action Bloc, which was hesitant to declare its support for a non-cooperation motion against the premier, yesterday said it is prepared to “go to the end” in any grilling field against the prime minister, which means they are ready to support a no-confidence motion. The opposition officially has 20 MPs and it is expected to gain the support of independent Shiite MP Hassan Jowhar and now the five MPs of the National Bloc, a total of 26 votes, one more than the required number to unseat the prime minister.

Yesterday’s developments began with a lengthy meeting between the Amir and the “Opposition Bloc”.

Lawmakers who attended the meeting came out with mixed positive and negative signals about the outcome of the meeting. Sources said that about seven MPs spoke during the meeting, all focusing on the main issue that the prime minister and his government are incapable of running the country and fighting corruption, but stopped short of calling on the Amir to dismiss them both and dissolve the National Assembly. The opposition lawmakers had accepted preconditions to meet the Amir that they will not call for sacking the government and dissolving the Assembly, because these are the exclusive constitutional rights of the Amir.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the Opposition Bloc said that the meeting was cordial and MPs expressed their high esteem of the Amir. The lawmakers expressed their full respect of the constitutional principles that determine the powers of the Amir, but also expressed the need for a new prime minister to Continued on Page 13

Syria, Arab League agree on roadmap Regime mining Lebanon border DAMASCUS: Syria and the Arab League have agreed on a roadmap to end the violence, and a formal announcement will be made today at Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Syrian official media said. The Arab League was expecting Syria to respond yesterday to proposals to end more than seven months of bloodletting which, the UN says, has claimed more than 3,000 lives, mostly civilians killed in a government crackdown on dissent. Arab foreign ministers are due to hold a key meeting in Cairo to discuss the violence, after talks Sunday in Doha with their Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem at which they offered a plan to end the crisis.

“Syria and the Arab League are in agreement over the final paper concerning the situation in Syria and the official announcement will be made at Arab League headquarters tomorrow,” Syrian state television and SANA news agency said. President Bashar Al-Assad is under mounting international and Arab pressure to end the violence and implement wide -ranging political reforms to meet the aspirations of protesters who have rallied almost daily since mid-March.

The Arab League proposals call on

Assad to pull tanks off the streets and launch a national dialogue with his opponents. Syria had been due to give its response to the plan on Monday but Muallem asked for some changes. An Arab League diplomat told AFP in Cairo “there has been agreement on some minor amendments, but the Arab delegation demanded a final response yesterday to the Arab proposal”. He said Syria would inform Qatar - whose foreign minister chaired the Doha talks - of its response.

Syria’s Arab League representative Yusef Ahmed told AFP in Cairo that Damascus would respond yesterday to the plan. “We are dealing positively with the last proposal, which was drafted (at Sunday’s meeting) in Qatar.”

Algerian Foreign Minister Murad Medelci also sounded upbeat. “We had a good meeting in Doha and we have found some common group with our Syrian friends. I hope this will be confirmed in Cairo,” he said yesterday. The pro-regime Syrian daily Al-Watan said “Muallem provided the Qatari side with ideas adequate to resolve the crisis in Syria... and requested additional time to consult ( Tuesday) with his leadership.”

Continued on Page 13

MAKKAH: Saudi special forces display some of their skills and equipment before Saudi Crown Prince Nayef during a ceremony as they prepare for hajj in Arafat yesterday. (Inset) Prince Nayef speaks during a press conference yesterday. — AFP

Riyadh rules out any compromise with Iran MAKKAH: Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz yesterday ruled out any compromise with Iran over allegations of Iranian involvement in a plot to murder the Saudi ambassador to Washington.

“There can be no compromise with Iran concerning the assassination bid because there is no need for it,” the crown prince, who also holds the interior ministry portfolio, told a news confer-

ence in Makkah. “We are ready to deal with any scenario... with any means necessary,” he added without further details during an inspection tour of preparations for the annual hajj pilgrimage to Makkah.

Iran has fiercely and repeatedly denied any involvement in the alleged plot, which the United States said Continued on Page 13

Greek PM stuns Europe ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou triggered turmoil across the eurozone, stock market mayhem and a domestic political crisis yesterday with a shock move to put a hard-won debt deal to a referendum. With leaders of the world’s 20 biggest economies getting ready for a summit from tomorrow focused on the economic crisis, Papandreou’s shock announcement fuelled fears that the rescue efforts could begin to rapidly unravel. The premier also announced a vote of confidence but his narrow parliamentary ATHENS: Protesters dressed as prisoners gather during an event majority was then cut by the defection of a deputy to protest against austerity measures outside the Greek parlia- while a senior member of the ruling Socialist party ment yesterday. — AP said Greece needed a unity government and early

polls, which the opposition also demanded.

Analysts said the confidence and referendum votes amounted to a ballot on the future of the eurozone which is also under pressure from debt strains in Italy. All of Europe’s main markets registered sharp falls at the new risk of Greek default and contagion, with the German blue-chip DAX 30 stocks index slumping by more than six percent at one stage while French shares were down over five percent. Italian stocks plunged 6.12 percent, led by big falls for banks. The falls were echoed in New York where the blue -chip Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 2.22 percent in the Continued on Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

LOCAL Arab banks need to discover means of risk management KUWAIT: Arab banks should devise effective, balanced means of risk management to achieve effective employment of resources, an Arab banker said yesterday.

Chairman of the Union of Arab Banks and Executive Director of Al-Baraka Banking Group Adnan Yousef said during the fourth session of Kuwait’s Third Financial Forum, which started yesterday and ends today, that European leaders have come up with a rescue plan which focuses on reconsidering bank capitals and increasing lending from the European Financial Stability Facility up to $440 billion and reduce Greek debt interests. “This world economic crisis was created by allowing sovereign debt to

exceed the overall national gross capital, caused by pushing financial and banking functions to generate resources on the side,” the Arab economist noted.

The current crisis would lead to deterioration in world economic growth and a drop in power rates, he pointed out, adding that the Gulf region would be affected by such a fall.

He suggested that the solution relies on increasing cooperation between central banks in financial research and deploying bank instruments as a tool of funding sovereign debt. He is also advised to engage sovereign funds as a major investor in sovereign instrument in the Gulf countries which would provides stability in financial liquidity.— KUNA

EDUKEX a gateway to world class education KUWAIT: The British Council, Kuwait, announced its next EDUKEX for Nov 23-27, to be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel.

The council’s Project Manager for Education Rafat AbuTaleb said all 44 universities and higher education institutions taking part in the exhibition are accredited by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Higher Education for under-graduate and post-graduate programs. Some institutions are also offering professional training and English language courses.

The exhibition is an opportunity to meet members of staff of all the different universities and colleges of further education who are participating in this event. Also present will be organizations such as the Ministry of Higher Education, the Kuwait Cultural Office (Embassy of Kuwait in London), and Kuwait Association of British Alumni (KABA). Staff from the UK Border Agency will give presentations on visa requirements too.

The official noted it is best not to rush when selecting an institution where one is to pursue further study abroad. It is best to begin planning a year in advance ... and, “if you are leaving school in summer 2012, you have plenty of time, as many of the institu-

tions will start their new academic year in September or October 2012.”

AbuTaleb added that “Postgraduates have more flexibility as they can often choose to start at different times in the year. However, they should still take the time to plan and look at the possibilities.” He noted that more than 3,000 education and training institutions receive over 600,000 international students in the UK for English language studies.” With long years of experience, these institutions efficiently help international students adjust to their new surroundings and sort out any difficulties they might face, and they are ultimately made to feel at home, he added.

It is understandable for students to have anxieties and concern upon their arrival for the first time, he said, and there are advisors and staff to help them and answer their queries.

The British Council is an international institution in the field of educational opportunities and cultural interaction, and it operates in over 100 countries.

The council has a staff of some 6,800 people around the world working on boosting exchange of experiences and knowledge and also has activities in the fields of art and language education. — KUNA

KPC to focus on human factor KUWAIT: The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has a new integrated strategy, due to run through to 2030, that will reportedly focus on human resources. KPC CEO Farouk Hussein AlZanki announced yesterday that realizing the human factor is the true treasure and key to realizing the corporationís objectives.

Al-Zanki’s remarks preceded his address of the seventh annual MEED Kuwait Energy and Infrastructure Projects Conference. Indicating that focus was formerly directed to the entrepreneurial aspects of the industry, AlZanki emphasized that in recent years great interest has been paid to human resources and individual potentials. KPC has been quick to amend its focus and put in place requisite programs, he

explained. The corporation’s ‘Human Resources Strategy 2030’ involves the introduction of a new mechanism for training and development, he added.

As for current oil prices, Al-Zanki remarked “We are satisfied with current prices, which are in harmony with supply and demand and other basic factors.” He noted that he does not expect to see a drop in prices over sovereign debts, especially with the approach of spring, peak demand season. Demand for heating fuel peaks in the fourth quarter, he pointed out.

On Kuwait ’s oil produc tion and whether it has shifted from the officially stated 2.9 million barrels per day, AlZanki remarked the state will stick to its quota and make no changes for now. — KUNA

Four accused of slandering Amir K U WA I T: T h e M i n i s t r y o f I n t e r i o r announced yesterday that the Criminal Investigation Depar tment has arrested four citizens accused of slandering HH the Amir Sheikh

Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The ministry statement added that the evidence against the four w a s g a t h e r e d f r o m t h e i r Tw i t t e r accounts. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Prince Charles is seen here arriving at Arraya Ballroom, Courtyard Mariott Hotel yesterday. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Oil industry requires ‘transformation’ to meet future challenges Prince Charles graces MEED conference

Edmund O’Sullivan

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Kuwait’s oil sector is a major contributor to national revenue and a failure to achieve optimal performance will impact the country, one Kuwaiti oil chief executive recently announced. In his keynote address at the opening of three-day seminar dubbed ‘Kuwait Energy and Infrastructure Projects 2011’ held at the Arraya Ballroom of the Cour tyard Marriott, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) CEO Farouk Al-Zanki noted that the Kuwait oil industry requires a huge transformation in order to meet global challenges.

“The future challenges are immense and Kuwait needs to shift from managing businesses to managing people with a focus on leadership, to achieve great success,” he said.

The three-day seminar, organized by Middle East Business Intelligence (MEED), is expected to showcase numerous development opportunities currently being implemented in Kuwait as part of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s vision to turning Kuwait into regional trade and financial hub. Al-Zanki noted that global energy demands will continue to grow in the future and acknowledged that there is a corresponding need of cleaner energy for economic and social development. “Fossil fuel will remain the main source of energy for over 80 per cent of the energy mix,” he said.

According to Al-Zanki, KPC’s 2030 strategy calls for significant expansion both upstream and downstream, requiring tremendous effor t technically and financially. He explained that over the last 15 years, KPC has exerted much effort to re-shape the oil sector and prepare for the future. “We have developed and updated strategies for all the subsidiaries. During this period, much effort has been exerted across the oil sector, aiming to improve the operational efficiency and increasing productivity. We continue to work on areas of weakness and capitalize on our strengths,” he continued.

Al-Zanki also spoke on the shortage of skilled manpower, particularly in the oil industry, and expressed his interest in focusing on the issue to ensure that the national oil industry has its requisite competencies.

Shaika Al-Bahar “KPC launched strategic sector training and development plans to ensure that the strength of the oil sector is in its human resources,” he said. Currently according to AlZanki, KPC provides work for 40,000 employees, of whom 17,100 are permanent full-time workers.

Developments in the energy sector were among the subjects discussed during the first day of the seminar, which was attended by prominent speakers from the Kuwait Oil Company, the Kuwait National Petroleum Corporation, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and the Gulf Investment Corporation. Besides energy, industry leaders and government officials were also updated on the progress of a ‘Clean Fuels’ program and other world-class energy initiatives.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by no less than the visiting Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne. Prince Charles is currently visiting the country to mark the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s full independence from the Britain in June 1961.

Despite his brief appearance at the seminar, his presence there was highly felt and appreciated by many. Prince Charles was immediately escorted to a close-door function-room where local and foreign businessmen were gathering in attendance.

For his opening remarks, Chairman of MEED Events Edmund O’Sullivan stressed that attendees will be empowered with strategic information about major developments in the Kuwaiti economy and opportunities business opportunities therein, particularly in the fields of oil, gas, manufacturing, electricity, water, transport, communications, education and leisure. “The burgeoning economy, stimulated by sound socio-economic policies, has truly transformed the country,” he said. O’Sullivan was enthusiastic about the conference’s timing, explaining that “The conference provided an ideal platform to highlight the major strides taken by the government and key industry leaders to create the phenomenal growth witnessed in recent years. This conference proved to be an invaluable opportunity for those at the cutting edge of Kuwait’s future to discuss its development.” He added, “Away from the formality of the conference rooms, networking was

One killed in Waha accident

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A mosque under construction in Waha collapsed, killing one individual and injuring seven others. They were admitted to Jahra hospital. At least 20 emergency workers helped perform rescue operations.

Motor accidents A 35-year-old Indian suffered injuries to

his head, left thigh and chest and a 45-yearold citizen sustained a fractured thigh bone after the car they were traveling in flipped over in Adan, after the driver at the helm lost control over the vehicle. They were admitted to Adan hospital. in another incident, a 36year-old citizen fractured his thigh bone in a motor accident that took place near Umm AlHaiman. He was admitted to Mubarak hospital. Also, a 19-year-old bedoon fractured a

thigh bone and suffered a nasal injury in a car accident that took place near an academic institution. He was admitted to Sabah hospital.

Freak accident A 35-year-old Egyptian who missed a step and fell from the top floor of a building was admitted to Sabah hospital. He sustained fatal head injuries.

KUWAIT: Rescue operation in progress after the mosque construction site accident yesterday.

Farouk Al-Zanki another key benefit of the event, allowing contacts to be made with CEOs, VPs and chairmen from the key growth industries and government departments.”

While acknowledging that the oil sector remains the backbone of Kuwait’s economy and that it provides the bulk of government revenues, CEO of the National Bank of Kuwait Shaika Al-Bahar said too much of these revenues has been spent or allocated to wages and subsidies, which she argued is neither healthy nor sustainable in the long-term.

“Kuwait’s performance on capital spending has been poor. Investment as a share of GDPat 17 per cent-has been the lowest in the Gulf over the past decade. These have been the symptoms and the causes of our economic problems,” she said, adding “political paralysis, government bureaucracy and lack of economic reforms have stifled both public and private sector investment.” She further indicated that “We have to break this cycle for our economy to move into a higher, more balanced growth trajectory.” Al-Bahar also recommended capitalizing instead on the golden age of oil before new technologies and environmental regulations begin to seriously affect such industries, which she is certain is imminent. The first two days of the conference will focus on the energy sector, including Kuwait’s long-term energy vision and procurement and development strategies. The last day will be dedicated to the infrastructure and construction sector with first-hand information on megaprojects.

MEED Projects data revealed that 29 per cent of current planned projects are in the construction sector, 25 per cent in infrastructure, 25 per cent in oil and gas production, 19 per cent in power projects, and the remaining four per cent in waste and water projects.

Major projects under discussion at the conference also included a vast array being developed in the social and transport infrastructure sectors.

The Kuwait Energy and Infrastructure Projects Conference 2011 is part of MEED’s comprehensive portfolio of large-scale summits and conferences that offer businesses unique one-to-one networking opportunities and facilitate the showcasing of solutions to key target groups and niche professionals.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

local

Argentina to strengthen economic ties with Kuwait

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah received yesterday the Orthodox Archbishop of Mexico, Venezuela, and Central America Antonio Cheraoui and his accompanying delegation at Bayan Palace. The meeting was attended by Deputy Director of the Foreign Ministry Americas Department Councilor Hamad Sleiman Al-Meshaan.

KUWAIT: Argentine Senator Dr Alfredo Cesar Mekafi stressed the need to strengthen economic relations with Kuwait, since the goal of his current visit to the country is developing bilateral relations.

Dr. Cesar said in his speech to the business community at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) yesterday, that the private sector played a key role in the consolidation of mutual relations, especially that his country has many investment opportunities in the food, livestock, agriculture and the automotive industries.

The Argentinian Cesar invited Kuwaiti companies to invest in these economic

sectors of which it will have a positive impact on bilateral economic relations and development of trade between the two countries.

On his part, the KCCI Vice Chairman Khalid Al-Sager lauded the level of trade relations between the two countries, which extends back when importing agricultural products and livestock from Argentina.

Kuwaiti businesspeople are among the most active traders on various levels, and the best way to identify available trade and investment opportunities is via communication through trade fairs and the formation of economic delegations, he concluded. — KUNA

Legal employees continue to protest despite ‘warnings’ Workers face risk of paying fines KUWAIT: Legal staff employed with the public sector continued to protest at several state departments on Monday, a day after they rallied outside the Ministries Complex with the suppor t of the Labor Union and MPs. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Labor Union representing legal staff at state departments criticized the “warnings issued by the government” while insisting on employees’ right to hold strikes. “The government took an illegal step when it inquired about the legality of penalizing staff members who stage strikes,” said Hamad Al-Wardan in a statement.

He indicated that strikes will continue to be held until the government meets demands which includes paying salaries at par with the Fatwa and Legislative

Department.

The strike has frustrated work at several depar tments, including the Labor Depar tment in the Capital governorate where workers face the risk of paying fines due to a delay in labor-related transactions.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs, Minster of Justice and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammad AlAfasi acknowledged that financial privileges that the legal staff demand are their ‘legitimate right,’ reported Al-Qabas.

Dr Al-Afasi was speaking during the opening ceremony of the Seventh Day of Solidarity with Disabled Citizens. He also revealed that the highly anticipated Public Labor Authority iwill be set up soon and is “almost finished.”A draft bill on its formation

will soon be submitted to the Parliament. He noted that once the authority begins functioning, the sponsorship system will come to an end.

In other news, the Banks Union released a statement criticizing the Central Bank’s decision to announce November 9 and 10 as official working days, instead of merging them with the Eid Al-Adha holidays just like the public sector.

In his statement, the union’s board chairman Mansour Ashour argued that no work can be performed on these two days as state depar tments and the Stock Market will remain closed then, adding that such decisions will only discourage citizens from seeking employment outside the public sector.

MPs slam interior officials’ ‘rewards’ KUWAIT: A number of MPs criticized the government over news repor ts that bonuses would be paid to some Ministry of Interior(MoI) senior officials for curbing demonstrations held in the summer.

According to a repor t released on Monday, more than 30 officials including assistant undersecretaries and heads of

departments are to receive a KD 5,000 ‘reward’ for maintaining law and order when public demonstrations were being staged.

MP Saleh Al-Mulla believes that officials who ‘contributed to suppressing citizens’ would lead to exposing the government’s faults.

“Rewarding those who sup-

press citizens and preventing them from exercising constitutional rights is illogical and unacceptable,” he said.

“We have heard that officers who took part in humiliating citizens at the [MP Jamaan] AlHarbash’s dewaniya incident have been rewarded as well,” he added, referring to the incident that took place late last year

when police violently dispersed an mass gathering that congregated outside the diwaniya of MP Jamaan Al-Harbash, reported Al-R ai.

While MP Abdurrahman Al-Anjari congratulated Interior Ministry officials with a hint of sarcasm, MP Naji Al-Abdulhadi said that this practice is “another way of distributing [public] wealth.”

KUWAIT: The ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands Martine Boon von Ochssee held a reception on Monday on the occasion of inaugurating the Netherland Chancery in Kuwait in Jabriya area. A number of diplomats and dignitaries attended the event.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

LOCAL

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Who will care for our concerns?

Change is needed

By Mohammad Al-Khaldi

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

W

T

henever I leave home I see kids driving their parents’ cars, playing in the street without fear. Whenever I go to work I see hundreds of drivers committing thousands of traffic violations.

The majority of traffic violations are committed by bus and taxi drivers and drivers of other transport vehicles. I say to myself, if expats can break the rules with so little fear, then how about citizens and their traffic violations?

Our children become experiment subjects for non-specialist Ministry of Education officials. Our food is rotten, yet no one is punished. Our media is corrupt and no one is punished. Our society is being destroyed daily and no one is being punished.

Driving in Kuwait’s streets gives the painful impression that the country is confused, the law remains unapplied and the traffic police are fast a sleep. If we look at the state of the country, we find the government and Parliament are ensnared in major scandals. So, how significant really is traffic confusion compared to the corruption of these two authorities? Let us keep silent.

Every year, the list of pharmaceuticals that the Ministry of Health stops distributing to Kuwaiti citizens in government clinics grows. Doctors ask patients instead to buy the drugs from private pharmacies. This is evident theft of citizens’ money and also a clear violation of the Constitution, which mandates free health care. Currently, I am obliged to buy medicine monthly at a cost of KD 100 yet I know very well that the medicine I am paying for and which is not available at my local government clinic is dispensed for free elsewhere. I ask myself, to whom shall I complain about this, when a third of Parliament members are receiving bribes? It is as if the country is in a standstill due to the level of manifest corruption in the government and Parliament. I keep silent.

After three years with three different ministers, I am waiting-to no avail-for the Ministry of Communication to enforce the law and requires communications companies to transfer numbers among them. I eventually realized that this is a negligible subject compared to the problem of corruption in the government and Parliament.

Our children become experiment subjects for non-specialist Ministry of Education officials. Our food is rotten, yet no one is punished. Our media is corrupt and no one is punished. Our society is being destroyed daily and no one is being punished. Our wealth is stolen on daily basis and yet no one is punished.

At last I ask myself, with parliamentarians busy fighting the government and the government busy bribing the parliamentarians, who will care for our concerns? Let us keep silent.

We have begun to daily accept the hundreds of violations, catastrophes, crimes, government shortfalls and the ignorance of parliamentarians. What’s more, we accept these failures as we believe that they are negligible compared to the greater and more important issue concerning the two authorities. What a failure. — Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

The guilty parties

kuwait digest

It’s not heroism, it’s a shame

By Abdallah Khalaf

T

hey were not two states who faced off, with each having arms and military equipment such as bomber planes, attack helicopters, warships, tanks, armored cars and missiles.

The enemy has all these arms, but the other side, those whose land has been occupied for over 60 years, does not. The occupying state can take over the streets and markets and raid homes to seize hundreds or thousands of prisoners if so it chooses. Israel was proud that it exchanged one thousand for one.

This is the way international Zionism worked using media worldwide to belittle Arabs and praise others, including some of our writers who look with one eye.

So they asked their question: how can one be handed over in exchange for 1,000?

Israel imprisoned an entire state by occupying Palestine, yet when an Israeli soldier burdened with his heavy weapon or a media person is seized, we find all the ‘civilized’ countries in Europe and America rushing to his aid.

The Palestinian people have been imprisoned without arms since 1948, and this imprisonment was extended in 1967; they are the fighters armed only with stones, guerillas using whatever weapons come to hand - and the Arab media blasts those who give them weapons! I find it strange when our media laughs at handing over one in exchange for 1,000.

This one is armed and protected from fighter jets and tank guns, and if it could not get the guerilla, it goes to the streets and arrest any number of armless people from the roads and markets...destroy buildings and burn mosques and remove fruitful trees, those are not soldiers but civilians, and the civilian cannot be taken prisoner of war according to principles and laws.

The British, French, and Italians divided the Arab world among themselves following the Sykes-Picot agreement of Feb 17, 1917, after weak resistance in the region in the face of the advanced European weapons. All the Eastern Arab countries were occupied then, and their people subjected to mass arrest.

The colonialists built detention centers and prisons, as well as creating police forces which meted out brutal punishments, jailing people and taking prisoners of war.

The region had the same experience with the fivecentury Turkish occupation when the Arab people were taken prisoner and sent to fight in wars which

they had nothing to do with in Asia and Africa.

The Iraqi army occupied Kuwait in a way that is similar to the pre-Islamic era, looting homes, markets, offices and ministry facilities in a barbaric way, the Iraqis call ‘Farhood,’ meaning legitimized theft, while the two armies did not face one another since the orders of war were not issued by the military commanders in Kuwait.

So everything was allowed for them; theft, looting, imprisonment and murder killing...the bad example here, what the Jewish people are doing, and the oppression of Jews relatively easier that of the brothers. Iraqi busses were parked in front of mosques, and arrest the civilian worshipers, as well as those in markets and homes.

This is the way the entire people were subjugated, with many arrested and taken to Iraqi prisons.

This is how the state of Palestine is now, with its people, including those in the West Bank, subject to arrest in their hundreds and thousands. The process of exchanging 1,000 for one is not heroism, then, rather is a shame on a state that abducts and arrests as many as it wants every day and is a stranger to military honor, which would see two equal armies meeting on the battlefield rather than an oppressing and far stronger force abducting the unarmed and defenseless.

The naivety of the western media, is that they consider the imprisoned Palestinians to be ‘prisoners of war,’ and the stupidity of our Arab media is when they praised the Israelis and attacked the civilian prisoners, while chanting ‘One thousand for one.’

Each prisoner released from Israel’s prisons has a heroic story; some were jailed while in their 20s and 30s have left prison in their 50s and 60s. Some female prisoners were also imprisoned in Israeli jails for decades. Israeli soldiers have stormed into civilians’ homes demanding to know the whereabouts of guerillas; when the homeowners denied any knowledge of the individuals in question, the soldiers dragged them away and imprisoned them, regardless of whether they were elderly mothers or young daughters or sons, putting them in adjacent cells so that each could hear the screams of their loved ones as they were beaten.

What sort of ‘heroism’ is that? Israel imprisons hundreds whilst its media influences the Western world and even some Arab writers to glorify its actions and to ridicule the idea of 1,000 for one. — Al-Watan

By Waleed Al-Ahmad

kuwait digest

The thieves amongst us

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he government should be blamed for the ‘strikes trend’ that has caught the public sector by storm thanks to its ‘spoon-feeding’ welfare policy. Today, the government finds itself struggling to keep up with demands placed by teachers and legal staff in the public sector. These gained momentum after the government bucked under pressure placed by workers.

That said, the government is not solely responsible for the public funds squandering in the form of according indiscriminate financial privileges. We can’t ignore the role played by MPs who added to the chaos by inciting civil servants to hold strikes and demonstrations. These MPs supported workers without verifying the legitimacy of the reforms, blinded by their goal of ousting the government off its pedestal and cash in on vote banks.

Eighty percent of the state’s general budget is set aside to pay public sector salaries. This means that only twenty percent of the budget is used to finance projects and subsidize goods and services.

What do MPs have to say about this lopsided equation? Are they even aware of the fact that the state can lose $2.5 million everyday if oil prices drop by one US dollar? Do they remember the day when the government warned us of its inability to pay public sector salaries if oil prices drop sharply?

MPs are too busy bickering endlessly with the government and criticizing its performance and offer no solutions for the country’s political, economic and social problems. The government deserves to be criticized. MPs should also be blamed for fanning the flames of chaos with their deep rooted antipathy against fellow members and the government. It culminated in a cheerless incident where legislators avoided shaking hands with the Prime Minister in presence of His Highness the Amir!

I feel sorry for a country being led astray by its own government with support of a few parliament members. — Al-Rai

he necessity of a change in government is indisputable. The current government can no longer shoulder the financial expenses related to the MPs and political groups loyal to it. These expenses are incurred in addition to managing the state, with or without the development plan. As it stands, the government has disregarded the development plan and our future in favor of defending its political existence. What’s more, this existence exceeds in cost what this country can bear both in the short and long term.

There is only one course of action that remains for the government, which is to resign and reform.

The new government should cease the political favoritism practiced by the current government whenever it senses an imminent grilling motion or political crisis. Whenever the government strikes an agreement-temporary or permanent-it pays for it with public funds or, more accurately, our public funds.

While no one can argue that the government is not in need of change, it does not mean that the oppositionists are blameless, as some believe.

Instead of performing their legislative duties, the oppositionists have taken on a supervisory role.

Some of the grilling motions filed have been personal. Certain subjects could have been addressed by investigatory committees rather than having matters escalate with grilling motions. Some of the grilling motions already filed have sought to embarrass HH the Prime Minister, not the government, though the government has tried to face down the grilling motions politically. The oppositionists chose this course of action despite knowing the resulting heavy political and financial bill, the latter of which is paid for with public funds. If the government achieves nothing, logic dictates the it either resigns or changes its policies. The one oppositionist action I will certainly commend and accord respect is that it has forced thieves to think twice before stealing public funds. While there has been a noticeable and subsequent decrease in theft, it has yet to cease completely. — Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Chaos in Kuwait

By Dr Ahmad Al-Duaij

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very Kuwaiti employee now has the right to demand wage rises and bonuses, all because of the government’s mischievous behavior. This right is not limited to those who are still working, but even to the unemployed and retired; having ended one’s working life apparently doesn’t stop some citizens from demanding more money, as was the case with some pensioners who have enjoyed a financial boom time due to the chaotic policies of the current government, which will use any means to remain in power, seeing the ends as justifying the means.

This government has done what no others have

This government has done what no others have done before it and none will do after it, ‘butchering’ the public funds in strange and shameful ways, not caring for the future of the next generation or for fostering positive social values. The strange policies it has approved have set negative precedents in Kuwait’s political life, such as widespread strike action, protests and threats of further disruption.

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

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efore Kuwait’s oil companies were nationalized, workers would hold strikes seeking financial allowances or salary raises. At that time, their strikes were accepted by the public because it targeted a foreign investor and sought to secure workers’ rights.

Today, Kuwait can be compared to the likes of Cuban and North Korean economies which are completely state-run. The only difference is that unlike Cuba and North Korea where people are actually productive, Kuwait has adopted a cradle-to-grave welfare policy for its citizens regardless of their contribution to the country. In this context, labor strikes carried out in the public sector is unprecedented in its intent because there is no rebellion against abuse in the workplace.

When a company owner fails to pay wages to workers commensurate with the work performed, and hoards the wealth amassed from selling products, it’s considered legitimate to stage strikes. It is sometimes even necessary.

On the other hand, the government in Kuwait provides jobs to citizens keeping nationality as the sole criterion regardless of their capabilities or labor market conditions. Furthermore, the state pays

The government in Kuwait provides jobs to citizens keeping nationality as the sole criterion regardless of their capabilities or labor market conditions.

Furthermore, the state pays citizens’ salaries in full even if they are regularly absent from work.

Not only that, but the employer - which is the state in this case - sells products (that citizens are supposed to produce) back to them at dirt cheap prices.

citizens’ salaries in full even if they are regularly absent from work.

Not only that, but the employer which is the state in this case sells products (that citizens are supposed to produce) back to them at dirt cheap prices (the government suffers an approximate 1000 percent loss in subsidizing electricity to citizens).

State employees still find reasons to strike against their employer, at a time when they are supposed to be grateful that they have a ‘provider’ that pays them unemployment benefits and subsidizes all the products and services.

There is a ‘boycott’ and ‘strikes’ fad sweeping across the country right now. Even students, who study in public schools free of charge are holding demonstrations demanding more privileges!

“The system of governance in Kuwait shall be democratic, under which sovereignty lies with the people, the source of all powers,” stipulates Ar ticle 6 of the Constitution. If that be the case, then why do they continue to cheat themselves by stealing from their own countr y? Or more specifically, why do they insist on stealing the livelihood of future generations? — Al-Qabas.

done before it and none will do after it, ‘butchering’ the public funds in strange and shameful ways, not caring for the future of the next generation or for fostering positive social values. The strange policies it has approved have set negative precedents in Kuwait’s political life, such as widespread strike action, protests and threats of further disruption.

How are people expected not to strike, after all, when they see that these methods are the best way of achieving their demands with a weak government whose compass needle wavers wildly due to its inability to establish ground rules to prevent legitimate demands from escalating into chaos?

Finance minister Mustafa Al-Shamali said last Thursday that the government will review the financial cost of the wage increases due to their dangers to the national budget. The minister said that a study by his ministry demonstrated the negative effects of constant pay rises on Kuwait’s financial status, to which I’d say, the catastrophic effects on Kuwait’s financial status caused by haphazard government increases are too obvious to need a study and where was your ministry with its studies before the increases were approved? The finance ministry diwan has now been asked to cooperate with the ministerial advisory committee to review the study’s findings.

Are you sure, Hajji Mustafa? You review those wage rises and promotions Hajji Mustafa, but remember the saying, ‘What is taken by force (such as strikes and threats) will only be reclaimed by force.’

So, do you people in the government have the forcefulness to reclaim the billions that you have squandered? I don’t think so Hajji Mustafa, but I believe that your government, along with the parliament, won’t survive until May 2103, and but if it does and the current chaos continues, then we can kiss Kuwait goodbye. — Al-Watan

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No formal request for US troops relocation News leaked ‘to test the waters’

KUWAIT: Prince Charles shakes hands with Prime Minister HH Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday.

KUWAIT: Kuwait has not received any official request from the United States government pertaining to news suggesting that approximately 50,000 US soldiers will relocate to Kuwait after their withdrawal from Iraq, said a senior Kuwaiti military official. He speculated that the news was leaked to “test the waters.” Speaking anonymously, the source warned that such a move would put Kuwait at risk. “Moving 50,000 US soldiers to Kuwait would put the country at the eye of the Iranian storm,” he said, explaining that this step would be interpreted as a US desire to stay in the Gulf and with-

in striking distance of Iran.

The source also expressed concern that the soldiers’ relocation could force Kuwait into a war with its neighbor if the country is used for preparations to carry out a strike against Iran. “This will be a major consideration when studying an official request that Kuwait could receive,” the source noted as he insisted that the procedure would be subject to comprehensive political and military studies before it could be implemented.

“Relocation of US soldiers out of Iraq [by the end of the 2011] coincides with the enforcement of a new security strategy in the

Group demands Cabinet dissolution

KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi received yesterday Prince Charles and the delegation accompanying him. During the meeting, they discussed relations between the two friendly countries and ways of developing them.

KUWAIT: A political group released a statement recently demanding that the Parliament be dissolved to be replaced by a new Cabinet to ‘save Kuwait’ from a situation in which “it is spiraling downwards.”

“The time has come for the Parliament to be dissolved so that a new Cabinet adopts a new approach to save Kuwait,” read the statement that was released on Monday by the Group 26. It asserted that the new Cabinet must begin by holding an investigation into the cash deposits scandal, reported Al-Qabas.

Moreover, the group said that the involvement of one quarter of the Parliament’s members “is an alarming indication that the country is being sold.”

They added that the development plan is doomed “due to the deadlock between [executive and legislative] authorities.”

The Group 26, or G26 in short, is a coalition of 26 activists who adopted a campaign to combat squandering of public funds to spread awareness on the use of national wealth.

News

in brief

Medical consultants to visit Kuwait KUWAIT: Seventeen medical consultants are due to visit Kuwait during November in order to diagnose patients at public hospitals and perform complicated surgical operations in cooperation with Kuwaiti medical staff.

“The doctors will also deliver lectures and take part in medical workshops and conferences to improve the quality of medical services in Kuwait,” said the director of the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) Public Relations and Media Department, Faisal Al-Dousary. The international delegation will comprise specialists in otolaryngology, burn injuries, cosmetic surgery, orthopedics, oncology, physiotherapy, neurology, and general surgery. The visit is one of many scheduled by the MoH throughout the year to train Kuwaiti medical staff members on utilizing the most advanced treatment methods.

Lack of quorum at Municipality KUWAIT: A lack of quorum has resulted in the cancelation of a Municipal Council session for the third consecutive time. President Zaid Al-Azmy deferred the session to November 21 in the absence of nine out of the council’s sixteen members. Among the absentees are seven who have embarked on a Hajj pilgrimage. The other two are the same legislators that walked out of last week’s session in protest against Minister of Public Works and Municipality Affairs Fadhel Safar’s apparent lack of cooperation, reported Al-Rai. Chief of Staff meets Jordan PM AMMAN: Kuwait’s General Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Khaled Al-Sabah met on Tuesday with Jordan’s PM Awn Al-Khasawneh. Lt Gen Al-Sabah praised the strong bilateral relations and cooperation enjoyed by the two countries, which, he explained, serve the interests of the countries and its peoples. PM Al-Khasawneh also spoke on the nature of the strong bilateral ties in various fields, attributing the success to the indefatigable efforts and care given by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and King Abdullah II to their countries’ common interests and peoples. Call for caution on budget examination KUWAIT: Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali emphasized yesterday that the state budget cannot absorb the demands of laborers and employees. Al-Shamali stressed the importance of discussing these matters logically, as he put it, as increments will be harmful to the general budget. He added that caution and attention to detail should inform any examination of the state budget. AlShamali was speaking during the 88th Turkey National Day, an event organized by the Turkey Embassy and held at the ambassador’s residence at Al-Daiya. AlShamali expressed his happiness at his annual participation in the Turkish National Day celebrations, emphasizing the good relations between Turkey and Kuwait.

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of Austria to Kuwait Marian A Wrba hosted a reception at his place of residence on the occasion of his country’s National Day. High-ranking officials, diplomats and media personalities attended the event. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

Money laundering ring revealed KUWAIT: A source has reported that a state security office has arrested an Iranian expatriate involved in money laundering. The case came to light following a dispute between a Lebanese national and the accused when the former reported the Iranian national to police. It is thought that the suspect has been importing goods into Kuwait from Iran through an as-of-yet unknown third party. The money laundering operation is reported to exceed KD 3 million in value. Investigations are ongoing to identify the third party, who is suspected of being an influential Kuwaiti.

Gulf, which will feature security and intelligence coordination between Gulf Cooperation Council countries,” he said, adding that these preparations will include reinforcement of repositioning of US military assets in the Gulf.

Furthermore, the source also expressed concern about the “popular reaction” to news about the possible presence of large numbers of foreign troops in the country. “The people could understand the need for a limited presence of troops at the Virginia Military Camp, since their presence is temporary and aims to

provide logistical support to soldiers in Iraq,” he said, adding that moving 50,000 soldiers to Kuwait might not be as equally-welcomed by the public.

In other news, General Director for the Customs General Department Ibrahim Al-Ghanim called directors of border outlets to increase search operations at vehicles passing through border checkpoints in order to thwart smuggling activities. The new directions are reported to coincide with the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, as large equipment could be used by smugglers to smuggle contraband. —Al-Rai

Jordan ambassador conveys Eid greetings KUWAIT: Jordan’s Ambassador to Kuwait Juma Al-Abbadi has sent his warmest regards, on the occasion of Eid Al-Adhha, to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed AlJaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed AlAhmad and to the entire Al-Sabah family.

Ambassador Al-Abbadi also congratulated National Assembly Speaker Jassem AlKhorafi and the Kuwaiti people on the same occasion and expressed his wishes that Kuwait continues to enjoy security and stability.

Ambassador Abbadi also spoke on the strong relations between His Majesty King Abdullah II and HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed, as well as the ties between the two peoples. He also pointed the outstanding level of relations between the two countries in all fields.

Ambassador Al-Abbadi also sent his

warm regards to the Jordanian community in Kuwait, who, he explained, enjoy the best of care and hospitality from the Kuwaiti leadership. —KUNA

Offices penalized for failing pilgrims

MoI to investigate riot police ‘mutiny’

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs will penalize agencies that have failed to issue visas for individuals intending to perform the Hajj, a senior ministry official announced on Monday.

Recent news reports have indicated that several pilgrimage agencies have announced that they will be unable to issue some applicants’ visas in time for this year’s pilgrimage. Those affected do not have sufficient time to arrange visas through other agencies.

“The ministry will take action against offices that failed pilgrims after promising to help them join this year’s Hajj season,” said Undersecretary Dr Adel Al-Falah, who also chairs Kuwait’s official Hajj convoy that observes preparations at the holy sites in Saudi Arabia to ensure smooth passage for pilgrims from Kuwait. —Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: A well-informed security source has reported that acting Ministry of Interior undersecretary, Lieutenant General Sulaiman Al-Fahad, has ordered a widescale investigation into the commanders of the riot police. This development comes following the refusal of 60 riot policemen to go on a mission and their decision to take sick leave at the same time.

The source added that the policemen’s refusal to obey a direct order was in protest of a senior officer’s mistreatment and the official’s insistence on having those particular elements go out on all missions.

Elsewhere, Lt Gen Al-Fahad has also ordered the interrogation of a coastguard boat force over an Iraqi coastguard complaint that the Kuwaiti force stopped and assaulted several Iraqi fishermen last week.

Ambassador Juma Al-Abbadi

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local

Police officers verbally abused at Jahra station Multiple violator caught in Hawally KUWAIT: A National Guard officer and his two brothers are being held as an investigation is launched into their recent altercation with police. The National Guard officer became embroiled in an argument with patrol officers after being refused passage through a closed road. The officer was taken into custody after verbally abusing the patrol officers and held at Jahra Police Station. Shortly thereafter the suspect’s two brothers arrived and attempted to attack the police officer but were subdued and taken into custody.

KUWAIT: The Secretary General of the Kuwait Journalists’ Association Faisal Al-Qanaei presenting a memento to outgoing Chief of the Egyptian Media Office Mutaz Amin as a token of appreciation this week.

Al-Duwaisan receives award for exceptional service LONDON: Kuwait’s Ambassador to the UK Khaled Al-Duwaisan received the annual Award for exceptional Service to the International Community at a ceremony at the House of Lords here last night.

The distinguished award was offered by the UN Association here in recognition of the Ambassador’s work to help the international endeavor to promote peace and harmony in the community.

A group of MPS, members of the House of Lords, public figures, Kuwaiti and foreign diplomats and media representatives attended the celebration.

In a brief address, the Kuwaiti envoy, who is also the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps here, said it is a privilege to receive this distinguished award.

The Ambassador is currently in Kuwait during the official visit there by the Prince of Wales, the heir to the British throne, and his daughter Rasha received

the Award on his behalf.

In his remarks read by his daughter, Al-Duwaisan paid tribute to the work of the UN and its Agencies for fostering cooperation, alleviating poverty and promoting peace and human rights, as well as keeping civilians safe in the midst of disasters and wars.

He said “Kuwait will never forget the prominent role the UN played in the liberation of Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion in 1990”.

The envoy pledged to continue serving his country and the International community from London, “this splendid capital”.

Meanwhile, Al-Duwaisan expressed his gratitude to British politicians and members of the House of Lords, who helped him serve his country and contribute towards the strengthening of bilateral relations between the UK and Kuwait. —KUNA

Driver kills pedestrian A pedestrian was killed on Al-Wafra Road after a car carrying three passengers struck him. The impact was reported to be so forceful that not only did it tear the victim’s body in half but the passengers sustained injuries as the body crashed through the windshield. The three passengers were taken to Al-Adan Hospital for treatment and an investigation has been started.

Armed thief sought Police are searching for an armed suspect wanted for a recent crime spree that started with the theft of a car. The initial victim had stopped her car in Ardhiya to go to an ATM, leaving her four-year-old inside the vehicle.

Assuming the car was empty and sensing an opportunity, the suspect got in and drove off.

Upon noticing the child the driver stopped the car and threw him out but police quickly caught up with the suspect and pursued him until he crashed into an SUV. Undeterred, the suspect switched cars, stealing a second from a driver at gunpoint. The suspect managed to evade police officers and Farwaniya and Jahra police investigations are ongoing.

Abnormal death Investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of death of an Asian expatriate who collapsed at his place of work. The victim was taken to Al-Adan Hospital by his colleagues and was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors. The victim’s colleagues report that the individual had simply collapsed at their place of work.

Suicide attempt A German national was taken to Mubarak Hospital in a critical condition following an apparent suicide attempt. Paramedics arrived at the victim’s Bayan apartment after the building janitor found the victim unconscious.

Investigations have revealed the victim overdosed on prescription medication in an apparent attempt to take his own life. The victim’s motive is yet to be revealed.

Wife’s life threatened A Kuwaiti woman has filed attempted murder charges against her husband and son after a recent family argument got out of hand. In her statement to Mubarak Al-Kabeer police officers the victim explained that her son had held a knife to her throat as her husband restrained her. Details of the original argument remain unknown. Police are now searching for the two suspects to further their investigation.

GCC national caught An GCC national wanted on multiple charges was recently arrested in a Hawally mall after causing a commotion. Police responded to reports of a man harassing female shoppers and assaulting a shop owner and arrived at the scene to find the suspect

drunk. Following a violent resistance the individual was arrested and an ID verification revealed that he was wanted for 27 separate misdemeanor charges, including eight for intoxication. The man is being held pending further action.

Suspect escapes Police are searching for an individual suspected of having entered Kuwait illegally following an earlier deportation. Patrol police ordered a car displaying no license plates to pull over on Abdaly Road but were ignored.

They pursued the vehicle until the driver eventually stopped his car in Jahra and fled inside a building, shouting threats at the officers. While requesting permission to raid the building an elderly man identifying himself as the suspect’s father emerged, explaining that his “troublemaker” son had fled via the backdoor. The father provided the officers with information to assist their investigation and it was then revealed that the suspect had previously been deported, leading officers to conclude that the suspect reentered the country illegally.

Personal punishment dispensed A female shopper recently took matters into her own hands at a Salmiya mall following persistent harassment from a young man. After continually rebuffing his advances to no avail, the victim switched tact and lured him closer by implying she was interested in him. When he was close enough she beat the living day lights out of the young fool with her purse, causing him to scamper away. The woman declined to press charges against the man, explaining that her defensive maneuvers will prove more effective in similar situations in the future. — Al-Rai, Al-Anba, Al-Watan

Protecting people, property and the environment KUWAIT CITY: The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Kuwait Chapter, organized Fifth Technical Meet on 20 October, 2011 at Hubara Assembly Hall, Ahmadi covered two topics viz ‘E&PD Operations and its HSE Risks and Management’ and ‘HSE Risk Management and Occupational Health Issues in Oil and Gas Sector.’

Amarnath Burugupalli, Secretary, ASSE-Kuwait Chapter welcomed all participants, Ch RK Chary, Environment Engineer, HSE (E&PD) Team, KOC and Head- Health and Environment presented HSE Moment on ‘H2S Safety.’ Subba Rao Palagummi, President, ASSE - Kuwait Chapter introduced Hamad Al-Kandari to the attendees. Al-Kandari, besides extending thanks to ASSE for organizing this, delivered a key note address and presented the HSE risks and their management in Exploration and Production Development activities.

Bala Siva Srikanth Adivi, Head - Technical Events Committee introduced the Speaker of the Day Hemant Kshirsagar, Industrial Hygienist, KOC. Dr Hemant briefly explained about various Occupational Health issues of Oil and Gas industry and focused on the initiatives taken by KOC in this front. The technical session was very interactive followed by a question and answer session. More than 90 ASSE Kuwait chapter members participated from various sectors (government sectors, Oil and Gas companies, contractors and, HSE consultancies). As a token of appreciation, Executive Committee of ASSE-KC presented a memento to Dr Kshirsagar and to Hamad Al-Kandari.

Several announcements were made about the upcoming ASSE programs like training programs, quiz in the HSE Update, and the Mega 6th Professional Development Conference to be held from Nov 29 and Dec 1 at Radisson Blu. The technical meet came to an end with dinner sponsored by Hamad Al-Kandari, Team Leader HSE (E&PD), KOC.

KUWAIT: The Central Bank of Kuwait participated in the Third Kuwait Financial Forum as a platinum sponsor for the event which concluded on Monday. It was inaugurated by HH Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah. Several guests including Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali and Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr Amani Buresli paid a visit to CB’s pavilion.

Sheikh Salman lauds role of Kuwaiti arts KUWAIT: Undersecretary at the Ministry of Information Sheikh Salman Aabah AlSalem Al-Hamoud Al-Sabah affirmed yesterday the important need to enhance Kuwait’s arts and cinema movements.

Sheikh Salman was speaking as he received Kuwait Cinema Club (KCC) Chairman Hussein Al-Khawaled, KCC President Sheikh Nayef Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, a delegation from the Kuwaiti Society for Fine Arts (SFA) and Association of Fine Arts President Abdullah Abdulrasoul Salman.

Sheikh Salman emphasized that art in all its forms helps to develop societies, illustrated via the works of the KCC and SFA. Kuwait has a vast potential in the field of art, he added. Sheikh Salman also affirmed the importance of supporting initiatives to enhance Kuwaiti TV, radio and other media. The visiting officials and delegates expressed their gratitude to Sheikh Salman for his understanding of the roles their respective organizations have played and continue to play in Kuwaiti society. — KUNA

National Guard contributing to financial center plan Displaced Somali people receiving the Kuwaiti aid yesterday.

KRCS continues aiding drought-stricken Somalia KUWAIT: Head of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) aid mission to Somalia Abdeltahman Al-Oun said yesterday that the KRCS accords great importance to the humanitarian situation in Somalia, where a large segment of the population is suffering from drought and hunger.

Al-Oun added that the KRCS’ attention to the plight of the Somali people has been demonstrated by the largescale assistance provided to those affected. Famine and drought currently affect large swathes of the Horn of Africa, especially Somalia.

Al-Oun also pointed out that the relief efforts undertaken by the KRCS field team in Somalia have so far covered 18 provinces and a city. He said that six provinces are yet to be covered, noting that there are about 250,000 displaced people suffering from malnutrition and at risk of hunger and famine. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The strategic Planning division of the National Guard completed a program of field visits to all sites and locations throughout last month, with focus on means to help along the state’s plans to become a regional financial hub.

Official in charge of the division Lt Col Jamal Abdulaziz Al-

Mutawwa’ said, in remarks to the press yesterday, the guard has a strategy based on the premise “Safety the Basis for Development”. It is working to define obstacles before imple mentation of plans in this regard.

The field visits, he said, enable analysis of the internal and external context of the guard, and

measurement of the variables affecting the implementation of the plans.

The National Guard is working hard to improve all its military, security, administrative, and technical capabilities and standards, he said. The strategic plan involves enhancing the teamwork spirit, patriotism, as well as values

KUWAIT: National Guard officers meeting yesterday.

of equality and transparency.

The guard’s 2010-2015 strate gic aims at improving overall readiness to cope with and react to disasters and emergencies, as enhancing cooperation and coordination with other military and security institutions in the country and with civil society bodies.— KUNA

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

Berlusconi vows reform, opposition demands new govt

Key conservative voices rally to Cain Page 9

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SIRTE: A Libyan fighter loyal to the new regime walks amidst the rubble yesterday of the destroyed “Beit Al-Samed” or “The Resisting House”, as dubbed by slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who placed an iconic statue of a golden-coloured fist grabbing a US fighter jet at the site in his Bab Al-Aziziya compound after it was bombed by the US in 1986. —AFP

Libya elects new Prime Minister UN warns on weapons TRIPOLI: Libya’s new prime minister pledged his interim government would set respect for human rights as its priority, as the UN warned against the proliferation of arms looted from Muammar Gaddafi’s huge stockpile. Abdel Rahim Al-Keib, an academic and wealthy businessman who is a native of Tripoli, was elected interim prime minister in a public vote carried out by the members of the National Transitional Council (NTC) on Monday night.

Keib told a news conference shortly after beating four other candidates in the vote that he would set human rights as a priority. “We guarantee that we are going to build a nation that respects human rights and does not accept the abuse of human rights. But we need time,” he said. Keib spent decades abroad as an opponent of Gaddafi before joining the pro-democracy revolution that overthrew him. He replaces Mahmud Jibril, who resigned three days after Gaddafi was captured and killed when NTC fighters overran his hometown Sirte on October 20. “This vote

proves that Libyans are able to build their future,” NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil said after Monday’s vote.

Under a political roadmap, Keib now has until November 23 to form an interim government that, parallel to the NTC, will run Libya for eight months after which elections for a constituent assembly will be held. At that point the interim government and NTC will disband, giving way to a “general national congress” that the constituent assembly will form to run the country until parliamentary and presidential elections are held. Keib spoke only days after a demonstration by men in the highly conservative eastern city of Benghazi demanded that Islamic sharia law must be the basis of legislation in newly liberated Libya. On October 23, Abdel Jalil said sharia would be Libya’s principal law. “Any law that violates sharia is null and void legally,” he said, citing as an example the law on marriage passed during the slain dictator’s tenure that imposed restrictions on polygamy, which is permitted in Islam. Abdel

Over 60 seek victim status in Hariri trial THE HAGUE: More than 60 people have applied for victim status in the trial of Lebanese ex-premier Rafiq Hariri’s alleged assassins, the tribunal that will hear the case said yesterday. If granted, victims will be allowed to take part in the trial by questioning witnesses, producing evidence and filing petitions, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said in a statement. “The applicants are members of various Lebanese communities and include persons who suffered different k inds of harm as a result of the 14 February 2005 attack” that killed Hariri and 22 others.

The applications will be weighed by a pre-trial judge in a process that “might take several months”, said the tribunal.

The court has indicted Hezbollah operatives Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine,

Hussein Anaissi and Assad Sabra for the 2005 suicide car bomb attack in Beirut.

They have not been arrested. Pressure has been mounting on Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati to deliver on his pledge to continue cooperating with the court and pay the country’s overdue annual share of the fees that for 2011 amounts to about $35 million (25.2 million euros).

Hassan Nasrallah, head of the Syrianand Iranian-backed Hezbollah-which dominates Mikati’s government-last week reiterated his opposition to Lebanon’s funding of the court. Under the tribunal’s rules, no victim can be paid damages in the case of a guilty verdict. But they can ask their respective national jurisdictions to pay them indemnities.—AFP

Jalil’s comments have provoked criticism and calls for restraint from abroad amid fears the Arab Spring may give rise to a potentially intolerant Islamist resurgence.

Ahmed Al-Moghrabi, a prayer leader at a Benghazi mosque, said at Friday’s demonstration that Libya was “not concerned (with) what Western countries” feel about sharia. “Our revolution was carried out by our boys not the West. We don’t look at the West. We do what we want to do,” he said. The appointment of a new prime minister came as the UN Security Council on Monday called on Libya’s interim authorities and neighboring countries to stamp out the spread of weapons from Gaddafi’s stockpiles. Amid mounting fears militant groups in Africa and beyond could get shoulder-fired rockets and other weapons from the Gaddafi cache, the council unanimously passed a resolution demanding the clampdown. Resolution 2017, drawn up by Russia, stressed fears the stockpile could cause unrest through Africa’s Sahel region and fall into

the hands of groups such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. It called on Libya “to take all necessary steps to prevent the proliferation of all arms,” especially man-portable surface-to-air missiles, MANPADS. Since the death of Gaddafi on October 20, Libya’s transitional government has found two chemical weapons sites hidden by the old regime, experts said. The UN envoy to Libya, Ian Martin, told the Security Council last week that international inspectors have to visit hundreds of suspected weapons stockpile sites in Libya. Gaddafi’s regime “accumulated the largest known stockpile of anti-aircraft missiles” outside of producing countries, Martin said.

The MANPAD surface-to-air missiles can be used against civilian jets and other ordnance can easily be converted into car bombs and roadside explosives, according to experts. It was also revealed that Libyan and NATO secret agents kept watch over hidden stocks of mustard gas, stockpiled by Gaddafi, throughout the war which toppled him to prevent his forces using them.

Monday’s election of a new prime minister followed a visit to Tripoli by NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen to mark the official end of the alliance air war that helped topple Gaddafi.

The no-fly zone and naval blockade, enforced

by NATO since March 31, ended a minute before midnight Monday Libyan time (2159 GMT), as stipulated by a UN Security Council resolution last week that ended the alliance’s mandate. In other developments, the National Oil Corp said Libyan oil production has reached 530,000 barrels per day, exceeding expectations for the rate of recovery of the country’s vital industry. “We are now producing 530,000 barrels per day. The main problem (in reaching this level) was that the Sharara pipeline was blocked. But they have been very quick to fix this,” a senior official at the staterun NOC told AFP. Interim oil minister Ali Tarhuni said last month that Tripoli hoped to raise oil production to nearly one million bpd by April, and to pre-conflict levels of around 1.7 million bpd by the end of 2012.—AFP

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Iran seeks US apology over plot claims: Ministry TEHRAN: Iran has sent a letter to the United States seeking an “apology” over allegations of an Iranian assassination plot on US soil, foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said yesterday. “A letter has been sent... It is our right to seek the official apology of the Americans in protest of this made-up scenario as these allegations are not true at all,”

Mehmanparast told a news conference, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

He explained the Iranian letter was in response to a US one, whose contents he did not divulge.

Mehmanparast did not give details on how the letters were transmitted. Iran and the United States have had no direct diplomatic channels for more than three

decades. On October 11, US officials alleged Iran’s Quds Force-an elite wing the Revolutionary Guardsplotted to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington by hiring assassins from a Mexican drug cartel for $1.5 million. An Iranian-American car salesman accused of involvement in the plot pleaded not guilty in a New York court last week. Iranian officials and leaders have

fiercely denied any involvement in the alleged plot, calling it an attempt by Washington to divert attention from domestic economic woes and foreign policy failures in the Middle East. The US and Iran broke off diplomatic ties after radical students in Tehran took US diplomats hostage following Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.— AFP

Israel weighs next move after UNESCO vote Possible punitive measures discussed JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his inner cabinet yesterday to weigh a response, including possible punitive measures, to UNESCO’s decision to admit Palestine as a full member. Israeli media reported that the so-called Forum of Eight would meet yesterday afternoon to discuss the best way to respond to Monday’s UNESCO vote, which handed the Palestinians a key diplomatic victory and angered Israel.

“We will look at how we will respond to this vote,” a senior Israeli official told AFP. The Palestinian bid for UNESCO membership, which comes as the Palestinians also seek to become a United Nations member state, was approved despite strong opposition from the United States and Israel. The vote will cost the organisation its US funding, which makes up 22 percent of its budget, because US law requires

Washington to cut funds to any UN organisation that admits Palestine as a full member.

Both Washington and Israel had lobbied the organisation to delay the vote, with the Jewish state warning that the membership bid was unilateral and would jeopardise the chances of reviving negotiations. Israel’s foreign ministry condemned what it called a “unilateral Palestinian manoeuvre which will bring no change on the ground but further removes the possibility for a peace agreement.”

Netanyahu also condemned the Palestinian bid on Monday, describing it as an attempt to seek “a state without a deal. “Instead of sitting around the negotiating table, they chose to make a covenant with Hamas and take unilateral steps at the UN,” he said at the opening of the Israeli parliament on Monday. “We won’t sit around idly in the wake of these moves that

JERUSALEM: Israel’s President Shimon Peres, right, listens to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak during the opening session of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, Monday.—AP

Areva finds 12,300 tons of uranium in Jordan: Report AMMAN: French nuclear giant Areva has discovered 12,300 tons of uranium in central Jordan, state-run media said yesterday, as the parched kingdom tries to develop nuclear energy to meet its growing needs.

“Reserves of 12,300 tons of uranium have been in found in central Jordan,” the Petra news agency quoted the French company as saying in a statement published yesterday. The Jordan French Uranium Mining Company, a joint venture between Areva and Jordan Energy Resources Inc., “is confident that it will find a strategic reserve of more than 20,000 tons or uranium by the end this year,” it said.

“The reserve is essential for boosting Jordan’s nuclear fuel resources in the future,” it added. Jordan, which buys 95 percent of its energy, says its 1.2 billion tons of phosphate reserves are estimated to contain 130,000 tons of uranium. It has said it would this month announce the firm it has chosen to build the kingdom’s first nuclear plant.

A consortium by Areva and Japan’s Mitsubishi, Russia’s Atomstroyexport and Atomic Energy of Canada were competing to build the plant. The country’s ambitious nuclear program seeks to meet growing needs for power as well as water for its population of 6.3 million. With desert covering 92 percent of its territory, Jordan, one of the world’s 10 driest countries, wants to use atomic energy to fire desalination plants in a bid to overcome its dire water shortages.— AFP

harm Israel and are a crude violation of the most elementary commitment the sides took upon themselves in the peace process-to solve the conflict between us through negotiations only.”

Israel’s deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon said yesterday that the Jewish state would “weigh its reactions to this vote at the diplomatic and political level, taking its interests into account.” Israeli media reported that a wide range of punitive measures against the Palestinians would be weighed during the cabinet meeting. The Haaretz daily, citing an unnamed senior Israeli official, said the government would consider measures including accelerating controversial settlement building and suspending its transfer of tax and tariff funds to the Palestinian Authority.

Israel is also considering withdrawing the special movement permits it has granted to members of the Palestinian leadership that allow them to move with relative ease inside the Jewish state, the newspaper reported. Shortly before the vote on Monday, Israel’s ultra-nationalist foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman called on the Israeli government to “break all its ties with the Palestinian Authority” in response to the bid. The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel was also considering measures against UNESCO, including suspending its cooperation with the organisation. Israel contributes about three percent of UNESCO’s annual budget.

The Jewish state has had strained ties with UNESCO for some time, and in 2010 announced it was suspending ties over several resolutions referring to holy sites in the occupied West Bank.

But the statement was quickly retracted, with the foreign ministry citing a “translation error” and saying it was only suspending cooperation with UNESCO at certain sites, including the West Bank sites covered by the resolutions.

Winning membership in UNESCO will allow the Palestinians, who previously held observer status at the organisation, to apply to classify its natural and cultural sites as World Heritage Sites. — AFP

Iraq death toll up sharply in October BAGHDAD: The number of Iraqis killed rose sharply in October, making it the first month since January in which the toll was higher than the same period a year ago, official figures showed yesterday. A total of 258 Iraqis — 161 civilians, 55 policemen and 42 soldiers-were killed in attacks last month, according to data compiled by the ministries of interior, defence and health.

A further 438 were wounded — 195 civilians, 142 policemen and 101 soldiers.

The figures also showed 85 insurgents were killed in October. The overall death toll for October represented an increase of roughly 39 percent from September, when 185 Iraqis were killed. It was also markedly higher than in October 2010, when 185 Iraqis were killed, making it the first month since January in which the death toll was higher than the corresponding month the year before.

The tolls for the months of February through September 2011 were lower than the same months in 2010. October’s deadliest attack saw at least 32 people killed and 71 wounded in twin roadside bomb blasts in the Urr neighbourhood of Baghdad on October 27. On October 13, 18 people were killed and at least 43 wounded in twin blasts in the Sadr City area of Baghdad.

And a spate of attacks in the capital mainly targeting security forces, including two suicide car bombs minutes apart against police stations, killed 23 people and wounded more than 70 on October 12. Yesterday’s figures come with just two months to go before all US troops are to leave countr y. US President Barack Obama announced on October 21 that all US forces would depart Iraq by year’s end.— AFP

23 charged over alleged ties to Kurdish rebels ANKARA: A Turkish court yesterday pressed separatism charges against 23 suspects, including a university professor and a publisher, on suspicion of membership in a separatist Kurdish rebel group, state-run television reported.

The court in Istanbul said the suspects included Prof. Busra Ersanli and Ragip Zarakolu of Belge Publishing, according to the state-run TRT channel. They were among about 50 suspects detained over the weekend in a crackdown on the autonomy-seeking Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK. The court ordered the 23 jailed pending trial, but it was not clear if the rest will also be tried. No trial date has been set. The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party said Ersanli was a representative of the party at a parliamentary commission that is seeking reconciliation in drafting a new constitution and that her detention was detrimental to peace efforts in the country. The trial comes amid intensified clashes between Kurdish rebels and Turkish troops in the country’s largely Kurdish southeast.— AP

BAGHDAD: US army soldiers queue to board a plane to begin their journey home out of Iraq from the Al-Asad Air Base yesterday.—AP

TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad waves, as he arrives to attend an open session of parliament for impeachment of his Economy Minister, Shamsoddin Hosseini, unseen, as a banner hangs behind him with a quotation of late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, which says “US can not do anything”, in Tehran, Iran yesterday.—AP

Iran’s parliament votes to keep Ahmadinejad’s minister TEHRAN: Iran’s parliament voted yesterday against removing the economy minister of hardline President Mahoud Ahmadinejad from office over the country’s biggest financial scandal. Parliamentarians who wanted to remove Shamseddin Hosseini lambasted him for mismanagement, including laxity in monitoring the banking sector. “141 of the 244 parliamentarians present voted against unseating the minister,” said parliament speaker Ali Larijani, a political rival to Ahmadinejad. A simple majority in the 290-seat assembly is enough to remove a minister from office.

The $2.6 billion banking scandal has taken on political dimensions because some hardliners linked the main suspect in the fraud to a so-called “deviant current” of advisers, allegedly led by Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff and closest ally. Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie is accused by many Shi’ite clerics and politicians of trying to undermine the central role of the clergy in politics by emphasising the nationalist strain of Iranian history and culture. The conservative-dominated parliament has given Ahmadinejad a hard time since his re-election in 2009 by rejecting many of his nominees for key ministries and also by obstructing the government’s proposed bills, including a cash subsidy plan on fuel and energy. The bill was passed and implemented in 2010.

Larijani called on lawmakers to give Hosseini another chance after he repeatedly apologised for his shortcomings during a speech defending his actions. “I urge you to give the minister a conditional vote of confidence ... Unseating Hosseini could intensi-

fy tension between the parliament and the government,” Larijani told MPs. The power struggle between the president and ruling hierarchy followed the 2009 election that the opposition says was rigged to secure Ahmadinejad’s victory. Officials deny this.

Ahmadinejad’s allies said the impeachment proceeding was politically motivated to weaken the president who has called his government “the cleanest” in the country’s history. “We are against corruption ... The MPs’ sensitivity over this incident is appreciated ... but shortcomings can happen anywhere in the system. We should unite to overcome them,” Ahmadinejad told parliament when defending his minister.

Politicians, including lawmakers, accuse the “deviant current” of planning to use some of the stolen money to fund the 2012 parliamentary election campaign.

Critics believe Ahmadinejad was grooming Mashaie to succeed him in the 2013 presidential vote. A pro-reform former official said Ahmadinejad’s hardline rivals, including politicians and the clerical elites, “want to clip his wings to make him a lame duck president in the remaining part of his term”. In a speech last month, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei touched on the possibility of eliminating the position of president. Since April, Ahmadinejad’s allies have been dismissed, detained and banned from holding office on various grounds.

At least 74 MPs last week demanded Ahmadinejad be summoned to face questions over his economic policies. Attempts by the parliament to impeach Ahmadinejad have been blocked by Khamenei’s interventions. — Reuters

Palestinians aim to join 16 other UN agencies GENEVA: It’s not just UNESCO. The Palestinians’ top envoy in Geneva said yesterday he believes that joining the UN agency for culture, education and science will “open the door” to joining 16 other UN agencies within weeks.

Ibrahim Khraishi, the top Palestinian envoy at the UN in Geneva, told The Associated Press that Palestinian diplomats are now planning to capitalize on Monday’s landslide vote to allow the Palestinians into UNESCO by preparing papers to join the other UN agencies and a variety of other international organizations.

“Now we are studying when we are going to move for full membership on the other UN agencies,” Khraishi said.

“It’s our target for (us to join) the international organizations and the UN agencies.” He said the UNESCO vote sets a precedent to allowing such broad memberships. “We are working on it, one by one,” he said. “Because it’s now precedent that we are a full member in one of the biggest and one of the most important UN agencies, UNESCO. So it will open the door for us now to go further in our efforts to join other UN agencies.”

The Obama administration cut off funding to UNESCO after Monday’s vote, and US officials warned of a “cascade” effect at other UN bodies that might follow UNESCO’s lead. The Palestinians have triggered a long-standing congressional ban on US funding to UN bodies that recognize Palestine as a state before an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is reached.

The UN agency campaign comes as Palestinian officials are seeking full membership in the United Nations, but that effort is still under examination and the US has pledged a veto unless there is a peace deal with Israel. Becoming a UNESCO member could give the

Palestinians an advantage in joining the UN World Intellectual Property Organization, whose rules say membership is “equally open” to those already a member of other UN specialized agencies.

But it’s not clear whether that means membership is automatic, and Genevabased spokeswoman for the organization Samar Shamoon declined to comment on that yesterday. Assistant US Secretary of State Esther Brimmer emphasized Monday that Palestinian membership in the UN World Intellectual Property Organization, known as WIPO, “could have serious implications for US leadership in this organization,” which supports global infrastructure helping US companies to protect their business interests around the world, according to State Department briefing notes.

“The United States is a leading global voice on issues related to patent, copyright, and trademark matters, and should the US be unable to provide its contributions to WIPO, the impact of that voice could be significantly diminished,” the US agency said. Of course, a withdrawal of US funding from WIPO also could leave US companies vulnerable. Fadela Chaib, spokeswoman for the World Health Organization, another Geneva-based UN agency, said any nation that is part of the UN can join. For those that are not part, she said, the annual World Health Assembly can approve membership by a simple majority vote if a written request is received at least 30 days beforehand.

Cutting US funding for WHO would hurt, she conceded. “Of course we need it. The US funding is quite important, I guess for all the UN organizations,” Chaib told reporters. “It’s a vital funding need for WHO.” — AP

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6.3 magnitude quake in Pacific off Mexico LOS ANGELES: A strong magnitude6.3 ear thquake struck under the Pacific Ocean early yesterday off Mexico’s coast, but US experts said there was no major tsunami threat and no casualties or damage were reported. The quake occurred at 1232 GMT some 333 kilometers (205 miles) southeast of Mexico’s Baja California beach resor t of Cabo San Lucas,

according to experts from the US Geological Survey.

While the temblor was at a shallow depth of five kilometers (three miles), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported there was no widespread destructive tsunami threat. The USGS initially measured the quake at a stronger magnitude of 6.5 but later revised the reading. The earthquake

struck in the region of the Revilla Gigedo archipelago, small volcanic islands off the Baja California peninsula that are sometimes referred to as Mexico’s “little Galapagos” because of several endemic plant and animal species. The waters are popular with divers and snorkelers.

The largest island, Socorro, has a Mexican naval base and is home to a

few hundred people. The quake struck some 227 k ilometers (140 miles) from Socorro, and there were no immediate reports of damage on the island. Much of Mexico lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe shaped region from the southern tip of South America up to Alaska and down through Japan to New Zealand. Most of the world’s earth-

quakes and volcanic eruptions occur along the ring.

A historic 8.1-magnitude quake struck off Mexico’s Pacific coast in 1985, and while it was centered some 350 kilometers from Mexico City, it devastated the capital, killing at least 10,000 people. Yesterday’s temblor was about 1,050 k ilometers (650 miles) west of Mexico City. —AFP

Key conservative voices rally to Cain Harassment allegations engulf candidacy

NEW YORK: This June 20, 2004, image released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Monday, shows an FBI surveillance photo of Richard Murphy in Columbus Circle, New York. —AP

FBI: Russians were a ‘new breed’ of spy WASHINGTON: Anna Chapman wasn’t just a member of one of the largest rings of Russian sleeper agents ever rolled up by the FBI, officials say. The 29-year-old former real estate agent, who became a lingerie model and corporate spokeswoman back in Moscow, represented a new breed of Russian spies adapted to the post-Cold War world. Chapman and fellow ring member Mikhail Semenko, another young deep-cover agent who worked in a DC-area travel agency, were technically skilled and able to work comfortably in a Western culture and did so using their own names, said C. Frank Figliuzzi, FBI assistant director for counterintelligence.

They “were very tech-savvy, very intellectual,” Figliuzzi said, adding that Semenko is fluent in five languages, including Chinese. Both of the new-breed operatives used state-ofthe-art wireless computer communications, including burst transmitters that sent encrypted messages by radio in a fraction of a second.

Meanwhile, the older spies in the 11-member ring fell back on techniques that have been used for centuries: invisible ink, handoffs of money called “brush passes,” and forged documents. Like Soviet sleeper agents before them, they worked under false identities, called legends, some of them stolen from dead people.

All the veteran operatives had undergone years of intensive training in Russia to pass as ordinary Americans. But with the fall of the Iron Curtain and with open borders, someone in Moscow seems to have realized that training may no longer be necessary. With the two different approaches, one time-tested and one state of the art, “the Russians were experimenting,” said Figliuzzi.

Figliuzzi’s comments came Monday as the FBI released tapes, video and documents that offered a window into the bureau’s surveillance, which stretched over about a decade.

According to a written surveillance report, an FBI agent watched Chapman buy leggings and hats at Macy’s. Later, cameras caught her roaming a department store while a Russian diplomat waited outside.

A surveillance video taken the day before her arrest shows Chapman sitting in a coffee shop with an FBI agent posing as her Russian handler. Other ring members were shadowed during meetings by a Queens pay phone, in a Brooklyn park or during a stroll around New York’s Columbus Circle. The FBI says seemingly mundane pursuits often served as cover for the exchange of encrypted messages or the transfer of cash, all with the long range goal of penetrating the highest levels of US policymaking.

The FBI watched the ring operate so intensively for so long, Figliuzzi said, that the bureau was able to penetrate the ring’s communications network to the point where US agents were able to pose as Russian intelligence officers. “So in a sense we began to own their communications” and Chapman and Semenko came to believe that the undercover FBI agents were their Russian handlers. The FBI released the material to The Associated Press in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The investigation was codenamed “Ghost Stories,” the release of documents on Halloween a coincidence.

While the deep-cover agents didn’t steal any secrets, an FBI counterintelligence official told the AP that the spies were making progress to their ultimate goal. They “were getting very close to penetrating US policymaking circles” through a friend of a Cabinet official, Figliuzzi said.

He did not name names, but Russian spy Cynthia Murphy of Montclair, NJ, provided financial planning for venture capitalist Alan

Patricof, a political fundraiser with close ties to Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton. The linchpin in cracking the case, apparently, was Col. Alexander Poteyev, a highly placed US mole in Russian foreign intelligence, who betrayed the spy ring even as he ran it.

He abruptly fled Moscow just days before the FBI rolled up the operation. Poteyev’s role emerged when a Russian military court convicted him in absentia for high treason and desertion. The FBI did not comment on the Poteyev case.

Called “illegals” because they took civilian jobs instead of operating with diplomatic immunity inside Russian embassies and military missions, the spies settled into quiet lives in middle-class neighborhoods and set about trying to network their way into the worlds of finance, technology and government.

What appears to be a family photo of one spy, Donald Heathfield of Cambridge, Mass., shows him graduating from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2000.

The school revoked the degree a month after the FBI rolled up the spy ring. The operation’s codename, Ghost Stories, stems from a number of the spies using a technique known among counter-intelligence investigators as “dead doubles” - taking the identities of people who have died. Tracey Lee Ann Foley, Michael Zottoli, Donald Heathfield and Patricia Mills all used the technique, Figliuzzi said.

The US traded the 10 Ghost Stories spies arrested by federal agents for four Russians imprisoned for spying for the West at a remote corner of a Vienna airport on July 9, in a scene reminiscent of the carefully choreographed exchange of spies at Berlin’s Glienicke Bridge during the Cold War. While freed Soviet spies typically have kept a low profile after their return to Moscow, Chapman became a model, corporate spokeswoman and television personality. Heathfield, whose real name is Andrey Bezrukov, lists himself as an adviser to the president of a major Russian oil company on his LinkedIn account.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev awarded the 10 freed spies Russia’s highest honors at a Kremlin ceremony. The case was brought to a swift conclusion before it could complicate President Barack Obama’s campaign to “reset” American relations with the Kremlin, strained by years of tensions over US foreign policy and the 2008 Russian-Georgian war. All 10 of the captured spies were charged with failing to register as foreign agents.

An 11th suspect, Christopher Metsos, who claimed to be a Canadian citizen and was accused of delivering money and equipment to the sleeper agents, vanished after a court in Cyprus freed him on bail. The FBI released surveillance photos of Metsos on Monday.

Figliuzzi said Metsos traveled into the US to provide the other illegals with money.

Security measures after the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks meant he could no longer risk carrying large amounts of cash, prompting the Russians to send officials already in the US to meet with the illegals and pay them. That could have made the spies more vulnerable to discovery, since governments generally keep a close eye on the movements of foreign diplomats. But former Soviet intelligence officials now living in the West scratched their heads over what Russia hoped to gain from the sleeper ring. “In my view this whole operation was a waste of human resources, money and just put Russia in a ridiculous situation,” said Oleg Kalugin, a former KGB major general who spied against the US during the Soviet era, in an interview earlier this year. He now lives near Washington. —AP

WASHINGTON: The sexual harassment allegations engulfing the candidacy of Republican Herman Cain dominated American politics yesterday as prominent conservative voices rallied to his side, saying he was the victim of the same kind of “high-tech lynching” that roiled the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Cain has been pointing to his long record in business to argue that he has the credentials to be president during a time of economic hardship - a small government, antitax message that has struck a deep cord with conservatives.

Supporters were quick to liken Cain’s troubles to those of Thomas, another prominent black conservative, who also faced sexual harassment allegations during his explosive Senate confirmation hearing two decades ago. The forceful early reaction to the Cain firestorm - fueled by racially charged rhetoric - suggests the Georgia businessman’s attempt to cast himself as a victim of the news media and liberals is, so far, paying dividends among his conservative Republican base who will hold considerable sway in selecting the party’s nominee.

But the accusations against Cain, which he denies, may give more moderate Republican voters pause and could cause would-be donors to shy away even as Cain works to capitalize on his rising poll numbers. It’s not the first time Cain has had to explain himself since his quick climb in the polls.

The political newcomer had a series of fumbles and has had to clarify comments on abortion, immigration and terrorism suspects.

Cain is again on the defensive after a report on the Politico website that said the National Restaurant Association gave financial settlements to at least two female employees who had accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior when he was its chairman. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper, meanwhile, reported that Cain allowed a taxexempt charity to illegally provide money to help his presidential campaign get started. Cain’s chief of staff, Mark Block, says the campaign has asked a lawyer to review the transactions.

On Monday, the candidate

declared he had been falsely accused of sexual harassment in the 1990s while he was head of the restaurant trade group. He said the allegations that are surfacing now are part of a “witch hunt.” He has, however, given varying responses to questions about whether there were financial settlements with the women who brought the complaints. The Politico report was based on anonymous sources and, in one case, what the publication said was a review of documentation that described the allegations and

competitive with Romney, long considered the front-runner for the nomination.

The Politico report was based on anonymous sources and, in one case, what the publication said was a review of documentation that described the allegations and the resolution. Politico said Cain refused to comment when asked specifically about one of the woman’s claims. Cain was skipping a gathering yesterday of fellow party hopefuls in Iowa where they were to outline their plans for fixing the damaged US

top of the Republican nominating heap only to plunge dramatically and quickly out of contention.

Attending the session will be Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who looks to the Iowa contest to steady his campaign after stumbling in recent weeks. He planned to tout his role in keeping jobs growing in his state during the recession.

Also signed up is Ron Paul of Texas. Recent polling in Iowa shows Paul running third to Cain and Romney, who are virtually tied. Aides to Romney, the successful venture capitalist who

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain speaks at the National Press Club in Washington on Monday. —AP the resolution. Politico said Cain refused to comment when asked specifically about one of the woman’s claims.

Cain spent Monday in Washington, answering questions about why the restaurant trade group he once led paid to settle sexual harassment complaints against him. He planned another day in Washington yesterday, trying to quiet concerns that could drag down his meteoric rise in polling. Cain, who is best known for his management of a pizza restaurant chain, stunned the political establishment with his rise from national obscurity to place at or near the top of national surveys and polls in early presidential nominating states. He is

economy. On Jan. 3, Iowa will be the first American state to formally select a favorite Republican candidate for nomination to challenge President Barack Obama in the November 2012 election.

Cain has been taking an unorthodox path in his campaign, largely eschewing early voting states to focus heavily on the South - where tea party groups, social conservatives and evangelical voters that make up the backbone of his support hold sway.

Also absent from the Iowa forum will be Cain’s fellow front-runner, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has sought to stay above the inter-party scramble that has seen other would-be Obama challengers shoot to the

pitches himself as the best opponent to Obama on the economy, said he had a scheduling conflict that prevented him from joining.

Romney planned to return to the campaign trail Thursday in New Hampshire, which holds its primary vote shortly after the Iowa caucuses.

Without that pair, the event seemed more an opportunity for the Republicans’ second tier to make a pitch while honing attacks on Obama - and probably on each other. The rivals are not set to face each other directly, yet the new sense of urgency in the campaign is likely be on display as each seeks to distinguish himself or herself just two months before Iowa’s caucuses. —AP

US GI in S Korea gets 10 years in prison for rape

SAO PAULO: In this photo released by Cidadania Institute organization, Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff, right, and Brazil’s Finance Minister Guido Mantega, center, visit Brazilian former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Monday. The tumor that was found in the throat of Lula da Silva was detected in an intermediate stage and shows the “classic aggressiveness” of larynx cancer, doctors said Monday. Silva entered Sao Paulo’s Sirio-Libanes Hospital to undergo his first chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed over the weekend. —AP

Mom killed, Amber Alert for baby WASHINGTON: Authorities say a pregnant woman was found fatally stabbed in a Tacoma suburb and an Amber Alert was issued for her missing 9-month-old daughter. The Pierce County, Wash., sheriff’s department said late Monday night that officers were searching for 23-year-old Joseph Lester, the slain woman’s exboyfriend. The News Tribune reports neighbors say a man dropped the 21-year-old victim off

Monday evening at a duplex. They say she yelled, “He’s killing me” as she got out of the vehicle. The woman, whom authorities did not immediately identify, died in the kitchen of the home. The woman’s a 2-year-old son inside the home was not hurt. He has been placed in protective custody. The newspaper says court records indicate Lester has been convicted of first-degree robbery and first-degree theft. —AP

SEOUL: A South Korean court sentenced a US soldier to 10 years in prison yesterday for raping a teenage girl the second harshest punishment handed down to a convicted American soldier here in nearly 20 years Uijeongbu District Court convicted the 21-year-old private of sexually assaulting the 16-year old girl numerous times after breaking into her small boarding room near Seoul in September, court spokesman Lee Sangyup said.

The soldier committed many “sadistic and sexually perverted acts” while threatening the girl with a pair of scissors, a knife and a lighter, Lee said. The soldier robbed the girl of 5,000 won ($4.50) as well, he said. The court verdict said the girl felt “terrified and sexually humiliated,” according to Lee. The case, along with a separate rape allegation by a teenage girl against another US soldier, prompted top US military and government officials to offer public apologies.

The court ordered the soldier to undergo 80 hours of counseling and his personal information to be made public on a South Korean government website for 10 years, Lee said. The court didn’t immediately release the soldier’s name. Prosecutors had demanded a 15-year prison term. The court, however, decided on only a 10year sentence because the soldier had repented, was still young and the rape was his first crime, Lee said.

Both prosecutors and the soldier have one week to appeal, he said. About 28,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea, and crimes involving them have fired anti-American sentiments among many South Koreans.

In 2002, the acquittals of two American soldiers whose armored vehicle ran over and killed two South Korean schoolgirls during training prompted massive nationwide protests against the US military presence in the country. —AP

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Largest gathering of rabbis in Poland since WWII WARSAW: Dozens of rabbis from across Europe have gathered in Warsaw for the largest meeting of Jewish religious leaders in Poland since the community was virtually wiped out during World War II. This year ’s Conference of European Rabbis will focus on a range of issues affecting European and global Jewry, including attempts in Europe to ban the Jewish method of religious slaughter of animals.

But, the rabbis will also discuss the problem of validating the Jewish identity of people who have not practiced Judaism in two or three generations. This has become an

issue in countries like Poland, where many people with Jewish ancestry were so traumatized by the Holocaust and postwar antiSemitism that they lived secular or Christian lives for decades and are only now again embracing a Jewish life. Over the last 30 years, the Jewish population in Poland has grown from just a few thousand to over 20,000, the conference said.

Poland’s Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich called the three-day gathering of about 150 rabbis “a real testament to the revival of Jewish life in Poland.” The meeting began Monday, when several of the representatives

met with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski. Tomorrow, the rabbis are to meet with Polish “righteous gentiles” - Christians who risked their lives to save Jews during the war.

The meeting comes after Dutch parliament passed a bill banning the slaughter of livestock without stunning it first, removing an exemption that has allowed Jews and Muslims to butcher animals according to their centuries-old dietary rules. The bill must still pass the Senate. It would be the second country after New Zealand to do so in recent years, joining Switzerland, and the Scandinavian and Baltic countries,

whose bans are mostly traceable to pre-World War II anti-Semitism.

“This has become an issue of the utmost concern to European Jewry,” the Conference of European rabbis said in a statement, noting the Dutch vote and criticism from activists at the European parliament. Since overthrowing communism in 1989, Poland has evolved into a thriving democracy, and those with Jewish roots feel increasingly secure about living openly as Jews again - at least in the cities.

The fact that Warsaw was chosen as the spot for the 27th conference of European rabbis “is a tribute to

what Poland has become,” Schudrich said. Poland was home to Europe’s largest Jewish community before the war, numbering nearly 3.5 million.

Most were murdered in ghettos and death camps that Germany built after invading and occupying Poland in 1939.

“The convention ... is a testament to the resurgence of the remarkable Jewish community in Poland which was all but wiped out during the Holocaust, having previously been the epicenter of the Jewish world,” the conference statement said. The Conference of European Rabbis takes place every two years. — AP

Berlusconi vows reform, opposition demands new govt Opposition repeats calls for resignation

ALGIERS: Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika lays a wreath at the Algerian Martyrs monument during a ceremony marking the 57th anniversary of the start of the struggle for independence from France in Algiers yesterday. —AP

Russian foreign minister targets NATO missile shield BELGRADE: Russia could take steps of “a technically military nature” if its objections to NATO’s planned missile defence system are not heeded, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a Serbian daily yesterday. “If our partners in the future continue to ignore out position we should protect our interests by other means... Concrete mesures might be needed... a response of a technically militar y nature,” Lavrov told Belgrade’s Vecernje Novosti in an interview published yesterday.

“We would not wish such a development,” he added. Lavrov made his comments in light of the deal signed midSeptember between Washington and Serbia’s neighbor Romania to host US missile interceptors. His comments come on the same day as a visit by Romanian

President Traian Basescu to Belgrade. “I am forced to conclude that the signing of the deal (between Bucharest and Washington) is an additional link in a chain of events that shows that the US has stepping up their plans to construct their missile shield without taking into account Russia’s concerns,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov said Monday in Moscow that Russia wants to break the deadlock over the missile shield in Europe by talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his US counterpart Barack Obama. According to NATO and Washington, the planned Europe-wide ballistic missile shield is aimed at thwarting missile threats from Iran. Moscow has expressed concern that the shield could target Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles used as nuclear deterrents. — AFP

ROME: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi repeated promises of economic reform yesterday as Italian bonds came under renewed attack in the euro zone crisis and the centreleft opposition asked the president to name a new government. With markets reeling from an unexpected decision by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou to hold a referendum over austerity measures demanded by the European Union, Italian bonds were hit by a new wave of selling.

Yields on Italy’s 10 year BTP bonds rose to 6.34 percent, an unsustainable level just short of the point they reached in August when the European Central Bank stepped in to prop up the market by buying Italian debt. The risk premium over benchmark German Bunds rose to 450 basis points, the widest spread since the creation of the euro more than a decade ago, while the bluechip FTSE MIB share index was down 6.8 percent with bank shares sold off heavily. Berlusconi said he would outline reforms promised to Italy’s EU partners at Thursday’s meeting of leaders from the Group of 20 economic powers in Cannes and promised the program would be implemented with the “determination, rigor and speed which the situation demands.”

However Italy’s main centre left opposition party repeated calls for Berlusconi to resign, saying it had asked President Giorgio Napolitano to appoint a new government immediately. “We are pointing to the necessity-which has now become urgent, a matter of minutes-for a political change to face the storm,” Enrico Letta, one of the Democratic Party’s senior leadership team, said in a statement. “Italy is unprepared to deal with the crisis,” he said, adding a new government should be appointed before the G20 meeting.

With Greece facing growing risk of a default which would destabilize the euro zone, Italy, the bloc’s third largest economy, is now at the centre of the crisis. Too big to bail out if its borrowing costs get out of control, its mix of sluggish growth and a mountainous

Kenya to probe civilian deaths in Somalia air raid NAIROBI: Kenya will probe reports of civilian deaths in an air raid against Somalia’s Shebab rebels, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said yesterday, after an aid group said five people died in the attack. Kenyan warplanes struck a town in insurgent-held southern Somalia on Sunday in an offensive against the Shebab, which Nairobi blames for cross-border attacks and tourist kidnappings. “If there is any death that has occurred as a result of the military operation, it will be investigated thoroughly,” Odinga told reporters.

“It is not our intention to kill innocent civilians.”

Aid agency Doctors Without Borders said five civilians, including children, were killed when a bomb hit a camp in Jilib hosting some 9,000 displaced Somalis. A regional Shebab commander put the death toll at 15 people, and vowed to avenge the attack. Army spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir said 10 Shebab fighters were killed in the raid and claimed the civilian deaths occurred after a Shebab vehicle mounted with an anti-aircraft gun was hit and careered into a camp of civilians “on fire and laden with explosives.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross urged all sides yesterday to respect civilian lives and said it had resumed food distribution to over 6,000 displaced people in the camp after a temporary suspension. “The ICRC and the Somali Red Crescent remind all parties to the conflict of their obligation to spare the civilian population,” ICRC Somalia chief Pascal Mauchle said in a statement.

“All feasible precautions must be taken to avoid, and in any event to minimize, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects,” he added. Kenya sent troops and tanks into southern Somalia in mid-October to battle the Shebab and prevent the Al-Qaeda-linked rebels from attacking its territory. Kenya’s military chief General Julius Karangi said the forces will pull out “when the Kenyan government and the people of this country feel they are safe enough.”

Security forces in Kenya say they have stepped up surveillance and last week a 28-year-old Kenyan was jailed for life after confessing to being behind a grenade attack in central Nairobi that killed one and wounded several. Odinga and his Somalia counterpart Abdiweli Mohamed Ali vowed Monday to defeat the Shebab and called for international help, notably a blockade on Somalia’s port town of Kismayo, a key rebel stronghold. — AFP

public debt equivalent to 120 percent of gross domestic product pose a threat to the survival of the single currency. Last week, the Treasury was forced to pay a record yield of 6.06 percent at an auction of its 10 year bonds, a level which would add billions to already heavy interest payments over the coming years if it did not fall. The ECB intervened again yesterday to buy Italian bonds but yields have con-

increase in the pension age. There has been widespread skepticism about the scope and timing of the measures but he has resisted calls from groups as diverse as the opposition, unions, business leaders and the Catholic church to resign.

He has survived repeated confidence votes in parliament but there is growing speculation that the government will fall in the com-

LONDON: In this April 2, 2009 file photo, President Barack Obama, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, center, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev smile during a group photo at the G20 Summit in London. —AP tinued to rise closer to levels of around 7 percent which many analysts fear could trigger a so-called “buyers’ strike” where it becomes difficult to sell new bonds. Berlusconi, mired in scandal and struggling to contain divisions in his centre-right coalition, has promised new reforms including easier rules on redundancies, including for civil ser vants and an

ing months, leading to elections in spring, the period when elections in Italy are traditionally held. Italy’s economy, one of the world’s slowest growing over the past decade, faces a growing risk of recession next year, its problems underlined by unemployment data on Monday which showed a third of its young people out of work. —Reuters

South Sudan awaits another ‘north-backed’ rebel attack JUBA: South Sudan’s military yesterday warned of an impending attack by 500 to 700 rebels moving down from Sudan’s White Nile state in what it termed an escalating “proxy war” by the north. The military accuses Khartoum of training and transporting the rebels, who South Sudan expects will follow-up a Saturday attack on oil-rich Unity state in which it said 57 people were killed and 60 wounded. It anticipates that the rebels will cross to South Sudan’s Upper Nile state for a planned attack.

Militar y spokesman Philip Aguer said about 500 to 700 rebel troops would arrive “within two or three days” and attack within a week, according to military intelligence. General Mac Paul, deputy director of military intelligence, said “maybe in two (days) or 24

hours to come we are going to have problems”, in Upper Nile border state. South Sudan’s army has boosted troops in Upper Nile. Paul said: “As we are talking now, another group of (rebels) left last night from Kaunyara (in South Kordofan, the war-torn border state) with the intention of coming to attack the areas of Kaka” and areas west down to Tonga.

“That group is on its way now coming to attack us. They are crossing the border now and we are following them”, Paul added, saying the group had travelled down from Abu-Jibeiah in White Nile. South Sudan says Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) are training the rebels from southern statesincluding some 400 rebels thought to be behind the attack on Mayom town-then driving them over the border in military

trucks. “We have been following the movement of these troops since September” from Khartoum, Paul said. “These people are coming from the areas of Southern Kordofan and they are being supported by SAF”, in training and then crossing the border, he added. Last Saturday, officials said around 80 people had been killed in Mayon county, including about 60 militiamen. Unity Information Minister Gideon Gatpan Thoar said rebels, most of them fighting under the banner of the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA), attacked Mayom town and that the majority of the civilian casualties were residents gunned down while “running for shelter.” South Sudan has repeatedly accused Khartoum of wanting to destabilise the new country, which gained independence in July. — AFP

Nigerian court rejects challenge to Jonathan win LAGOS: Nigerian comedian Baba Suwe, center, whose real name is Babatunde Omidina, leaves after a court hearing at a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday. —AP

Nigeria court orders agency to free actor LAGOS: A Nigerian court has ordered authorities to free a popular comedian held for more than two weeks after a drug screening. A federal high court judge yesterday said that Baba Suwe should be released Friday.

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency investigators stopped Baba Suwe on Oct 12 at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport before he could board a flight to Paris. The agency said a scanner picked up a suspicious object inside his body, though officials have not found any drugs on the actor. Baba Suwe’s arrest shocked fans of Nollywood, Nigeria’s prolific lowbudget film industry believed to have began in the early 1990s. Nigeria is a major transit point for cocaine and heroin moving to Europe and the US. —AP

ABUJA: A Nigerian court rejected a challenge to President Goodluck Jonathan’s victory in an April election and rejected demands by the main opposition party for a recount in several areas of the countr y.

Jonathan was declared winner of the April 16 election with 59 percent of the vote. But his nearest rival, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who polled 32 percent, refused to accept the outcome.

Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) party filed a petition to challenge the result in May, arguing that the vote was marred by irregularities. “The petition fails in its entirety and is hereby dismissed,” Justice Kumai Akaahs told the court yesterday, reading out a unanimous decision by five judges. The CPC said electoral commission computers were rigged to sway the count against Buhari, a northern Muslim, in parts of the north, and that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) vote was inflated in some of its southern strongholds.

“The result of the election was not successfully challenged,” Akaahs said. “The third respondent (Jonathan) scored the majority lawful votes cast at the election.” “It is clear that the burden of proof of the allegations con-

tained in the petition, be it criminal or for substantial non-compliance, rests with the petitioner. The petitioner did not discharge this burden.” The CPC’s national chairman Tony Momoh said it would appeal the decision.

Election observers and most Nigerians say the vote was the most credible for decades in Africa’s most populous nation, which had experienced virtually nothing but military rule and rigged elections for the past halfcentury. It also highlighted rifts between the predominantly Muslim north and the largely Christian south.

Rioting erupted in largely Muslim opposition strongholds in the north after the victory of Jonathan, a Christian from the south, was announced. Churches, mosques, homes and shops were set ablaze and at least 500 people were killed.

Although Buhari was ahead in almost all of the states in northern Nigeria, Jonathan also picked up millions of votes in the region, giving him a credible national mandate. Yet the PDP’s parliamentary majority has been reduced and it also lost control of several states in governorship races held 10 days after the presidential vote.— Reuters

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Thai officials on defensive as anger over flood mounts Flood claims more than 380 lives BANGKOK: Bangkok authorities insisted yesterday they could not ease the flooding crisis for everyone in the city, as anger and misery grew in inundated areas over the lack of assistance from officials. Although inner areas of the capital have remained dry, the situation is critical in several out-

ment data released yesterday.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Bangkok authorities have clashed over how much water should be let through certain sluice gates to the north of the city centre to ease the pressure on inundated communities.

On Monday, Yingluck caved in

thized with residents struggling with the floodwaters, he had to consider the bigger picture of keeping the megacity’s economic and political heartland dry. “I love the people, as do other elected politicians, but sometimes I have to be tough with the demands of the minority for the sake of the

BANGKOK: Thai residents wade through floodwaters at Bang Phlat district in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday. —AP lying districts, where residents have protested that their homes are being sacrificed to save central parts of the city.

Thailand’s worst flooding in decades, triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains that began three months ago, have claimed more than 380 lives and affected the homes and livelihoods of millions across the kingdom.

Inflation rose in October as flood damage to farmland forced up food prices, according to govern-

to protesters and ordered a gate in the northeastern district of Khlong Sam Wa to be raised to one meter (three feet) to allow more water through and relieve those in the immediate vicinity.

But Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday warned the move could put other areas of the city, including industrial estates, at risk of flooding if other gates further north were not closed.

He said that while he sympa-

majority,” Sukhumbhand said in a televised press briefing. “I cannot yield to every \ demand.”He said city authorities and the government’s relief centre officials should try “to find a common position”. Central Bangkok has largely been spared from major inundation after barriers along Bangkok’s swollen Chao Phraya River prevented a major overflow during a spring high tide over the weekend.

But in districts such as west-

ern Bang Phlat, just five kilometres (three miles) from downtown Bangkok, homes were badly damaged and streets turned into deep canals of filthy water, with no official help in sight. “I want the government to come and take care of us. We have asked for help but nobody comes. We asked for boats, food, medicines, but nothing,” said Pailin Sontana, 58, as he waded waist-deep through the brown liquid. Yupin Songsuk, a 38-yearold housekeeper at a hotel, said the situation showed no signs of improving, with more water on the way.

“We can still eat and drink the things we stocked, but what about later on, if nobody comes to help us?” she told AFP. Jate Sopitpongstorn, a spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said they were unable to help everyone “because they refused to leave their houses to stay in our shelters”. “We have limited numbers of army vehicles and boats and we cannot go into every street and hand out food and water three times a day,” he said. The flooding across large swathes of Thailand has forced the shutdown of thousands of inundated factories.

Bangkok’s main international air hub, Suvarnabhumi, is operating as normal but Don Meuang airport, the city’s second-largest which lies to the north, has been shut for a week owing to the floods. “I have assigned the air force chief to pump out water from Don Mueang airport’s taxiways and runways before Friday,” Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa told reporters. Premier Yingluck said on Monday that the government had made plans to rehabilitate industrial estates, but that it could take three months to get them running as normal. —AFP

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Abdullah Gul (R) and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai meet yesterday in Istanbul ahead of a trilateral summit between Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Turkey is holding the summit in a bid to reducetensions between the two neighbors and forge a new period of cooperation. —AFP

Afghanistan, Pakistan presidents meet in Turkey ANKARA: Turkey hosts the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan yesterday for a trilateral summit designed to reduce tensions and promote cooperation between the two neighbors amid stepped-up Taliban attacks. Turkish President Abdullah Gul will hold seperate talks with Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Zardari of Pakistan before the three-way talks later yesterday, said a Turkish diplomatic source.

The meeting ahead of an international conference on Afghanistan today in Turkey is the first between the two neighbors since the assassination of the former Afghan leader Burhanuddin Rabbani on September 20. Kabul has accused Islamabad of refusing to cooperate in the investigation of the murder, which according to Afghan authorities, was planned in Pakistan and committed by a Pakistani suicide bomber.

“We will try to resolve their differences,” said a Turkish diplomatic source speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that all countries in the region have a duty to work for peace in Afghanistan. The meeting comes just days after 17 people died in the deadliest attack yet in Kabul against the US-led NATO mission, including 10 Americans, and three days after a US-run base in Kandahar was targeted. The three presidents will also discuss their fight

Japan lawmaker drinks water from Fukushima plant

China deports 5,000 N Korea refugees annually: Activists SEOUL: China repatriates about 5,000 North Korean refugees each year even though they often face harsh punishment on their return, South Korean activists said yesterday. North Koreans who make the risky journey across the border into China only to be returned to their homeland face torture, imprisonment and even execution in extreme cases, the activists said. “It is believed that the number of repatriated North Korean refugees reaches 5,000 per year,” said Kim Suk-Woo, a former vice unification minister who now works for a rights group in Seoul.

At a forum on the issue he and other activists distributed a petition signed by 100 former South Korean ambassadors, calling on China to halt the repatriations which they say violate the refugee rights under international conventions.

China treats North Koreans as economic migrants rather than refugees. More than 21,700 North Koreans have fled their impoverished homeland for South Korea since the 1950-1953 war, the vast majority in recent years.

Almost all escape on foot to China, travel surreptitiously to Southeast Asia and then eventually seek resettlement in South Korea. “The international com-

munity is not begging China for merciful treatment of the refugees, but asking her to duly abide by international laws and obligations,” Kim said. Many orphans born of North Korean refugees and Chinese fathers are in a “miserable” situation without proper care or basic education, he said.

They are abandoned in the streets if their mothers are arrested and sent back, Kim said. “Punishment back in North Korea is really harsh and beyond your imagination,” said Lee MyungSook, a female refugee who settled in South Korea in late 2008 after escaping through Thailand. Lee, 43, fled to China in 2003 and was sold by brokers to a disabled Korean-Chinese man. She escaped three years later but was arrested by China and repatriated.

Female refugees housed in a Chinese camp while awaiting deportation face torture and beatings, she said, claiming some inmates were sexually harassed or raped by Chinese soldiers.

On her return, Lee said, she was detained in a political prison camp for six months before escaping again to China in 2006. “I was beaten badly, although I was pregnant,” Lee said, adding one prisoner died in the camp almost every day. —AFP

Australian teen charged over drugs in Indonesia DENPASAR: A 14-year-old Australian boy was charged with drug possession in Indonesia yesterday, a prosecutor said, but is likely to avoid prison because of his age. The boy has been detained for four weeks since he was arrested after allegedly buying 6.9 grams (0.24 ounces) of marijuana on October 4 in the tourist area of Kuta, on the island of Bali, where he was on holiday with his parents.

Prosecutor I Gusti Putu Gede Atmaja said the youth had been charged under three sections of Indonesia’s narcotics law, one of which carries a maximum jail sentence of 12 years. However the other charges allow drug users aged under 18 to avoid prison and undergo medical and social rehabilitation instead, if they can prove a documented history of drug use.

As he arrived at court, the boy pushed through dozens of reporters and photographers wearing a balaclava to hide his identity and a colorful traditional Indonesian batik shirt. To make the boy comfortable, curtains in the courtroom-decorated with the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon-were drawn to shut out reporters, an AFP correspondent at the scene said. The judge and lawyers abandoned their traditional robes, as they are obliged to under juvenile justice laws, and also wore batik.

“The boy’s reaction was normal-he was not

tense. We wore batik so we didn’t look intimidating,” the boy’s lawyer, Muhammad Rifan, said. Atmaja said prosecutors had told the boy “we are all family” and the youngster remained calm throughout the hour-long hearing.

Atmaja said two police officers and a psychiatrist called by prosecutors as witnesses had failed to show up, apparently strengthening the teenager’s case.

Two men from a village in Legian, neighbouring Kuta, testified that police called on them in Kuta to witness the boy in possession of the marijuana, Atmaja added, to prove officers had not planted the drugs. “The witnesses described the time of arrest and the search.

They said that the boy himself pulled out a bag containing the drugs from the left pocket of his shorts,” Atmaja said. Rifan said the proceedings would move swiftly and would likely end in two or three weeks.

“There will be two sessions a week because the trial is for a child. We do that so the child does not get depressed or anxious.” The next session is scheduled for Friday, when the defence will provide reports from New South Wales state police and a doctor in Australia to support claims of the boy’s previous drug use.

The defence will also call witnesses on Friday, including doctors and child protection agency officials. —AFP

against the Islamist insurgency and sign agreements enshrining their commitment to cooperate in the field of security, according to the same source.

The meeting is the sixth in Turkey, a NATO member, since the consultations were established in 2007 to encourage both countries to cooperate against extremism. The previous meetings between the two countries’ presidents, military leaders and intelligence chiefs resulted in the parties’ commitment to improve cooperation. Later yesterday, the three presidents will sign two agreements on security cooperation, including a military one, said the Turkish source, adding that the deals will forge cross-border cooperation against terrorism.

Kabul, like the United States, has said Islamabad is not doing enough against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda which have found refuge in the Pakistani tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and regularly carried out attacks against the Afghan, US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. The trilateral summit will be followed by an international conference today in Istanbul.

Twenty countries and organizations are expected to attend the Istanbul event. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton changed her plans and cancelled her visit to Istanbul at the last minute to stay with her ailing mother. —AFP

KATMANDU: Nepal police detain Tibetans who were shouting anti-China slogans in tribute to the Tibetans who died in the recent self-immolation, in Katmandu, Nepal yesterday. Nepal police detained more than 100 Tibetans exiles who were protesting against the Chinese rule over their homeland. —AP

Japanese urged to wrap up warm to save winter power TOKYO: After months of being told to strip off to keep cool for summer, Japanese workers were yesterday being urged to wrap up for winter in an energy saving “Warm Biz” campaign. As the nation continues to face possible electricity shor tfalls in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster that has left dozens of atomic reactors offline, the government is asking people to keep warm the old-fashioned way. Officials are telling homes and offices to set heaters and air conditioners no higher than 20 degrees C (68 F).

Average temperatures in Tokyo fall to around six degrees C in January and February and the government is advising people to wear extra layers of clothes and eat hot meals to keep out the cold. Using a cartoon ninja character, the environment ministry suggests putting on scar ves, gloves and leg warmers during the day and an extra layer after the evening bath, or wearing a towel around the neck in bed.

For dinner, it recommends a traditional Japanese hotpot. “You can lower the heat if you enjoy ‘nabe’ with your family and friends, making both bodies and the room warm. The temperature will feel higher than it actually is thanks to steam from the pot,” the ministry website says. Eating root vegetables and ginger will help to “warm the body up”, it says, adding that getting off the train a stop earlier and walking the rest of the way to work will boost circulation.

Companies have also got in on the act, with adverts on the Tokyo subway extolling the energy-saving virtues of home appliances and reminding commuters to keep the dial turned down.

Clothing giant Uniqlo has stocked up on thermal underwear and department stores are promoting a range of knit wear to stave off the winter chills, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.

More off-the-wall ideas include a suggestion from brewer Kirin that beer drinkers microwave their stout-style brew and add sugar or spices. The campaign, which runs until March, comes as Japan eyes a potential electricity shortfall over the cold winter months with the bulk of nuclear generators, on which resource-poor Japan is heavily dependent, still offline for safety checks amid public disquiet over the technology.

Japan’s hot summer months were marked by a heightened “Cool Biz” campaign aimed at limiting air conditioner use and encouraging workers to ditch jackets and ties. Local governments prohibited overtime and factories changed shifts to make use of cooler evenings, early mornings and lower- demand weekends. In one region, employees were told to take a two-hour siesta after lunch as the nation pulled together to stretch out the available electricity and avoid blackouts. Consumers in Japan have long been used to a plentiful and reliable electricity supply that powers everything from garish neon signs to heated toilet seats.— AFP

TOKYO: A Japanese lawmaker has drunk a glass of water taken from a radioactive puddle inside a reactor building at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in a bid to prove decontamination efforts are working.

Television footage showed a visibly nervous Yasuhiro Sonoda gulping down water that he said had been decontaminated after being scooped up from inside the plant.

“Just drinking (decontaminated water) doesn’t mean safety has been confirmed, I know that,” Sonoda told reporters. “Presenting data to the public is the best way.” Sonoda, parliamentary secretary for the cabinet office, said Monday that he drank the water after journalists repeatedly asked him to “prove” the area around the plant was safe. The water came from puddles that had collected in the plant following clean-up efforts, a source not normally intended for human consumption.

Radioactive contaminants spewed into the environment from the Fukushima facility following reactor meltdowns and explosions triggered by the massive earthquake and tsunami of March 11. More than seven months after the disaster, tens of thousands of people remain evacuated from their homes and businesses in a 20-kilometre (12-mile) no-go zone around the plant and in pockets beyond that. Fully decontaminating those areas is expected to take decades.— AFP

Seven asylum-seekers dead in Indonesian boat capsize JAKARTA: At least seven asylum seekers drowned and scores more were missing when a wooden boat sunk off Indonesia’s West Java province yesterday, an official said. The boat, carr ying migrants from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, capsized on the way to Kupang in eastern Indonesia, a key transit point for refugees trying to reach Australia, local navy official Dayat Sudrajat told AFP. “Forty people were rescued but seven people-four adults and three children-drowned. We are still searching for those missing,” he said, adding the toll was likely to rise as people were trapped in the boat.

“I believe they were headed for Australia.” The dead and 15 injured have been taken to hospital, according to Samsudin who like many Indonesians goes by one name-from the local Pangandaran police, while police were questioning some others.

Authorities were still investigating the cause of the accident but it was likely due to overloading and leaks, Sudrajat said. “Strong winds and big waves as high as 2.5 metres could be other factors,” he added.

Thousands of asylum seekers head through Southeast Asian countries on their way to Australia every year and many link up with people smugglers in Indonesia for the dangerous voyage. Canberra has failed in its efforts to set up a regional processing centre in neighboring countries in an attempt to reduce the flow of asylum seekers heading to Australia. —AFP

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Rapper breaks new ground in conservative Pakistan ISLAMABAD: Adil Omar was a 16year-old rapping in his bedroom in Pakistan when a member of the American group Cypress Hill discovered his music on the Internet and invited him out to Los Angeles to record together. That was four years ago, and Omar has now recorded songs with several other American rappers, including Everlast from House of Pain, Xzibit and one of the members of Limp Bizkit. He plans to release his first album next year and has established himself as Pakistan’s biggest - and perhaps only - rap star.

His rise illustrates a side of Pakistan that is often obscured by the steady stream of news about the Taleban and Al-Qaeda that comes out of the country. Many Pakistani cities have thriving subcultures that get little attention in the West. Pakistan has a rich musical tradition, including the performance of Urdu-language love poems called ghazals and mystical Sufi music called qawwali. Pakistani rock bands have long been popular, as have songs from Bollywood movies.

But hard-core rap like Omar’s laced with profanity and sexual innuendo is almost unheard of, and could even be dangerous in a society plagued by Islamist militants. “Violence seems to be totally acceptable in this culture, but sex and bad language in music

and art seems to be totally unacceptable,” said Omar, a clean-cut looking 20-year-old with short black hair who favors black sunglasses and T-shirts with half-naked women. Omar, who sings in English, insists he is not a political rapper, but his latest song, Paki Rambo, is about a vigilante who hunts the Taleban.

“Ambush your camp, my inglorious crew. Straight bastards, brawny and stronger than you,” sang Omar.

“Take classes, learn how we got em on wax. Hit the base with a bag full of Taleban scalps.” The song’s title is a reference to a scene in the movie Four Lions, a satirical look at a group of British Muslims of South Asian origin who travel to Pakistan to become suicide bombers. One of the wannabe terrorists records himself on his cell phone firing an AK-47 into the air and calling himself Paki Rambo. Omar flipped the analogy on its head, making Paki Rambo a character who fights the militants rather than joins them. “It’s the P to the A to the K to the I. Armed to the teeth till the day that I die,” sang Omar. “R to the A to the M B O. Paki Rambo in the place.”

The song is part of the soundtrack for an upcoming Pakistani movie, Gol Chakkar, and the directors helped Omar produce a slick music video that has been released on YouTube.

The video was shot in Islamabad and

pokes fun at the decadence and luxury normally seen in American rap videos. The characters drink Pakistani ice cream soda instead of alcohol and snort candy instead of cocaine. A young boy walks around with a mink stole around his neck.

The market for Omar’s music in Pakistan is small, limited mainly to elite Pakistani kids like himself who speak English and live lifestyles closer to their Western counterparts than the country’s conservative majority.

Extremists who believe music is a violation of Islamic law have bombed CD shops in some parts of Pakistan. The upmarket crowd was on display at a rare concert Omar held this past weekend at the Marriott hotel in Islamabad. Well-coiffed women in tight jeans and young hipsters in velour jackets held up iPhones and Blackberries to record the show.

“We really enjoy Adil’s music because it represents the young generation,” said Faizaan Bomassy, a 23year engineer wearing a white Playboy hoody. Even among Omar’s friends and fans, some were surprised by the swearing and sexual references that flow through his music. “I think it’s a little explicit sometimes, but I think it’s good music,” said Waleed Ali Khan, a 20-year-old student. “I think he is breaking new ground and paving the way for new artists.” — AP

in the

news

Qatar to hold maiden legislative polls in ‘13 DOHA: Qatar will hold its maiden legislative polls in 2013, the emir of the Gulf state, which has backed pro-democracy uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world, said yesterday. “We have decided to organise elections for Majlis al-Shura (consultative council) in the second half of 2013,” Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa AlThani said addressing the all-appointed council, QNA state news agency reported. “All these steps are necessary to build the modern state of Qatar,” he said, referring to the passing of a constitution and staging of municipal polls. Qatar’s constitution which was passed in a 2003 referendum stipulated that two thirds of the 45-member council would be elected, while the rest would be named by the emir. It also provided for legislative powers. But so far Qatar has only held municipal polls and continues to ban political parties. In 2008, the Shura council passed a new electoral law setting the voting age at 18 and laying down rules for campaign funding and outlaws votebuying. Qatar has some 200,000 citizens out of a resident population of some 1.7 million people. Qatar and Saudi Arabia are the only Gulf states yet to hold legislative polls. But the authorities of most of the fully or partially elected parliaments in other Gulf countries are checked by upper chambers appointed by the rulers.

Bahrain probe head says torture systematic DUBAI: Bahrain yesterday said it would push ahead with parliamentary reforms it hopes will end unrest in the country in an announcement that came a day after the head of a rights commission said he had found evidence of systematic abuse. The justice minister said constitutional amendments based on the results of a national dialogue launched this year to discuss reforms in the island kingdom would be presented to parliament after the Eid Al-Adha holiday.

The statement came a day after the head of a factfinding mission set up to investigate allegations of human rights violations in Bahrain during months of

unrest said he now believed torture had been a systematic, though limited, policy. The commission is due to present its final report to King Hamad on Nov 23. Several months ago Cherif Bassiouni had said he did not believe maltreatment was systematic, comments that provoked an angry reaction from majority Shiites in the Sunni-run kingdom. “It is not possible to justify torture in any way, and despite the small number of cases, it is clear there was a systematic policy,” Bassiouni said in an interview with Egyptian daily Almasry Alyoum on Monday. “I investigated and I found 300 cases of torture and I was helped in that by legal experts from Egypt and America”.

Saudis free Shiites held over protests RIYADH: Saudi authorities have released 17 Shiite activists detained in anti-government protests earlier this year, but dozens more were still in jail, activists said yesterday. “Some of the released detainees have already returned to their homes while others are finalising their release papers,” a human rights activist told AFP on condition of anonymity. Another 40 Shiites also taken into custody since anti-government protests in Eastern Province in spring still remain in detention, according to human rights observers. The overwhelming majority of Saudi Arabia’s estimated two million Shiites live in Eastern Province, which neighbours Bahrain where authorities supported by Saudi-led Gulf troops crushed a Shiite-led uprising in March.

The anti-government protests by Saudi Shiites were initially triggered by the kingdom’s role in the Bahrain crackdown, but they later developed into a general call for equality in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

In early October, 14 people were wounded, including 11 Saudi policemen, when riots broke out in the Shiite-majority village of Al-Awamia. At the time, activists said the riots were triggered by the arrest of two elderly men in a bid to force their wanted sons, accused of taking part in protests, to surrender. In total, Saudi authorities have arrested some 332 Shiites in recent months, activists estimate.

Britain maintains hard line against Assad...

Continued from Page 1 The Arab countries have not passed any condemnatory resolutions so far. But the United Kingdom with other European countries has taken action by imposing stricter sanctions,” he noted.

Burt reiterated that Britain’s view of the Arab Spring remains clear. “We support the process of peaceful reforms while we continuously believe that each Arab state is different from the other. The continued violent repressions of protesters is wrong,” he added. But Burt pointed out that there is no plan for military intervention. “There is no clear call for intervention, no clear suggestions from Arab states. We hope that the Arab League will be able to exert its influence to relieve the pain and suffering of the Syrian people.”

Asked on Britain’s position on UNESCO admitting Palestine as a full member, Burt said London’s position

on the matter has been clear. “We remain committed to the two-state solution but ultimately we are for negotiations between the parties involved that will determine a Palestinian state. We wish to see an independent Palestine, and we wish to see a two-state solution - a viable and free Palestine living side by side with Israel,” he said. Burt is in the country with Prince Charles who is visiting the country to mark the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s full independence from Britain in June 1961.

Earlier, HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah met Prince Charles, the official KUNA news agency reported. The two men underscored the depth of the historical relations between the two countries and vowed to work to further develop their ties, KUNA said. The heir to the British throne, who arrived in Kuwait late Monday, also met with British and Kuwaiti business leaders taking part in a three-day energy conference organised by MEED.

lead the country. The statement said that MPs also explained the deterioration in the affairs of the country and held the prime minister and the government responsible for this.

Later, a member of the group MP Mohammad Al-Mutair said that a grilling will be filed against the prime minister “to let everyone shoulder their responsibilities”.

Several MPs also said in statements that they conveyed to the Amir the political developments in the country and the corruption cases and stressed that the country requires a new government.

The Opposition Bloc received a major shot in the arm during the day when the National Bloc issued a strong-worded statement saying the country needed a new prime minister and a new government.

The bloc also said it was ready to support “to the end” a grilling against the prime minister over an alleged corruption scandal in which about 15 MPs are charged of receiving millions of dinars in bribes. The bloc insisted that Kuwait urgently needs to get out of its political paralysis and this will not be done by the people who were responsible for causing the state of paralysis and accordingly the country needs a new prime minister. This is the

Greek PM stuns Europe Continued from Page 1 first 10 minutes of trade. Athens witnessed a meltdown as stocks plunged 7.06 percent amid warnings that a rejection of a deal that is deeply unpopular in Greece would force it to leave the 17-nation bloc which uses the euro single currency.

“This is a referendum, in which they’re effectively voting on Greece’s euro membership,” Alexander Stubb, the Europe minister for Greece’s fellow single currency member Finland, told the commercial MTV3 network. In a sign of the deep unease in European capitals, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were to hold talks by phone. In a joint statement, EU president Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said they had full trust in Greece to “honour the commitments undertaken” to reduce spending in return for bailout funds.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, another leader under pressure as a result of the eurozone crisis, registered his sense of shock and annoyance. “There is no doubt the Greek decision to hold a referendum on the European Union’s rescue plan is having a negative effect on the markets,” he said. “This is an unexpected decision that generates uncertainties after the recent European Council and on the eve of the important G20 meeting in Cannes.”

There was also exasperation among lenders who have agreed to write off 50 percent of Greek debt holdings under the deal. “The uncertainty that will probably last for weeks as a result is anything but helpful in terms of stabilising an already difficult situation,” said Michael Kemmer, head of Germany’s BdB banking association.

“Important details following the euro summit will now be delayed or, in the worst case scenario, put on ice. In

addition, it is totally unclear what would happen if the Greek people reject the rescue package,” he added.

Papandreou, who now has 152 deputies in the 300seat Greek parliament, has faced increasing dissent within his own party over the tougher austerity policy monitored by the EU and the International Monetary Fund that has sparked general strikes and widespread protests, many of them violent. As well as agreeing to a referendum, which is likely to take place early next year, the prime minister will submit himself to a confidence vote in parliament to be held on Friday - the second day of the G20 summit in Cannes. “The command of the Greek people will bind us,” Papandreou told parliament late Monday. “Do they want to adopt the new deal, or reject it? If the Greek people do not want it, it will not be adopted.”

Although the deal agreed last Thursday after marathon talks in Brussels included an agreement to write off Ä100 billion ($137 billion) of debt owed by Greece, the Athens government still has to implement a painful package of austerity measures to get its hands on bailout funds. In a survey in the To Vima news weekly on Sunday, 58 percent of Greeks termed the deal ‘negative’ or ‘probably negative’, although over 72 percent of those polled said Greece should remain in the euro.

In an online commentary, the Moneycorp currency broker said Papandreou had presented Greeks with “the ultimate Hobson’s Choice”.” “They could either have their financial eyes ripped out by austerity measures or by the chaos that would follow the total bankruptcy of Greece and the wipe-out of its financial institutions,” it said. In a report released on Monday, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said that rapid action by EU leaders to enact the rescue measures that they had agreed was key to the prospects of global recovery. — Agencies

Syria, Arab League agree on roadmap Continued from Page 1 Some diplomats in Cairo expressed concerned that the response from Damascus will be tied to conditions to gain time. “Syria’s answer could be ‘yes, but,’ a manoeuvre to buy time,” said one diplomat who attended the Doha talks. A Lebanese official with close ties to the Syrian government said Syria had put forward its own proposals to the Arab League. “The Syrian authorities want the opposition to drop weapons, the Arab states to end their funding for the weapons and the opposition, and an end to the media campaign against Syria,” the official told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Syrian activists reported that five more people were killed in the protests-wracked country and dozens arrested, including 60 schoolchildren detained for holding an anti-regime rally in their school yard. Two civilians were killed when pro-regime militiamen opened fire in central Homs and one was shot by security forces in the northwestern province of Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. An officer and a soldier were also killed in Idlib by gunmen believed to be army deserters, the watchdog said, adding that an 18-year-old man also died yesterday of gunshot wounds from the previous day near Damascus.

Syrian security forces also rounded up dozens of civilians in Daraa - cradle of the anti-regime protests that erupted March 15, the watchdog said. Pro- and antiregime demonstrations also gripped Deir Ezzor yesterday, with state television reporting that thousands rallied in support of Assad while activists spoke of a counter-rally in the eastern city.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, reiterated Moscow’s opposition to any Libya-style military intervention in Syria. “If it depends on us, I don’t think we will allow anything of that sort to be repeated” in Syria, Lavrov said in Abu Dhabi. UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan echoed him. “We do not think that there is any party which is willing to internationalise this matter. At least we Arabs don’t,” he said.

China, along with Russia, vetoed a Western-drafted resolution at the UN Security Council on October 4 that would have threatened Assad’s regime with targeted sanctions if it continued its campaign against protesters.

Separately, Syria is planting landmines along parts of

the country’s border with Lebanon as refugees stream out of the country to escape the crackdown on antigovernment protests, officials and witnesses said yesterday. A Syrian man whose foot had to be amputated after he stepped on a mine just across from the Lebanese village of Irsal on Sunday was the first known victim of the mines, according to a doctor at a hospital in Lebanon where the man was brought for treatment.

The Syrian exodus to neighboring Lebanon and Turkey has proven a deep embarrassment for increasingly besieged Assad, who warned over the weekend that the Middle East will burn if foreign powers try to intervene in his country’s conflict.

A Syrian official familiar with government strategy claimed the anti-personnel mines are meant to prevent arms smuggling into Syria. Witnesses on the Lebanese side of the border also told the AP they have seen Syrian soldiers planting the mines in recent days in two parts of Syrian territory: in the restive province of Homs and across from Lebanon’s eastern Baalbek region.

“Syria has undertaken many measures to control the borders, including planting mines,” said the Syrian official. More than 5,000 Syrians have fled to Lebanon since the crisis began in March.

Three residents of the Lebanese border village of Serhaniyeh showed an AP reporter a long sand dune barrier along the frontier where they said Syrian troops laid mines. Ahmed Diab, 26, said several trucks carrying about a 100 soldiers arrived in the area on Thursday and spent the entire day planting mines on the side of the barriers that is toward Lebanon. “Since they planted the mines, no one dares to go to the border line,” said Diab, as he sat on his motorcycle near his home that overlooks parts of the Syrian province of Homs. Homs has seen some of the worst violence of the uprising.

Many Syrians cross the border into Lebanon regularly, some of them to flee the violence in their country.

And the mines are the latest in a number of signs that Syria is working to prevent Lebanon from becoming a safe haven for the Syrian opposition. A senior Lebanese security official confirmed that Syrian troops are planting mines on the Syrian side of the border, but said Beirut will not interfere with actions on Syrian territory.

“What concerns us are violations of Lebanese territory and Syrian troops’ pursuit of people on the Lebanese side of the border,” the official said on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. — Agencies

Riyadh rules out any compromise with Iran

Amir hopes won’t have to use...

Continued from Page 1

ISLAMABAD: In this Oct 29, 2011 photo, Pakistani rap singer Adil Omar performs during a concert. — AP

most explicit position of the liberal bloc which had been in an undeclared alliance with the prime minister.

MP Khaled Al-Adwah, who was among the pro-government MPs who met the Amir, said that they heard the advice and guidance of the Amir who called for the need for cooperation between the Assembly and the government. MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak said the Amir expressed concern for young people who are being pushed to the streets. Although the day saw fast-paced developments, no action or decision is expected to take place until after the Eid Al-Adha holidays which end on Nov 13.

Continued from Page 1 implicated an Iranian-American car salesman in custody and Iranian officials in a plan to hire a Mexican drug cartel to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani proposed on Sunday that Saudi and Iranian officials should meet over the alleged plot, the official Qatari news agency QNA reported.

“I think that the best and easiest way to solve this issue is for the two sides to meet,” Sheikh Hamad said after talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Doha.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran and

Saudi Arabia are two big nations and should have good relations,” he said, adding that he hoped the US allegations against Iran would be proven false. “We are part of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and we have an interest in the security and stability of Saudi Arabia. We hope that it is false,” he said. “We still wait for evidence,” said Sheikh Hamad.

In a Saudi newspaper interview last week, Salehi again denied that his country plotted to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Adel AlJubeir. “We reject these accusation.

There is no justification for Iran, which is a brotherly country to Saudi Arabia, to do such an act,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. “It’s an

American accusation - they want to create divisions between Muslim countries and especially the two most important countries in the Islamic world, Saudi Arabia and Iran,” Salehi said.

Yesterday, Salehi said Washington recently made a written offer to speak with Iran over the alleged plot, implying that Tehran rejected it. The United States claims that the Quds Force of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards plotted to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington by hiring assassins from a Mexican drug cartel for $1.5 million. An Iranian-American accused of involvement in the plot pleaded not guilty in a New York court last week. — AFP

14

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

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Issues

Kyrgyzstan passes test in peace quest

By Aleks Tapinsh yrgyzstan passed a democratic test by holding presidential polls which, despite clear problems, marked a big step for a nation that last year appeared at risk of breaking up, analysts said yesterday. In June 2010, ethnic tensions between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan spilled onto the streets, leaving some 470 people dead and exposing the government’s apparent inability to control the country. Those horrific events came just two months after new authorities came to power following the ousting of the authoritarian and nepotistic regime of Kurmanbek Bakiyev in an uprising that also killed dozens.

One-and-a-half years on from that deadly spring, Kyrgyzstan can now boast the only parliamentary democracy in ex-Soviet Central Asia and appears set for the first peaceful transfer of presidential power in its independent history. International monitors said there were serious shortcomings in the vote count in Sunday’s presidential elections won by Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev, and his opponents have refused to recognised the outcome.

But the mere holding of a peaceful and competitive election is an achievement in a region notorious for strongman leaders who step straight from the Soviet nomenklatura into their posts. “This election went relatively free compared to the previous elections,” said political observer Tabyldy Akerov. In the six years of his presidential term, the people of Kyrgyzstan will be watching to see if Atambayev turns into another despot seeking to concentrate power around himself through changes to the constitution which would be his worst mistake, analysts said.

This had been the course of his predecessors Kyrgyzstan’s first post-Soviet president Askar Akayev and Bakiyev who himself came to power in a popular uprising known as the Tulip Revolution in 2005. After two revolutions within the space of half a decade, Akerov said he expected Atambayev to stick to the new constitution agreed in June 2010, which created a parliamentary democracy and reduced the powers of the presidency. If he doesn’t, “we may again have another period of instability and the third revolution, the very thing that Russia and our neighbours fear,” the observer warned.

If Kyrgyzstan manages to hold on to its gains, it could set a “pioneering example” for other states where governments have been ousted in uprisings like in the Arab Spring, said the IHS Global Insight think-tank in London. “The presidential poll was crucial for the revolution, which appears to be a step ahead of the other coloured revolutions in the former Soviet states as well as the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings,” it said in a research note.

Key social problems remain. Court reform has stalled due to presidential campaigning, so much so that the country still does not have a proper Constitutional Court appointed by parliament. The ethnic division between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, the largest minority in Kyrgyzstan, remains. Investigations and prosecutions of those guilty of last year’s clashes are seen as having been skewed against ethnic Uzbeks. Kyrgyzstan is the second poorest nation among 15 former Soviet republics. The 2010 gross domestic product per capita was $860, according to World Bank data.

A Western election observer told AFP that he saw election workers in a remote region using an abacus to keep track of votes counted. Hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz left the country in search of work in the neighbouring Kazakhstan and Russia. “The main problem of Kyrgyzstan is that here we have weak institutions of state authority. Every stakeholder talks about the need for centralization,” said Kyrgyz political analyst Nur Omarov. He said this risked creating the temptation for again strengthening the powers of the presidency. “This logically pushes us toward the thought of centralization around the presidential authority, unfortunately,” he said, adding that all 156 political parties in Kyrgyzstan were based around personalities rather than ideology. — AFP

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Greek call blows hole in euro zone plan

By Paul Taylor rime Minister George Papandreou’s call for a referendum on the latest Greek bailout plan has blown a potentially fatal hole in the euro zone’s strategy to overcome its sovereign debt crisis. Whether or not a plebiscite takes place, and whatever the result, Papandreou’s gamble guarantees long weeks of political uncertainty just when the 17-nation currency area was desperate for a period of calm to implement remedies agreed last week. It will make it harder, if not impossible, to restore investors’ confidence in most euro zone government debt in the short term and to lure Chinese and other wealth funds to pour billions into European sovereign bonds. That may force the European Central Bank to get more deeply involved in crisis interventions to steady bond markets, just as Italy’s Mario Draghi takes the helm of an institution yearning to return to its prime mission of inflation-fighting. The immediate market backlash, with Italian and Spanish bond spreads widening close to their crisis peaks and the euro falling more than 2 cents against the dollar, underlined the heightened risk perception among investors.

Stunned reaction from political leaders in Germany and France told the same story. Just when policymakers thought they had a breathing space to put in place a firewall to protect other troubled euro zone states from the impact of a possible Greek default, they have to cope with another political shock.

“The risk of a Lehman-style disorderly default

P

now looms larger than before, including some risk that Greece may leave the euro zone if it rejects the offer of orderly debt relief in exchange for harsh new spending cuts and reforms,” said Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding in a note.

The chairman of euro zone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, said that if Greeks voted “no”, the country could end up going bankrupt. Papandreou made no mention of his intention to call a vote in many hours of talks with French, German and EU leaders last Wednesday in Brussels, he said. The announcement wrong-footed them three days before France hosts a G20 summit of the world’s major economies in Cannes at which Europe was hoping for a global show of support for its efforts to draw a line under the debt crisis. Instead, European leaders will have to hold frantic crisis consultations on the summit sidelines while the leaders of the United States, China, Japan, India, Russia and Brazil are reminded of the political frailty of each step the Europeans take to try to bring the debt inferno under control.

Papandreou’s referendum gambit, which prompted a revolt against his leadership in the ruling Socialist party, threw into question the basis of last week’s summit agreement.

The strategy calls for a reduction in Greece’s debt under a second bailout package, with tougher international supervision of its austerity program and private creditors “voluntarily” writing off 50 percent on their Greek bond holdings. It also involves recapitalising European banks to cope with potential losses,

and scaling up the euro zone’s Ä440-billion EFSF rescue fund to insure troubled states’ bonds and attract foreign investors to special purpose investment vehicles that would buy European government bonds.

“This certainly destabilises the situation and endangers all the decisions taken on Oct 26,” said Janis Emmanouilidis, a GermanGreek researcher at the European Policy Centre think-tank in Brussels. “How will it affect the talks to persuade the banks to take a voluntary haircut on their Greek debt?

Some are bound to argue that it puts in question the entire compromise,” he said. EU officials said on the eve of last week’s summit it was vital to avoid “ratification risk” by agreeing on measures that could be implemented more or less immediately. “The lesson we learned from the July 21 agreement (to widen the scope of the EFSF) was ‘no more ratification risk’,” said a European official at the heart of the negotiations.

The July deal prompted a 24-hour relief rally on markets similar to last week’s bounce, but investors quickly spotted that it would take several weeks for 17 national parliaments to approve the measures, and the risk of an accident was high. Finland’s demand for collateral on loans to Greece, and a revolt by a small liberal party in Slovakia’s ruling coalition opposed to bailouts both caused delay. By the time the July accord was finally approved, it had been overtaken by events.

The same political unravelling has already begun this time. Germany’s constitutional court put a first spanner in the works last

week by suspending the work of a special parliamentary committee created to approve in secret market interventions by the EFSF. The court issued the injunction pending a ruling on the legality of the special body, meaning that for now, Germany has no way of endorsing EFSF bond purchases without public disclosure and debate in a full session of parliament.The Dutch minority government’s hopes of securing majority support in parliament for the new rescue measures on Tuesday took a direct hit from Papandreou’s referendum call. The pro-European centreleft opposition Labour party, whose support the centre-right government sought, said the Greek move was a “deal breaker”. The European Union has a long and unhappy record with referendums, which critics say show that European integration is an elite project that does not enjoy popular support.

Denmark voted against joining European monetary union in 1992 in a major jolt to the EU system. Sweden also voted against joining the euro in 2000, and Irish, Dutch and French voters have all voted against ratifying EU treaties in plebiscites over the last decade twice in Ireland’s case. Political scientists say voters often use referendums to vent anger at the government posing the question, or with the entire political establishment, rather than voting strictly on the issue. Given the depth of public anger over two years of harsh austerity and the prospect of a fourth year of recession in Greece, it may be hard for Papandreou’s deeply unpopular government to secure a “yes” on any question. — Reuters

Putin invokes history’s lions for return

By Guy Faulconbridge and Gleb Bryanski ladimir Putin has an answer for Russians worried that his return to the presidency next year will usher in an era of stagnation: study the careers of Franklin D. Roosevelt or Charles de Gaulle. Putin could be president until 2024 if he wins the maximum two successive terms and by then would have ruled for almost a quarter of a century. His decision to reclaim the presidency has brought frequent comparisons with Communist leader Leonid Brezhnev, whose 18-year rule of the Soviet Union until his death in 1982 is widely seen as an era of political and economic stagnation.

But Putin, who has remained Russia’s paramount leader even as prime minister since 2008, prefers to hold up the examples of long-serving Western leaders to justify his return to the Kremlin, which is all but certain in next March’s election. The former KGB spy’s history lessons also give a sense of how he views himself and could provide clues about what his next presidency will hold. Asked about his decision to return to the post he held for eight years until 2008, Putin corrected an interviewer who referred to Roosevelt, the longest-serving US president.

“Yes, Roosevelt was elected three times,” said Konstantin Ernst, the head of the Pervyi Kanal (First Channel). “No,” Putin, 59, snapped back, wagging his finger at Ernst. “Four times.” Roosevelt won elections in 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1944, and died in office in 1945, months after the Yalta Conference where he, Soviet leader Josef Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill carved up Europe at the end of World War Two. “He ruled the country in the toughest years of economic depression and in World War Two and was elected four times because he was effective,” said Putin, who won presidential elections in 2000 and 2004.

After praising Roosevelt, Putin went on to list other longserving leaders including Helmut Kohl, who was German chancellor for 16 years. He also said he liked de Gaulle, France’s president from 1959 to 1969.

Like Putin, Roosevelt, De Gaulle and Kohl rose to power in tumultuous times but used iron will and considerable popularity to gain almost complete dominance. Styled by his ruling party as Russia’s “national leader”, Putin says his biggest achievement is to have saved Russia from collapse after the chaos and humiliation that accompanied the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Putin, and some of the people who own chunks of the world’s biggest energy producer, believe he is a ruler who can ensure stability, at least for now. “He thinks of himself as a national leader,” said Nikolai Petrov, a political analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Centre.

V

Heroes of their time to supporters, Roosevelt, De Gaulle and Kohl forged fiercely independent foreign policies but, like Putin, were criticised for accruing too much power.

Opponents say Russia’s stability is a mirage because Putin’s decision to stay in power makes a brittle and atrophied political system too dependent on one man. By focusing on Western leaders, Putin is also underscoring to Russian voters his own image as the stout defender of the country’s interests in the face of what is often portrayed as Western hypocrisy. “By invoking de Gaulle and Roosevelt, Putin hints that foreign criticism of him is based on double standards, and presents himself as the country’s defender, willing to stand up to hypocritical foreigners who are unfair to Russians,” said David Woodruff, senior lecturer in comparative politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science. For the leaders of the United States, China and Europe, the message is clear: Putin will accept no lecturing but he also wants to be accepted at the top table of world politics.

Even at face value, there may be other parallels. De Gaulle put down dissent in Syria, Lebanon and Algeria. Under Putin, Russia has been accused of human rights abuses in Chechnya and other republics of the rebellious North Caucasus.

Kohl was criticised for turning a blind eye to party corruption. Putin’s ruling United Russia party has been branded “a party of swindlers and thieves” by opponents. Roosevelt’s record stay in the White House prompted Congress to pass the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution which prevents presidents from serving more than two terms.

Putin also admires Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore.

Such is his regard that some of his closest allies have taken up reading Lee’s books. Lee led Singapore for more than 31 years until 1990 but remained senior minister and then minister mentor until May this year. Putin’s use of bumper oil revenues during his first presidency to

boost living standards and cement his rule while other economic problems went unsolved has drawn analogies with Soviet leaders, in particular Brezhnev, under whom economic decline was masked by strong the income from oil sales.

“The analogy with Brezhnev is being made... all such analogies are lame and senseless because we live in a different country, a different world,” said President Dmitry Medvedev, who was swept into the Kremlin in 2008 to get round a constitutional ban on his mentor Putin serving a third successive term. Putin has remained the more powerful of the two men in their power-sharing arrangement know as the ruling tandem. For such an overtly patriotic Russian leader, Putin has made few references to tsars and Communist Party general secretaries, all of whom ruled large empires. Among the tsars, Putin has preferred comparisons with Peter the Great, a ruthless leader who built Putin’s home town of St Petersburg and laid the foundations of the Russian empire. “Putin reads all the time, mostly about the history of Russia,” his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said. “He reads memoirs, the memoirs of Russian historical state figures.” Opinion polls show Russians’ most popular historical figures are writer and poet Alexander Pushkin, Peter the Great, Josef Stalin, Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin and Putin. For Russians, they outrank Jesus Christ, Alexander the Great or scientist Isaac Newton.

But Peskov said Putin had a keen interest in Tsarist Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin and Russian Orthodox philosopher Ivan Ilyin, who said Russia should plot an independent course between dictatorship and democracy. Putin has made no secret of his respect for Stolypin, who crushed dissent but also introduced land reform as prime minister from 1906 to 1911 under Tsar Nicholas II. Putin said in July that a statue of Stolypin should be placed outside the Russian government’s headquarters in Moscow. “A true patriot and a wise politician, he understood that both radicalism of all sorts as well as stagnation, a lack of reforms, were equally dangerous for the country,” Putin said. — Reuters

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Cassano showing improvement MILAN: AC Milan and Italy forward Antonio Cassano, in hospital after being struck down with an undiagnosed illness on Saturday, has shown a “marked improvement”, the Serie A champions said Monday.

The club denied reports that the famously temperamental 29-yearold player, who was taken ill on the flight back from the 3-2 win at AS Roma on Saturday, had suffered a stroke.

“AC Milan inform that the news in circulation containing a hypothetical diagnosis on Antonio Cassano’s state of health cannot be considered true as it does not come from an accredited medical source,” Milan said in a statement.

“AC Milan underline that Antonio Cassano is in a phase of marked improvement and in the next few days will undergo further medical examinations.”

While Cassano, who appears to have matured and settled down well since joining Milan at the start of the year, was confined to a clinic, Milan left for Belarus where they play BATE Borisov in a Champions League match yesterday.

A win could guarantee Milan a place in the last 16 with two games to spare depending on the result of the Viktoria Plzen-Barcelona game. — Reuters

Pittsburgh Philadelphia NY Rangers New Jersey NY Islanders Toronto Ottawa Buffalo Montreal Boston Washington Florida Tampa Bay Carolina Winnipeg Chicago Nashville Detroit St. Louis Columbus Edmonton Colorado Minnesota Vancouver Calgary Dallas Los Angeles San Jose Phoenix Anaheim

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS 8 3 2 39 28 18 6 4 1 41 36 13 4 3 3 25 25 11 4 4 1 20 24 9 3 4 2 18 23 8 Northeast Division 7 3 1 36 35 15 7 5 0 39 45 14 6 4 0 29 22 12 4 5 2 29 30 10 3 7 0 22 25 6 Southeast Division 7 2 0 35 23 14 6 4 1 29 29 13 5 4 2 33 35 12 4 4 3 28 35 11 4 6 1 30 39 9 Western Conference Central Division 7 2 2 37 29 16 5 4 2 28 31 12 5 4 0 22 23 10 5 6 0 28 31 10 2 9 1 28 40 5 Northwest Division 7 2 2 25 18 16 7 4 0 32 29 14 4 3 3 21 23 11 5 5 1 31 33 11 4 4 1 22 23 9 Pacific Division 8 3 0 28 23 16 6 3 2 26 22 14 6 4 0 30 26 12 5 3 2 30 30 12 5 5 1 22 28 11

NEW DELHI: Suwon Bluewings assistant coach Ko Jong-su and forward Stevica Ristic have been banned for six matches for their involvement in an ugly brawl during the Asian Champions League loss to Al Sadd, the Asian Football Confederation said yesterday.

Al Sadd goalkeeping coach Suhail Saber Ali has also been suspended for six matches for the violence which halted play for more than 10 minutes of the first leg of the semi-final on Oct. 19 that the Qataris won 2-0.

In some of the worst scenes in Asia’s premier club tournament, players were seen kicking at each other, while numerous fights broke out across the field after Al Sadd striker Mamadou Niang’s controversial second goal.

Moments before Niang’s strike, Suwon had allowed the ball to go out of play to let one of their players get treatment for a head injury in the Al Sadd area.

Al Sadd restarted and broke quickly to score as Suwon players walked slowly back to their positions believing their team mate was still being treated.

Furious at what they claimed was unsporting behavior in failing to return the ball, Suwon players and coaching staff protested to the referee before remonstrating with their Qatari opponents as the trouble flared.

Supporters showed their anger at the goal by throwing objects on to the field during the fights with one fan running on to the pitch. — AP

NEW YORK: Ace pitcher CC Sabathia has decided to stay under the Broadway bright lights in New York and agreed to a contract extension with the Yankees on Monday.

The 31-year-old Sabathia had earlier made the announcement on his Twitter account before the team confirmed that the big left-hander would in fact be returning.

“Yankee fans, I’ll be here fighting for number 28 next year,” the 31year-old tweeted, referring to New York’s bid for a 28th World Series title. “I’ll be coming back in 2012. I want to thank (team owners) the Steinbrenner family for making that happen.” Sabathia, who had until midnight on Monday to opt out of his current deal, has agreed to a $25 million, one-year contract extension that includes a $5 million buyout.

Sabathia signed a seven-year, $161 million deal with the Yankees before the 2009 season, the largest contract at the time for a pitcher in Major League Baseball. A five-time All-Star who won the Cy Young Award in 2007, Sabathia has recorded 176 wins and a 3.51 earned run average in 11 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers and Yankees. —Reuters

NEW YORK: Ryan Callahan scored twice in New York’s three-goal second period as New York shook of a blown lead and raced past the surging San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Monday night.

The Rangers led 2-0 in the first period but squandered it to the Sharks, who were trying to complete a sweep of a six-game road trip.

Artem Anisimov also scored in the second after Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan had goals in the first.

Martin Biron made 24 saves to improve to 2-0 as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup. Callahan added an assist, and Dan Girardi, Erik Christensen and Brandon Dubinsky all had two assists.

All that, and fan favorite Sean Avery could be back in the lineup Thursday if he clears waivers yesteday. Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture had goals for the Sharks (64), and Antti Niemi stopped 26 shots.

Jets 4, Panthers 3, SO At Sunrise, Florida, Andrew Ladd and Kyle Wellwood each scored goals in a shootout as the Jets edged the Panthers.

Evander Kane scored two goals and Wellwood also scored in regulation for Winnipeg. Ondrej Pavelec stopped a season-high 39 shots for the Panthers.

Tomas Fleischmann scored two goals in the third period for the Panthers and Jason Garrison also scored for Florida, while Jose Theodore made 28 saves. Each team scored a goal in the game’s final minutes of regulation.

Fleischmann’s second goal came on a power play with 2:10 left and gave Florida a 3-2 lead. His shot from between the circles went over Pavelec’s shoulder.

The Jets leveled it 3-all at 19:10 on Kane’s second goal on a shot from in front. The goal was awarded after a video review to determine if there was a high-stick.

Blackhawks 5, Predators 4 At Chicago, Viktor Stalberg scored at 2:18 of overtime and Patrick Kane had two goals and an assist in regulation to help the Blackhawks beat the Predators.

Stalberg rushed down the right wing on a 3-on-2 break, but pulled up with a move that made Nashville defenseman Jack Hillen turn the wrong way. Stalberg

Ryan Callahan in action in this file photo then fired a shot past Pekke Rinne for his third goal in two games.

Nick Leddy and Bryan Bickell also scored for the Blackhawks (7-2-2), who got three assists from Marian Hossa. Patric Hornqvist scored twice and Craig Smith

Lincou sets up meeting of legends ROTTERDAM: Thierry Lincou, the only Frenchman ever to have become world champion, produced a timeless display of skill and organisation here yesterday to induce a memoryjerking last 16 in the World Open.

The oldest man on tour survived a draining 66-minute battle to earn a meeting with his fellow 35-year-old, David Palmer, the twice former world champion from Australia who is playing his last world championship.

Lincou did that by staying tough enough to quell a late push from Stewart Boswell, the former world number four from Australia, and get home 11-5, 811, 11-7, 11-7.

“It was a question of mental preparation,” said the man from Marseille when asked how he endured so well. “These days there are times when it is difficult always to be hungry and I have to use my mind to push and to keep very focussed.”

Palmer was more critical of his own performance after losing a second game lead of 9-5 during an 11-6, 11-13, 11-5, 115 win against his fellow Aussie, Ryan Cuskelly, ranked 42. “ Tomorrow if I get leads against Thierry I have to use them - I must be careful not to let a good position slip,” Palmer said, whilst describing Cuskelly as “the future of Australia”.

Lincou’s performance was all the more remarkable for having spent 98 minutes on court with Shawn Delierre in the first round.

For a game and a half he attacked with great economy and tactical orthodoxy, often controlling rallies from the centre of the court, and moving superbly early when required to go forward.

But he ran into two spells of difficulty, from 5-3 in the sec-

Sabathia to stay with Yankees

Bans for ugly brawl

Rangers pound Sharks

NHL results/standings Results and standings from the NHL games on Monday. NY Rangers 5,San Jose 2; Winnipeg 4,Florida 3 (SO); Chicago 5,Nashville 4 (OT ).

SO=Shootout, OT=Overtime

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ond game and in the early stages in the fourth, either of which might have led him into danger.

The first saw Boswell find some immaculate accuracy, extending the rallies, and making Lincou work very hard and going on to level the match at one game all.

The second had Boswell take a 5-4 lead, and soon afterwards win another of many long rallies to keep in touch at 6-7.

After one of them Lincou wrung his hand in surprise - or perhaps tired dismay - at his opponent winning a let decision.

Boswell saved one match point at 10-6 with a penalty point decision when the ball spat oddly from the frontwallsidewall junction too close to Lincou’s body, and the Aussie resisted the end again by earning another let at 10-7 after a 50-shot rally.

That made Lincou breathe heavily, drop his racket, and pull up his trademark kneelength socks to a higher level.

The gesture, or perhaps it was the pause, worked for him spectacularly.

He finished the match with an unexpected and ferocious forehand boast from a very deep position, making it hurtle noisily into the forehand sidewall and reach the front wall just an inch above the tin.

Both Lincou and Palmer are likely to need plenty of physio to get themselves up for their nostalgia-loaded tussle.

“There are not many days I walk on and not be stiff and sore these days,” said Palmer, with only the briefest hint of a smile.

“But I held up well, and he (Cuskelly) was pretty exhausted at the end. I shall have to be careful though not to waste any advantages tomorrow.” —AFP

and Dave Legwand also connected for the Predators (55-1). Chicago’s Duncan Keith, the 2010 Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. —AP

Henry stands down as All Blacks coach

Sheikh Salman with Shooter Mishfi Al-Mutairi seen in this file photo

Kuwait top shooting tourney KUWAIT: Kuwait clinched first place during the Arab Clay Target Shooting tournament with 14 medals (8 gold, 4 silver and two bronze). Qatar was in second place with (9) medals and the UAE with (3) medals. Egypt was in fourth and Lebanon in fifth place.

Kuwaiti Double Trap Shooting team of Fuhaid Al-Daihani, Mishfi AlMutairi and Hamad Al-Afasi took the silver medal as the gold went to Qatar and the bronze to Algeria.

Meanwhile Kuwait’s Olympic Double Trap Shooter Fuhaid Al-Daihani took the singles silver medal with a score of 188/200 and Kuwait’s Mishfi Al-Mutairi was third with the same score. The gold medal was won by UAE’s Saif Al-Shamsi with a score of 190/200.

Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations Secretary General Obaid AlOsaimi said Kuwait Shooting continues its successful achievements and is moving on the right track under the leadership of Sheikh Salman Sabah AlSalem Al-Sabah, who does not spare any effort in guiding and supporting Kuwait shooters and officials.

He said that Sheikh Salman was in constant contact with Kuwait’s mission in Morocco to encourage them during the competition. The delegation will arrive in Kuwait International Airport at 9:30am.

WELLINGTON: Graham Henry stood down as coach of the All Blacks yesterday, nine days after securing his legacy as one of rugby’s coaching greats by guiding New Zealand to a second World Cup triumph on home soil.

The 65-year- old, whose team beat France 8-7 in the final to end a 24-year wait for a second title, said he had “had enough” after eight years in a job considered his country’s second-most scrutinised after that of Prime Minister.

“It has been a privilege to be involved in the All Blacks,” he told a news conference in Auckland. “I’m very proud of what they’ve done over the last eight years. They have certainly added to the legacy of All Blacks rugby.”

As well as the World Cup triumph, Henry steered the All Blacks to 88 wins in 103 tests, clinched five TriNations titles, swept the 2005 British and Irish Lions and completed grand slam tours in 2005, 2008 and 2010.

“I’d just like to say thanks to the guys who have played over those eight years, those 103 tests,” he added. “Especially thanks to Tana Umaga and Richie McCaw who were the long-term captains over that time.”

Henry, linked with a possible role in the England set-up or a return to the Auck land Blues where he enjoyed great success before moving into test rugby, said he would be making no immediate announcement on his future plans.

Forwards coach Steve Hansen is now expected to succeed his mentor as coach and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said it were discussing a role for Henr y as a coaching mentor in New Zealand at Super Rugby and provincial level.

“He has a great relationship with the country’s professional coaches, as well as other coaches, and he still has so much to offer the game and it’s fantastic that up-and-coming

New Zealand coaches will continue to benefit from his vast knowledge,” said NZRU chief Steve Tew. “He leaves the All Blacks job as one of the greatest coaches in the game, his record is unsurpassed and while he will now get time to spend with family and friends, and the odd bit of fishing, we are delighted that Graham is still going to be involved in New Zealand rugby.”

Taking over the team in 2004 after stints as Wales and British and Irish Lions coach, Henry inherited a side that had crashed out of the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup under John Mitchell.

The former secondar y school headmaster nicknamed “ Ted” set about building a team that swept all before them from 2005, including a series sweep of the Lions and the team’s second grand slam tour of Britain.

They were red-hot favorites to win the Webb Ellis Cup in 2007, but surprisingly exited at the quarterfinal stage when they lost to France in Cardiff.

Henry was reappointed in late 2007 in a decision that split New Zealand, with many favouring Mitchell’s assistant Robbie Deans, the hugely successful Canterbury Crusaders coach, to step back into the All Blacks frame.

Deans crossed the Tasman to coach Australia after the decision, while Henry set about restoring the All Blacks’ pride with assistants Hansen and Wayne Smith.

That they achieved at Eden Park on Oct. 23 and Henry paid tribute to his assistants, senior management but most of all the players who had worn the famous black shirt under him.

“I’m also very proud of the culture they have created,” he said.

“They have gone out of their way to have contact with people ... and put a smile on their faces ... and I’m proud of the way they have done that.” —Reuters

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Dunaden wins Melbourne Cup

KANSAS: Wearing Halloween masks, players for the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate their 23-20 overtime win in an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers. — AP

Succop lifts Chiefs over Chargers NFL standings American Football Conference AFC East W L TOTL PF PA Buffalo 5 2 0 0 211 147 New England 5 2 0 0 202 160 NY Jets 4 3 0 0 172 152 Miami 0 7 0 1 107 166 AFC North Pittsburgh 6 2 0 0 176 139 Cincinnati 5 2 0 0 171 123 Baltimore 5 2 0 0 182 110 Cleveland 3 4 0 0 107 140 AFC South Houston 5 3 0 0 206 142 Tennessee 4 3 0 0 139 145 Jacksonville 2 6 0 0 98 163 Indianapolis 0 8 0 0 121 252 AFC West Kansas City 4 3 0 0 128 170 San Diego 4 3 0 1 161 159 Oakland 4 3 0 0 160 178 Denver 2 5 0 0 133 200

PCT .714 .714 .571 0 .750 .714 .714 .429 .625 .571 .250 0 .571 .571 .571 .286

National Football Conference NFC East NY Giants 5 2 0 0 174 164 .714 Philadelphia 3 4 0 0 179 152 .429 Dallas 3 4 0 0 156 162 .429 Washington 3 4 0 0 116 139 .429 NFC North Green Bay 7 0 0 0 230 141 1.000 Detroit 6 2 0 0 239 147 .750 Chicago 4 3 0 0 170 150 .571 Minnesota 2 6 0 1 172 199 .250 NFC South New Orleans 5 3 0 0 260 186 .625 Tampa Bay 4 3 0 0 128 169 .571 Atlanta 4 3 0 0 158 163 .571 Carolina 2 6 0 0 187 207 .250 NFC West San Francisco 6 1 0 1 187 107 .857 Seattle 2 5 0 0 109 162 .286 St. Louis 1 6 0 0 87 192 .143 Arizona 1 6 0 0 143 183 .143

KANSAS CITY: Ryan Succop kicked a 30yard field goal in overtime, giving Kansas City a stunning 23-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Monday night and moving the Chiefs into an improbable tie atop the AFC West.

The Chargers, who had trailed the whole game, were on the verge of winning it in regulation when they marched to the Kansas City 15. With first-and-10 and 48 seconds left on the clock, Philip Rivers fumbled the snap and the Chiefs’ Andy Studebaker clawed under the pile and pulled the ball out.

Kansas City moved down the field for its own chance to win the game, but Matt Cassel badly overthrew his intended receiver and Eric Weddle’s second interception sent the game to overtime.

“Our guys were saying, ‘It ain’t over ‘till it’s over. Keep playing, and digging,’” Chiefs coach Todd Haley said. “You never know what will happen.”

Kansas City (4-3) became the first team in NFL history to lose its first three games and share at least part of a division lead after four more. The Chiefs are also the first team since the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2000 to win four straight games after losing their first three. Rivers could have prevented all of it from happening. “I haven’t had one in years,” Rivers said of the fumbled snap. “It’s unfortunate. I dropped it. This one is rough. You blow it on a play that never should have happened.”

Kansas City had its own chance to win in regulation, but Matt Cassel overthrew his wide receiver in Chargers territory and Eric Weddle’s second interception sent the game to overtime.

San Diego won the toss but failed to pick up a first down, and Cassel calmly led Kansas City down field. Succop’s field goal with 5:16 remaining gave the Chiefs their fourth straight win and moved them into a tie with San Diego (4-3) and the idle Oakland Raiders (4-3) in the division.

“We were saying, ‘Don’t quit,’” Studebaker said. “You never quit, even if it looks ugly. If you quit every time something looks ugly, you miss an opportunity to do something special.”

Boy, was this one ever ugly. Rivers wound up throwing for 369 yards, but he also had two interceptions and one big fumble.

The teams combined for eight turnovers, matching the most in an NFL game this season. The Chargers were called for 12 penalties worth 105 yards in a gruesome game on Halloween night.

One that looked pretty in the end to Kansas City.

The Chiefs got off to an abysmal start this season, losing their first two games by a combined 89-10 and then dropping their third game on the road, at San Diego. Along the way, the Chiefs lost Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki for the season.

They started moving in the right direction against division doormats Minnesota and Indianapolis, and then romped to a 28-0 win over Oakland last week. Now, they are tied for the lead in the AFC West. “It’s everybody,” Haley said.

“And I hate to mention one without mentioning them all, because everybody fought their tail ends off to make that result what it was.”

The Chiefs had things going early, getting a 36-yard field goal from Succop in the first quarter and then capitalizing on Rivers’ second interception in the first few minutes.

With the ball at the Chargers 39, Cassel dropped back to pass and saw Jonathan Baldwin streaking for the end zone. The wide receiver out-jumped fellow rookie Marcus Gilchrist for his first career touchdown catch, giving the Chiefs a 10-0 lead.

Novak kicked a field goal midway through the second quarter for San Diego, but he missed another late in the

second quarter, and Succop hit one with just a few ticks on the clock for a 13-3 halftime lead. The Chargers defense kept them in the game in the third quarter, holding the Chiefs to two three-and-outs and picking off Cassel for the second time. Kansas City only managed 44 yards of offense in the second and third quarters combined.

Novak kicked three field goals in the third quarter, drawing the Chargers within 13-12, but their inability to get into the end zone cost them dearly.

Kansas City finally got its offense in gear, marching 74 yards in 10 plays early in the fourth quarter. Jackie Battle finished off the drive by leaping over the scrum from a yard out, giving the Chiefs a 20-12 lead with 12:01 left. It sure didn’t last long.

Rivers completed four straight passes covering 74 yards - one for 27 yards to Vincent Jackson on third-and-13 - before Curtis Brinkley leaped in from 2 yards out for the Chargers’ first touchdown.

Going for the 2-point conversion and the tie, Rivers floated a pass to Brinkley in the flat and he was thrown back by cornerback Brandon Carr. The officials ruled that Brinkley nudged the ball over the goal line, though, and the decision was upheld by video review. It was the fourth replay call that went against the Chiefs.

Rivers’ butterfingers made that a moot point.

“They had no timeouts. We were in position to go kick the game-winning field goal,” Chargers coach Norv Turner said. “It didn’t happen. It looked to me like Philip got a little anxious and came out early. That’s a very unusual way to not win a game.”

Notes: The Chargers signed LB Bront Bird from the practice squad and released WR Bryan Walters before the game. ... Chiefs S Jon McGraw left the game with a shoulder injury. ... San Diego CB Quentin Jammer left the game in the second half with cramps. — AP

Federer sends Starace packing

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal puts his Porsche GT3 Cup car through its paces.

Arab stars warm up for start of new Porsche GT3 Cup title race Prince Abdulaziz, Al Harthy test new cars ABU DHABI: Some of the Arab world’s top racing drivers were in action today as official pre-season testing for the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East got under way at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Adulaziz Al Faisal, aiming to win the Porsche onemake series for the second time in three years, and Omani star Ahmad Al Harthy, were among the drivers tackling the morning test session in preparation for the start of the 2011-12 season at Dubai Autodrome on Friday.

Saudi’s Bandar Alesayi and Saeed Al Mouri were also in action on the Grand Prix circuit as the brand new 2012 model Porsche GT3 Cup cars went into action for the first time anywhere in the world.

Prince Abdulaziz, who won the first ever race in the series when it was launched in December 2009, is one of the favorites to clinch the 12-round championship this time round and will be looking for another flying start in Dubai at the weekend.

But he faces a severe challenge from Al Harthy, a newcomer to the series but who is out to make an immediate impact, and everything points to a tremendously competitive GT3 Cup title battle. Following the opening two rounds in Dubai on Friday and Saturday, the GT3 cars will return to the UAE capital as part of the race support programme for the 2011 Formula 1TM Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 12-13.

BASEL: Roger Federer made a winning return from a six-week break, beating Potito Starace of Italy 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the first round of his hometown Swiss Indoors event on Monday.

The fourth-ranked Federer took time to find the rhythm in his ground strokes, and saved a break point at 5-all before winning the first-set tiebreaker comfortably.

The 30-year-old Swiss then broke the 54th-ranked Starace’s serve in the opening game of the second. Federer last played on Sept. 18 in a Davis Cup match on grass in Australia where he beat Bernard Tomic in four sets. After opting to rest and recharge, Federer played his first match ranked outside the top three since winning the 2003 Wimbledon title as the No. 5.

Federer came in with a 5-0 career record against Starace, but was unable to put pressure on the Italian right-hander’s serve in the first set. Starace created the only break point in the set which Federer saved with a forehand winner. Federer converted his first set point in the tiebreaker by hitting a forehand winner down the line.

Leading 5-3 in the second, Federer earned a first match point with an overhead backhand volley winner, but then netted a service return. He clinched the match in the next game with a service winner.—AP

BASEL: Switzerland’s Roger Federer returns a ball to Italy’s Potito Starace during their first round match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament. — AP

MELBOURNE: French stayer Dunaden prevailed in a thrilling nose-to-nose sprint to the line with Britishtrained Red Cadeaux to win the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup in a photo-finish at Flemington Race course yesterday.

French jockey Christophe Lemaire came from well back in the field to push the six-year-old Dunaden hard at the last turn but was joined out in front by the Michael Rodd-ridden Red Cadeaux and the pair fought a furious sprint down the straight of the 3,200metre handicap, roared on by a huge crowd of over 100,000. After several suspenseful minutes, Lemaire was announced victor in one of the closest finishes in the Melbourne Cup’s 151-year history and the yellowclad Frenchman pointed to his chest in disbelief before pumping his fist into the air.

Lemaire’s triumph was tinged with regret for the rider he replaced, Craig Williams, whose dream of a historic Australian racing treble was dashed when a tribunal turned down his bid to appeal against a 10race ban on Monday.

Williams, who won local marquee races the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate in the leadup, would have been “devastated” to miss out, said Lemaire, who first saw the track on Monday and did not know he was racing until after his plane touched down that morning.

“I didn’t know if I could ride or not. It was for me already a pleasure to come to the Melbourne Cup as a spectator, so I was waiting for the judgement,” he told reporters after riding the Mikel Delzangles-trained Dunaden to victory at 8-1 odds in the 23-horse field.

“I had a fall just before the Arc (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) weekend and I lost eight winners, four group ones, so I know what it is to be in your armchair and watching your horses win. So of course I feel very disappointed for (Williams).”

Lemaire’s triumph was also heartache for Rodd, and the Cup-winning jockey briefly coaxed his sixyear-old gelding to a neck in front of Dunaden after a withering run on the outside before the French horse closed the gap.

MELBOURNE: French jockey Christophe Lemaire kisses the trophy after winning the Melbourne Cup horse race at Flemmington Race Course. — AP The two jockeys embraced and wished each other good luck in the nervy minutes after crossing the line before Rodd’s head slumped in disappointment after the winner’s announcement.

“I would have preferred to have been beaten by half a length rather than like that,” said Rodd, who won the 2007 race on Efficient.

Dunaden’s victory kept Australia’s richest thoroughbred trophy in French hands following Americain’s win last year and was only the fifth time the trophy had been carried off by a non-Australian or New Zealand trainer.

The Alain de Royer Dupre-trained Americain was valiant in his bid for back-to-back wins but the 5-1 favourite ultimately lost out to Lucas Cranach in a battle for third almost as tense as that for the winner with another photo needed to split the two.

France’s triumph was also shared by Qatari royalty, with young owner Sheikh Fahad al-Thani and his yearold Pearl Bloodstock stable celebrating a win that has eluded Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s powerful Godolphin stable for 13 years.

“He deserves to win it more than me to be honest,” said Sheikh Fahad, who had kept the French horse out of Europe’s top staying races to prepare for the Melbourne Cup. “I hope that (in the) next years, if I don’t win it, he does win it,” he grinned with the trophy perched next to him.

“Melbourne Cup this year and Ascot Gold Cup next year.” Illo, trained by Australian 12-time winner Bart Cummings, set the early pace but was swamped at the turn as the fellow German-bred Lucas Cranach charged into the lead in the final straight.

Lemaire had to bide his time before a path opened out wide in the closing stages, but needed to straighten a drifting Dunaden before his final fight to the line.

“I think he’s the best in my yard at the moment,” said trainer Delzangles, who had trained Americain before the horse was handed over to De Royer Dupre for his successful Melbourne Cup bid last year.

“I have to say I didn’t look at the photo, but watching the race and watching the replay I thought we were beaten.” Delzangles was never convinced his horse could handle the long journey from France until the race’s final seconds.

“I was a little worried, but thanks to Sheikh, thanks to Americain last year (who) made us realise it was possible to do it,” he said.— Reuters

Tsonga advances in Valencia MADRID: World number eight Jo-Wilfred Tsonga struggled to victory against wild-card entry Javier Marti from Spain 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, here in the first round of the Valencia Open yesterday.

The Frenchman, perhaps feeling the effects of his exploits in winning the Vienna Open on Sunday against Juan Martin del Potro in three sets, struggled in the first set against the Spaniard who is 182 in the ATP rankings. He soon recovered from that reverse to take a tight second set, before comfortably controlling the decisive third.

Tsonga now goes on to meet the winner of the match between Latvia’s Ernest Gulbis and Sam Querrey of the USA for a place in the last eight, and the chance to improve his end of year ranking and

qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in London later this month. On Monday, Nikolay Davydenko’s defeat of fifth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 was the biggest shock of the first round matches in the Valencia Open 500 here on Monday.

Davydenko’s win broke a five-match losing run for the Russian against Simon, currently number 12 in the ATP Rankings, and hits the Frenchman’s hopes of reaching the ATP World Tour finals in London next month.

Simon was the first big name to be knocked out here. Davydenko will next meet Simon’s compatriot Nicolas Mahut who beat Spaniard Guillermo GarciaLopez 7-6 (7-5),6-2 in the last 16.

Another shock on Monday was Canadian qualifi-

er Vasek Pospisil’s win against John Isner of the U.S, clinching a third set tie-break 11-9.

After the twenty-one year old Pospisil, currently ranked 133 in the ATP rankings, took the first set 63, the big American, ranked 110 places higher, returned the gesture by the same score to set up the tight third set. Pospisil now faces a match in the last 16 against the winner of Tuesday’s all-star Spanish duel between number one seed David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco.

The Italian Fabio Fognini comfortably beat Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-4, 6-3 and will face the winner of later yesterday’s clash between fourth seed Nicolas Almagro and Argentine Juan Monaco in the last 16.—AFP

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BULAWAYO: Martin Guptill (left) of New Zealand celebrates his century as he is congratulated by captain Ross Taylor (right) on the first day of the Test match against Zimbabwe.—AFP

New Zealand in command Guptill slams ton BULAWAYO: Martin Guptill hit his second Test century to put New Zealand in firm control of their one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club yesterday.

Guptill made the most of a flat pitch to hit 109, while captain Ross Taylor made an unbeaten half-century as the Black Caps closed day one on 275 for three.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers found the going tough on a wicket which offered little assistance, but could have dismissed both Taylor and BJ Watling in the final half hour of the day were it not for a couple of dropped catches.

Taylor, who finished the day unbeaten on 76, was fortunate to see his thin edge down the leg side off Chris Mpofu’s bowling dropped by the wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva, while Watling edged a delivery from Kyle Jarvis past first slip just a few overs later.

The rest of the day was often short on entertainment as New Zealand marched methodically towards a big total and Zimbabwe did their best to contain them.

However Guptill mixed patience and aggression to good effect, allowing himself quiet spells in the face of tight bowling but also launching the ball back over Ray Price’s head whenever the left-arm spinner offered the opportunity.

The 25-year-old had two close calls during his innings, with a strong drive going straight through Price’s hands shortly before lunch, while umpire Bruce Oxenford turned down a decent shout for lbw by Jarvis when Guptill was on 77.

Guptill went to 99 with a monstrous

six over long-off from the bowling of Price, and then went to three figures two balls later when he put away a long hop through midwicket.

“Any time you score a hundred is a good time, but it was quite difficult out there today so I was very pleased to come away with one,” Guptill said afterwards.

“There was a little bit of swing in the first few overs and then it went away and it was pretty straight up and down, but they bowled well and set straight fields which made it difficult to score runs.

“They were very discplined so the way that Ross Taylor and I batted, I think we did quite well.” Guptill put on 132 for the third wicket with Taylor, before pulling a short ball from part-time seamer Hamilton masakadza straight to Tatenda Taibu at midwicket.

That kept alive Zimbabwe’s tally of one wicket per session, with Jarvis having accounted for Brendon McCullum prior to lunch and Price effecting the run-out of Kane Williamson between lunch and tea.

McCullum attempted to pull a bouncer from Jar vis but played onto his stumps, while Williamson departed for 49 having failed to return to his crease in time after coming down the pitch and nudging a delivery back to the bowler. A total of five new caps were handed out at the start of the day, as Njabulo Ncube, Malcolm Waller and Regis Chakabva made their debuts for Zimbabwe and Dean Brownlie and Doug Bracewell were included in New Zealand’s Test side for the first time.—AFP

SCOREBOARD BULAWAYO: Scoreboard at close on the first day of the Test between Zimbabwe and New Zealand at Queens Sports Club yesterday: New Zealand first innings M. Guptill c Taibu b Masakadza 109 B. McCullum b Jarvis 14 K. Williamson run out (Price/Chakabva) 49 R. Taylor not out 76 B. Watling not out 16 Extras (7b, 1nb, 2wd, 1lb) 11 Total (3 wkts, 90 overs, 365 mins) 275 Fall of wickets: 1-40 (McCullum), 2-115

(Williamson) Bowling: Jarvis 18-5-53-1; Ncube 16-2-50-0; Mpofu 20-3-68-0; Price 26-2-75-0; Masakadza 7-3-13-1; Waller 3-0-8-0.

Zimbabwe - Brendan Taylor (capt), Vusi Sibanda, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu, Malcolm Waller, Regis Chakabva, Raymond Price, Kyle Jarvis, Christopher Mpofu, Njabulo Ncube.

Sullinger tops AP preseason All-America team NEW YORK: Jordan Taylor is in a class by himself on The Associated Press’ preseason All-America team. The guard from Wisconsin was the only senior on the team Monday. He was joined by four sophomores, including Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, a unanimous pick of the 65-member national media panel.

Harrison Barnes of North Carolina, Terrence Jones of Kentucky and Jeremy Lamb of Connecticut were the other sophomores. The 6-foot-1 Taylor averaged 18.1 points and 4.7 assists last season in leading the Badgers to a 25-9 record, third place in the Big Ten and their 13th straight NCAA tournament appearance. He received 51 votes.

“I just hope he doesn’t think he has to score 40 a game this year,” coach Bo Ryan said. “I think we’re going to be in trouble if he does. He doesn’t. He wants to be even more consistent. He wants to be more inclusive with his teammates, maybe in transition. There are different things we’re looking at in trying to get done with a different-sized team maybe on the floor.”

The 6-9 Sullinger was one of the players who decided to pass on the NBA draft. His coach said an impending lockout had nothing to do with him returning.

“He knew what he was going to do from the time he got to Ohio State in the summer,” Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said.

“When he told me he was coming back, I said, ‘Are you sure? Let’s talk about this.’ I want what’s best for our players. He said, ‘No, there’s no need to do it, I’m coming back.’”

His return has Ohio State at No. 3 in the AP preseason Top 25, behind two schools also featuring the return of a star.

North Carolina was a runaway choice for No. 1, and Barnes was second to Sullinger in the voting with 63. The Tar Heels’ entire front line is back after thinking about enter-

ing the draft.

The 6-8 Barnes was the first freshman selected to the preseason team, which started before the 1986-87 season. Many felt there was too much pressure on Barnes as the season started, and he did start to play more consistently once conference play began.

“Coming into last year, there was a lot of expectations, but we didn’t know what to expect and we didn’t know how things went,” said Barnes, who averaged 15.7 points and 5.8 rebounds for an inexperienced North Carolina team. “There wasn’t really anybody we could talk to on the team who had been through that. ... I think this year we kind of know what to expect.

We’re not looking at it as championship or bust. We’re looking at it as go out and play the best basketball we can.”

Jones, who received 33 votes, also thought about leaving for the NBA but he will be back for the Wildcats, who were No. 2 in the preseason Top 25. The 6-9 forward averaged 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds last season as Kentucky reached the Final Four.

Lamb asserted himself as the season went on and became a key player in the Huskies’ 11-game run to their third national championship. The 6-5 guard, who received 25 votes, averaged 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds last season.

The last unanimous pick to the preseason All-America team was North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough before the 2008-09 season. Besides Barnes, the other members of last season’s preseason team were Jimmer Fredette of BYU, who went on to become national player of the year; JaJuan Johnson of Purdue, a first-team selection; Jacob Pullen of Kansas State, a third-team pick; and Kyle Singler of Duke, an honorable mention. The other members of the postseason first team were Nolan Smith of Duke and Kemba Walker of Connecticut.—AP

LONDON: Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were convicted yesterday of fixing parts of a test match in the most serious corruption scandal to hit the sport in more than a decade.

Eleven years after South Africa captain Hanse Cronje was banned for life for taking bribes from bookmakers, a jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court found former captain Butt guilty of both counts of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments as part of a betting scam.

The 12 jurors were unanimous in their decision that both players were guilty of conspiracy to cheat, but could only reach a 10-2 majority verdict on the charge that Butt took money to do so.

Judge Jeremy Cooke ordered the jury, which had already spent more than 16 hours discussing its verdicts, to retire again to continue its efforts to reach at least a 10-2 majority on the second charge against Asif.

The 27-year-old Butt could face seven years in jail when the pair are sentenced later this week. The lesser charge of conspiracy to cheat carries a possible punishment of two years in prison.

Prosecutors said Butt and Asif conspired with sports agent Mazhar Majeed to ensure the delivery of three intentional no-balls illegal or erroneous deliveries by the bowling team that are roughly equivalent to a pitcher’s balk in baseball - during the match against England in August 2010.

Asif and fellow bowler Mohammad Amir overstepped by such a margin that match commentators at the time remarked with incredulity at the sloppiness of their play.

Butt, Asif and bowler Mohammad Amir have already received lengthy suspensions from an International Cricket Council anticorruption tribunal in Doha for fixing parts of the Lord’s test. Butt was banned for 10 years, five of which are suspended, Amir was banned for five years and Asif was given a seven-year ban, with two suspended.

But whereas Cronje - who died in a plane crash in 2002 - received immunity from criminal prosecution in exchange for his

Pakistani former Test captain Salman Butt

Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Asif

admission of fixing, the Pakistan players still faced a court case after their sporting punishment.

The allegations originally surfaced after Majeed was recorded by an undercover reporter working for the now-defunct News of the World tabloid saying that the three Pakistan players had accepted money to fix betting markets.

Majeed was secretly filmed accepting 150,000 pounds ($242,000) in cash from the journalist. Butt said he had ignored the requests from Majeed, his agent, and the 28year-old Asif - who reached No. 2 in the ICC’s test bowling rankings the month before the Lord’s test - said he had only bowled the noball at precisely the time Majeed said it would be delivered because Butt had told him to run faster moments before bowling.

Cooke previously told the jurors to accept that Amir was involved. The jury initially retired at midday Thursday but reported to Cooke on Monday that it was unable to reach a unanimous decision.

Criminal prosecution for sports corrup-

tion remains rare in Britain, with arguably the most notable case being the imprisonment of soccer player Tony Kay 47 years ago. The one-time England international was convicted of conspiracy to defraud over allegations he bet on his Everton side to lose a match. He served 10 weeks of a fourmonth sentence and never again played professionally.

Pakistan captain Salim Malik and a teammate became the first cricketers to be banned for match-fixing in 1999, with Cronje and former I ndia captain Mohammed Azharuddin banned the following year after Cronje admitted to forecasting results in exchange for money from a London bookmaker. The ICC created its Anti- Corruption and S ecurit y Unit in response to the incidents. Widespread corruption is widely held to have been stamped out, but isolated cases still occur.

West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels was banned for two years in 2008 over allegations he passed on information to a bookmaker.—AP

Bangladesh face tough task ahead DHAKA: Bangladesh face a tough battle to save the series-deciding second and final Test against the West Indies despite opener Tamim Iqbal’s bold 82 not out yesterday.

The hosts, chasing an improbable target of 508, were 164-3 in their second innings at stumps on the penultimate day of the match in Dhaka. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on 33.

Darren Bravo earlier smashed five sixes and 12 fours on his way to a 297-ball 195, before the West Indies, leading by 124 runs on the first innings, declared their second innings closed on 383-5.

The opening Test of the two-match series ended in a draw in Chittagong. “It’s nice to be in control in the Test and we are happy with the position we are in at the moment. But we will have to be watchful as Tamim is still batting and he is a quality player,” said West Indies coach Ottis Gibson.

“If Bangladesh make 500 runs to win then they deserve it. It will be a world record. If a team breaks the world record to win a Test then they deserve that win.”

Bangladesh lost opener Imrul Kayes (nine), Shahriar Nafees (18) and Raqibul Hasan (17), but left-handed Tamim continued to defy the West Indies’ attack, having so far cracked one six and eight fours.

Fast bowler Fidel Edwards, who jolted Bangladesh with five quick wickets in the first innings, struck in his second over when he had Kayes caught by Kirk Edwards at first slip. Seamer Darren Sammy held a return catch to dismiss Nafees (18) in the last over of the afternoon session before off-spinner Marlon Samuels removed Raqibul.

Tamim, dropped at point on 12 by Samuels off Fidel Edwards, made the most of the chance and played some attractive strokes in his 149-ball knock.

“Tomorrow we will try to bat session by session. If we can do that we can win the match. Our target is to bat consistently. It depends a lot on how we handle the first session,” said Bangladeshi batsman Naeem Islam.

“The way the wicket is behaving, it seems it’s possible to bat comfortably. We know we’ll have to break the world record to win this match and we will try to do that.”

Left-handed Bravo, aged 22, fell in the afternoon session, top-edging a delivery from debutant left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo to wicket-keeper Rahim.

He had hit a six off the previous ball before going for another big shot in a bid to complete his double-century.

He added 143 for the fifth wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who remained unbeaten on 59 with six fours. The West Indies added 176 runs to their overnight total of 207-3 before declaring after Bravo’s dismissal.

Bravo, who completed his maiden Test hundred off the last ball on Monday, reached the 150-mark in the last over of the morning session with a four off Shuvo.

He dominated the Bangladeshi attack for more than a session, adding 95 to his overnight score of 100. He also added 56 for the fourth wicket with nightwatchman Kemar Roach (12).—AFP

DHAKA: West Indies wicket keeper Carlton Baugh (left) fields a ball as Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahman (right) looks on during the fourth day of their second cricket Test match. —AP

SCOREBOARD DHAKA: Scoreboard at the close on the fourth day of the second test between Bangladesh and West Indies yesterday: West Indies first innings 355 Bangladesh first innings 231 West Indies second innings (overnight 207-3) K. Brathwaite run out 0 K. Powell c Nasir b Al Hasan 12 K. Edwards b S Shuvo 86 D. Bravo c Rahim b S. Shuvo 195 K. Roach c Naeem S. Shuvo 12 S. Chanderpaul not out 59 Extras (b-6 lb-4 w-5 nb-4) 19 Total (five wickets declared; 111.3 overs) 383 Fall of wicket: 1-0 2-33 3-184 4-240 5-383.

Did not bat: M. Samuels, C. Baugh, D. Sammy, F. Edwards, D. Bishoo.

Bowling: R. Hossain 12-2-36-0 (w-1 nb-2), N. Hossain 25-5-78-0, S. Al Hasan 21-1-79-1, N. Islam 12-2-

38-0, S. Shuvo 26.3-3-73-3, S. Hossain 11-0-570 (nb-2), R. Hassan 4-0-12-0.

Bangladesh second innings T. Iqbal not out 82 I. Kayes c K. Edwards b F. Edwards 9 S. Nafees c & b Sammy 18 R. Hassan c Sammy b Samuels 17 M. Rahim not out 33 Extras (b-2 lb-1 nb-2) 5 Total (three wickets; 47 overs) 164 Fall of wicket: 1-26 2-73 3-124.

To bat: R. Hassan, M. Rahim, S. Al Hasan, N. Islam, N. Hossain, S. Shuvo, S. Hossain, R. Hossain.

Bowling: F. Edwards 9-0-38-1 (nb-2), K. Roach 8-2-36-0, D. Sammy 7-2-11-1, D. Bishoo 11-3-35-0, M. Samuels 12-2-41-1.

F1 teams eye Indian sponsorship NEW DELHI: The indifference shown by the majority of India’s deep-pocketed corporates towards Formula One has baffled team bosses who expect them to warm to the sport following the success of last weekend’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix.

The teams are mostly happy with Formula One’s newest host and believe they have chanced upon a huge untapped market in one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

“I think like everyone else we wanted to also attract Indian companies and it is surprising that there are not many, as yet, in Formula One, although from the financial potential they are very much capable of doing it,” Sauber chief executive Monisha Kaltenborn said.

Indian-born Kaltenborn at least got local dairy brand Amul on board for Sunday’s race. “We did try hard and we succeeded in getting one of India’s most known, prestigious owned brands with Amul.

“I think we will continue with that now.

An event like this is the best platform, that’s where we can present ourselves and show the companies here what Formula One is about,” she said. Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost said teams could not afford to ignore “markets for the future” like India. “...it is very important for Formula One that we are racing in India, that we go to these new markets that are interesting and important for the future, like India, like China, Russia, the Arabian area, South America. “These are the markets for the

future and this is important... to bring in more sponsors,” he said. That would require a change in perception among the cricketbiased corporates in the world’s second most populous country.

“It has already changed, I think,” claimed Force India owner Vijay Mallya, who also owns a cricket team in the popular Indian Premier League. “Look at Sahara’s investment in Force India. Look at the investment of (Indian Grand Prix title sponsor) Airtel.

“I think after the corporates actually saw a real, good race in India, the level of interest would grow because this is a spectacular sport and a huge global platform.” Indian business conglomerate Sahara group invested $100 million for a 42.5 percent stake in Force India last month.—Reuters

18

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

SPORTS

United return to site of drubbing without Vidic

MILAN: Lille’s English forward John Cole (right) runs with his teammates during a training session at the San Siro Stadium on the eve of their UEFA Champions League football match against Inter. —AFP

Inter hoping to bounce back with Lille victory MILAN: Inter Milan turns to the Champions League today, hoping to put the misery of Serie A behind it when it hosts Lille.

Inter is languishing in 17th spot in the league after losing five of its nine games.

However, it has had better success in the Champions League to sit atop of Group B. “It’s a difficult period for the team but we’re working hard and we’ll get out of it,” striker Diego Milito said. “I’m sure we’ll have a great game tomorrow. “It’s definitely better to be playing immediately to help us forget the championship for a bit. This team has always wanted to prove itself to still be a great team.”

Giampaolo Pazzini scored the only goal of the game to hand Inter victory when the two sides met in France two weeks ago, inflicting what was only Lille’s second defeat in all competitions this season.

Defeat for Inter would see CSKA Moscow or Trabzonspor go top, should either of them take all three points when they meet in Turkey. Another loss for Lille would all but put it out of the reckoning for the knockout stages and leave Inter in pole position to progress. “We now have a great chance to show that we are still alive,” Milito added. “We have to win the group.” Inter will be without defenders Yuto Nagatomo and Maicon. Nagatomo has an injury to his right calf, while Maicon will be out for up to a month with a muscle strain in his left thigh.

Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar is also out for up to a month with a thigh injury, and midfielder Esteban Cambiasso picked up a knee bruise against Juve.

However, center backs Andrea

Ranocchia and Walter Samuel are expected back from injury against Lille.

Lille has been flying in the French league but a drab performance on Sunday saw it held to a goalless draw at Valenciennes. “If we play like that, there’s no way we can win in Italy,” coach Rudi Garcia said. “Everyone will see us lose. We can only do better. “The only positive thing from the match is that when we don’t win at least we don’t concede a goal.”

Florent Balmont is definitely out for Lille after pulling a muscle against Valenciennes, while Marko Basa and Aurelien Chedjou are doubtful.

Meanwhile, CSKA Moscow prepares to visit Trabzonspor, with the Russian outfit in red-hot form. Since a 3-0 win over Trabzonspor in Moscow two weeks ago, CSKA has beaten Anzhi 5-3 and Spartak Nalchik 4-0 in the Russian league to remain second in the league standings, two points behind leader Zenit St. Petersburg.

CSKA striker Seydou Doumbia, who scored twice against the Turkish side, went on to score two consecutive hat tricks in the next two games. “I’m in perfect form and hope to continue to score at the same tempo in the next matches,” the Ivory Coast forward said.

However, midfielder Yevgeny Aldonin insists he and his teammates are not underestimating their opponents.

“It may seem from the scoreline that the game was an easy one, but it’s not true,” he said. “It will be even tougher in Turkey - the Turks will be on the attack and will play more aggressively. But this will give us good opportunities to counterattack.” CSKA is still without injured first-choice goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev and midfielder Keisuke Honda.—AP

Bayern plot Napoli ambush MUNICH: Bayern Munich can seal a place in the second round of the Champions League today if it beats Napoli at home and Manchester City fails to win at Villarreal. Bayern’s chances look good, since Napoli has never won in Germany and City has been less impressive in Europe.

City’s expensively assembled side leads England’s Premier League by five points from fierce rival Manchester United but has won just one of three matches in its debut Champions League season. Bayern warmed up for its match against Napoli by routing Nuremberg 4-0 to open a four-point lead in the Bundesliga. Coach Jupp Heynckes is likely to have key midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and defender Daniel van Buyten back after slight injuries.

Bayern drew 1-1 at Napoli and leads Group A with seven points from three matches. Napoli has five and City four, while Villarreal still has to earn a point.

“Napoli is difficult to play against, they run and fight a lot. And they play a system that we don’t find in the Bundesliga,” Bayern midfielder Toni Kroos said. Napoli’s formation features three defenders and a crowded midfield.

“We need to adjust. We played well away but we could have done some things better. We have to do that at home,” Kroos said. “With 10 points, we’d be all but through.” Bayern is undefeated in eight straight home games this season, with an astonishing 33-goal difference. “It’s compulsory to get three points,” said Schweinsteiger, who is likely to be fit for today after going off with a calf injury on Saturday.

“When we play like this we’re unstoppable,” said striker Mario Gomez, who leads the Bundesliga with 12 goals. “We’re playing excellent football, our zonal marking is superb, we’re passing well and look good on the ball,” Heynckes said.

Van Buyten is also likely to be available after bruising on the right foot. After an impressive start to the season, Napoli has struggled in Serie A lately and failed to win three of its last four matches, including a 21 loss at Catania on Saturday when the visitors were reduced to 10 men. “We’re focused on Bayern now, although it’s not

easy keeping up both in Italy and Europe,” Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri said.

Napoli midfielder Walter Gargano is out for a month and reserve striker Goran Pandev is also unavailable. Napoli is expected to have about 8,000 of its fans at Allianz Arena.

Meanwhile, Villarreal has suffered yet another injury blow with defender Cristian Zapata hurting ligaments in his right knee.

He is set to miss five weeks.

The loss of Zapata comes after injuries ruled out Cani, Marco Ruben and Marcos Senna for today’s match with City.

The latest setbacks only compounded the worries of coach Juan Carlos Garrido, who was already without star strikers Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar.

Rossi will be out of action for about six months after suffering a serious knee injury against Real Madrid last week, while Nilmar is still on the comeback trail after undergoing an operation to remove a knee cyst at the start of October.

“This week has, to some degrees, been the tip of the iceberg,” Garrido said yestrday. “The team is being decided by injuries but this isn’t anything new as we’ve been dealing with injuries since the start of the season.

“The team must forget about these injuries by fighting even harder. The players that are available have to give their all.

“We need to believe in ourselves because this is the game of our lives.”

Villarreal has never lost to an English club at El Madrigal Stadium, with two wins and four draws. Villarreal’s injury problems have coincided with a poor start to the season, with its only two wins in the Spanish league.

City beat Villarreal 1-0 two weeks ago through a late goal by Sergio Aguero and the Argentina forward, who is among 23 players shortlisted for the FIFA world player of the year award, is likely to again lead the English side’s attack.

“If we do (win), it could put a completely different complexion on the group,” City defender Micah Richards said. “It could work in our favor that Villarreal need to win because they will have to come at us, which will give us the opportunity to do our stuff on the counterattack.”—AP

MANCHESTER: Manchester United return to the scene of their recent domestic humiliation for today’s Champions League game at home to Otelul Galati without captain Nemanja Vidic who has been the tonic easing their recovery.

The centre back was sent off in the encounter between the two sides in Romania earlier this month, meaning he will miss the Group C game at Old Trafford, where United were thumped 6-1

by Premier League leaders Manchester City just over a week ago. That defeat, which destroyed an 18-month unbeaten home run and was described by manager Alex Ferguson as the worst in his career, has been followed by back-to-back away wins and clean sheets that have owed much to Vidic who missed the City game.

Without the Serb, who had been sidelined since August with a calf injury before returning against Galati, United’s back four have looked vulnerable and in need of a commanding presence- exactly what the Romanians will be hoping for.

The English champions were unconvincing against them two weeks ago but Ferguson was confident enough of a victory to already be looking ahead to their next home European game against group leaders Benfica on Nov. 22.

“We have to win today, without doubt,” the Scot said on the club website (www.manutd.com). “We’re at home and I expect us to win and, if we do that, it’s in our hands when we play Benfica at home.

“I expect Benfica to beat Basel

LONDON: Manchester United’s Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov (left) and Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic attend a training session at the Carrington complex on the eve of their UEFA Champions league football match against CS Otelul Galati. —AFP (today) as they’re in a bit of disarray with (coach) Thorsten Fink going to Hamburg. We’ll hopefully win our game and, when we play Benfica at home, it’ll be the decider in our section.”

Since the painful Manchester derby, United have got back to winning ways with a 3-0 League Cup victory at Aldershot and a 10 win at Everton in the league on Saturday and they will be keen to show the breach of their home fortress was a mere blip.

They have not lost at home in their last nine Champions League games but they have conceded at least one goal in each of the last five and let in three in their previous Old Trafford group game, a surprise 3-3 draw with Basel.

Their European campaign got

off to a shaky start with two draws before beating Galati 2-0 and they sit second in the table on five points, two behind leaders Benfica and one ahead of third-placed Basel. Galati have yet to get off the mark.

Ferguson has signalled he will field a strong side against the Romanians, although he will be without winger Ashley Young and defender Chris Smalling who have foot injuries while midfielder Tom Cleverley is doubtful with an ankle problem.

“I don’t think there will be a lot of changes,” Ferguson said.

“Maybe two or three but no more.” Despite having ground to catch up on Benfica, three-times European champions United are still aiming to top the group.

“It’s always been better to fin-

ish first than second,” Ferguson said. “After getting the first result against Galati and then playing them again at home, we’ll hopefully go into the Benfica game with eight points.

That will be an important match.”

Galati’s trip to Manchester is their first to England and could also prove to be coach Dorinel Munteanu’s last match in charge. Munteanu has been linked by local media to German second tier club Duisburg. “I am the Otelul coach and right now I am focusing only on the Champions League match,” he was quoted by Romanian gsp.ro sports portal as saying. “It will be an extremely tough match but we hope we can overcome this.”—Reuters

Real seeks place in the knockout stage PARIS: Real Madrid can secure a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League with a victory at Lyon today. The 2002 champion tops Group D with nine points, five clear of Ajax Amsterdam and Lyon. Dinamo Zagreb is in last place without a point.

Madrid routed Lyon 4-0 last month and hopes to repeat the feat when they meet for the 10th time in Europe’s top competition.

The Spanish league leader will be looking to continue its impressive run of form. Madrid has won its last eight matches in all competitions, including six clean sheets, and is the only team that has yet to concede a goal in the group stage of the Champions League.

Lyon used to create a lot of problems for Madrid, winning three and drawing four of their first seven matches. But the momentum has swung in Madrid’s favor lately.

Madrid beat Lyon by a wide margin in their last two encounters. Besides the 4-0 rout two weeks ago, Madrid also thrashed Lyon 3-0 last season. Yet, Madrid coach Jose Mourinho won’t underestimate the French club.

Lyon is “many things, but not an easy side, and they defeated Real Madrid in recent seasons,” Mourinho said. “I don’t think we have an easy group. We’re doing our job very well, and that’s why we have nine points.” In four home games against Madrid, Lyon is still undefeated with three wins and a draw.

“They are much stronger at home and play with better confidence and more aggressively,” Madrid midfielder Mesut Oezil said. “Our advantage is how we handle the ball and our individual talent (...) We want to score a lot of goals and come back with three points.”

Madrid will rely on Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain to crack the Lyon defense.

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

UEFA Champions League Ajax v Dinamo Al Jazeera Sport +6

22:45

Lyon v Real Madrid Al Jazeera Sport +2

22:45

Benfica v Basel Al Jazeera Sport +8

22:45

Man United v Galati Al Jazeera Sport +5

22:45

Inter v Lille Al Jazeera Sport +1

22:45

Trabzonspor v CSKA Al Jazeera Sport +7

22:45

Villarreal v Man City Al Jazeera Sport +3

22:45

Bayern v Napoli Al Jazeera Sport +9

22:45

MADRID: Real Madrid’s players take part in a training session on the eve of the Champions League second leg football match against Lyon. —AFP They have scored 10 goals each in the Spanish Saturday to climb to fourth place in the French league. Madrid will be without centerback league. Lyon will miss through injury Ricardo Carvalho, who is nursing a back injury. Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez (ankle), Fullback Alvaro Arbeloa and midfielder Kaka Brazilian winger Michel Bastos (hamstring), are doubtful after picking up knocks in playmaker Clement Grenier (thigh), forward Jeremy Pied (ankle) and back-up goalkeeper Saturday’s 1-0 win over Real Sociedad.

Meanwhile, Lyon wants at least a point from Remy Vercoutre (Achilles tendon).

Fullback Aly Cissokho is doubtful after the game, hoping to prove the 4-0 loss was just a one-off. “I don’t think the gulf is as wide straining his hamstring against Saint-Etienne. as it seemed over there,” Lyon striker Bafetimbi In the other Group D match, Ajax hosts Gomis told the UEFA website. “So now it’s up Dinamo. The Dutch side won 2-0 in Zagreb two weeks ago. Ajax is in fifth place in the Dutch to us to show our pride and belief.

“I don’t think it was a decisive game, it league after beating Roda 4-0 last weekend. hasn’t jeopardized our chances of qualifying. Dinamo tops the Croatian league with a sevenNow we need to be competitive and try and point lead over Hajduk Split. But it is struggling get at least one point, in order to keep on mov- in the Champions League as Dinamo and Genk are the only teams that have yet to score in the ing toward qualification.”

Ten-man Lyon beat Saint-Etienne 2-0 group stage.—AP

Messi among 23 candidates for World Player of the Year ZURICH: Lionel Messi is in the running for a third consecutive FIFA world player of the year award after being selected yesterday among the 23 candidates for the 2011 prize.

Argentina forward Messi and seven of his teammates at European and Spanish champion Barcelona are on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, while archrival Real Madrid has five players nominated. Seven Spain internationals are in contention.

England striker Wayne Rooney made the list after helping Manchester United to a 19th league title and a spot in the Champions League final.

No England player was nominated last year and no Italian player features on the 23-man list for the second straight year. France has Eric Abidal of Barcelona and Karim Benzema of Madrid after also being shut out in 2010.

Brazil has two players on the shortlist, with Barcelona defender Dani Alves and Santos forward Neymar nominated.

Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola will be favored to win the world coach of the year award after leading his team to a trophy laden year, adding the European Super Cup and Spanish Super

Cup in August. Long-serving Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque and Madrid coach Jose Mourinho are also on the 10-candidate list.

Mourinho won the 2010 award after leading Inter Milan to the Italian and European titles.

The leading three candidates from each list will be announced Dec. 5 in Paris, with the winners announced at a televised ceremony in Zurich on Jan. 9.

Voting is by national team coaches and captains, and journalists invited by joint organizer “France Football” magazine.

Player of the year candidates: Eric Abidal (France), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Karim Benzema (France), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Dani Alves (Brazil), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Nani (Portugal), Neymar (Brazil), Mesut Oezil (Germany), Gerard Pique (Spain), Wayne Rooney (England), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Luis Suarez (Uruguay), David Villa (Spain), Xabi Alonso (Spain), Xavi (Spain).—AP

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19

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

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BATE keeps Milan waiting

NICOSIA: Gustavo Manduca (right) of Apoel, Nicosia, fights for the ball with Fredy Guaran of FC Porto during a Group G Champions League soccer match. —AP

APOEL win thriller to edge closer to knockout stage NICOSIA: A last-gasp goal by Gustavo Manduca gave Champions League surprise package APOEL Nicosia a 2-1 win over Portuguese giants Porto here yesterday and sent them back to the top of Group G. Manduca’s 90th-minute goal restored the hosts’ lead, which they had seen erased by an 89th-minute penalty from Porto striker Hulk. The hosts’ in-form marksman Ailton had given them the lead with a penalty in first-half injury time. APOEL’s win pushes them tantalisingly close to becoming the first Cypriot side to qualify for the knockout stage of European club football’s showpiece tournament.

Ailton’s third goal in four group matches was slightly cruel on the visitors, who had enjoyed the larger share of possession.

However, he earned it all by himself as he burst into the box only to be brought down by Eliaquim Mangala, leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Ailton despatched the spot-kick clinically.

Porto had rarely threatened a breakthrough, with only two efforts by Brazilian striker Hulk causing any concern for the home defence, but goalkeeper Urko Pardo was equal to the task on both occasions.

Indeed it was Ailton, who had gone closest to breaking the deadlock prior to the penalty, when his header hit the post in the 20th minute.

The second half saw the hosts continue to rely on the counter-attack and with 10 minutes remaining, coach Ivan Jovanovic replaced the impressive Ailton with Bosnian defender Sanel Jahic.

Just as APOEL thought they were close to returning to the top of the group, Hulk intervened, but the hosts showing the character they have displayed throughout the group stage by replying immediately.

APOEL skipper Constantinos Charalambides found space down the right and he put in a superb cross to the far post, where Manduca made no mistake to send the 20,000-plus spectators crazy with joy. —AFP

Zenit reach the zenith SAINT PETERSBURG: Belgian full back Nicolas Lombaerts scored the only goal to give Zenit St Petersburg a 1-0 win over Ukraine giants Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League Group G encounter here yesterday.

Zenit went provisionally top of the table with seven points from four matches ahead of the other Group G match between Cypriot side APOEL and Portuguese champions Porto later.

Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti was delighted with the result that leaves Shakhtar struggling to reach the second round as they have just two points after four matches.

“We played attacking football in both matches against Shakhtar and it was the key to our success in these matches,” Spalletti said. “We were never sitting back, we were keeping their defensive line under constant pressure and probing the whole time to expose their weaknesses. “We gained four points in these two matches with Shakhtar and I consider it to be an achievement for my side,” added the Italian.

Zenit, spurred on by a capacity 21,000 home crowd at the Petrovsky stadium, grabbed the initiative from the kick off, testing the visitors defence seeking an

early opening goal.

But Shakhtar’s defence held firm as Zenit failed to create any clear chances in the opening 29 minutes. However, that all changed on the half hour mark.

Shakhtar ‘keeper Alexander Rybka was forced into a remarkable double save, deflecting Igor Denisov’s shot from the edge of the box onto the post and subsequently cleared Konstantin Zyryanov’s short range attempt.

Nine minutes later Ukrainian international ‘keeper Rybka produced another save out of the top drawer when he turned away Alexander Bukharov’s closerange header for a corner.

However, he could not save his side the whole time and he was eventually beaten in first-half injury time as Lombaerts headed home from a corner

by Zyryanov.

Shakhtar - who made history last season when they became the first Ukrainian side to reach the quarter-finals - showed more ambition in the secondhalf but to little avail.

Indeed it was the hosts who went closest to doubling their lead as Zenit midfielder Roman Shirokov’s shot from the edge of the box hit the post just before the hour mark. — AFP

ST. PETERSBURG: Zenit’s Danny (left) fights for the ball with Vyacheslav Shevchuk of Shakhtar Donetsk during the UEFA Champions League, Group G soccer match. —AP

MINSK: Renan Bressan’s secondhalf penalty gave BATE Borisov a 1-1 draw with AC Milan in the Champions League yesterday.

Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in the 22nd minute to reward the Serie A champions’ dominance until teammate Ignazio Abate gave away a penalty, which Bressan converted in the 55th minute.

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri and his team had wanted to win for teammate Antonio Cassano, who has been in hospital after falling ill on the flight back to Milan following its 3-2 win at Roma on Saturday.

The visiting fans had banners showing their support for the stricken striker, while KevinPrince Boateng celebrated Ibrahimovic’s goal with a shirt of Cassano’s.

The draw gives Milan eight points from four games while BATE remained on two. Both Milan and Barcelona will advance from Group H if the Spanish champion beats Viktoria Plzen later Tuesday.

“We made a lot of mistakes, and when you do that then it can happen that you concede a goal or penalty,” Allegri said. “It’s normal that you have to be more clinical in finishing a game off, but we didn’t do that.

“What was important though was to qualify, and we’re more or less there now. Now we’ll aim for top spot.” Milan started brightly and could have gone in front as early as the sixth minute.

Ibrahimovic played a rapid onetwo with Robinho on the edge of the box but saw his shot crash off the crossbar.

BATE was enjoying several promising counterattacks but lacked the quality to break decisively through the Milan defense.

However, in the 15th minute, Bressan got himself into good position but blazed wildly over.

Moments later Milan should have gone in front. Alberto Aquilani’s header bounced off Marko Simic’s back and fell nicely to Robinho, who tapped it back to Aquilani but his shot was wide.

the edge of the area which Gutor got down quickly to parry away to safety.

Ibrahimovic finally got his goal shortly afterwards. Robinho raced clear down the right flank and crossed to the Sweden striker, who struck the ball into the bottom left corner for his third goal

MINSK: AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic reacts after scoring a goal against bate Borisov during their Champions League Group H soccer match. —AP Ibrahimovic tried his luck from distance in the 17th minute but Aleksandr Gutor punched clear.

The Milan striker again forced the BATE goalkeeper into action seconds later, with a free kick from

Valencia strike early to keep CL hopes alive VALENCIA: Valencia scored one of the fastest ever Champions League goals as they battled to a 3-1 victory over German opponents Bayer Leverkusen here yesterday which leaves Group E wide open.

The Spanish side lost away in Germany which left their hopes of qualifying for the next round looking remote but now they are on five points, one behind Leverkusen and three behind leaders Chelsea who surprisingly drew away to Genk.

In a dramatic start to the game Jonas Goncalves put Valencia ahead in just over ten seconds which was fractionally slower than the fastest ever in the competition by Roy Makaay for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in 2007 which was measured at 10.3secs.

Leverkusen keeper Bernd Leno cleared the ball straight to Jonas and he slipped the ball home from 18 yards. Stefan Kiessling headed Leverkusen level but Roberto Soldado restored Valencia’s advantage after 65 minutes and French centreback Adil Rami added a third 15 minutes from the end.

Valencia came into the game in good form with back-to-back victories domestically and Sofiane Feghouli kept his place on the left wing following a brace at the weekend in the 3-1 win over Getafe.

Leverkusen were able to call on Michael Ballack who had to wear a facemask after breaking his nose in the weekend win over Freiburg.

Valencia had the perfect start when a calamitous kick from keeper Leno went straight to Jonas on the edge of the area and he clinically slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

The visitors were shaken and it took them a while to settle down as Valencia had control in the centre of the pitch and stretched the Leverkusen backline especially through the dangerous Pablo Hernandez.

Leverkusen possessed a physical threat in attack which Valencia were not comfortable with and an excellent save was needed from Diego Alves to deny an Omer Toprak header from a corner.

Ballack was booked for diving when he sought the rebound. It was an open game but Valencia were dealt a blow with the loss of creative midfielder Ever Banega with an ankle injury midway through the first half.

Sidney Sam hit a drive from the edge of the area which was well parried by Alves but he could do nothing on 31 minutes when Leverkusen’s aerial threat brought the equaliser.

Ballack picked out Kiessling with an excellent cross who nodded the ball into the corner.

It was a busy first half for Alves who also had to tip over a powerful strike from Andre Schurrle, while Valencia continued to attack down the wings.

The game maintained a lively pace after the break as Valencia needed to push forward looking for the win but they struggled to create clear cut chances and Leverkusen were carrying a greater threat on the break.

Valencia coach Unai Emery threw on the tricky Pablo Piatti as the hosts searched for a way through but as when the two teams met in Germany it appeared that the game was going away from them after a bright start. It was when Leverkusen were looking at their strongest that Valencia retook the lead. Jeremy Mathieu raced down the left wing and crossed low for Soldado whose shot squeezed under the keeper. The goal relaxed Valencia and Costa became more and more influential in the middle of the pitch after taking his time to get into the match as a substitute. It was his corner which was headed home by Rami that sealed the win for Valencia. —AFP

in as many games.

BATE almost restored parity straight away but Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati pulled of a fantastic save to deny Maksim Skavysh.

Robinho could have doubled Milan’s lead shortly before the break as he beat the offside trap and raced down the field before rounding the Bate goalkeeper and smashing his effort off the outside of the right post. The Brazilian had another chance minutes into the second half but he fired straight at Gutor.

Milan then handed the hosts an equalizer, as Abate hauled down BATE midfielder Artem Kontsevoi in the area in the 55th minute. Bressan fired a perfect penalty into the bottom left corner and, although Abbiati dived the right way, he could not keep it out. “It doesn’t make any sense for me to say now whether the referee made a mistake,” Allegri said. “I can only say that the team had a good game but we lacked the final product. When it all seemed so easy, we couldn’t manage to close the game and they punished us.” It almost went from bad to worse for Milan as Abbiati had to react smartly to keep out a wonderful effort from Dmitri Baga. Milan upped the pressure but could find no way past Gutor, who pulled off smart stops to twice deny Ibrahimovic.

Kevin-Prince Boateng came close to giving Milan the lead in the 77th minute but Gutor was on hand to deny his first shot and Simic - ideally placed just short of the goal line - cleared his second, from the rebound. Milan appealed for a penalty, claiming the ball had hit Simic’s arm, but the referee waved play on.

BATE came close to securing a first ever Champions League victory - in its 10th game - in extra time. A good counterattack from the Belarusian side ended in a shot from Skavysh from just outside the area, but Abbiati parried his near-post drive. —AP

Champions League results/standings Champions League group stage results and standing yesterday: Group E At Valencia Spain Valencia (ESP) 3 (Jonas 1, Soldado 65, Rami 75) Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 1 (Kiessling 31) At Genk, Belgium Genk (BEL) 1 ( Vossen 61) Chelsea (ENG) 1 (Ramires 26)

Group G At Saint Petersburg, Russia Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) 1 (Lombaerts 45+1), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) 0 At Nicosia APOEL Nicosia (CYP) 2 (Ailton 42-pen, Manduca 90), FC Porto (POR) 1 (Hulk 89-pen) Group H At Minsk BATE Borisov (BLR) 1 (Bressan 55-pen) AC Milan (ITA) 1 (Ibrahimovic 22)

Group F At London Arsenal (ENG) 0, Marseille (FRA) 0 At Dortmund, Germany Borussia Dortmund (GER) 1, (Grosskreutz 7) Olympiakos (GRE) 0

At Prague Viktoria Plzen (CZE) 0 Barcelona (ESP) 4 (Messi 24-pen, 45+2, 90+2, Fabregas 72)

Champions League group stage tables after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Group E Chelsea 8Leverkusen Valencia RC Genk Group F Arsenal Marseille Dortmund Olympiakos

4 4 4 4

4 4 4 4

2 2 1 0

2 2 1 1

2 0 2 2

2 1 1 0

0 2 1 2

0 1 2 3

9 5 5 1

4 4 3 4

2 66 45 82

28 17 74 53

Group G APOEL Zenit FC Porto Shakhtar

4 4 4 4

2 2 1 0

2 1 1 2

0 1 2 2

Group H Barcelona

4 3

1

AC Milan

4 2

2

BATE Borisov 4 0 Plzen 4 0

2 1

0 13 2 10 — qualified 0 7 3 8 — qualified 2 2 92 3 1 91

6 7 5 4

48 57 74 62

GERMANY: Olympiacos’ Francois Modesto (right) Djamel Abdoun (left) and Dortmund’s Kevin Grosskreutz (center) challenge for the ball during the Champions League Group F soccer match. —AP

Dortmund down Olympiakos DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund breathed life back into their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 win over Olympiakos yesterday that keeps their hopes alive of reaching the knockout stage.

Germany forward Kevin Grosskreutz hit the winner after only seven minutes with a curling thunderbolt from just outside the area that gave Olympiakos goalkeeper Balasz Megyeri no chance.

After consecutive defeats at Marseille and then at Olympiakos a fortnight ago, the win at the sold-out Signal Iduna Park was Dortmund’s first of their European campaign and takes them to within three

points of second-placed OM. Dortmund were rewarded after some early pressure when teenage Germany star Mario Goetze laid the ball off to Grosskreutz on the edge of the area and the 23-year-old smashed his shot home from 25 yards. Despite conceding the early goal, Olympiakos kept the hosts under pressure with a series of counter-attacks that had Borussia centre-backs Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic working hard throughout. Serbian midfielder Ljubomir Fejsa and Algerian striker Rafik Djebbour both tested Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller. — AFP

Dunaden wins Melbourne Cup

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

United return to site of drubbing without Vidic

18

Bangladesh face tough task after Bravo’s 195

Page 17

PRAGUE: Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez (centre) is stopped by goalie Roman Pavlik of Viktoria Plzen during their Champions League Group H match. —AFP

Barca ease into knockout stages PRAGUE: Holders Barcelona sealed their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League after breezing past 10-man Czech champions Viktoria Plzen 4-0 here yesterday.

A hat-trick by world footballer of the year Lionel Messi and a Cesc Fabregas goal were enough to see off the Champions League debutants.

The clean sheet saw Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes set a new club record of 877 minutes without conceding a goal. Messi converted a penalty, added a second just before halftime and completed his second hat-trick in four days in stoppage time - Fabregas goal came from a header in the 72nd minute.

Barca top Group H with 10 points from four games, two points ahead of AC Milan who also reached the second round despite being held to a 1-1 draw at Belarusian side BATE Borisov earlier on Tuesday.

“We’re very happy with the result today. We’ll try to win at Milan to stay at the top,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola said after the game, calling Messi “a phenomenal player.”

Messi converted a penalty with a low shot in the 24th minute after being brought down in the box

by Plzen sweeper Marian Cisovsky, who was also sent off. Just before halftime, Adriano played a neat interchange with Messi to set the Argentinian up

for a left-footed shot from inside the box that left Plzen keeper Roman Pavlik diving in vain.

Fabregas made it 3-0 with a close-range header after a cross from 20-year-old winger Isaac Cuenca, who had replaced the injured Pedro Rodriguez in the starting line-up.

Messi completed the hat-trick with a left-footer after Gerard Pique set him up with a backheel pass that tricked the Plzen defence.

The Catalans, who beat Plzen 2-0 at the Nou Camp two weeks ago, started with Thiago and Adriano in midfield while Guardiola put Andres Iniesta and Xavi on the bench and striker David Villa was rested.

“Villa was tired, he played many games in a row so we let him rest,” said Guardiola.

Plzen, playing in Prague as their own stadium fails to meet UEFA requirements, showed a more plucky approach to their one at the Nou Camp.

But winger Milan Petrzela was denied by Valdes after a superb run and midfielder Daniel Kolar sent his shot high over the bar.

“It was much harder than the first game,” said Guardiola. “Plzen were excellent in the opening minutes, they were pretty dangerous,” he added.

Plzen coach Pavel Vrba blamed Petrzela’s wasted chance and the penalty and red card for the loss.

“These were two pivotal moments that decided

matters,” he said.

“We’re not used to such thorough pressure in the Czech league. Barca are used to playing like this and they punished us,” he added.

Barca seized control midway through the first half, but Messi was denied three times by Pavlik who also stopped a swerving effort by Fabregas early on.

Fabregas chipped the ball just wide a minute into the second half, Messi’s free kick was stopped by a diving Pavlik and Thiago headed onto the bar.

Plzen created just a single scoring chance in the second half as Petrzela blasted a low volley just wide.—AFP

Arsenal kept waiting after Marseille draw LONDON: Arsenal missed the chance to book their place in the Champions League knockout stage here yesterdayafter being held to a 0-0 draw by French side Marseille.

A lacklustre Group F encounter at the Emirates saw Arsenal fail to build on the momentum generated by their thrilling 5-3 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League last weekend.

Arsene Wenger ’s team could have sealed their place in the last 16 with two matches to spare with a victory over Marseille.

Instead the Gunners were left with plenty to do in their final group games at home to Borussia Dortmund and away to Olympiakos.

Wenger’s decision to leave captain

Robin van Persie on the bench also failed to reap rewards, with the Dutch striker’s replacement, South Korean international Park Ju-Young enduring a difficult first Champions League start.

By the time Wenger replaced Park with van Persie after just over an hour, Arsenal’s challenge had already begun to fizzle out despite a bright opening.

Van Persie, who had scored a memorable hat-trick against Chelsea, raised Arsenal’s hopes when played in by Tomas Rosicky on 77 minutes but the striker’s cheeky attempted chip was wellsaved by Marseille captain Steve Mandanda.

That attempt was Arsenal’s only meaningful chance on goal in a disappointing second half display that will

LONDON: Arsenal’s Robin van Persie (left) competes for the ball with Marseille’s Souleymane Diawara during the Champions League Group F soccer match. —AP

raise more questions about the strength of the Gunners recent revival.

The result left Arsenal on top of the group with eight points from four games, one ahead of Marseille with seven, and four points ahead of Dortmund in third, 1-0 winners over Olympiakos.

Marseille had made the brighter start in an enter taining first half, tak ing advantage of some early uncertainty in an Arsenal back four which welcomed back Thomas Vermaelen at centre-half.

The game was barely minutes old before Andre Ayew worked an opening down the left flank, crossing to brother Jordan whose cheeky flick drifted wide.

Moments later Marseille were threatening again, Loic Remy crossing for Andre Ayew whose shot went just wide.

Arsenal had to wait until the 10th minute for their first genuine chance.

Gervinho found Theo Walcott who veered in on goal from the right flank and saw his angled low shot well saved

by Mandanda.

After overcoming their slow start, Arsenal enjoyed the better of proceedings thereafter but all too often their attacks broke down when they reached Park, the Korean’s poor first touch invariably giving Marseille’s defence precious seconds to regroup.

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey ought to have done better in the 22nd minute, scooping Andre Santos’s whipped in cross just over the bar.

At the other end Marseille continued to fire the odd warning shot, with Remy shooting just wide after executing a clever one-two with Benoit Cheyrou.

Arsenal then twice went close to taking the lead within the space of a minute. First Gervinho’s wicked shot was parried wide by Mandanda on 29 minutes, and then a minute later the Ivory Coast international played in Ramsey.

The in-form Welshman took too long to get his shot off however, allowing Nicolas N’Koulou time to block. Arsenal pressure augured well for the second half but with Wenger’s side firing blanks, the stalemate continued.—AFP

BELGIUM: KRC Genk’s Thomas Buffel (left) competes for the ball with Chelsea’s Ashley Cole during their Champions League Group E soccer match. —AP

Genk frustrate Chelsea GENK: Chelsea were forced to settle for a frustrating 1-1 draw against Genk in the Champions League yesterday as the Blues’ turbulent season suffered another setback.

Andre Villas-Boas’ side desperately needed a win at the Cristal Arena to ease the pain of a miserable week that started with a stormy defeat against QPR, featuring allegations that John Terry racially abused Hoops defender Anton Ferdinand, and ended with a shocking 5-3 loss at home to Arsenal.

The Blues were on course to restore the feel-good factor when Ramires fired them into a first half lead, but David Luiz missed a penalty just before half-time and Jelle Vossen made him pay with a second half equaliser.

Chelsea squandered several chances to snatch a winner and, although they still lead Group E by two points from Bayer Leverkusen, they need at least one more win from their last two games to reach the last 16. England captain Terry strongly denies the racism accusations but the FA have launched a probe and the Metropolitan Police are also investigating the allegations after a complaint from a member of the public. To make matters worse for Terry, Villas-Boas decided to take his skipper out of the limelight after a shaky display against Arsenal and he was consigned to the bench alongside Frank Lampard and Juan Mata. Even without that trio and the injured Didier Drogba, Chelsea were firm favourites to beat the Belgian champions, who were crushed 5-0 by the Blues last month. But Chelsea’s defending has been unusually slack recently and they were almost caught out when Khaleem Hyland, left completely unmarked, headed straight at Petr Cech.

Villas-Boas’s side gradually found some momen-

tum and took the lead with their first incisive attack in the 25th minute. Ramires surged forward from halfway inside the Genk half and played the ball into Fernando Torres. Torres clipped a clever return pass between two defenders for Brazil midfielder Ramires to fire low past Laszlo Koteles from a tight angle for his first Champions League goal.

Ramires’s goal sparked Chelsea into life. Torres drove a long-range effort just wide and Ramires headed wide before Raul Meireles hit the bar with a thunderous strike from 25 yards.

The Blues should have been further ahead just before half-time as Thomas Buffel gave away a penalty with a needless handball from Florent Malouda’s cross. Luiz stepped up for the spot-kick in the absence of regular taker Lampard, but the Brazilian defender’s shot was pushed away by Koteles. Chelsea’s confidence seemed to be shaken by Luiz’s miss and Genk were well on top after the break. The hosts threatened when Kennedy Kwanganga pounced on a miscued shot from Anthony Vanden Borre, only for Cech to save with his chest. Chelsea were unable to stem the tide of Genk pressure and Mario Been’s side equalised in the 61st minute. Not for the first time this season, Chelsea’s defending let them down as Fabien Camus burst through on the left and pulled a cross back for the unmarked Vossen to shoot past Cech.

Villas-Boas sent on Lampard, Daniel Sturridge and Mata as he looked to snatch a winner, but he was cursing again in the 72nd minute when Meireles squandered a glorious chance, heading straight at Koteles from 10 yards out.

Incredibly, Lampard missed an even better chance when he side-footed Sturridge’s cross wide from point-blank range.—AFP

Etihad Airways begins services to Seychelles Page 22

VIVA, first in Kuwait to launch data roaming bundles for GCC Page 23 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

KSE tracks Asian sell-off Page 24

Flydubai eyes profits next year: CEO Page 25

Zain net income increases by 7% Kuwait telecom player announces solid financial results for first nine months of 2011 KUWAIT: Zain announced yesterday its consolidated financial results for the first nine months of 2011. The results showed solid growth in several key performance indicators.

For the first nine months of 2011, the Zain Group recorded consolidated revenues of KD 988.1 million ($3.582 billion), reflecting a positive 2.2% increase on the same period in 2010. The period saw net income increase to KD 210.2 million ($762.5 million), an impressive 7% increase on the same nine month period in 2010. The company’s consolidated EBITDA reached KD 444.4 million ($1.611 billion) up 4% on the corresponding period in 2010, reflecting an EBITDA Margin of 45% (up one percentage point) with EBIT of KD 319.9 million ($1.160 billion), a 3% increase on the corresponding period in 2010. The earnings per share reached 54 fils ($0.20). Year-on-year customer growth across all Zain operations was 17%. As of September 30, 2011, the company was serving 41.4 million managed active customers. The Zain Group has added 6.1 million new active customers over the past 12 months.

Commenting on the results, the

operations. We have seen significant growth in broadband revenues particularly as a result of increased use of social networking sites and applications via smart phones and tablets. The gap between voice and data revenues as a percentage of total company revenues is diminishing and supporting ARPU levels.”

In conclusion, Bin Salamah stressed that the Group and country executive management teams are focused on maximizing shareholder value. “With a healthy

cash balance and reduced debt levels, coupled with an optimal efficiency drive on many levels, the company is well-positioned to continue investing in and grow its profitable cash-generative operations.”

(It’s impor tant to note that the net profit and profit percentage growth result for the first nine months mentioned below excludes, and does not take into account, the capital gain from the sale of the Zain Africa assets that was concluded on June 8, 2010.)

Dubai’s ruler issues decree to boost Dubal Asaad Al-Banwan

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zain, Asaad Al-Banwan said, “These solid results justify the many prudent decisions recently adopted by the board and the executive management that focus on maximizing shareholder value. Despite intense competition and the lingering effects of the global economic crisis, the continuous growth in several key financial

• Period highlighted by a year-on-year 7% net income increase to US$ 762.5 million with 2.2% increase in revenues to reach US$ 3.6 billion • Group added 6.1 million customers over the past 12 months, a 17% increase. Total active customer base is now 41.4 million • Currency variance losses for nine month period total US$ 100 million • Significant growth in broadband revenues, gap between voice and data revenues diminishing and supporting ARPU levels.

Nabeel Bin Salamah

indicators is indicative of the successful operational efficiency drive implemented by the company.”

Al-Banwan also noted that, “ These nine -month results are all the more impressive when one considers that the net profit for the period was adversely affected by currency variances totaling $100 million.” Al-Banwan also revealed that the quarter witnessed growth in total shareholders’ equity, to now reach $7.64 billion. This is all the more impressive when one takes into account that the company distributed over KD1.4 billion (over $5 billion) in dividends over the past two years.

Zain Group CEO Nabeel Bin Salamah said: “The company has focused on providing customers with a wonder ful mobile experience through significant technology upgrades to our networks combined with appealing mobile data broadband offerings across many of our

GENEVA: Dubai’s ruler issued a decree yesterday to help state-owned Dubai Aluminium Company Ltd (Dubal) become more competitive by being able to engage in investments outside the country and issue bonds. In the decree, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum also renamed the company Dubai Aluminium Corporation and gave it a formally constituted board. It will remain a state-owned firm and still come under the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), the emirate’s sovereign wealth arm, a company spokesman told Reuters.

“Under the old decree, Dubal was not allowed to have investments outside the UAE or issue bonds, but now it can,” the spokesman said.

“Investment can be in the Middle East or elsewhere, at this point there are talks going on and it’s too early to say anything.” Asked if Dubal planned to

issue bonds this year, the spokesman said there was no current requirement. “ There is no need at the moment, but it s a good tool to have available.”

In March, it was reported that Abu Dhabi investment vehicle Mubadala, which joi n t l y ow n s E m i r a te s Aluminium with Dubal, had offered to buy a stake in Dubal. Dubal, one of Dubai’s profitable assets, is currently valued at $7 billion, its Vice Chairman Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer was quoted by local media as saying in March. Its net profit for 2010 more than doubled to 2.13 billion dirhams ($580 million). Dubal has $625 million in loans maturing in 2012 according to Thomson Reuters data. The company has $150 million due on July 4, and the remainder on July 28. The facilities were all project finance related loans. — Reuters

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BUSINESS

Burgan Bank’s value account offers diverse range of benefits KUWAIT: Burgan Bank continues to present a wide array of exclusive benefits that are catered to its customers’ needs. The bank’s Value Account is the ideal platform for expatriates in Kuwait to enjoy a range of added value services. Winners of the Value Account quarterly draw are eligible to win a cash prize equivalent to KD 4,000.

Kuwait has a fast and growing expatriate community. The Value Account has specifically been created to meet the needs in Kuwait, offering expats an array of services and benefits such as life insurance services from Gulf Insurance Company, along with a credit card and an attractive range of exchange rates during remitting money back home from Al-Muzaini Exchange Company.

Opening a Value account is simple, just visit your nearest Burgan Bank branch and get all the details. Or simply call our Call Center 1804080 and our executive will be more than happy to assist you. For further information visit www.burgan.com

Aloft Hotels makes landmark debut in UK KUWAIT: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc yesterday announced the debut of its new destination sensation brand, Aloft Hotels, in the United Kingdom with the opening of Aloft London Excel. The hotel is owned by ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company), which also own ExCeL London as well as Aloft Abu Dhabi, the Middle East’s first Aloft hotel.

Aloft London Excel is located in the heart of London’s Docklands, next to the ExCeL International Exhibition and Convention Centre. Aloft London Excel features 252 loft-like guest rooms, a buzzing bar scene, a graband-go food pantry and industrial design elements throughout.

In the same year that Starwood launched its world-renowned W Hotels brand in London, the innovative hotel giant has once again reinvented hotel design and launched a second new brand in the UK market.

Aloft has been created to shake up the staid and traditional mid-market hotel sector and is redefining the category by delivering urban-influenced, modern and vibrant design and a social guest experience at an affordable price point.

Sanjay Tanna, ADNEC’s Director of Business Development & Investments, said: “ The launch of Aloft London ExceL is an exciting new development as both London and ExCeL prepare to host next year’s Olympic Games. This new proper ty enhances ADNEC’s investment in ExCeL expanding our ties with the city, as well as building on our already strong partnership with Starwood. I am very confident the success ADNEC and Starwood have enjoyed with Aloft Abu Dhabi

will be replicated with this new Aloft hotel at ExCeL”. “ The launch of Aloft in the UK underscores the strength of the Starwood network and the power of t h e A l o f t b r a n d,” s a i d B r i a n McGuinness, Senior Vice President, S p e c i a l i t y S e l e c t B ra n d s fo r Starwood. “Aloft’s emphasis on high d e s i gn co m b i n e d w i t h i t s te c h savvy features and social atmosp h e re a l l a t a n a f fo rd a b l e p r i ce p o i n t t r a n s l a te s g l o b a l l y a n d i s attracting a growing group of loyal t r ave l l e r s. A l o f t ’s i n te r n a t i o n a l expansion so early in the brand’s life cycle is unprecedented.”

With more than 50 hotels open since its June 2008 debut, Alof t Hotels has become the talk of the hospitality industry by going global while in launch mode. Aloft currently operates hotels in seven countries - the United States, Canada, China, the United Arab Emirates, I ndia, Belgium and now the UK. Aloft is continuing its global expansion with further openings planned in China, India and the United States as well as brand introductions in Thailand, Tur k e y a n d Co l o m b i a a n d Cos t a Rica.

Roeland Vos, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East commented: “ We are proud of our long-standing partnership with ADNEC, first with Aloft Abu Dhabi, and are delighted to be working with them once again to introduce the Aloft brand to the United Kingdom. The launch of two new hotel brands in London this year underlines Starwood’s longterm commitment to the UK market.”

Etihad Airways begins services to Seychelles More destinations for Kuwait travelers during Eid KUWAIT: Etihad Air ways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced it will commence operations to MahÈ in the Republic of Seychelles on November 2.

Etihad will operate four return services per week from its home base in Abu Dhabi to Seychelles International Airpor t in MahÈ, operating Airbus A320 aircraft on the route, configured with two cabins - Pearl Business and Coral Economy - and offering 1,088 seats each week. The flight will depart from Kuwait every Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday, at 4 am to reach and arrives at the Abu Dhabi airport at 6:40 am, and will departure for Seychelles from Abu Dhabi’s airport at 10:05 am to reach the final destination at 14:40 pm with a layover time of 3 hours and 25 minutes at Abu Dhabi.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Seychelles has strong and grow-

ing appeal as a premium leisure destination, with increasing numbers of GCC residents and European travellers holidaying there. With the recent honeymoon

period an ideal time to launch these new services. We expect this will be a hugely popular destination, in particular for holidaymakers from the GCC and European

of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Seychelles is likely to gain new interest as a destination of choice.”

“Our increased frequencies from mid-2011 on some of our primary routes from Europe make the approaching Northern winter

markets, due to the ease of connec ting ser vices through Abu Dhabi and convenient scheduling.”

The Seychelles comprises 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, located off of the east coast of Africa. The 41 inner islands con-

stitute the oldest mid-oceanic granite islands on ear th, with another 74 islands forming the low-lying coral atolls and reef islands of the outer islands. The inner islands cluster mainly around the principal islands of MahÈ, Praslin and La Digue, forming the cultural and economic hub of Seychelles, as well as the centre of its tourism industry.

Etihad Holidays has a range of holiday options selected from the most spectacular of the 115 pristine, paradise islands of the Seychelles. Offering experiences for all budgets, Etihad Holidays can create packages for any type of traveller, whether it is for honeymooners or families, sun worshippers or divers. Packages include flights, hotel accommodation, island transfers and any number of the many tours and excursions on offer.

The Seychelles will become the 68th destination on Etihad’s global network.

Super strongest steel to debut in all-new CX-5 crossover SUV Mazda first automaker to use 1,800 MPa ultra-high tensile steel HIROSHIMA: Mazda Motor Corporation, in collaboration with Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd and Aisin Takaoka Co, Ltd, has become the first automaker to successfully develop vehicle components using 1,800 MPa ultra-high tensile steel. The super strength steel will debut in the all-new Mazda CX-5 crossover SUV that will commence its global launch in early 2012.

Mazda’s new production technology uses 1,800 MPa ultra-high tensile steel to fabricate bumper beams, which fit inside the front and rear bumpers and mitigate damage in the event of a collision. The bumper bars are 20 percent stronger and 4.8 kilograms lighter than previous versions and are a key part of Mazda’s next-generation, lightweight and highly rigid vehicle architecture. The new body architecture was developed as part of Mazda’s breakthrough SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY program and incorporates a new energy absorbing structure as well as an expanded use of high tensile steel to reduce weight.

The use of high tensile steel enables vehicle parts to be thinner yet still retain the same degree of strength.

This leads to significant savings in vehicle weight. Reducing the weight of bumper beams is particularly important because, as they are incorporated into the body structure at the farthest

point from the vehicle’s centre of gravity, their weight has a considerable effect on dynamic performance and responsiveness. They must also be strong to provide sufficient collision protection. For these reasons, a method of mass producing the parts using stronger steel has been highly sought after.

However, stronger materials are less pliant and therefore absorb less energy in a collision. To overcome this, Mazda conducted extensive research into how bumper beams deform in a crash, and created a new design that absorbs energy more efficiently. Additionally, in order to ensure the bumpers provide maximum strength in the CX-5, Mazda collaborated with Futaba Kogyo Co, Ltd to optimize the welding techniques and establish a reliable manufacturing process.

Going forward, Mazda remains

committed to reducing vehicle weight and improving dynamic performance while also maintaining a high level of body rigidity and excellent crash wor-

thiness, in order to provide all its customers with driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2720000 .4370000 .3820000 .3130000 .2720000 .2870000 .0040000 .0020000 .0743610 .7244760 .3810000 .0700000 .7102170 .0040000 .0430000

.2775000 .4470000 .3920000 .3230000 .2790000 .2970000 .0072500 .0035000 .0751080 .7317570 .4010000 .0760000 .7173540 .0072000 .0530000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2731500 .2767500 GB Pound/KD .4377090 .4434780 Euro .3827920 .3878370 Swiss francs .3137850 .3179210 Canadian dollars .2738760 .2774850 Danish Kroner .0514380 .0521160 Swedish Kroner .0423610 .0429200 Australian dlr .2891020 .2929120 Hong Kong dlr .0351680 .0356320 Singapore dlr .2190110 .2218970 Japanese yen .0035100 .0035560 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0057180 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0025190 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0032120 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0036510 UAE dirhams .0743970 .0753780 Bahraini dinars .7248240 .7343770 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3914430 Saudi Riyal/KD .0728590 .0738200 Omani riyals .7097570 .7191110 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0065430

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.544 5.617 3.186 2.496 3.547 218.730 35.490 3.610 6.461 8.938 0.271 0.273

GCC COUNTRIES 73.523 75.756 716.120 732.300 75.075

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 48.650 46.160 1.261 195.320 389.350 185.000 5.952 34.536

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 275.600 Euro 381.980 Sterling Pound 443.720 Canadian dollar 276.430 Turkish lire 155.710 Swiss Franc 314.860 Australian dollar 287.730 US Dollar Buying 274.400

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

SELL CASH 291.600 732.580 3.720 278.700 541.100 36.600 52.900 167.800 48.170 384.700 36.150 5.950 0.032 0.226 0.240 3.620 390.93 0.186 92.280 46.300 4.240 225.900 1.785

51.400 715.480 3.250 6.540 76.200 73.550 221.420 37.300 2.602 446.000 43.700 317.000 5.500 9.340 198.263 75.100 275.800 1.200

715.300 3.190 6.470 75.770 73.550 221.420 37.300 2.495 444.000 315.500 5.500 9.140 75.000 275.400

10 Tola

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 444.000 275.400

Sterling Pound US Dollar

SELL DRAFT 290.100 732.560 3.615 277.200

221.400 46.183 383.200 36.000 5.620 0.032

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

294.71 280.12 320.77 388.10 443.43 3.58 3.620 5.635 2.497 3.541 3.181 74.88 731.76 46.11 381.39 714.96 75.86 73.46

295.00 279.00 320.00 389.50 444.00 3.62 3.705 5.950 2.600 4.250 3.250 75.25 732.00 48.10 392.00 717.00 76.15 73.50

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 390.330 0.185 92.280 3.550 224.400

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

Selling Rate 273.850 277.615 442.140 389.790 317.635 726.070

UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

74.535 75.165 72.990 385.475 45.923 2.482 5.619 3.164 3.606 6.425 671.723 3.710 9.070 5.765 3.560 90.965

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

GOLD 1,773.750

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

GOLD 315.000 160.000 82.000

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 275.400 Pak Rupees 3.215 Indian Rupees 5.635 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.505 Bangladesh Taka 3.625 Philippines Peso 6.500 UAE Dirhams 75.090 Saudi Riyals 73.595 Bahraini Dinars 732.200 Egyptian Pounds 46.160 Pound Sterling 447.000 Indonesian Rupiah 3.190 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Jordanian Dinars 391.300 Syrian Pounds 5.750 Euro 385.700 Canadian Dollars 280.600 Nepali rupee 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 275.050 Euro 381.800 Pound Sterling 442.300 Canadian Dollar 275.300 Japanese Yen 3.550 Indian Rupee 5.600 Egyptian Pound 46.140 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.491 Bangladesh Taka 3.612 Philippines Peso 6.465 Pakistan Rupee 3.193 Bahraini Dinar 732.500 UAE Dirham 74.950 Saudi Riyal 73.450 *Rates are subject to change

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BUSINESS

UGB reports 9-month profit of $13.9 million

VIVA, first in Kuwait to launch data roaming bundles for GCC

Improved performances offset negative impact: Chairman

Daily, weekly, monthly Internet packages

BAHRAIN: United Gulf Bank BSC (UGB), the asset management and investment banking platform of the KIPCO Group, yesterday announced its financial results for the nine months ended 30 September, 2011.

Key Financial Highlights profit attributable to shareholders of parent of $ 13.9 million (30 September 2010: $41.4 million) l Total income decreased to $88.8 million (30 September 2010: $105.7 million) l Earnings per share US 1.69 cents (30 September 2010: US 5.05 cents ) l Total assets $1.77 billion (30 September 2010: $ 1.9 billion) l Net

Financial Performance UGB’s total income for the three months to 30 September, 2011 was $ 25.3 million in compared to $33.2 million in the same period for 2010. Net profit attributable to shareholders of parent for the same period decreased by 93% to $0.7 million compared to $ 9.6 for the third quarter of 2010. UGB said its profitability in the third quarter was impacted by the volatile economic environment, depressed market performance and increased funding costs resulting from a strategic shift in its liquidity profile in 2010 from shortterm funding to long-term funding.

On a nine months basis, UGB recorded a total income of $88.8 million for the first nine months of 2011 compared to $105.7 million in the same period in 2010. Net profit for the third quarter of 2011 was $13.9 million compared to $41.4 million for same period in 2010.

UGB’s total assets for the third quarter of 2011 stood at $1.77 billion - a decrease from the $1.92 billion as at 31 December, 2010. UGB’s assets under management were $7.1 billion as at 30 September, 2011, compared to $7.5 billion for the three months ended 30 June, 2011.

Commenting on the third quarter results, UGB’s Chairman, Masaud Hayat, said: “Our third quarter results reflect the negative impact of economic uncertainty and the poor returns from global and regional markets during the last 9 months.

However, this negative impact was offset by improved performances from our operating companies which demonstrate the strength of UGB’s asset quality and conservative asset valuations. We foresee that markets will continue to pose challenges and even though our profitability is significantly lower this quarter, we will continue UGB’s strategy of maintaining a strong level of liquidity and a solid equity base.”

AUB holds Al-Hassad Islamic weekly draw KUWAIT: AUB has announced the results of the weekly draws of its Al-Hassad Islamic savings scheme. The lucky customers winning the Grand Weekly prize worth KD 25,000 each at the draws held on 19th October 2011: Habiba Mefleh Abdulla Al Rasheed, Saeed Hasan Ali Hussain, A.Wahid Mohd Ali Saddahi.

The following Al-Hassad Islamic customers who won cash prizes of KD 1000 each Hussain Mohsin Mohammed Ahmed , Maroun Anis Barakat Diab, Korshan Mohamed Barafi, Karim Ahmed Khalil Al Haiki, Huwaida Ali Abdulaziz, Aboubakr Mohd Taha Bayoumy, Fahad Hamad Saad Al Azmi, Mohammed Sahoud Sewailam Al Rowaili, Faisal Abdulla A.Rahim Al Aazmi, Ali Mohammed Redha Abbas Mandakar, Taibah Mansoor Hussain Al Orayedh, Zeyad Bakroun, Kamel Merza Mohsen Al Arayedh, Aeshah Sulaiman Eissa Hussain, A.Redha A.Rasool Karbdani Zaman, Nassir Ali Al Saadi, Mohammed Ahmed Al Muraisel, A.Aziz Ibrahim Al Hail, Saad Dawod Sulaiman Al Musallam, Ayah Mahdi Ahmed Al Jamal, Nasser Ahmed Al Kuwari, Asgar Ali Zainuddin Lukmani, Mohamed Hendi Al Kaabi, Khalil Ebrahim Ali Abdulla, Fahad Hadi Safaq Al Khaldi.

With the new Al-Hassad Islamic 2011 scheme, customers have a lot more to look forward to. With 28 weekly prizes totaling KD 100,000 each week and “Salary for Life” prizes every month, the chances to win bigger prizes more often couldn’t get any better.

The most attractive feature of the new scheme is the chance to win bigger prizes, more frequently with 3 grand prizes of KD 25,000 each, week on week plus 25 other weekly prizes of KD 1,000. Chances to win big prizes on a weekly basis, offer instant rewards to both existing as well as new

Investors in Investment Saving Account (Al Hassad Islamic). With the introduction of a “Salary for Life” Prize of KD 250,000 every month, the grand prize is also now more frequent and customers do not need to wait for a quarter or more to qualify for the grand prize. The “Salary for Life” has been a core feature for the Al Hassad Islamic scheme with prizes paid out to date exceeding KD 10 million. The monthly “Salary for Life” prize has enabled winners to afford better homes, ensure better education for their children and enjoy an improved quality of life, with the assurance that the rewards will continue to come month after month for 250 months. Al Hassad Islamic is the only scheme to offer high value weekly and monthly prizes that are significantly higher than the total outlay of other prize schemes in Kuwait. In addition to the attractive prize pool, customers with high balances can opt for other unique features such as Investment savings plan, cheque facility linked to their investment savings account and state of the art e-banking and 24 x 7 Contact Center support.

The new Al-Hassad Islamic 2011 is geared to meeting the needs of salaried individuals. Customers can benefit from not only the biggest and most attractive prize pool but can also enjoy state of the art banking benefits and access to AUB’s unique products’ range for Islamic Finances ,credit cards and investment products. All AlHassad draws are conducted under the scrutiny of officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and independent auditing firm, Ernst& Young. For more information on the Al-Hassad Islamic investment savings account, its prize structure and eligibility criteria, customers may visit any AUB Kuwait.

KUWAIT: Kuwait Telecommunication Company VIVA, is proud to be the first telecommunications company in Kuwait to launch the data roaming bundles for the GCC to make it easier to communicate with family and friends in the region.

This offer is available in affordable prices suitable to all starting from KD1 with 5 Mb for a day, KD5 with 25 Mb for a week, and KD10 with 50 Mb for a month with more options available to suit the customer’s needs. This new internet roaming package ‘GCC Roaming Surf-On’ from VIVA is a convenient and affordable way for postpaid customers who are using either BlackBerry or Smartphone to surf the internet while they travel across GCC (selected operators). At this affordable daily flat rate, you can use BlackBerry Messenger, access emails, browse MMS and surf WAP and Web within GCC. Customers interested in subscribing to this

service can send the code ‘ON GCC(followed by the rate chosen)’ via SMS Text Message to the number ‘256’. Subscribers can also add this service by calling VIVA customer care 102 (in Kuwait) or dial +965-55102102 from abroad or visit any of the VIVA branches located in different cities around Kuwait.

To find out more about VIVA’s latest promotion and to activate this unbeatable deal, customers can visit any of the available VIVA branches or any authorized dealers, as well as visit the website at, www.viva.com.kw.

VIVA is the newest, most advanced mobile

telecommunications service provider in Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things possible for our customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences. The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through our customer and employee centric approach. VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice for Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling.

VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and world-class service.

VIVA offers Internet speed up to 42.2Mbps due to the implementation of the most advanced third generation (3G and HSDPA) network in Kuwait resulting in superior coverage, performance and reliability.

The sexiest sports coupe ever now in Kuwait KUWAIT: Kuwait Automotive Imports Company (KAICO) AlShaya & Al-Sager, a leading automotive and auto products company in Kuwait and the exclusive distributor of Peugeot vehicles in Kuwait, proudly re-launched the sexiest sports coupe ever, the all new Peugeot RCZ. Ashish Tandon the KAICO’s General Manager said “Peugeot RCZ is a spectacular sports coupe with a powerful turbocharged engine, which won the 38th edition of the Nurburgring race, following its launch in 2010.

He added: “The RCZ encapsulates all that Peugeot stands for style, innovation and luxury.

Bringing it from the drawing board to production in totality reinforces Peugeot’s uncompromising design standards, and its ability to turn the wildest dream into reality. The future is here now”.

Design The RCZ sets itself apart with its exterior and its interiors. A triumph of style and technical prowess, the Peugeot RCZ reinvents the original saloon coupe structure with an innovative body type that is both sporty and elegant. Inspired by the Italian coachbuilder style from the 60s, the shapes of the “double bubble” roof and rear windscreen are the unique result of outstanding tech-

nical expertise in originality and aerodynamic performance. Its fluid athletic contours, accentuated by two polished aluminum arches, give it an air of nobility and dynamism, rounded body shape and elegantly styled curves that gives it a distinctively unique identity along with a smooth finish.

The interior of RCZ impresses driving enthusiasts taking them to

trailing arm rear suspension aiming for delivering a new driving experience.

Configure your own car: Ali Al-Sabagh, the New Cars Sales Manager Peugeot commented: “Personal style expressed with the numerous exclusive personalization possibilities, you can choose your car’s color among 8

ALL NEW PEUGEOT RCZ an environment of sporty and exclusive magnificence at the same time. RCZ’s interior comfort includes quality leather furnish comfortable lowered seats with plenty of leg space and steering wheel with all the controls, thereby strengthening the feel of lavishness and ease.

The Power The French coupe offers a combination of a state-of-the-art engine and engineering with a 1.6 L petrol engine with a horse power over 156 and transmission with six speed Tiptronic that meets the drivers’ needs in terms of performance and fuel consumption.

With the aim of satisfying all the drivers senses RCZ demonstrates excellent road holding ability with hydraulic power steering, inverted front suspension and

flat metallic or pearlescent colors which has been selected to enhance the appearance of the aluminum arches and “double bubble” shapes of the roof and rear screen such as the pearlescent white, amber red, shark gray, Nero black, mercury gray, dolphin blue, charcoal or opal white. For the alloy wheels, the dynamic and elegant character of the RCZ is emphasized by the choice of 18’’ and 19” wheels in a sporty, contemporary style About the accessories he added: you can emphasize the RCZ’s exclusive, exceptional character and your own personal style by fitting it with original stylish high-tech accessories.

Safety In keeping with the philosophy of the Peugeot RCZ, an extensive

range of equipment is offered to provide you maximum safety. In addition to road holding of the highest level, the vehicle’s structure and large dimensions contribute to withstanding and absorbing the energy of front and side impacts. It’s enhanced by intelligent restraining equipment.

Peugeot like usual has ensured complete safety to both, the driver and the passenger behind the wheel. The RCZ includes Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and 4 Airbags for the driver and passengers along with two neck air bags built into the structure of the seats.

Peugeot RCZ is a combo of style and technical prowess striking a breakthrough in the range of sporty coupes but with a matchless class of its own.

Ashish Tandon, GM of KAICO highlighted that the all-new RCZ will attract many young people who look for sporty & stylish look, dynamic performance, strong and economic engine in Kuwait, he invited all to take a test drive and compare this model before purchasing any new car.

KAICO gives the best to customers through high quality products and services to gain customers for life. KAICO’s philosophy is based on “Customer is #1”.

IHRA Sponsors HORECA Kuwait

The winner Ayah Mahdi Ahmed Al-Jamal receives her prize from the area manager Tariq Elsheyared.

Mada Communications Now closer to you on Facebook and Twitter KUWAIT: As part of Mada ongoing expansion strategy to better serve its existent customers and provide updated technology information and support to a wide range of Internet users, and given the importance nowadays of social networking and its role to bring people closer; Mada communication, the leading Internet provider in Kuwait and the region, launched its dedicated pages on Facebook “http://www.facebook.com/Mada.Kuwait” and twitter

“http://twitter.com//Mada_Kuwait” On this occasion, Shahad Ibrahim, Director of Marketing at Mada communications stated: “Today, our clients are one click away to discover our latest services, technology and offers around the clock, seven days a week.” She added: “We are keen to continuously communicate with our customers and value their views, opinions and concerns so that we can improve our offerings, products and services to exceed their expectations and needs.”

KUWAIT: The International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRS) announced its sponsorship of the 2012 HORECA Kuwait exhibition. It will be held between 22 to 24 January at the Arraya Ball Room - Courtyard Marriott Hotel.

“This sponsorship comes as an acknowledgment to the advancement achieved in hospitality and food industries in Kuwait during the past few years, which is expected to further improve given aspects such as public demand, extended investment opportunities, high spending levels as well as tourism growth in the Arabian Gulf region,” said IHRA President Dr Ghassan Al-Aedy in a statement released from the association’s headquarters in Switzerland. The IHRA is a member of 153 national hotel associations representing several countries around the world; including the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association (KHOA). All these associations represent 300,000 hotels and eight million restaurants around the world.

The 2012 HORECA Kuwait is a comprehensive event covering hospitality, catering and food industry sectors in Kuwait and GCC. It is organized by Leaders Group for Consulting and Development in cooperation with Hospitality Services IHRA President Dr Ghassan AlAedy of Lebanon.

Chinese manufacturer LiuGong opens ME HQ in Jebel Ali DUBAI: LiuGong, the leading Chinese manufacturer of globally recognized, high-quality construction equipment, yesterday opened its Middle East regional headquarters in Jebel Free Zone, Dubai.

An ISO 9001 quality certified company, LiuGong’s product range includes earth moving equipment such as wheel loaders, excavators, bulldozers and motor graders; compact equipment including skid steer loaders; road equipment like pavers and rollers; and forklift, cranes and concrete equipment.

The Dubai office will serve as the regional sales hub and spare parts distribution centre of LiuGong, and provide technical support to the company ’s large customer base in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The

new facility, sprawling over 2,200 sq metres, was opened by Zhan Jing Bao, the General Consul for the Consulate General of PR China in Dubai, in the presence of LiuGong Machiner y President Zeng Guang’an; LiuGong Middle East FZE Chairman Li Yu Ning; LiuGong Middle East FZE President York Liang; President’s Assistant and GM of Overseas Sales and Marketing Luo Guo Bing and other senior officials of LiuGong and Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority.

To mark the opening of the new office, LiuGong launched its new D series excavator, showcasing the 936D. Li Yuning; Lin Ming Zhi, Hamidreza Afrasiabi, Chu Chang Xing and Hasan Mahmood Saleh Mahmood, unveiled the new product.

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KSE tracks Asian sell-off GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT

Sectors Sector-wise, Global indices ended on a mixed note during the session While Global Insurance Index remained unchanged for the day due to lack of trading activity. During the 209 trading sessions this year, the Insurance sector had only 111 days of trading.

Food sector topped the gainer’s list, adding 0.96 percent to its value. The sector’s sole gainer was heavyweight Kuwait Foodstuff Company (Americana). The scrip closed up by 1.33 percent at KD1.520.

The company announced after the trading session that it realized a 8.26 percent growth in its 9M211 earnings figures compared to the corresponding period of 2010, at KD38.07mn. This translates to an EPS of KD0.097. Services sector

was the second biggest gainer, rising by 0.94 percent, on the back of Zain’s share price, which soared by 1.08 percent to close at KD0.940. The Board of Directors met on the afternoon to discuss the company’s financials for the 3Q2011, and good results were expected helping the stock to rise during the day. Meanwhile, Agility also added 3.85 percent to its share value to reach KD0.405.

Global Investment index topped the decliner’s list, being down by 0.70 percent. The biggest losers were; Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) (KIPCO) and Kuwait Investment Company, shedding 7.14 percent and 1.72 percent respectively.

KIPCO announced a net profit of KD23.61mn in 9M2011 compared to KD30.72mn recorded in the corresponding period of 2010,

Current crude prices are ‘good,’ says Iran TEHRAN: Iran’s oil minister said yesterday that current international crude prices are “good” and predicted that prices will remain unchanged until March.

“The current oil prices are good ... we are not expecting the prices to change in winter,” Rostam Qasemi told a news conference. Brent crude has averaged over $111 this year and traded over $109 a barrel on Monday.

Oil prices slipped yesterday on a stronger US dollar, continuing uncertainty about the resolution of the euro zone’s debt crisis and the collapse of MF Global Holdings .

OPEC Secretary-general Abdullah Al-Badri, who is in Iran to attend an international oil and gas industry conference, also said that oil consumers and producer countries were “comfortable” with current oil prices and expressed hope that the cartel’s member countries will reach a consensus over production targets in the December meeting. “The price of $100 is comfortable for the consumer and the producing countries ...the crude price is not expected to come down until the end of this year.

“I am hopeful that there will be an

KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended the first trading session in November on a mixed note. Heavyweight stocks pushed Global General Index (GGI) upward led by Global Services index. Incentive trading showed in investment sector during the session, accounting for almost 50 percent of total traded volume. All GCC markets tracked European and Asian sell-off yesterday after Greece’s surprise decision to call a referendum on its bailout package stirred new default fears. Global General Index (GGI) ended the day up by 0.11 percent, at 183.82 point. Market Capitalization was up for the day, reaching KD30.09bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 5,916.1 point, shedding 3.50 points (0.06 percent) to its previous close.

Market breadth During the session, 111 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards advancers as 38 equities advanced versus 36 that declined.

Total volume traded was up by 9.51 percent with 171.28mn shares changing hands at a total value of KD23.07mn (2.54 percent lower compared to Monday’s session). Investment sector was the volume leader, accounting for 48.68 percent of total shares exchanges. Al Mal Investment Company was the session’s most traded stock with 15.80mn shares exchanged. The same sector was the value leader, having 33.03 percent of total traded value.

In terms of top gainers, Sultan Center Food Products Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 8.77 percent to its share value and closing at KD0.124. On the other hand, Mena Real Estate Company shed 8.82 percent and closed at KD0.031 making it the biggest decliner in the market.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

business

agreement over OPEC’s production target in the next meeting,” Al-Badri told reporters. OPEC is scheduled to meet on Dec. 14 at its Vienna headquarters.

Price hawk Iran along with African countries and Venezuela, blocked a Saudi-led proposal to increase output targets at OPEC’s last meeting on June 8, but Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates boosted output unilaterally afterwards-a move which Tehran criticized.

OPEC oil output fell in October as reduced supplies from Iraq, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Angola offset rising Libyan supply, according to a Reuters survey. The International Energy Agency does not want OPEC to cut output at its December meeting because the IEA expects demand for OPEC oil will grow by half a million barrels per day in 2012 above the group’s September output. Regarding Iran, al-Badri said: “The economic sanctions will slow down development of Iran’s oil industry, but will not stop it”.

Iran has been hit by international sanctions for refusing to halt nuclear activities as demanded by the United Nations Security Council. — Reuters

posting 23.13 percent decline.

Corporate News Specialties Group Holding Company announced that its fully owned subsidiary, Alghanem Specialities Company, has been awarded a one -year, KWD1,314,031 tender offer for the construction and maintenance works of cafeteria and car park at Kuwait University.

Oil News The price of Kuwaiti crude oil came down to USD105. 28pb on Monday, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) yesterday. The decrease came in light due to fears in expectations of decline in crude demand, after reaching the highest level this month, along with the increase of dollar.

Qatar Barzan gas project to cost $10.3bn: Minister DOHA: Qatar’s Barzan gas project to supply its booming domestic demand is now expected to cost $10.3 billion, Qatari energy minister Mohammed AlSada said yesterday, about $1.7 billion more than government cost estimates given at the start of 2011.

Al Sada’s predecessor put the cost of the project at $8.6 billion in January. It is Qatar ’s most expensive since Royal Dutch Shell Plc launched the $19 billion Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in 2006.

Qatar now plans to finance some of the project with a syndicated loan with local and international banks, despite being one of the world’s wealthiest countries thanks to its huge liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. “There is a sig-

nificant contribution from local, regional and international banks,” Al Sada said at the formal launch of the project in the Qatari capital Doha.

“We are very happy to see active local banks participate,” he said when asked why the wealthy, World Cup soccer hosting state needed a loan to build the plant. “This project is mainly to satisfy the additional need for power.” Qatar produces about 2.8 billion cubic feet (bcf ) of gas per day for the domestic market and plans to increase that amount to 4 bcf/day by 2015. Initial talks on Barzan first took place between Qatar Petroleum, which has a 93 percent stake, and oil major ExxonMobil, which owns the remaining share, in 2007. — Reuters

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

BUSINESS

flydubai eyes profits next year Low-cost business model seen stellar on aviation horizon

“We are growing aggressively because this is our plan and we are following our plan... The more routes, the stronger your network.”

By Velina Nacheva DUBAI/KUWAIT: Middle Eastern airlines have devised a success formula for resilience in the midst of a globally anemic financial cycle and turbulence across the region - two current misfortunes that are driving the gloomy outlook for the industry.

According to the world’s largest aviation watchdog, International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Middle Eastern airlines have posted a surge in international traffic and capacity growth while international airlines are undergoing a slump in passenger demand.

In the words of Dr Majdi Sabri, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, the figures for September show that Middle Eastern airlines are quickly adjusting capacity growth in response to economic uncertainty in the region and globally.

“International passenger traffic recorded at 9.1 percent above 2010 levels. Capacity growth stood at 8.5 percent. It was the only region where demand growth outstripped growth in supply,” Sabri said during an aviation forum held in Jordan this week. flydubai, the world’s fastest growing airline, presents a good case study of the recession-proof business model that has conquered the Middle Eastern aviation landscape. The 28-month-old low-cost carrier aims to make a profit in 2012, according to Ghaith Al-Ghaith, flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer.

Speaking to a group of journalists from Kuwait at a press conference held in Dubai last week, he said that the budget carrier is soon going to break even. “We are going to make profit by the end of 2012,” he said elaborating that flydubai’s policy is to attract more people and travelers. “We could have achieved profit from day one (but) we did not care only about achieving profits.

Customer loyalty is also a priority for us. Our size is important so we can absorb any capacity,” Al-Ghaith said.

Organic growth The profit mode of flydubai is tied to the airline’s strategy based on flexibility and organic growth.

“We plan to grow, and make money when we are planning to make money. We are reinvesting into the business to reach to this optimum size and we are almost there,” AlGhaith said. Today’s money-starved times and regional disturbances have not prompted the need for a change of the airline’s strategy. AlGhaith explains the reasons like this: “Our strategy will never need rethinking. Our strategy is to fly to the Arab world.” Taking the point further he explained that safety and security is flydubai’s number one priority. “In case there is any turbulence in some destinations we will not fly (there),” he said. Asked if the regional disturbances have opened up opportunities to discover new destinations, Al-Ghaith said, “We are part of a very dynamic and flexible business. If there is a problem you can always take a flight from one place to another place.” Al-Ghaith also related the adjustment of capacity to the airline’s commercial interest saying, “We have to look at the routes. If a route is not making as much profit as we want or there is a problem, we reduce the number of flights.”

The dynamic and flexible nature of the low-cost airline business contributes to such capacity adjustment. “We are now at a size that

allows us to observe and operate at a far more efficient way. We are bigger and that works to our advantage. We are in the airline business the easiest business to re-strategize.

You can take capacity from one place and put it in another place,” Al-Ghaith observed. “For God’s sake, you can park your aircraft and you will save half of your cost. As long as we have the right size we are okay.

This is what helps us,” he said.

A UK-based aviation consultant echoes a similar sentiment. “History has shown that low cost airlines fare much better during troubled economic times than the big network carriers. Small companies can switch aircraft much more quickly to more profitable routes rather than their larger competitors. A marginally profitable route for a large carrier can be a very profitable route for a low-cost airline and as the larger full-fare carriers consolidate in the face of a financial crisis, this opens the door for smaller carriers to take up the slack,” said Phillip Butterworth-Hayes from PMI Media, an aviation consultancy.

Star power When the global aviation industry is struggling, Middle Eastern carriers have marked a prolific growth.

To the trimming flights aimed at matching the steep decline in demand of air travel globally, panicked fleet cuttings and thinning demand for premium travel, regional all-economy carriers answer by shifting the gear upward.

Aviation analysts attribute the forecast for the sector’s growth to a confluence of factors that have endorsed the success factor in the Middle East air travel, one of the highest growth areas in global aviation. They pinpoint the dearth in alternative modes of transport, the unique demographic dynamics and high disposable income as the building blocks of the regional airlines’ DNA, making them resilient and helping bypass the impact of the regional turmoil. Jyoti Singh, Senior Rating Associate Manager with Capital Standards in Kuwait identifies the boon for the industry to be: the young population, lack of rail network, high disposable income and the large number of expat population living in the region who travel to their respective countries. Oussama Salah, a UAEbased industry expert shares the same claim that “the low-cost carri-

ers market in the GCC is driven by expatriates visiting their home countries or going on vacation.”

Al-Ghaith illustrates a similar argument providing statistics about the travel habits of the population in the UAE. He says that some 80 percent of the people who live in the UAE are expatriates and they travel to their home lands at least once a year. “The locals themselves travel at least three to four times a year. The ratio of travel per capita in

Indian expat population to the Middle East are not on the radar of the major airlines.”

What’s in an LCC? In the embryonic low-cost carriers market of the Middle East the rational for an airline is straight-forward: cheaper airfare encourages traffic and leads to a surge in capacity. It also alters the travelers’ habits. flydubai taps on this huge demand in the short-haul sector and con-

Ghaith Al-Ghaith, flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer this part of the world must be the highest,” he stresses.

On a slightly different note Singh spotlights, “Overall the Middle East aviation is not just about the region, but has changed into a global network connecting all the continents, thus diversifying geographical risks. flydubai connects to cities in India like Ahmedabad and Lucknow which though sends a sizeable

tributes to the explosive growth in passenger traffic. Like Al-Ghaith puts it, “We are growing aggressively because this is our plan and we are following our plan. Every time we add capacity we consolidate our network because (in this way) we make it stronger. The more routes, the stronger your network.”

Contrary to IATA’s predictions for a global economy shrink that would

lead to industry profits slashed by 30 percent in 2012, optimism rules across the low-cost segment. AlGhaith, who has a long track record in the airline industry, says, “I am even more optimistic now.” In taking the point further he asserts, “IATA are the masters of all the airlines and they are always accurate. When it comes to our part of the world, the Middle East, they always get it wrong.” He further reasoned that the aviation industry in this region is still growing and in a growing market it is very difficult to make a prediction. “I don’t subscribe to problems especially for us. Maybe because I am anticipating that this year we will be making money; but maybe our profit will be more if the (cost of ) fuel was lower. I don’t think a slash in the profit means that the growth in the region and the success of our airline will diminish,” he said.

As the intra-regional traffic demand in the Middle East is projected to grow, analysts alert that fuel prices could bring forth some uncertainty. To which Al-Ghaith adds a different argument, “The fuel price impacts the industry the most.

Fuel is the only cost that all airlines pay the same. Nobody pays less than the other and vice versa. When fuel cost rises all airlines increase prices. People are aware of this.

They understand that if fuel cost increases prices rise too.”

Standing out and well-located What makes flydubai standout in the aviation turf are - location, simplicity and fleet. “We are in the UAE where we have so many touristic attractions. We focus on tourism. We are confident that if we were in any other country we would not have (had) the same success,” says AlGhaith. Simplicity, Al-Ghaith observes, is our aim in positioning ourselves in the market. Also, flydubai’s fleet flies new cost-effective airplanes which do not need to be fixed; this brings the cost down, he says. The airline’s hub strategy in Dubai, currently being the fourthbusiest international airport for international passenger traffic, facilitates the budget carrier’s network expansion and overall growth. The plans for the future look even brighter as Dubai is slated to become the world’s busiest international airport by 2016. Its proximity to the emerging markets in the Far East and its connectivity with the

rest of the world has positioned it as a leading destination for business, leisure and foreign investments.

Dubai’s pioneering low-cost carrier has played a significant role in helping position Dubai as an international business hub with its aggressive network expansion to key markets. However, having the UAE’s second city as a hub also serves as a boon for the airline’s growth.

On November 4, flydubai will launch its flights to Tbilisi, Georgia an underserved destination that adds to the currently established routes and that offers a myriad of business and tourism opportunities.

Belgrade is also high on the radar of the no-frills carrier. The airline has also made the Indian subcontinent a key pillar of its no-frills, short-haul strategy. Further, the airline’s five daily non-stop flights between Kuwait and Dubai turn it into a preferred destination for business, leisure and day-tripping tourism.

The extended network of destinations flydubai spreads wings to is viewed as one of the examples for strategic growth. And with the forecast of the capacity of Dubai International Airport to increase from 60 million passengers to 90 million by 2018 there is untapped potential for all - conventional and economy carries - in the market.

Owned by the Dubai-government, prudent financial values it seems, lie at the foundation of flydubai’s growth strategy and the way the carrier views competition. Like Al-Ghaith says, “We believe that as long as you manage your business properly, you know your cost and work at a lower cost and you are actively focusing on developing the market I believe there is room for everybody and there is enough business. There is room for more players.”

Legacy carriers vs no-frills carriers In Al-Ghaith’s viewpoint, there is no reciprocity between a plunge in premium travel and the growth of all-economy seats. “It is not a race where somebody wins and somebody loses. In our business, we all complement each other. Low-cost airlines drive and encourage new business. I am sure the other airlines will benefit from this because more people will travel. It is not a game,” Al-Ghaith argues.

Who will win the aviation race between budget airlines and their network carrier counterparts? In response, Al-Ghaith puts it succinctly, “Anybody who manages their business most effectively wins. You have to react to what is going on.

You have to manage your business the best.”

Analysts also bring about positive forecast for the low-cost segment in the region. In making predictions about the aviation industry in the Middle East, Salah says, “Once the political situation in MENA stabilizes and hopefully oil prices with Libya coming back online and hopefully Iraq also, the airline sector will grow maybe not in double digits but in the high single digits with South America, Far East and China, India and Australia being the markets to watch.” It remains to be seen if flydubai will further spread its wings to any of these destinations.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

business

Qantas flights resume but fallout escalates SYDNEY: Qantas services returned to normal yesterday after days of chaos, as the airline began the difficult task of winning back the hearts and minds of passengers and mollifying a furious government.

The carrier said in a statement that all disrupted passengers had been accommodated on flights, with the carrier operating more than 348 domestic and 105 international services since retaking to the skies. “Qantas sincerely regrets the impact on customers of industrial action over recent months and looks forward to a rapid recovery and period of stability,” the statement added.

Qantas resumed flying late Monday after a bitter industrial dispute sparked an extraordinary 46-hour shutdown that stranded 70,000 passengers in 22 cities worldwide and threatened to damage Australia’s economy. The shock grounding of the entire fleet, announced Saturday by Qantas chief Alan Joyce, dramatically escalated a long-running feud with airline unions who oppose an Asia-focused restructuring plan.

It only ended when the government’s industrial tribunal early Monday ordered an end to the grounding, and months of strikes and other industrial action by baggage handlers, engineers and pilots. Fair

Work Australia gave the airline and unions 21 days to settle their dispute over wages and conditions or undergo forced arbitration that would see a decision imposed on them.

Transport Minister Anthony Albanese demanded both sides “act in a mature way” to fix the damaging standoff, reiterating the government’s gripe that it was given no prior notice of the grounding.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has accused the airline of “extremist behaviour” in its actions and made clear yesterday she was still furious. “I do not believe that this extreme action should have been taken,” she said.

“Qantas on Friday was talking about continuing to negotiate this dispute. On Saturday it made the decision to strand tens of thousands of passengers around Australia and around the world.

“It needs to take some responsibility publicly for that decision.” Joyce has said his actions had widespread support from the Australian business community but Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten disagreed.

“I don’t think every company in Australia is happy with what happened,” he said, but added: “I don’t believe that what we’ve seen Qantas do will be a major precedent for some sort of new wave of radical

employer militancy.”

Qantas now has the huge task of winning back the trust of passengers and rebuilding its brand. The airline is expected to launch a multi-million dollar public relations campaign to limit the fallout, with reports that it could cut prices, offer special promotional deals and double frequent flyer points earned. But it will not be easy, with anger at airports and on social media sites still running high, and many of those caught in the chaos vowing to never again fly Qantas.

Despite the backlash, Joyce said Monday he considered the Qantas brand “amazingly resilient” and played down fears the 90-year-old flag carrier had been irreparably damaged as it heads towards the busy Christmas period. “We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and stress our customers have faced over the past days and months,” said a statement on the Qantas website Tuesday as the company set about rebuilding its reputation.

“Industrial action is now over, you can again book Qantas flights with confidence,” it said. After rallying 4.4 percent on Monday, Qantas’s share price added another 1.1 percent Tuesday, bucking the trend in a broadly negative market. — AFP

SYDNEY: Passengers arrive at the Qantas departure lounge at Sydney Airport yesterday. Qantas resumed flying after a bitter industrial dispute sparked an extraordinary 46-hour shutdown that stranded 70,000 passengers in 22 cities worldwide and threatened to damage Australia’s economy. — AFP

World stocks plunge on Europe debt plan doubts Euro shares sink on Greek referendum news

MUMBAI: An Indian man walks past an automobile advertisement near the airport in Mumbai yesterday. Car sales have been slowing in India as high borrowing costs have hit one of the world’s fastest-growing auto sectors. — AFP

Indian manufacturing activity up in October MUMBAI: India’s factory activity showed its sharpest rise in three months in October, as growth in new orders for business improved, according to data published yesterday.

The HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 52.0 last month from 50.4 in September, reflecting an improvement in client demand. A figure above 50 indicates growth while a figure below indicates contraction. “The Indian manufacturing sector rebounded in October. Output rose at a modest, but firmer, rate, in line with faster new order expansion,” said HSBC economist Leif Eskesen, in a statement.

“Indian manufacturers reported a solid

rise in new business received during October,” he added. The survey findingbased on data from more than 500 manufacturers-comes at a time of weak business confidence, amid slowing industrial activity and relentless monetary tightening to battle high inflation. The index is still below the long-term PMI index average of 56. Indian firms have been finding it difficult to borrow capital, due to rising interest rates.

India’s central bank has been one of the most hawkish in the world, raising rates 13 times since March 2010 to tame inflation of 9.72 percent, which is the highest among major global economies. Eskesen said inflationary pressures remained strong, as input prices rose. — AFP

SORONG: A fisherman prepares to unload fish from his boat at Sorong fishport located in eastern Papua region. Inflation in Indonesia eased further in October the statistics agency said yesterday as food prices continued to creep down after Eid-Al Fitr, giving the central bank scope to cut interest rate. — AFP

British economy grows 0.5% in third quarter LONDON: Britain’s economy recovered in the third quarter to show growth of 0.5 percent, accelerating from 0.1-percent growth in the second quarter of 2011, official data showed yesterday.

Gross domestic product (GDP) growth between June and September also grew by 0.5 percent compared with output in the third quarter of 2010, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.

Britain’s recovery was aided by stronger output for the manufacturing and service industries, which helped to offset contraction in the construction sector, the ONS added.

“Gross domestic product rose by 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2011, driven by strength in the services sector in particular and the production sector. The con-

struction sector showed a small decline,” the office said.

Despite the better-than-expected headline GDP data, analysts said the outlook for Britain’s economy remained bleak as the country comes up against high inflation, government cutbacks and the euro-zone debt crisis. The figures “do not alter our view that the economy is likely to fall back into recession over the coming quarters,” said Capital Economics analyst Jonathan Loynes. “There is a good chance that the economy will contract in the fourth quarter. And against a background of high inflation, the ongoing fiscal squeeze and the escalating euro-zone crisis, we still see the economy stagnating in 2012 or worse,” added Loynes, the consultancy’s chief European economist. — AFP

BANGKOK: World stock markets sank yesterday as new concerns emerged about the viability of a much-heralded plan to contain Europe’s debt crisis. Benchmark oil fell below $92 a barrel. The dollar surged against the euro, and it rose slightly against the yen - a day after jumping about 5 percent following Japan’s move to buy dollars and sell the strong yen to protect its exporters.

European stocks sank yesterday morning, suffering their biggest one-day sell-off in a month after Greece’s prime minister unexpectedly called a referendum on the latest bailout deal. Investors were also rattled by data showing Chinese factory activity slowed to a near three-year low in October.

“The risk is that a ‘no’ from the Greeks will completely derail the rescue efforts. With the vote due in January, we can kiss the year-end rally goodbye,” a Paris-based trader said. Shares in French banks-which have big exposure to euro zone peripheral debt-took a beating, with Societe Generale down 10 percent, BNP Paribas down 7.6 percent, and Credit Agricole down 9.3 percent.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 2.3 percent at 972.77 points at 0916 GMT, after losing 2.2 percent on Monday.

Next support is at 961.45, a 38.2 percent Fibonacci retracement of the rally from Sept 22 to Oct 28. Last week’s relief rally, sparked after

euro zone leaders unveiled fresh measures to help Greece and fight the region’s debt crisis, has been wiped out-with the STOXX euro zone bank index down 14 percent from last Friday’s peak.

Wall Street was headed for a second day of losses, with Dow Jones industrial futures dropping 1.1 percent and S&P futures recoiling 1.6 percent. Stock markets in Asia didn’t fare much better. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index retreated 1.7 percent to close at 8,835.53. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 2.5 percent to 19,369.96 and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 shed 1.5 percent to 4,232.90.

Benchmarks in Singapore, India, Indonesia and Thailand were also down.

South Korea’s Kospi gained marginally to 1,909.63 and China’s Shanghai Composite Index added 0.1 percent to 2,470.02. Markets were on edge as events in Europe undermined optimism about the debt crisis deal that European leaders agreed last week to shore up the continent’s banks and prevent Greece from defaulting.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Monday said that his debt-strapped country will hold a referendum on whether to accept the European deal - complicating an already elaborate implementation process. “That puts everything in question. No longer do you have Greece backing it,” said Andrew Sullivan, principal sales trader at Piper Jaffray in Hong Kong. “It is putting

Credit Suisse slashes jobs, looks to emerging giants ZURICH: Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse said yesterday it would slash another 1,500 jobs while reorientating itself to capture the fast-growing emerging markets of Brazil, China, Russia and Southeast Asia. Most of the reductions would fall “relatively evenly across all of our developed world economies,” said David Mathers, the group’s chief financial officer, adding that the private bank unit would be less affected than others.

The group hoped to save 800 million francs (656 million euros, $900 million) by 2013 from the 3.0 percent reduction of its workforce, which stood at 50,700 at the end of September. This marks the second round of job cuts in just over three months. At the end of July, the group said 2,000 posts would go due to the difficult market environment. But while cutting costs in the developed world, the group said it would invest in the fastergrowing emerging markets of Brazil, Southeast Asia, China and Russia.

“This is expected to increase revenues from these markets from 15 percent in 2010 to 25 percent by 2014,” said the bank. Overall, the bank’s third-quarter net profit rose 12 percent from a year ago to 683 million francs (562 million euros, $776 million).

But investors were not impressed. At market open, the bank’s stocks plunged 9 percent, the worse performer on the Swiss Market Index, which was also trading lower due to persistent concerns over the euro-zone’s debt crisis. Mathers acknowledged that Credit Suisse’s results were below expectations, saying that they were “disappointing overall results for the quarter.”

All three of Credit Suisse’s main business sectors-asset management, investment banking and private bankingreported poor earnings.

Investment banking posted a loss of 190 million francs, while asset management recorded a 32-percent plunge in profit before taxes. Private banking recorded a drop in net profits of 78 percent from the figure a year ago, as the bank set aside massive provisions for two tax litigation cases.

They include a 150-million-euro (183-million-franc) settlement announced in mid-September to end a probe

by German authorities into whether the bank helped Germans to evade taxes. Another 295 million francs have been set aside for a similar probe in the United States.

“We believe subdued economic growth and the low interest rate environment and increased regulation that we are seeing may persist for an extended period,” said Brady Dougan, chief executive officer of the bank.

“We may well continue to see continued low levels of client activity and a volatile trading environment,” he said, adding that the group was “well-equipped” to deal with the environment. — AFP

another level of uncertainty into it, and the markets don’t like uncertainty.”

Another troubling sign is that borrowing costs for Italy and Spain have increased, showing that traders remain worried about those countries’ ability to pay their debts.

Confidence has also been shaken by the collapse of the brokerage house MF Global. The securities firm filed for bankruptcy protection after it was downgraded by ratings agencies for holding too much European debt. Meanwhile, surveys showing China’s manufacturing remained sluggish in October also weighed on investor sentiment. Hong Kong-listed shares of GOME Electrical Appliance Holdings, China’s largest appliances retailer, plunged 7.8 percent.

Anhui Conch Cement Co. fell 6.4 percent.

Qantas Airways rose 1.1 percent as the world’s 10th largest airline took to the skies again after a debilitating series of strikes and subsequent staff lockout were halted by an Australian court.

Weak earnings weighed on some shares.

Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic Corp. tumbled 5.1 percent, a day after reporting a quarterly loss and projecting a huge annual loss due to slumping TV sales and a strong yen.

Australian retailer Harvey Norman fell 3.7 percent after the company reported a drop of almost 20 percent in pretax earnings in the three months to September. — Agencies

SIA unveils long-haul budget carrier SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines yesterday launched a long-haul budget carrier that will fly to Australia and China with longer-term ambitions to reach Europe as the region’s market for no-frills travel booms.

Scoot will begin flying from mid-2012 with a fleet of four Boeing B777-200 aircraft bought from parent company SIA and will fly to Australasia, China and other destinations.

Specific cities will be announced over the coming months. Company executives expect Scoot to tap into growing demand for lowcost travel over longer distances as most of Asia’s budget carriers cover shor t-haul routes.

The airline will charge up to 40 percent less than regular carriers, and plans to have 14 planes by 2016, with longer-term plans to fly to India, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In Asia, Scoot is expected to compete directly with AirAsia X-the long-haul affiliate of Malaysia budget carrier AirAsia of which British tycoon Richard Branson’s Virgin Group owns a 20 percent stake-as well as Australian carrier Qantas’ low-cost subsidiary Jetstar Airways. AirAsia X currently flies to a variety of destinations including London, Taipei, Tehran, Paris, Seoul, Tokyo and a number of cities in China and India.

AirAsia X has already outlived several lowcost, long-haul airlines that have gone bust in recent times including Canada’s Zoom, British-based Flyglobespan and Hong Kong carrier Oasis. In an interview with AFP in June,

AirAsia X Chief Executive Azran Osman-Ali said the airline was set on a major expansion mode in Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

An AirAsia X spokeswoman told AFP yesterday the carrier will launch services from Kuala Lumpur to Osaka on November 30 as part of its expansion plans. A spokeswoman for Jetstar in Singapore said the airline was “continuing to look into long-haul services” but did not give details.

Scoot’s Chief Executive Campbell Wilson said the new airline will aim to be different, starting with its name. It is “not an everyday airline name because this is not an everyday airline,” Wilson told a news conference. “We are very purely a no-frills model.”

Wilson told AFP after the news conference that Scoot is unable to fly to the United States initially because of the B777-200’s limitations but he was not ruling out serving the US market in the future. While Scoot is a wholly owned SIA subsidiary, it is independently managed and will focus on the mediumand long-haul budget segment which Wilson said is a fast-growing market. “Taking over the routes of SIA is not the intention of Scoot.

We’re targeting a new, growing market... SIA will continue to grow in its own way and we will target a different niche.” Jonathan Galaviz, an economist who follows Asia’s travel and leisure market, said the budget carrier segment could still grow in Asia but the jury was out on whether long-haul, low-fare carriers had staying power.—AFP

SINGAPORE: Scoot’s chief executive Campbell Wilson unveiled the new low-cost carrier in Singapore yesterday. Singapore Airlines launched a budget carrier that will fly on medium and long-haul routes, including to Australia and China. — AFP

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TECHNOLOGY

EMC certified solutions program gains momentum DUBAI: Launched last May, the EMC Information Intelligence Group Par tner Program enables System Integrators and ISVs to develop complete solutions and hosted services to extend, complement or embed EMC’s full portfolio of Intelligent Information Management solutions.

The “EMC Certified Solution” designation is a key component of the program, and is awarded to partners following rigorous validation by EMC and third parties. Each solution receives an in-depth design review by an EMC Cer tified specialist, focusing on Functional Completeness, Performance and Scalability, Security, Deployability, Supportability, and Interoperability.

The EMC Certified Solution program sets clear guidelines and best

practices for IIG product-based solution development and outlines recommendations focused on ensuring successful implementations within the customer environment. The EMC Certified Solution program provides customers with the confidence that IIG product experts have validated the solution architecture to ensure that the implementations begin with a solid foundation.

With more than 60 solutions built by partners on Documentum xCP, Captiva and Document Sciences technology, EMC has a robust portfolio of solutions; however it is pleased to announce the first 21 “EMC Certified Solutions” from the following companies: 6PM, Adlib, Beach Street Consulting, Inc., BRT, Inc., BTM

Software, Computer Sciences Corporation, ComTrade, Flatirons Solutions Corporation, fme AG, Forefront Technologies, GE Healthcare, HCL Technologies, Impact Systems, Inc., JustSystems Canada, Inc., McLaren Software, MOLA MOLA Ltd., Paragon Solutions, Star Storage SRL, Tata Consultancy Ser vices, Tieto Corporation and TriTek. These partners offer high value solutions and enabling technologies and have made a commitment to deliver quality and excellence to our joint customers. For more information of these Certified Solutions, visit: IIG Global Partner Program Partner Innovation Awards: EMC also announced yesterday the recipients of its IIG Partner Innovation

Awards for EMEA and APJ regions. These awards recognize partners for excellence in innovative solution development, design integration, and best practices in implementation and deployment. The partner award winners are: l Best Capture Solution-Capgemini for T-Police Solution l Best Case Management SolutionTieto for Legal Matter Management Solution l Best Governance & Archive Solution-Fujitsu for Fujitsu Archiving & eDiscovery Solutionl Best Document Sciences SolutionAcutuate-Xenos for Xenos Customer Correspondence Creation Solution l Excellence in Integration-SynApps Solutions UK Ltd for ConXApps & Delivery Quality Solution l Excellence in Design Integration-

Navigator for Purchasing & Accounts Payable Solution l Outstanding Solution for Energy, Utilities, Engineering & ConstructionVerinon Technology Solutions Pte Ltd for EPFM/SharePoint Integration Solution l Outstanding Solution for Financial Services-Fujitsu Services Spain for Branch Banking Capture Solution l Outstanding Solution for Financial Services -Mahindra Satyam for ProFinA Solution l Outstanding Solution for Healthcare-6PM for Integrated Electronic Document & Medical Records Management ERMS Solution l Outstanding Solution for Public Sector-Xerox Emirates for Xerox Correspondence Management System.

London conference seeks cooperation on cyberspace UK hopes meeting will set agenda for future talks

TAIPEI: A young visitor admires a model of a solar bicycle on display at the 2011 Taipei World Design Expo. The expo is the largest of its kind in Taiwan and in 2011 coincides with what the island’s government has named the “Year of Design”. — AFP

Alice, an underwater world, with new witching tricks New PC games BERLIN: It might get scary this summer - at least when it comes to the new crop of PC games. That’s because a lot of shooters are coming to screens everywhere, even underwater.

That’s right. In the new game Deep Black, players are taken into the dark depths of the world oceans with their guns. Meanwhile, on land, the fantasyshooter game Hunted: The Demon’s Forge takes a beautiful elf and puts her side-to-side with an ill-tempered wall of muscle.

Meanwhile, there’s another bizarre interpretation of Alice in Wonderland with Alice: Madness Returns. And, for a total change of pace, there’s the fantasy role-playing game The Witcher 2: Assassins of King or the insane Cargo: The Quest for Gravity.

Just the concept of Deep Black from the publishing company Just a Game - is claustrophobic. Almost the entire game takes place underwater, as the player takes on the role of Syrus Pierce, a former elite fighter in an underwater military unit.

Over the course of about 30 missions, Pierce has got to fight off human opponents, drones and evil cyborgs. Pierce’s arsenal of underwater weapons is impressive, even if the graphics aren’t quite up to the standards of the genre: a lot of the designs are in gray tones.

The game costs about 40 euros (58 dollars) and is recommended for players aged 16 and older.

Things get darker still in Hunted: The Demon’s Forge. The fantasy-action story focuses on the muscle-bound mercenary Caddoc and the blonde elf fighter E’Lara. This unlikely pair fight their way into the realm of the demons and undead so they can use their combined strength to get back out as quickly as possible.

In single-player mode, it’s possible to switch between Caddoc and E’Lara,

with E’Lara specializing in long-distance fighting with her bow and Caddoc wielding his axe and sword. Or two players can each take on one in cooperative mode. A PC version costs 44 euros, while console versions for the XBox and Playstation 3 will cost 52 euros. The game is recommended for those 18 and older.

The new games also provide a reunion with the weirdness surrounding Alice in Wonderland after an absence of almost 11 years, thanks to the June 16 release of Alice: Madness Returns from Electronic Arts.

Its predecessor was a global cult favourite. Now Alice returns to Wonderland, but things are not quite right. Evil creatures are driving out the local inhabitants.

It all comes off as a little weird and psychedelic. It combines classic jump ‘n’ run elements with puzzle, action and adventure elements. It costs 47 euros and is recommended for players aged 16 and older.

Barely a month goes by without a new role -playing game. With The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Namco Bandai brings the grey-tinged witch back to the PC in a graphic fantasy story. This time, the witch is on the hunt for a bald killer who has all the world’s monarchs running scared. The game costs 40 euros and is recommended for players aged 16 and older.

Meanwhile, Cargo: The Quest for Gravity takes players into a crazy, colourful world. The gods have decided to turn off gravity, meaning everything that was up is now down, and vice versa. There are no humans in this game, just tiny humanoids called brats. Players take on the role of the engineer Flawkes, who has to amuse the brats. That’s because fun is required to restore an element called FUN, needed to turn gravity back on and put things right again. — DPA

TOKYO: File photo taken on October 27, 2011 shows an Olympus display at a Tokyo camera shop. Scandal-hit Japanese camera maker Olympus yesterday announced the names of a panel set up to probe allegations of massive overpayments in takeover deals that have rocked the company. — AFP

LONDON: Ministers, tech executives and Internet activists from around the world gathered in London yesterday to discuss how to tackle security threats and crime on the Internet without stifling economic opportunities or freedom of speech.

The London Conference on Cyberspace will look at ways to increase international cooperation in addressing issues raised by the rapid expansion of the Internet, as fastgrowing economies are increasingly agitating for governments to have a bigger say in its regulation. “How to ensure we can all reap the benefits of a safe and secure cyberspace for generations to come is one of the greatest challenges we face,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is chairing the meeting, said.

“This needs to be a collective endeavour, involving all those who have a stake in cyberspace.” Representatives from China, Russia and India are expected at the conference as well as tech industry figures such as Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, and Joanna Shields, a senior executive of Facebook. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cancelled her trip because of her mother’s ill health.

No immediate agreement is expected to emerge from the two-day conference, but British officials hope it will set an agenda for

future discussions.

A closed session of the conference will deal with the aspect of the Internet’s rise that has seized most attention-threats to international security.

The last year has seen a dramatic rise in reported cyber attacks often linked to governments, from apparent attempts at data theft at the International Monetary Fund and elsewhere, often blamed on China, to the Stuxnet computer worm attack on Iran’s nuclear programme linked to Israel and the United States.

On the eve of the conference, the head of Britain’s communications spy agency said British government and industry computer systems were facing a “disturbing” number of cyber attacks, including a serious assault on the Foreign Office’s network.

While Western states worry about rampant intellectual property theft and hacking, authoritarian governments such as China and Russia are alarmed at the role the Internet and social media played in the protests that have swept the Arab world this year.

Fast-growing emerging economies have been seeking more say in how the online realm is policed, worrying campaigners for a loosely regulated Internet who see a risk to web freedom. In September, China, Russia,

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan proposed to the United Nations a global code of conduct including the principle that “policy authority for Internet-related public issues is the sovereign right of states”.

While international security and freedom of speech are hugely complex issues, an area where there could be more prospect of international agreement soon could be cooperation to tackle conventional crime and child pornography. Experts said the broad agenda of the London conference carried the risk it would be thin in achievement.

“At best you’re going to see some milk and toast statements that are going to satisfy everybody and satisfy nobody. The big question is: Who will govern cyberspace, who will be responsible for making the rules?” said Rafal Rohozinski, chief executive of Canadian security consultancy the SecDev Group.

But John Bassett, a former senior official at Britain’s GCHQ signals intelligence agency and now a senior fellow at London’s Royal United Services Institute thinktank, said a “meeting of minds” was much more important than diplomatic agreements at this stage. “If we find enough ground to start a dialogue between governments and other players, that would be an excellent result,” he said. — Reuters

Look, no hands-robot uses gecko power to climb walls

HELSINKI: This handout picture released by Nokia on October 26, shows the Nokia Lumia 800 smartphone. Finland’s Nokia is struggling to remain the world’s top mobile phone maker amid fierce competition. — AFP

‘Rogue websites’ bill runs into more opposition WASHINGTON: Three leading technology industry groups urged members of the US Congress on Monday to oppose a copyright protection bill being proposed in the House of Representatives. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) would give US authorities more tools to crack down on websites accused of piracy of movies, television shows and music and the sale of counterfeit goods.

The legislation has received the backing of Hollywood and the music industry but has come under fire from digital rights and free speech groups. It also came in for criticism on Monday from the powerful Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and NetCoalition, whose members include Google and Yahoo!.

In a letter to members of Congress, they said the legislation “has been framed by its sponsors as a vehicle to protect US trademarks and copyrights from foreign ‘rogue’ websites. “While we support this concept, (the bill) puts lawful US Internet and technology companies at risk,” the letter said.

“Under this bill, a foreign or domestic Internet site that has broken no US law can nevertheless have its economic lifeblood cut off upon a single notice from a copyright or trademark owner,” it said.

“As currently drafted, we believe SOPA is an alarming step backwards” that would create a “litigation and liability nightmare for Internet and technology companies and social media,” the letter said. “Virtually every Internet site that allows user-gener-

ated content can be subject to suit under SOPA and the bill could force Internet companies to police their users’ activities,” it said.

“In short, this is not a bill that targets ‘rogue foreign sites.’ Rather, it allows movie studios, foreign luxury goods manufacturers, patent and copyright trolls, and any holder of any intellectual property right to target lawful US websites and technology companies,” the letter said.

The Stop Online Piracy Act is the House version of a bill introduced in the Senate in May known as the Theft of Intellectual Property Act or Protect IP Act. House Judiciary Committee chairman Lamar Smith, a Republican from Texas, said the bill would help “stop the flow of revenue to rogue websites and ensures that the profits from American innovations go to American innovators.”

“The bill prevents online thieves from selling counterfeit goods in the US, expands international protections for intellectual property, and protects American consumers from dangerous counterfeit products,” Smith said. The House Judiciary Committee is to hold a hearing on the bill on November 16.

The Obama administration has come in for some criticism for shutting down dozens of “rogue websites” over the past year as part of a crackdown known as “Operation in Our Sites.” US authorities in November, for example, shut down 82 websites selling mostly Chinese-made counterfeit goods, including golf clubs, Walt Disney movies, handbags and other items. — AFP

PARIS: Inspired by the gecko, scientists have developed a tank-like robot that can scale vertical walls and crawl over ledges without using suction cups, glue or other liquid bonds to adhere to the surface.

The 240-gramme (6.9-ounce) beast has tracks that are covered with dry microfibres modelled on the toe hairs of the gecko, which can famously zip up windows and along walls almost without effort.

The lizard does the trick thanks to millions of ultra-fine hairs called setae, which interact with the climbing surface to create a molecular attraction known as the van der Waals force. Described yesterday in the British research journal Smart Materials and Structure, the robot’s tracks are studded with mushroom-shaped caps of polymer microfibres just 0.017 millimetres (0.00067 inches) wide and 0.01mm (0.0004 inches) high.

By comparison, the human hair is around 0.1 mm (0.004 inches) thick. “While van der Waals forces are considered to be relatively weak, the thin, flexible overhang provided by the mushroom cap ensures that the area of contact between the robot and the surface is maximised,” said researcher Jeff Krahn of the Simon Fraser University at Burnaby, in Canada’s British Columbia province.

“The adhesive pads on geckos follow this same principle by utilising a large number of fibres, each with a very small tip. The more fibres a gecko has in contact, the greater attachment force it has on a surface.” The tank-bot has a fore and aft section, each with two tracks, and an articulated joint in the middle to help it move from flat sur faces to corners. A video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tont-BzM1II) shows it being put through its paces, climbing at speeds of up to 3.4 centimetres (1.4 inches) per second. The gadget weighs 240g (eight ounces) but tests show that it could take an additional load of 110 grammes (3.14 ounces).

Still a small experimental design, the robot is attached to an umbilical cord providing power and control signals, but eventually will be kitted out with a battery and a computer brain to give it more autonomy, says the team. If all goes well, dozens of applications lie ahead.

Wall-climbing robots could be used to clean windows, inspect buildings, crawl up pipes and help in search-and-rescue operations. A team at Stanford University in California has been adopting a different approach, using gecko-like fibres on feet, rather than tracks, to help its robot climb.

But tracks, driven by belts, are likely to have the advantage because they have a simpler mechanical design, says Krahn.

Track power can be easily expanded-like adding a locomotive to a train when a bigger load has to be taken, he adds. “We unfortunately haven’t as of yet calculated a cost for achieving a practical gecko robot as we are still in the prototyping stage,” Krahn said in an email exchange. —AFP

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H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Babies born via fertility treatment ‘may be smaller’ WASHONGTON: Babies conceived using fertility treatment may be somewhat smaller at birth than newborns conceived naturally, but whether that is due to the treatment or the underlying infertility is not fully clear, a US study said.

Researchers looked at nearly 2,000 women and found that babies born to those with fertility problems weighed a little less-about a third of a pound (453 grams) on average, according to results published in the journal Fertility & Sterility. They were also at somewhat greater risk of low birthweight, or under 5.5 pounds (2.49 kg).

“But it’s been hard to tease out. Is it the infertility or the technology used to treat it?” said Amber Cooper, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University in St. Louis, who led the study. Studies have linked poorer fetal growth and lower birthweight to a higher risk of certain health problems in adulthood, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

Cooper’s team looked at records for 461 women who came to their center with fertility problems over 10 years and ultimately had a baby. More than half underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF),

while 106 were treated with fertility drugs and 104 eventually became pregnant on their own.

Those women were compared with 1,246 fertile women who gave birth during the same time period. Overall, babies born to women with fertility problems were smaller. But there was no difference in average birthweight between women who underwent IVF and infertile women who eventually had a baby without medical help.

The biggest gap was seen in the group of women who’d been treated with fertility drugs, which spur ovulation. Their newborns were about a half-

pound lighter compared with fertile mothers-a gap that Cooper said was small, but still fairly significant. On the other hand, the increased risk of low birthweight was mainly seen in IVF babies. Twelve percent of those mothers had a low-birthweight newborn, versus just under eight percent of mothers with no fertility problems.

“The findings suggest that a large portion of this may be related to the underlying infertility,” Cooper said.

Fertility drugs are often used for women whose infertility is tied to problems with ovulation-in the case of this study, nearly half of the fertility drug group.

Past research has also suggested that the longer a couple takes to conceive, the greater the odds of low birthweight or other complications. IVF may often be done only after fertility drugs or other less-exhaustive treatments fail.

Researchers were not able to pin lower birthweights to any specific causes of infertility, though, and Cooper said some effect from the technology could also not be ruled out. Since close to two percent of US births each year are now helped along with fertility treatment, it will be important to keep studying any effects of the treatment on long-term health, Cooper said. — Reuters

Obama orders FDA to help reduce drug shortages ‘Recent shortages could have been even worse’

TOKYO: A Toyota Motor Corp. staff plays a TV soccer game as she demonstrates a “balance training assist” robot during a Toyota event displaying experimental hi-tech health care robots at a Toyota showroom in Tokyo yesterday. The mobility aid works like a skateboard to help people relearn balance. — AP

Toyota unveils nursing robots TOKYO: Car giant Toyota yesterday unveiled nursing and healthcare robots aimed at helping the frail and the elderly, as the company seeks to capitalise on Japan’s ageing society. The four robots are designed to help people who have difficulty walking and to give nurses a helping hand with lifting immobile patients. Toyota, one of the world’s biggest automakers, said it had applied technology developed in cars, such as precise control of motors at high speeds, in the design of the robots. “Everyone is thinking it’s hard to predict the future, but definitely the future is an ageing society,” said Eiichi Saito, professor at Fujita Health University, which jointly developed the robots.

“These kind of robots will help people who might have trouble being mobile on their own to be independent.” The

Independent Walk Assist robot is strapped to the user’s leg and uses sensors to predict movements and augment their power and strength.

The Walk Training Assist robot is designed to help those who have suffered a stroke or injury to regain the use of their legs in a natural way. The Patient Transfer Assist, which combines weightsupporting arms and a mobile platform, is intended to help caregivers lift patients into and out of bed, with arms that act in a similar way to human limbs, Toyota said. The two-wheeled Balance Training Assist robot is aimed at rehabilitation, allowing patients to play sports such as tennis or football as part of their therapy. Toyota is looking to launch the products commercially in 2013 and is initially looking only at the Japanese market. —AFP

TOKYO: Toyota Motor Co. staff playing a patient’s role is assisted by a Fujita Health University Senior Assistant Prof. Yukari Suzuki as they demonstrate a “patient transfer assist” robot as Toyota Motor Corp. displays experimental hi-tech health care robots at a Toyota showroom in Tokyo yesterday. — AP

FDA ties newer birth control drugs to blood clots WASHINGTON: Safety concerns with the popular birth control pill Yaz increased Thursday as federal health scientists reported that the Bayer drug and other newer birth control treatments appear to increase the risk of dangerous blood clots more than older medications.

A new study released by the Food and Drug Administration reviewed the medical history of more than 800,000 U.S. women taking different forms of birth control between 2001 and 2007. On average, woman taking Yaz had a 75 percent greater chance of experiencing a blood clot than women taking older birth control drugs.

Yaz contains estrogen along with a nextgeneration synthetic hormone called drospirenone, which is known to increase potassium levels in the blood. FDA compared medical records of women taking the drug with those taking the older drug

levonorgestrel.

Yaz, Yasmin and related drospirenonecontaining pills were Bayer’s second-bestselling franchise last year at $1.6 billion in global sales. In 2009, the FDA took the unusual step of ordering Bayer to run corrective TV advertisements on Yaz, saying the drugmaker’s marketing campaign overstated the drugs’ ability to prevent acne and premenstrual syndrome. Bayer Healthcare, a division of the German conglomerate, said it “is currently evaluating this publication and cannot comment at this point in time.” The agency also reported higher complications in women using the Ortho Evra patch from Johnson & Johnson and the Nuvaring vaginal ring from Merck & Co. Inc. Those drugs combine estrogen, which is present in all birth control pills, with two other synthetic hormones launched in the last decade. —AP

WASHINGTON: Unprecedented drug shortages are threatening the lives of cancer patients and other seriously ill people, and the Obama administration’s plan to tackle them is but a small step toward solving a complex problem.

President Barack Obama ordered the Food and Drug Administration on Monday to take new steps to send out early warnings about looming shortages and try to avert them.

“Even though the FDA has successfully prevented an actual crisis, this is one of those slow-rolling problems that could end up resulting in disaster for patients and health care facilities all over the country,” Obama said.

There’s already a crisis in the eyes of many frustrated doctors and hospitals who are scrambling for supplies of medicines ranging from common chemotherapies, to anesthetics used in surgery, to the electrolytes that are crucial to IV feeding in intensive care. Fifteen deaths have been blamed on shortages.

Patients have had treatments delayed, surgeries canceled, or had to use second-choice medications. Hospitals are reporting pricegouging - such as a drug that usually costs $26 being offered for $1,200.

Sometimes, “you have to look the patient in the eye and say, ‘I can’t treat you. I certainly can’t treat you the way I meant to treat you,’” said Dr James Speyer, medical director of the clinical cancer center at New York University Langone Medical Center.

“That’s a terrible thing to have to do, and it’s happening across the country,” added Speyer, who said Obama’s action is important but doesn’t address one key part of the problem - drug profits. “Unfortunately, we’re going to be living with the problems of these shortages for some time.”

It’s unthinkable to patients who find themselves caught in the mess. “How in the United States of America could critical lifesaving or life-prolonging drugs be in short supply?” asked Jay Cuetara, 49, of San Francisco, who said chemotherapy to hold back his advanced cancer recently was delayed by a week when his hospital ran out and couldn’t get more. He joined Obama in the Oval Office Monday as the president signed an executive order directing the FDA’s next steps.

Just how big the shortage is depends on how you count, but this is a record-setting year. The FDA reported 178 drug shortages last year and says it sees more this year. The University of Utah’s Drug Information Service reports higher numbers: 232 shortages this year, up from 211 last year. The Utah service tracks shortages for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and has documented a tripling of the problem over the past five years.

Recent shortages could have been even worse: The FDA said Monday it had prevented 137 more drug shortages in the past two years, when companies told regulators they were having trouble. Options include getting other manufacturers to ramp up their own

production, helping to find alternative suppliers of key ingredients, sometimes even allowing temporary importation of competing drugs sold only abroad.

Obama’s executive order instructs the FDA to take more such steps - to push more companies to come forward about potential shortages, to speed applications to change production of those drugs, and to alert the Justice Department about possible collusion

England Journal of Medicine.

Reimbursement for administering IV drugs is a percentage of the average sales price, what they call an incentive to prescribe a pricier version. Also, manufacturers want to produce versions with a higher profit-margin.

Consider that shortages of a common cancer drug named leucovorin didn’t start until the FDA approved a similar competitor that worked as well but, because it was new, was

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama gestures in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Monday, where he signed an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration to take steps to reduce drug shortages. From left are, pharmacy manager Bonnie Frawley from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, cancer patient Jay Cuetara from San Francisco, and FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg.— AP or price-gouging.

The administration also supports legislation pending in Congress that would go a step further and require more industry reporting of shortages, Overwhelmingly, the drugs in short supply are injectable medications used mostly by medical centers. They’re usually generic drugs, not pricier brand-name versions. Just half a dozen companies are the main suppliers, said University of Utah pharmacist Erin Fox. A number of those factories have had to close for safety or quality upgrades in recent years, and there have been some shortages of ingredients bought abroad.

An Obama administration analysis concluded a big part of the problem is rising demand, especially for cancer drugs, that those companies haven’t been able to boost production to meet. But, “the main cause of drug shortages is economic,” argued Dr. Thomas J. Smith of Johns Hopkins’ Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Virginia Commonwealth University pharmacist Mandy Gatesman in this week’s New

58 times more expensive, the pair wrote.

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association said it would work with FDA. But FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg acknowledged her agency can address only part of the problem. “There’s no single or simple solution,” she said. Still, “we can make a very real and meaningful difference by expanding our network of early warnings.”

The executive action is part of a larger push by the White House to portray Obama, who is facing re-election, as an effective counterpoint to congressional Republicans blocking his jobs legislation. Last week, he issued an executive order to help homeowners refinance at lower mortgage rates and to allow college graduates to simplify and lower their student loan payments. On Friday he directed government agencies to shorten the time it takes for federal research to turn into commercial products in the marketplace.

The Republican National Committee called Monday’s order “political expediency,” noting that shortages have made headlines for much of Obama’s presidency.— AP

‘Rejuvenated’ stemcells coaxed from centenarian PARIS: Scientists said yesterday they had transformed age-worn cells in people over 90 — including a centenarian-into rejuvenated stemcells that were “indistinguishable” from those found in embryos. The technical feat, reported in the peer-reviewed journal Genes & Development, opens a new path toward regenerative medicine, especially for the elderly, the researchers said.

“This is a new paradigm for cell rejuvenation,” said Jean-Marc Lemaitre, a researcher at the Institute of Functional Genomics at the University of Montpellier and the main architect of the study. “The age of cells is definitely not a barrier to reprogramming,” he told AFP by phone.

That human embryonic stem cells (ESC) can potentially become any type of cell in the body has long held out the tantalizing promise of diseased organs or tissue being repaired or replaced with healthy, lab-grown cells.

But the leap from theory to practice has proven difficult, and fraught with ethical and moral concerns because any such procedure requires the destruction of a human embryo.

The discovery in 2007 that it is possible to coax certain adult cells back into their immature,

pre-specialised state has fuelled renewed efforts to generate brand new muscle, heart or even brain cells, this time from raw material provided by the patient.

Experiments to date, however, have shown that the usual chemical recipe for generating these so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) works less well or not at all with the elderly and very elderly-precisely the cohort with the most to gain from regenerative therapies.

The barrier was cellular senescence, a natural process linked to ageing that can trigger cell death when certain mechanisms within the cell become too degraded to function properly.

Lemaitre and colleagues decided to alter the standard genetic starter kit used to generate adult stemcells by adding two new ingredients-known as transcription factors-called NANOG and LIN28.

Experiments with human subjects ranging in age from 74 to 101 showed that the new cocktail worked. Several critical markers of ageing in cells were “reset”, including the size of telomeres, the tiny protective caps found on the ends of chromosomes that wear down with age, the researchers reported.

Telomeres and telomerase, the enzyme that

control them, are a key agent in longevity.

Every time a cell divides, the telomeres get worn down a little bit. The enzyme’s job is to partially rebuild them. Eventually, when the telomeres are worn beyond repair, a cell dies.

Gene expression profiles, levels of oxidative stress, and the metabolism of the cell’s energygenerating mitochondria were all likewise rejuvenated, according to the study. “ The age markers in the cell has been erased,” said Lemaitre. “The iPSC stemcells we got can produce functional cells of all types with a capacity to proliferate and enhance longevity.” By reversing the age-altered physiology of the cells, he added, the new reprogramming technique “may constitute an optimal strategy for developing cell-based therapies for aged patients.”

A large gap remains between this “proof-ofconcept” study and therapeutic applications, the researchers cautioned. And recent experiments with mice suggests that generating adult stemcells may yet face unexpected barriers. Certain kinds of iPSC may be rejected by the immune system even if they are derived from the same organism, the experiments showed. — AFP

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H E A LT H

FDA backs Vytorin for kidney disease patients WASHINGTON: The Food and Drug Administration says Merck’s cholesterol drug Vytorin helps reduce heart attack, stroke and related problems in patients with kidney disease, a potential new use for the blockbuster drug.

The agency’s online review also found no new safety concerns with Vytorin, which came under scrutiny for potential cancer risks in 2008. Merck has asked the FDA to approve the drug for a new use in reducing heart-related problems chronic kidney disease patients. The combination pill is already cleared to reduce bad cholesterol.

FDA says that Vytorin lowered kidney disease patients’ heart-related problems by 16 percent compared with placebo.

However results varied depending on whether patients were receiving dialysis, standard treatment for patients with latestage kidney disease who can no longer

remove waste from their blood. Patients on dialysis only saw a six percent drop in heart problems, compared with a 22 percent reduction for healthier patients not on dialysis.

Today, the FDA will ask non-government advisers to comment on the disparity and to vote on the overall safety and efficacy of the drug for kidney disease patients. Vytorin, a $2 billion-a-year drug for Merck, combines two brand-name cholesterol pills Zocor and Zetia. In July 2008, preliminary results from a four-year study indicated a possible increased risk of cancer in patients getting Vytorin. But FDA’s latest review found no evidence of a link between Vytorin and cancer.

“We believe these data should help lay to rest investor concerns about Vytorin and Zetia’s safety,” Leerink Swann analyst Seamus Fernandez wrote in a research note yesterday.— AP

Metal detectors probably safe with pacemakers NEW YORK: Airport security screening with hand-held metal detectors is most likely safe for people with devices to help the heart beat regularly, such as pacemakers and implantable defibrillators, a European study said. There have been some reports of magnetic fields, such as those produced by airport metal detectors, interfering with the devices, and travellers who have them are advised to ask for a pat-down at airport security-causing frequent problems for the patients, said Clemens Jilek of the German Heart Centre Munich, one of the study’s authors.

About 700,000 people worldwide who have heart rhythm disturbances get a pacemaker or defibrillator each year. “With the wide variety of rhythm devices we tested, we have not seen any interference between two hand-held metal detectors that are broadly available worldwide,” Jilek told Reuters Health. “Our conclusion would be that screening procedures with a normal, available hand-held metal detector are safe.” Previous research has linked MP3 players

and anti-theft technology to problems with the devices. In patients who would have no heartbeat on their own, some kinds of strong magnetic interference could potentially be fatal, Jilek added.

For the study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers in Munich and Athens used two detectors for 30 seconds each on 388 people with a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator coming in for a routine checkup. While the researchers swiped the metal detectors over the skin around the heart devices and attached leads, an electrocardiogram checked to see if the patient’s heart rhythm was thrown off or not. They also checked to see if there were problems with the programming of the devices.

The metal detectors were set to the strongest setting and used on pacemakers from 11 different companies and implantable defibrillators from seven companies, representing about 75 percent of the different devices on the market. —Reuters

Landmark Group announces ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign Supported by MoH and Dasman Diabetes Institute KUWAIT: Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, announced the launch of the second edition of its ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign in Kuwait.

The walkathon, which is supported

by Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute, is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed to further spread awareness about the condition and its causes among the wider community.

According to figures released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Kuwait has one of the highest rates of prevalence in the world. According to estimates

by IDF, 10.8% of the adult population in Kuwait has diabetes. New regional diabetes statistics, showing the extent of the diabetes epidemic, are expected to be released

by IDF on World Diabetes Day, November 14.

The ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign will host walkathons across Kuwait, KSA, Oman, Qatar, UAE and India this month, the international diabetes awareness month. The walkathon in Kuwait is scheduled on Saturday, November 19, 2011.

This year, the Group partnered

with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), becoming the organization’s first retail corporate supporter partner. This relation has also made Landmark Group one of the official partners of World Diabetes Day. IDF is an umbrella organisation of over 200 national

Awareness is the first step in the battle against diabetes. With this objective the Beat Diabetes initiative works towards making people alert about the growing diabetes epidemic across the world. In order to mitigate risks caused by late diagnosis of the condition, diabetes

diabetes associations in over 160 countries. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and those at risk. The Federation has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950. Mario Fetz, IDF Director of External Relations will join the walk in UAE to support the Beat Diabetes initiative.

testing centres will be set up at multiple locations across the Group’s retail network to administer free blood glucose test for the community during the walkathon.

Landmark Group will also be a part of the World Diabetes Day Monument Challenge, where over 1000 buildings across the world are lit in blue on November 14th to

mark World Diabetes Day. In Kuwait the Centrepoint Salmiya will participate in the challenge also, various other awareness activities will be conducted inside the mall to promote healthy living.

Renuka Jagtiani, Vice Chairperson Landmark Group, said: “At the Landmark Group, our commitment towards spreading awareness on diabetes has grown manifold over the last few years. There is a drastic increase in the number of people suffering from diabetes worldwide and this can be abated by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

We would like to spread this message through the campaign and encourage people to embrace healthy eating habits, exercise every day and additionally get regularly tested for the condition.”

In 2010, the Landmark Group’s ‘Beat Diabetes’ walkathon attracted over 25,000 people and over 30,000 people were administered free blood glucose test across six countries. With an ardent belief that creating awareness is crucial to take control of diabetes the Group continues to undertake various activities year round to “Beat Diabetes”.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

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Announcements Exhibition on healthcare The India Medical Tourism Destination (IMTD) exhibition and conference, which aims at promoting India as a global healthcare destination, is to take place tomorrow and 3rd of November at the Hall No 7, Kuwait International Fair Grounds in Mishref. The two-day mega medical tourism exhibition and conference is being organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Trident Exhibitions in collaboration with the Embassy of India, Kuwait and the Indian Doctors Forum, Kuwait.

EDA Onam 2011 Ernakulam District Association Kuwait (EDA) ‘Onam 2011” celebration will be on November 4th at Indian Community School, Salmiya (Senior Girls). It will be a full day entertainment from 9 am to 5 pm. Indian Ambassador Satish C. Mehta will be the chief guest.

EDA family will be staging various cultural activities bringing back the nostalgic memories of a bygone era of prosperity, equality and righteousness under the golden reign of Mahabali. In addition, a sumptuous traditional meal “ONASADYA” will be served to all the members and invitees. All members and their families are requested to participate in the event.

Contact Baburaj (66080256), Bipin (66024732) or visit our website www.edakuwait.com Free medical camp MES conducts their 12th Free Medical Screening Camp on Friday 11th November at Central School Abbasiya in association with Kuwait Medical Association (KMA), Indian Doctors Forum (IDF), Kuwait Heart Foundation and Indian Dentists Alliance in Kuwait. The camp will be from 8 am to 2:30 pm. Around 50 specialized doctors from IDF will lead the examination. Thousands of poor and needy community members were benefited from the past 11 Medical Camps. Doctors specialized in Gynecology, Ortho, Cardiology, Surgical, Pediatrics, Diabetes, Ophthalmology, ENT, Skin, General Medicine and Dental are available in the camp.

Applicant should bring any medical records he/she have i.e. X-ray, Lab Test Report.

Application forms are available at all the Branches of Gulf Mart, Tasty Restaurant, Al-Yaqza Book Shop (Kuwait City), Dress Mart (Fahaheel), Highland Supermarket (Abbasiya), Azizia Book Shop (Salmiya). Duly filled application will be acceptable maximum by 5th November 2011. For details contact Zubair (99826195) & Hassan Managad (99131104).

Indian Lawyers’ Forum Onam Indian Lawyers’ Forum will celebrate Onam, the unique, secular, harvest festival of Kerala on 18th November, 2011 Friday 10.30 am at Hi-Dine Restaurant Auditorium, Abbassia. Celebrations will include traditional variety entertainments, with the grand ‘ONASADHYA’. All Indian Lawyers & Law graduates working here in Kuwait are invited with their families.

For details contact Panicker 97203939, Pulikkal 97260159. Email: advpanicker@gmail.com Tulukoota talent hunt Tulukoota Kuwait will hold a “Talent Hunt 2011” a chance to prove an inborn trait in you that confirms your individuality, uniqueness. For more information and registration form kindly log on to our Website: www.tulukootakuwait.org or visit our facebook page - Tulukoota Kuwait Talent Hunt 2011. You could also email your form request to: secretary@tulukootakuwait.org or contact our area coordinators mentioned below. Mangaf, Fahaheel, Abuhalifa : Ronald Dsouza- 60035824, Shalini Alva23726164, Suma Bhatt- 97834578 Salmiya & Hawally: Swarna Shetty- 99006934, Kripa Gatty66044194 Kuwait City, Jahra, Sharq: Rekha Sachu65044521,97862115 Farwaniya, Abbassiya, Shuwaikh & Khaitan: Sathyanarayana- 66585077 Sanath Shetty- 67712409.

BEC T10 Cricket tournament The BEC T10 Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament will be organized & played from 7th October to 11th November, 2011. The Tournament being organized

by RED N BLACK CRICKET CLUB and sponsored by BEC EXCHANGE will be played out in Abu Halifa cricket grounds. For registration and other queries please mail at mail@rednblack.org or call 66820148/ 66130940/ 66841653.

KES students with the Ambassador of India.

BBS MUN directors and executives with the Ambassador of Lebanon.

BBS MUN directors and executives with the excellencies the ambassadors and representatives of various embassies: from left to right India, Bhutan, Benin, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Lebanon, Malaysia, the US, Bangladesh and Iran.

Al-Bayan Bilingual School hosts Pearl Mun conference

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l-Bayan Bilingual School hosted their annual Pearl Mun Xl (Model United Nations) Conference from Thursday, October 27-29. The theme of this year’s conference was Challenges Facing the New Generation!

This year’s Pearl Conference had almost 300 students in attendance from

various American and British High Schools in Kuwait, as well as universities including the American University of Kuwait and the Gulf University of Science and Technology.

Pearl also is fortunate to have a delegation of high school students from the Al-Hekma International School of

Bahrain. Pearl was diligently organized by the School Director and Coach, Seema and Saima Faruqui, as well as 8 student executives: Nasser Bahzad, Feras AbuShaar, Barrak Al-Mujaihem, Khaled Al-Busairi, Jafar Jafar, Jassim Al-Bahar, Zaina Al-Dukair, Noura Zayed, and Khalefah Al-Ghanim.

The conference included special commissions set in different time periods and ended with the ambassadors’ breakfast where students had the chance to talk to real life ambassadors over breakfast and get their perspective on the issues discussed at the conference.

ACA boys with the Ambassador of Malaysia.

AAG girls with a representative of the Benin Embassy.

BBS girls with the Ambassador of Iraq.

ASK students with the Ambassador of Lebanon.

BBS boys with the Ambassador of Japan.

ACA boys with the Dutch Ambassador.

ASK students with the Ambassador of Bangladesh.

BBS MUN directors and executives with the Ambassador of Yemen.

ACA girls with the Ambassador of Bhutan.

Memorial meeting A memorial meeting will be held on Friday, Nov 4, at 4 pm at Hi Dine auditorium in honor of late Joy P Thomas, member of Kerala Sports Club, who was working in Kuwait.

KGA Alemao Memorial Football Tournament The 3rd edition of Eslinda Alemao Memorial Football 7-a-side tournament will be held on first day of Eid Al Adha Festival (6th November 2011) to be held at the MOH Grounds, Al-Sabah Hospital Premises, Shuwaikh under the auspices of Kuwait Indian Football Federation (KIFF). All KIFF affiliated teams are requested to contact the organizers, Kuwait Goan Association (KGA). For more info, Email: kgakuwait@gmail.com Tel: (+965) 94963677.

Youth Chorus competition Youth Chorus is organizing the sixth Christian Malayalam Group Song Competition on Friday, 18th November 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the United Indian School Auditorium, Abbasiya. The team has to present one Christian Malayalam song within seven minutes. The minimum number of members in the team should be 7 and the maximum 20, including the orchestra persons.

The first, second and third prize winners will be awarded with rolling trophies and certificates. The following prestigious trophies will be awarded to the winners.

First Prize - Youth Chorus Ever Rolling Trophy Second Prize- Omana Jose memorial Ever Rolling Trophy Third Prize- Youth Chorus Ever Rolling Trophy All the other participating teams will be awarded a Youth Chorus memento. Please register the name of your team with the conveners on or before 10th November 2011. Tel: 66853100, 6651093 or to our e-mail address youthchorus@gmail.com

BBS MUN directors and executives with the Ambassador of Sri Lanka.

ASK students with the Ambassador of Pakistan.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRITAIN The British Embassy - Consular Public Counters will today re-open 02 November 2011. For the latest FCO travel advice please visit: www.fco.gov.uk/en/traveland-living-abroad/travel-advice-bycountry/middle-east-north-africa/kuwait nnnnnnn

Palestinian Culture Centre Exhibition at Bayt Lothan

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he Palestinian Culture Center holds the second of its two annual exhibitions for at Bayt Lothan. The show, which is open to the public, includes a large collection of textile-based traditional handmade cross-stitch as well as pottery from Hebron, books about Palestine in English and Arabic, posters.

The Palestinian Culture Center is a non-profit organization that was established in Jordan in 1993. It aims to (1) preserve the rich heritage and culture of Palestine, (2) help empower women and their families in the Palestinian refugee camps become economically independent, and (3) sustain needy Palestinians in their homeland and in the Diaspora.

This year continued to be an active year for the Center with the continued affects of the global financial crisis which placed a further strain on the poor in

Jordan and in occupied Palestine.

Furthermore, the continued blockade on Gaza by Israel, and its occupation of Palestinian lands has made the situation dire, and the need for aid more urgent. As a result, the Center provides aid to Palestinians in the homeland by providing financial aid to needy families, health care, and university scholarships. In Jordan it aims to pay fair salaries for the 500 or so women who do the embroidery work as well as pay for their transportation from the camps, and a bonus for excellent quality work as a motivation.

Exhibition Highlights Traditional cross-stitch embroidery of dresses, linens, shawls, cushions, table runners, cards, coasters, belts, purses, bookmarks and more l Handmade ceramics from Hebron and l

Jerusalem Books, posters, cards, key chains, kafiya’s and DVDs l Food sale of traditional Palestinian cuisine only on Thursday including baked goods and traditional food l Palestinian traditional dance (dabkah) performed on Thursday in the evenings Palestinian embroidery using needle and silk thread is a manifestation of the Palestinian identity as it has evolved over the ages. An age old art, all Palestinian ladies, young and old, would spend hours embroidering their trousseau, dresses, shawls and cushions. Using geometric shapes at first, and then evolving to depicting images from nature surrounding them, the dresses are famous for their flowery designs and bold natural colors of indigo and red. Symbols of the l

ubiquitous cypress trees surrounding the orange groves, roses, jasmine and the famous olive tree are typical motifs in these dresses.

The exhibition, which is open for the public, will be held at Bayt Lothan in Salmiya for 4 days starting Monday the November 14th through Thursday November 17th. It is open to the public from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm and 4:30 to 8:30 pm.

Venue Bayt Lothan, Salmiya, Gulf Road, next to Marina Mall Dates 4 days from Monday-Thursday November 14 - 17, 2011 Tine: Morning 10:00 am to 1:30 pm, and Evening 4:30 to 8:30 pm.

Telephone 2575 5866 - 2572 7388 - 9937 6608

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multifaceted entertainment programme.

The Harvest festival was officially inagurated by Satish C. Mehta, Ambassador of India to Kuwait and the meeting was presided over by His Grace Issac Mor

Osthatheos, the Patriarchal Vicar for Kuwait.

Parish Vicar, Rev. Fr. Sajan T. John welcomed the gathering.

Felicitation speeches were delivered by MP Anto Antory, Rev. Immanuel Ghareeb, Rev. Fr. Biju Kavatt, Rev. Chacko Thomas and K.P. Koshy. As part of the meeting

the Harvest Festival Souvenir was released by His Grace Issac Mor Osthathios and Dinu Chandran from Western Union, the main sponsor.

T. A Ramesh, Country Head of Gulf Mart was honoured during

the meeting with memento. Jacob John, Church Trustee, Varghese T. Chacko, Harvest Festival General Convener, Mr. Abraham Jacob Souvenir Convener, Cheveliar Bijou Varghese were also present.

Mr. Johnson Varghese, Church Secretary proposed Vote of Thanks. Jeejo George and Susan John compered the programes.

The children entertained the audience with thier enthralling performance by dance and songs.

Magic show was performed by Magician Sabu.

The renowned playback Singers Jyotsna Radhakrishnan, Anwar Sadat and William Issac of Idea Starsinger fame, chilled the audience with a Musical extravaganza.

Comedy Show was also performed

by Vodafone Comedy Stars, Pole and Rope acrobatic display by Jinu Joy enchanted the audience. Food Stalls offering Kerala delicacies by Martha Mariam Vanitha Samajam and Games Stalls by Mar Baselios Youth Association (MBYA) were the added attractions. Mr. George K. John, Program Convener thanked the artists, audience and all who helped organize this festival.

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EMBASSY OF FRANCE On the occasion of Eid Al Adha, the French Embassy in Kuwait will be closed on Sunday 6th and Monday 7th of November 2011. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF GERMANY The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait wishes to announce that as of 1 May 2011, the external service provider Al Qabas Assurex is operating a Visa Application Centre in support of the German Embassy. Short-term visa applications for travels to Germany (e.g. for tourism, visits, business) are to be submitted to the service provider Al Qabas who for your convenience will ensure that all relevant documents are included in your application. Your personal appearance at the Application Centre is not required. Address of the Visa Application Centre: Al Qabas Assurex Sanabel Tower (Al-Babtain) Mezzanine (M3) opposite Sharq Mall Kuwait 22924444 Fax: 22924442 Further information are available on the following websites: www.kuwait.diplo.de www.qavisa.com

Harvest festival celebrated th Harvest Festival of St George Universal Syrian Orthodox Reesh Church (Valiyapally), Kuwait, organised by Mar Baseliose Social and Cultural Association (MBSCA), was celebrated at Integrated Indian School, Abbassiya on Friday, Oct 28th with a full-day

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form.

All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants. Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed.

To ensure that the most recent version of the Temporary Resident Visa application form is being utilized, applicants should refer to the CIC website. As of January 15, 2011, forms are to be filled in electronically. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday.

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Sendoff to Gopakumar

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rofessionals working for various media organizations in Kuwait and India gave warm a sendoff to Gopakumar, cameraman of Kairaly TV in Kuwait. Representatives of various print, visual and online media organizations delivered felicitation speeches. Siddiq Valiyakathu presented a memento to Gopakumar in honor of his active involvement in the media field in Kuwait during the function held it Abbasiya. In his reply speech, Gopakumar thanked everyone for the support he received.

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on the following dates during the month of November 2011: November 6, 2011 (Sunday)- Idu’l Zuha (Bakrid) and November 10, 2011 (Thursday) - Guru Nanak’s birthday. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA On the occasion of Eid Al Adha, the South African Embassy will be closed from Sunday, 6 November 2011 to Monday, 7 November 20111 The Embassy will resume it s normal working hours on Tuesday, 8 November 2011, from Sunday to Thursday. Please note that the Working hours will be from 8h00 to 16h00 & the Consular Section operation hours will from 8h30 to 12h30.

Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a awarded the HACCP certification

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Annual Diwali celebration by Goan Heritage Club

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he Goan Heritage Club (GHC) recently held its 2nd Annual Diwali celebration in a spectacular manner on Friday, 28th October 2011 at the Royal terrace banquet hall amidst a crowd of 100 members and their families.

The evening started off by the traditional lighting of the lamp that lay beside a vibrant & colorfully created Rangolli design of Goddess Laxmi by Anilkumar Revankar. The welcome speech was delivered by Dr Jaganath Chodankar, wherein he welcomed the entire audeicne and all the office bearers of GHC highlighting their credentials. The President- Manoj Bandodkar, Vice President - Avinash Vernekar, General Secretary - Mrs Deepti Nagvekar, Treasurer - Mahesh Karekar and Legal Advisor - Shantilal Sirsat were then invited to the dais for the ceremonial cake cutting ritual.

The Chief Guest for the event, Jacob Fernandes, President of Colva United then presided over and graced the occasion with his generous and

thought provoking words. This was then followed by the honoring ceremony wherein GHC honored eight of its members who have completed more than three decades in Kuwait with significant contribution to the Goan community in their own special way. The awardees who received their plaques at the respected hands of the Chief Guest Jacob Fernandes were Ramnath Chodankar, Suresh Naik, Shantilal Sirsat, Dilip Raikar, Umakant Kavlekar, Ashok Sadvelkar, Mohandas Raikar and R. B. Patil. Having admired the adults, it was time to praise & encourage the children by awarding all the meritorious students who excelled in the recently conducted annual examinations. There were 23 children in total who received elegant blankets sets along with special gifts from Growmore Trading and Greenspring Trading.

The official function then concluded and the festivities begin with Remedius D’Souza as the Master of Ceremony who

charged & captivated the entire audience.

There were various games conducted for adults and children of all ages, with no one being left out. No one was spared from participating in the exciting games and enjoying the background score provided by D.J. Mario. The entire event was captured by the roving lens of Gafoor Moodadi.

The icing on the cake was the grand list of prizes that were to be won during the Bingo session with high end electronics to be distributed to the winners. The bumper prize which was sponsored by Hamad Al Essa group was a 42” Plasma TV arranged through the good office of Vasudev Monkar and was won by Master Avneesh Chodankar. The evening concluded with the delivery of the Vote of Thanks by the President, Manoj Bandodkar, wherein he thanked all the sponsors. The taste buds of one and all were satisfied by the sumptuous buffet laid down by the staff of Royal Terrace which bought the evening to an end.

ovenpick Al Bida’a has been awarded the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Certificate to prove once again its commitment to food safety.

HACCP is a systematic preventive approach to food safety. The process includes physical, chemical, and biological hazards identification and rectification as a means of prevention from receiving, storing to preparing and serving food. The HACCP certification process takes approximately six to twelve months.

The certification is a testament to the high standards of health and safety set within the hotel, and reinforces Movenpick Al Bidaa’s commitment to quality in all areas, especially Food and Beverage outlets.

Even before achieving the HACCP Certificate, Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a has always taken great pride in taking care of its guests by implementing an effective food safety management.

“I am very proud of my team and all the efforts that have been put into obtaining this accreditation. By obtaining the HACCP certificate, Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a reinforces its commitment to provide its guests with the ultimate dining experience in a safe and healthy environment.” said Ramzi Shaban, the executive assistant manager.

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00:50 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 01:45 Dogs 101 02:40 Planet Earth 03:35 Wild Animal Repo 04:30 Untamed & Uncut 05:25 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 06:20 Dogs 101 07:10 Wild Africa Rescue 07:35 Wild Africa Rescue 08:00 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 08:25 The Really Wild Show 08:50 Natural Born Hunters 09:15 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 09:40 Breed All About It 10:10 America’s Cutest...

11:05 Dogs 101 12:00 Animal Cops Phoenix 12:55 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 13:50 Animal Cops Specials 2009 14:45 Planet Earth 15:40 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 16:30 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Growing Up...: Clouded Leopard 18:25 Dogs 101 19:20 Bad Dog 20:15 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 21:10 Dogs 101 22:05 Planet Earth 23:00 Wildest Africa 23:55 Untamed & Uncut

00:30 01:00 02:05 02:50 03:40 04:10 04:40 04:50 05:00 05:15 05:20 05:40 06:00 06:10 06:20 06:35 06:55 07:10 07:30 07:40 07:50 08:05 08:10 08:30 08:40 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:35 09:40 09:50 10:10 10:20 10:40 11:40 12:25 13:15 13:45 14:15 15:05 16:40 17:30 18:15 18:45 19:15 20:10 21:00 21:45 22:15 22:45 23:40

00:35 01:20 02:10 03:00

Blackadder The Third Dinnerladies The Weakest Link: S11: Set 02 Holby City: Set 1 Doctors: Set 2 Dinnerladies 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 Spot’s Musical Adventures Me Too: Set 1 Fimbles: Set 2 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 Me Too: Set 1 Charlie & Lola: Set 2 Fimbles: Set 2 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 Spot’s Musical Adventures Me Too: Set 1 Charlie & Lola: Set 2 Fimbles: Set 2 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 Spot’s Musical Adventures Buzz & Tell Me Too: Set 1 Charlie & Lola: Set 2 Fimbles: Set 2 Dinnerladies The Weakest Link: S11: Set 02 Around the World in 20 Years Doctors: Set 2 Eastenders: set 253 Holby City: Set 1 Dinnerladies Around the World in 20 Years The Weakest Link: S11: Set 02 Doctors: Set 2 Eastenders: set 253 Holby City: Set 1 Around the World in 20 Years The Weakest Link: S11: Set 02 Doctors: Set 2 Eastenders: set 253 Casualty: Set 3 Emma (2009)

Design Star Come Dine With Me What Not To Wear Design Star

03:40 Design Star 04:25 Come Dine With Me 05:15 What Not To Wear 06:05 Design Star 06:45 Antiques Roadshow 07:40 Cash In The Attic USA 09:20 Daily Cooks Challenge 09:50 Antiques Roadshow 10:40 Bargain Hunt 11:25 Antiques Roadshow 13:05 Come Dine With Me 13:55 Daily Cooks Challenge 15:55 Bargain Hunt 16:40 Antiques Roadshow 18:20 Come Dine With Me 19:10 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 19:35 The Hairy Bikers Ride Again 20:00 Rhodes Across Italy 20:45 Come Dine With Me 21:35 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 11:55 12:20 12:35 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:20 14:45 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 16:55 17:20 Doo 17:45 18:10 18:35 19:00 19:25 19:50 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25 23:55

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The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Yogi’s Treasure Hunt The Garfield Show New Yogi Bear Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals Top Cat New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Jetsons Duck Dodgers Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Tom & Jerry The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show The Flintstones Pink Panther & Pals Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Top Cat Wacky Races Tom & Jerry The Scooby Doo Show Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo Dexters Laboratory

Samurai Jack Megas XLR Robotboy Squirrel Boy George Of The Jungle Cramp Twins Chop Socky Chooks Best Ed My Gym Partner’s A Monkey Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Generator Rex

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

TV PROGRAMS 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 05:40 Chowder 05:55 Powerpuff Girls 06:30 Ed, Edd n Eddy 06:55 I Am Weasel 07:20 Squirrel Boy 07:45 Cow & Chicken 08:00 Eliot Kid 08:04 Cow & Chicken 08:12 Eliot Kid 08:25 Angelo Rules 08:50 Best Ed 09:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 09:40 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 10:05 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 10:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 10:55 Cow & Chicken 11:20 I Am Weasel 11:35 Adventure Time 12:00 Ben 10 12:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 12:50 The Secret Saturdays 13:15 Samurai Jack 13:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 14:05 Codename: Kids Next Door 14:30 Skunk Fu! 14:50 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 15:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 15:40 Ed, Edd n Eddy 16:05 Camp Lazlo 16:30 Chowder 16:55 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 17:25 Cow & Chicken 17:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 18:15 I Am Weasel 18:40 George Of The Jungle 19:05 Casper’s Scare School 19:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 19:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 20:20 Generator Rex 20:45 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 21:10 Hero 108 21:35 Bakugan: New Vestroia 22:00 Total Drama Action 22:25 Adventure Time 22:50 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 23:50 The Secret Saturdays

00:00 Backstory 00:30 World Sport 01:00 The Situation Room 02:00 World Report 03:00 Anderson Cooper 360 04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 05:00 Quest Means Business 06:00 World Sport 06:30 Inside Africa 07:00 World Report 07:30 Backstory 08:00 World Report 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 Inside The Middle East 11:00 World Business Today 12:00 American Morning: Wake-Up Call 12:30 Talk Asia 13:00 World One 14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 The Brief 18:30 World Sport 19:00 Prism 20:00 International Desk 20:30 Inside The Middle East 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25

Swamp Brothers Swords: Life On The Line Overhaulin’ Dirty Jobs Ultimate Survival

DEADTIME STORIES ON OSN ACTION HD

04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:45 09:10 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 15:05 15:30 16:00 16:25 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Mythbusters How It’s Made How Do They Do It? Dirty Jobs Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ How It’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Hunters Science Of The Movies Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Swords: Life On The Line Swamp Brothers Cash Cab Us Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Cash Cab Us James May’s Man Lab Mythbusters Science Of The Movies

00:40 The Gadget Show 01:05 The Tech Show 01:35 Mega Builders 02:25 Stunt Junkies 02:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 03:40 Brainiac 04:35 The Gadget Show 05:00 The Gadget Show 05:25 How Stuff’s Made 05:50 Mega Builders 06:40 Stuntdawgs 07:10 Powering The Future 08:00 Catch It Keep It 08:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 09:40 The Tech Show 10:10 Weird Connections 10:35 The Gadget Show 11:00 The Gadget Show 11:25 Powering The Future 12:20 Sci-Fi Science 12:45 How Stuff’s Made 13:15 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 14:05 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 14:55 Stuntdawgs 15:20 Green Wheels 15:50 Mega Builders 16:40 Weird Connections 17:05 Catch It Keep It 18:00 Brainiac 18:50 Sci-Fi Science 19:15 The Tech Show 19:40 Weird Or What?

20:30 Moon Machines 21:20 Engineered 22:10 The Gadget Show 22:35 The Gadget Show 23:00 Weird Or What?

23:50 Moon Machines

00:00 00:25 00:50 01:15 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:20 Cody 06:45 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:35 09:00 09:15 09:25 09:35 09:50 10:15 10:30 10:50 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:45 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:20 14:55 15:20 15:45 16:00 16:10 16:35 Cody 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:15 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:28 21:35 22:00 22:25 Cody 22:50 23:15 23:35

Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Stitch Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Stitch Stitch Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Emperor’s New School The Suite Life Of Zack And

00:20 00:35 00:50 01:05 01:15 01:40 01:55 02:10 02:30

Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Special Agent Oso

Phineas And Ferb Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction The Hive Handy Manny Imagination Movers Phineas And Ferb Emperor’s New School Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Friends For Change Games Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up The Suite Life Of Zack And Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Emperor’s New School Fish Hooks Hannah Montana Friends For Change Games Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up The Suite Life Of Zack And Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place

02:45 03:00 03:15 03:25 03:50 04:05 04:20 04:40 04:55 05:10 05:25 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:50 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:15 08:30 08:45 09:10 09:20 09:35 09:55 10:15 10:30 10:45 10:55 11:15 11:45 12:10 12:30 12:45 13:10 13:25 13:40 14:05 14:15 14:25 14:50 15:15 15:40 15:55 16:05 16:20 16:30 16:40 16:55 17:20 17:45 18:00 18:10 18:20 18:30 18:55 19:10 19:25 19:50 20:05 20:25 20:40 20:50 21:05 21:20 21:29 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:35 22:50 23:15 23:25 23:40 23:55

Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Higglytown Heroes Higglytown Heroes Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Hive Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny Jungle Junction The Hive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Little Mermaid Little Einsteins Imagination Movers Jake & The Neverland Pirates Lazytown Handy Manny Jungle Junction Imagination Movers The Hive Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny Handy Manny The Hive Jake & The Neverland Pirates Imagination Movers Lazytown Jungle Junction The Hive The Hive Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Little Mermaid Special Agent Oso Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 101 Dalmatians 101 Dalmatians Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Animated Stories Imagination Movers Little Einsteins Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Timmy Time Handy Manny Jungle Junction Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 25 Most Memorable Swimsuit Moments 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Bridalplasty 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Ice Loves Coco 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Giuliana & Bill 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 17:25 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Ice Loves Coco 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:40 01:30 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25 05:50 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:45 09:35 10:20 10:45 11:05 11:50 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:50 16:15 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50

Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted Dead Tenants Dead Tenants Couples Who Kill Deadly Women Dr G: Medical Examiner Dead Tenants Dead Tenants The Haunted Mystery Diagnosis Murder Shift Forensic Detectives Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Street Patrol The Prosecutors FBI Files Murder Shift On The Case With Paula Zahn Ghost Lab Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls The Prosecutors FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn Ghost Lab I Almost Got Away With It FBI Case Files

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30

A World Apart Meet The Natives: USA Banged Up Abroad Graham’s World Eccentric Uk

BUSTINʼ DOWN THE DOOR ON OSN CINEMA 04:00 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody 04:30 Somewhere In China 05:30 Earth Tripping 06:00 A World Apart 07:00 Meet The Natives: USA 08:00 Banged Up Abroad 09:00 Graham’s World 09:30 Eccentric Uk 10:00 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody 10:30 Somewhere In China 11:30 Earth Tripping 12:00 A World Apart 13:00 Destination Extreme 13:30 First Ascent 14:00 City Chase Rome 15:00 City Chase Marrakech 16:00 Departures 17:00 Departures 18:00 Best of Treks in a Wild World 19:00 Destination Extreme 19:30 First Ascent 20:00 City Chase Rome 21:00 City Chase Marrakech 22:00 Departures 23:00 Departures

00:00 Deadtime Stories-R 02:00 The Gene Generation-18 04:00 The Forsaken-18 06:00 Bugsy-PG15 08:15 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 10:00 Deadly Impact-18 12:00 The Devil’s Teardrop-PG15 14:00 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 16:00 Superman/ Batman: Apocalypse-PG15 18:00 The Devil’s Teardrop-PG15 20:00 The Siege-PG15 22:00 The Heavy-18

01:00 The Burning Plain-18 03:15 MacHEADS-PG15 04:45 Parlez-Moi De LA Pluie-PG15 07:00 Freestyle (2010)-PG15 09:00 MacHEADS-PG15 10:30 Three Investigators-PG15 12:45 Winx: Secret Of The Lost Kingdom-PG 14:45 Bustin’ Down The Door-PG15 16:45 How To Train Your Dragon-PG 18:45 The Waiting City-PG15 21:00 The Heavy-18 23:00 Dinner For Schmucks-PG15

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 South Park 02:00 Bored To Death 02:30 Entourage 03:00 Friends 03:30 Friends 04:00 According To Jim 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Dharma And Greg 06:00 Weird Science 06:30 Coach 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 According To Jim 08:30 Friends 09:00 Dharma And Greg 09:30 The League 10:00 How I Met Your Mother 10:30 Coach 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Weird Science 12:30 According To Jim 13:00 Friends 13:30 Dharma And Greg 14:00 Just Shoot Me 14:30 The League 15:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Weird Science 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 Parks And Recreation 19:30 The League 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report

22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

American Dad Entourage South Park Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Private Practice House Big Love Grey’s Anatomy The Invisible Man Good Morning America Law & Order: Criminal Intent Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Private Practice Grey’s Anatomy Live Good Morning America The Invisible Man The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Once Upon A Time Terra Nova True Blood Big Love Law & Order: Criminal Intent

00:00 Law & Order 01:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 02:00 House 03:00 Grey’s Anatomy 04:00 Private Practice 05:00 The Good Guys 06:00 Law & Order 07:00 Outsourced 07:30 Coronation Street 08:00 Burn Notice 09:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 10:00 Grey’s Anatomy 11:00 House 12:00 Outsourced 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 Burn Notice 15:00 Law & Order 16:00 Outsourced 16:30 Coronation Street 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 Burn Notice 19:00 Once Upon A Time 20:00 Terra Nova 21:00 True Blood 22:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 23:00 The Good Guys

01:00 03:00 05:00 PG15 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:45 15:00 16:45 19:30 21:30 23:15

Dead Presidents-18 Double Impact-18 A Lonely Place For DyingTop Gun-PG15 Phone Booth-PG15 The Thirteenth Floor-18 Lost In Space-PG15 Phone Booth-PG15 2012-PG15 Assassination Tango-PG15 Penny Dreadful-18 Blood River-18

00:00 French Kiss-PG15 02:00 The Allnighter-PG15 04:00 102 Dalmatians-PG 06:00 Coming & Going-PG15 08:00 How To Go Out On A Date In Queens-PG15 10:00 Not The Messiah: He’s A Very Naughty Boy-PG15 12:00 A Pyromaniac’s Love StoryPG15 14:00 Checking Out-PG15 16:00 French Kiss-PG15 18:00 Out Cold-PG15 20:00 That Old Feeling-PG15 22:00 The Sweetest Thing-18

01:00 03:00 05:15 07:15 09:00 11:00

Cat People-18 Funny Bones-PG15 The Fog Of War-PG15 When We Were Kings-PG15 Adam-PG15 Leaving Normal-PG15

13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

In God’s Hands-PG Guarding Tess-PG Return To Rajapur-PG15 Robin Hood (1991)-PG15 Greener Mountains-PG15 The Young Americans-PG15

01:00 The Nail: The Story Of Joey Nardone-18 03:00 Sweet Home Alabama-PG15 05:00 Bubble Boy-PG15 07:00 District 9-PG15 09:00 Ice Castles-PG15 11:00 13 Going On 30-PG15 13:00 The Client List-PG15 15:00 Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming-PG15 17:00 Ice Castles-PG15 19:00 Scott Pilgrim vs. The WorldPG15 21:00 Handsome Harry-PG15 23:00 Winter’s Bone-18

00:00 Barbie In A Fashion FairytaleFAM 02:00 Christopher Columbus-PG 04:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-PG 06:00 Planet 51-PG 08:00 Barbie In A Fashion FairytaleFAM 10:00 The Amazing Zorro-FAM 12:00 Christmas In New York-PG 14:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-PG 16:00 Gold Diggers: The Secret Of Bear Mountain-PG 18:00 The Amazing Zorro-FAM 20:00 Like Mike-PG 22:00 Christmas In New York-PG

00:30 SPL Highlights 01:00 Rugby League 4 Nations 03:00 Futbol Mundial 03:30 Volvo Ocean Race 05:00 Beach Volley Ball 05:30 ICC Cricket World 06:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 07:00 Rugby World Cup 09:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 09:30 Futbol Mundial 10:00 Golfing World 11:00 Volvo Ocean Race 12:30 World Hockey 13:00 Scottish Premier League 15:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 15:30 Golfing World 16:30 Challenge Series Golf 17:00 Asian Tour Golf Show 17:30 Trans World Sport 18:30 SPL Highlights 19:00 Scottish Premier League 21:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 22:00 Golfing World 23:00 Trans World Sport

02:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 16:00 16:30 18:30 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:00 22:30

Golfing World Scottish Premier League Rugby Union Currie Cup Golfing World Premier League Snooker Equestrain World Golfing World The Challenge Series Golf Asian Tour Golf Rugby League 4 Nations Futbol Mundial Currie Cup Challenge Series Golf Asian Tour Golf European Tour Weekly RWC 2011 Weekly Highlights SPL Highlights Spirit of Yachting Volvo Ocean Race

00:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

V8 Supercars UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Countdown UFC Unleashed WWE Tough Enough V8 Supercars Le Mans Cup WWE Tough Enough WWE SmackDown Powerboats V8 Supercars WWE NXT WWE SmackDown UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Countdown UFC Unleashed

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

ACCOMMODATION Room for rent in Maidan Hawally new building central A/C fully furnished master room, family or working ladies. Tel: 97896765.

(C 3720) 2-11-2011

SITUATION VACANT Required urgently live in experienced Indian house boys, should speak, understand English and / or Arabic.

Please call 99872524, 22413210.

(C 3721) 2-11-2011

No: 15258

CHANGE OF NAME I, Virgilio Mathew Rangel, holder of Indian Passport number A2741932 hereby change my name to Virgilio Anthony Rangel. (C 3722) 2-11-2011

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION `

Airlines JZR PIA RBG JZR JZR SVA ETH ETH THY KAC UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD GFA SVA KAC THY DHX FCX JZR JZR BAW SVA KAC AFR KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC SVA KAC QTR KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD GFA IRC FCX IRA RBG KNE SVA JZR IRM MEA KAC MSR JZR SVA UAL CLX GFA MSR

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 2/11/2011 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 205 LAHORE/PESHAWER 3564 ASSIUT 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 4357 JEDDAH 620 ADDIS ABABA 3612 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 1926 JEDDAH 853 DUBAI 138 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 211 BAHRAIN 4321 JEDDAH 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 4329 JEDDAH 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 6702 PARIS 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 1936 JEDDAH 382 DELHI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 4325 JEDDAH 284 DHAKA 6130 DOHA 362 COLOMBO 344 CHENNAI 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 6793 MASHAD 203 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 3555 ALEXANDRIA 839 JEDDAH 4359 JEDDAH 165 DUBAI 5066 MASHAD 404 BEIRUT 1928 JEDDAH 610 CAIRO 201 DAMASCUS 7803 JEDDAH 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 792 LUXEMBOURG 219 BAHRAIN 621 ASSIUT

Tim 0:20 0:25 0:40 0:45 0:50 1:40 1:45 1:45 2:15 2:30 2:35 2:40 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:15 3:40 4:40 4:50 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:20 6:40 6:40 6:45 7:00 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:50 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:20 8:20 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:20 9:35 9:55 10:00 10:30 10:40 11:05 11:05 11:05 11:20 11:50 11:55 12:00 12:55 13:00 13:00 13:05 13:15 13:25 13:30

KAC SYR FDB KAC QTR KNE SVA RJA ABY JZR KAC SVA KAC QTR KAC SVA JZR IRC JZR IYE JZR ETD UAE KAC GFA SVA RBG ABY KAC JZR ALK JZR FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC AIC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI OMA DHX KAC VOS MEA GFA QTR UAE JZR JZR UAL SAI KAC JZR MEA KAC AXB DLH PIA

1930 341 57 790 140 745 500 640 123 257 1932 4347 546 134 1934 4327 561 6791 1535 824 213 303 857 550 215 510 3557 127 1938 777 227 177 63 542 787 786 674 975 166 1940 102 774 61 572 647 372 1942 81 402 217 136 859 179 135 981 441 1944 239 406 1946 393 636 215

JEDDAH DAMASCUS DUBAI MEDINAH DOHA JEDDAH JEDDAH AMMAN SHARJAH BEIRUT JEDDAH JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA DOHA JEDDAH JEDDAH SOHAG MASHAD CAIRO SANAA/DOHA DEIREZZOR/ALEPPO ABU DHABI DUBAI SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG BAHRAIN RIYADH SOHAG SHARJAH JEDDAH JEDDAH COLOMBO/DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO RIYADH JEDDAH DUBAI CHENNAI/GOA PARIS/ROME JEDDAH LONDON/NEW YORK RIYADH DUBAI MUMBAI MUSCAT BAHRAIN JEDDAH BAGHDAD BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN LAHORE JEDDAH AMMAN BEIRUT JEDDAH KOZHIKODE/COCHIN FRANKFURT KARACHI

13:30 13:45 13:50 14:00 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:40 14:45 15:00 15:00 15:05 15:20 15:25 16:00 16:05 16:10 16:15 16:25 16:35 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:10 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:40 18:50 19:05 19:10 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:10 20:15 21:00 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:20 23:30 23:40 23:50 23:55

Airlines AXB BBC AIC DLH PIA RBG KAC ETH RLB THY SVA VOS FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR SVA THY KAC JZR GFA JZR KAC SVA FDB KAC BAW AFR JZR JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR JZR SVA UAE ABY QTR KAC FDB QTR ETD KAC GFA IRC IRA RBG FCX KNE KAC JZR KAC KAC SVA ETH MEA IRM KAC JZR

Departure Flights on Wednesday 2/11/2011 Flt Route 390 MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE 44 DHAKA 982 AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/CHENNAI 637 FRANKFURT 206 LAHORE 3562 ALEXANDRIA 1935 JEDDAH 621 ADDIS ABABA 1203 SHARJAH 773 ISTANBUL 5357 JEDDAH 94 DUBAI/KANDAHAR 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 5321 JEDDAH 771 ISTANBUL 1927 JEDDAH 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 200 DAMASCUS 1929 JEDDAH 5329 JEDDAH 54 DUBAI 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 6702 DUBAI/HONG KONG 256 BEIRUT 1534 CAIRO 549 SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG 789 MEDINAH 1931 JEDDAH 560 SOHAG 212 ALEPPO/DEIREZZOR 5325 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 6131 DOHA 117 NEW YORK 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 1933 JEDDAH 214 BAHRAIN 6794 MASHAD 602 SHIRAZ 3558 SOHAG 204 DUBAI 840 MEDINAH/JEDDAH 541 CAIRO 776 JEDDAH 1937 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 5359 JEDDAH 3613 DUBAI/ADDIS ABABA 405 BEIRUT 5065 MASHAD 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI

Time 0:50 1:00 1:05 1:20 1:25 1:25 2:00 2:45 2:45 3:15 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:55 5:10 5:50 6:30 6:55 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:10 8:25 8:30 8:40 8:45 9:00 9:15 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:30 9:35 9:35 9:40 9:45 9:50 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:20 10:30 10:40 10:45 11:40 11:45 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:15 12:30 12:30 12:35 12:45 12:55 13:20 13:40 13:50

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

MSR SVA KAC UAL GFA MSR FDB SYR CLX KAC KNE ABY KAC RJA SVA JZR KAC QTR SVA KAC IRC JZR JZR SVA IYE ETD JZR QTR UAE KAC GFA RBG ABY SVA JZR KAC JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC KAC FDB DHX KAC KAC JAI OMA KAC KAC DHX MEA GFA FCX KAC QTR JZR KAC UAE KAC JZR UAL KAC SAI

611 7803 1939 982 220 622 58 342 792 673 746 124 1941 641 503 786 773 141 5347 1943 6792 238 178 5327 824 304 538 135 858 1945 216 3556 128 511 266 1947 134 228 64 184 283 361 62 171 331 351 571 648 1949 543 373 403 218 102 381 137 554 301 860 205 502 981 415 442

CAIRO JEDDAH JEDDAH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN ASSIUT DUBAI DAMASCUS VIETNAM DUBAI JEDDAH SHARJAH JEDDAH AMMAN MEDINAH/JEDDAH RIYADH RIYADH DOHA JEDDAH JEDDAH MASHAD AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH SANAA ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI JEDDAH BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH RIYADH BEIRUT JEDDAH BAHRAIN DUBAI/COLOMBO DUBAI DUBAI DHAKA COLOMBO DUBAI BAHRAIN TRIVANDRUM COCHIN MUMBAI MUSCAT JEDDAH CAIRO BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DELHI DOHA ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR WASHINGTON DC DULLES KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA LAHORE

13:55 14:00 14:00 14:20 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:45 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:25 15:30 15:35 15:45 15:50 16:25 16:30 16:35 17:00 17:00 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:35 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:45 19:00 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:15 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:35 23:45 23:45 23:50

34

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

stars CROSSWORD 487

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) There is a yearning for adventure and far horizons. To roam, to wander and wonder, seeking freedom and experience and to go where no one has gone before. This could be a time of romantic escapades, a universal love that might not be too particular. This may not be the best time to make important decisions that affect your living situation or life circumstances. There is a need for change, a desire to break with outmoded patterns from the past and a longing for the new, the different and the unique. In-depth discussions and probing conversations with co-workers or friends may give you some focus. This afternoon you will find concentration easier—you are at your mental best. Your analytical abilities are at a high point. Tonight is for family.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You are valued for your ability to make sensible decisions concerning group issues. Fairness is always an issue when there are so many personalities involved; you seem to do very well in creating a good balance. At the noon break you may find an art store in the area of your work and become entranced over some tools that you could use with your own hobby. Consider a sketch book to keep your drawings in—you can practice your art most anywhere. Try pencil at first and then you can even consider some classes if you want. Science, philosophy or religion are likely to seem as if they hold the answers for you this evening.

Conversations with friends or family will find you dealing with subjects from a philosophical standpoint.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS

1. Administration of a nutritionally adequate solution through a catheter into the vena cava.

4. Small genus of aquatic or semiaquatic plants.

10. The part of the nervous system of vertebrates that controls involuntary actions of the smooth muscles and heart and glands.

13. Leaf or strip from a leaf of the talipot palm used in India for writing paper.

14. A deep bow.

15. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

16. (informal) `johnny' was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War. 17. A medicated lozenge used to soothe the throat.

18. One of the most common of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

19. Away from the mouth or oral region.

21. Come into possession of.

23. A populous province in northeastern China.

25. A unit of dry measure used in Egypt.

27. A book of the New Testament.

31. Ground snakes.

36. How long something has existed.

38. Free from liquid or moisture.

39. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth and mother of Cronus and the Titans in ancient mythology.

43. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

46. The Mongol people living the the central and eastern parts of Outer Mongolia.

50. (Arthurian legend) The most virtuous knight of the Round Table.

53. A branch of the Tai languages.

54. Lower in esteem.

55. Tropical woody herb with showy yellow flowers and flat pods.

59. A master's degree in business.

60. (in Scotland or Ireland) A mountain or tall hill.

61. (Greek mythology) One of the three Graces.

63. Tag the base runner to get him out.

64. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

65. To a great depth psychologically.

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

DOWN 1. The first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures comprising the first five books of the Old Testament considered as a unit.

2. A military trainee (as at a military academy).

3. A wealthy man (who made his fortune in the Orient).

4. United States dancer and cinema actor noted for his original and graceful tap dancing (1899-1987).

5. Soft white semisolid fat obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of the hog v 1.

6. The United Nations agency concerned with the interests of labor.

7. An enclosed space.

8. Shrubby tree widely distributed along tropical shores.

9. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion.

10. Type genus of the Amiidae.

11. Medium-sized tree having glossy lanceolate leaves.

12. The act of scanning.

20. Having been read.

22. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people.

24. A soft silvery metallic element.

26. A light touch or stroke.

28. Rare (usually fatal) brain disease (usually in middle age) caused by an unidentified slow virus.

29. Any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue.

30. Lacking self-confidence.

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

33. Towards the side away from the wind.

34. The compass point that is one point north of due east.

35. An accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape.

37. A coenzyme derived from the B vitamin nicotinic acid.

40. Type genus of the Anatidae.

41. A seat for the rider of a horse.

42. An associate degree in applied science.

44. Having the leading position or higher score in a contest.

45. A state in midwestern United States.

47. A genus of Lamnidae.

48. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

49. Jordan's port.

51. In bed.

52. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring on land.

56. An accidental happening.

57. Aromatic bulb used as seasoning.

58. Concerning those not members of the clergy.

62. A brittle gray crystalline element that is a semiconducting metalloid (resembling silicon) used in transistors.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) This is a time for new accomplishments, during which insights and new goals can be made. You discover new ideas and new ways to do and use things. It is almost impossible to make you break away from your new discoveries today. There is also a yearning to travel that may revolve around your discoveries of late. A community meeting later today has been on your mind and there are some issues that you want to address to those that can make the needed changes.

A petition or statistics or a group of people to join you is your project during your lunch break. This evening you will find yourself feeling rather smug at your accomplishments and it is easy for you to relax and have fun with friends or loved ones.

Dinner away from home is a treat.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

This could be a crazy time when you may feel under a lot of mental pressure. You could be facing some time limits.

Because of these time limits, your own work may have to be temporarily set aside. A business decision hinges on financial matters that are not entirely within your control, but will need your thoughts—speak up when you have helpful ideas. There are exciting opportunities as a result of today’s transactions. This afternoon a friend’s plans change and it affects plans you have made as well. You may decide to enjoy some quiet time this evening at home. If you have thoughts about going somewhere for the winter, it may be wise to write to the Chamber of Commerce from the area you want to visit.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Travel and intellectual connections are important to you. These activities may come through your work—and because of your interests, you attract intelligent, sophisticated people. You may appear very at ease and loose today. Everything seems to be working together and you may find yourself expressive and able to communicate well. Your practical insights are preferred in the workplace and you will find that you somehow always have a following of people that either want to learn from you or use your intellect. This would be a wise talent to use in the steps up the corporate ladder. Of course, you could already have your own business. Social involvement this evening may mean a stage show, a new movie or a classy gathering of friends.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You enjoy working in group or team situations; there are special people in your work with whom you enjoy a friendship. You may be accepted as just the person for a particular job. If you have always been the follower, you may find yourself a leader today. As a leader, you could appoint a co-leader to help you plan and coordinate. Radical and inventive ideas hold the key to realizing your ambitions and advancing your status—a shake-up could be in the works. You draw emotional sustenance and a sense of security from friends who give you support. Your relationships and partnerships are very important to you. They are capable of transforming you at the most basic level. A time of real inner growth is encouraged through other people.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

This could be a time when everything around you seems to be in a state of change—your living situation particularly. You may feel that you are forever keeping the peace among family members and this would be a good time to find an evening in the schedule when everyone will be home. Report any difficulties as you see them and ask for help to create a friendlier atmosphere. This may bring an end to the problem or at least ease the problem. Change happens and in time the situation will become non-existent. Learn about tough love. Working through problems will be successful—patience. You could receive unexpected help or support from someone. It is good you are understanding and can be helpful in the workplace or at home.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You are a very forceful speaker and communicate with great enthusiasm. Words just flow out of your mouth and always seem to be followed by an emotional impact that brings the listener to attention.

You have no trouble putting your feelings into words. You may, however, have to exercise some control over your tongue when it comes to personal relationships.

Partnership issues are important—you will be successful in finding gentle ways to communicate just what you mean; think before you act. Perhaps a unique restaurant this evening will help to bring a difficult day to a peaceful ending.

Consider forming plans for the upcoming seasonal activities. Family and winter goals are your areas of concentration now.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your communication skills are energized this morning. Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find your responses are lively. Concerning relationships, you are entering a phase of emotional directness—one marked by powerful feelings. Emotional beginnings, a fresh start, perhaps the establishment of new habit patterns—make sure they are good ones, because they will set the tone for you for quite some time to come! This evening there is time to enjoy a favorite hobby. Rearranging, organizing and perhaps trading with someone that enjoys the same hobby will be part of this preoccupation. Doing something nice for a loved one makes you feel good about yourself this evening. This may involve helping a child with homework.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

This is a lucky day in many ways. An old debt is paid off and misunderstandings—problems or puzzles—have a way of becoming clear. This is a time of much energy and drive, perfect for starting something or for taking care of business. Emotions or feelings of those around you may be very clear at this time. Mental patterns and communication skills play a major role in your life. They can change things forever—make sure you develop your highest potential in these areas. A neighbor or sibling could undergo some kind of positive transformation and you will make every effort to express your compliments. Rules for decorating throughout your neighborhood can be a bit rigid but be sure to take pictures, you’ll be glad you followed protocol.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You will be dealing with facts and figures throughout most of this day. Your ability to manage and supervise people plus a built-in sense of responsibility makes you a unique character. There are not many of your caliber out there when it comes to management. This afternoon, although work continues to be hurried, your thoughts may wonder to the weekend plans. The home front this evening presents a great opportunity for you to get things accomplished. You could plan a garage sale for this weekend. Home, family or real-estate are some of the interests that require a lot of discipline and responsibility. If you get serious about these things and think long-term, you come out ahead. Discuss plans for the seasonal activities with your loved ones now.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Ambition and achievement can be a tough path to follow. You win reward, recognition and authority through hard work and knowing the score; otherwise, you may wisely realize that someone hungrier and in the know will overtake you. Who owes what, who owns what and who decides what some of the major issues are for you now. This could be a time of developing ideas for working out of your home. You have a deep yearning to express your talents and may feel that you are held back. Working in your own home would place you in the role as your own boss. Talk to people who have businesses in their homes; go to conventions where home-based businesses are advertised. Careful—someone you work for or with could be your first customer.

A

y

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Years

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22425566 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

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22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

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25653755

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25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

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Years

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

lifest yle G o s s i p

inger Rihanna was forced to cancel a show in Malmo, Sweden, after being hospitalized with the flu on Monday night, the singer said in a statement. “I am sorry to everyone who was coming out to my show in Malmo, Sweden. I was so excited to perform for you all. It would have been a great time ... so much better than

S

being sick with the flu, ugh! I’m really disappointed I couldn’t be there,” Rihanna said. Rihanna also tweeted a picture of her arm embedded with an IV tube, with the caption “Sorry Malmo!” The 23year-old Barbadian singer is currently on her fourth concert tour around Europe, in conjunction with her fifth studio album, “Loud.” The tour

kicked off in June in Baltimore, and is expected to wrap up in December in London. Rihanna was scheduled to perform in Stockholm yesterday.

Simpson ilary Swank was paid a six-figure sum to attend an event celebrating the rebuilding of the downtown commercial hub of formerly war-torn Grozny and not the birthday party of Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, an individual close to the actress said. The individual was speaking to TheWrap the day after it was revealed that Swank had fired her longtime manager and two agents in the wake of a PR disaster. It was widely reported last month that Swank attended a 35th-birthday celebration for Kadyrov’s, despite advanced warnings from activists to her representatives about the controversial autocrat’s sordid human rights record. The Swank insider conceded that human rights groups contacted the actress’ reps prior to the Oct 5 event. “They asked if she had plans to attend a birthday party. (The reps) said, ‘Absolutely not-this is a real estate event for the new Grozny city.”“ The insider said Swank’s reps circled back to the Turkish organizers of the event, who confirmed its grand-opening nature. They apparently didn’t brief Swank on the background of the region’s political leaders, however. “Then when she gets to Grozny, the event organizers were there, and they asked her if she would mind wishing the president of Chechyna a happy birthday,” the individual said. “She was like a deer in the headlights. She had no idea how bad a guy this was. “At that point,” the insider added, “all hell broke lose.” Swank’s birthday wishes to Kadyrov were caught on camera, were circulated globally on YouTube, and the Oscar-winning actress was fully rebuked, along with singer Seal and former action movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme, who were also at the event. On Sunday, it was confirmed

by TheWrap that Swank had fired her manager of eight years, Jason Weinberg, along with two members of her CAA team, Amie Yavor and Josh Lieberman. With Swank’s boyfriend, Jason Campisi, employed by CAA, it’s believed that she will stick to the firm.

H

pregnant with first child inger, actress and fashion mogul Jessica Simpson has finally put baby rumors to rest by confirming Monday that she is pregnant with her first child, in a statement posted on her official website. “It’s True!

I am going to be a mummy!” the singer wrote, alongside a photo of her dressed in a mummy costume for Halloween. Simpson, 31, is currently engaged to former professional football player Eric Johnson, 32, whom she has been dating since May 2010. This will be the first child for the couple. Simpson first rose to fame at age 19 with her debut album “Sweet Kisses” in 1999. She married singer Nick Lachey, of boy band 98 Degrees, in 2002 and the couple were the stars of MTV reality series, “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica.” Simpson and Lachey divorced in 2006. The “Dukes of Hazzard”

S

otley Crue singer Vince Neil will plead guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge, pay a $1,000 fine and avoid trial on allegations that he poked his ex- girlfriend in a confrontation last March at a Las Vegas resort lounge, his lawyer said Monday. A more serious misdemeanor charge of battery constituting domestic violence will be dropped against Neil when the 50-year-old rocker enters his plea next Monday in Las Vegas Justice Court, defense attorney David Chesnoff. He said the allegation of physical contact would be dismissed. “Mr Neil is sorry he raised his voice,” Chesnoff said. The Las Vegas Review-Journal first reported Monday that Clark County District Attorney David Roger also confirmed the agreement. Roger did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press. Neil, who lives in Las Vegas, could have faced up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted on each charge. He was accused of poking the chest of Las Vegas entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs in a casino comedy club March 24, and of cursing and pointing at Jacobs and two friends sitting with her. Jacobs told the AP she was glad Neil was taking responsibility for his actions. “I’m glad the story is over and the book is closed,” she said.

Jacobs had told police she received a bruise from the finger-poke, which she said came just weeks she and Neil ended a seven-month relationship. Jacobs has previously given her age to reporters and police as 39 and 45. She declined Monday to correct her age. The two other people named as victims in the confrontation, Wayne Newton’s sister-in-law and publicist Patricia McCrone, 41, and Las Vegas Sun entertainment columnist John Katsilometes, 45, said they were glad the case was being resolved. Neil is the front man for a four-member heavy metal band

M

actress has had a number of high-profile relationships including US football player Tony Romo and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. Simpson launched her “Jessica Simpson Collection” of clothing, handbags and shoes in 2007. The clothing line made $750 million in 2010, according to New York Magazine, and is projected to break the $1 billion sales mark this year, making it one of the most successful celebrity fashion brands.

known for bad behavior, hard partying, famous girlfriends and hard-driving hits from the late 1980s like “Girls, Girls, Girls” and “Dr Feelgood.” He also owns tattoo shops and two bars in Las Vegas, including one at the Las Vegas Hilton where the Shimmer Cabaret comedy club confrontation took place. Neil served 10 days in the Clark County jail in February for driving drunk in his black Lamborghini in June 2010 near the Las Vegas Strip. He also was fined $585 and ordered to serve 15 days on house arrest as part of a plea deal that avoided trial in that case.

Father of Philippine star Charice stabbed to death he father of Philippine pop star Charice has been stabbed to death with an ice pick in a drunken street fight, police said yesterday, as the singer cancelled an overseas tour to be with her family.

Construction worker Ricky Pempengco, 39, was stabbed repeatedly late Monday after an altercation with another drinker in a street in an agricultural town south of Manila, police said. “They bumped into each other and from there, they got into a fight,” said local police chief Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz. Police

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are still searching for the suspect in the killing, he added. The 19-year-old singer, famous under her first name, mourned her father in a post on Twitter and said they had been close until her parents separated when she was a young child, and the children stayed with their mother. “We had a really great relationship before all the trouble started... I loved him and I will still love him. He’s still my dad after all,” she said in the tweet. Philippine media have widely reported that her father’s violent and abusive behavior led to the family

breakup. Charice, who had been touring in Singapore with hit-making producer David Foster, said she would be pulling out of the concerts to be with her family in the Philippines. Charice rose to international fame through performances posted on YouTube, eventually appearing on major US television shows such as the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Oprah Winfrey Show and the musical series Glee.— Bang Showbiz

ohnny Depp burst into hysterical laughter when the private jet he was on nearly crashed. The ‘Rum Diary’ actor was en route to Los Angeles on a Gulfstream plane with director Bruce Robinson when the engines cut out and the pair surprised themselves with their reactions. Johnny told Live magazine: “The plane just shut down. The sound of the engines stopped. There was silence. Bruce and I were looking at each other and I think I said, ‘Is this it?’ It was like this weird extended moment when you’re just floating for a second and you could feel this unpleasant descent. “Nobody said a word except for Bruce and I, sitting next to each other saying, ‘Oh! This is death; I guess this is how it goes down.’ “Then we burst into hysterical laughter at the idea that this was how we were going to die.” However, to the relief of the pair the engines quickly started back up again but Johnny credits the near death experience with helping the pair to bond. He said: “Suddenly the engines started back up again and we were climbing back up. I guess you could say that was a big bonding experience for Bruce and me. For a moment there, we were going down together.”

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

lifestyle Music & Movies

Spielberg’s ‘Tintin’ lands closing night at AFI festival M

onday afternoon’s announcement that Steven Spielberg’s “The Adventures of Tintin” will be the closing-night film at the AFI Fest would be more newsworthy if the film won’t already have been playing around the world for two weeks by the time it debuts in Hollywood on Nov 10.

Still, the news gives the AFI Fest a heavyweight

closer, and marks the North American debut of an animated (via the motion-capture technique) film whose overseas reaction has been marked by big grosses and divided critics.

“Steven Spielberg is a national treasure,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO in a press release announcing the premiere. “He has written this

nation’s cultural legacy over four decades, he inspires artists and audiences alike and he honors us all by premiering ‘The Adventures of Tintin” at AFI Fest, where we celebrate the very best the world has to offer for 2011.” The official US release date for “Tintin” is Dec 21. The 2011 AFI Fest begins tomorrow 3 with a screening of Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar,”

and takes place over the following seven days at the Chinese and Egyptian theatres and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Last year’s AFI Fest closer was Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan,” which went on to win the Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature and an Oscar for star Natalie Portman.—Reuters

Rising star Miranda Lambert reveals more on ‘Four’

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roducer Frank Liddell compares most country music stars to drivers in Manhattan. They circle and circle until they find a parking spot, and once they find one, they never want to leave.

Miranda Lambert found a roomy space in the shade when she released the career-changing “Revolution” in 2009. “A lot of times, that parking place will dictate an artist’s entire career,” Liddell said. “Miranda, with this last record, she had a pretty good parking place. And she just drove right out of it without thinking twice about it.” You can hear where she is headed on her new album, “Four the Record,” out Tuesday. It is Lambert’s follow-up to the album that won her universal critical praise, enough fans to ratchet her career to the headliner level and a bushel of trophies, including a Grammy.

All conditions were right for Lambert to deliver a new version of “Revolution,” repeating the blend of sass and smarts and a little bit of tenderness that turned out to be such a combustible mix. But the 28-year-old delivered something very different.

There’s still a little bit of that blonde firebrand who set country music ablaze in “Four,” Lambert’s fourth album. But the overall picture the album leaves you with is a little more somber and mature. “I’m one of those fortunate few, few, few artists that get to do what I want to do, make the album I want to make, with nobody telling me what it should sound like or what songs I should cut, and the best part about it is, people actually buy it,” Lambert said. Most emerging country stars would have spent time building their brand after such a career leap.

She and new husband Blake Shelton appeared on the cover of Us Weekly magazine after their wedding, the peak of the carnival atmosphere that surrounded the two over the past 18 months. With Shelton’s turn on “The Voice,” their visibility had

never been higher, and the opportunities never more lucrative.

Lambert did the unexpected, though. Instead of chasing tour sponsors and endorsement deals, she has turned down most offers.

Instead of trying to recreate those hit songs from her last album, she sought new writing partners and even considered a higher than usual percentage of songs from outside writers. She also formed a band on the side, Pistol Annies, someMiranda Lambert thing of a maverick move in a town where such things are considered wastes of energy at best and brand killers at worst. With no radio airplay and little marketing, Pistol Annies’ debut album “Hell on Heels” hit No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart.

All of these things are unusual moves, and they are part of the plan that Lambert has put together with her manager, Marion Kraft.” The interesting part about it is we think of expanding, not in a financial way, but we’re thinking of expanding in a creative way where I feel like we are inspired by what we’re doing and she gets better because she keeps re-inspiring herself,” Kraft said. “That’s how Pistol Annies came about, because we didn’t fight it. ... The expansion that we are hoping will happen is that we broaden our fan

base because we allow art to drive it rather than commerce.” It sure worked with the platinum-selling “Revolution.” No. 1 songs like “White Liar” and “The House That Built Me” brought more fans into Lambert’s camp, and they fell for what they found.

Those songs, Lambert said, were reflections of where she was when she recorded “Revolution,” which won album of the year from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. “Four” finds Lambert somewhere a little different. She has grown up some, moving from young womanhood into maturity, and started a new life with her husband in Oklahoma. There’s more humor here, probably thanks to the influence of the ever-funny Shelton, and more and deeper emotion. —AP

‘Puss in Boots’ tops weekend box office earnings

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Jackson

doctor could yet testify at death trial

nimated flick “Puss in Boots” topped the weekend movie earnings in a strong debut, taking in $34.1 million at the North American Box Office, industry data showed Monday. Featuring the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, and Billy Bob Thornton, it knocked “Paranormal Activity 3” off number one, with the latter taking in $18.1 million, monitor Exhibitor Relations reported.

Futuristic thriller “In Time” starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried entered the list in third place, earning $12.1 million in ticket sales between Friday and Sunday.

A remake of the hit 1980s dance romp “Footloose” slipped to fourth, with a haul of $5.5 million, putting it ahead of “The Rum Diary,” starring Johnny Depp as a journalist

facing an ethical conundrum in Puerto Rico, with $5.1 million. The boxing robots of “Real Steel” was in sixth, with the Disney hit for children starring Hugh Jackman taking in $4.8 million. A 3-D reimagination of the “Three Musketeers” was in seventh spot with $3.5 million, while political thriller “The Ides of March,” starring George Clooney and Ryan Gosling, earned $2.8 million in eighth place.

“Moneyball,” a sports drama starring Brad Pitt as a baseball coach, was in the number nine spot, taking in $2.4 million.

“Courageous,” a story about four policemen whose confidence at work struggles to be equaled by their skills at home, rounded out the top 10, earning $1.8 million.—AFP

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ichael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray said Monday he has not yet decided whether to testify in his own defense, as his six-week manslaughter trial reaches its final act. “I will still need more time. I have not made my decision. It depends on the progress of the trial,” Murray said, in rare public comments on the trial that started on September 27. The remarks were made after the jury left court following another day of testimony from star defense witness Dr Paul White, who was vigorously grilled by prosecutor David Walgren. Judge Michael Pastor told the 58-year-old medic last week that he was going to formally ask him whether he wanted to testify sometime before the defense rests its case in the trial over Jackson’s 2009 death. At that time the judge underlined that Murray was free to decide for himself, independent of his lawyers’ advice if he wanted, while also stressing that he could decide to say nothing. Murray did not say anything in court last week, although he has been quoted in one media report as saying: “I would like to pray for the prosecutor, his associates, and his expert witness. I pray for them. That’s all I can say.” Most observers have assumed that Murraywhose account of Jackson’s death was given in a two-hour interview with police, a recording of which was played earlier in the trial-will not testify, as it could only harm his case.

But others argue that, given how many holes prosecutors have picked in his defense case, the doctor-who has sat in grim silence for the last five weeks could decide to appeal directly to the jury. In other comments at the end of Monday’s hearings, Murray’s lawyers announced one more expert witness yesterday, while prosecutors said they plan to recall Dr Steven Shafer, their own propofol expert, to rebutt testimony by White.—AFP

Antonio Banderas arrives at the premiere of “Puss In Boots,” at The Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles.—AP

Thalia details private moments in her new book

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halia has been famous almost all her life. The singer and telenovela actress’ greatest moments, and painful struggles, have been well documented by the media, which follow her every move. Still, her new book, “Growing Stronger,” contains revelations that may surprise even her biggest fans, like how at age of 6, the death of her beloved father caused her such great shock that she could not make a sound for about a year. Or the guilt she harbored after the kidnapping of her sisters in Mexico in 2002. Or how her husband, music mogul Tommy Mottola, won her heart. Thalia, 40, spoke to The Associated Press last week about the chapters in her life, laughing at times, and fighting back tears when remembering her mother, Yolanda Miranda, who passed away last May, only a month before Thalia gave birth to her son (she also has a 3-year-old daughter.

“It’s a very intimate book where I expose myself a thousand (percent), where there is no mask, no small place kept guarded,” Thalia said. The book was released yesterday .

AP: What made you write this book at this point of your life?

Thalia: This is a moment in which I feel very sure of who I am, very accepted, very peaceful, happy with the things I have done in my life, both personally and professionally. I thought it was an important time to share my story, my good and my bad experiences ... in hopes that, in some way, my experiences can help the lives of others.

AP: You touch happy subjects like your success, your marriage, and your children, but also delve into very painful ones. How hard was it to revisit your past?

Thalia: I exposed myself, and I was left vulnerable. ... It was very hard for me to put my life on paper. It was a very intimate process, very psychological, but at the same time liberating. It was like cleaning the closet, like cleaning the house. ... It was very refreshing.

AP: Was it cathartic in some way?

Thalia: Yes (laughs). ...This book really gave me the opportunity to rescue myself as a woman, as a human being, as a child, as an artist, and really helped me restructure my mind, psychologically, physically, spiritually, and get brilliant, clean, ready for a new adventure in my life.

AP: What were the hardest subjects you tackled?

Thalia: I think my life in general, like

that of any human being, has highs and lows, has moments of great light and moments of great darkness. In my case, I feel that maybe those moments have really been extreme: They have been either too high or too low. And I thought for me, it was an opportunity to grow as a human being, to learn, by sharing these anecdotes, and also to make others see that there’s a chance to feel good despite a tragedy.

AP: You were expecting your second child when you wrote this book and hormonal changes tend to make you more vulnerable. Did this help you to speak with your heart in this book?

Thalia: Yes. Definitely having been pregnant during the process, there was an element of emotion, of opening my interior in a very maternal way. ... When you are gestating, you feel full of life, you feel full of joy, you feel full of fantasy, of stories. And this was the specific moment that destiny chose to put this book in my path.

AP: Your mother got to read this book and even helped you edit it, as you write in the prelude. What did she tell you?

Thalia: The book was already finished and my mom came to visit me the week before what happened (her death). I gave her the manuscript. I told her, “Here’s the book, let’s see what you think.” And she not only read it once, but as soon as she finished the last page, she started all over again. And we started to remember these stories. And we started to add anecdotes that were left out. We started to laugh. And we started to cry.

And for me it was a very important moment, because she also had the opportunity, that week before her passing, to relive all her life, all those moments that we went through together, from my birth ... to the biggest moments in my career. Maybe with this book, she also gave closure to some (things).

AP: I know you two were very close, that you spoke every single day... What do you miss the most about her?

Thalia: That, precisely. Every day is like wanting to dial a number and no one answers. Getting to a place and think, “I’m gonna text her,” but there’s no one to send the message to. ... The fact that she’s not here physically, that’s what’s painful. ... It’s something I am working on not day by day or hour by hour, but minute by minute. I am trying to be stronger about this every day.—AP

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

Years

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Chef and food designer from South Tyrol Roland Trettl places an octopus on top of the seaweed dress on a model as he prepares a new creation of his food fashion at the communications museum (Museum fuer Kommunikation) in Berlin on October 28, 2011. — AFP photos

A model wears a creation made of seaweed and octopus by chef and food designer from South Tyrol Roland.

Seaweed skirts, salmon tops in Berlin fashion food show M

ove over Lady Gaga and your meat dress. A Berlin museum is coupling haute couture with haute cuisine, spotlighting models draped in octopus tunics, seaweed miniskirts and chocolate dresses. The creations by Michelin-starred Austrian chef Roland Trettl, captured in around 50 sumptuous stills by his compatriot photographer Helge Kirchberger, blur the lines of sensual pleasure in a feast for the eyes and the palate. The Fashion Food exhibition at the Communication Museum in the German capital to January 29 dissects “taste” and flamboyant fashion statements, as well as notions of consumerism and sustainability in a rich society.

“The images are not salacious or pornographic but they are erotic and provocative and raise questions,” museum director Lieselotte Kugler told AFP, following an exhibition opening with two live models. “This is also a celebration of food. When you think of all the food that is thrown away every year in Germany-including 5,000 tones of bread- everyone needs to consider how they approach food and how food is increasingly industrialized in our society.” While US pop provocateur Lady Gaga raised eyebrows at an awards show last year with a dress made entirely of raw beef, many of the confections here could add up to a balanced diet.

One work entitled “Russian Lardo” features a trouser suit sewn from seaweed, a delicate black scarf made of squid ink pasta and a resplendent headdress woven from frisee lettuce, red chillies and Daikon cress. Another shows a male model in a salmon tank top and lettuce-leaf trousers. “Most of the food was not simply thrown away,” Kugler said of the photo shoots. “The octopus is cooked three to

Try the grosgrain waist pleated skirt from Thelimited.com.

four hours until it’s tender and the pasta can be boiled. Then everyone sits down and has a feast.”

Trettl and Kirchberger have pursued an on-again, off-again collaboration for about four years but the exhibition marks the first major presentation of their work to a broader audience. They have published a book featuring many of the photographs in the show, complete with recipes and a foreword by the original high-fashion rebel, Vivienne Westwood. “I would love to try them, but I hope someone else will prepare them,” the British designer said of the cook-

For a similar style to Jessica Alba’s, try the aqua three-quarter sleeve pin-tuck top from Bloomingdales.com. — MCT photos

U

For a slightly offbeat, playful choice, try the Mix No 6 Octavia wedge pump from DSW.com.

Try the opa faux fur bag from Chicos.com.

ing tips using ingredients from the clothing. She compared the portraits to those of 16th century Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo who incorporated images of fruits and vegetables in his works.

In other head-turners, Trettl turned a mass of “calf net”-fatty membrane from a calf’s stomach-into an elegant headscarf, paired with a prominent necklace made of quail eggs, and fashioned a sexy body suit from liquid dark chocolate, set against jewelry made of silver sugar pearls. “Of course the chocolate had to simply be washed off when they were done,

there was no salvaging it,” Kugler said. “You only have about two minutes to photograph it, with a crew of 20 people. After that, it starts drying up and flaking off. It is a unique work of art comprised of the food and the model, the material and the form.”—AFP

Try an embroidered mesh crop top from Freepeople.com.

sher may have stolen the show with his wardrobe malfunction at the recent Clinton Foundation Gala, but Jessica Alba made a sartorial impression as well. The actress, who gave birth to her second child a little more than two months ago, attended the event at the Hollywood Palladium on the arm of her husband, Cash Warren. (She can be heard next in the animated film “Escape From Planet Earth,” which is scheduled for release in 2012.) She looked trim and dainty in a pleated blue suede skirt, sheer blouse and black tights. She accessorized with a fuzzy black clutch and deep purple heels. The blue and purple created a soft, warm color palette and the blouse gave the outfit a sense of whimsy.

Alba’s skirt is a great length for any number of occasions such as a cocktail party-or even a regular workday. For a similar style, get the curved-hem pleated skirt from Topshop.com for $70 or the grosgrain waist pleated skirt from Thelimited.com for $14.99. For a style that’s a tad shorter,

get the panel skirt from Zara.com for $49.95.

A sheer blouse like Alba’s can be a goto item for something as simple as a flea market shopping trip or a fancier dinner party, just remember appropriate undergarments. To get Alba’s look, try the aqua three-quarter sleeve pin-tuck top for $78 from Bloomingdales.com, Lumiani madeline blouse for $59 from Zappos.com or embroidered mesh crop top from Freepeople.com for $88.

Alba’s frayed clutch adds a striking textural contrast to her soft ensemble.

For something similar, try the feather clutch bag from Asos.com for $43.65 or the opa faux fur bag from Chicos.com for $69 or the faux fur clutch bag from Topshop.com for $70.

Any pair of blue or black pumps would have worked with Alba’s outfit, but her purple heels were a slightly offbeat, playful choice. For a similar pair, try the Michael Antonio Adeline shoe with a loafer design from Zappos.com for $49.50 or the Mix No 6 Octavia wedge pump for $39.95 from DSW.com. — MCT

Models showing their outfits for the ‘Fashion in the Field’ competition before the running of 6.2 million Australian dollar Melbourne Cup horse race, in Melbourne yesterday. More than 100,00 people gathered at the Flemington race course to watch the record entry of 11 international horses take on the best local horses. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Model Kate Model Jessica White

Singer Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson

Heidi Klum and t was a hair-raising Halloween for g monkey coschin mat ned don husband Seal, who day at the Mon ty tum es for Klum’s New York par -toe in fur, d-to hea ered Cov Dream Downtown hotel. ape.” And and man een betw “link the Klum said she was hours to six ling grue a though it took the super model makeup the in able fort com ly tive get ready, she was rela to wear have ’t didn and prosthetics, saying at least she heels. a young beauty Celebrity guests included Fergie as Tiar as” and and s pag ean t que en from TV’s “Tod dler lander. The Zoo as re” Sho ey Vinny Guadagnino from “Jers Saturday off ed kick ions brat cele ’s host ” “Project Runway then and ey gurn a on in Las Vegas where Klum arrived like ted pain suit y bod -a ume cost revealed her cadaver the human body without skin.—AP

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Model and television personality Heidi Klum and husband Seal

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he streets crawled with spooky sights, from floating eyeballs and skeletons to Occupy Wall Street protesters dressed as budget axes, for the annual Halloween parade Monday. As in years past, current events made their presence felt, as a contingent of about 200 anti- Wall Street demonstrators joined the 39th annual Village Halloween Parade wearing costumes that reflected their protest against economic inequality.

Zombies and pink slips were some of their other themes. They carried signs that said “stop the vampire economy” and “foreclosure is scary.”

“It’s an opportunity for us to show that we’re not so bad,” said Kristin Fialko, who was marching with an Occupy Wall Street group dressed as everyday working-class heroes speaking out against greed and avarice. Fialko said the parade was a good way for the protesters to counter negative media images of them. “Part of social

Music producers Russell Simmons and Andre Harrell

change is going to where the people are at,” added Occupy Wall Street protester Mike Sapo, a carpenter from Baltimore. The parade’s artistic and producing director, Jeanne Fleming, said the event “is really a reflection, a microcosm, of what’s going on in the world or in the city.”

“Whatever’s up is in the parade,” she said. Anyone can be a marcher in the parade as long as he or she is in costume.

The parade goes along Sixth Avenue in lower Manhattan. The lively audience, which included families and pets, dressed in a multitude of costumes, too. Stilt walkers, jugglers and musicians entertained the crowd. George Dunlein, of Baltimore, watched the parade with his longtime companion while encamped in folding chairs. “There’s a lot of individual creativity,” Dunlein said. “It’s very nice. I like the costumes, the energy of the people, good music.”

Besides the usual multitude of blood-

Wearing a headpiece made of plastic cups, Sue-Ellen Mason, of the Brooklyn borough of New York, poses for photographs.

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg

Singer Natasha Bedingfield

(From left) Models Christine Teigen and Kate Upton attend Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween party at the Dream Hotel on Monday. — AP photos

Model Doutzen

soaked zombies, witches and ghouls, there were people dressed as late King of Pop Michael Jackson and as characters from films such as “Star Wars” and “The Wizard of Oz.” Broadway musical characters also made a showing, along with patrioticthemed outfits. Fleming said this year’s parade theme is “I of the Beholder,” a reference to the reality that people are quick to document everything they see on their smartphones and other devices.

“We noticed we weren’t getting the applause we used to get,” she said, worried that the caliber of the parade had declined, “but we realized that everybody was using a phone” to take pictures of the marchers going by. — AP

A group of friends dressed as Sesame Street characters, including Victor Morales, dressed as Big Bird, right, take the 6 train early yesterday after attending the Village Halloween Parade.

Dressed as a Rabbit, Mike Mikulewich waits outside a restaurant after participating in the Village Halloween Parade.

Giant skeleton puppets worn by their handlers, unseen, wait for the start of the Village Halloween Parade Monday. — AP photos

Rihanna taken to hospital in Sweden with flu

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

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Models take to the catwalk during the Mao Gepin make-up styling show at the China Fashion Week in Beijing, China, yesterday.—AP

China Fashion Week

Single ladies having fun in ‘Love’s Labor’s Lost’ W

ho really wrote “Love’s Labor’s Lost”?

And really, who cares? It seems fitting that the Public Theater’s fresh and charming version of this early Shakespearean comedy arrives just days after the Hollywood film “Anonymous,” as if to remind us that the important thing is simply to enjoy the Bard’s work, whoever he (or she, or they) happened to be. And enjoy, the audience does - perhaps even as much as the nimble cast, which seems to be having a wonderful time in this production that opened Monday. In part, it could be the cool costumes director Karin Coonrod has given her actors: Smart tailored suits for the guys, and crisp white shirts, billowing trousers and half-skirts for the women that all seem to come from some fun downtown boutique.

But probably it’s the inherent humor of the language, fully mined by Coonrod and her players, that’s the cause of the merriment. Consider a mere three-word riposte:

“With THAT face?” It’s uttered by Jacquenetta, the “wench” with whom the Spanish knight Armado is smitten. It could be a throwaway line - it means, essentially, “You don’t say!” but Stephanie DiMaggio, speaking in a deep, faux Latin accent, turns it into a deadpan zinger that justifiably earns laughs. “Love’s Labor’s Lost” may not be Shakespeare’s most popular play, but it’s one of his more interesting, especially because it flouts certain conventions in the rest of his work. Normally, at the end of one of these comedies about love - even the dark ones - the couples end up heading to the altar.

Not here, though. The “single ladies” of this play have some difficult hoops they want their men to jump through first. (And yes, Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” makes a cameo appearance here). The plot centers around the King of Navarre (a fun-loving and beautifully spoken Hoon Lee) and three companions, who make an ambitious vow to swear

off the company of women for three years, focusing on study (fittingly, they’re dressed as schoolboys at the start.) Best-laid plans, as they say: The princess of France is on her way with three ladies. Instantly, all four men are in love.

The king tries mightily to resist the charms of the princess (the appealing Rene Elise Goldsberry). Even more tortured is the jaunty, self-involved Berowne, who discovers with alarm that he’s in love with Rosaline. Berowne has some of the play’s best lines, and Nick Westrate makes the most of them, flying around the theater and sitting next to audience members to vent some of his stress (an elderly woman at a recent performance did her best to ignore him). “O, my little heart,” he gushes, and suddenly he’s rolling around on the ground. “Well ... I will love!” he finally declares, his hair sticking out on its ends - a neat trick - as he finishes.

Indeed, Coonrod has all her actors make

great use of the Anspacher Theater’s space there they are in the last row, or on the steps, chasing and tackling each other next to bemused theatergoers. Though some of the comedy bits go on a little too long in this play, the cast is game for the humor. Robert Stanton is great fun as a goofy constable with a southern accent. Reg E Cathey (Armado), Steven Skybell (Holofernes) and Francis Jue (Sir Nathaniel) all tear into their comic roles. Comedy reigns for most of the play, peaking in the scene where the suitors disguise themselves as Muscovites to woo their women. But suddenly, the mood shifts at the end, with the news of the death of the King of France, father of the princess. Now the women must leave. Will the couples unite in matrimony? Not so fast. “Our wooing doth not end like an old play,” says Berowne, at the end. “Jack hath not Jill.” No, and that makes it much more interesting.

Whoever wrote it.—AP

In this theater image released by The Public Theater, Steven Skybell, left, and Robert Stanton are shown in “Love’s Labor’s Lost,” a Public Lab production running through Nov 6 at The Public Theater in New York.—AP