03 Feb 2012

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— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Conspiracy Theories

Desperate candidates

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

thought it was a trivial issue to write about but I wanted to get it out of my system, especially now that the elections are over. Today I do not want to talk about the results, but about another aspect of the last month of campaigning. Since candidates started putting up posters on the streets a month ago, I noticed something about their pictures. More or less I know most of them. Some 90 percent are faces we already know from the previous parliament or from

previous elections. While some have made it, others failed.

This time around I noticed something funny. Most of the candidates posted pictures from 20 years ago.

Of course, this relates especially to the female candidates. I will not name any of them so I don’t fall in dispute with them in case they are elected and make their way to the Assembly. Once they are in Abdullah Salem Hall, you know they will have their own ways to launch wars and vendettas. Honestly speaking, I do not have enough money to pay lawyers for such issues.

Believe me, when I saw the pictures of some of the female candidates, I found it hard to recognize them.

They had so much make-up and Photoshop-editing done as if they were Hollywood actresses submitting photographs for the audition of the sequel to ‘Desperate Housewives’. Kuwait’s version will sound

like ‘Desperate Candidates’.

When you look at the photographs, it seems they took a painful series of photo shoots until they settled for the one image which was the most impressive for the electorate. It seems our candidates live in a state of nostalgia. I hope they do not carry this nostalgia into 2012. This is all that Kuwait needs! Sessions of nostalgia to improve and develop the situation in the country, which is falling apart.

This was an interesting observation because once candidates went to their campaign headquarters, it ceased to matter which photograph they posted.

There they were themselves. There was no more Photoshop or 20-year-old pictures that were expected to impact voters. At the election rallies, we all forgot the posters and saw candidates in reality. The audience only listened to their agenda and their plans for the future of Kuwait.

Oppn cruises to win Turnout at 62% • Juwaihel wins • Only one woman elected KUWAIT: Results of a snap election early today pointed to gains by opposition candidates in the state’s fourth parliament in six years, but women candidates suffered huge defeats, with only former MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak squeaking through. HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah called the vote in December after dissolving the National Assembly in response to a deepening political deadlock that has stymied reform and held up vital development projects in the state. Sixty-two percent of Kuwaitis cast their ballots yesterday, up slightly from 58 percent in the previous election in 2009.

Pollsters and analysts had expected the 400,000-strong electorate to deliver a resounding victory for the Islamist-led opposition which has campaigned vigorously for fundamental reforms and against corruption. It also spearheaded a movement to oust Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah as prime minister. “We are very optimistic that the opposition will achieve a majority in the next parliament,” former Islamist MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei told AFP. “I am hopeful that disputes will diminish because the opposition will strengthen its presence.” “There’s obviously more traction now for the opposition groups. You have kind of a momentum,” said Shahin Shamsabadi, senior adviser at the Risk Advisory Group. That anger came to a head in November when protesters led by opposition MPs stormed the Assembly demanding the resignation of Sheikh Nasser, whom they accused of graft.

They got their way soon afterwards when HH the Amir dismissed the Cabinet - the seventh line-up in six years. An investigation by the public prosecutor into notably large deposits in the bank accounts of 13 pro-government parliamentarians gave a further boost to the opposition, which said the sums were bribes paid by ministers to MPs for their backing in the assembly.

But a victory for the opposition is unlikely to end the antagonism, analysts say. “The opposition win will not resolve ongoing political and social tensions in Kuwait,” the Eurasia Group said in a note. It forecast that the opposition would take as many as 30 of the 50 seats up for grabs. The opposition is not a unified force in Kuwait, where a web of tribal and sectarian loyalties undercut most other affinities. A ban on political parties makes religious and kinship ties the easiest and most effective way of mobilising support.

Those divisions were brought into focus earlier this week, when tribesmen torched the tent of candidate Mohammed Al-Juweihel after he insulted their tribe, skirmishing with police a day later outside the office of a satellite television channel that was hosting his ally Nabeel Al-Fadl. Candidates belonging to the Mutairi tribe have already threatened to bring a grilling motion against Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah if they are elected unless Juweihel is barred from the parliament. Both Juwaihel and Fadl won.

But while parliament has the power to initiate legislation,

Supporters of outspoken former opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak hoist him on their shoulders as they celebrate his resounding victory early today. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Cabinet members also vote, giving the government a bloc it can use to dilute opposition or swing a majority in the Assembly. And crucially, reforms depend on the will of the Al-Sabah family, which has ruled Kuwait since the 18th century. From early yesterday, men and women queued outside separate schools to select up to four candidates, bringing an end to a week of campaign rallies and rhetoric. “The situation cannot remain as it was,” opposition candidate Faisel Al-Mislem told hundreds of supporters at a campaign event in the run-up to the vote. “If this election is just a game of musical chairs, then it’s a waste of time.”

Some voters expressed concern that the election, which came after one of the most aggressive campaigns since Kuwait introduced democracy in 1962, would not help restore stability. “The atmosphere is unhealthy and highly charged... because sectarian and tribal tensions are negatively impacting our country,” former oil minister Adel Al-Sabeeh told AFP. “The opposition is likely to boost its strength but I think we are headed for more disputes.”

Others expressed similar worries. “We are very frustrated and worried about what is happening in Kuwait,” said one woman, Umm Saud, after voting in Jabriya. “I am not optimistic this election will

resolve our problems, but I pray that I am wrong.”

Fatima Akbar, a former schoolteacher, said she is “hopeful with caution” the election will help stabilise the country. “We are worried about the conflicts in Kuwait, especially sectarian tension” between the Sunni majority and Shiite minority, she said. Tensions between Sunnis and Shiites - who make up 30 percent of Kuwaitis have intensified in recent months, mainly over regional issues such as Bahrain, Iran and Syria. Shiite candidates lamented last year’s crackdown on their co-religionists in Bahrain, while Sunni candidates warned of Shiite Iran’s regional ambitions.

Early voter traffic was low but picked up rapidly later, especially in tribal constituencies where men stood in long queues. In Sabah Al-Salem, a tribal area, male voters showed up in large numbers with less than an hour to close of polling. The voters sounded optimistic. “I think the opposition is going to win in an impressive way and this will lead to stability and embarking on the delayed development plan,” Mohammad Al-Oteibi, a headmaster, told AFP. “This time I did not vote for the tribe’s candidates. I picked candidates I think will serve Kuwait better,” 27-year-old government employee Khaled Al-Azemi said. — Agencies

Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Former premier Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah casts his vote yesterday.

Women wait to cast their votes at a polling station. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Fahd Mohammed, 90, waits to cast his vote at a polling station in the Islamist stronghold of Kaifan.

Former speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi casts his vote yesterday.

A man chooses his candidates at a polling station.

A policewoman leads voters at a polling station.

A judge and his aides count the ballots at a polling station after closure of voting in Sabah Al-Salem.

Opposition candidates Shuaib Al-Muwaizri and Ali Al-Deqbasi celebrate their victory.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

LIST OF WINNERS

1

Main areas: Sharq, Dasma, Daiya, Shaab, Rumaithiya, Salmiya, Mishref, Bayan and Salwa Voters: 71,146 [Women - 38,350 (53.9%), Men - 32,796 (46.1%)]

2

Main areas: Dahiyat Abdullah Al-Salem, Mansouriya, Qadsiya, Nuzha, Faiha, Shamiya, Sulaibikhat and Doha.

Voters: 45,400 [Women - 24,004 (52.9%), Men - 21,396 (47.1%)]

3

1. Jamaan Al-Harbash

6. Marzouq Al-Ghanem

1. Faisal Al-Mislem

2. Ali Al-Rashed

7. Adnan Al-Mutawwa

2. Faisal Al-Yahya

8. Adel Al-Damkhi

3. Reyadh Al-Adasani

8. Adbulrahman Al-Anjari

3. Waleed Al-Tabtabaei

4. Osama Al-Shaheen

9. Adnan Abdulsamad

4. Mohammad Al-Saqer

9. Abdullatif Al-Ameeri

4. Mohammad Al-Dalal

5. Abdulhameed Dashti

10. Maasouma Al-Mubarak

5. Hamad Al-Matar

10. Khaled Sultan

5. Ali Al-Omair

1. Faisal Al-Duwaisan

6. Saleh Ashour

2. Mohammad Al-Kandari

7. Ahmad Lari

3. Hussain Al-Qallaf

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

LIST OF WINNERS Main areas: Jabriya, Rawda, Adailiya, Khaldiya, Khaitan, Surrah and South Surrah, Qurtuba, Kaifan and Yarmouk.

Voters: 67,063 [Women - 36,823 (54.9%), Men - 30,240 (45.1%)]

4

Main areas: Farwaniya, Jahra, Andalus, Rabiya, Rehab, Ardiya, Sabah Al-Nasser, Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and Omariya.

Voters: 103,280 [Women - 57,517 (56.9%), Men - 45,767 (53.1%)]

5

Main areas: Ahmadi, Fahaheel, Sabahiya, Fintas, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Mangaf, Rigga, Sabah Al-Salem, Dhahr, Abu Halifa and others.

Voters: 113,407 [Women - 58,610 (51.7%), Men - 54,979 (48.3%)]

6. Ahmad Al-Saadoun

1. Musallam Al-Barrak

6. Shuaib Al-Muwaizri

1. Falah Al-Sawwagh

6. Nayef Al-Ajmi

7. Shaya Al-Shaya

2. Mohammad Hayef

7. Mohammad Al-Khalifa

2. Khaled Al-Tahous

7. Abdullah Al-Bargash

8. Nabeel Al-Fadl

3. Obaid Al-Wasmi

8. Osama Al-Munawer

3. Badr Al-Azemi

8. Salem Namlan

9. Mohammad Al-Juwaihel

4. Mubarak Al-Waalan

9. Saad Al-Khanfour

4. Ahmad Al-Azemi

9. Khaled Al-Mutairi

10. Ammar Al-Ajmi

5. Ali Al-Deqbasi

10. Mohammad Al-Hatlani

5. Saifi Al-Saifi

10. Munawer Al-Azemi

Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Mars vs Venus

behind the wheel

Study finds women to be better drivers, NOT in Kuwait

By Nawara Fattahova

A

lthough a scientific survey pronounced women the better-parking sex, men in Kuwait contradict such findings. A female driving instructor says that parking skills vary between individuals.

Recently a new British study was published revealing that women are actually the better sex when it comes to parking. A review of 700 car parks and interviews with 2,000 drivers found that when a range of factors are considered, including the method used and time taken, women get the crown.

The research looked at seven areas including how fast drivers found a parking space, how they drove into it, how long it took to park, how much they repositioned the car, and the final result. Out of a maximum score of 20, women had an average result of 13.4, while the average male score was just 12.3.

The study also says that men fared better than women in some areas, including speed.

Who is the master on the road?

In Kuwait, men think that they are better drivers than women on the roads including parking. Most of them experienced different situations that proved they are right. “Women don’t know how to drive and to park as well,” says Mubarak, 42 a driver. He supports his opinion with a situation that took place the

Miswak:

By Ben Garcia

M

careful. Most of them park it perfectly. It’s true that I have seen some women drivers struggling to park, but not all women drivers are the same,” he said.

same day. “I waited for a long time for a woman to leave the parking place so that I can park my car. The exit was nearer to her and she had to take a long turn to get out of the park lot. A man would never do the same thing,” he explained.

Opinions among men vary. According to Yousif a 50-year-old-driver, some men are even worse than women when it comes to driving. “I believe that the results of this study may be true even if such study was done here in Kuwait,” he said, explaining that most women are more careful, while men are reckless just because they are men. “I see women are slower in parking a car as they are more

Men better at steering the wheel Um Abdullah, a female driving instructor, who has been working in this field since 2003 thinks that parking skills vary among people.

“The driving test to get a driving license depends on parking the car in the right place with less moves and corrections. I have female students who passed the test in the first try. On the other hand, there are many students who have to repeat the test again even twice or three times,” she explained.

She, however, agrees that in general men are better than women in driving and parking the car. “On the other hand, women are more careful while driving so they experience less accidents. The students usually learn to park the car perfectly after three or four days, but when they reach the Traffic Department to take the test, they get scared because they know it’s a test,” Um Abdullah said. “I think if she followed my instructions exactly, she would pass the test in the first try. Practice

plays a key role in skills. And as men in our community drive from really young age such as 10 or 11, they definitely have longer practice and experience, which in general makes them better drivers with better control over the car,” Um Abdullah pointed out.

Female driver Shaima thinks that what makes men better drivers is that women are afraid to drive. “Unfortunately men drive better, as women are afraid. No way women can be better at parking as the study found. I always see women who can’t park properly. On the other hand I believe the study, as women take more time to be more perfect and more precise in their parking,” she stated.

An Arab toothpaste alternative

iswak, a teeth cleaning twig made from the Salvadora persica tree (known as Arak in Arabic) is famous not only because it was used and recommended by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) but also thanks to its well-documented history and medicinal benefits.

Miswak is prominently featured in Islamic hygienic jurisprudence.

It can be found in baqalas (grocery stores) and supermarkets across the Middle East or even some pharmacies and health care clinics. Its use has spread from the Middle East to South and Southeast Asia.

An Islamic preacher at the Kuwait Philippine Cultural Center , Brother Ahmad Yusuf said that miswak use is not obligatory for Muslims. “Hadith lays down that if it is not a burden for believers then they can use miswak. Miswak use is good and medically tested, but Islam does not oblige everyone to use them,” he added. Yusuf explained that during earlier times, products such as toothpaste and toothbrush were not available in the market but being clean and purified while facing Allah through prayer is essential.

“Islam evolves with time, we are not tied to the past, as long as the real essence of being clean and smelling good is followed,” he said. “Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told us believers to face God, especially during prayer, being clean and as much as possible fragrant . So Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recommends the use miswak at least every time we pray,” he noted.

Yusuf also observed that many Muslims use miswak improperly. Miswak is not supposed to be used in front of Allah nor even at the mosque

before the prayer. “I’ve noticed many times that a believer carries miswak, and while waiting for prayers, brush their teeth in front of everyone. I think it’s not proper etiquette. I am not saying it is wrong, but me and many other preachers find it inappropriate,” he added.

Better than toothbrush A scientific study done in 2003 found that the use of miswak is better than the ordinary toothbrush. Dr Muna Hassan, a dentist from Egypt

claims that the use of miswak is good and beneficial for one’s dental health. “Miswak contains chemicals that strengthen teeth and gums. It cleanses teeth the same way as an ordinary toothbrush as long as it is used properly. We don’t discourage anyone from using it. If there are people who want to use miswak, it is perfectly alright, but we don’t dissuade people from using an ordinary toothbrush,” she added. She, however, advised users to use miswak properly by taking extra care. “It should be used like an ordinary brush with circular movements. Brushing your teeth back and forth will be fine,” she says, explaining that danger can happen if the miswak is contaminated or unhygienic, provided that it is not washed after use or if not cut [the portion used] after use. It is dangerous to one’s health. We advised to wash or if not cut the part of the twig that was used before using again.”

The benefits of miswak Some medical journals say studies indicate Salvadora persica extract is somewhat comparable to other oral disinfectants and anti-plaque agents. Miswak is recommended to be used before prayer, before entering one’s house, before and after going on a journey, before sleeping and after waking up, when experiencing hunger or thirst and before entering any gather-

How to use miswak

1. Scrape off a half inch bark from either tip.

2. Wash the miswak and chew its tip to make it brush like.

3. Brush teeth accordingly.

4. When the bristles are worn and the flavor is subsided, cut them off and repeat the same procedure. ing. According to research, miswak is said to prevent tooth decay and eliminate toothaches, it can also create a fragrance, eliminate bad breath, improve the sense of taste and cause the teeth to glow and shine. In addition, miswak can sharpen one’s memory, cure headaches, create a glow on the face of the one who continually uses it, strengthen eyesight, assist digestion and clear the voice.

Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Success

in sight for female shooter Kuwaiti Mariam Erzouqi to represent country in 2012 London Olympic Games

By Abdellatif Sharaa

M

ariam Mohammad Erzouqi, a young Kuwaiti woman has excelled in shooting although she began her sporting career in gymnastics at the tender age of six. She has participated in several world, regional and local competitions. Recently, she qualified for the London 2012 Olympics, during the Asian Championship in Doha, Qatar, and will represent Kuwait in the Air Rifle discipline. She shared with Friday Times about how the sport grabbed her heart.

FT: How did your journey begin?

ME: I played many sports like gymnastics, volleyball, table tennis, even taekwondo. One day I told my cousin about trying equestrian sports because she was enthusiastic, like me. When we went to the equestrian club, we were surprised to find that the shooting club located within its premises allowed women’s participation. I tried using the air pistol but I did not like it, so I tried air rifle, which I picked up to use fast. It all went from there. That was on June 14, 2004. I spent one year under training and participated in local championships only, though most shooters spend two to three months training and then travel abroad to participate in tournaments.

However, I insisted on training for a longer period because my scores were not very encouraging at that time.

In the first tournament I attended in China, I was ranked 21st among world shooters, and was the first Arab girl to garner this achievement. Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud was satisfied with my results and took a keen interest in my work, began providing me with sporting apparel and necessary equipment. My scores began improving after each tournament.

When the Asian Championship was held in Qatar, I won the third place, and this motivated me to continue training with various instructors after winning several championships. In the Asian Championship held again, I won second place and qualified for the 2012 London Olympics.

FT: How was your family’s reaction to your dedication to the sport?

ME: My mother would take me to the club. She was later appointed as an administrator at the shooting club so it was compulsory for her to go. I used to accompany her, even if there was no training. My mother helped me attend all championships. My father encouraged me to finish first. They did not want my scores to drop because they realized that it is my dream to retain the top spot. My family members still support me along with my friends. They used to tell me that school is more important. After realizing that the sport did not affect me, they began supporting me more.

FT: I know that some of your sisters are shooters too.

ME: Actually the entire family is interested in sports. My father, mother, sisters, even my uncle and his children are into swimming, karate and football. My mother performed gymnastics and played volleyball. My entire family is athletic.

This helped us a lot, and they really motivated me to improve.

FT: Do you feel nervous when participating in tournaments? What about the Olympics?

ME: I participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and I did not feel scared. There is one thing I want to mention here. The shooter who enters the tournaments without a certain degree of fear, will see that their scores are lower. While those that can feel their hearts pounding will actually score better. This may be because of extra concentration and efforts taken to calm nerves.

FT: What type of encouragement do you receive from the shooting sport club?

ME: Duaij Al-Otaibi and Obaid Al-Osaimi, along with other officials provide me with everything.

They provide me with anything I need. Even when I tell them that my rifle needs repair, they replace it, just to make sure that I am ready for the next championship.

FT: What about the Public Authority for Youth and Sports? Does it provide you with your needs?

Me: it does not provide us with enough money during championships. For example, our daily allowance is KD 45, but a hotel room in Italy costs KD 53, so I had to take money from my family to compensate. PAYS officials are paid KD 60, on the other hand! Another point to be noted is that I have not been paid according to any professional standards, although I have signed a contract.

FT: Why aren’t there any sponsors till now?

ME: This is the problem. When I was shooting while working for Alghanim, they wanted to sponsor me. The club refused because they had expected some rewards. Zain offered to sponsor the shooters in exchange for carrying Zain logo, again the club refused. I have heard that PAYS may allow companies to sponsor athletes without the club’s interference, as a direct contract will be signed between players and the sponsor company. *Mariam will travel to London in April to take part in pre Olympic events. The actual event is scheduled to be held in June.

Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Personal space invaders

By Sawsan Kazak here is, what you would call, an invisible barrier surrounding you and protecting you from other people; your personal space.

Everyone has one and has the right to have that space respected by other people. This personal space grows and shrinks depending on the relationship you have with the other person, the culture you live in and, of course, the situation you are experiencing.

T

Trespassers Some people trespass into other people’s personal space without being invited. These are the kind of people that poke you in the shoulder when you are already looking at them. They have to rub elbows with you whenever they make a joke, or rub your shoulders if they think you are tired. They hug you for every occasion, even if they see you on a daily basis. And when they want to speak to you, they speak right into your mouth. With these people, you can always smell where they have been and what they have had.

The worst of the invaders are those that are so close to you, that sometimes you get small droplets of their spit land on your face or other body part. These kinds of space invaders are inexcusable and should be incarcerated immediately. Okay, maybe not incarcerated, but at least forced to wear a spit guard, like at a salad bar.

The inevitable There are some situations where personal contact or personal space invasion is inevitable. If you are in a crowded bus, store, elevator or any other public location, you cannot retain a big circle of personal space and expect others to respect it. Also, when standing in a line your personal space has to take a back seat for a while until the ‘job’ is done. But just because personal space limits change in the above situations, that does not mean all the rules should be discarded. There still needs to be a level of personal space that is maintained. For instance, when in a line, there is no need to be standing right beside the person in front of you. There is also no need to touch everyone when in a confined space. There is a need to stop moving so much and breathing so heavily.

Personally Personally, I happen to have a very large personal space, that is I only feel comfortable when I am at least three feet away from anyone I am talking to and I am not being touched unnecessarily. I do not think we need to share the same air. Standing so close to me that I can smell your breath and feel you inhale and exhale on me is definitely a sign that you

are standing too close. I do not need to smell what you cooked or ate recently, especially if it includes onions, garlic, fish, anything with a lot of spices, and/or anything that gives you indigestion.

If you recently took to the kitchen and decided today was the day to make tempura for the whole neighborhood, please take the time to change your clothes; just because you cannot smell it does not mean that other people cannot. Another aspect of other people I do not need to smell is them all together. I really do not want people close enough that I can smell their hair, deodorant or natural body odors. I do not like to be hugged for any occasion other than we will not see each other again; anything else is unacceptable. The only person who should touch my hair is my hairdresser and I do not think anyone should touch my face.

I am not trying to be a snob, I just know where my comfort level lies. I admire those who have no boundaries when it comes to their space, I just know I am not there yet.

A matter of taste There are some people who have very small personal spaces. These kinds of people do not mind being touched by other people, even strangers. They do not mind standing inches away from others for long periods of time, and treat others the same way. The problem only arises when these same people do not realize that not everyone wants to be touched.

There are some people who are absolutely oblivious to their distance and/or invasion of other people’s space. They touch, poke, breathe on and stand too close to people. Personal space should be just that; personal.

Intruders need to be more aware of when their ‘advancements’ are unwelcome. If the person you are talking to is moving backwards, wiping their face, or looking very uncomfortable; it is time to take a few steps back and maybe pop in a breath mint too. sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Republicans look to Nevada, Maine in next contest

13

Prosecutors present case against Assange

15

Supreme Court to charge Pakistani PM with contempt

18

BEIRUT: A combo of reproduction pictures taken yesterday in the Lebanese capital Beirut shows portraits of people allegedly killed during the 1982 Hama massacre on a Facebook page entitled “Hama” described as a page run by independent citizens of the central Syrian city.—AFP

Syria opposition commemorates Hama massacre UN moves closer to agreement DAMASCUS: Syria’s opposition called protests yesterday to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hama massacre, as the United Nations moved closer to agreement on action to halt a deadly regime crackdown on dissent. Demonstrations were planned in various cities in memory of the estimated 10,000 to 40,000 people who perished in February 1982 when then president Hafez al-Assad, father of the current president Bashar, launched a fierce assault on the central town to crush an Islamist revolt. The anniversary was taking place as the regime in Damascus battles to crush an unprecedented revolt that has left more than 6,000 people dead since mid-March, according to estimates of human rights groups.

The city of Hama defiantly painted roads in red and staged a general strike yesterday, the

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

“Several roads have been painted red and the waterwheels marked ‘Hafez is dead while Hama has not disappeared”,” it said, in reference to the famous landmark of the city on the Orontes river. International efforts to stop the bloodshed have so far failed, with Russia, a key ally of Syria, firmly opposed to an Arab- and Westernbacked UN Security Council resolution condemning the violence.

But diplomats hinted in New York on Wednesday that a compromise to overcome Russia’s objections was possible. “We have made some progress today,” Britain’s UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told reporters after a three-hour meeting of council members.

Russia’s envoy Vitaly Churkin also said there was a much better understanding of what

needed to be done to reach a consensus. “I think it was a pretty good session,” he said.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Russia had a “less negative” attitude towards the resolution and a vote could take place “perhaps” next week.

The draft resolution, introduced by Morocco, calls for the formation of a unity government leading to “transparent and free elections,” rather than for Assad to step down as proposed in an Arab League plan. It stresses that there will be no foreign military intervention in Syria as there was in Libya, which toppled Muammar Gaddafi. A new draft was expected to be prepared following Wednesday’s talks and submitted to Council members later yesterday for new discussions, diplomats said. The diplomatic wrangling is taking place amid warnings that

Syria was slowly heading to civil war as the largely peaceful revolt that began in March increasingly takes on a sectarian tone and moves closer to the capital.

In Moscow, a top defence ministry official said Russia will not halt its arms exports to Syria despite the violence as there are no sanctions restricting such deliveries. “As of today there are no restrictions on the delivery of weapons and we must fulfill our obligations” said Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov, quoted by Russian news agencies. “And this what we are doing.”

As part of efforts to resolve the crisis, Turkish President Abdullah Gul, quoted by daily Radikal, said Ankara could give asylum to Assad’s family.

“It would of course be considered if such a request were made,” he said. —AFP

International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Tunisian forces kill two armed men, arrest another TUNIS: Tunisian security forces yesterday killed two members of an armed group and arrested a third after a clash the day before left a policeman and three soldiers wounded, one of them critically, the state news agency reported. The group was caught after a wideranging manhunt involving helicopters in the southern Bir Ali Ben Khalifa region. Interior Minister Ali Laarayedh described the incident Wednesday as serious and would not rule out that the men might belong to the North African branch of Al-Qaeda.

President Moncef Marzouki cancelled a state visit to the interior of the country yesterday to confer with security and military leaders over the incident. The men, described as bearded by the state news agency, were stopped in their car at a checkpoint Wednesday and then opened fire with assault rifles, before fleeing into a nearby olive orchard, according to Radio Mosaique FM. Police discovered weapons and lists of names of people from all over the country in the car, it said.

The man arrested yesterday near the city of Sfax was a 21-year-old student and was part of an outfit called the “Slimane Group,” according to preliminary investigations cited by the radio report. The state news agency only described the men as involved in arms smuggling. Laarayedh confirmed that there has been an increase in the traffic of arms in Tunisia, mainly coming from neighboring Libya where a civil war raged for much of 2011.

He said some 600 weapons were seized by security forces last year. The local branch of al-Qaida has a strong presence in the deserts to the south and has attacked targets in Algeria and Tunisia as well as taken hostages in Niger and Mali. Tunisia has boosted its presence along the desert borders due to increased activity by Al-Qaeda. In May, a Tunisian army colonel was killed in a border clash believed to be with elements of the group.—AP

Israel says Iran has material for 4 A-bombs Estimates of enriched uranium stockpile similar to IAEA’s JERUSALEM: Israel estimated yesterday that Iran could make four atomic bombs by further enriching uranium it has already stockpiled, and could produce its first within a year of deciding to build one. But in his rare public remarks, Major-General Aviv Kochavi, chief of military intelligence, held out the possibility stronger international sanctions might dissuade Tehran from pursuing a policy he had no doubt was aimed at developing nuclear weapons, despite Iranian denials.

Citing figures similar to those from the UN nuclear agency, Kochavi told Israel’s annual Herzliya Conference on strategic affairs: “Iran has accumulated more than 4 tonnes of uranium enriched to a level of 3.5 percent and nearly 100 kilos at an enrichment level of 20 percent. “This amount of material is already enough for four atomic bombs.” Nuclear bombs require uranium enriched to 90 percent, but Western experts say much of the effort required to get there is already achieved once it reaches 20-percent purity, shortening the time needed for any nuclear weapons “break-out”.

One former UN inspector said last month Iran could have enough 20-percent uranium for one bomb - about 250 kg of the material - in about a year from now. Tehran says it will use 20 percentenriched uranium to convert into fuel for a research reactor making isotopes to treat cancer patients. Western officials say they doubt that the country has the technical capability to do that.

Referring to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in whose country’s hands Israel believe a nuclear weapon would threaten the survival of the Jewish state, Kochavi said: “From the moment Khamenei gives an order ... to speed up production of the first nuclear explosive device, we estimate it will take about a year to complete the task.”

Arming a missile with a nuclear warhead, he added, could take a year or two longer. Western experts’ estimates of how quickly Iran could assemble a nuclear weapon if it decides to do so range from as little as six months to a year or more. Some believe Iran hopes to develop nuclear technology but stop short of building weapons, a move from which it is barred by treaty commitments. In a report in November, the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had almost 5 tons of low-enriched uranium and, citing data from September, 73.7 kg of uranium with a purity of 20 percent.

“Iran continues to contend that its programme is for peaceful and civilian purposes,” Kochavi said. “But a long series of solid, strong data in our hands prove beyond any doubt that Iran is continuing to engage in developing nuclear weapons,” he said in the speech, in which he steered clear of discussing Israel’s military options. Israel, widely believed to possess the Middle East’s only nuclear arsenal, has said it would use force if necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

It has made little comment on Iranian accusations that its agents, along with those of its Western allies, are behind assassinations and explosions that appear to form part of a covert war to sabotage Iran’s nuclear development capacity. In separate remarks in Tel Aviv, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said “we are in a period of diplomacy and sanctions” in trying to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“It is clear to all that there is no need to take any option off the table, that there needs to be intensive and urgent diplomacy and that sanctions on Iran need to include not only on oil but on the financial system and the central bank,” Barak told reporters. Washington and the European Union have imposed tighter sanctions in recent weeks on both Iran’s oil exports and on international financial transactions with Tehran.

Kochavi said the current sanctions have not led to a change in Iranian strategy, but could still have an effect. “But the stronger the (pressure), the greater the potential for the regime - which is worried first and foremost about its survival - to reconsider,” he said. Tension between Iran and the West over Iran’s nuclear work has increased since November, when the IAEA published a report that said Tehran appeared to have worked on designing a nuclear weapon. Iran says its nuclear energy programme is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity and other civilian uses.— Reuters

Palestinians hurl shoes at visiting UN chief BEIT HANOUN: Palestinians tried to block the UN chief from entering the Gaza Strip and flung shoes at his armored convoy yesterday, the second day of Ban Ki-moon’s mission to the region to keep informal peace talks alive. About 40 relatives of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails for a range of violent attacks gathered at the Erez Crossing between Gaza and Israel, hoisting posters with pictures of their loved ones and signs in English and Arabic reading, “Ban Kimoon, enough bias to Israel.”

Some swung their signs and wooden sticks at Ban’s convoy in protest. Three of them threw slippers at his car and another hurled a boot - an insulting gesture that is associated with an Iraqi protester who hurled his shoes at former US President George W. Bush at a news conference in Baghdad in 2008. The Gaza prisoners’ relatives, angry that Ban would not be meeting with them, formed a human chain at the crossing in an effort to block his vehicle, but Hamas security forces moved them away so Ban could enter the coastal territory.

“We came here in a symbolic message to Mr. Ban Ki-moon that Palestinians from Gaza want to have the right to visit their children and loved ones in Israeli jails,” said Jamal Farwana, a spokesman for Gaza prisoners’ families. “He should make more of an effort to release the prisoners and we wonder why every time he avoids meeting families of Palestinian prisoners.” Israel holds about 7,000 Palestinian prisoners, after recently freeing more than 1,000 in exchange for a captive Israeli soldier. Many of the prisoners were convicted of carrying out

deadly attacks against Israeli civilians.

Relatives of prisoners from Gaza haven’t been able to visit them in jail since 2006 because of strict restrictions on who can enter Israel from the coastal strip, which is run by Hamas militants violently opposed to Israel.

Local activists boycotted a planned meeting with Ban yesterday because the UN chief did not meet with the prisoners’ relatives. Ban is on a mission to the area to try to keep informal talks between Palestinians and Israelis going. In Gaza, he met with UN relief officials, aid groups and human rights organizations.

He also visited a UN -funded housing project in southern Gaza, where protesters held up signs saying, “We want to lift the siege on Gaza” - referring to Israeli restrictions on the entry and exit to and from Gaza of people and goods.

Speaking to reporters, Ban thanked the people of Gaza for their “warm welcome.” “I met many people who were waiting for me at the entrance and I fully share their fear and frustration. That is why I am here,” he said, referring to the incident at the border crossing. “There is a very dire social, economic and humanitarian problem.

People need to move freely ... I have urged the Israeli authorities to lift the restrictions completely and unconditionally.”

Ban’s visit was being heavily secured by Hamas security forces, but he will not be meeting with members of the Hamas government, who are widely shunned internationally over their refusal to renounce violence. From Gaza, the UN chief was due re-enter Israel to visit a border town that has been pounded over the

GAZA STRIP: Palestinian children hold slogans that read in Arabic “the hospitals lack medicines” during a visit by UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon to the construction site of a housing project in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday.—AFP years by Palestinian rocket and mortar fire.

“All this violence must stop,” he said in Gaza.

“I would urge the Palestinians from Gaza: they must stop firing rockets on the Israeli side ... this killing of civilians is not acceptable.” Gaza gunmen broke a weekslong lull in violence after Ban’s arrival in the region on Wednesday, firing a volley of mortar shells into southern Israel.

They exploded in open fields without causing casualties. Ban spent Wednesday meeting with Israeli leaders and leaders of the Westernbacked government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. He urged Israel to halt settlement construction and present detailed proposals for a border with a future Palestinian state. —AP

International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Republicans look to Nevada, Maine in next contest Gingrich in line to win Trump endorsement WASHINGTON: The captivating and chaotic race for the Republican presidential nomination has moved to the American heartland and far West, with Newt Gingrich apparently in line yesterday to win the endorsement of real estate baron and reality television show host Donald Trump. That news may serve to temporarily diminish attention paid to front-runner Mitt Romney’s remarks a day earlier about poor people. Critics of the ultra-wealthy former venture capitalist say the statement shows he is out of touch with the lives of average Americans.

After a resounding victory over Gingrich in the Florida primary election Tuesday, Romney said the path ahead “is looking very good” as he moved to Minnesota and Nevada for campaign stops. He appeared to be setting his sights on President Barack Obama rather than battling Republican rivals. But the glow from Romney’s critical win in Florida was quickly dimmed when he said in a CNN interview Wednesday: “I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it.

I’m not concerned about the very rich.

They’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 9095 percent of Americans who are struggling.”

Politicians in both parties pounced on the remarks as yet another sign that Romney’s huge fortune, estimated to be as much as $250 million, has made him insensitive to the lives of ordinary Americans who are struggling financially in the slow recovery from the Great Recession. Government statistics show that increasing numbers of US families are falling into poverty as the very rich

gain an ever-larger share of total US income. Trump, meanwhile, was set to announce his support of Gingrich yesterday in Las Vegas, where Gingrich is campaigning in advance of Nevada’s Republican caucuses on Saturday.

Trump’s backing would bring the former House speaker a blitz of media attention heading into the contest and, perhaps, diminish attention to Gingrich’s Florida defeat. Trump announced Wednesday that he was to make news in the presidential race but did not say what it was. Asked about the possible endorsement Wednesday, Gingrich said he had “no idea what the Donald is going to do.”

“He is always interesting,” Gingrich said of Trump. “And I don’t know of anybody

NEW YORK: Donald Trump smiles at left as Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich talks to media after their meeting in New York, in this Dec 5, 2011 file photo. —AP

US court to rule in police torture case CHICAGO: An inmate who says Chicago police officers tortured him into confessing to a brutal rape could learn yesterday whether the Illinois Supreme Court will allow him to present evidence of coercion that was denied at trial - a ruling that could have implications for as many as 20 other inmates seeking similar appeals. Allegations of abuse and torture have plagued the police department in the third-largest US city for decades and were a factor in former Illinois Gov. George Ryan’s decision to institute a moratorium on the death penalty in 2000. Gov Pat Quinn abolished the death penalty last year.

Stanley Wrice, 57, is among dozens of men - almost all of them black - who have claimed since the 1970s that former Chicago police Lt Jon Burge and his officers used torture to secure confessions in crimes ranging from armed robbery to murder. Allegations persisted until the 1990s. While several of the men with torture claims have been released, Wrice’s case could have far-reaching impact on how Illinois deals with such cases in the future. Wrice, who is serving a 100-year sen-

who does a better job of getting attention by announcing that he will presently announce something.”

Trump had flirted with the idea of jumping in the presidential race as a third-party candidate but ultimately decided not to. Gingrich sought Trump’s endorsement at a meeting in December and agreed to appear in a Republican debate Trump was to host in Iowa. But other candidates, including front-runner Mitt Romney, turned down the invitation, forcing Trump to cancel. Gingrich became the nominal front-runner in the Republican contest after he won the South Carolina primary last month, drawing on the support of the party’s deeply conservative base, which largely distrusts

tence, insists he’s innocent.

An appeals court has already sided with Wrice, ruling that he should be granted a new hearing on his claim that Burge’s officers used a flashlight and rubber hose to beat him in the face and groin until he confessed to a 1982 sexual assault at his home. Prosecutors are asking the state Supreme Court to overturn that ruling. Wrice’s defense attorney, Heidi Lambros, said she’ll be looking for one word yesterday on the high court’s opinion: “If it says ‘affirm,’ that’s golden.”

Burge is serving a 4 1/2-year sentence in federal prison following his conviction last year of perjury and obstruction of justice for lying in a civil suit when he said he’d never witnessed or participated in the torture of suspects. Prosecutors have not disputed that Wrice was tortured but say they had enough evidence of his guilt to convict him even without the allegedly coerced confession, including testimony from two witnesses and the fact that an iron used in the attack was found in Wrice’s bedroom, as were the victim’s clothes. —AP

Romney for his stance on some social issues. South Carolina is one of the most conservative US states, and the primary there was the first test of how the candidates would fare with southern voters.

But Gingrich was quickly brushed aside in Florida where Romney and a political group supporting him unleashed a crushing wave of negative advertising that attacked Gingrich’s character, political history and stability. Romney has formidable advantages in fundraising and organization. His campaign raised $24 million in the final months of 2011, dwarfing his competitors and leaving him with $20 million to fight a primary battle that’s increasingly spread across many states on the way to the Republican National Convention in August.

What’s more, the nomination fight so far has been defined by debates - typically a strong point for Gingrich - but he faces a three-week stretch without one.

The candidates will next debate in Arizona on Feb 22. In addition to caucuses in Nevada on Saturday, voters in the far northeastern but lightly populated state of Maine also gather in caucus meetings to select their favorite candidate. Minnesota and Colorado hold contests on Tuesday. Michigan and Arizona hold primaries on Feb. 28.

Romney, a Mormon, won Nevada’s caucuses in 2008, and a substantial Mormon population there could propel him to victory. Still, the libertarian Texas Rep. Ron Paul has been organizing in the state for months and could pose a strong challenge. Romney’s campaign is working to paint the nomination fight as a four-candidate contest, with Paul and the conservative former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum still in the mix. — AP

Obama emboldened by Republican primary race WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has long relished a dragged-out Republican primary contest that would leave the eventual Republican nominee battered before the fall election. He might be getting his wish, a prospect that is firing up Democrats, galvanizing their ranks and boosting fundraising pitches and requests for volunteers. “They’ve awakened some sleeping giants,” said Ira Leesfield, a longtime Democratic fundraiser. He said he watched the negative Republican ads and said “it put me into high gear.” As the Republican voting shifts to contests in the Midwest and West, front-runner Mitt Romney’s chief rival, Newt Gingrich, is attacking him at every turn and pledging to stay in the race well into the spring. And Romney is paying a price for it: The former Massachusetts governor’s negative perceptions among voters have climbed in recent weeks, a trend that could hurt him in a general election matchup with Obama as the genereal election approaches in November. “The Florida primary will be a turning point in this

race - the other side is looking at what could be months of brutal, negative tactics that turn people off to politics altogether,” Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a fundraising pitch to supporters.

The Obama campaign’s most recent fundraising report showed it had more than $80 million in the bank, a healthy sum for the coming year. Democrats - and Obama specifically - are no stranger to drawn-out fights.

Hillary Rodham Clinton didn’t drop out of the previous presidential race in 2008 until June of that year.

Obama’s team is trying to take advantage of the extra time in this election year, using the next several weeks to focus on his best political asset: being president. As Republicans grind toward having a nominee, Obama is filling his time with a post-State of the Union agenda underscoring the themes of his re-election bid. That means pushing ideas with mainstream appeal, like helping struggling families refinance their homes or pay for the kids’ college education. —AP

International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Bomb kills 6 in Colombia Motorcycle packed with explosives used as bomb

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff, center, talks with Brazilian U.N. peacekeepers during her visit to the Brazilian U.N. base in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday. —AP

Rousseff visits Haiti, promises to boost aid PORT-AU-PRINCE: Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff promised Wednesday to boost economic aid and deliver some visas for Haitians seeking to migrate to her country, in a meeting with President Michel Martelly. More than 4,000 Haitians have entered Brazil illegally in recent months, many arriving by crossing the border with Peru. On Monday Brazil said that these migrants would be granted permanent residency, and the government was allocating more than $500,000 to help them.

“The Brazilian president has promised that 1,200 visas will be allocated to Haitians,” said Martelly, speaking alongside Rousseff at Haiti’s still damaged National Palace. “These visas, which will not be work permits, will allow Haitians to travel to Brazil without going through a network of smugglers,” Martelly said. Rousseff in turn promised to strengthen cooperation between Brazil-Latin America’s leading economy-and Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas.

The Brazilian leader mentioned building homes for people displaced by the earthquake, and encouraging private Brazilian investment in Haiti. Before departing Haiti late Wednesday, Rousseff visited bases where Brazilian peacekeepers-in Haiti since 2004 as part of a United Nations stabilization mission-are deployed. Brazil leads the military component of the UN mission in Haiti. Rousseff also said that Brazil would gradually reduce its military presence in the Caribbean country, and will participate in a joint commission with the Haitian government aimed at setting up a domestic security force that will take over when the UN mission ends.

Haiti is still recovering from the devastating January 12, 2010 earthquake that flattened its capital Port-au-Prince and damaged much of the south of the country. The magnitude 7.0 quake killed 250,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. According to UN figures, the quake killed, injured or displaced one in six of the Caribbean nation’s entire population of almost 10 million. —AFP

BOGOTA: A bomb exploded outside a police station in the Pacific port city of Tumaco just as lunch hour ended Wednesday, killing at six people and wounding 71, authorities said. The bomb appeared to be a motorcycle packed with explosives, Tumaco security chief Hernando Cortes told The Associated Press. Hernando Cortes, a city official, said the blast killed three police officers and three civilians.

He said the 71 injured included 35 police officers. Gen. Rodolfo Palomino, the national police director of citizen security, blamed the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, for the attack, though Tumaco’s mayor, Victor Gallo, refrained from assigning blame.

President Juan Manuel Santos condemned the attack, calling it an “act of desperation.” The southwestern port is one of Colombia’s most lawless cities, a cocaine-smuggling hub where leftist rebels, right-wing criminal bands and drug traffickers are all present.

The 1:58 p.m. blast occurred “in an area with a great abundance of population, as much for the hour as the geo-

TUMACO: Motorcycles burn after a bomb exploded outside a police station in Tumaco on Colombia’s southern Pacific coast, Wednesday. —AP graphical location,” Palomino said. It is include the FARC. The most recent the end of lunch hour in Colombia. major FARC attack in the region Tumaco is in Narino state, which borders occurred in October when 10 soldiers Ecuador and is laced with dozens of were killed in a mortar attack while on rivers popular with drug traffickers, who patrol in a rural part of Tumaco. — AP

Bogota tries trial ban on guns in public BOGOTA: Gustavo Petro was imprisoned as a rebel in the 1980s on a weapons conviction. As Bogota’s new mayor, he wants to get firearms off the streets of this city where the conspicuous display of guns has long been the norm. So he’s trying an experimental ban on gun-wielding in public. The only people authorized to carry weapons during the 90-day trial that began Wednesday are active and retired police and soldiers, bodyguards of diplomats, politicians, judges and prosecutors, armored car guards, gun club members and hunters.

Anyone else caught with a gun will have it seized indefinitely, said the 51-year-old Petro, who took office last month. “Nobody can walk around armed in the city,” he said Wednesday at a small rally in El Amparo, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in this city of 8 million people. “I ask the entire citizenry to leave your weapons under mattress.”

Such bans are rare in Latin America: Brazilian civilians have not been permitted to carry arms since 2003, and Venezuela instituted a ban in November on carrying guns on buses and in passenger terminals. Bogota’s ban aims to reduce the murder rate, although experts say that while it may reduce killings triggered by inebriated disputes, they doubt it will discourage criminals.

One of the few young people in the crowd of about 500 attending Wednesday’s rally was 24-year-old Lourdes Revero, who said criminals who have their guns confiscated at the checkpoints that Petro’s government has set up in key neighborhoods

“are smart enough to go get another.” Handguns can be had for less than $100 in Bogota, according to the mayor’s office. If the experiment does produce a drop in Bogota’s murder rate, which was 23.6 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2010, Petro said he will consider extending the ban. Orlando Parada, a center-right politician on the city council, is skeptical about how effective the ban will be, saying the at least 160,000 registered weapons in Bogota are not the problem. “It’s not the definitive way to confront violence and insecurity in Bogota, because legal weapons only commit a small proportion of crimes” in the capital, Parada said. There are no official estimates of how many illegal weapons exist in Bogota, although Petro said he believes the number easily exceeds the amount of legal weapons. The temporary ban had the backing the police and the military, which hold a legal monopoly on firearms possession and issue permits. Although far less frequent than a decade ago, armed military patrols remain common in Bogota. The trial is being generally well received by analysts, although some caution that making the ban permanent might be a recipe for failure. “Criminals learn (how to flaunt such bans) and authorities get relaxed in their application,” said Jorge Restrepo, director of the independent Resource Center for Conflict Analysis.

Petro, a former M-19 rebel amnestied in a 1989 peace pact, said Wednesday that he has no illusions the trial ban will end violence.

“It will be instructive,” he said, “a pillar” of building a culture of nonviolence. —AP

Two US missionaries slain at ransacked Mexico home MEXICO CITY: A couple from Texas who moved to a violence-plagued area of northern Mexico to run a Baptist church were found slain at their ransacked home, their children said. Shawn Casias said he discovered the body of his mother at about 4 pm Tuesday when he went to their home in the town of Santiago to pick up a trailer. He said he found Wanda Casias lying on the floor with an electrical cord around her neck and a gash from a blunt object on her head.

Missing from the house were a couple of computers, a plasma television and a safe that had been chiseled out of the wall. The couple’s Chevrolet Suburban was also missing, and Casias said he initially thought his father had been kidnapped. But about four or five hours later, he said, a forensic investigator informed him that the body of his father, John Casias, had been found in a storage room of a small building on the property. His father also had an electrical cord around his neck.

John and Wanda Casias were originally from

Amarillo, Texas, but relatives said they moved to an area outside the city of Monterrey in the late 1970s or early 1980s and First Fundamentalist Independent Baptist Church. Fighting between the Zetas and Gulf drug cartels has brought a surge of violence and other crimes to Monterrey and the surrounding region since 2010. In poorer suburbs, entire blocks have been held up by gunmen and young people snatched off the streets. Casias said a sister-in-law in Dallas had spoken to their mother around 11 am Tuesday and everything was fine. So he believes there was about a five-hour window when the killings could have occurred before he showed up.

He said the killers did not take everything they could have, leaving two of the three TV sets. He said perhaps they were warned that he was coming, because anyone watching the winding road approaching the home could have alerted them. “They’re scum. They’re not sophisticated,” he said. Speaking from his parents’

home, about 95 miles (150 kilometers) southwest of the Texas border, Casias said the house was burglarized two years ago when the couple were on one of their periodic visits to the United States to talk at churches about their work in Mexico.

“We’re convinced that it’s somebody he knew,” Casias said of the killers. He said authorities had some leads based on people seen around the home. John Casias was 76. He had recently priced a knee replacement because he couldn’t walk more than 100 yards (100 meters) without having to sit down, Shawn Casias said. Wanda Casias was 67. Casias said his parents held services and prayer meetings at a church about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from their home.

“The only hope for the Mexican people today is Jesus in them, the HOPE of glory,” they wrote in one dispatch from last summer. “I confess that it’s getting easier to witness to the wealthy, at least they are listening. —AP

International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Police probe London Times email hacking LONDON: Police are investigating alleged email interception by Rupert Murdoch’s Times of London, a British lawmaker said yesterday - dragging Britain’s oldest national newspaper into the broadening scandal over press wrongdoing. Labor Party legislator Tom Watson, who helped lift the lid on tabloid phone hacking, released a letter from police confirming they were investigating alleged email hacking by The Times.

Watson, a member of Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport committee, had written to police asking them to take up the issue.

The letter from Detective Supt. John Levett, head of the force’s computer hacking investigation, is dated Jan 25 and tells Watson that “the concerns raised within your letters are under investigation and officers ... are dealing directly with the victim.” The 226-year-

old Times has acknowledged that a former reporter tried to intercept emails in 2009 to unmask an anonymous policeman who blogged as NightJack.

Editor James Harding told Britain’s media ethics inquiry last month that the reporter had acted on his own and had been reprimanded.

The paper later published the blogger’s name, but Harding insisted it had been obtained by legal means. London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed yesterday that computer hacking investigators “are in contact with Mr. Watson in relation to specific issues he wishes to raise,” but would not give further details or confirm the letter’s authenticity. The Times declined to comment.

In the wake of the new development, Harding will be summoned back to give further testimony to the judge-led ethics inquiry. Police are holding parallel

inquiries into phone hacking, police bribery and claims of computer hacking

by Murdoch papers, all of them triggered by the revelation that the nowdefunct News of the World tabloid listened to mobile phone voice mails in its quest for stories.

The investigation has expanded to take in claims of illegal payments to police by staff of the News of the World and its sister tabloid, The Sun. Murdoch’s News Corp. has already admitted computer hacking, acknowledging that the News of the World hacked the emails of Chris Shipman, the son of serial killer Harold Shipman. It has apologized and paid Shipman damages.

Murdoch shut down the 168-year-old News of the World in July after the revelation it had eavesdropped on the cell phone voicemail messages of celebrities, athletes, politicians and even an abduct-

ed teenager.

The scandal has triggered a continuing public inquiry into media ethics and the relationship between the press, police and politicians. More than two dozen people have been arrested by police - many of them journalists and executives of Murdoch newspapers.

The scandal has led to the resignations of several senior Murdoch executives and two of the London police force’s top officers. An earlier police investigation failed to find evidence that hacking went beyond one News of the World reporter and a private investigator, who were both jailed in 2007 for eavesdropping on the phones of royal staff. News Corp. has since acknowledged it was much more widespread, and allegations have spread to the Sun, Britain’s best-selling daily - and now to the venerable Times.—AP

More than 150 dead as cold snap grips Europe Temperatures plunge to minus 32 Celsius

LONDON: Julian Assange WikiLeaks founder arrives at the Supreme Court in London yesterday.—AP

Swedish prosecutors present case against Assange LONDON: Sweden’s public prosecutor argued for the extradition of Julian Assange yesterday, insisting before Britain’s Supreme Court that it had the right to order his return to Scandinavia. The chief of the WikiLeaks secret-spilling site is fighting sex crime allegations stemming from encounters with two Swedish women during a trip there in 2010. Assange denies the allegation and has refused to return to Sweden, saying he fears the case against him has been manipulated for political ends and that he wouldn’t receive a fair trial.

Although the WikiLeaks saga is shot through with international intrigue, the case before the Supreme Court hinges on a dry technical point: Whether Sweden’s public prosecutor was within its rights to issue a European warrant for Assange’s arrest.

Assange’s legal team says it wasn’t, arguing that only courts, not prosecutors, should be allowed to issue arrest warrants. Allowing prosecutors to order extradition would effectively allow them to act as judges in their own case, Assange lawyer Dinah Rose argued Wednesday.

Clare Montgomery, the lawyer for Sweden’s prosecution service, pushed back against the claim yesterday, noting that other European countries allowed public prosecutors to issue warrants and that in this case the move was endorsed by a Swedish court.

Allowing public prosecutors to seek extraditions was “consistent with long-standing state practice,” she told the seven justices gathered at the court’s wood-panelled Courtroom 1. She enumerated nearly a dozen European countries which allowed prosecutors to pursue extraditions.

“The English notion of an arrest warrant issued by a court is very much an exception,” she said. Legal experts say Assange faces an uphill battle as his lawyers seek to quash the extradition effort. —AP

WARSAW: A cold snap kept Europe in its icy grip yesterday, pushing the death toll past 150 as countries from Italy to Ukraine struggled to cope with temperatures that reached record lows in some places. Nine more people died in Poland overnight as temperatures plunged to minus 32 Celsius (minus 25.6 Fahrenheit) in the southwest, bringing the overall toll to 29 since the deep freeze began last week, national police said.

In Ukraine, tens of thousands of people have headed to shelters trying to escape the freeze that the emergencies ministry said has now killed 63 people. Most of them literally froze to death on the street, with only a handful making it to hospital before succumbing to hypothermia, the ministry said.

Shivering and hungry, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have sought help in the more than 2,000 temporary shelters set up by the authorities to help the poor survive the fearsome spell of cold weather.

The shelters offer warmth and hot food in a country where temperatures fell to minus 33 degrees Celsius in the Carpathians in the west of the country and minus 27 in the capital Kiev. “I am unemployed. I have somewhere to live but nothing to eat. I ate here and it was good-bread with a slice of fat and an onion as well as porridge,” said Olexander Shemnikov, an out-of-work engineer after visiting a shelter in Kiev.

In Romania, eight people died overnight because of the cold, bringing the overall toll to 22, the health ministry said.

Schools remained closed in some parts of the country as temperatures reached minus 31 degrees Celsius. In Bulgaria, where the mercury dipped to lows not seen in a century, at least 10 people have died, according to media. Authorities have not released official figures. With parts of the Danube freezing, authorities moved some vessels to ports further away to protect them from the advancing ice.

And in the capital Sofia, some residents found their money frozen as automated teller machines stopped functioning, according to local media. In Latvia, 10 people have died around the capital Riga alone, with no figures available for the rest of the country. In neighboring Lithuania a 55-year-old homeless man found in the ruins of an abandoned house in the port city of Klaipeda became the ninth victim of the chill.

In Italy, hundreds of people were trapped overnight on trains as freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls in the centre and north caused widespread disruptions on roads, railways and at airports. The cold has so far killed an infant in Sicily and a 76-year-old pensioner in Parma during what forecasters say is the coldest weather in Italy in 27 years. In Austria, an 83-year-old woman was found frozen to death in the woods after apparently slipping on her daily walk and not managing to get up again, becoming the country’s second

BAYRISCHZELL: Hikers make their way near the frost covered Wendelstein church, Germany’s highest church, on the 1838 meters (6030 feet) high Wendelstein mountain near Bayrischzell, southern Germany yesterday.—AP victim of the cold snap, officials said.

In Serbia, the cold has killed six people and trapped some 11,500 others, mostly in remote mountain villages inaccessible by road. In Belgrade, homeless people unable to secure one of the 140 spots in the capital’s sole shelter took refuge in trolley buses and trams. “Most of the drivers let them stay in the vehicle if they stay in the back part and do not disturb the trip,” a company official told the Blic daily. “There are significantly more homeless people in public transport when it is so cold outside.”

The freeze has also killed two people each in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Greece. In France, where several regions have been placed under “deep cold” watch, authorities banned trucks on several major highways where the risk of snowfall and ice remained high.—AFP

International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Nigeria agents quiz suspected Boko Haram spokesman ABUJA: Nigerian authorities yesterday questioned a man believed to be a spokesman for Islamist group Boko Haram after his arrest as security forces seek to stop a wave of attacks blamed on the extremists. Several security sources said Wednesday that a suspect believed to be the person who goes by the alias Abul Qaqa had been arrested, but authorities have not officially confirmed his detention or his identity.

One security source said he was flown to the capital Abuja on Wednesday and was undergoing questioning there. “He is under interrogation,” the source in the capital said on condition of anonymity yesterday morning, declining to provide further details. Meanwhile, the country’s recently appointed police chief Mohammed D. Abubakar visited Kano, Nigeria’s second-largest city hit by coordinated bombings and shootings on January 20 that left at least 185 people dead.

President Goodluck Jonathan, under immense pressure over the government’s failure to stop attacks blamed on Boko Haram, sacked police chief Hafiz Ringim and all Ringim’s deputies on January 25. There was heavy security in Kano for Abubakar’s visit, including a helicopter that hovered overhead. The man who goes by the name Abul Qaqa has claimed to speak on behalf of Boko Haram on numerous occasions.

He has claimed responsibility for scores of attacks in Nigeria, including the Kano violence, the group’s deadliest attack yet. The purported spokesman has regularly held phone conferences with journalists in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, Boko Haram’s base. Differing versions of the arrest emerged, with one source saying he had been detained in the northern city of Kaduna early Wednesday and others saying it occurred in a raid in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

A secret police source said “he was tracked down using state of the art tracking equipment.” Local media reported that agents used GPS to track him and that the suspect was from the Igala ethnic group in central Kogi state.

Marilyn Ogar, a spokeswoman for the secret police, did not respond to phone calls yesterday, but on Wednesday night said she could not confirm any arrest.

“When you have an ongoing operation, a lot of people are brought in, and until you are able to put a face to a name ...,” nothing can be confirmed, Ogar said. “My office has not confirmed to me that they have him.” Boko Haram has carried out increasingly sophisticated attacks, mostly in Nigeria’s north, that have left hundreds of people dead.

The spiralling violence has sparked deep concern in the international community and shaken the country, whose 160 million population is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

There has been intense speculation over whether Boko Haram has formed links with outside extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda’s north African branch. Diplomats say some Boko Haram members have sought training abroad but that there is no proof of operational links with foreign extremists and that the group remains domestically focused.

Analysts say the violence has been fed by deep poverty in the north, where masses of unemployed youths have little trust in government or hope for the future in a country long considered one of the world’s most corrupt. The Arewa Consultative Forum, a group of northern elites, condemned the Kano attacks in a statement this week, but called for the government to guarantee the safety of Boko Haram members who choose to participate in dialogue.

With security forces seemingly unable to stop the attacks, there have been growing calls for negotiations.

Boko Haram has mainly targeted police stations and other symbols of authority. Christians have also been killed, including in a wave of bomb blasts on Christmas day, but Muslims have been victims of attacks as well. The group has also claimed responsibility for the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja which killed at least 25 people. It launched an uprising in 2009 put down by a brutal military assault that left some 800 dead. After going dormant for about a year, it re-emerged with a series of shootings and bomb blasts.—AFP

Congo leader’s party loses 45 percent of its seats Kabila will still command majority in parliament KINSHASA: President Joseph Kabila’s party has lost 45 percent of the legislative seats it held before November elections that were denounced as fraudulent and chaotic, according to belated results announced yesterday by Congo’s electoral commission. Kabila still will command a majority in parliament, where his coalition of several parties has won about 260 of the 500 seats, down from more than 300 in the previous assembly. Officials from the discredited electoral commission announced the last of the winning legislators yesterday in results it has issued piecemeal and following a suspension of the count from the Nov 28 balloting.

An Associated Press count shows Kabila’s party winning at least 61 seats, down from 111. Etienne Tshisekedi’s opposition party is in second place with 41 seats. Tshisekedi has called the elections “rubbish” and declared he won the presidential vote claimed by Kabila. Yesterday’s results do not include 17 seats in the south and east of the country where the commission canceled the elections because of violence and fraud.

Presidential and legislative elections were held the same day. Presidential results showed Kabila winning 100 percent of votes at some balloting stations, and more than 100 percent of registered voters participating at other stations where he won. Congo’s Supreme Court said it has received 30 appeals against legislative results. Many opposition leaders have said it is useless to appeal to the court, which Kabila pumped up with his supporters from seven to 27 judges before the elections. The parliamentary results

will make it more difficult for Kabila to pass legislation and the kind of constitutional reforms that he pushed through the assembly last year, including one that helped him win the election. The reform did away with a two-round system for the presidency that required a candidate to win at least 50 percent of votes. There were reports that large bribes were paid to legislators who passed the reforms. The commission said Kabila won with nearly 49 percent of votes. Among those who lost seats in parliament are at least eight Cabinet ministers and a provincial governor who all supported Kabila. But Kabila’s twin sister and a younger brother both were re-elected.

Some 19,000 candidates from 450 parties ran in the legislative elections. Fewer parliament seats could weaken Kabila’s control over the sprawling nation the size of Western Europe, especially in the mineral-rich east where foreign rebels and local fighters terrorize civilians. Dozens of people were killed in election-related violence before, during and after the voting. Angry voters set ablaze some balloting stations where they charged officials were rigging the vote count and stuffing ballot boxes.

Millions of voters were unable to cast ballots, hundreds of thousands of ballots were tampered with and 1.3 million completed ballots went missing. When protests erupted after Kabila was announced the winner, soldiers were deployed and attacked crowds of protesters, effectively cowing the opposition.

Tshisekedi is under effective house arrest since he held his own ceremony to install himself as president. Powerful Catholic

bishops have now called for Congolese to stage mass protests against the election results on Feb. 16. The last time Catholic leaders ordered such protests, they led to unrest that, together with a rebellion, helped force longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko from power in 1997.

Congo then suffered back-to-back civil wars that drew in the armies of a half dozen African nations in what ballooned into a scramble for the country’s vast mineral reserves. A peace deal was signed in 2004 that left warlord Laurent Kabila as president. Joseph Kabila took over after his father was assassinated and in 2006 called elections that were organized by the United Nations. The November vote was only the second democratic election in half a century in Congo, and the first organized by the government.

The European Union and the United States have questioned the presidential election results, indicating they were so flawed it was impossible to know who won. In Congo, civil society groups and religious leaders also have denounced the elections. The Catholic Church has demanded that the electoral commission, headed by a relative and co-founder of Kabila’s party, review “serious errors” in its count or resign. That commission chief, the Rev. Daniel Ngoy Mulunda, said yesterday the results had been long in coming because they wanted “to ensure their overall transparency.” In the uproar after the presidential results were announced, the U.S. sent electoral experts to try to salvage results of the legislative elections.

They left in disgust saying it was an impossible mission.—AP

Senegal’s Wade compares opposition to a ‘light breeze’ DAKAR: Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade has dismissed opposition to his third term candidature, which has turned violent, as a light breeze, according to media reports yesterday. “A breeze is a light wind which rustles the leaves of a tree, but never becomes a hurricane,” Wade said Wednesday during a ceremony in Dakar. The comments headlined in several daily newspapers and were confirmed by Wade’s spokesman for the electoral campaign El Hadj Amadou Sall.

“The president was commenting on threats by the opposition who said their march would be the final assault on the presidential palace,” Sall told AFP. Wade has repeatedly dismissed the opposition’s campaign of mass resistance against his controversial candidacy, calling their protests “temper tantrums.” The anti-Wade June 23 Movement grouping of opposition and civil society has called rallies in recent days where thousands have turned out to demand the 85-year-old resign.

The protests began Friday when the constitutional council gave Wade the green light to run in elections despite already having served two terms. The

DAKAR: Riot police advance as they clash with protesters at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, Wednesday.—AP gatherings have erupted into riots, leaving four people dead. “All of you who have followed me during the difficult hours of opposition, you know very well these current agitations don’t

seem to be affecting the Senegalese,” Wade said, referring to his 25 years as opposition leader. “I hope I will still be here next year to further prove my ambitions for you,” Wade said.—AFP

International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Most-wanted terror leaders killed: Philippines MANILA: The Philippine military said it killed Southeast Asia’s most-wanted terrorist and two other senior militants yesterday in a US -backed airstrike marking one of the region’s biggest anti-terrorism successes in recent years. The dawn strike targeting a militant camp on a southern Philippine island killed Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, a top leader of the regional, Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terror network, said military spokesman Col. Marcelo Burgos.

Also killed were the leader of the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf militants, Umbra Jumdail, and a Singaporean leader in Jemaah Islamiyah, Abdullah Ali, who used the guerrilla name Muawiyah, Burgos said. The strike significantly weakens a regional militant network that has relied on the restive southern Philippines

- sometimes called Southeast Asia’s Afghanistan - as a hideout, a headquarters for planning bombings and a base for training and recruitment.

Police recovered the bodies of the three militant leaders, and they were “positively identified by police and our intelligence informants at the site,” Burgos told The Associated Press. “What I know is that they will be buried.” About 30 militants were at the camp near Parang town on Jolo Island, the stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf and their allies from the mostly Indonesian-based Jemaah Islamiyah, when it was bombarded by two OV10 aircraft at 3 a.m., regional military commander Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes said.

“Our report is there were at least 15 killed, including their three leadership,”

he said. “This is a deliberate, fully planned attack coming from our forces.” The rest of the militants escaped and no one was captured after the attack, Coballes said.

The US had offered a $5 million reward for the capture of Marwan, a US -trained engineer accused of involvement in a number of deadly bombings in the Philippines and in the training of new militants. American counterterrorism troops have helped ill-equipped Filipino troops track Marwan for years using satellite and drone surveillance. About 600 US special forces troops have been deployed in the southern Philippines since 2002, providing a crucial support for the Philippines’ counterterrorism operations.

Pending confirmation by DNA testing, Marwan’s death represents the most important success against regional terror

network Jemaah Islamiyah since the January 2011 arrest of Indonesian suspect Umar Patek in Pakistan’s garrison town of Abbottabad, where Osama bin Laden was killed in a US commando attack four months later.

Patek and Marwan collaborated with the Abu Sayyaf in training militants in bomb-making skills, seeking funding locally and abroad and plotting attacks, including against American troops in the southern Philippines. Patek is believed to have traveled back to Indonesia then onward to Pakistan, leaving Marwan to take charge in the southern Philippines, military officials say. Yesterday’s attack also represents a huge blow to the Abu Sayyaf’s ability to recover from years of battle setbacks through fund-raising and training of new militants. — AP

Hundreds rescued as Papua New Guinea ferry sinks Dozens remain missing

PYONGYANG: Ri Son Kwon, left, a colonel working for the Policy Department of North Korea’s National Defense Commission, accompanied by an unidentified official, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Pyongyang yesterday.—AP

North demands preconditions for talks with South Korea PYONGYANG: North Korea yesterday demanded several tough preconditions for resuming talks with rival South Korea, as it backed away from earlier vows to shun Seoul’s conservative leader in what could be a sign of conciliation. South Korea quickly called the demands made in a statement by the Policy Department of the North’s powerful National Defense Commission “unreasonable.” But the timing of the statement, which follows comments Wednesday by a senior US diplomat that Washington is open to diplomacy if Pyongyang improves ties with Seoul, and the change in tone after weeks of refusal to talk with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak could signal a willingness to ease tensions, analysts said.

“If clear answers are given, dialogue will resume immediately, and the inter-Korean relations that have been moving toward complete destruction will improve,” Ri Son Kwon, a colonel working for the commission’s Policy Department, told The Associated Press in an interview. “The resumption of dialogue and the improvement of relations hinge completely on the willingness of the South’s government.”

The North’s defense commission issued a list of nine conditions, including demands that South Korea apologize for failing to show proper respect to Kim Jong Il during the mourning period that followed the late leader’s Dec 17 death. Among the other demands were that Seoul stop criticizing Pyongyang over two deadly 2010 attacks blamed on North Korea, and follow through on previous agreements that call for South Korean investments in the North.

The North also demanded an end to US -South Korean military drills, which the allies hold regularly but that Pyongyang calls a rehearsal for war. A round of military exercises are to start later this month. — AP

PORT MORESBY: More than 200 people were plucked from waters off Papua New Guinea yesterday after a ferry sank but dozens remained missing with rescuers scouring the choppy seas for survivors. Operator Star Ships said it lost contact with the MV Rabaul Queen at about 6:00am (2000 GMT Wednesday) while it was travelling between Kimbe and Lae in the east of the Pacific nation, blaming bad weather for the disaster.

The PNG National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) said it was first alerted by a distress signal and confirmed that “the vessel has sunk and passengers are in the waters awaiting rescue”. Rescue co-ordinator Captain Nurur Rahman said more than 300 people were on board the vessel but it was too early to say why the ferry went down, refusing to speculate on whether the ship was overloaded.

“Our priority at the moment is to save lives, but it is an unusual occurrence,” he told AFP, adding the Rabaul Queen had “completely sunk”. “We’ve had a few cargo ship mishaps before, but never a ferry,” he added. Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said the ship went down about nine nautical miles (16 kilometres) off the coast and it was helping coordinate the rescue, with 238 people saved so far and eight merchant ships on the scene.

It was not clear however how many people were missing, an AMSA spokeswoman said. “Initial reports say (there were) 350 (on board), however three passengers who have been rescued from the water have said the number could be higher than that.” Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd was quoted as saying by the AAP news agency that “a large number (are) still remain missing”. Rough seas were hampering the rescue effort, AAP said, quoting Rahman. A number of the survivors were to be airlifted to hospitals for treatment for dislocated shoulders and other injuries, Rahman said, adding that he had not “heard anything about fatalities”. An Australian search-and-rescue aircraft with life raft-dropping capabili-

EAST COAST: An aerial view shows people in inflatable life rafts after the ferry they were travelling on, the MV Rabaul Queen, sank off the east coast of Papua New Guinea yesterday.—AFP ties was assisting the operation, as well as three local helicopters, with an Orion PC3 military jet and second search aircraft en route, AMSA said.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard earlier described it as a “major tragedy” that had likely claimed a large number of lives. “Given the likely very high loss of life here, I think when this news comes to the attention of Australians around the country they will be thinking about the people of PNG,” Gillard said in the hours immediately after the sinking.

Rudd said Canberra stood “ready to offer all necessary assistance.” Australia’s foreign office said it had been advised

by Star Ships that “they do not believe that there were any foreigners on board”, with local reports suggesting that many on the ferry had been students and trainee teachers. Lae, the

ship’s final destination, is home to a large university. It was rocked by a horrific plane crash in October which killed 28 people, most of whom were believed to be parents travelling to graduation ceremonies-in PNG’s worst air disaster. Martin Mosi, director of the PNG National Disaster Centre, said he was awaiting word on casualties and it was “very difficult to say” what the cause of the ferry sinking may have been.

“Is it weather, is it overloading or is it something to do with the vessel itself?

We do not know but that will certainly come to light very soon,” he added. Star Ships, among PNG’s largest passenger ship operators, runs regular services to the nation’s outlying islands including to New Britain’s Kimbe, a popular dive site that attracts tourists from across the world.—AFP

International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Top Indian court cancels 122 cellphone licenses One of the largest scandals in country’s history

ISLAMABAD: Aitzaz Ahsan, center, lawyer of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani listens to reporters outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday.—AP

Supreme Court to charge Pakistani PM with contempt ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court vowed yesterday to charge the prime minister with contempt for his failure to reopen an old corruption case against the president, ramping up a destabilizing political crisis just as Washington seeks to rebuild a troubled anti-terror alliance with the country. If convicted, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani could face six months in prison and the loss of his job.

The court ordered Gilani to appear before it on Feb. 13, when he will be charged. The announcement was a major escalation in a case that has dogged the democratically elected government since 2009, when the Supreme Court ordered it write to Swiss authorities requesting they reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari that dates to the late 1990s. The government has refused, claiming the president enjoys immunity from prosecution while in office. In early January, the judges threatened to hold Gilani in contempt if he didn’t write the letter, and ordered him to make a rare appearance before the court to plead his case.

Gilani struck a conciliatory tone before the judges on Jan 19, and his lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, agreed to argue the issue of the president’s immunity when the hearing resumed. The government previously insisted presidential immunity was a right, and therefore didn’t need to be debated in court. But Ahsan appeared to do a Uturn, refusing to specifically address the issue of presidential immunity. Instead, he simply argued that Gilani should not be held in contempt because his lawyers advised him he did not have to send the letter. The judges didn’t accept that, and after five-hours of debate, said Gilani would be charged. Ahsan said he would advise Gilani to appeal before Feb. 13, something that could draw out the proceedings further.

A defendant has the right to appeal in a contempt case in Pakistan even before a trial begins. “It was my wish that there confrontation between institutions of the state should be avoided, but now the situation is looking tense,” Ahsan told reporters outside the court. Government supporters say the court is trying to oust Zardari because of enmity between the president and the chief justice. They also claim the case can’t be separated from tensions between the government and the army, which has carried out three coups in the country’s history. In those cases, the Supreme Court either stood by or legitimized the actions.

The court has also ordered an inquiry into a secret memo scandal that is also threatening Zardari. The memo was allegedly sent to Washington by the government last year asking for help in stopping a supposed military coup. The government has denied the allegations, and the case appeared to lose steam last week when the main witness refused to come to Pakistan to testify. The graft case against Zardari relates to kickbacks that he and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, allegedly received from Swiss companies when Bhutto was in power. They were found guilty in absentia in a Swiss court in 2003. Zardari appealed, but Swiss prosecutors ended up dropping the case after the Pakistani parliament passed a bill giving the president and others immunity from old corruption cases that many agreed were politically motivated. The Pakistani Supreme Court ruled the bill unconstitutional in 2009, triggering the slow moving process. Since January, the case has consumed Pakistan’s highly polarized political and media elite, deflecting attention from what many say are existential threats to the country like an ailing economy and a violent Islamist insurgency that is showing little sign of ebbing. Relations between Islamabad and a vital donor, the United States, are at a low ebb after US aircraft killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on the Afghan border last November, prompting Pakistan to close its border to U.S. and NATO supplies heading for Afghanistan. —AP

NEW DELHI: India’s top court ordered the government yesterday to cancel 122 licenses granted to companies during an irregular sale of cellphone spectrum that has been branded one of the largest scandals in the country’s history. The verdict will likely disrupt the country’s massive cellphone market and is a further embarrassment for the scandal-riddled government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The 2008 sale of second generation, or 2G, cellphone spectrum at cut-rate prices in a bewildering “first-come, first-served” process netted the government only 124 billion rupees ($2.7 billion). Government auditors said the sale might have cost the treasury as much as $36 billion in potential revenue. The court ruled that the 122 licenses granted in that deal be scrapped and that a fresh auction for licenses be held in the next four months. Analysts expect the new auction to raise an estimated 1 trillion rupees ($20 billion). That might be less than the spectrum would have garnered at the time because of the subsequent introduction of 3G technology here and the consolidation of the main market players. Such a windfall would be welcome in New Delhi, which has been struggling with a growing fiscal deficit. Telecoms Minister Kapil Sibal said the ruling at least would bring clarity to an industry that had been frozen because of investor wariness over the government’s policy. But the verdict is also likely to serve as a chilling reminder to foreign companies about the complexities of doing business in India. Policy flip-flops and corruption scandals have made foreign investors increasingly skeptical about investing here. Among the companies that will lose their licenses under yesterday’s ruling are Unitech Wireless, which is in collaboration with Norway’s Telenor, and Swan Telecom, which is 45 percent-owned by Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat.

The Telenor Group, which has invested over 61 billion rupees ($1.2 billion) in equity and offered more than 80 billion rupees ($1.6 billion) in corporate guarantees for its India venture, said it was

BHUBANESHWAR: An Indian daily wage laborer holds a mobile phone to another’s ear, at a construction site in Bhubaneshwar, India yesterday.—AP being punished for actions that took place before it entered the Indian market.

“We urge the government to ensure that a foreign investor that had nothing to do with these processes is not harmed,” Telenor said in an emailed statement.

Etisalat said the license was granted nearly a year before its investment in Swan. “Etisalat has no knowledge of what occurred in the license application process for Swan, far less did it have any involvement,” the company said. “The license applications were entirely conducted by the promoters and their associates who subsequently marketed the Swan investment opportunity to Etisalat.”

The license cancellation affects 11 companies, mainly newer and smaller firms that were late entrants into the market.

Larger companies, such as Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications, received nearly all their licenses in earlier agreements with the government and are largely unaffected. IDEA Cellular and Tata Teleservices, both major players, will lose a handful of licenses giving them the right to operate in several cities. Still, tens

of millions of subscribers will be affected.

India’s telecommunications regulator, J.S. Sarma, told CNN-IBN TV that many of the affected subscribers will be expected to move their accounts to other operators over the coming months. Ankita Somani, a telecoms analyst, said the decision would likely spell the end of some of the smaller, struggling cellphone companies and give an opening to those remaining to raise prices for the country’s nearly 900 million cellphone accounts.

“It’ll create consolidation in the industry ... and a price rise,” she said. During the 2008 sale, some licenses were awarded to ineligible participants who in turn sold their stakes at much higher prices than they bought them from the government. While the 2G sale raised concerns at the time, criticism exploded when the transparent auction of 3G spectrum two years later raised more than six times as much money. India’s former telecommunications minister Andimuthu Raja, who was forced to resign because of the scandal, is facing charges of abusing his position. He denies any wrongdoing. — AP

Nepal govt monitors to hand checks to ex-rebels SHAKTIKHOR MAOIST CAMP: Government monitors in Nepal yesterday headed to camps where thousands of former Maoist rebels have lived for years to hand out checks to the ex-fighters, who are about to move back into society. The former rebels have been living in the camps since the Maoists gave up their armed revolt in 2006 and joined a peace process.

The monitors were on the way to all seven of the camps and were expected to reach them yesterday and today, chief government monitor Balananda Sharma said.

The monitors will hand out the checks to the former fighters starting today as part of the government’s plan to integrate them back into society, Sharma said. Each exrebel is to receive up to 900,000 rupees ($11,500). UN arms monitors have verified

that there are 19,000 former rebel fighters in the camps. They have had to live in the camps for five years because of disagreements between Nepal’s political parties on the future of the ex-fighters. An agreement was reached between the major political parties late last year saying 6,500 of them would be integrated into the national army while the remaining would be given money to start fresh civilian lives.

At the Shaktikhor camp in Chitwan district, some 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of the capital, Katmandu, the former fighters prepared yesterday to leave.

Dambar Thani, a former rebel fighter in the camp, said there were mixed emotions among the camp’s residents. He said that while they were happy to be heading home, they were disappointed that many

of the former rebels’ concerns and demands had not been addressed by the government.

Among them is medical aid for disabled ex-fighters who need expensive treatment but have not been assured they will receive it after leaving the camps. The Maoists fought government troops for 10 years, starting in 1996. After joining the peace process, they confined their fighters in UN-monitored camps and locked up their weapons. They joined mainstream politics and contested elections in 2008, emerging as the largest political party.

Nepal’s current prime minister, Buburam Bhattarai, is the deputy leader of the Maoist party. He formed the government last year with the support of smaller political parties.—AP

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Facebook friends Wall St with planned $5bn IPO

Deutsche Bank results hit by euro-zone crisis

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MENLO PARK, California: Visitors of Facebook pose in front of a Facebook sign displayed at the main entrance of Facebook’s new headquarters on Wednesday. Giant social network Facebook filed paperwork to go public on Wednesday, seeking to raise $5 billion on Wall Street in the largest flotation ever by an Internet company. — AFP

Egypt stocks plunge after deadly riots Market crash rekindles fears of fresh instability CAIRO: Egypt’s benchmark stock index fell over 2 percent yesterday, paring an earlier plunge stemming from deadly soccer riots the night before that left 74 dead and rekindled fears of fresh instability akin to the unrest that has battered the country and its economy in the year since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak.

The benchmark EGX30 index shot down about 4.6 percent within minutes of the start of trade, but rebounded as bargain hunters stepped in. The index closed down 2.2 percent, at 4,584 points. The declines halted a rally in the market over the past week that had been fueled by newfound optimism after the peaceful passing of the one year anniversary of the Jan. 25 uprising that pushed Mubarak from power. Investors had also found cause to cheer in the convening of the country’s first post-Mubarak parliament - a legislature that was seated after Egypt’s freest elections in

decades. But the riots by football fans late Wednesday in the Mediterranean city of Port Said reignited simmering criticism of the country’s military rulers, with witnesses saying the police stood idly by while the violence broke out after the match. Parliament convened an emergency session - a move also mirrored by the Cabinet.

“There are a lot of fears, a lot of concerns, a lot of potential clashes,” said Mustafa AbdelAziz, senior broker with Mideast investment bank Beltone Financial’s brokerage division.

“But we’re seeing the market react much better than it should” given the night’s violence.

Abdel-Aziz said that the early sell-off triggered buying interest, with investors stepping in to snap up deals. In a market that ended 2011 over 45 percent below its level at the end of 2010, the recent gains have offered a measure of optimism as the country pushes

ahead with a rocky transition to democracy that has been defined by continued protests and a growing mistrust of a military that had been hailed at the start of the uprising as heroes. The violence in Port Said, however, reflected how fragile the gains could be at a time when Egypt’s economy is reeling from the overall effect of the uprising. The protests and associated violence have hammered the country’s chief foreign currency sources - foreign investment and tourism.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s net international reserves were down 50 percent year-on-year by the end of December, leaving wide open questions about how the country will raise new cash to bridge a widening deficit and worries over the balance of payments. It is now discussing with the International Monetary Fund a $3.2 billion loan.

The Finance Ministry on Wednesday said it

would secure $1.1 billion in aid from the European Union and the World Bank. While Egyptian media have reported the loans appear to be a done deal, an EU financial official in Cairo told The Associated Press that the EU portion of the aid - known as Macro-financial Assistance - was predicated on Egypt securing the IMF loan.

An EU team was scheduled to come to Cairo on Feb. 22 for discussions, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue. For investors, the macroeconomic concerns appear to have been factored into their investment strategy, said brokers. But what’s “not quantifiable is the extended tension between the police, the protesters and the army,” said Abdel-Aziz. “Definitely, if there’s an extended tension in this relationship, you could see another wave of selling.” — AP

Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

UK gas prices to jump as Qatar rules supply British reliance on LNG imports rises

YANGON: Myanmar laborers work at a construction site in downtown Yangon yesterday. Myanmar is emerging from political and economic isolation after decades of military rule since a nominally civilian government took power last year. — AFP

Dow Chemical posts 4Q loss on charge NEW YORK: Dow Chemical says it posted a loss in the fourth-quarter because of a one-time charge that caused it to pay higher taxes at its Brazilian operations.

The Midland, Michigan company yesterday reported a loss of $20 million, or 2 cents per share, compared with a year-ago profit of $426 million, or 37 cents per share.

Excluding a charge of 27 cents per Andrew Liveris, share, Dow would have earned 25 Chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical, cents per share in the quarter.

Revenue rose 2 percent to speaks at the $14.1 billion. Results were below Clinton Global Wall Street’s expectations. FactSet Initiative, in New says analysts expected a profit, York. — AP excluding items, of 31 cents per share on revenue of $14.18 billion.

Volume fell 1 percent in the quarter. Dow says it saw global economic “deterioration” in the period, with “considerable weakness” in Western Europe. — AP

Aramex Q4 profit up; warns of outlook DUBAI: Dubai’s Aramex yesterday warned of an uncertain outlook for the logistics firm in 2012 due to unrest in the Middle East and worries over the global economy, as it reported a 4 percent rise in quarterly profit. Aramex made a net profit of 57.2 million dirhams ($15.57 million) in the fourth quarter, up from 55 million dirhams in the corresponding period in 2010, the company said in a statement to the Dubai bourse.

Revenue for the quarter reached 682 million dirhams, up 18 percent from 580 million dirhams in the prior-year period.

Profit for the year also increased by 4 percent to 211.5 million dirhams.

Uncertainty remains over the outlook for 2012 in light of sluggish global trade and instability in the Middle East, the company’s chief executive Fadi Ghandour said in the statement.

“Our performance for this year is expected to maintain this trajectory and we prefer to wait till the end of the first quarter to reassess our outlook for the rest of the year,” he added.

In January 2011, Aramex was forced to suspend its operations in Egypt during an uprising that ultimately ended former president Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule.

In December, the company paid $55.5 million from its internal cash balance for the acquisition of South African logistics firm Berco Express. The deal was part of Aramex’ strategy to expand internationally and follows a recent joint venture with SinoAir in China and the acquisition of OneWorld Courier and In-Time Couriers in Kenya in the first quarter of 2011. Shares of the firm were flat at 0628 GMT. — Reuters

LONDON: British gas prices are likely to become more volatile and prone to spikes over the next few years after the UK has moved from self-sufficiency to increasing dependence on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar.

The latest UK government data show Qatari LNG imports were equivalent to 52 percent of the gas consumed over the first nine months of 2011, up from 11 percent for 2009 as a whole.

Qatar also accounted for 85 percent of UK LNG supplies between January and November last year, with Nigeria a weak second at just 5 percent. Britain’s gas market is exposed to diversions of Qatari ships to countries that pay more, to shipping restrictions or unplanned outages on production facilities.

“If Qatari LNG supply to Britain was cut off, UK gas prices would spike to oil-indexed levels to attract imports and possibly even higher to attract LNG from elsewhere,” one UK gas trader at a utility said. An event considered routine in other markets - the news leak last summer of Qatar’s LNG autumn maintenance schedule for its LNG trains - had the power to push UK winter gas prices up 3 percent in a day.

British gas prices also soared in March last year when Japan, also a big LNG importer, was hit with the Fukushima nuclear crisis and started replacing nuclear capacity with additional gas imports.

By December, Japan’s imports from Qatar were double year-ago levels. The potential for a sustained increase in Japan’s need for more gas could divert LNG shipments destined for Europe and push up British gas prices again later this year. “In my view the UK gas market has not priced that risk in, which is very apparent from the winter 2012 gas price onwards,” said a European gas trader at a UK trading house. UK gas for winter 2012 is currently trading at 68.25 pence per therm, which is higher than the frontmonth price but around 11 percent below levels in March following Fukushima.

Traders say those winter prices could rise again as Japan competes for more supply. “It depends on the Japanese nukes, and if these are not back in large numbers by winter 2012, we (Britain) may well need discretionary Russian volumes as LNG flows will likely be even less than this winter,” the European gas trader said.

Even more drastic, Britain is vulnerable to a crisis in the Middle East, such as the potential for Iran to carry out a threat to shut the Strait of Hormuz.

Virtually all of Qatar’s LNG vessels need to pass through Hormuz and the Suez Canal to reach Britain. “Qatar’s proximity to less stable nations and its reliance on delivering cargoes via the Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal are of particular concern when considering the recent tensions with Iran,” said Paul Akass, European gas trader at Dutch utility Essent. “My guess is, if real disruptions occurred, the initial reaction would be prices rising to all-time highs.” The British government has acknowledged that Britain receives a lot of its gas from Qatar and that a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz would threaten economic growth. Such an event would have much less impact on other European countries such as Germany, which receive most of their gas supplies from Russia via pipeline. Over the past two years, Qatar has proved a reliable trading partner, and the UK has become a vital market for Qatar to maintain its ranking as the world’s largest LNG exporter. “I think Qatar wants to have a solid relationship with the UK to hold its position as the number one LNG supplier,” the UK gas trader said.

“However, I think any swing gas

(spare LNG shipments) would go elsewhere unless we are willing to pay for it.” The UK gas hub has become a balancing point between supply and demand for the global gas market, helping set spot prices.

Plentiful gas supplies in recent years have kept spot prices cheaper than most contracted prices for Russian pipeline gas, which are linked to oil prices. British officials express little concern about the dependence on Qatar.

“In 2011 we imported LNG from eight countries, and the infrastructure exists to continue to import large volumes, should we need to,” Energy Minister Charles Hendry said in a speech last week. Current alternative LNG suppliers such as Trinidad, Nigeria and Yemen, however, are also not tied into longterm delivery contracts to Britain and could ship to where prices are highest.

British month-ahead gas currently costs around 57 pence per therm, while Asian customers pay around 95 pence per therm (or $15 per mmBtu) for LNG, leaving suppliers with a hefty premium on Asian deliveries.

Years from now, Britain’s reliance on Qatar and spot gas prices could prove an advantage due to the potential for a global boom in shale gas and plans by companies in the United States and Australia to export LNG, starting as early as 2015. — Reuters

MOSCOW: Russia’s former finance minister Alexei Kudrin (right) and Sberbank chief executive German Gref (left) attend an investment forum on Russia’s economic development to 2018 hosted by Russian investment bank Troika Dialog in Moscow yesterday. — AFP

Iran accepts 45% of India oil sales in rupees: Report NEW DELHI: Iran has agreed to be paid 45 percent of revenue from its Indian oil exports in rupees, to be deposited with an Indian bank beyond the reach of new US and European sanctions, a report said yesterday.

The two countries have chosen UCO Bank, headquartered in the eastern city

of Kolkata, for the rupee transactions to settle part of India’s $12.68-billion annual oil bill, The Indian Express reported. India currently pays for 20 percent of its oil imports from Iran in rupees, with the remainder settled in euros at the Turkish bank, Turkiye Halk Bankasi. There are concerns that the Turkish route will be

closed by tough new European sanctions on oil exports from Iran imposed over the Islamic Republic’s disputed nuclear program. India has said it will continue to buy crude from Iran despite moves by the US and Europe to further isolate the country, which accounts for 12 percent of India’s annual oil imports. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, FREBRUARY 3, 2012

Brent struggles to hold gains LONDON: Brent crude oil struggled to sustain gains made earlier yesterday as a large build-up of oil stocks in top consumer the United States countered upbeat economic data globally.

ICE Brent crude for March was up 9 cents to $111.65 a barrel by 1016 GMT after earlier rising as high as $112.50. US crude was at $96.92, down 69 cents. US crude inventories jumped more than 4 million barrels last week, exceeding an expected build of 2.4 million barrels. Gasoline demand fell to an 11-year low.

But the outlook was not entirely gloomy. Factory activity rose last month in the United States, China and Germany, the world’s three manufacturing superpow-

ers, raising hopes the global economy will not be dragged down by the euro zone debt crisis. “We’ve got a bullish bias, and the Chinese PMI data was supportive of that,” said Jonathan Barratt, chief executive of Barratt’s Bulletin. Investors are now eyeing employment data due from the United States for clues to the country’s economic health.

US lawmakers are considering a bid to force Washington to blacklist Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an effort to thwart Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. Such a measure would designate them as human rights abusers, freeze any assets they

have in the United States and deny them visas to enter the country. The fresh penalties would build on a European Union oil embargo and sanctions by the United States that seek to shut out Iran’s main clearinghouse for oil revenues, the Iranian central bank.

“It is a stalemate that will continue to squeeze Iran,” Barratt said. “It’s against everyone’s interest to have a conflict as they don’t want to see crude at $140 to $150.” The US sanctions have put top crude buyers in Asia in a quandary. South Korea and Japan, heavily dependent on imports, will seek clarification from Washington on how much oil they can buy from Iran under the new law. — Reuters

Unilever sees tough year as markets slow LONDON: Consumer goods group Unilever said 2012 will be a difficult year as growth in emerging markets, which accounts for more than half its business, slows and demand in Europe and North America stays flat at best.

The gloomy outlook sent shares in the Anglo-Dutch group sharply lower early yesterday after it broadly matched 2011 sales growth and profit margin forecasts. Unilever, which pushed up the prices of brands such as Dove, Hellmann’s, and Knorr to offset higher commodity costs, said growth in emerging markets had now slowed due to these price rises and weak consumer confidence.

Finance director Jean-Marc Huet said growth in emerging markets such as Africa, Asia and Latin America stayed strong but the company needed to do better in Russia and eastern Europe where its performance was sluggish. “We have seen a deceleration in some markets and one or two are now more difficult, so our focus is on Russia and eastern Europe where we need to improve,” he told reporters. Huet added that the global economy was in poor shape and so there will not be many price rises this year as the group needs to take into account the fragile nature of consumer confidence after its fourth quarter growth relied heavily on price hikes.

The world’s third-biggest consumer

goods group reported underlying sales in 2011 rose 6.5 percent in line with forecasts of 6.4 percent, with four-quarter growth of 6.6 percent compared to rival Procter & Gamble which saw a 4 percent rise. Unilever shares were the second biggest faller on London’s FTSE 100 index, down 3.1 percent at 2,021 pence by 10000 GMT. They had outperformed European markets by 20 percent in 2011 and European food and beverage stocks by 4 percent.

“The cautious market outlook will be the focus as emerging market volume growth slows,” said Citi analyst Robert Dickinson, adding that fourth quarter volume growth in its Asia, Africa and central and eastern Europe region was just 2.8 percent. Its fourth quarter underlying sales rose 6.6 percent, just missing forecasts of 6.8 percent but the rise was made up of 6.5 percent from price and just 0.1 percent from volume gains.

Emerging markets, which make up 54 percent of Unilever’s business, grew 11.5 percent in 2011. In product terms, its personal care goods like Lux and Sunsilk were the fastest growing at 10 percent while its foods grew just over 3 percent.

“We expect the macro-economic environment to remain difficult in 2012 and input cost headwinds will persist although to a lesser extent than in 2011,” said Chief Executive Paul Polman said in a results statement. — Reuters

LISBON: People wait for the next bus at Cais do Sodre during the transport strike in Lisbon yesterday. — AFP

AMSTERDAM: People pass a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream franchise store in Amsterdam, Netherlands yesterday. — AFP

Key issues unresolved after Greek debt talks Troika worried about reforms commitment ATHENS: Greece has completed the bulk of talks with foreign lenders on a new bailout but has yet to reach agreement on issues such as wages, pensions and the recapitalization of banks, a spokesman for the Greek government said yesterday. “There are three or four sticking points left,” Pantelis Kapsis told Greek MEGA television.

“The bulk of the negotiations has been concluded.”

Athens is rushing to wrap up talks with lenders on its second, 130-billion-euro bailout in a bid to unlock funds before big bond redemptions fall due next month.

Bankers and officials have said the bailout must be finalized before a debt swap deal with private bondholders can also be announced.

Worried about Athens’ commitment to reforms, the “troika” of European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund lenders have demanded new measures that include lowering the minimum wage level and cutting holiday bonuses.

But those demands have met resistance in Athens, where officials fear further cuts could deepen an already brutal recession and heap new burdens on long-suffering Greeks.

“The discussions are very tough,” Kapsis said. “On the one side, there is pressure to restore the economy’s competitiveness fast. We are saying that there is clearly an

issue of competitiveness. On the other hand, there is also the question of recession which is very important for Greece.” Officials from the troika are due to meet Greek government officials late yesterday to try to reach an agreement with lenders on the remaining issues. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos will then meet political party leaders later today to secure their backing for the measures, Kapsis said.

Meanwhile, a European Union official says the bloc has asked the euro-zone to help provide an extra 15 billion euros ($20 billion) for debt-ridden Greece. The official said yesterday that Greece’s international debt inspectors have discovered that a gap of around ?15 billion remains between debt relief provided by banks and other private investors and a second, 130 billion euros bailout.

The official said the gap could be filled by more bailout loans from the euro-zone or by Euro-zone central banks or publicly owned banks like France’s Caisse de Depots taking a loss on their Greek bondholdings.

The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. The European Central Bank and national central banks are estimated to hold 50 billion euros to 55 billion euros in Greek bonds. — Agencies

Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Deutsche Bank results hit by euro-zone crisis Q4 net profits down 69%

KOLKATA: Models pose next to a Renault Pulse during its launch in Kolkata yesterday. —AP

AstraZeneca axes 7,300 jobs, warns on profit LONDON: AstraZeneca is cutting a further 7,300 jobs and expects earnings to fall 14-18 percent this year as patents on key drugs expire and governments in Europe and the United States squeeze prices.

Britain’s second-biggest drugmaker said yesterday the latest phase of cuts, equivalent to 12 percent of the workforce, would deliver an extra $1.6 billion in annual benefits by the end of 2014. It will cost $2.1 billion to implement. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker faces loss of exclusivity on many of its top-selling drugs over the next five years and has few obvious replacements in its pipeline.

The antipsychotic medicine Seroquel, its second-biggest drug, will lose exclusivity in the United States in March and also goes off patent in European countries this year.

As a result, Chief Executive David Brennan has been shrinking the business. “The further expected losses of market exclusivity make for a challenging 2012 outlook,” he said. The company has already implemented two earlier rounds of cutbacks involving 21,600 job losses since 2007, which has reduced its worldwide headcount to 61,000.

The latest reductions include ending research work at Sodertalje, a major facility in Sweden, as well as cutbacks in global sales, manufacturing and other operations. The gloomy outlook weighed on the shares, which fell 3.5 percent by 0940 GMT, underperforming a flat European drugs sector.

The lack of replacements for products like Seroquel and heartburn treatment Nexium, as well as top-selling heart drug Crestor which goes off patent in 2016, has triggered speculation AstraZeneca may need to make a big acquisition.

Following the poorly received purchase of MedImmune in 2007, it has so far eschewed another large deal. But that strategy could be up for review, especially with the group casting around for an outsider to replace current chairman Louis Schweitzer. Doubts about AstraZeneca’s future have grown since a double blow to its new drug pipeline in December when it scrapped an ovarian cancer drug and took a big writedown on an experimental antidepressant being developed with Targacept.

Its existing cardiovascular business is also uncertain, with new drug Brilinta off to a slow start and cholesterol fighter Crestor facing more competition following the arrival of cheap generic copies of Pfizer’s market-leading Lipitor. AstraZeneca now expects recently launched products and the pipeline to contribute $2-4 billion to sales by 2014, down from $3-5 billion estimated a year ago and $4-6 billion seen in 2010.

It now expects overall revenues in the period up to 2014 to be in the lower half of the previously forecast range of $28 billion to $34 billion a year. Sales were $33.6 billion in 2011. “The long-term guidance has serially been overly optimistic,” said Sanford Bernstein analyst Tim Anderson.

Despite the challenges, AstraZeneca is committed to returning cash to shareholders and the company announced it planned to buy back $4.5 billion in shares in 2012, more than analysts had expected. Core earnings this year, which exclude some items, are forecast by the company to be $6.00-$6.30 per share, down from $7.28 in 2011. — Reuters

FRANKFURT: The euro-zone debt crisis took its toll on Germany’s Deutsche Bank and its investment banking businesses, sending fourth-quarter net profits down 69 percent to 186 million euros ($245.06 million). Net profits fell far short of analyst estimates of 492.5 million euros, as compiled by FactSet, and compares unfavorably to ?605 million in the same quarter last year.

Total net revenues were off 7 percent at 6.89 billion euros. The results reflected the market turbulence and pessimism in the waning weeks of 2011 about Europe’s chances of dealing with too much government debt in some countries amid a slowing economy. The crisis has eased somewhat since the quarter ended, with stocks rising and governments finding it easier to borrow.

But the result was still a downbeat farewell note for chief executive Josef Ackermann, who presided over his 10th and last annual press conference Thursday before leaving his post May 26. Ackermann highlighted the full-year result - an 86 percent increase in profit for the year as a whole, to 4.3 billion euros from 2.3 billion euros in 2010.

Revenue for 2011 increased 16 percent to 33.2 billion euros. He said that the bank’s increased emphasis on basic consumer banking - bolstered by its acquisition in 2010 of retail bank Postbank had given the bank a more stable earnings basis that that provided by the more volatile investment bank profits from dealmaking and trading.

But he conceded in his speech that “we had to face extremely adverse external circumstances in the second half of 2011.” On a pre-tax basis, the bank actually lost ?351 million. The bottom line showed a profit because of 537 million euros in tax benefits taken during the quarter for what the bank said were changes in how deferred tax benefits were accounted for.

Deutsche Bank said that the debt crisis made investors shy away from riskier investments and reduced the market activities it makes its money from. The bank’s corporate and investment bank

where its mergers and acquisitions, dealmaking and securities trading businesses are housed - saw revenues drop 26 percent in the fourth quarter, to ?3.4 billion from ?4.6 billion a year earlier.

Income from trading bonds and other debt securities fell 35 percent, while trading in equities such as stocks brought in 38 percent less revenue.

fears they might default made it impossible for them to borrow at affordable rates.

Fears a government default might lead to a financial crisis and recession have caused seesaws in stock and bond prices for more than two years. Eurozone turmoil forced the bank in October to abandon its profit estimate of ?10 bil-

FRANKFURT: CEO of Deutsche Bank Josef Ackermann speaks during the bank’s annual press conference in Frankfurt yesterday. — AP The market turmoil in Europe made meant fewer companies raised capital by issuing stocks or selling bonds, and there were fewer mergers and acquisitions. Handling those activities is how investment banks make money.

Revenues were “severely affected by lower issuance volumes and less deal activity,” Ackermann said. “Markets influenced by political developments, high volatility and an impending economic slowdown weighed heavily on mergers and acquisitions as well as equity and debt origination businesses.”

European officials are trying to support governments such as Italy and Spain that are struggling to maintain access to affordable borrowing so they can maintain their debt burdens without defaulting. Greece, Ireland and Portugal have had to turn to other eurozone governments and the International Monetary Fund for bailout loans after

lion for 2011. Ackermann will turn things over to a new management team of coCEOs Anshu Jain, currently head of investment banking, and Juergen Fitschen, now head of regional management, after the bank’s shareholder meeting in May. Deutsche Bank fared better in retail banking, as its private and business clients division increased its revenues by 22 percent in the fourth quarter, reflecting the contribution from Postbank.

Ackermann said that “classic” banking contributed 56 percent of the company’s profits for the full year. He said Deutsche Bank’s finances were secure amid the turbulence and that it had “unrestricted access” to the funding it needed. That’s in contrast to a number of European banks that have been heavily dependent on loans from the European Central Bank because they cannot borrow affordably elsewhere. — AP

American Airlines to cut 13,000 jobs NEW YORK: American Airlines plans to slash 13,000 jobs around 15 percent of the company’s total workforce-and cut costs by 20 percent in order to stay afloat after filing for bankruptcy late last year.

“All workgroups will have total costs reduced by 20 percent, including management,” Tom Horton, chief executive of American parent AMR Corporation, said in a letter to employees Wednesday. “While the savings from each work group will be achieved somewhat differently, each will experience the same percentage reduction,” he said. Local television in the Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas area, home base of AMR, said the cuts include 1,400 management and support staff, 400 pilots, 2,300 flight attendants, 4,600 maintenance workers and 4,200 fleet service employees.

“These are painful decisions... But they are essential to American’s future,” Horton said in a statement later on Wednesday.

“We will emerge from our restructuring process as a leaner organization with fewer people, but we will also preserve tens of thousands of jobs that would have been lost if we had not embarked on this path,” he said. He said the airline needed to cut $1.25 billion a year in employee-related costs.

In exchange he offered employees a profit-sharing plan that would pay out 15 percent of all pre-tax income. He made no references to cutting flights, but said the airline aimed to increase departures in five key US marketsDallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and New York-by 20 percent over the next five years. — AFP

FORT WORTH: Laura Glading, President of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, speaks to the media near American Airlines CR Smith Museum in Fort Worth. — AP

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Hitachi logs 61% dive in profit TOKYO: Japanese high-tech firm Hitachi yesterday said its nine-month net profit dived more than 61 percent year-on-year, with its third quarter hit by a strong yen and weaker demand from Europe and China. Hitachi’s net profit came to 85.23 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in the April-December period, as operating profit fell 21.4 percent from the previous fiscal year to 265.73 billion yen.

Sales edged up 1.1 percent to 6.84 trillion yen. Earnings for the OctoberDecember quarter tumbled by nearly 45 percent as the European debt crisis, weaker Chinese demand and the strong yen hurt Hitachi’s electronics and infrastructure businesses. The company’s products range from microchips to railways. Revenues grew in systems for the automobile and telecom industries.

But that was offset by lower sales in the digital media/consumer products segment because of falling demand as well as lower income mainly in the power systems segment due to the impact of the March quake-tsunami disaster, it said. A detailed table showed Hitachi slipped into the red in its power systems business, incurring operating losses of 11.2 billion yen in the nine months to December and 11.8 billion yen in the third quarter alone.

“This primarily reflected lower revenues, and delays and additional costs associated with overseas thermal power generation systems,” the company said in a statement.

Demand for nuclear power generation dropped after the tsunami knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, sparking the world’s worst atomic accident in a quarter of a century.

Most of Japan’s 54 nuclear reactors are offline with reactors that had been halted for regular check-ups not resuming operations amid widespread anti-nuclear sentiment. Nine-month profit from digital media and consumer electronics fell due to decreased demand and lower prices for flat-screen televisions as well as the impact of flooding in Thailand, Hitachi said.

The firm left its earnings forecasts for the full year to March unchanged, expecting net profit to fall 16.3 percent to 200 billion yen and operating profit to shrink 10.0 percent to 400 billion yen. — AFP

Facebook friends Wall St with planned $5bn IPO Largest floatation ever by Internet firm in US WASHINGTON: Investors came down with Facebook fever after the social networking titan filed to go public and seek to raise $5 billion in the largest flotation ever by an Internet company on Wall Street.

The paperwork filed on Wednesday for the initial public offering provided the first glimpse of the financial details of the Web giant launched eight years ago by Mark Zuckerberg from his Harvard University dorm room. Zuckerberg, who was just 19 when he founded the network, penned a letter to investors outlining what he said were the core values of Facebook and said it “was not originally created to be a company.

“It was built to accomplish a social mission-to make the world more open and connected,” the Facebook chief executive said in the letter accompanying the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“There is a huge need and a huge opportunity to get everyone in the world connected, to give everyone a voice and to help transform society for the future,” he said. Facebook said it will list on Wall Street as “FB” but did not set a date for when it would begin trading or specify whether it would be on the Nasdaq Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange.

Gartner technology analyst Michael Gartenberg did not expect the stock market debut to have much of an impact on the average user, but said the extra cash would allow the firm to grow and give it a new edge on competitors.

“Facebook going public doesn’t have that much implication for the vast majority of Facebook users unless they plan on buying shares-when they can finally get their hands on them,” Gartenberg said.

“Google didn’t change for users for the most part when it became public,” he said. “It grew. It expanded out to other services.” At $5 billion, Facebook’s initial public offering would be the largest ever by a technology company, eclipsing the $1.9 billion raised by Internet search giant Google when it went public in 2004 at a valuation of $23 billion.

Facebook’s $5 billion fund-raising target is only preliminary, however, and can be increased based on investor interest. Initial estimates held that Facebook would seek to raise at least $10 billion.

The Palo Alto, California-based company reported net income of $668 million last year, up from $372 million the previous year. Revenue

JAKARTA: Girls show their Facebook “wall” on their mobile devices in Jakarta yesterday. After a deep slump that soured many investors on tech stocks last year, Facebook is launching its IPO into a market that looks ready to greet the social networking giant with open arms. — AFP nearly doubled to $3.7 billion in 2011, with most of it coming from targeted advertising gleaned from personal information shared by the hundreds of millions of users of the platform. “The company is more profitable than we had expected,” said Kathleen Smith of Renaissance Capital, an IPO investment adviser. Facebook’s revenue of $3.7 billion last year, however, was slightly lower than estimates which had pegged it at $4.27 billion.

Facebook, the leading social network in all but six countries, notably China and Russia, said it has over 845 million users including 483 million who log in daily. Facebook’s value has been estimated at $75 billion and $100 billion. A market capitalization of $100 billion would put Facebook on a par with McDonald’s ($101 billion), well ahead of Boeing ($55 billion) but behind Apple ($426 billion) and Google ($189 billion).

Zuckerberg, whose net worth has been estimated at $17.5 billion by Forbes magazine, is the largest individual shareholder in Facebook and controls 57 percent of voting shares, according to the SEC filing. But he was not the highest paid.

Sheryl Sandberg, who was lured away from Google four years ago to serve as Facebook’s chief operating officer, made more than $30.5 million last year while vice president of engineering Mark Schroepfer pulled in $24.7 million.

Zuckerberg’s total package was $1.49 million.

Gartenberg said Facebook’s IPO would be the largest by a technology company in 2012 by far, but others contemplating going public will be closely watching how it fares. Facebook shares are not expected to begin trading for several months, but the excitement was already running high, with the announcement-along with recent manufacturing growth-sending stocks up on Wednesday.

“It’s hard to think of an IPO in recent memoryeven going back to Google and before that maybe to the Netscape IPO or the Yahoo IPO-to see this type of frenzy,” Gartenberg said. Careeroriented social network LinkedIn went public in 2011 and promptly doubled its value. Online daily deals site Groupon and social games titan Zynga were up 7.5 percent and six percent respectively on Wednesday over their IPO price. — AFP

New Sony CEO to confront scale of turnaround task

TOKYO: Sony’s executive deputy president Kazuo Hirai, who was named new president and chief executive officer as of April 1, speaks during a news conference as the Japanese games, music and electronics giant releases its quarterly earnings reports in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

TOKYO: The incoming new chief of Japan’s Sony Corp will confront the enormity of his task to turn around the business yesterday, when the humbled electronics icon is expected to show it is headed for its fourth straight annual loss. Kazuo Hirai, the Sony veteran who revived its PlayStation gaming business, was named on Wednesday night, the eve of its quarterly results statement, as the company’s new chief executive. He will replace Howard Stringer, effective April 1. Later on Thursday, Sony is set to show it barely broke even at an operating level for its normally lucrative third quarter ended in December, as it heads for a net loss of 132.8 billion yen ($1.74 billion) for the full fiscal year to March, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S data.

There is unlikely to be a honeymoon period for Hirai, who is under immediate pressure to sort out Sony’s ailing TV business after it fell behind South Korean rivals such as Samsung Electronics in a market where prices are tumbling. The TV business is expected to make a loss for its

eighth straight year in 2011/12.

Hirai will also be leading a drive at Sony, whose products range from of PlayStation games consoles to “The Smurfs” movie, to integrate its online content across devices including mobile phones, and above all to recapture the innovative flair that made it king of global consumer electronics in the 1980s. Hirai, 51, who made his name hauling the PlayStation division back into the black two years ago, sketched out his priorities in a statement on Wednesday night.

“The path we must take is clear,” he said. “To drive the growth of our core electronics businesses-primarily digital imaging, smart mobile and games; to turn around the television business; and to accelerate the innovation that enables us to create new business domains.” His predecessor, Welsh-born Stringer, a former journalist who ran US broadcaster CBS, had been brought in as a rare foreign CEO in Japan to shake things up but many analysts see his major achievement as cost cutting. —Reuters

Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Merkel seeks to ease Europe fears in China ‘Euro currency made euro-zone stronger’

MADRID: The metal shutters of an unemployment office open as people wait to enter the building in Madrid yesterday. Spain’s Labor Ministry says the number of people filing for unemployment benefits rose by 177,470 in January raising the total number of people seeking benefits to a rounded 4.6 million. — AP

Spain counts new record high unemployment MADRID: Spain’s government counted a new record high number of unemployed people in January, in figures released yesterday, the latest sign of the country’s economic suffering.

The labor ministry said it counted the number of people unemployed as nearly 4.6 million, the highest since it started publishing monthly figures in 1996. The ministry’s estimate was lower than the huge 5.27 million or 22.85 percent given last month by the national statistics institute, which is considered the benchmark.

The two estimates use different calculation methods. The ministry’s count for January was 177,470 higher than in December, a rise of 4.0 percent in a month. On a year-by-year comparison the January figure rose by 368,826 or 8.7 percent.

The statistics institute’s 2011 lastquarter figures showed young people were hit especially hard by the economic downturn, with nearly half of 1624 year olds — 48.6 percent-out of

work on December 31.

The conservative government which took power in December and holds an absolute majority in parliament is expected on February 10 to approve labor reforms that it says will ease the unemployment problem. “In this context, a labor reform such as the one the government is preparing is more than justified,” the labor ministry said in its statement.

“It is necessary to restore confidence to workers and businesspeople so that they can overcome the crisis together and so that firing is the last resort.”

Spain faces pressure from the central bank, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to loosen up its employment laws, which are considered too strict. It has said its reform targets issues such as collective bargaining, hiring laws, absenteeism, employment dispute settlements, temporary work agencies and training. — AFP

Shell eyes big growth, but at big cost LONDON: Royal Dutch Shell unveiled ambitious new growth plans alongside disappointing fourth quarter results yseterday, raising concerns about how much profit the increased activity will bring.

Europe’s largest oil company by market capitalization said it would hike investments to drive a 50 percent rise in cashflow and a 25 percent rise in oil and gas production in coming years. However, weaker-thanexpected results for the fourth quarter and full year, partly due to dismal industry-wide refining margins, and an anaemic dividend hike, suggested investments were offering falling returns. Hague-based Shell’s Londonlisted A shares traded down 2.4 percent at 0855 GMT, lagging a 0.7 percent drop in the STOXX Europe 600 Oil and Gas index.

Analysts at Investec said they were concerned about Shell’s ever-rising investment expenditure, which they feared meant the company was

spending “more for less”.

“We expect to see material downgrades to the consensus FY2012/13 earnings numbers,” they wrote in a research note. Analysts at Citigroup said the company needed to convince investors it could invest money more profitably than rivals to justify the outperformance in its shares compared to rivals in the past 18 months.

“The new medium-term strategy unveiled today fails to offer that differentiated story,” they said.

Shell said it was eyeing a return to strong production growth in the coming years, after nearly a decade.

Apart from a 5 percent rise in 2010, the group’s production has fallen every year since 2002.

“Oil & gas production should average some 4 million boe/d (barrels of oil equivalent per day) in 2017-18,” the company said in a statement.

Production averaged 3.215 million boe/d in 2011, a 3 percent drop on 2010. —Reuters

BEIJING: German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to reassure Beijing over the crisis in the euro-zone and urged China to press Tehran on its nuclear program as she began an official visit yesterday.

“The euro as our common currency has made Europe stronger,” Merkel said in a speech ahead of talks with China’s Premier Wen Jiabao. “The European Union-in particular those states that have adopted the euro-has made considerable progress in the last two years.”

Merkel’s three-day trip is aimed partly at boosting confidence in the euro-zone after a sovereign debt crisis that has seen a wave of credit-rating downgrades and brought Greece to the brink of bankruptcy. Europe is China’s top export market and Beijing has watched with increasing concern as the debt crisis has deepened, repeatedly urging European leaders to get a grip on the situation. The leader of Europe’s biggest economy said EU members were now “deeply convinced” that they were on the right track with a treaty agreed by most EU nations on Monday that aims to stop countries from overspending.

The treaty-pushed by Germany and the European Central Bank-will require governments to introduce laws on balanced budgets and impose near-automatic sanctions on countries that violate deficit rules. It will come into force after at least 12 euro nations ratify it, and only those countries that sign up will be able to access bailout aid from a new rescue fund. In a speech to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Merkel said China-the world’s second-biggest economy-”must use its influence to tell Iran that transparency is a must and its nuclear program must be open”.

A German government source said earlier the chancellor would also call on Beijing not to take advantage of Europe’s ban on Iranian oil-imposed on Tehran over its nuclear stance-to boost its own imports of the resource.

The US, the European Union and others have ramped up sanctions to target Iran’s oil industry and central bank since a UN atomic watchdog report in November raised suspicions Tehran had done work on developing nuclear weapons.

Iran insists its nuclear drive is for peaceful purposes and that the International Atomic Energy Agency report was based on “forgeries” provided by its enemies.

Merkel, who will meet President Hu Jintao on Friday, also touched on Syria in her speech, saying it was “important that the international community speak with one voice at the United Nations.”

The German leader is expected to ask for Beijing’s support for a UN Security Council resolution against

Syria, where fighting between President Bashar alAssad’s security forces and rebels is escalating. China has a veto at the Security Council.

On bilateral trade between China and Germanywhich reached $169 billion in 2011, an 18.9-percent increase from the previous year-Merkel called for a level playing field for German firms operating in China. “As German entrepreneurs, we want to be treated on an equal footing with Chinese companies,” she said.

BEIJING: Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a speech at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing yesterday. Merkel said the euro had “made Europe stronger”, as she sought to reassure Beijing that the euro-zone crisis is under control on the start of a three-day visit to China. — AFP Merkel’s trip comes just days after deadly unrest hit China’s Tibetan-inhabited areas and she indicated that human rights would be on the agenda.

“Germany has always advocated an open, political dialogue, including on controversial issues such as human rights and building a state of law,” she said.

On Friday, Merkel will fly to the southern province of Guangdong-where nearly 500 German companies are already present-with Wen and executives from the energy, chemicals, engineering, banking and electronics sectors. Her visit to the wealthy manufacturing hub will include a meeting with Gan Junqiu, the state-backed Catholic bishop of Guangzhou-the provincial capital according to a German diplomatic source. Rare earthsvaluable elements that are used in the production of high-tech products and which are of “very great importance for the German economy”-will also be on the table, a German government source said.—AFP

Debt crisis, quakes slam Munich Re 2011 profits FRANKFURT: Munich Re, the world’s biggest reinsurer, said yesterday that profits plummeted last year due to heavy losses from both the euro-zone debt crisis and a string of natural catastrophes. Munich Re said in a statement it booked bottom-line net profit of 710 million euros ($935 million) in 2011, a drop of 71 percent from a year earlier.

The logo of the world’s biggest reinsurer Munich Re at the company’s headquarters in Munich. — AFP

“The year was marked by a series of severe earthquakes and many weather-related catastrophes. In addition, there was the worsening of the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone,” the statement said.

“We have never experienced a year like 2011 beforeextreme burdens from natural catastrophes combined with the financial crisis, which flared up again after the slight recovery in 2009 and 2010,” said chief financial officer Joerg Schneider.

“Given the huge strains these placed on results, it is a notable achievement that we still posted a profit of 710 million euros,” Schneider said. While gross premiums for the year rose by 8.9 percent to 49.6 billion euros, investment earnings dropped 21.8 percent to 6.8 billion euros, not least as a result of 1.2 billion euros in writedowns on the group’s holdings of Greek government securities. Munich Re said that losses from natural catastrophes amounted to 4.5 billion euros for the entire year, with the deadly earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Fukushima, Japan, costing it 1.5 billion euros at a pre-tax level.—AFP

Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Is drilling in Cuban waters safe?

Floridians up in arms over pedigree of Scarabeo 9

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he Scarabeo 9 is a state-of the-art oil rig leased by a Spanish company, built in China and Singapore, owned by an Italian company and flagged in the Bahamas. But there’s one part of its international pedigree that has some Floridians up in arms: it will be exploring for oil in Cuban waters.

After traveling half-way around the world, the rig has moved into place some 22 miles north of Havana and about 70 miles south of the Florida Keys. Repsol, the Spanish company that is leasing the rig for $511,000 per day, said drilling began last week.

But already, without finding a drop of oil, the hulking Scarabeo 9 has become one of the most analyzed, discussed and vilified rigs to ever sink an exploratory well.

Not only has its location raised fears that a blowout could dump oil on Florida’s beaches and damage sensitive mangroves, sea grass, coral reefs and marine life, but the US embargo against Cuba also has made preparedness and recovery from a possible oil spill particularly tricky.

While efforts by Cuban-American members of Congress to prevent Repsol from drilling altogether have been unsuccessful, there are still several bills pending that could complicate the company’s efforts.

“The political pressure on (Repsol) is unbelievable,” said Jorge Pinon, a former Amoco executive and now an oil consultant and visiting research fellow at Florida International University.

But with the rig now in place, the question has become how prepared are the United States, Cuba and Repsol to respond if disaster strikes? Much of any US response effort would be centered in South Florida.

The Miami-based 7th Coast Guard District would be responsible for coordinating efforts to protect US waters and shoreline, and the first private response to a major spill would likely come from Clean Caribbean & Americas, a Broward County oil spill response cooperative whose members include most of the major oil companies in the region.

The cooperative and Oil Spill Response, its sister organization in the United Kingdom, did much of the work on Repsol’s Cuban contingency response plan. “I think it’s in line with what they have elsewhere in the world,” said Paul Schuler, the cooperative’s president.

Although the United States has no regulatory control over Repsol’s drilling in Cuba, the Spanish company has voluntarily provided information on its drilling plans and allowed US agencies to board and review the rig’s construction and safety systems when it was off the coast of Trinidad & Tobago earlier this month.

The Coast Guard and Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said they found the rig “to generally comply with existing international and US standards.”

Meanwhile, Clean Caribbean & Americas’ warehouse is loaded with containment booms, skimming devices, an aerial system designed to spray dispersants from a C-130 Hercules aircraft and other cleanup supplies to respond to a spill anywhere in the region.

Unlike many US companies that are barred by the embargo from doing business with Cuba, the cooperative already has a license from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control that would allow it to respond to a Cuban oil spill. It got the license in 2003 when Repsol drilled its first exploratory well in Cuba, said Schuler.

Repsol found oil but said at the time it wasn’t commercially viable. Now, the Spanish oil com-

pany is back with partners from Norway (Statoil) and India (ONGC Videsh) in a slightly different location and its rig has been specially built so that fewer than 10 percent of its components

at the Environmental Defense Fund.

There also has been talk of a quick turnaround time for issuing more licenses at the time of a spill. But Whittle, who recently took a

After traveling half-way around the world, the rig has moved into place some 22 miles north of Havana and about 70 miles south of the Florida Keys. Repsol, the Spanish company that is leasing the rig for $511,000 per day, said drilling began last week. are made by US manufacturers.

“They are betting big money on this. When a company of Repsol’s caliber goes through the expense of having a rig tailor-made to bypass the embargo, it tells me the probability of a successful find is very high,” Pinon said.

That prospect isn’t pleasing to Cuban-

trip to Cuba, said that may not be quick enough.

“Forty-eight hours is a lot of hours to waste in those currents. Common sense dictates that you need to have your ducks in a row well in advance,” he said.

“The more resources, we have the better we can respond,” said Schuler, who plans to visit

Guard has been planning for well over a year how it would handle any impact from drilling in Cuba and the Bahamas, which also may start offshore oil exploration this year.

The Coast Guard has revised its coastal contingency plans, analyzed reports and investigations from the Deepwater Horizon spill to see what lessons could be learned, and held training exercises.

In November, the Coast Guard hosted some 80 federal, state and local officials, industry representatives, including Repsol, and environmentalists for a tabletop exercise that looked at various scenarios for the flow of oil.

On Monday, the US House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Marine Transportation will hold a field hearing in Sunny Isles Beach to look at the Coast Guard’s oil spill readiness and response planning.

If there is a spill, Baumgartner said, “It’s unlikely the Florida coastline would be inundated with oil slicks.” Fast-moving currents could

The state-of the-art oil rig the Scarabeo 9. Repsol, the Spanish company that is leasing the rig for $511,000 a day, said drilling began last week for oil in Cuban waters.

American members of Congress, including Florida Republican representatives Ileana RosLehtinen, David Rivera and Mario Diaz-Balart, who have fought tooth-and-nail to stop any drilling in Cuban waters and blasted the Obama administration for not doing more to prevent it.

Florida’s senators, Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Marco Rubio, support a bill that would make a foreign oil company directly responsible for a spill that impacts the US. The US Geographical Survey estimates that Cuba’s offshore oil fields may contain around 5 billion barrels of oil and 9.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Cuban geologists estimate there is even more.

Efforts are under way to issue more licenses to companies whose expertise is expected to be needed to protect US shores. “I’m concerned there is not enough manpower and capacity to respond if there were a need to do so in the near future,” said Dan Whittle, Cuba program director

Scarabeo 9 this week. Because of the embargo, he said, “We are now making plans on the equipment we can get-not what we would like to have.”

The embargo and political considerations also make talking directly with Cuba about its emergency response plan more complicated.

Instead, the United States has taken a multilateral approach involving all the countries in the region contemplating Caribbean drilling or that could be affected by a spill.

Officials from the Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica and the United States met in Nassau in December to discuss their well control and oil spill response plans. Another meeting has been proposed for next this week in Curacao. Some who attended the meeting said despite the other nations present, the main dialogue was between Cuba and the United States.

Rear Adm. Bill Baumgartner, commander of the 7th Coast Guard district, said the Coast

sweep oil past the Florida coast and out to the North Atlantic, Baumgartner said. But eddy currents could peel off and bring oil ashore, he said.

That could also happen if wind conditions are just right.

And there are scenarios that could take oil to Cuba’s north coast-the center of its growing tourism industry. Last year, Cuba had 2.7 million visitors and tourism has become a major part of its economy.

“I think they are taking this very seriously,” Whittle said. “The Cubans are fully aware of the environmental challenges and risks.” - MCT

Opinion FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Need for jobs pushes Saudis toward reform Officials mull labour, financial, legal reforms

By Andrew Torchia

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n a cavernous exhibition hall on the outskirts of Riyadh, dozens of young Saudi women, clad in full-length black abayas and veils, stroll between corporate booths in search of jobs. Each has completed a 3-1/2 hour aptitude test that gives her scores for 10 behavioural characteristics and two types of cognitive ability.

The results are shown to as many as 81 potential employers which schedule job interviews using a centralised, online system. It is Women’s Day at the first of a series of job fairs launched by the Saudi government this year to find employment for its citizens. In coming months the scheme aims to arrange interviews for 15,000 men and women out of 100,000 applicants, holding similar fairs in the cities of Jeddah and Dammam.

“In the past, finding a job was an uncertain process,” said Mohammed Mosly, a former investment banker who manages the scheme. “We’re using technology to make it predictable.” Saudi Arabia’s economy is booming, fuelled by high oil prices and heavy government spending. Gross domestic product of the world’s top oil exporter surged 6.8 percent last year, according to preliminary data, the fastest expansion since 2003; economists polled by Reuters expect growth to stay comfortable at 4.0 percent this year.

But at top levels of government, there is little public complacency.

Instead, officials are talking of the need to find millions of jobs for Saudis over the coming years - a challenge which will require the economy to move beyond decades of dependence on oil and state investment to stress private sector growth and entrepreneurship, and which has become more urgent in the wake of last year’s social unrest in the Arab world. Financial, legal and labour reforms are under discussion and may be introduced as soon as this year.

Fresh steps are expected to encourage firms to hire Saudis in senior positions; the stock market may be opened to direct foreign investment; and there may be legal changes to stimulate the housing industry. Unexpected changes of personnel in two top economic posts in December, moving the well-respected central bank chief to head the Economy and Planning Ministry, were seen by some officials as a preparation for reforms.

So far, the economy has developed “in the easy ways, moving from upstream oil industries to downstream. The bigger challenge is going from that to non-oil, private sector industries,” said Khan Zahid, chief economist at Riyad Capital, a financial firm. “The government is looking at the big picture issues now - the generation of employment, the question of education, diversification of the economy, all of these things.”

Economic Model Vulnerable Saudi Arabia has been talking of diversifying its economy for well over a decade, but the vast budget surpluses created by its oil wealth have limited pressure for reforms. The non-oil private sector provides less than 50 percent of GDP; nearly 8 million foreign workers have been brought in to operate the oil sector and fill lowpaying jobs, while Saudi citizens account for only about 10 percent of private sector employment.

Last year’s Arab uprisings exposed the vulnerability of this model. Saudi Arabia avoided major unrest, but at the cost of over $100 billion in new spending on welfare and infrastructure projects to buy social stability. Because of such spending, the government needs global oil prices to average $84.50 a barrel this year to balance its budget, according to the Reuters poll, up from $73 last year and around $50 in 2007.

With Brent crude oil now around $110 and the state sitting on huge fiscal reserves, there is no significant risk of Riyadh running out of money in the next few years. But in the long run, any slide in oil prices will undermine the country’s finances if it cannot find new revenue sources and broaden its economy. “Assuming 7 percent spending growth - which would be lower than the annual average of 12.5 percent in 2002-2011 - modest oil output growth, and an average oil price of $100, the country would run a deficit of 1 percent of GDP by 2015,” Fitch Ratings, a credit ratings agency, said in an assessment in January.

Adding to the challenge is looming demand for jobs among Saudi citizens; as much as 75 percent of the population is under 30. Unemployment among Saudis is already about 10 percent, a politically uncomfortable level. The government estimates the Saudi labour force will expand to 10 million in 2030 from 4.1 million in 2008 because of population growth and the entry of more women into the workforce, which is being encouraged under social reforms. That means the economy will need to create over 5 million new jobs. Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki AlFaisal cited both the pressure on the state budget and the growing demand for jobs when he said last week that the country needed to focus more of its resources on developing its domestic economy. “The challenge is how to succeed in absorbing the millions of young people into our national economy, which is part of a truly global economy,” he told a business conference.

to make lending less restrictive. The government is considering whether to open the stock market to direct foreign investment, not because listed firms need the money but because it hopes long-term investment by foreign institutions would focus the highly speculative market, now dominated by retail investors, on corporate efficiency. Many market participants think that reform may come this year. In a step towards it, the Capital Markets Authority announced last week that it would permit foreign firms to cross-list securities on the Saudi market.

In a case of deregulation that could eventually be imitated in other sectors, the aviation regulator last week invited bids by private firms to run flights from Saudi airports, loosening the grip of Saudi Arabian Airlines and National Air Services. Other reforms are being prepared but could be delayed further by political sensitivities. Passage of a long-awaited law facilitating mortgage

File picture dated Aug 21, 2009 shows Saudi seamstresses working at a factory in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.— AFP Stock Market Reform Much of the reforming energy is going into education, where the government is working with the private sector to try to make school graduates more employable, and into a complex system of job fairs, job subsidies and regulations to push private sector companies into hiring more Saudi citizens instead of foreigners.

A scheme launched last year penalises firms if they fail to reach minimum ratios of Saudis in their workforces and rewards them if they greatly exceed those targets. Labour Minister Adel Fakieh said last week that a new version of the scheme, likely to be launched in coming months, would add targets for the minimum ratio of each company’s payroll paid to Saudis - an incentive to employ locals in higher-paying jobs.

But officials recognise that labour reforms by themselves cannot transform the jobs market - indeed, the targets for hiring Saudis may be hurting growth by making it harder for some companies to operate efficiently. So other reforms are being planned in an effort to jump-start private sector activity. Legal changes are underway to improve enforcement of contracts and help smaller enterprises obtain credit, Ayedh Al-Otaibi, legal advisor at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, told Reuters. He said the central bank might ease some rules on loans

lending could boost the home loan industry and galvanise the real estate market, but the law would have to deal cautiously with issues such as letting banks take away a borrower’s home if there is a default. Preparations for the law are advanced: “They have already gone nine miles, there is only one mile left,” said Zahid.

One far-reaching reform, which looks likely sooner or later, would be to raise the ultra-low prices which industrial users and households pay for energy. That could push companies to operate more efficiently, ignite a boom in energy-saving investment, and limit domestic Saudi energy use, making more oil available for export. This year at least, that reform may be a bridge too far for the government. But December’s cabinet reshuffle - which saw Muhammad Al-Jasser move from the top post at the central bank to head the economic planning ministry, and his replacement at the central bank by former Morgan Stanley investment banker Fahad Al-Mubarak - was seen by many in Riyadh as a signal that the government plans to accelerate reforms.

“The economics ministry has an important role but it was not working as it was meant to,” said a Saudi official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

“This is a way of pushing changes in the near future.” — Reuters

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www.kuwaittimes.net

Actress Blake Lively participates in announcing Godiva's Valentine's Day "Sweetest Story Ever Told" contest details at the Andaz 5th Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 in New York. —AP

PETS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

She brakes for animals Olympic cyclist finds balance in giving

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Fast track Her hair fell out in clumps. Her memory faded. And feeling too weak to do much else, she slept excessively. “I was really sick,” she says now. “It was totally debilitating.”

But the same punishing, addictive personality traits that almost killed her also proved to be her salvation when, as part of her therapy, she climbed onto a bike and found she not only had uncommon talent but also an insatiable desire to train.

s soon as Dotsie Bausch opens the door to the main building at the Irvine Animal Care Center, Mandy and Brandy, a pair of excitable miniature pinschers, begin leaping excitedly against the vertical steel bars at the front of their cage.

“They are so wildly energetic,” Bausch says of the adorable - and soon-to-be adopted brown and black siblings. “These two really need a lot of exercise to drain them so they can be calm when people come to look at them.”

So Bausch, wearing a bright red vest over a black track suit, clips nylon leashes to the dogs’ purple collars and takes them on a brisk walk around a large grassy field behind the kennel, a routine that benefits both woman and beast. “It’s like an oasis,” Bausch says of the shelter. “You just get out of there with so much more peace. I literally think this is like my therapy.”

It’s also an increasingly important part of Bausch’s training regimen as the summer Olympic Games in London draw closer. A world-record-holding track cyclist with seven national titles in four events, Bausch has a good chance to make the team for the three-kilometer team pursuit. But she’s the oldest of five candidates trying for four spots - including one alternate berth - so nothing is certain. At 38, she may be the most brittle of the five, with nagging pain from a bulging disk in her back putting 12 years of grueling preparation at risk.

zon.” Bausch has learned to cope with the help of puppy love. Which is why she often drives straight from training to the shelter, where she cleans kennels, give baths and exercises abandoned dogs.

“You feel so much better when you come home after giving back,” she says. “It just feels like it’s such a better balance to not be self-focused. And sports is very self-focused,” After an unsatisfying college internship as an entertainment reporter for a Philadelphia TV

On the rise “The excitement and intensity is rising,” she says. “We’re six months out, so we don’t have much more time.” Sitting in the infield at the Home Depot Center velodrome in Carson after a mid-January practice, Cari Higgins, another contender for the US team, is a bit more precise. “One hundred and ninety-nine days,” she says. “Not that anyone’s keeping track.” In addition to Bausch and Higgins, Lauren Tamayo, a former junior national road champion, and Olympic veterans Sarah Hammer and Jennie Reed are also in the mix for a berth on the London team with two major competitions left.

The women are scheduled to leave for a training camp in Majorca, Spain, ahead of February’s World Cup event in London, where they will get their first look at the Olympic Velodrome. April brings the world championships in Australia, further increasing the tension. “Having five girls going for four spots, there is a fire there,” says team coach Neal Henderson, who will help determine the Olympic roster in June. “Nobody has any guarantee at this point. And that’s healthy.” It’s also nerve-racking.

“Everyone’s different on when they’re going to start feeling the crunch,” Hammer says. “For me, what I learned from last time, was to just kind of take it step by step, race by race, and have the Olympics in the back of the mind. It can become such a big thing thinking about it just looming on the hori-

US Olympic hopeful Dotsie Bausch spends time with a dog where she volunteers her time at the Irvine Animal Shelter in Irvine, California. —MCT

station, Bausch became a runway model in New York, where she was sucked into a selfabsorbed lifestyle rife with cocaine and parties that stretched till dawn. Next came a long, nearly fatal battle with eating disorders that saw her 5-foot-9 frame shrink from a healthy 139 pounds to an unsightly 90.

Within two years she had won a state championship, and two years after that she was recruited to the US national team. It was a rapid rise - but not so fast that Bausch forgot what she was really chasing on her bike.

That’s why the wilted, decade-old flowers from her first podium finish in a major race

are tacked to a wall in the garage of her Irvine home, just high enough to see from the seat of her high-tech, stationary workout bike. And it’s why, after getting past the decade she describes as “the selfish 20s,” she married former national champion cyclist Kirk Bausch and began looking for something more lasting and meaningful than just pedaling fast.

“As a gold medalist, I would have a little bit larger of a platform to be able to help people,” she says. “It’s huge in the back of my mind. The more I train, the better I’m going to do, the more people I can help.”

Bausch is already a busy motivational speaker as well as a counselor and mentor to more than 70 people dealing with the kind of eating disorders that once controlled her life.

For eight years she was a court-appointed volunteer advocate for abused and neglected children.

Through time, however, that work proved emotionally draining. So a year ago Bausch became an advocate for animals instead, helping care for a menagerie that includes 84 cats, 37 dogs and 27 rabbits at the Irvine shelter. “Dotsie is a big part of our family here,” says Ron Edwards, animal care administrator for the city of Irvine. “Her enthusiasm and commitment is motivating.”

But her Olympic dreams, Edwards says, were until recently a secret.

Winning it all “No one there knows what I do. For all they know, I’m a secretary,” says Bausch, who has worked more than 100 hours at the shelter. That earned her the coveted pink dot that’s pasted to the laminated white name tag clipped to her vest, a recognition that allows her to work with even the most challenging animals. “When I got that pink dot I could have cried,” says Bausch, who has two Chihuahuas of her own, Yodi and Minnie. It “was more exciting than any medal I’ve ever won in cycling,” That ranking of personal accomplishments could change if Bausch leaves London with a medal. Then again, maybe not, given the send-off she got after a recent shift at the animal shelter when Turk, a handsome 4-year-old German shepherd, bussed her on the forehead. “I’m a lucky girl,” she said with a smile. —MCT

Te c h n o l o g y FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Surround sound or stereo?

The right PC speakers for every need

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hether you’re buying a Blu-ray drive or a graphics booster, like most computer owners, you’re focused on boosting image quality. Sound often plays second fiddle. But the right loudspeakers can make all the difference, especially for gamers and movie buffs who want to hear their favorite song or enjoy all aspects of their new game. Don’t bother with speakers built directly into the monitor, says Bernhard Rietschel of German magazine Audio. “It’s rare that this is a solution, or that (such configurations) even deserve to be considered as such. Basically, there’s just no space in the monitor for loudspeakers that do more than play warning and signal tones.”

But, if that’s the case, how do you pick the right speaker to suit your needs? As an all-purpose solution, Rietschel recommends so-called 2.0 sets, which consist of two speakers without subwoofers. Sets with more loudspeakers require more work to set up and are more suited for a home theatre in a living room than for a desktop setup. “There are very good desktop twochannel systems with woofers and very believable virtual surround sound setups that serve as a good compromise,” he says, hinting to movie fans. Woofers are the part of the speaker that carry the deepest sounds. A sensible compromise between pure stereo sets and home theatre setups are what are known as 2.1 systems, with a subwoofer and two satellite loudspeakers.

But for many gamers, surround sound is part of the experience. Optimal sound, however, doesn’t just rely on the number of speakers, but on the amount of space available. “A 5.1 system doesn’t really give you a lot of advantage if it’s not mounted properly,” says Daniel-Andre Reinelt of PC Games Hardware. That means each speaker box needs to be set in a circle around the listener. Care needs to be taken that the components behind the listener are not set too close. Details matter. A properly set-up stereo system can sound a lot better than a poorly constituted 5.1 set-up.

But even a subwoofer is not strictly necessary for a good gaming experience, says Reinelt. “With compact systems with lowvolume satellites, a subwoofer is key, otherwise you’ll be missing a large portion of the lower frequency sound material.” On the other hand, they’re not absolutely necessary with studio monitors or similarly highperformance active loudspeakers. A lot depends on the personal choices of the listener.

If you’re just a casual listener without a lot of demands, you’ll usually find something that suits your needs for less than 100 euros (129 dollars). In a test by German magazine Computerbild Spiele, many of the speakers in this price category only got rankings of acceptable or adequate.

However, there are still plenty of speakers in this category that could hold some interest for gamers on tight budgets.

If you really have high sound requirements for your computer, Reinelt says you should expect to pay about 100 euros for a set of speakers or about 300 euros for a basic 5.1 system. And he recommends avoiding anything that seems like too great

a steal: “Surround speaker systems with a sale price of around 100 euros should be avoided, since they often involve lower quality components.”

He recommends upgrading if there are any doubts or questions. “If you really have

no realistic opportunity to try them out - it’s usually not an option in electronics stores or you can’t rely on any trustworthy test, then, if you’re in doubt, you should always take the expensive brand name sets,” he says, noting that there are usually no problems reported among speakers in the 150 to 200-euro price range.

If money is no concern, then music lovers can also consider hi-fi active boxes instead of desktop loudspeakers. There’s a slippery slope between the two classes.

“Usually, these kinds of speaker boxes are more expensive, but they hold onto their value more and you can be more flexible about their use,” says Rietschel. Docking stations for MP3 players can also, theoretically, be used as PC loudspeakers, though installation can bring its own roadblocks.

“These docks are almost always a one-box solution that needs to be placed right where the monitor should be.”

And make sure you’ve got the right connections, otherwise the sound might never make it from the computer to the loudspeakers. “A USB connection to the PC is optimal, as well as analog 3.5-millimetre jack cables or a pair of cinch sockets,” says

Rietschel. That means devices like MP3 players or smartphones can also be connected. For desktop computers, a headset connection is also vital so you won’t be disturbing co-workers or neighbors at late hours. — dpa

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Food

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

2 tablespoons corn oil 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, split 3/4 cup popping corn Salt 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 1 garlic clove, minced Dash cayenne pepper n a large heavy pot, heat corn oil and olive oil over high heat until the oil smokes. Add 1 kernel popping corn and heat until kernel pops. Add split garlic cloves and rest of popping corn, cover pot, and shake gently until corn starts to pop. Shake vigorously until popping subsides. Remove from heat. Remove garlic and toss popcorn with Parmesan, minced garlic, cayenne and salt. Yields 6 servings

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3 Tbsp canola, peanut or grapeseed oil (high smoke point oil) 1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels 1 3-quart covered saucepan 2 Tbsp or more (to taste) of butter Salt to taste 1 Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

2 Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

3 When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. (Count out loud; it’s fun to do with kids.) This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

4 Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide

bowl.

With this technique, nearly all of the kernels pop (I counted 4 unpopped kernels in my last batch), and nothing burns.

5 If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but hot pan.

6 Salt to taste.

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Food

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

12 cups popped popcorn 1 (12-ounce) can (2 1/2 cups) salted peanuts 1 (11.5-ounce) package (1 3/4 cups) milk chocolate chips 1 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup butter or margarine

eat oven to 300ºF (150ºC). Butter large roasting pan. Line serving plate with waxed paper.

Combine popcorn and nuts in prepared roasting pan. Place morsels, corn syrup and butter in medium heavy-duty saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Pour over pop-

H

corn; toss to coat. Bake, stirring often, for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly in pan; remove to prepared serving plate. Store in airtight container for up to two weeks.

8 cups broken salted pretzels 20 cups popped popcorn 4 cups dry roasted peanuts 3 cups brown sugar 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1 1/2 cups butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Place the pretzels, popcorn and peanuts into a large paper bag or, if you have one, a very large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter.

Cook, stirring to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar, until the mixture comes to a boil.

Once the mixture is at a full boil, continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Remove from the heat, and stir in the salt, vanilla, and baking soda. The mixture will foam up when you add the soda, so use a long spoon to stir. Immediately pour the sugar mixture over the popcorn and pretzels in the bag. Shake until evenly coated. For a crispier treat, boil the sugar mixture longer, or bake the finished mix in the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 10 minutes.

Cookware: Heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan or casserole with tight-fitting cover Directions: Measure the pepper flakes, cumin, turmeric, peppercorns, and salt onto a plate and place near the stove. Pop the corn To test for the right heat, pour the oil into the saucepan and add a single kernel of popcorn. Turn the heat to high, and cover the pan. When the kernel pops, quickly and carefully pour in the rest of the popcorn and cover the pan again. Add spices. When the corn really starts popping, hold your breath, rapidly toss in the spices, and re-cover the pan-don’t breathe in the spice fumes, they’ll burn your throat at this point. Keep shaking the covered pan until the popping stops.

Rosemary

1/2 teaspoon Hot red pepper flakes; or to your taste 1 teaspoon Ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric 1 teaspoon Cracked black peppercorns 1 teaspoon Salt 1/4 cup Vegetable oil 1/2 cup Unpopped popcorn

popcorn

Curry popcorn 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 sprigs rosemary, stripped and roughly chopped 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels Salt n a deep pot, add oil and rosemary and heat until oil shimmers. Add popcorn and cover.

Shake pan until all corn is popped. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt.

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THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend.

One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE STORY SO FAR : A tsunami threatens a remote Pacific island -- but the island doesn’t respond to The 99’s offers of help. Dr. Ramzi sends Mukit and Jaleel to an offshore location, with Batina along to hide them from view...

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2012, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.the99.org

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

maze

alfa-search

Can you ямБnd the hidden words? Each word ends with theletter G. The words may be horizontal or vertical.

BOXING, EATING, FLAG, FROG, HIDING, ICING, JOKING, KING, RING, SONG, STAG,

STING, STRONG, THING, WAVING, WRONG, YOUNG.

mystery word Can you enter the words correctly into the grid? The letters in the shaded boxes will spell out the name of the mystery word.

4 letters BRAN CORN EGGS FISH MEAT SALT

sudoku

5 letters BREAD CREAM HONEY PASTA SUGAR SYRUP 6 letters BUTTER CEREAL CHEESE PEPPER POTATO TOMATO 7 letters LETTUCE

solution

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Rapunzel T

here were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child.

At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant her desire. These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world. One day the woman was standing by this window and looking down into the garden, when she saw a bed which was planted with the most beautiful rampion - rapunzel, and it looked so fresh and green that she longed for it, and had the greatest desire to eat some. This desire increased every day, and as she knew that she could not get any of it, she quite pined away, and began to look pale and miserable. Then her husband was alarmed, and asked, what ails you, dear wife.

Ah, she replied, if I can’t eat some of the rampion, which is in the garden behind our house, I shall die. The man, who loved her, thought, sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of the rampion yourself, let it cost what it will. At twilight, he clambered down over the wall into the garden of the enchantress, hastily clutched a handful of rampion, and took it to his wife. She at once made herself a salad of it, and ate it greedily.

It tasted so good to her - so very good, that the next day she longed for it three times as much as before. If he was to have any rest, her husband must once more descend into the garden. In the gloom of evening, therefore, he let himself down again. But when he had clambered down the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the enchantress standing before him. How can you dare, said she with angry look, descend into my garden and steal my rampion like a thief. You shall suffer for it.

Ah, answered he, let mercy take the place of justice, I only made up my mind to do it out of necessity.

My wife saw your rampion from the window, and felt such a longing for it that she would have died if she had not got some to eat. Then the enchantress allowed her anger to be softened, and said to him, if the case be as you say, I will allow you to take away with you as much rampion as you will, only I make one condition, you must give me the child which your wife will bring into the world. It shall be well treated, and I will care for it like a mother. The man in his terror consented to everything, and when the woman was brought to bed, the enchantress appeared at once, gave the child the name of rapunzel, and took it away with her. Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun.

When she was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a tower, which lay in a forest, and had neither stairs nor door, but quite at the top was a little window.

When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself beneath it and cried: rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair to me.

Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then the hair fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it.

After a year or two, it came to pass that the king’s son rode through the forest and passed by the tower. Then he heard a song, which was so charming that he stood still and listened. This was rapunzel, who in her solitude passed her time in letting her sweet voice resound. The king’s son wanted to climb up to her, and looked for the door of the tower, but none was to be found. He rode home, but the singing had so deeply touched his heart, that every day he went out into the forest and listened to it. Once when he was thus standing behind a tree, he saw that an enchantress came there, and he heard how she cried:

rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair.

Then rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the enchantress climbed up to her.

If that is the ladder by which one mounts, I too will try my fortune, said he, and the next day when it began to grow dark, he went to the tower and cried, rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair.

Immediately the hair fell down and the king’s son climbed up. At first rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man, such as her eyes had never yet beheld, came to her. But the king’s son began to talk to her quite like a friend, and told her that his heart had been so stirred that it had let him have no rest, and he had been forced to see her. Then rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him for her husband, and she saw that he was young and handsome, she thought, he will love me more than old dame

gothel does.

And she said yes, and laid her hand in his.

She said, I will willingly go away with you, but I do not know how to get down. Bring with you a skein of silk every time that you come, and I will weave a ladder with it, and when that is ready I will descend, and you will take me on your horse. They agreed that until that time he should come to her every evening, for the old woman came by day. The enchantress remarked nothing of this, until once rapunzel said to her, tell me, dame gothel, how it happens that you are so much heavier for me to draw up than the young king’s son - he is with me in a moment. Ah. You wicked child, cried the enchantress.

What do I hear you say. I thought I had separated you from all the world, and yet you have deceived me. In her anger she clutched rapunzel’s beautiful tresses, wrapped them twice round her left hand, seized a pair of scissors with the right, and snip, snap, they were cut off, and the lovely braids lay on the ground. And she was so pitiless that she took poor rapunzel into a desert where she had to live in great grief and misery.

On the same day that she cast out rapunzel, however, the enchantress fastened the braids of hair, which she had cut off, to the hook of the window, and when the king’s son came and cried, rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair, she let the hair down. The king’s son ascended, but instead of finding his dearest rapunzel, he found the enchantress, who gazed at him with wicked and venomous looks. Aha, she cried mockingly, you would fetch your dearest, but the beautiful bird sits no longer singing in the nest. The cat has got it, and will scratch out your eyes as well.

Rapunzel is lost to you. You will never see her again. The king’s son was beside himself with pain, and in his despair he leapt down from the tower. He escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell pierced his eyes.

Then he wandered quite blind about the forest, ate nothing but roots and berries, and did naught but lament and weep over the loss of his dearest wife. Thus he roamed about in misery for some years, and at length came to the desert where rapunzel, with the twins to which she had given birth, a boy and a girl, lived in wretchedness. He heard a voice, and it seemed so familiar to him that he went towards it, and when he approached, rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck and wept.

Two of her tears wetted his eyes and they grew clear again, and he could see with them as before. He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and contented. (www.cs.cmu.edu)

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

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s an icy wind blows in from the east, the grip of a good horror story is tightening its hold on many of Britain’s leading literary talents.

Terrifying new novels from outspoken author Jeanette Winterson and from the acclaimed novelist and children’s writer Helen Dunmore are at the head of a blast of chilling fiction heading for British bookshops.

Where once an accomplished “lady novelist” in search of a change might have attempted a neat whodunnit or perhaps a cosy “Aga saga”, suddenly the unholy desire to create a horror or ghost story has seized a range of established talents. Even the television book club presenter Judy Finnigan has been drawn to the genre for her debut novel, a ghost story that will be out this autumn.

Winterson, who had her first success with the novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, will try her hand at scaring her readers witless this summer with a story based on the infamous Pendle witch trials held at Lancaster castle in 1612. Dunmore, the writer much loved for her children’s books, poetry and award-winning novels, has followed suit. Her first horror novel, a supernatural thriller called The Greatcoat, has been published by Hammer Books, the imprint of the now revived film studios that brought British cinema audiences a succession of gory titles from the 1950s to the 1970s. Dunmore’s debut marks the publisher’s decision to commission a series of original works rather than rely on the novelisations of horror films which it also publishes.

“The interesting fiction at the moment is playing with genres, slipping between them,” said Hammer publisher Selina Walker. “So we’re approaching all the literary or established greats to see whether they would like to write something with a paranormal twist.”

This week Hammer’s film version of Susan Hill’s 1983 novel The Woman in Black, one of the most popular British ghost stories of modern times, is out in cinemas, starring Daniel Radcliffe as the unfortunate solicitor Arthur Kipps. But for Dunmore the work of two other women writers with the gift of instilling fear provided the chief inspiration.

“Elizabeth Bowen’s work influences me a lot, particularly The Demon Lover. I also love Daphne du Maurier,” said the writer, who has turned to horror after writing 11 mainstream novels, including the Orange Prize-winning A Spell of Winter and The Siege.

Jeanette Winterson and Helen Dunmore among famous names venturing into the horror genre this year “I was drawn to the genre because it is intensely dramatic material,” she said. “To some extent it is a psychological playground. You wonder what is the match between the ghost and the person who is haunted. What is there in the past that has driven them to this point?”

The key, Dunmore believes, is to make the experiences described as “palpable” as possible, to carry the reader into the darkness: “It has got to have a lot of sensory richness.”

Dunmore’s spectral romance is set in the early 1950s in a period of rationing, bad weather and discomfort. “I have tried to set the intensity of daily life against the emotional and psychological drama.

We need to feel for my heroine Isabel when she hears a tap at the window one night. We need to shiver and shrink, and then try to normalise it with her, as people do.”

Dunmore suspects that horror is becoming a more appealing genre for women writers. “There is a fascination with it again. It was very demanding to work in a new genre. It has to deliver and you can’t fudge it. I found it very exciting to do, so I would like to do another.”

In the summer Winterson will bring out her treatment of the 17th-century Pendle witch case, which saw the conviction and hanging of 10 reputed witches. The trial took place in Lancashire amid an atmosphere of national hysteria about witchcraft. A young beggar girl, Jennet Device, lived with her mother Elizabeth, her sister Alizon and her grandmother Demdike in the shadow of Pendle Hill, and the trouble started when Alizon was seen to curse a pedlar who would not spare her any pins.

When the pedlar later collapsed, his son reported the Device family to a zealous local magistrate who pursued them to court, persuading the nineyear-old daughter to testify against her own family.

Part of the evidence that convicted them was the allegation that they had held a party on Good Friday, when “good citizens” should have been in church. A nearby constable arrested everyone in the house. The story of the case was written down by the clerk of the court, Thomas Potts, and became a bestseller in the years that followed the trial and subsequent executions at Gallows Hill.

In the autumn TV presenter Judy Finnigan will bring out her first novel, a ghost story set in Du Maurier’s favoured terrain, Cornwall. Called Eloise, it will be published by Sphere and tells the story of Cathy, who has disturbing dreams which suggest that the death of her best friend Eloise was not what it seemed.The genre appeals to male writers too, of course, and in the year that marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of MR James, the British master of the terrifying literary story, Hammer Books have also lured the controversial children’s

author Melvin Burgess into their new stable of horror writers.

Burgess, who caused outrage among some parents with his forthright treatments of drugs and sex in the books Junk, Lady: My Life as a Bitch and Doing It, is to write his first work of horror. Billed as a story about teenagers and ghouls it is due our early next year. — Guardian

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Adonis: A life in writing A

Syrian-born poet, critic and essayist, and a staunch secularist who sees himself as a “pagan prophet”, Adonis has been writing poetry for 70 years. He led a modernist revolution in the second half of the 20th century, exerting a seismic influence on Arabic poetry comparable to TS Eliot’s in the anglophone world. Aged 17, he adopted the name of the Greek fertility god (pronounced Adon-ees, with the stress on the last syllable) to alert napping editors to his precocious talent and his pre-Islamic, panMediterranean muses. Since the death of the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish in 2008, it would be hard to argue for a poet of greater stature in a literary culture where poetry is the most prestigious form as well as being popular.

He moved to Paris in 1985, and was named a commander of France’s Order of Arts and Letters in 1997.

Last year he was the first Arab writer to win the Goethe prize in Germany, and each autumn is credibly tipped for the Nobel in literature - the only Arab recipient of which to date was the Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz in 1988. Though Adonis was Ladbroke’s favorite in the year of the Arab spring, he does not begrudge the Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer his laurels, having introduced him to audiences on a tour of Arab countries. When the uprisings began in Tunisia and Egypt last year, he wrote “little poems to express my joy and happiness”. Yet joy gave way to caution, and warnings of tragedy. “It’s the Arab youth that created this spring, and it’s the first time Arabs are not imitating the west - it’s extraordinary,” he says. “But despite this, it’s the Islamists and merchants and Americans who have picked the fruits of this revolutionary moment.” His reservations sparked impatience and were widely attacked: Sinan Antoon, an Iraqi poet, novelist and assistant professor at New York University, claimed that the Arab spring has “consigned Adonis, the self-proclaimed revolutionary, to irrelevance”.

There is, Adonis says, a “tendency for poets and painters in the Arab world to be politically engaged.

There’s a lot to fight for: for human rights and the Palestinians; and against colonialism, Arab despotism and closed thinking among fundamentalists. I’m not against this engagement, or against them - but I’m not like them. A creator always has to be with what’s revolutionary, but he should never be like the revolutionaries.

He can’t speak the same language or work in the same political environment.” He adds that he is “radically against the use of violence - I’m with Gandhi, not Guevara.”

Like VS Naipaul, a friend who has praised him as a “master of our times”, Adonis can be a contrarian, though he lacks Naipaul’s acidity and irrascibility. For critics, some of his pronouncements on the “extinction” of Arab culture, or the “Arab mind”, have an orientalist taint. Yet his translator Khaled Mattawa, an Arab American poet, sees it as measured iconoclasm: “He’s been unsparing against the deeply rooted forces of intolerance in Arab thought, but also celebratory of regenerative streaks in Arab culture.”

Although English translations of his poetry have lagged behind French, in the past decade there have been five collections: Mattawa’s Adonis: Selected Poems won the Saif Ghobash-Banipal prize for Arabic translation. Adonis will be coming to London for the award ceremony next month, and also to take part in a twomonth celebration of his work, “A Tribute to Adonis”, at West London’s Mosaic Rooms starting on February 3, which includes an exhibition of the poet’s recent art works. He began making small collages using Arabic cal-

ligraphy 10 years ago, during a listless period of poet’s block, and friends suggested he exhibit them. “I found another way to express my relation to things, other than the word.” He uses parchments and rags, “bits and pieces of nothing, thrown away. I rarely use colour; I prefer ripped things,” adding fragments of his own poems, as well as classical Arabic poetry “as a homage”.

Last June, amid the bloody crackdown on the Syrian uprising, Adonis wrote an open letter to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad in the Lebanese newspaper al-Safir - “as a citizen,” he stresses. Describing Syria as a brutal police state, he attacked the ruling Ba’ath party, called on the president to step down, and warned that “you cannot imprison an entire nation”. He was none the less taken to task for addressing a tyrant as an elected president, and criticising the “violent tendencies” of some of his opponents. “That’s why I said I’m not like the revolutionaries,” he says. “I’m with them, but I don’t speak the same language. They’re like school teachers

coming out that’s 200 pages long. These people don’t read.”

He lives on the outskirts of Paris, beyond la DÈfense, with his wife, Khalida Said, a literary critic. “For me she’s a great critic, one of the best. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree.” They have two daughters: Arwad, who is director of the House of World Cultures in Paris; and Ninar, an artist who moves between Paris and Beirut. Adonis shows little sign of having just spent seven months in Lebanon convalescing from two major operations. Before that, he had announced his retirement from poetry. It was while writing a long poem against monotheism, “Concerto for Jerusalem”.

“Jerusalem is a city of three monotheistic religions,” he says. “If there’s one God, it should be beautiful. Instead, it’s the most inhuman city in the world. I said I was stopping poetry as an act of defiance.” But alluding to his muses, he laughs: “The pre-monotheistic goddesses didn’t let me retire.”

telling you how to speak, and to repeat the same words.

Whereas I left Syria in 1956 and I’ve been in conflict with it for more than 50 years. I’ve never met either Assad [Bashar or his father, Hafez]. I was among the first to criticise the Ba’ath party, because I’m against an ideology based on a singleness of ideas.

“What’s really absurd is that the Arab opposition to dictators refuses any critique; it’s a vicious circle. So someone who is against despotism in all its forms can’t be either with the regime or with those who call themselves its opponents. The opposition is a regime avant la lettre.” He adds: “In our tradition, unfortunately, everything is based on unity - the oneness of God, of politics, of the people. We can’t ever arrive at democracy with this mentality, because democracy is based on understanding the other as different. You can’t think you hold the truth, and that nobody else has it.”

His mother, aged 107, still lives in Syria. For 20 years after he left the country (when released from a year’s imprisonment for membership of an opposition party), he was unable to see her. From 1976, he visited each year until two years ago, when “friends said it might be dangerous”. But he is adamant that family circumstances have “never stopped me from saying what I think”. Of those who accuse him of tardiness or equivocation in condemning the Syrian regime, he says wearily: “I’ve written many articles - I have a book of them

He was born Ali Ahmad Said Esber in 1930, in Qassabin in western Syria, a “poor village isolated in the mountains”. His parents were farmers, and he had no early formal schooling. “I’d never seen a car, electricity or a telephone till I was 13. I always ask myself how I was transformed into this other person; it was almost miraculous.” His love of poetry was nurtured by his father, and at Quranic school. Aged 13, when he impressed the president of the newly established Syrian republic by reciting one of his own poems, his reward was a scholarship to the French lycÈe. He studied philosophy at Damascus university, and later did a doctorate in Lebanon. — Guardian

Beauty FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Dry skin? 25

itchy skin fixes

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here’s nothing worse than dry, itchy skin. Dry skin can happen any time during the year, but is most prevalent in winter (hence the term, “winter itch”). Find out why your skin tends to be dry in winter and how to solve dry hands, feet, body, face and lips year-round.

Why do I suffer from dry skin in the winter?

In winter, low temperatures, low humidity and strong, harsh winds deplete skin of its natural lipid layer, which keeps the skin from drying out.

The dry air from furnaces and other heating sources also suck the moisture out of skin. To keep skin soft and supple, your goal is not to add moisture to skin, but to keep moisture in.

Keep water lukewarm, not hot Hot water robs skin of moisture causing dry skin, so it’s best to shower in lukewarm water. If you can’t bear this rule-I can’t-try to keep your showers short and try showering only once per day. This also means skipping hot tubs (another rule I simply cannot bear). The hot, hot temperature, combined with drying chemicals, is torture on dry skin.

The same rule applies to hand-washing: Wash hands in lukewarm, never hot, water (this is a rule I firmly abide by). If your skin turns red, the water is

simply too hot.

Moisturize after showers or hand washing Your skin will tell you when it’s dry. If your skin feels tight and taut, it’s time to add moisture. There are so many tips to moisturizing skin that I created an article on it.

Exfoliate on a weekly or semi-weekly basis Moisturizer is much more effective on properly exfoliated skin. Use a salt or sugar scrub in the shower and exfoliate your face with a mild scrub made for the face. See “How to Exfoliate” for tons of fun information on exfoliating your body and your face. Also, check out the best facial scrubs and the scrubs for the body.

Invest in a humidifier Ever notice how older people in desert climates look like leather? The moisture in the air is actually good for skin. If you live in a low-humidity climate or you are around furnaces in the winter, invest in a humidifier.

I once read that your skin needs more than 30 percent humidity to stay properly moisturized. A room heated by a furnace can have as little as 10 percent moisture. In the winter, consider sleeping with a humidifier in your bedroom. Keep doors closed so the moist air doesn’t escape the room.

Shop for a humidifier online: Skip the drying soaps Soaps can be drying. Stick with a creamy moisturizing cleanser that contains glycerin or petrolatum, such as Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash for the body or Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash (my current drugstore pick) for the face.

Extra tip: Simply can’t skip the bath? Skip the bubbles, which can contain harsh foaming ingredients and opt for bath oils or oatmeal scrubs, which are great for soothing itchy skin.

Baby your hands & feet Hands and feet can suffer terribly from dry, itchy skin. Put on moisturizer and gloves BEFORE you head outdoors in the winter, and consider lathering up your feet in thick moisturizer and sleeping in cotton socks at night.

Extra tip: Cover feet in a thick moisturizer, wrap feet in Saran Wrap, then pull on a pair of socks for a couple hours. Try to sit or lie down while the moisturizer soaks in or risk sliding into a full split and

pulling your groin muscles. The same treatment can be done on hands, except try plastic bags and keep hands in a pair of socks. A half-hour should do you.

Don’t forget your lips Licking your lips will not moisturize them and instead will help dry them out. Lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body, so they tend to dry out more quickly. A simple lip balm helps but if you have the bucks, try: Kinerase Lip Treatment (about $38).

My favorite lips trick is one I learned from “Seventeen” magazine when I was in high school. It works brilliantly.

Protect your face, too If you have super, duper sensitive skin, consider avoiding rinsing your face with tap water, which can contain harsh minerals that are especially drying to the skin (Dr. Dennis Gross once told me New York water contains a lot of harsh minerals, while Seattle water, for example, does not. Go figure). Instead use a cold cream like Pond’s to cleanse your face or use bottled spring water.

Consider fish oil pills New studies show omega-3 fish oil pills may soothe super dry skin. Patients who took fish oils pills in a study reported in Allure magazine, saw significant results within a few weeks. “You can see, within six weeks, the skin, hair and nails improve markedly,” according to skin expert Dr. Andrew Weil in Allure. Ever since I started taking fish oil pills in March, 2007, I have received numerous compliments on how amazing my skin looks.

So there you have it. —About

Beauty FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

6 fashion mistakes moms make Mom jeans, grubby sneakers, stringy hair...are you guilty of these fashion sins? Here’s how to redeem yourself, plus what to buy to fix the problem.

Faux Pas 1: Knapsack as statement bag.

Yes, they’re somewhat ergonomic. But no, you’re not backpacking through Nepal.

Solution: Sure, moms, especially new moms, need storage galore for all those diapers, wipes, bottles, changes of clothes, sunscreen, bottled water, snacks, hats, first-aid kits, agenda books, cellphones, sunglasses, BlackBerry-like devices, baby-care manuals, and other clutter bits of mommy paraphernalia we tend to cart around. However, a stylish diaper bag is a more elegant (and fun!) solution. Not only do Fleurville, Petunia Picklebottom and SkipHop bags feature cavernous storage, they come in stain-resistant fabrics, great patterns and many strap options, so you can lug your nursery-in-a-bag on your side, back or even hang it from your stroller.

Best part? These bags look stylish enough to use as gym bags or weekend totes even three or four years down the road.

Faux-pas 2: Wrecked work slacks

Stretched, faded, creased, possibly even stained, work pants that somehow just don’t feel rightthey’re either too short or too tight or...pleated.

Solution: Moms need easy-tomaintain yet stylish options for work. One style of pants we love for almost any workplace is denim trousers. They have a self-confident trousery-ness that practically shouts Katharine Hepburn, yet unlike wool or linen trousers, they can be machine-washed. Pair them with anything from a tee to a billowy blouse, blazer or zip-up cashmere hoodie. On your feet, slip on some loafers or flats, or, come summer, leather thong sandals. The only place they may not fly is a highly corporate office, though they’re appropriate there on casual Friday.

Faux-pas 3: Yucky white aerobics shoes You bought ‘em in the 90s and they never fell apart, so...you kept wearing them?

Solution: Aside from Mom Jeans, few things say “I just don’t care how

I look anymore” more than these. If you do care, but don’t want to waste undue time ever stressing again over your playground/park/dog-walking/grocery-shopping footwear, just buy a pair of vintage-style runners that will never-and we mean never-go out of style, like canvas Keds or Converse Chuck Taylor All Starsthey’re cheap and true classics.

(Avoid of-the-moment sneaks from Diesel, Adidas, Lacoste and so on unless you’re ready to invest in seasonal upgrades.)

Faux pas 4: Mom jeans High-waisted, stone-washed, tapered-leg, possibly even cinched with a braided leather belt? Yep, those are Mom jeans. Much parodied, yet very common.

Solution: Jeans with a straight or slightly flared boot-cut leg are always a classic and will look good paired with tees, sweaters, blouses and even blazers, as well as a variety of footwear. Look for a just-belowthe-navel waistband for a contemporary look. If you have small kids,

skip the super-low riders, because you’re going to be doing a lot of bending and crouching. And nix trendy super-skinny denim unless you’ve a) lost the baby fat, and b) are willing to ditch the jeans and go jean shopping again once this slimcut look dates in, oh, about a year.

Faux Pas 5: Baggy sports jerseys or logo sweatshirts Wearing your husband’s cotton button-downs can be cute, but his oversize sweats? Not hot.

Solution: Splurge on some sleek athleisure wear. Can’t afford Stella McCartney’s line for Adidas or nouveau-classic Lululemon? Old Navy and La Senza both have their own cheap-chic activewear collections, quirky new age-y logos and all. Save the over-the-top logos for the kids, and oversize tops for your couch potato hubby. You? You’re a hot mama, so make that kindergarten drop-off in a flattering blousy long tank that can be layered with a hoodie, and paired with comfy-cute yoga pants or leggings. Just as casual, just as low-fuss, but light years

ahead in style and comfort!

Faux Pas 6: Stringy, bedraggled ponytail Hurray for ponytails! They’re fast and cute, and for that, a mom essential. But they should also show off glossy, healthy hair. If your pony’s looking ratty, you need to see a vet-er, stylist.

Solution: First, see a stylist and have dry, damaged hair trimmed into a low-maintenance style you may just want to wear pony-less on some days. (Always tell them that you’re looking for something lowmaintenance, unless you really are willing to juggle getting your kids ready for school while blow-drying and flat-ironing your hair.) If your hair seems lifeless, consider adding some depth with highlights or lowlights, and have a deep-conditioning treatment afterward. Keep your hair in top shape by shampooing every other day instead of daily, if possible, and always use conditioner. Don’t damage hair by brushing it while it’s still damp. (www.canadianliving.com)

Health FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Laryngitis, symptoms, cause and cures L

aryngitis is the medical term for inflammation and swelling of the larynx, which is also known as the voice box. Most of the causes of laryngitis, such as common viruses infections or using your voice too much, are not serious. A few causes, however, require medical attention and can be cause for concern such as laryngeal cancer.

When to go to the hospital Some situations can be life threatening, and you must not delay seeing a doctor. Go to a hospital’s emergency department or call 911 if you experience any of the following. ● Any trouble breathing

Laryngitis Causes Laryngitis is usually caused by a virus or occurs in people who overuse their voice.

Occasionally, a person may develop laryngitis from bacterial infections, and rarely, from infections such as tuberculosis, syphilis, or a fungal infection. People with prolonged laryngitis should see their doctor to be checked for tumors, some of which may be cancerous. Smokers and those who consume alcohol are especially at risk for cancer.

Laryngitis Contagious If the laryngitis is from a viral or bacterial infection, it is possible that the specific virus or bacteria can be contagious.

However, if the laryngitis is from laryngeal cancer or overuse of the voice, it is not contagious.

Laryngitis Symptoms The most common symptoms of laryngi-

● Feeling as if your throat is closing ● Inability to swallow ● Drooling ● Need to sit upright to breathe

If a child is drooling, has a whistling noise in his or her throat when breathing, or has any trouble breathing at all, then the child needs to go to the hospital.

tis ● Hoarseness ● Feeling a tickle in the throat (that may

be from reflux laryngitis) ● The urge to constantly clear the throat (that may be from reflux laryngitis) ● Fever ● Cough (that can be from bronchitis or sinusitis) ● Congestion Often laryngitis may develop in addition to, or a few days after a sore throat. Even after the infection has resolved, the laryngitis may linger for a few weeks.

When to call the doctor Sometimes laryngitis may be more serious and may indicate laryngeal cancer.

Several symptoms should cause you to see a doctor: ● High fever with a sore throat ● Coughing up yellow or green phlegm (possibly suggestive of bronchitis or sinusitis) ● Coughing up blood ● Inability to drink liquids ● A history of throat or breathing problems ● Symptoms that last for 2 to 3 weeks despite resting your voice Children are different than adults because they are more likely to become infected with certain microbes, and potentially may be contagious depending on the infecting organism. ● If a child just has a hoarse voice, with or without other symptoms of a virus such as low-grade fever (less than 100.5 F or 38 C) runny nose, muscle aches, cough, or nasal congestion, then the treatment is the same as for an adult. ● If the child has a fever, a sore throat, won’t eat or drink, or has a decreased number of wet diapers (indicating less than adequate drinking) you should take the child to see a doctor.

Laryngitis Home Remedies If the symptoms have been present for

only a few days or occur immediately following an episode of using the voice more than normal, then the main treatment is to rest the voice as much as possible. It is imperative to over-hydrate the body by drinking a lot of fluids. ● If the affected person has symptoms that suggest a virus is present, such as lowgrade fever, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, muscle aches, or feeling run down, then he or she should be sure to drink lots of fluids and take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) for the symptoms. ● Many people find inhaling steam, such as from a hot bath or shower, or a cool mist humidifier makes them feel better. ● In all cases the affected individual should avoid smoking, areas where others are smoking, and avoid alcohol consumption. ● Often times, these home remedies should cure the laryngitis or improve it significantly. However, if the home remedies do not make it better, then a doctor should be consulted.

Laryngitis Medical Treatment After a careful exam the doctor will decide on a course of treatment. ● Most of the time, the doctor will recommend the home care actions and may recommend that the patient see an ear, nose, and throat specialist (otolaryngologist). ● If the doctor is concerned about a bac-

terial infection causing the laryngitis, then he or she will prescribe a course of antibiotics. ● Sometimes, the doctor may choose to observe the patient in the office or the emergency department for a short period of time in order to be sure he or she is not getting worse quickly.

If the patient has any signs of respiratory distress or think the airway could swell and close, then he or she will be admitted to the hospital. ● In some emergency situations, more commonly in children than adults, the danger of the throat swelling shut exists. This is usually from a contagious infection. ● It may be necessary to place a breathing tube into the patient’s throat in order to breathe for him or her (the procedure is called intubation). ● The patient will then be placed on a ventilator (a machine to breathe for them). ● In this situation, the patient will receive IV antibiotics and likely steroids. (www.emedicinehealth.com)

Health FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Best fitness apps Got a smart phone? Then it’s time to stop texting and start flexing

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echnology has drilled it into your head: There’s an app for everything.

The expensive communication box (or MP3 player, if you have the iPod Touch) can make fart sounds, help you learn a new language and even turn your photos into cartoon stills. And it can help you get in shape or maintain a healthy lifestyle-for much cheaper than a personal trainer or nutritionist. To get you started, we put together a roundup of the best apps on the market right now:

Lose It Cost: Free Consolidate your workout journal and food diary into one (or start keeping them) with this handy tracker. Inputting data can get tedious but the food library is extensive and includes name-brands plus generic categories like fruit, coffee and chicken (broiled, oven roasted, etc.). Each food type includes accurate calorie, carb, fiber, fat, sodium and protein values, which you can track on a separate page. Add in your daily exercises-including the intensity and hours spent-and it calculates how many calories you ate, how many you burned and how much more you can eat that day. For added motivation, a graph based on your data shows how much weight you’ve lost.

GoodFoodNearYou Cost: Free Perfect for frequent travelers, this app recommends healthy food options based on your location, which is tracked by GPS. It targets popular casual dining restaurants, fast-food restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores nearby. Tap one of the suggestions and a lengthy list of healthy menu items appears, complete with calorie, fat and carb totals. Once you decide on a place, simply let the built-in map guide you to gastro-satisfaction.

NutritionTips Cost: Free Did you know that cut melon must be thrown out after two hours? Or that the leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts? Or that oysters contain protein, calcium, phosphorus and iron? This colorful app has fun factoids like these and more than 500 others to help you have a safe and healthy diet. Each tip is written on a sleek Post-it look-alike. Swipe the page or shake your device for a new tidbit.

RunKeeper Pro Cost: $9.99 Frequently compared to Nike+, this app,

which is only compatible with the 3G or 3GS iPhones, finally offers a tracking system to runners, cyclists, hikers and skiers alike (Nike+ is only for runners). The app uses GPS technology to track your route and speed, and automatically uploads your data to the RunKeeper website (runkeeper.com) after your workout. You can log in to view a history of all your activities, see the exact paths you’ve traveled (including elevation!) and share your progress with a built-in option to post to Facebook or Twitter. A free version is also available but only the Pro shouts updates at five-minute intervals through your headphones.

25K Cost: $2.99 The appropriately named C25K (Couch to 5k) app is perfect for those who are new to the jogging world. A nine-week regimen-at three days a week-guides you through 30-40-minute sessions, each designed to improve your endurance. The first week calls for 60 seconds of running followed by 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes plus a five-minute warm up and cool down. The second week increases to 90 seconds of running and two minutes of walking. Intensity continues to increase each week and an audio prompter tells you when it’s time to run or walk so you can focus on more important things.

iTreadmill Cost: $1.99 Too busy to hit the gym? Turn on this app, put it in your pocket and go about your day as it accurately tracks your steps,

distance and average speed. While most pedometers aren’t equipped to work in pockets and purses-you normally have to carry them or holster them in nerdy belt straps-this one is. You can even set the Pacer Dial, which ticks off beats to keep you marching up to speed. The counter automatically pauses when you stop and restarts when you move again.

brother ($4.99), this app has 280 exercises with animations and written instructions, 52 workout routines (adjustable for four levels of expertise) and the ability for you to add your own images. While you can’t log your daily workout routine, there are calculators for computing target heart rate, BMI, BMR and body fat percentage. Got flabby arms? Choose the body map menu, select the biceps option and you’ll be presented with more than 50 arm-toning moves.

FitnessBuilder Cost: $9.99 The price may seem steep but this is the mother of all fitness apps. It’s got over 200 workouts, which can be picked automatically by the app’s technology to create the best session for you. It’s also loaded with over 2,0000 images and videos, five fitness timers, complete tracking capabilities, an arsenal of calculators and the ability to ask their exercise physiologist a personal question. The app can be upgraded for $4.99 a month, more than doubling the amount of the workouts, videos and accessory applications. The only thing this bundle of technology doesn’t do is perform liposuction.

GymGoal ABC Cost: Free Learn the ABCs of weight lifting with your new gym buddy. Like its for-cost

iFitness Cost: $1.99 A happy medium between the two above, this is one of the most popular paid apps and offers more than 230 exercises sorted by body regions or muscle group plus 100 instructional videos. Like GymGoal, you can add and edit custom exercises of your own. Also on hand: 12 routines created by fitness experts, workout and weight logs, graphing technology, the ability to e-mail said workout logs to yourself, stop-watch timers and more. It’s got a few less bells and whistles than FitnessBuilder but you can spend the saved $8 on protein shakes. (www.mensfitness.com)

Arts FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Review

Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam Eye-opening exhibition at the British Museum

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he hajj - the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca - is very much a growth industry. In 1932, 20,000 pilgrims made the symbolic journey, the fifth pillar of Islamic obligation. This year the faithful will number more than three million (officials from the London Olympics have consulted with the Saudi authorities to see how they manage the annual miracle of traffic flow). One of the striking aspects of this eye-opening exhibition at the British Museum - the first British show devoted to what remains a mysterious journey among non-believers - is the way that the yearly mass migration invokes profound abstract geometries.

The anti-clockwise currents and eddies of human bodies around the great black stone of the Ka’bah, each pilgrim shuffling to complete the necessary devotional seven laps, is a gift to timelapse photography. You come away with perfect cubes and the circular motion of a white-robed tide of humanity imprinted on your retina. The sight, even on film, of the weeping millions on the Plain of Arafat, every contour of the central mountain moving with bodies from across the globe, is perhaps the most powerful spectacle of the physical attraction of faith the world has to offer.

The exhibition reminds you at every turn that no other religion has quite the geographical pull of Islam. Every time a Muslim turns to pray to Mecca, this sacred cartography is invoked. The concentric rings of orderly submission gesture to an all-powerful centripetal force.

The Saudi artist Ahmed Mater Al-Ziad makes the obvious but perfectly executed analogy of magnetism to describe this global force field. In one corner of the show he has recreated his celebrated piece in which a black cube of a magnet draws its attendant iron filings into hajjlike patterns of devotion on a sheet of white paper. Some of the chips of metal lie prostrate; others are held quivering upright.

Idris Khan, the young Birminghamborn artist, has created two similarly simple pieces. At the entrance to the old Reading Room, which houses the linear progression of the exhibition, he has placed 49 cubes of black marble, each face sandblasted with a Qur’anic verse.

Even among the totem poles and statuary under Norman Foster’s geodesic roof, the blocks have a monumental quality that calls to mind American minimalism - a Donald Judd for the devout.

Bookending the show is another piece

by Khan called I Was Here for You and Only You, in which devotional mantras and spiritual questions - “Are you leaving as you had come?”, directed to pilgrim and gallery-goer alike - have been painstakingly applied with a child’s rubber stamp set, like thousands of black spokes of a wheel around the inevitable hub.

In taking the commission, Khan, of Welsh and Pakistani parentage, described how, as a mostly lapsed Muslim, he was moved by the lifechanging effect of the hajj on his father.

His two pieces are a nice testament to

some of that paternal emotional mystery. The hand-printed piece is displayed alongside a taped loop of British Muslims talking about their experience of hajj. The Yorkshire and home counties accents are inflected with unashamed awe and wonder. “I felt like I was moving toward a centre of silence,” says one; “You feel at a new level of closeness to Him,” says another. At the Plain of Arafat, many say, they were reminded, in the 45-degree heat, and in the midst of mil-

Road to Makkah, 2011 (detail) by Abdulnasser Gharem at the British Museum.—Guardian lions, of how they would leave this world alone. These voices in the dark become hypnotic, fading to the mantras of Khan’s devotional Spirograph: “What am I going to sacrifice to God, in my life?” they ask.

It is hard to distinguish between these contemporary voices and some of the expressions of the hajj experience noted in previous centuries. The pilgrimage in this sense is not just a geographi-

cal journey but also a temporal one, a marking of ancient footsteps. The first part of the show organises itself loosely around the four main routes to Mecca that were established in the years after the prophet Muhammad’s death. The earliest hajj relics, on camel bone, are from the road established by Zubayd, wife of Harun al-Rashid of Arabian Nights fame. The road was constructed through what is now Iraq, with staging posts and reservoirs, at the turn of the 9th century AD. Most pilgrims came from the Middle East - from Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad and Basra - but there were also, even by the 11th century, movements of people from southeast Asia, west Africa and southern Europe.

Several of the exquisitely illustrated records and journals of the period suggest a kind of carnival spirit among those early pilgrims, travelling overland in caravans, a mix of God-fearing humanity and gossipy storytelling that might have been recognisable to Chaucer. This spirit is retained in the jerky newsreels of the earlier part of the 20th century with the faithful piling excitedly on to trains, right up to the present day, where the spiritual quest is equally a great family adventure, as recounted in the recent school diary of a north London schoolgirl, included in the show.

If this kind of spirit comes as a surprise to some, it is partly because the hajj has always been off-limits to non-believers. To make this point, a copied motorway sign from the holy city suggests an

audience division into Muslims and nonMuslims; infidels, it suggests, are required to take the next exit. No British traveller dared to make the hajj before the indefatigable Victorian explorer Richard Burton, who disguised himself as a pilgrim in 1853 to write a bestselling book about his adventures; later, more authentic converts included Lady Evelyn Cobbold who became the first British woman to perform the hajj, in 1933, as she noted in passing in a wonderful preserved letter to her grandson, (“it seems that I have always been a Moslem,” she suggested, aged 65).

Though an intimate part of the lives of many modern Britons, the pilgrimage remains in many senses a guarded world, which makes the treasures and curiosities collected here - many borrowed from Riyadh and beyond - a unique kind of insight. Neil MacGregor and his team at the British Museum, including Venetia Porter, curator of this exhibition, have, for a decade now, been on an impassioned quest themselves to shed light on some of the more misunderstood history and rituals of the contemporary world and to find the shared humanity in them. Once again, it is worth commending these boundless efforts at cultural diplomacy, and sheer determined curiosity, that allow us all to enjoy the detail and scope of a story that is to many a closed book. —Guardian

Arts FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Feelgood art: The pick-me-up to get us through an age of anxiety British artists used to delight in shocking audiences, but now many are involved in projects intended to cheer people up

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oung British artists once rocked the world with a volley of pickled animal cadavers, unmade beds and flicking light switches. But now, against the backdrop of a grim economic climate, some of the movement’s biggest stars appear to be concentrating on cheering us all up.

Feelgood artwork is everywhere, from the life-affirming London Underground project of Michael Landy, who has invited commuters to log incidents of kindness, to the uplifting public art commissioned for the top of bus shelters to herald the Olympics.

“There is a second world war kind of thing going on about ‘keeping the home fires burning’ at the moment; a bit of ‘keep calm and carry on’ art, if you like,” said the Turner prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller this weekend as he prepared for the opening of his retrospective show, Joy in People, on London’s South Bank next month.

However, his own work, as he explains, is not intended as a simple pick-me-up.

“The title of my show is apparently positive, but the show itself isn’t all positive. There is anger and there is frustration too,” he said.

Other leading artists, such as Martin Creed and Tracey Emin, who established their careers with work on challenging themes, are now producing art that urges their public to think positive thoughts.

“Don’t Worry”, reads Creed’s neon work, while several of Emin’s recent neon signs are equally direct, reading “Trust Me” and “I Keep Believing in You”. The Turner prize-nominated artist Mark Titchner is one of those to contribute to Bus Tops, a Cultural Olympiad project which has seen inspirational digital commands such as “Act or be Acted Upon” and “If you don’t like your life, you can change it” adorning London bus shelters.

Much of this work is tongue-incheek, or at least invites a few questions, but the overall effect is to emphasize the better things about human existence.

“When times are difficult, values are going to be questioned,” said

Ralph Rugoff, director of the Hayward Gallery. “You look again at what’s important and at what’s less important in life. It is usually a time when culture and art can play an important part, whereas in a boom period there is too much focus on the hype around the boom and on all the alluring baubles it holds out before us.”

Rugoff, who is staging the Deller show and an exhibition of the wry sketches of David Shrigley, is clear that art should not be regarded as “a nice sedative we can take together ... What it can do, though, is function as a catalyst and bring people together. Art can connect them in new ways.”

On Tuesday, a group of artists including Gillian Wearing, Antony Gormley, Yinka Shonibare and Jonathan Yeo are to launch a more practical response to the financial slump. The group are staging a major exhibition in London this spring that will raise money for the homelessness charity Crisis. “Art reflects on situations in ways that cold hard facts can’t,” said Wearing, who won the Turner prize in 1997.

“It tries to make sense of the world subjectively, whereas facts tend to ignore our subjectivity.”

Her partner is Landy, and she explains that the idea behind his Acts of Kindness on the London Underground came to him before the financial crisis took hold. “For me it was powerful that an artist was working with kindness, something that we easily overlook,” she said this weekend. “It actually inspired some works of mine, including the one for the Crisis Commission, where I wanted to look at people who have overcome difficulties in life and have become heroes.”

But on the weekend when filmmaker Danny Boyle, director of the Olympics opening ceremony, announced his Isle of Wonders theme, Deller for one is decidedly grumpy about the pressure to be jolly in preparation for the summer.

“The Olympics, of course, is something that will attempt to brainwash artists into expressing positive things,” he said. “Some will.

But I am the kind of person who

will try and do the opposite. I find these big cultural and sporting events unbearable.”

In 2009 Deller invited London Underground staff on the Piccadilly Line to help him produce a booklet of quotes called What is the City But People. The booklet aimed “to generate a more positive atmosphere during peak times”, but his

“Historically, art began by giving people what they needed, as it was tied up with religion. Now it is much more fragmented and it can be about how miserable and rotten things are,” he said. His own collaborative work with the public is born of the fact that he is not traditionally trained, Deller suggests, as much as it is due to his belief and

Artist Michael Landy epitomises the feelgood factor with his London Underground project about kindness. —Guardian

best known work also tackles the violent 1984 confrontations between striking miners and police and the Iraq war. His recent work What It Is, the remains of a car destroyed at Al-Mutanabbi book market in Baghdad, will be in the new exhibition.

interest in people.

“At its simplest, I would say art is another way of looking at life, or perhaps another way of dealing with it.”

Deller points out that BritArt started under a Conservative government “in difficult times” and

was later “appropriated by the Blair regime”.

“At that point it did all become a bit celebratory,” he said.

For several young artists the benevolent act of making communal art has become part of the reason for doing it. Max Dovey, 23, is one of the artists featured in the 2012 Catlin guide to the 40 most promising art school graduates.

“Apart from one or two notable exceptions, the response by new artists to the recession hasn’t been as political or aggressive as one might have expected,” said Justin Hammond, who wrote the guide.

“Looking at the selected artists, there’s a lot of humour running through the work though, and Max Dovey’s work is very much about encouraging communication and embracing the idea of community.”

“The Emotional Stock Market, which was the piece I did last year, was about trading well-being as a commodity like shares,” said Dovey, who is from Bristol and lives and works in south London. “There was a lot of political talk about moving away from gross domestic product to valuing how people were feeling, and my piece was a satire or a comment on that. We tracked the levels of well-being by looking at status updates on Facebook and at Twitter to see how many were happy or sad, and then we traded them in live performance.”

Dovey argues that there is a new growth of “careful art” among contemporaries who are making community projects. “Artists don’t want to shock or upset. There is more interest in how art makes people feel and the experience of art has become at least as important as the practice of it.”

—Guardian

Comics

C R O S S W O R D

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS

1. The United Nations agency concerned with the international collection of meteorological data.

4. The doctrine that reality consists of a single basic substance or element.

10. Informal abbreviation of `representative'.

13. An accidental happening.

14. Remote city of Kazakhstan that (ostensibly for security reasons) was made the capital in 1998.

15. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

16. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar to but heavier than beer.

17. Small arctic whale the male having a long spiral ivory tusk.

18. An honorary degree in science.

19. A Portuguese province on the south coast of China and two islands in the South China Sea. 21. Expected hopefully.

23. Battles in World War II in the Pacific (November 1943).

25. Being one hundred more than three hundred.

26. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

27. An esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret.

32. Not only so, but.

33. Joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia.

35. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

38. The second day of the week.

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

41. The Latin name for England.

44. The rate at which heat is produced by an individual in a resting state.

46. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

48. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds.

52. Someone who delivers coal.

56. Open to or abounding in fresh air.

57. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

58. Lose blood from one's body.

61. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

62. A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

63. (Greek mythology) Son of Daedalus.

65. A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures.

66. Measure of the US economy adopted in 1991.

67. Someone who mooches or cadges (tries to get something free).

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

DOWN 1. Hit hard.

2. The arch of bone beneath the eye that forms the prominence of the cheek.

3. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

4. Of or relating to the hands.

5. A Turkish unit of weight equal to about 2.75 pounds.

6. Resonance of protons to radiation in a magnetic field.

7. A resident of Iowa.

8. Basically shredded cabbage.

9. Stem of the rattan palm used for making canes and umbrella handles.

10. Of the color of rust.

11. A person who acts as host at formal occasions (makes an introductory speech and introduces other speakers).

12. A genus of Ploceidae.

20. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

22. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

24. A Bantu language spoken by the Kamba people in Kenya.

28. (in Gnosticism) A divine power or nature emanating from the Supreme Being and playing various roles in the operation of the universe.

29. A vigorous blow.

30. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

31. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

34. Being ten more than one hundred ninety.

36. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

37. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

40. A hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair.

42. A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood.

43. (prosody) Of or consisting of iambs.

44. Unknown god.

45. A master's degree in business.

47. Make uniform.

48. (of light) Lacking in intensity or brightness.

49. An ancient city in northern Portugal.

50. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

51. (Babylonian) A demigod or first man.

53. Toward the mouth or oral region.

54. An association of people to promote the welfare of senior citizens.

55. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

59. A cgs unit of work or energy.

60. Owed and payable immediately or on demand.

64. A soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element of the alkali metal group.

Yesterday’s Solution

Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Jin Xing performs for the first time in over 20 years and the first time ever as a female with the Jin Xing Dance Theatre of Shanghai a scene from ‘Shanghai Tango’ during a dress rehearsal January 31, 2012 before opening at the Joyce Theater. Jin Xing, who was born a boy, discovered a passion for dance when he was 6. After many years of ballet school (without the support or encouragement of his family), he joined the People’s Liberation Army and danced in the army’s ballet company.

Although suffering from continuous confusion about his identity and discomfort during the aggressive military training, he successfully advanced to the rank of Colonel while also dancing in many of the nation’s top ballets. —AFP

Charm school for a new India

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t the prompting of Pria Warrick, her class of aspiring politicians open their arms wide and press their palms together over their heads-milking the cheers of an imaginary crowd of supporters. “This gesture conveys you want to embrace the masses as one of your own,” explained Warrick, who runs the Pria Warrick Finishing School in India’s capital New Delhi. Originally targetted at newly-weds and the wives of businessmen eager to improve their hostessing skills, the school has recently become a popular resource for politicians wanting to beef up their voter appeal. “We’ve been having a lot of people from various political parties coming here,” Warrick told AFP. “They don’t know how much difference a receptive body language can make. But they are keen to change.” According to Warrick, very few Indian politicians employ image consultants and most rely on advice from civil servants who are “very intelligent but have no idea about professional etiquette.” In their class, the students conduct roleplays to explore how they might behave in different situations on the campaign trail, whether visiting an influential supporter or an impoverished farmer. “Some of them feel they lack the spontaneity to answer questions,” said Warrick, who learned her trade at a classic Swiss finishing school before setting up shop in India.

“We teach them how to evade an uncomfortable question, how to be firm in their replies and yet appear friendly.” Yawning, burping and scratching the nose are three strict no-nos in Warrick’s guide book for the political class. “You must be ultra-careful because any action will be seen as reflecting your actual thought process,” she said. Warrick is protective of her political students, refusing to divulge any of their names and not allowing them to be questioned directly. A series of state elections has swollen intake for the specialist classes, but the main business

of the school remains firmly based in its original, almost exclusively female, clientele looking to polish their social skills.

Rapid economic expansion, an increasingly upwardly-mobile middle class and the growing number of Indians taking up overseas posts with large multinational firms, have all fuelled a demand for Warrick’s expertise. “I used to be

Instructor Nivedita applies make-up to a student during a class on personal grooming.

Pria Warrick (C back) director of The Pria Warrick Finishing School gives tips to students during a class on confidence building in New Delhi. — AFP photos

Students of International School of Ethics learn to toast during a class on dining etiquette . quite introvert and shy,” said Saba Khan, 26, a homemaker whose husband works for a multinational bank. “I struggled to interact with my

husband’s boss or his wife in social gatherings.

“Now, I feel ready to host a party. Important deals are sometimes struck over lunches and dinners. It is very important to dress, dine, talk and walk properly,” Khan said.

A typical class includes lectures on the power of “small talk” as well as tips on dinner table etiquette such as bringing the spoon to the mouth rather than the other way round. Across town at the International School of Etiquette, a similar class is underway, but this time the students are women who want their own careers and businesses. The school is run by Monica Garg who conducts workshops on personal presentation and business etiquette for business schools, management students and people working in India’s expanding hospitality and retail sectors.

“The color black is stubborn and authoritative. So wear black when you want to put across this message. Wear warm colors like red and yellow if you want to show that you are approachable,” Garg tells her class. Garg says the students who attend her school are well educated and professionally competent, but often feel they lack social networking skills. “There is a lot more awareness about image and confidence building than there was about a decade back,” Garg told AFP. Namrata Khanna, 24, said the course covered issues that were never touched on in business school. “I was confused if I should dress formally for a weekend meeting with a client at a five-star hotel. Also, how much make-up should I wear, whether I should wear high heels,” Khanna said.—AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

British singer Geri Halliwell poses (center) with models as she launches a union jack clothing range for high street chain store, at a venue in London, yesterday. — AP

Review

“T

he Woman in Black” very nearly suffocates under the mounting weight of its gothic kitsch - an abandoned house, child ghosts, spooky dolls, oh my! - but nevertheless summons ornately crafted, oldfashioned suspense. This is the second film for British director James Watkins, whose previous “Eden Lake” gathered an intriguing story about class out of a confrontation in the woods between a vacationing couple (Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly) and a violent gang of youths.

Watkins prefers the term “thriller” to “horror,” and by these two films, it’s obvious he’s interested in using fright for more than just shock and something closer to real life. In his first post-Potter film, Daniel Radcliffe stars as the struggling, widowed London lawyer Arthur Kipps. With a little facial scruff and clad in an early 20th century suit of the time, Radcliffe looks respectably adult. Kipps is a morose young man, still grieving the loss of his wife in childbirth. His now 4-year-old son (Misha Handley) already has him down, in caricature, drawing him as a stick figure with a giant frown. Yes, young Harry Potter is now a (believable) dad, which means we can all collectively sigh and pretend to shoot ourselves.

He’s dispatched to the (fictional) remote eastern British village of Crythin Gifford to put in order the estate of the recently deceased Alice Drablow. The sense of foreboding comes quickly and thickly, as the townspeople eye him suspiciously and Kipps is placed in an inn room where three young sisters killed themselves. Death hangs over the town so heavily that whimpering comes even from a parrot, which no doubt had plenty of chances to mimic the sound. The ivy-covered Eel Marsh House, which Kipps is to sort, is classically menacing in the Victorian way. Set back from the village down the ominously named Nine Lives Causeway, it’s an island in a cold marsh that ebbs with the tide.

Inside the cobwebbed home, reflections, apparitions and shadows steadily increase as Kipps digs into the history of the Drablows as well as the village. Tragedies of the town’s children populate its past and present - occurrences that seem connected to a lurking, dark

figure. As he always does, Ciaran Hinds considerably helps the film. (He also played the lead in another fine film that mixed grief with the supernatural, 2010’s “The Eclipse.”) Hinds plays Samuel Daily, the only friend in town to Kipps and, himself, one of those who has lost a child.

His wife (an enjoyably loony Janet McTeer) has gone off the deep end, to the point that her two small dogs dine at the table with them like Paris Hilton Chihuahuas.

Daily is the staunch holdout in the superstitious town. Declaring paranormal worries “rubbish,” he warns Kipps not to “go chasing shadows.” But even he, when Kipps declares he’ll stay overnight at Eel Marsh, raises an eyebrow and says, “Take the dog.”“The Woman in Black” is adapted from Susan Hill’s 1983 novel, which was earlier turned into a long-running play in London. It’s the second film from the reconstituted Hammer Film Productions, the famed British house of horror best known for the lush gothic it churned out in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Watkins’ film, nifty and taught, is a worthy enough heir to that tradition. It’s a film, ultimately, about the trappings of grief wallowing.

As a wand-less detective, Radcliffe comports himself well. He plays Kipps with downcast desperation, striving simultaneously after the memory of his wife and the future of his son. The basic cliches on which the film is built threaten to overwhelm it. And it could certainly use a little more dialogue and a bit less creaky hallways. But the appeal of a good ol’ ghost story is strong, and the simplicity of “The Woman in Black” suits the tradition.

“The Woman in Black,” a CBS Films release, is rated PG-13 for thematic material and violence, disturbing images. Running time: 95 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.—AP

B

ruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform at Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater next month. The March 9 show is three days after the release of Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball” album. It will air live on E Street Radio. Subscribers can win tickets to the event, which is part of SiriusXM’s 10th anniversary celebration. The announcement was made Wednesday by SiriusXM Radio. The Apollo propelled the careers of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson.

It held memorial services for Michael Jackson and James Brown, and a 2007 campaign rally for Barack Obama.

During a January fundraiser there, Obama crooned a bar from an Al Green classic.

Springsteen references Harlem in the songs “Jungleland” and “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?” But it’s his first Apollo appearance. The world tour starts March 18 in Atlanta.—AP Bruce Springsteen performs during the 2006 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans. — AP

T

In this image released by Columbia Pictures, Channing Tatum, left, and Jonah Hill are shown in a scene from the film ‘21 Jump Street.’— AP

he upcoming remaking of “21 Jump Street” will premiere as the centerpiece of Austin’s South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival. The actioncomedy stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in a big screen version of the 1980s Johnny Depp TV series. It will screen March 12 at SXSW, which runs March 9-17. The conference also announced its closing film will be “Big Easy Express,” a documentary bout a group of touring folk bands including Mumford & Sons. SXSW earlier announced that “The Cabin in the Woods,” an anticipated horror film co-written by Joss Whedon, will open the festival. On Wednesday, the festival announced its full slate of 130 features at SXSW 2012. Those were selected from a record 1,957 feature-length submissions. — AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

‘Chronicle’

takes found-footage idea to new level

I

t owes a great debt to the foundfootage concept behind “The Blair Witch Project,” has some of the aesthetic and tonal touches of “Cloverfield” and probes the same sorts of philosophical notions about the burden of power that serve as the basis for the “X-Men” series. And yet, “Chronicle” still has enough energy and ingenuity to serve as thrilling entertainment all its own.

First-time feature director Josh Trank and writer Max Landis (as in son-of-John the director) have come up with a clever way to tell a hand-held, point-of-view story without relying on the same old grainy, headache-inducing shaky-cam techniques we so often must endure: The camera can levitate. Because the three teenagers who take turns operating it have acquired the power of telekinesis.

These are three recognizable high school types: nerdy loner Andrew (Dane DeHaan, who resembles a young Leonardo DiCaprio), popular athlete Steve (the charismatic Michael B. Jordan) and Matt (Alex Russell), Andrew’s scholarly cousin who falls somewhere in the middle of the social hierarchy. One night in the woods outside a party, they happen to come together to discover a hole in the ground and decide to explore it. Since Andrew chronicles everything with his video camera - because everyone his age chronicles everything - he documents what they find: some sort of glowing cosmic thing which fascinates them, and also gives them the ability to move and manipulate things with their minds.

Rather than embark on some important superhero adventure, they do what regular kids would do. They mess with people at Wal-Mart. They toy with pretty girls. They get really good at beer pong.

In this film image released by 20th Century Fox, Dane DeHaan is shown in a scene from ‘Chronicle.’ — AP

They become emboldened individually and egg each other on - and they find that this new gift is like a muscle that gets stronger the more they use it.

Eventually they figure out how to fly, which provides some of the film’s most exciting and startling moments and also marks the beginning of the end of all their seemingly harmless, adolescent fun. (The visual effects are surprisingly seamless and realistic and, until the end at least, feel believable because they’re not grandiose.)

“Chronicle” gets dark quickly, especially as the put-upon Andrew finally

K’Naan upset Romney used his song

T File photo shows musician K’Naan attending Good Housekeeping’s ‘Shine On’ Women Making History theatrical event at Radio City Music Hall in New York. — AP

he rapper K’Naan is upset that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney used his song “Wavin’ Flag” during his Florida primary victory speech, and is seeking legal action as a result. In a statement released Wednesday, K’naan says Romney’s campaign did not seek approval to use the song and that he would not have granted permission if it had.

The Somali-born, Canadian-based rapper says he would happily grant President Barack Obama’s campaign the use of the song.”Wavin’ Flag” was an international hit for K’Naan in 2010. The song had several country-specific remixes, featuring artists from those territories.

It was co-written and co-produced by Bruno Mars’ production team, The Smeezingtons.

K’Naan says he wants to make sure Romney does not use his song again. —AP

comes into his own physically, if not from an emotional maturity standpoint.

Long the victim of his alcoholic father’s abuse and the bullying of his classmates, he finds himself heading toward the dark side of the force. The final act goes a little haywire, especially as the camera device collapses in favor of various points of view. Surveillance footage shows up out of nowhere, which takes us distractingly out of the picture, given that the thread that held the narrative together was the idea that we were always watching something that one of these kids shot themselves. “Chronicle”

had even gone to the trouble to add a second camera, from pretty video blogger Casey (Ashley Hinshaw), just to maintain the integrity of this conceit.

Still, this is an auspicious beginning for a couple of exciting, young filmmaking voices. “Chronicle,” a 20th Century Fox release, is rated PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking. Running time: 84 minutes.

Three stars out of four.

Filmmaker without credentials arrested at hearing

A

n Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker was arrested at a House of Representatives hearing after trying to film the proceedings without the required media credentials. Joshua Fox was led out of the room Wednesday in handcuffs and charged by Capitol Police with unlawful entry.

He was released later by the Capitol Police with a misdemeanor citation for, in his words, “practicing journalism,” The New York Times reported. He said he did not have to pay a fine or post bail. A court date was set for Feb 15. Fox directed the anti-drilling documentary “Gasland,” which was nominated last year for an Oscar. Fox also is an activist who has spoken out against hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which was the subject of the House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee hearing.

Fracking takes place when large volumes of water, sand and chemicals are injected into wells to break up underground rock formations, allowing natural gas to escape. The oil and gas industry has

criticized Fox and his film for what they say is a sensationalized attack on fracking. Democrats forced two votes, one to allow Fox to film the hearing and a second to recess the hearing for a week so that Fox could obtain credentials. Both motions were defeated on a party-line vote. Committee Republicans issued a statement saying that committee rules state, “Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media shall be currently accredited to the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Galleries.”

“The individual removed was not accredited by the House Radio and TV Gallery and had refused to turn off his camera upon request by Capitol Police,” the statement added.

The hearing was available for viewing on the committee’s Internet site, which is routine practice for most congressional committees. A Democrat on the committee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, said Republicans were trying to hide criticism of the Environmental Protection Agency. —AP

Lifestyle

Spain FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Fashion Week

Models display Autum/Winter designs

by Agatha Ruiz De La Prada during the Madrid’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, in Madrid, Wednesday. —AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Schiffer

says motherhood changed her

C

laudia Schiffer’s priorities changed when she had her first child. The German supermodel has three kids, Caspar, nine, Clementine, seven, and 20-month-old Cosima, with her director husband Matthew Vaughn and Claudia admits until she had her own family her life was consumed by work.

She told Stylist magazine: “I come from a big family, and I always wanted to have kids of my own. Before I met Matthew, I worked non-stop. But once we got together, suddenly a whole new world seemed to open up. And when I had my first child, my priorities became completely different. Motherhood made me feel, ‘This is what I’m all about.’ You stop worrying. Matthew and I are a team, we

make all our decisions together, whether it’s about the children or the house.

We’re not divided in any sense.”

Claudia lives in Notting Hill in London with her family and says she can’t imagine her family living anywhere else. She added: “I’ve lived in Paris and New York, where I love the pace, but this has become my favourite city. It’s got everything you could want and it has a lovely villagey feel; there are parks and gardens everywhere in London. There is a sense of community in the neighborhood we live in, in Notting Hill, and it’s also really easy to get to the countryside. I’ve fallen in love with it, and I’m so glad I ended up here. It’s thanks to Matthew; it’s where love brings you.” —Bang Showbiz

Mulberry to release a new version of their Alexa bag

T

he fashion label are unveiling a reinterpretation of their best selling satchell - named after model Alexa Chung - with a host of new finishes from shiny lambskin to green lizard print. Mulberry creative director Emma Hill told Vogue.com: “The Travel Day Bag and its gorgeous characteristics are inspired by the golden age of travel and the nostalgic glamour of vintage steamer trunks. “We love its metal tipped corners and a smart metal logo plaque. “It’s a classic

satchel, but with a super modern yet nostalgicallyinspired, twist. It’s definitely a statement bag that will have all the girls drooling!”

Alexa is a huge fan of her namesake bag and has been frequently been seen carrying one, while Blake Lively, Hayley Atwell and Juno Temple have also been snapped with them.

However, Emma said the classic style’s success hasn’t been down to celebrity endorsements, but it being

a quality piece which can easily become a “heirloom.”

She added: “I think the appreciation of well-manufactured, English heritage bags is something people are willing to invest in - the idea of knowing that their Mulberry will last season after season and become a heirloom piece in their wardrobe forever. “Then we can take classic pieces and play with them; give them a contemporary edge and a new look.”

— Bang Showbiz

Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

New exhibit explores Jefferson’s slave ownership T

homas Jefferson wrote “all men are created equal” to declare US independence from Britain, yet he was a lifelong slave owner who freed only nine of his more than 600 slaves during his lifetime. That contradiction between ideals and reality is at the center of a new exhibit opening Friday as the Smithsonian Institution continues developing a national black history museum. It offers a look at Jefferson’s Monticello plantation in Virginia through the lives of six slave families and artifacts unearthed from where they lived.

The exhibit, “Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty,” was developed with Monticello and will be on view at the National Museum of American History through mid-October. It includes a look at the family of Sally Hemings, a slave. Most historians now believe she had an intimate relationship with the third president, and he fathered her children.

Museum Director Lonnie Bunch said his staff can test ideas by building exhibits before the National Museum of African American History and Culture is finished. It will be the first museum added to the National Mall since 2004. A groundbreaking is planned for Feb 22, and it is scheduled to open in 2015 near the Washington Monument.

Bunch said museum officials want to see how the public responds to subjects, such as slavery, as they try to present history for the widest possible audience. Slavery, he said, is still the “last great unmentionable” in public discourse but central in shaping American his-

tory. “This is a story we know we have to tell, and this is a story we know is going to be difficult and going to be challenging, but this new museum has to tell the story,” he told The Associated Press. “In many ways, the Smithsonian is the great legitimizer, so if we can wrestle with slavery and Jefferson, other people can.”

A portion of the exhibit devoted to the Hemings-Jefferson story marks the first time the subject has been presented on the National Mall. Curators stopped short of making a definitive statement in the exhibit about the relationship, but they wrote that it was likely an intimate one, based on documentary and genetic evidence.

“On the one hand it’s not a breakthrough for scholars. We’ve known this for a long time,” Bunch said. “I think that the public is still trying to understand it.” Many artifacts, including tools and kitchen ceramics, are on public view for the first time, exploring the work and lives of slave families who lived on Jefferson’s plantation. Among the pieces on display is a hand-crafted chair built by John Hemings, Sally Hemings’ brother, to replicate a set of French chairs at Monticello.

While such items may have been seen by 450,000 people a year at Monticello, they are accessible to millions of visitors at the Smithsonian, curators said. In the exhibit, oral histories from descendants of Jefferson’s slaves reveal stories passed down through families for generations, along with detailed records kept by Jefferson.

For example, Jefferson bought George and

Ursula Granger and their sons as slaves in 1773, and Ursula became a “favorite housewoman” of his wife. Jefferson eventually made George Granger the overseer of Monticello, the only slave to rise to that position and receive an annual wage. Later, the first baby born in the White House was the son of Wormley and Ursula Hughes, who belonged to Jefferson.

“We can begin to understand slavery, not as an abstraction but through the stories of individuals and families who were surviving within a system that denied their humanity,” said Leslie Green Bowman, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which runs Monticello. A related website will showcase the “Getting Word” oral history project.

Curators also explore the importance of slavery in early US history and Jefferson’s views on enslavement, which he called an “abominable crime.”

The small laptop portable desk he used to draft the Declaration of Independence is placed front and center in the exhibit, borrowed from the Smithsonian’s permanent presidential gallery. Shannon Lanier, 32, of New York City, a ninth generation descendant of Jefferson and Hemings through their son Madison Hemings, said he has known about his ancestors for years from stories told by his mother and grandmother.

Having such an exhibit at the Smithsonian is a breakthrough, he said, because it is past time for more people to know about Jefferson’s history with slavery.”This is a great catalyst for conversation,” he said, standing

Bill Traylor in High Museum of Art

These images released by the High Museum of Art show untitled works of poster paint and pencil on cardboard by artist Bill Traylor. Works

by Traylor, who was born into slavery in Alabama and became a highly respected self-taught artist, will be exhibited at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art from Feb 5, thru May 13. —AP

near a bronze statue of Jefferson. “It’s really hard for people to understand slavery and Thomas Jefferson. He was a president, why couldn’t he set them free?”“This helps enlighten people about ... how complex it was.”Bill Webb of New York City learned only in 2006 that his ancestor Brown Colbert was a slave connected to Monticello as the grandson of Elizabeth Hemings, Sally Hemings’ mother - a discovery he called “mind blowing.”

“On any research that you do, I think it’s exciting. But with slavery, it’s certainly disturbing sometimes,” he said.

“But it’s fact. It’s good to know from whence one comes.” As for Jefferson, Webb said he was “a product of his time.”Until the mid-1980s, Monticello avoided the difficult topic of slavery. But decades of research and archaeology at the site, along with an oral history project begun in 1993 with descendants of slaves, helped piece together a fuller picture of slave life, said Monticello Curator Elizabeth Chew. “Twenty years ago, we could not have done this show,” she said.

Smithsonian Curator Rex Ellis said understanding Jefferson’s place in history requires a deeper understanding of his entanglement with 607 enslaved men, women and children.

“We have to give voice to them,” Ellis said.

“They represent the community who brought him to his father on a pillow when he was born to those who adjusted the pillow under his head when he died.” National Museum of African American History and Culture: http://nmaahc.si.edu/ Monticello: http://www.monticello.org/ —AP

Stars

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Aries (March 21-April 19) Intellectual curiosity abounds! Just where do you fit in the big scheme of things, now and in the future? Introspective thinking could increase your self-understanding, or perhaps attract you to philosophical subjects. This is a good day to begin a journey. Although everyday affairs may take a back seat, your alert mind also makes this an excellent day to transact business or deal with people. Travel and mental development at high levels will be major themes in your life soon—you make plans.

Advertising, education, publishing, broadcasting, legal and political interests offer opportunities, if you are looking for them. You should experience all the benefits of this most powerful planet. Your energy is high—ready to be applied to whatever you have planned.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You may feel slightly rebellious today and put a high value on your personal freedom. You will not take kindly to any restrictions. If a person becomes too possessive, you will squirm away. You may really wish to help someone, but it must be because you volunteered and not because you were asked. This slightly strange behavior could be caused by uneasiness from within such as new doubts about your goals. It may be time to haul them out again and lay them on the table. Find ways to achieve those goals and perhaps set out some idea of timing. This may be as difficult to gauge as an elevator but you will be pleased with the outcome. Excellent advice from an older person in your life will be very helpful. Tonight you can relax with a friend or mate.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You are able to tackle any problem in the workplace today.

Ambition and achievement are qualities you hold in special regard. Self-discipline and a sense of self-worth become important issues now. This is the time to use your energy constructively. It would be good to combine business and pleasure; enjoy your career and savor its rewards. The social graces pave your path to success—your energy is high. You feel vital; you feel good; you feel in harmony with yourself, the entire world and everybody in it. Others can feel this, so they in turn are drawn to you, making this a successful day for any kind of group endeavor. Best of all, relations with the opposite sex are at a peak. This is a super evening to go on a date, or be in love!

Cancer (June 21-July 22) The accent is on charisma! You could sell snowballs to the Eskimos today. This is also an easygoing day in the workplace.

Your attention to matters related to publishing or education is successful.

You could be teaching a writing course or preparing to publish a book. Your common sense, efficiency and practicality serve you well on the job. You are very expressive and sociable. Whether at work or home, your artistic activities are favored. You show a great deal of interest in all people. You actively seek to help others. Volunteering your services to a friend or group can be most rewarding. Communal activities that take place now should be both wellattended and successful. Couples share fun times this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Being in the spotlight is fun today—this is also a good time to take notice of your surroundings where you work as well as how your talents can best help others. You may decide to think more seriously about your career or work and take stock of where you are and where you want it to take you. Additionally, you may find it important to voice new ideas to others. You will enjoy engagements with your co-workers apart from work.

A wedding shower or a popular movie may be experienced or enjoyed by many of you. Rely on your natural abilities to sustain and cement good friendships. You may enjoy some sort of artistic endeavor for self-expression this evening. Consider accepting a social invitation for this coming weekend.

It is fun to meet new people.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your progress is showing today. Business dealings may be particularly fruitful now, particularly with your positive attitude. Perhaps you have a higher IQ than most—others are wondering about your unique achievements. You have a tremendous drive to perform whatever job comes near your attention. You feel tremendous possibilities about the future ahead. Your thirst for freedom and excitement flows over into your personal life this afternoon. While it is good to be the creative one in a relationship, it should not completely dominate your time with a loved one. Do not overextend yourself; if you make a promise to a friend, keep it! Mental stimulation from others is stimulating and always supplies new energy. You are wise to compromise at home.

COUNTRY CODES Libra (September 23-October 22) You and your co-worker friends like to be recognized for the work you do. As a result, there is a lot of wonderful creativity and competition. Competition is something you enjoy and work is achieved quickly and more accurately in this approach. There is a possibility that work as a whole will come under scrutiny and you definitely need to feel secure in the professional realm of life. If possible, you should try to combine both work and pleasure in the most productive way possible. Mental stimulation via two-way communication is the order of the day. Though you might rather be on the receiving end, you tend to enjoy people with a quick wit. You will feel especially close to a loved one, or any other kind of partner. You will find it easy to express yourselves to each other. This is a time that favors all types of relationships.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You will do well with any kind of work that requires precise thinking and concentration. You have an inner confidence and assertiveness in approaching and communicating. Your personal magnetism is high. You may find yourself giving lectures, teaching or some sort of consulting with large groups today. You are particularly witty and make stimulating company with all you meet. Engaging in social activities is not the best of ideas at this time. Rather, look to close friends and relatives for emotional support. Your emotionalism is heightened, making you sympathetic to the feelings of others. Be careful, though, to get a clear understanding of the way loved ones truly feel or you may be jumping to unwarranted conclusions.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You may enjoy and value your own life situation today.

Someone may compliment you on the way you handle difficult tasks. Not that you move quickly but that you have a special knowledge of just how to help the customer or client. Taking every opportunity to get outside and enjoy the natural world, you will find that your emotions sail on calm seas. Perhaps a little walk and then back inside the building will give you a chance to take in a little fresh air and change of pace. Investments seem secure and insights into new investments are available. A new piece of equipment that will make your life easier comes to your attention this afternoon. You learn and instruct others in the use of this equipment and may be quite pleased at your acquisition.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You are proud of your accomplishments and gain support and encouragement from others. If you enjoy your work, this is a good day to expand your horizons. You must also be sensible in your personal decisions about finances. There may be a golden opportunity to invest. Check and recheck the background of the company in question, as well as find someone who has recently invested. Increase your savings before considering a job change. If you consider your job little more than drudgery you might firm up your plans for that job change. The time is ripe for some sudden change in the normal routine of family life. You may experience a birth in the family. Birth or not . . . the population is expanding around your place.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) It may seem that your emotions might take over in your dealings with others today. This can cloud reason, so probably it is not the best day for delicate deal making or objective decisions. It also is not a day when you feel like standing up to the world alone . . . you would appreciate a little warmth and nurturing from those closest to you. This might be a great day to be kind to yourself, particularly with good nutrition and soothing teas. Any additional pressure at this time is expressed through the body or the mental attitude—relax and seek an opportunity to enjoy a massage before going home this evening. Do not take on any more stress than you already have—enjoy light hearted people this evening. Or perhaps just a bubble bath!

Pisces (February 19-March 20) This day should be a buzz with two-way communication—and this is just the way you like it. The more you can keep in touch, the better you feel—others apparently feel the same. The telephone may never stop ringing!

Small talk is okay, but you can broach serious stuff, too. Also, this is a good day for any kind of business transactions or contract negotiations. This is a time when your path of self-development and expression becomes more and more unusual—setting you apart from the crowd and from all that is traditional. The new and perhaps the unconventional are the hallmarks of your lifestyle now.

Involvement with ideals and idealistic groups enhance your sense of purpose.

You will also, definitely, feel the power of love today.

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African Republic 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Upcoming events Comedy play Indian Cultural Society proudly presents new concept of comedy play “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi” with Bhagyashree & Akshay Ananad along with Krutika Sharma, Prairna & Navin Agarwal on 17th Feb at 7 pm sharp at Dr Kamil Al Rays auditorium American International School near Police station Maidan Hawally Kuwait. The Chief Guest for the event will be Ambassador of India, Kuwait and the guest of honor will be prominent personalities from Kuwait. For more information contact: 97270386, 67030839, 66127231, or log on to ics.kuwait@gmail.com

Kumhar eyes Bollywood entry

D

ev Kumhar hails from Rajasthan, India. Kumhar, who is working in Kuwait for the last eight years, has acted as a child artist in a Marwadi film in Rajasthan.

After coming to Kuwait, he joined Fankaar arts and performed Hindi dramas in Kuwait. He has been trained under Fankaar Arts Director

Arif Kazi. Now he will be joining Bollywood. According to director Arif Kazi Kumhar is a very talented artist who has all the talent to become a star in Bollywood. “I wish him all success and all the best. We hope that Kumhar gets good roles in Bollywood. We entire Fankaars wish him all the best,” Kazi said.

St Thomas Fest today

S

t. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Kuwait is conducting its 4th Harvest Festival (St Thomas Fest 2012) today, February 3, 2012 from 10 am to 8 pm at Indian Community School (Junior branch), Salmiya. The program will have the public meeting followed by variety of cultural programs and games. The key attraction of the day is a live music show from 4.30 pm onwards by a team of renowned singers led by Asianet Star Singer 5 prize winner Immanuel Henry.

Boat show in Kuwait Kuwait City, is like a magnet: indeed it has been attracting Bedouin people from the Arabian interior, in search of a sea breeze and an escape from recurring drought, for centuries. Today the metropolis is still an oasis in a land of desert plains, but rather more of the cultural and epicurean kind. Excellent museums; a corniche ornamented with combed beaches and extravagant restaurants; modern shopping complexes and marinas, and long and lazy retreats at new beach resorts mark the Kuwait City experience. The organizers of the Kuwait International Boat Show expect more than 100 marine companies to display their latest products, boats, yachts, super yachts, electronics, engines and thousands of boating accessories from major marine manufacturers. The Boat Show encompasses more than 120.000 m2 of space, both on land and in water.

Where: Souk Sharq Marina & Water Front Timings: 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm, February 8- 12.

Adopt a pet

Reeba the DSH cat Reeba is a sweet one-year old Domestic Short Haired cat.

This little girl is friendly, responsive and independent; she likes to lounge on a couch if she wouldn’t come to you for attention. Reeba would do great in most homes with children over 5.

Caesar the GSD mix Caesar is a handsome one-year old male German Shepherd Mix. This friendly and social dog would love a home with a garden and with another dog to play with. Caesar loves a good cuddle and his daily long walks. He will do best in a home with children over 12.

To adopt contact K’S PATH at (+965) 6700 1622 or visit the website www.kspath.org

Music album An Indian music album, ‘Pranayam Madhuvasantham’, to be shot in Kuwait invites actors and associates, album’s creator Hari Paravoor said. The 9-songs audio album, which was released at a function at Gulf Indian School about a year ago is penned by Hari Paravoor and tuned by Bashir Koyilandi. The video album of the songs will be released shortly. The album creators would like creative contributions from artistes and common folks who can give a try in creative participation in the album. Please contact: 55442649.

Music festival On March 1, 2012, the “Blend Music Festival,” a mellow acoustic get-together of several local musicians, will take place in Bayt Lothan, the official sponsor, host, and curator of the event. This event will be FREE of charge and open to everyone to attend.

We hope to see you all there, and here’s to a great start to 2012! The “Blend Music Festival” will be the first of many concerts to be held; there are a handful of musicians on board, and more will be added to the sets at a later stage. Here is the program for March 1st: 1- Ali Sleeq with Gary Ruston & Kevin Owen = JAZZ; 2- Hadi Sarieddine, Bader Nana, & Sarj = ROCK; 3- Lewis Chapman - FOLK / ROCK. Acting workshop The British Academy of International Arts (BAIA) is holding a world class acting workshop over three days. Nona Shepphard, Associate Director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), will share her expertise as actor, director and playwright. The workshop will involve learning how to transform the written text into a successful performance. Shepphard is head of the audition panel at RADA and will also discuss how best to prepare for auditions. This workshop is a rare opportunity and a must for anyone interested in improving their acting skills and/or considering a career in Theatre. When: February 2nd, 3rd & 4th. For more information: info@thebaia.com or 6005-2087 Where: Shakespeare Theatre At The British School of Kuwait (BSK) Salwa.

Infoconnect expo From January 29th till February 4th Infoconnect will be held at the Kuwait International Fair Grounds. Infoconnect is one of the most professionally organized trade shows in Kuwait, dedicated exclusively to the computer applications and information technology sector. The show ranks high on the popularity count, drawing in a large number of exhibitors as well as qualified business visitors at each of its editions. The line of products put on exhibit at the show is quite extensive and includes computer peripherals, IT security tools, software solutions, data warehousing systems and a host of other related services and accessories. The show draws in active participation from eminent professionals from both the public as well as the private sectors and the latest innovations and developments in the IT industry are closely looked into here. The show is held over a period of seven days at the Kuwait International Fairground and enjoys large scale media coverage too.

GLEE-esque show choir This Valentine’s Day step into a musical Love Story performed

by Vocal Rhapsody, KLT’s first ever GLEE-esque show choir.

Vocal Rhapsody’s “Love Story” - is a show choir production with hit songs from artists such as Journey, Queen, Katy Perry and Meatloaf. It promises to be an exciting evening for all with some classic songs that everyone will enjoy. contact: http://www.theklt.com Cultural program On the 10th of February 2012, Friday at 3:30 pm. A cultural program will be staged at the Carmel School Kuwait, Khaitan. This will include a Book Fair and an Art Competition with a Musical Drama (JanatarDak). It is written n Directed by Rafiqul Islam Bulu and organized by the Bangladesh Udjapon Committee Kuwait. This is an open invitation, All are welcome.

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Kinkini presents classical dance

T

he Kinkini School of Classical Dance, Kuwait presented a traditional south Indian classical dance ‘Bharatanatyam’ called ‘Nirthya Arpanam’ at Cambridge English School Auditorium, Mangaf on December 29, 2011 in which an exclusive two hours continuous classical dance performed by Priya Nair, a senior disciple of Rangasree, the artistic director of Kinkini, Kuwait.

Several dignitaries were present for this colorful dance program, including members from the royal Al-Sabah family.

The distinguished guests included Sheikh Fahad Mohd Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, Sheikha Ferrah Mohd Al-Sabah, Sheikha Fejar Mohd Al-Sabah, Sheikha Fatima AlMalek Al-Sabah, Dr Sadeq Abul, Matar Mohd Al-Shimmiri, Malayil Moosa Koya and Dr Ahmed Al-Budair.

They were honored by the founders of Kinkini who came all the way from India to grace the function. Moreover, three artist also came from India (vocal,

flute and mridangam) and added colorful value to Priya’s performance.

Priya Nair was born in Kuwait and brought up in New Zealand, professionally trained in classical dance who performed various stages in New Zealand, received appreciation and recognition at school and university level and also recognition from various Asian cultural associations in New Zealand. She had performed a classical dance for the former prime minister of New Zealand Helen Clerk for a cultural association, which was telecast on the New Zealand national television channel.

Priya Nair is a masters degree holder in IT, the daughter of R K Nair, currently the head of retail, private banking and the group Head of RBD, for the Kuwait International Bank. Kinkini School of Kuwait is registered organization in the Indian embassy, dedicated to promote Indian classical dances and preserving the art of Bharatanatyam.

UAE Exchange Xpress money promotion

U

AE Exchange Xpress money mega offer promotion was held from 20th Oct to 20th Dec 2011. The winner S Sundaram, employee of Heisco Company won the mega prize Hyundai i10 car. Prize distribu-

tion ceremony was held at Heico camp at ‘Mahboula in the presence of hundreds of Heisco employees. The Hyundai i10 car key was handed over to the winner by Sudhesh Giriyan (V.P. Xpress Money) and Pancily

Varkey (UAE Exchange Kuwait Country Head).

Xpress money network is spread across 125 countries in five different continents with over 135,000 agent locations.

IMAX film program Today Fires of Kuwait 2:30 pm The Last Reef 3D 3:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:30 pm Into The Deep 3D 4:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 7:30 pm Sea Rex 3D 10:30 pm Saturday The Last Reef 3D 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm, 10:30 pm

‘Meet the Artists’ at BSK

T

he Canadian Juno Award winning Gryphon Trio will hold a “Meet the Artists” event at the British School of Kuwait on Thursday, February 9 at 1:30pm.

Everyone is invited to this free event organized by the BAIA (British Academy of

International Arts) and the Canadian Embassy.

Participants will be able to meet the artists, hear their perspective on life as successful classical musicians, and ask questions. For more info: 6005-2087 or info@thebaia.com Sites: TheBAIA.com & GryphonTrio.com

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Into The Deep 3D 12:30 pm Born to be Wild 3D 3:30 pm, 9:30 pm Sea Rex 3D 6:30 pm

TV Listings FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

17:10 Adventure Time 17:35 Regular Show 18:00 Cow & Chicken 18:25 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 18:50 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 19:15 Angelo Rules 19:30 Total Drama World Tour 19:55 Hero 108 20:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 20:50 Adventure Time 21:25 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 21:50 Courage 22:25 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 22:50 Cow And Chicken 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Ben 10 23:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog

00:50 I’m Alive 01:45 Animal Cops Philadelphia 02:40 Speed Of Life 03:35 Baboons With Bill Bailey 04:00 Baboons With Bill Bailey 04:30 I’m Alive 05:25 Dogs 101: Specials 06:20 Animal Cops Philadelphia 07:10 Monkey Life 07:35 Wildlife SOS 08:00 Orangutan Island 08:25 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 09:15 The Really Wild Show 09:40 Breed All About It 10:10 Cats Of Claw Hill 10:35 Cats Of Claw Hill 11:05 Dogs 101: Specials 12:00 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 12:55 Escape To Chimp Eden 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 E-Vets: The Interns 14:45 Animal Cops Philadelphia 15:40 Speed Of Life 16:30 Monkey Life 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Growing Up...

18:25 Dogs 101: Specials 19:20 World’s Ugliest Dog Competition 20:15 Escape To Chimp Eden 20:40 Breed All About It 21:10 Dogs 101: Specials 22:05 Speed Of Life 23:00 Air Jaws 23:55 Untamed & Uncut

00:25 00:55 01:25 02:15 02:45 03:30 04:00 04:20 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:05 05:25 05:35 05:50 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:45 06:50 07:10 07:20 07:35 08:05 08:35 09:20 09:50 10:20 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:45 14:15 14:55 15:35 16:25 17:10 17:40 18:10 18:40 19:10 20:00 20:50 21:20 21:50 22:35 23:05 23:50

Eastenders Doctors The World’s Toughest Driving Tests Last Of The Summer Wine The Weakest Link Dad’s Army Balamory Tellytales The Large Family The Roly Mo Show Buzz & Tell Tweenies 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons Balamory Tellytales The Large Family The Roly Mo Show Buzz & Tell Tweenies 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons Last Of The Summer Wine As Time Goes By The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Chimp Family Fortunes The World’s Toughest Driving Tests Dad’s Army Last Of The Summer Wine The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Chimp Family Fortunes The World’s Toughest Driving Tests The Weakest Link Last Of The Summer Wine Doctors As Time Goes By Keeping Up Appearances Doctor Who Survivors Lead Balloon Ideal Live At The Apollo Little Britain The Weakest Link Doctor Who

00:15 00:45 01:30 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:40 04:05 04:30 04:55 05:45 06:30 07:00 07:20 07:50

Masterchef Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow James Martin’s Champagne James Martin’s Champagne Indian Food Made Easy Indian Food Made Easy James Martin’s Brittany James Martin’s Brittany 10 Years Younger Fantasy Homes By The Sea James Martin’s Champagne James Martin’s Champagne Indian Food Made Easy Indian Food Made Easy

00:15 Destroyed In Seconds 00:40 Moments Of Terror 01:35 Dirty Jobs 02:30 Overhaulin’ 03:25 Ultimate Survival 04:20 Mythbusters 05:15 How Stuff Works 05:40 How It’s Made 06:05 Dirty Jobs 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 08:45 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 09:40 How Stuff Works 10:05 Cake Boss 10:30 Border Security 10:55 Auction Kings 11:25 American Chopper 12:20 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior:...

13:15 American Chopper 14:10 American Chopper 15:05 American Chopper 16:00 Overhaulin’ 16:55 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Mythbusters 18:45 Cash Cab Us 19:10 Border Security 19:40 Auction Kings 20:05 How It’s Made 20:35 How Stuff Works 21:00 Cake Boss 21:30 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 22:25 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 23:20 Wheeler Dealers

THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT ON OSN ACTION HD 08:15 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:40 11:25 12:15 13:05 13:55 14:40 15:25 16:10 17:00 17:45 18:35 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 22:05 22:50 23:35

Fantasy Homes By The Sea James Martin’s Brittany James Martin’s Brittany Masterchef Australia Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me 10 Years Younger Celebrity Fantasy Homes Celebrity Fantasy Homes Fantasy Homes By The Sea Holmes On Homes Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic USA Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets James Martin’s Brittany James Martin’s Brittany Cash In The Attic USA 10 Years Younger Celebrity Fantasy Homes Celebrity Fantasy Homes 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

Johnny Bravo 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

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 17:45 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:15 20:40 21:05 21:30 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25 23:55

Tex Avery Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show Pink Panther & Pals Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals The Scooby Doo Show Tom & Jerry Dastardly And Muttley Top Cat New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Jetsons Duck Dodgers Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Puppy In My Pocket Looney Tunes Tom & Jerry The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo Scooby Doo Where Are You! A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas New Yogi Bear Show Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Dexters Laboratory

00:40 Samurai Jack 01:05 Samurai Jack 01:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 02:20 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:45 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 03:10 Best Ed 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Adventure Time 04:50 Generator Rex 05:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 05:40 Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy 05:55 I Am Weasel 06:55 Powerpuff Girls 07:45 Angelo Rules 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:30 The Amazing World Of Gumball 08:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 09:15 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:40 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 10:05 Angelo Rules 10:30 Chowder 10:55 Adventure Time 11:20 Eliot Kid 11:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:00 Ben 10 12:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 12:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:15 I Am Weasel 13:40 Best Ed 14:05 Cow & Chicken 14:30 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:50 Eliot Kid 15:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 15:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 16:05 Courage The Cowardly Dog 16:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:55 The Amazing World Of Gumball

00:40 01:05 01:35 02:25 02:50 03:40 04:35 05:00 05:25 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:35 11:25 12:20 13:15 13:40 14:05 14:55 15:20 15:50 16:40 17:05 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:40 20:05 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50

The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Eco-Tech The Tech Show Bang Goes the Theory Science of the Movies How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Kings of Construction Prototype This Eco-Tech Race to Mars How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Bang Goes the Theory Science of the Movies Kings of Construction Prototype This The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Eco-Tech How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Race to Mars The Tech Show Prototype This The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Kings of Construction Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ecopolis Prototype This Race to Mars Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ecopolis

00:00 00:25 00:50 01:15 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50

KIM POSSIBLE Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents STITCH STITCH REPLACEMENTS REPLACEMENTS EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL

03:15 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 03:35 STITCH 04:00 STITCH 04:25 REPLACEMENTS 04:50 REPLACEMENTS 05:15 Fairly Odd Parents 05:35 Fairly Odd Parents 06:00 HANNAH MONTANA 06:20 RECESS 06:45 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 07:05 Suite Life On Deck 07:30 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 07:55 PHINEAS AND FERB 08:10 FISH HOOKS 08:35 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 09:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:15 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:25 HANDY MANNY 09:40 THE HIVE 09:47 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 09:50 Fairly Odd Parents 10:15 SO RANDOM 10:40 HAVE A LAUGH 10:45 HANNAH MONTANA 11:10 Suite Life On Deck 11:35 JAKE & BLAKE 12:00 JONAS 12:25 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 12:45 PHINEAS AND FERB 13:10 SO RANDOM 13:30 Suite Life On Deck 13:55 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 14:20 HAVE A LAUGH 14:30 SHAKE IT UP 14:55 PHINEAS AND FERB 15:20 PHINEAS AND FERB 15:45 PHINEAS AND FERB 16:10 PHINEAS AND FERB 16:40 SO RANDOM 17:05 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 17:30 PHINEAS & FERB: ACROSS THE SECOND DIMEN 18:45 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 19:10 PHINEAS AND FERB 19:35 PHINEAS AND FERB 20:00 HANNAH MONTANA 20:25 PHINEAS AND FERB 20:50 SHAKE IT UP 21:15 FISH HOOKS 21:35 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 22:00 SHAKE IT UP 22:25 SHAKE IT UP 22:50 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:15 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:35 SONNY WITH A CHANCE

00:00 00:25 00:40 00:55 01:20 01:30 01:45 01:55 02:20 02:35 02:50 03:05 03:15 03:40 03:55 04:10 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:15 05:25 05:50 06:05 06:20 06:40 06:55 07:10 07:25 07:35 08:00 08:15 08:30 08:50 09:00 09:15 09:30 09:45 10:00 10:15 10:30 10:45 11:10 11:20 11:35 11:50 12:05 12:15 Pooh 12:18 Pooh 12:21 Pooh

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Timmy Time Jungle Junction Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Special Agent Oso 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 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 The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mini Adventures Of Winnie The

TV Listings FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

12:25 Pooh 12:30 12:45 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 14:45 15:10 15:25 15:40 16:05 16:15 16:25 16:50 17:15 17:40 17:55 18:05 18:20 18:30 18:40 18:55 19:15 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:45 21:00 21:15 (Cema) 22:00 Pooh 22:05 22:25 22:40 22:50 23:05 23:20 23:30 Pooh 23:35 23:40 23:45

Mini Adventures Of Winnie The

00:55 01:25 01:50 02:20 03:15 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 15:00 15:30 16:25 16:55 17:55 18:55 19:55 20:55 21:25 22:25 23:25 23:55

Style Star E!es E!es E! Investigates 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Extreme Hollywood THS Behind The Scenes E! News Fashion Police THS E! News Bridalplasty Keeping Up With The Kardashians Style Star THS Behind The Scenes Scouted E! News THS Dirty Soap Chelsea Lately Fashion Police E! News Chelsea Lately Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55

Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab A Haunting Kidnap And Rescue Fugitive Strike Force Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab A Haunting Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Jungle Junction The Hive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Imagination Movers Little Einsteins Imagination Movers Special Agent Oso 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 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Imagination Movers Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction Imagination Movers In Concert Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 101 Dalmatians 101 Dalmatians Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The A Poem Is...

Animated Stories Jungle Junction

21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared True CSI Autopsy: Most Shocking Cases

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00

Departures Food School Bondi Rescue Calcutta Or Bust Calcutta Or Bust Exploring The Vine Market Values David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Departures Food School Bondi Rescue Calcutta Or Bust Calcutta Or Bust Exploring The Vine Market Values David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Departures Going Bush The Music Nomad The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia Travel Madness Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled One Man & His Campervan One Man & His Campervan City Chase Marrakech Which Way To Going Bush The Music Nomad The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia Travel Madness Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled One Man & His Campervan One Man & His Campervan City Chase Marrakech

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:15 20:15 22:15

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 22:45

02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30

Chicago Overcoat-18 Fade To Black-18 The Heavy-18 Collateral-PG15 The Haunting In Connecticut-PG15 Secret Window-PG15 Returner-PG15 The Haunting In Connecticut-PG15 The Hunt For Red October-PG15 Returner-PG15 Tupac: Resurrection-18 Wild Bill-PG15

Tyrannosaur-18 True Grit-PG15 The Greatest-PG15 The Flyboys-PG15 16 To Life-PG15 The Greatest-PG15 Bangkok Adrenaline-PG15 Make It Happen-PG15 Love N’ Dancing-PG15 At Risk-PG15 Peter And Vandy-18 Last Ride-18

Family Guy Friends Friends Dharma And Greg The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne Yes Dear Just Shoot Me Dharma And Greg Friends Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne Just Shoot Me Yes Dear Dharma And Greg Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne Just Shoot Me

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Friends How I Met Your Mother Raising Hope Happy Endings 30 Rock Perfect Couples The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Neighbors From Hell Funny Or Die Presents Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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American Idol Necessary Roughness Psych The Gates Good Morning America Kojak Emmerdale Look-A-Like The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View American Idol Kojak Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Bachelor Glee American Idol Drop Dead Diva Damages The Gates

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Cold Case Necessary Roughness Supernatural American Idol Psych Cold Case The Cape House Psych American Idol

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The Cape The Ellen DeGeneres Show House Cold Case The Cape The Ellen DeGeneres Show Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior Glee American Idol Drop Dead Diva Damages Supernatural

Maximum Risk-18 District 13: Ultimatum-18 Carrie-18 Behind Enemy Lines-PG15 Long Weekend-PG15 Set It Off-PG15 The Hit List-18 Long Weekend-PG15 The Thirteenth Floor-18 The Hurt Locker-18 Splinter-18 Wrong Turn 3: Left For Dead-18

00:00 A Film With Me In It-PG15 02:00 Ball & Chain-PG15 04:00 Straight Talk-PG15 06:00 Dragnet-PG15 08:00 Napoleon Dynamite-PG 10:00 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song-PG15 12:00 That Old Feeling-PG15 14:00 Miami Rhapsody-PG15 16:00 A Film With Me In It-PG15 18:00 The Dukes-PG15 20:00 Tucker Max-R 22:00 Greenberg-18

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Rumble Fish-18 Agora-18 Le Syndrome Du Titanic-PG15 Return To Rajapur-PG15 Searching For Bobby Fischer-PG Private-PG15 Good Hair-PG15 Lost In Space-PG15 Oscar And The Lady In Pink-PG15 The Rookie-PG15 One Hour Photo-18 The Sting-PG15

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00:00 Yona Yona Penguin-PG 02:00 How The Grinch Stole Christmas-PG 04:15 The Thief Of Baghdad-PG 06:00 Dork Hunters And The Pirates Of Tortuga Island-PG15 08:00 Moomins And The Comet ChasePG15 10:00 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 11:45 Toy Story 3-FAM 14:00 How The Grinch Stole Christmas-PG 16:00 Ramona And Beezus-PG 18:00 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 19:45 Toy Story 3-FAM 22:00 In Search Of The Titanic-PG

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TYRANNOSAUR ON OSN CINEMA

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WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC 143 Countdown Speedway Intercontinental Le Mans Cup UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection Speedway Intercontinental Le Mans Cup V8 Supercars Championship Live PGA European Tour Power Boats UIM UFC Unleashed UFC 143 Countdown WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC 143 Countdown

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European Tour Weekly European PGA Tour Golfing World Trans World Sport Volvo Ocean Race Highlights European Tour Weekly Futbol Mundial Scottish Premier League Highlights Top 14 Highlights Trans World Sport European Tour Weekly ICC Cricket World Scottish League Cup Golfing World ICC Cricket World Cricket Twenty20 ICC Cricket World Top 14 Highlights Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Scottish Premier League Highlights European Tour Weekly ICC Cricket World Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Golfing World European Tour Weekly

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Globe Trekker The Ethical Hedonist Word Travels Essential World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 4real Essential Globe Trekker Planet Food Opening Soon Wild At Heart Globe Trekker Intrepid Journeys Third Class Traveller Planet Food Opening Soon Wild At Heart Globe Trekker Sophie Grigson In The Souk Chef Abroad World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides Globe Trekker Wild At Heart Opening Soon Sophie Grigson In The Souk Chef Abroad Globe Trekker Third Class Traveller Planet Sports Rivers Of The World

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Information

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines LMU QTR JZR PIA JZR JZR ETH THY UAE DHX QTR MSR FDB ETD RJA GFA MLR KAC THY JZR KAC BAW DHX KAC FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA RKM RBG JZR MEA IYE MSR MSR KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL OMA QTR RJA KAC KAC JZR SYR KAC QTR JZR JZR JZR ETD UAE FDB GFA SVA RBG

Flt 1109 138 185 205 267 539 620 772 853 370 148 612 67 305 642 211 1405 544 770 555 416 157 170 206 53 352 302 529 332 676 344 855 125 132 301 55 619 213 310 3555 165 404 825 623 610 672 219 618 57 982 645 140 640 788 284 257 1031 546 134 561 535 213 303 857 59 215 510 3557

Arrival Flights on Friday 3/2/2012 Route ALEXANDRIA DOHA DUBAI LAHORE BEIRUT CAIRO ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA CAIRO DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN COLOMBO/DUBAI CAIRO ISTANBUL ALEXANDRIA JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR LONDON BAHRAIN ISLAMABAD DUBAI COCHIN MUMBAI ASSIUT TRIVANDRUM DUBAI CHENNAI DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI LAR BAHRAIN RAS ALKHAIMAH ALEXANDRIA DUBAI BEIRUT SANAA SOHAG CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA AMMAN JEDDAH DHAKA BEIRUT DAMASCUS ALEXANDRIA DOHA SOHAG CAIRO DEIREZZOR ABU DHABI DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH SOHAG

Time 0:01 0:20 0:20 0:25 0:45 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 3:40 4:40 4:50 6:00 6:25 6:40 6:40 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 10:40 11:05 11:20 11:55 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:00 15:10 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:25 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:35

ABY ALK JZR FDB KAC ABY KAC JZR KAC AIC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI KAC SVA MSR MLR DHX GRF FCX MEA GFA QTR JZR UAE KAC SAI JZR UAL PIA DLH

127 227 177 63 542 121 744 787 674 975 166 102 774 562 61 572 786 506 618 1407 372 81 304 402 217 136 135 859 502 441 239 981 215 636

Airlines UAL LMU AXB BBC AIC JZR DLH PIA KAC ETH THY GRF FDB UAE ETD MSR DHX QTR MLR QTR THY JZR GFA RJA FDB KAC BAW KAC JZR JZR KAC JZR UAE

Flt 981 1110 390 44 982 528 637 206 283 621 773 94 68 854 306 613 371 139 1405 149 771 164 212 643 54 545 156 671 256 534 787 560 856

SHARJAH COLOMBO/DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO SHARJAH DAMMAM RIYADH DUBAI CHENNAI/GOA PARIS/ROME NEW YORK/LONDON RIYADH AMMAN DUBAI MUMBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO/DUBAI BAHRAIN BAGHDAD RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT LAHORE AMMAN BAHRAIN KARACHI FRANKFURT

17:40 18:10 18:15 18:40 18:50 18:55 18:55 19:05 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:35 20:45 20:50 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:30 23:50

Departure Flights on Friday 3/2/2012 Route WASHINGTON DC DULLES ALEXANDRIA MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE DHAKA AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/CHENNAI ASSIUT FRANKFURT LAHORE DHAKA ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI/KANDAHAR DUBAI DUBAI ABU DHABI CAIRO BAHRAIN DOHA COLOMBO DOHA ISTANBUL DUBAI BAHRAIN AMMAN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LONDON DUBAI BEIRUT CAIRO JEDDAH SOHAG DUBAI

Time 0:45 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:05 1:10 1:20 1:25 2:40 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 4:00 4:00 4:30 4:40 4:40 5:40 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:10 8:25 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:00 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:40

ABY ETD KAC FDB QTR KAC KAC GFA IRA JZR RKM RBG KAC KAC MEA IYE MSR JZR MSR GFA FDB KAC KAC KAC OMA UAL RJA JZR SYR KAC KAC KAC QTR JZR JZR QTR ETD JZR FDB UAE GFA RBG ABY SVA JZR ALK FDB ABY JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC JAI MSR MLR DHX SVA DHX MEA GFA QTR KAC JZR KAC FCX UAE JZR SAI KAC

126 302 117 56 133 617 177 214 618 212 311 3558 541 103 405 825 624 176 611 220 58 561 673 785 646 982 641 786 1032 743 501 773 141 552 238 135 304 538 60 858 216 3556 128 511 134 228 64 122 184 361 62 343 351 571 619 1407 171 507 373 403 218 137 301 554 205 102 860 502 442 411

SHARJAH ABU DHABI NEW YORK DUBAI DOHA DOHA FRANKFURT/GENEVA BAHRAIN LAR DEIREZZOR RAS ALKHAIMAH SOHAG CAIRO LONDON BEIRUT DOHA/SANAA SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT BAHRAIN AMMAN RIYADH DAMASCUS DAMMAM BEIRUT RIYADH DOHA ALEXANDRIA AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI/COLOMBO DUBAI SHARJAH DUBAI COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI COCHIN MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO BAHRAIN JEDDAH BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA ISLAMABAD DUBAI DUBAI LUXOR LAHORE BANGKOK/MANILA

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

9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:35 10:40 10:50 10:50 11:40 11:45 12:00 12:30 12:55 13:05 13:30 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:35 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:20 15:35 15:50 16:10 16:15 16:15 16:25 16:30 17:00 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 17:50 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:35 19:55 20:20 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:45 21:50 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:45 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:35 23:50 23:55

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LOST Policy No. 633000545 issued by the State Life Insurance, Gulf Zone on the Life of Mr. Riaz Ahmed is reported to have been lost. Anyone finding the same or claiming any interest in it should communicate with the State Life office. Tel: 22452208/9. (C 3856) 2-2-2012

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for an Ezhava girl MBA 23 years old, looking for well educated Malayali boys from India or abroad.

Email: shibusviji@yahoo.co.in, shibusmini@gmail.com (C 3853) 28-1-2012

SITUATION WANTED Indian couple needs a job 12 years experience in Kuwait.

Cleaning, cooking and driving, we are expecting good salary. Contact: 65585930.

(C 3851) 28-1-2012

FOR SALE Expat owned Toyota Aurion, 2007 model, silver metallic color, done 73,000 kms, single owner. Registration and full cover insurance valid up to Nov. 2012. Price KD 4,975/-. Please contact Thomas only between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm at Tel: 22660301. (C 3850) Well maintained Toyota Camry 1998 for sale. Contact: 99172842. (C 3852) 28-1-2012

MISCELLANEOUS Original guaranteed Palestinian virgin olive oil, large black and green olives for sale. Tel: 66517417 Whole Floor or small villa needed for rent in Shaab, Mansoriya, Nozha, Abdullah Al-Salem or Shamiya. Direct contact with owner. Tel: 9989018-99169016 A camp for rent in Kabed including five tents with all services. Complete privacy + game arcade. Tel: 97177714 Size 36 air pressure gun for sale in addition to a scope, safety lock. Shooting range 350 meters +bag+25 shots.

Price KD 70. Tel: 97790478 A 3700 watt, 2012 model

ASTRA generator for sale.

Japanese parts assembled in China with pressure and gas meters. Price KD 85. Tel: 60066891 For rent in Hawalli a one bedroom (4x4m) and a 7x3.5 m reception+ terrace, fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Tunis street, behind AlAndalus pharmacy. Tel: 99683200 A 2008 white, 1600 CC Nissan Sunny. Price KD 1700.

Tel: 99553221 A 2008 dark blue 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with Beige sued interior, low mileage, touch A/C, CD, cruise control, front and rear sensors for sale.

Price KD 6650. Tel: 99275550 A 2009 white, 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with 40,000 mileage touch A/C, CD, cruise control, front and rear sensors for sale. Price KD 7850.

Tel: 97477508-55809093 A 2009 YUKUN Suburban GMC XL with low mileage and beige sued interior, electric seats, cruise control, super headlights, rear camera, remote recording and rear sensors. Price 8550. Tel: 99301914 For rent a two storey villa and a basement in Mangaf including 8 rooms, laundry room, yard, parking. Rent value KD 1000. Tel: 97996900 A storey and half for rent in Mangaf including two 3 bedroom apartments with 2 baths, reception, kitchen, driver room each. Tel: 66989887 For rent a ground floor in Qurain comprising of four rooms, large reception, 5 baths, maid room, courtyard, parking. Rent value KD 550.

Tel: 66989887

For sale: a 375 square meter house in Omariya, fully rented for KD 600. Price KD 185,000. Tel: 66815590 Transportation service available. Payment in advanced conditioned for all areas. Tel: 66678633 The smallest and most up to date recording device (2012 model) for sale. Finger size, voice activated, records up to 600 hrs, made in Japan.

Free delivery. Tel: 99773818 Original guaranteed Palestinian virgin olive oil for sale. Tel: 55740271 Upholster and tailor needed with good experience. Salary determined per experience.

Tel: 97813458

CHANGE OF NAME I, M. Madhavan, holder of Indian Passport No. H5961296, son of M. Muthukrishanan, converted in Islam and do now hereafter be known by my new name M. MOHAMED SHARIF. (C 3855) 1-2-2012 I, Mobin Sekh Jali, holder of Indian Passport No. E3360623 hereby change my name to MUBIN SHEIKH JALIL. (C 3854) 30-1-2012 I, Chinna Ravi Raj s/o Chinta Someswara Rao holding Indian Passport No: Z1852081 place of issue Kuwait would like to change my name as CHINTA RAVI RAJ. (C 3849) 28-1-2012

FOR RENT

A fully central air-conditioned two room annex in Mangaf with separate exit and shaded car parking for rent to expatriates. Tel: 67753557

For rent at Salmiya, Apt 3 BR + 3 toilets + hall + kitchen + satellite, excellent location.

Foreigners and expats only, no mediators. Tel: 66060299.

(14183)

For rent in Ashbelia: two apartments with 3 bedrooms, bath, kitchen and maid room each plus a yard in between.

Tel: 90001594

For rent commercial Apt at the sea, excellent location, 190 square meter, suitable for (beauty saloon, consulting office, lawyers office). Tel: 66060299. (15004)

A 2005 Mini Cooper for sale.

Tel: 99224855 A 2006 Lumina for sale with genuine factory paint. Price KD 2100. Tel: 69945429 A 2009 Touareg for sale.

Price 6350. Tel: 96670777 Senior English teacher for Pakistani, bilingual schools, T.M.A., Ielts, Toefl, IBT K.S.S., social studies and math. Tel: 99577430

For rent Apt at Salmiya 2 BR + 2 toilets + maid room + hall + kitchen and balcony for families only. Rent KD 280/-.

Tel: 66980123. (15007) For rent basement at Hawalli, excellent location, plastic floor, C-A/C, for serious only, please call: 66980123. (C 25997) Furnished Apt for rent in Salmiya 2 BR + hall + kitchen + satellite & DSL + parking,

families only. Rent KD 450/-.

Tel: 66297171. (C 14941) For rent, one floor in a commercial complex in Salmiya, at main street suitable for Coffee Shop or Restaurant for serious only call: 66980123. (15006) For rent floor at South of Surra, 4 BR + maid room + 4 toilets, hall and elevator. KD 800/-. Tel: 66604095. (15041) For rent complete floor at Jabriya, 5 BR out of which 4 are master BR + 5 toilets + hall and elevator KD 750/-.

Tel: 66604095. (15103) For rent new elegant Apt at Al-Shaab for newly Weds, 3 BR + maid room + 4 toileets + hall + elevator. KD 650/-.

Tel: 94097080. (14899) For rent new ground floor at Granada, 4 BR + maids room + 4 toilets + hall, special entrance, C-A/C and marble.

KD 700/-. Tel: 94097080.

(C 14893) For rent Deluxe Apt South Al-Surra, 3 BR + maids room + 3 toilets + elevator. KD 600/-. Tel: 97713024. (15106) For rent Deluxe 1st floor with elevator at Al-Adan 4 master BR + large hall + 2 parking.

KD 650/-. Tel: 94097080.

(15107) For rent ground floor at AlSurra 3 BR + maids room + 3

No: 15348

toilets + hall, special entrance. For foreigners and expats. KD 650/-. Tel: 94097080. (15108) For Deluxe Apt new at AlRihab, 2 BR + 1toilet + hall + elevator, C-A/C, ceramic. KD 280/-. Tel: 97719024. (15110) For sale Trail Blazer Car, model 2007, agency painting, meter 110 km, one owner, KD 1,450/- on top of installments. Tel: 66297171.

(15016)

TUITION Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels.

Over 10 years experience. Call 66495951. (C 3817) Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels.

Over 10 years experience. Call 66495951. (C 3817) Mathematics teacher, Intermediate and secondary Exams models, Easy method, Exams from past years with solutions. 97301901 English teacher (3) years experience, looking for a job and ready to start with all educational stages. 55963993 Mathematics teacher for Universities, Institutions, Foreign Schools, Administrative, American, English, Australian, Bahrain, Electric and Gulf Sciences, Algbra Prel, Mathematics, intermediate, gmat, sat college, math98, 110 pre calculus geometry.

97619261 A Syrian Arabic language teacher. Masters in methods of teaching and follow up of 10th grade and 11th grade students. 97934291

Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Daly takes clubhouse lead at Qatar Masters DOHA: John Daly overcame windy and dusty conditions to shoot a 5under 67 Thursday and take the clubhouse lead at the Qatar Masters, one shot ahead of KJ Choi and two better than 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie. The two-time major winner had five birdies in a bogey-free round despite wind gusts that reached about 35 kph and whipped up the desert sand that surrounds the course. Daly, who quit the Australian Open in November after hitting seven balls in the water, has not won in eight years.

“It was brutal. I’m pretty shocked

myself shooting 5-under,” said Daly, sporting a buzz cut and bright red and black checkered pants. “It was great start,” he said. “It was one of best rounds I ever played. I mean that. That is just how hard the golf course is playing.” Daly, who won the 1995 British Open in windy and rainy conditions, said he often thrives in tough conditions like those endured Thursday, adding that he was helped by consistent driving and the way he “managing the course.”

“I had a lot of chances to at least hit the greens and I can’t say its from

practicing a lot because I took a lot of time off which I pretty much needed,” said Daly, who is opening his season in Doha. “I love the way I putted. I’ve always been kind of decent in the wind. I’m a streaky putter so you can sometimes hit some bad putts and get away with it.” Choi (68) also had a bogey-free round that included three birdies on his front nine. Nicolas Colsaerts, Paul Lawrie, Peter Hanson and Richard Finch are a further shot back. Finch was tied for the lead but bogeyed his last two holes.

Fourth-ranked Martin Kaymer (71)

is four shots behind. Choi said the key to his game was the way he and caddy Steve Underwood were able to predict the wind gusts. The 14thranked Choi won once on the PGA Tour last year and his last victory came at the CJ Invitational in October, an Asian Tour even he hosts in South Korea. “To play bogey-free golf is fantastic,” said Choi, who tied for 48th at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. “We were comfortable reading the wind together. We had great teamwork today and that set the pace and helped me gain confidence.” — AP

No 11 UNLV hammer Colorado State 82-63

DOHA: Dutch cyclist Ellen Van Dijk (center) is pictured before the start of the first stage of the Tour of Qatar women’s cycling race in the capital Doha. The route of the first stage covered 97 kms from the Camel Race Track in Doha to the Corniche of Al-Khor. — AFP

No 6 Baylor down Texas A&M 63-60 COLLEGE STATION: Texas A&M played so well without two of its starters in a close loss to No 6 Baylor on Wednesday night that Aggies coach Billy Kennedy might consider his options after they get healthy.

“Those guys who are coming back, they better be ready to work and earn their spots back because I like how these guys have risen to the challenge and it just makes us a better team,” Kennedy said. Pierre Jackson hit a 3pointer with 17 seconds remaining to put Baylor on top and added two free throws to give the Bears a 63-60 victory. The Bears (20-2, 7-2 Big 12) were up by four points with 5 minutes left before A&M used a 9-3 run capped by a short jump shot by David Loubeau to take a 60-58 lead with 29 seconds remaining. Jackson’s second 3 of the game put the Bears on top before A&M’s Elston Turner missed a 3-pointer forcing the Aggies (12-9, 3-6) to foul. Kennedy said Turner’s shot wasn’t what they were looking for on that play. “We tried to get him isolated at the top,” Kennedy said. “Pierre got

the same shot at the top of the key, and he made it.”

Jackson missed his first free throw attempt, but was fouled again after the rebound and made the insurance shots. The Aggies were without second-leading scorer Khris Middleton (right knee) for the third straight game and point guard Dash Harris (right foot) for the second. Kennedy said Monday that he hoped Harris could play, but when he appeared on crutches during warmups it became apparent that he would sit out again.

“They’ve got a lot of weapons and we made them have to use them,” Kennedy said. “I’m proud of the way our guys competed in a difficult situation.”

Loubeau had 16 points for Texas A&M, while Daniel Alexander finished with 12 points and six rebounds and Ray Turner had 13 points. The Bears were able to limit Elston Turner, who had scored at least 23 points in three straight games, to eight points. “We have to build from here,” Ray Turner said. “It was a tough game, now we

can’t let it bring us down for the next game. We just move on from here and try to get the next one.” The win gives Baylor its first 7-2 conference start since 1968-69 and its fourth 20-win season in the last five. Baylor has won five straight over the Aggies in this rivalry which has been played every year since 1930-31 but is in jeopardy with Texas A&M leaving for the Southeastern Conference.

The Bears got 15 points from Perry Jones III and Jackson finished with 14 points and five assists. Quincy Acy added 11 points and Quincy Miller had 11 rebounds and nine points. The Bears were down by five before scoring nine consecutive points to take a 53-49 lead with 6 minutes remaining.

Acy had two dunks in that span to quiet the crowd a bit. The Bears led by nine points early in the second half before A&M used a 14-3 run to take a 44-42 lead with about 12 minutes remaining. Alexander started the spurt with a 3-pointer and A&M had two steals which ended with easy layups to keep it going. — AP

LAS VEGAS: Colorado State missed on a chance to throw the Mountain West Conference race into chaos on Wednesday night when the Rams failed to stop No 11 UNLV after taking an early seven-point lead and follow up on a 17-point victory over thenNo 13 San Diego State.

“In 2 minutes, our lead was gone,” Colorado State coach Tim Miles said after the Rams lost 82-63 to the Runnin’ Rebels. “We gave them three possessions without touching the ball,” Miles said. Wes Eikmeier led Colorado State with 18 points, while Dorian Green scored 15 - 10 in the first half and seven during the initial run that had the UNLV fans uneasy. Colorado State (14-7, 3-3) came within two points by scoring the first 11 points of the second half, but the Rebels responded with a 15-4 spurt that put the game out of reach.

Oscar Bellfield appears to have his shot back, as he and Chace Stanback each scored 16 points.

Bellfield was 4 of 8 from beyond the 3-point line in matching a season-high for points he set earlier this season against then-No 1 North Carolina.

“Oscar needed it for Oscar but more importantly, his teammates have confidence in him,” UNLV coach Dave Rice said. “He’s continued to have confidence.” Bellfield is shooting 44.4 percent over his last three games after making just five field goals combined during his previous three games - including a 1-for-12 performance against San Diego State, then ranked 22nd, to start Mountain West play.

“He’s back making the shots he’s capable of,” Rice said.

Anthony Marshall and Mike Moser scored 13 points each for the Rebels (21-3, 5-1). Moser fell two rebounds shy of a double-double, ending a fourgame personal streak for the reigning conference player of the week. UNLV fell behind 19-12 nearly 7 minutes into the game, then went on a 20-2 run over the next 8 minutes to take a 32-21 lead. “We got off to a rough start,” Rice said.

“We picked up our defensive intensity.” With the game tied at 19, Reggie Smith pulled up for a long 3-pointer to give the Rebels the lead for good, one possession after missing two free throws.

UNLV shot 50 percent for the game with 27 fastbreak points and 17 points off turnovers. “Colorado State had our full attention,” Rice said. The Rams ended up with 12 turnovers compared with eight assists, and were outrebounded 39-28.

Colorado State shot 41.1 percent, 46.2 percent from beyond the 3-point line. The Rebels’ reserves scored 20 points, led by Quintrell Thomas with nine in 17 minutes. The teams observed a moment of silence before the game to honor former UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour, who died Wednesday at 72. — AP

Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Ghana dismiss doubts

FRANCEVILLE: Ghana have dispelled doubts about their chances of winning a fifth Africa Cup of Nations title even after a labored performance with Guinea in their closing first round game. The Black Stars drew 11 with 10-man Guinea to finish top of Group D and will face 2004 champions Tunisia on Sunday for a place in the semi-finals. “We aim to keep going. There is no doubt we will compete till the very end,” declared John Pantsil, who captained Ghana against both Mali and Guinea in the absence of John Mensah. “What mat-

tered most was that we top our group and qualify for the quarterfinal. And we have done that now.”

Pantsil said he expects Tunisia to be a very tough match for Ghana.

“This is crucial and tricky game. It won’t be easy because Tunisia are a very good team, who pass the ball around very well and they can also run,” said the Leicester fullback. “It will be difficult against one of the best teams in this competition,” added star striker Asamoah Gyan.

“But we will rise to the occasion because with the Ghanaian charac-

ter, we will always handle the pressure.” Ghana assistant coach, Kwesi Appiah, said he expects his team to lift their performance against the Carthage Eagles on Sunday. “I believe we will raise our game to reach the semi-finals,” he said. “In our opening game against Botswana, we did not play at our level. But for the second game against Mali, we played at about 70 percent of our capacity.”Every game is different and we will treat them so.”

Four-time champions Ghana have studied Tunisia as a possible opposi-

tion to their quest to end a 30-year wait for another Nations Cup title.

“We have watched video tapes of Tunisia. They are a very good team,” said Appiah. Both teams last clashed in a friendly in 2006 with the north Africans winning the game 1-0.

The biggest cheering news for Ghana is that skipper John Mensah will be fully fit in time for this quarter-final. The Lyon centre back suffered a thigh muscle injury, but he was on the bench for the Guinea game to underline how quickly he has recovered. — AFP

I Coast, Ghana on course amid Gabon’s threat

BATA: Equatorial Guinea’s David Alvarez Aguirre celebrates after scoring against Senegal during the Africa Cup of Nations in Bata. — AFP

Cup hero Alvarez dreams of professional contract MALABO: David Alvarez became a national hero in Equatorial Guinea after his goal gave the African Nations Cup co-hosts a shock quarter-finals berth and the player a taste of the crowds he would love to experience regularly. The defender was the toast of the tiny nation when his 94th minute stunner sealed a 2-1 win over Senegal last week, but the amateur can generally be seen playing in front of a few hundred fans for Spanish fourth division side Langreo.

Alvarez’s father is from Equatorial Guinea and the 27-year-old, who was born and raised in Spain, believes it is still not too late for his exploits to earn a professional contract. His side next face Ivory Coast, who like the Senegalese boast an array of players from top European clubs, in Malabo on Saturday, giving Alvarez

another chance to impress any suitors willing to pay for his services.

“I don’t need to earn millions and millions of euros, I would just be happy to have a professional contract and play football for a living,” Alvarez, who goes under the footballing name of Kily said.

“My dream is to play in England but I would be happy to go anywhere.” Alvarez comes from the opposite end of Spain’s soccer spectrum to the millionaire players from clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Although he trains five times a week, his appearance fees do not provide a living salary. “Football can be a very tough, ungratifying profession,” he said. “To be successful, a lot of things have to fall into place and you need a coach who has confidence in you.” — Reuters

LIBREVILLE: Zambia, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Ghana appear the likely winners of the 2012 Cup of Nations quarter-finals across central Africa this weekend. The football feast begins tomorrow with two fixtures in Equatorial Guinea Zambia and Sudan in mainland port city Bata followed by the cohosts and Ivory Coast in island capital Malabo. Gabon stages both Sunday showdowns with the co-hosts playing Mali in coastal capital Libreville before Ghana tackle Tunisia in south-eastern city Franceville.

Ghana have won the biennial African football showpiece four times and Ivory Coast, Sudan and Tunisia once, Zambia and Mali were runners-up, Gabon reached the last eight once before and Equatorial Guinea never. While title co-favorites Ivory Coast and Ghana are still on course for the February 12 final, Morocco and Senegal failed to match expectations that they would go far and were the biggest firstround casualties. Equatorial Guinea provided the biggest surprise, defeating Libya and

Senegal to secure a knockout place despite changing coaches less than three weeks before the tournament began, and lacking any big-name footballers.

Few pundits or bookmakers gave Sudan much chance either, but the Jediane Falcons have shown gradual improvement with a narrow loss to Ivory Coast followed by a draw with Angola and a victory over Burkina Faso. Gabon, whose only previous last-eight appearance came 16 years ago, are reveling in the fanatical support of the central African nation, led by President Ali Bongo and the First Lady. Host nations have won two of the last four Cup of Nations tournaments and another finished third so Gabon going all the way and lifting the trophy is not beyond the bounds of possibility.

However, Ivory Coast and Ghana have done nothing to suggest they cannot deliver a rematch of the 1992 final with the Elephants winning all three group games and the Black Stars two before drawing with Guinea. — AFP

Chedli: Expulsion reports are false LIBREVILLE: Tunisia star Adel Chedli says that rather than being expelled from the Tunisia camp he decided to quit after relations with Coach Sami Trabelsi broke down. On Wednesday reports from the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finalists’ team management said the 2004 titlewinner and Carthage Eagles veteran had been kicked out for dissent. “Chedli is finished. He was on the bench for the first two matches, and suggested Tunisia’s (2-1) win over Niger wasn’t ‘logical’. He watched last night’s (Tuesday) game against Gabon from the stands,” a source in the Tunisian camp disclosed.

But the 35-year-old veteran has a different take on events. The Esperance star

told France 24 on Wednesday night: “There is no more dialogue with him (Trabelsi).” According to Chedli, Trabelsi had told him before and during the competition that he was planning “to count heavily on him”.

The player said: “Yesterday (Tuesday) Sami changed 80 to 90 percent of his team. We had talked-I should have played (against Gabon). He told me he was going to rely on me, that he was going to play me in this match. “To my great surprise I wasn’t in the line-up.” He denied that he had left the squad on bad terms, disclosing: “When I left this morning I gave Sami Trabelsi a kiss, he wished me good luck. — AFP

Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Holders Marseille reach French League Cup final PARIS: A Brandao goal earned holders Olympique Marseille a place in French League Cup final after a 2-1 home win over Nice in a tense game on Wednesday. The Brazilian striker, who returned to the club on loan to cover the Ayew brothers’ departure for the African Nations Cup, scored 13 minutes after the interval to set up a final clash against Olympique Lyon.

The Cote d’Azur derby was a fierce confrontation between the two clubs who both finished with 10 men after Mathieu Valbuena and Franck Dja Djedje were sent off in the second half. France striker Loic Remy gave Marseille an early lead when he bent the ball in from the left side of the box after 17 minutes.

But the League Cup holders were made to work hard by a combative Nice who hit back late in the first half when Anthony Mounier volleyed in a Dja Djeje pass after Remy lost the ball in his half. Brandao secured his team’s place in the final when he shot home from close range. Marseille defended strongly and denied Nice many chances to come back despite Valbuena’s sending-off with 25 minutes left when he was booked for a second time for taking a free kick before the referee whistled. He will miss the Ligue 1 clash against Lyon on Sunday. The League Cup final will take place at Stade de France on April 14.— Reuters

Muhammad Ali’s trainer dies at 90 LOS ANGELES: Celebrated boxing trainer Angelo Dundee, Muhammad Ali’s cornerman in his greatest fights, died on Wednesday at the age of 90. “Angelo died surrounded by family and friends,” his family said in a statement. “He was very happy that he got to celebrate Ali’s (70th) birthday earlier this year and also that he got to go to the Hall of Fame. “He still had much to do, but, led a full and extraordinary life.” Noted for his ability to motivate and challenge the best of boxers, Angelo passed away at his home in Tampa, Florida. While working with Ali for the majority of the boxing great’s career, Dundee trained 15 world champions in total, including Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman.

One of the more indelible memories of Dundee’s career came in 1981 when he loudly exhorted Leonard in the late stages of a world championship unification fight against Thomas Hearns. After famously telling the fighter, “You’re blowing it, son,” Leonard came back out to register a thrilling knockout after having been dominated in preceding rounds.

“He saved Ray Leonard in the Hearns fight. He saved Ali (against Joe Frazier) in Manila,” longstanding boxing promoter Bob Arum told Reuters, having worked with Dundee countless times over the years. “To motivate (a fighter) takes a special skill and there aren’t many people that can do it. In the (more than 45 years) I’ve been in boxing, he is the greatest cornerman by far of anyone that I’ve ever witnessed.”

Dundee’s work spanned six decades and he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994, cementing his legacy as an invaluable asset to some of the most decorated boxers of all time. “Ali was this unbelievable figure, and a guy who symbolized an entire era of American culture and was idolised around the world,” Arum added. “And through all those times, the person at his side was Dundee. For that, he will always be remembered.” —Reuters

LOUISVILLE: In this file photo, Muhammad Ali (right) celebrates his 70th birthday next to his longtime trainer Angelo Dundee at a fund raiser for the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. — AP

CAIRO: Men react outside a morgue holding the bodies of Egyptians killed in clashes at a soccer stadium in Cairo yesterday. —AP

Egypt ‘ultras’ soccer fans target the ruling generals

CAIRO: Some of the Egyptian soccer fans who had a front-line role in toppling Hosni Mubarak have a new target the man who replaced him at Egypt’s helm, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi. “We want your head, you traitor Tantawi. You could have carved your name in history, but you were arrogant and you believed Egypt and its people could take a step back and forget their revolution,” the Ultras Tahrir Square (UTS), a group of soccer fans, wrote on its Facebook page.

The rage of these “ultras”, as dedicated soccer supporters are known, was sparked by a pitch invasion on Wednesday after a match between Port Said’s al-Masry and rival Al Ahli of Cairo, Egypt’s most successful club. In the violence that ensued, 74 people were killed and at least 1,000 were injured. For the ultras, as for many politicians and ordinary Egyptians, the anger was not that soccer fans clashed but that security forces appeared to have done little to stop them. It has added to the mounting frustration at the army’s failure to restore law and order almost a year after taking charge.

“Today, the Marshal and the remnants of the regime send us a clear message. We either have our freedom or they punish us and execute us for participating in a revolution against tyranny,” the group said in the statement, quickly circulated online. Residents of Port Said, as well as some politicians and ultras themselves, feel the group was the target. “Ultras are very popular and respected among the revolutionaries,” said 45-year-old Port Said trader Ahmed Badr. “The ultras were the target (on Wednesday). This was a setup for them, a massacre. The military council and the security forces are the only parties held

accountable for such events.”

BATTLE-FRONT Ultras employed years of experience dealing with police at matches to devastating effect against Mubarak’s security forces when they used heavy-handed tactics to try to crush the revolt. The ultras are not a single, coherent body.

Major soccer clubs each have their own ultras fan groups, such as Ultras Al Ahli or Ultras White Knights, fans of Zamalek, another major Egyptian soccer club.

UTS, which said Tantawi was in its crosshairs, is a group of fans from various clubs who united in Tahrir Square, the focus for revolutionary campaigning. Daring cat-and-mouse tactics by ultras, often teenagers or men in their early 20s, and steadfastness at front-line barricades under tear gas and rubber bullets wore the police down until they cracked. Within days of the antiMubarak uprising erupting, the police were replaced by the army. Since then, ultras have stayed at the battle-front, scuffling with the army and police, in the upsurges of violence since Mubarak’s downfall in and around Tahrir, where protesters have demanded the army hand over power immediately to civilians.

Ultras for months chanted in stadiums against the army, sending their message into people’s living rooms as ordinary Egyptians turn on their televisions to watch matches. Many Egyptians, though worried by lax security, still feel the army is still the best placed to keep order. “Military police, you are dogs like the Interior Ministry.

Write it on the prison’s walls, down down with military rule,” one chant they coined rings through stadiums. Soccer fans yestyrday reflected the hardening

lines. “The people want the execution of the field marshal,” thousands of Egyptians chanted at Cairo’s main train station early yestyrday as fans returned from the Port Said match.

MOURNING Responding to the violence, Tantawi said the army would not let anything derail the transition, which the military says means handing over power to civilians before the end of June. He also vowed to track down the culprits of Wednesday’s violence. An army statement announced three days of national mourning. Ultras Al Ahli responded with a statement on one of their Facebook pages saying that mourning should not be just for the dead but “for everyone who lost his morals, mourning for everyone who sold his soul, mourning for everyone who did not care for the country”. The violence flared on Wednesday after Al Ahli fans unfurled banners insulting Port Said’s Al-Masry.

One man went onto the pitch carrying an iron bar at the end of the match, which Al-Masry won 3-1. Al-Masry fans reacted by pouring onto the pitch and attacking Ahli players before attacking fans on the terraces. The police appeared to have no ability to stop it.

“For the first time in the history of matches between these two teams, we did not find police officers or state security. Police withdraw from the stadium and yes, your plot is as clear to us as daylight,” the UTS group said in its statement. Echoing condemnation by politicians, presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahy said those killed in Port Said were victims of “systematic chaos”. He said: “What happened was black vengeance against the Ultras because of their role in the revolution.”— Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Barca waiting on Guardiola contract decision MADRID: Barcelona are in the unusual position of having drawn their last three matches as they prepare for tomorrow’s home La Liga game against Real Sociedad and Pep Guardiola’s unwillingness to commit to a new contract is not helping settle jangled nerves. The spectacularly successful 41-year-old coach prefers to renew his deal with the Spanish and European champions on an annual basis and as the season has slipped by mutterings about the possibility of him leaving in June have grown in volume. Barca president Sandro Rosell is desperate to persuade Guardiola, who has led the Catalan club to 13 trophies since taking over in 2008, to agree an extension, although he has so far refrained from putting too much public pressure on the former Barca and Spain midfielder. Guardiola waited

until Feb. 8 last year before inking a new deal and went on to capture a third successive La Liga title and a second Champions League crown, as well as the Spanish and European Super Cups and the Club World Cup. “The sooner the better,” Rosell told reporters on Tuesday when quizzed about the issue. “That would always be a massive boost, it would be great,” he added. This season, Guardiola faces perhaps his stiffest test from Real Madrid, who have been honed into a fearsome attacking force by Portuguese Jose Mourinho, an assistant coach at Barca when Guardiola was a player. Real, who play at city rivals Getafe tomorrow, have a sevenpoint lead over Barca with just over half the season played and are fiercely determined to end their arch-rivals’ domestic and European domination.

Having knocked Real out of the King’s Cup last week, Guardiola refuses to give up on the league title, although he admits Barca are “almost at the point of no return” after Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Villarreal. They clung on to draw 2-2 with Mourinho’s side in their Cup quarter-final second leg, which sent them through 4-3 on aggregate, and were held to a 1-1 stalemate at Valencia in Wednesday’s Cup semi-final first leg. It was the first time since March 2009 Guardiola’s side had been restricted to three consecutive draws. “A lot of people believe the league is already lost, but they will not convince me,” he told a news conference on Tuesday. “Let me believe that we can win again and if we cannot we’ll congratulate our opponents,” he added. “We’ve done well for a long, long, long time, and

you don’t know how hard that is. “The players must put in the effort to continue. They will regret it if they don’t.

We cannot give up yet.”

Third-placed Valencia have slipped nine points behind Barca ahead of their game on Sunday at a resurgent Atletico Madrid, who appear to have put an erratic campaign behind them since the appointment of former Argentina captain Diego Simeone as coach late last year and have climbed to seventh. Levante, Valencia’s city neighbors and the season’s surprise packages, are five points further back in fourth and host troubled Racing Santander tomorrow. Espanyol are at home to Athletic Bilbao tomorrow in a match that pits fifth against sixth, while Sevilla are hoping to end a poor run when they host Villarreal on Sunday.— Reuters

Dortmund aim to put heat on Bayern BERLIN: Defending champions Borussia Dortmund are looking to turn up the heat on German league leaders Bayern Munich when they take on Nuremberg on Friday even though arctic temperatures are forecasted. Dortmund are second in the Bundesliga, but level on 40 points with both leaders Bayern Munich and third-placed Schalke and Borussia have the chance to steal a march on their rivals.

A win at Nuremberg would see Dortmund go top and put the pressure on Bayern to win at Hamburg, whose coach Thorsten Fink has said his team will have to ‘scratch, bite and fight’ if they want to beat Munich. A cold front is sweeping across northern Europe and the temperature is expected to be between minus 10 and 12 degrees in the Nuremberg stadium come kick-off on Friday night. The German Football Federation (DFB) has said postponed games are not expected as all Bundesliga clubs have under-soil heating.

The thermometer dipped to -13 in Dortmund’s 1-0 win over Freiburg in December 2009, but Borussia’s brand of attacking football is running hot and has caught the eye recently. Japan winger Shinji Kagawa scored twice in their 3-1 win over Hoffenheim last weekend, a week after Dortmund hammered Hamburg 5-1 in the Hanseatic city to put the pressure on Bayern. “Dortmund are the yardstick at the moment, they have already put together two spectacular performances, for me they will be the champions this summer,” said Nuremberg coach Dieter Hecking.

Tomorrow night, Bayern have their work cut out at Hamburg, who showed plenty of courage to come away from Hertha Berlin with a 2-1 victory last Saturday, having been hammered by Dortmund the week before. “We will not raise the white flag or throw in the towel,” said Fink, whose team have lost just once in 10 games since he took charge. Fink, 44 and who won four titles as a player at Bayern, took over as Hamburg coach in October after an eyecatching spell with Swiss side FC Basel, but says there will be no love lost against his old club. “We battle for our points and we will keep our foot on the gas, that is the only thing I want to see from my team. We need to scratch, bite and fight.

Munich defender Jerome Boateng, who used to play for Hamburg, says his team will be on their guard at Hamburg with the hosts set to offer the Bavarians a frosty reception. “I know from my time at Hamburg, it is not an easy game for Bayern, they are highly motivated,” said Boateng. “Hamburg tried to play (against Dortmund), I do not think they will try that with us,” said Boateng. “They will be trying not to make mistakes and to counter, but we want to win quite clearly.”

Having come from behind to beat Cologne 4-1 on Saturday, Schalke take on Mainz tomorrow and are hoping to have striker Raul back and captain Bendikt Hoewedes in the starting line-up. — AFP

MARSEILLE: Nice’s forward Anthony Mounier (left) fights for the ball with Marseille’s Cameroonian defender Nicolas Nkoulou (center) and Marseille’s defender Alou Diarra (right) during the French Cup football match semi-final on February 1, 2012 at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France. —AFP

Depleted Marseille face another stiff challenge PARIS: A depleted Olympique Marseille face another stiff challenge to get back to the top of Ligue 1 when they host fellow Champions League hopefuls Olympique Lyon on Sunday. After a poor start this season, a seven-game winning streak has put Marseille back on track and fifth on the table, while another victory would help them leapfrog fourth-ranked Lyon, who earlier this season sent the 2010 champions crashing to the bottom of Ligue 1.

Both clubs set up another major game this week when they qualified for the League Cup final, with Lyon hoping to clinch their first trophy since 2008 and holders Marseille to win the trophy for

the third time in a row.

But Didier Deschamps’ side suffered a big blow when Mathieu Valbuena was sent off during Marseille’s semi-final against Nice, having already lost the Ayew brothers to the African Nations Cup and sold playmaker Lucho Gonzalez to Porto in the last days of the transfer window. Valbuena, who had made 11 assists in the Ligue 1 season, was shown a second yellow card for taking a free kick too fast to be automatically suspended. “I regret the referee’s harshness. I know there are rules, but here the rules are stupidly and strictly applied,” a fuming Deschamps told France Television.

Lyon could miss centre back Dejan Lovren but captain Cris was back in action on Tuesday for a League Cup semi-final in Lorient. Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain who acquired Inter Milan midfielder Thiago Motta in the last hours of the transfer window, host Evian Thonon Gaillard tomorrow (1700 GMT).

Motta and Brazilian center back Alex, who joined from Chelsea, could make their debuts at Parc des Princes.

Montpellier, who are placed second three points behind PSG, will try to keep close with a home game against Stade Brest and champions Lille will visit struggling side Sochaux on Sunday (1500 GMT).— Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Vollmer hopes to inspire more Germans into NFL INDIANAPOLIS: Germany’s Sebastian Vollmer does not see himself as another Dirk Nowitzki when it comes to sparking interest for a sport in his homeland by winning a championship at the highest level. But the 27-year-old offensive tackle for the New England Patriots hopes his exploits in American football and Sunday’s Super Bowl 46 showdown between his team and New York Giants might inspire some young Germans to join him in the NFL. “I wouldn’t compare myself to Dirk. He’s a great athlete and he has done so many great things in his league,” Vollmer said. “But I hope coverage picks up in Germany and we get a few more guys over here.” Nowitzki powered the Dallas Mavericks to last year’s NBA crown, lifting his team over favored Miami in the NBA Finals to spoil the title dream of LeBron James and raising the profile of basketball in Germany to new heights.

Vollmer found his way to the gridiron aged 14 after deciding he wanted a team sport rather than swimming. Instead of Bundesliga football, Vollmer began following the NFL and the nearest NFL Europe’s team, Dusseldorf’s Rhein Fire. “I was following the game, watching the Super Bowl in the middle of the night,” Vollmer said. “Once I stopped swimming, I wanted a team sport.

American football seemed a perfect fit. I just picked up a book and learned it and then went out there and played. Don’t be ashamed about it. Just play.”

Vollmer joined the Dusseldorf Panthers prep club team, won two national titles and found his way onto a European junior all-star squad and played in a game in San Diego that brought him attention from US college scouts. Vollmer signed at the University of Houston and taught himself English, making the most of his chance and becoming a second-round selection of the Patriots, 58th overall, in the 2009 NFL Draft. “He has got it all-gifted athlete, very tough, unbelievable strength, smart guy,” Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia said. “He has worked very hard and is still working hard.”

Vollmer has struggled with foot and back injuries this season that have kept him out of the lineup and make him a doubt for Sunday.

“It’s hard,” Vollmer said. “You want to be part of the team. You are doing very different things. You just want to get back and help the team out. “I wish I could have done more but I will do my best on Sunday.” A stomach virus kept him from Super Bowl Media Day, but Vollmer said on Wednesday that he feels fine. “I was under the weather but I’m getting better. I’m doing all right,” said Vollmer. “I don’t think it has taken too much away. It’s an amazing experience. You try to take it all in and not let it take away from your preparation. “If I get called upon, I’ll be ready.”

After filming video clips to be shown in Germany to promote TV coverage of the Super Bowl, Vollmer said he is ready to play for the first time in months and has done well in full-pad workouts. “I’ve practiced for a little while now,” he said. “Once you are in the Super Bowl, adrenaline is going, you’re motivated, you just try to do your best.

When you haven’t hit anybody in a while, the first game back is always tough going.”

Facing a Giants’ team known for rushing passers like Patriots star Tom Brady adds to the challenge. “They are strong and extremely fast,” Vollmer said. “You have to slow them down and give Tom some time. They will all be coming hard.” — AFP

TORONTO: Ben Lovejoy #6 of the Pittsburgh Penguins is slammed into the boards by Nikolai Kulemin #41 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in a game on February 1, 2012 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. — AFP

Late winner lifts Leafs Stars rout Ducks

TORONTO: Toronto goaltender James Reimer stopped all 25 shots he faced and Clarke MacArthur scored in the third period to lift the Maple Leafs to a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL on Wednesday. A night after Toronto gave up a three-goal lead and lost to the Penguins in a shootout, it appeared another overtime game was on the cards until MacArthur took a pass from Mikhail Grabovski and deked around Brent Johnson with 6:05 to go. Reimer, who was starting for only the second time in 14 games, registered his first shutout since opening night in October.

RANGERS 1, SABRES 0, SO In Buffalo, Ryan Callahan scored the decisive goal in the shootout to give New York victory over Buffalo. Callahan scored in the fifth round of the shootout by driving in on Ryan Miller, leaning to his right and snapping a shot into the open left side. Marian Gaborik had scored in the first round of the shootout and the Sabres’ Jason Pominville answered in the third round. Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped 34 shots to notch his third shutout in five starts and the 41st of his career - putting him alone in second place on the team’s all-time list, one ahead of Dave Kerr.

PANTHERS 4, CAPITALS 2 In Sunrise, Florida, Mikael Samuelsson scored twice to help Florida beat Washington and move into first place in the Southeast Division.

Stephen Weiss and Shawn Matthias also scored for the Panthers, who moved one point ahead of the Capitals in the division. Brooks Laich and John Carlson scored for Washington.

STARS 6, DUCKS 2 In Anaheim, Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists in his return from a five-game absence

following an appendectomy, helping Dallas beat Anaheim. Michael Ryder also had a goal and two assists for the Stars while Eric Nystrom, Vernon Fiddler, and defensemen Stephane Robidas found the net. Matt Beleskey and Luca Sbisa scored for the Ducks, whose six-game home winning streak came to an abrupt halt.

KINGS 3, BLUE JACKETS 2 In Los Angeles, Drew Doughty scored a pow-

er-play goal with one second remaining in the game, lifting Los Angeles to a dramatic win over last-placed Columbus.

Doughty scored from in front with Samuel Pahlsson off for holding in the waning minutes.

The Kings also got goals from Dustin Penner and Justin Williams.Columbus’ Colton Gillies tied the game 2-2 with his first goal of the season in the third period. Derek Dorsett also scored for the Blue Jackets. — AP

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Wednesday.

NY Rangers 1, Buffalo 0 (SO); Toronto 1, Pittsburgh 0; Florida 4, Washington 2; Dallas 6, Anaheim 2; Los Angeles 3, Columbus 2. (SO denotes shootout)

NY Rangers Philadelphia Pittsburgh New Jersey NY Islanders

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA 32 12 5 136 100 29 14 6 163 144 29 18 4 157 132 27 19 3 133 139 20 22 7 120 145

PTS 69 64 62 57 47

Northeast Division 32 14 2 175 27 20 6 160 26 19 6 156 21 24 6 122 19 22 9 131

105 164 152 151 137

66 60 58 48 47

Southeast Division Florida 23 15 11 126 Washington 26 20 4 141 Winnipeg 23 22 6 126 Tampa Bay 22 23 4 140 Carolina 18 25 9 132

138 145 144 168 164

57 56 52 48 45

Boston Ottawa Toronto Buffalo Montreal

Western Conference Central Division Detroit 34 16 1 163 118 69 Nashville 31 16 4 145 131 66 St. Louis 29 13 7 124 102 65 Chicago 29 15 7 164 147 65 Columbus 13 32 6 117 172 32 Northwest Division Vancouver 31 15 4 161 124 66 Minnesota 24 19 7 119 131 55 Colorado 26 24 2 133 147 54 Calgary 23 22 6 121 140 52 Edmonton 19 26 5 125 144 43 Pacific Division San Jose 28 14 6 137 110 62 Los Angeles 25 16 10 114 113 60 Dallas 26 21 2 132 138 54 Phoenix 22 21 8 131 138 52 Anaheim 19 24 7 130 151 45 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Sixers send notice in East Thunder overwhelm Mavericks 95-86 PHILADELPHIA: Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala helped the 76ers stamp themselves as a rising threat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, scoring 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 98 82 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Iguodala outplayed Derrick Rose and stuffed a month’s worth of highlight video activity into one game. His one-handed dunks, around-theback passes, and big 3s helped the Sixers lead the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls by 20 at the end of the third quarter.

Thaddeus Young scored 19 points for the Sixers. C J Watson scored 20 points for the Bulls.

THUNDER 95, MAVERICKS 86 In Dallas, Russell Westbrook scored 33 points as Oklahoma City downed defending champion Dallas. Kevin Durant added 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who limited Dallas to 8for-38 shooting from the field in the second half. Jason Terry had 26 points for the undermanned Mavericks, whose three-game winning streak ended.

TRAIL BLAZERS 112, BOBCATS 68 In Portland, the hosts inflicted Charlotte’s heaviest ever loss and their 10th straight defeat. The 44-point margin surpassed the 40-point loss suffered by the Bobcats at Denver last season.

Portland’s Jamal Crawford scored 24 points in 21 minutes, while Gerald Wallace scored 23 points against his old side. Gerald Henderson led the hapless Bobcats with 16 points.

NETS 99, PISTONS 96 In Newark, Deron Williams scored 26 points to lead New Jersey over Detroit. Kris Humphries had 18 points for the Nets, who led by 12 points midway through the third quarter but saw that sliced to a single point at the start of the fourth. Greg Monroe and

Tayshaun Prince scored 21 points each for the Pistons, who have lost 20 of 24 this season.

SUNS 120, HORNETS 103 In New Orleans, Steve Nash had a season-high 30 points and 10 assists, becoming Phoenix’s franchise assists leader, as the Suns beat New Orleans. Nash increased his assists total to 6,522 with the Suns, passing Kevin Johnson’s mark of 6,518. Marcin Gortat had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix, which won in New Orleans for only the second time. Reserve point guard Greivis Vasquez had career-highs of 20 points and 12 assists for the Hornets, who have lost 18 of 20. The hosts led by 13 points late in the first half but were outscored 76-46 the rest of the way. — AP

BUCKS 105, HEAT 97 In Milwaukee, Brandon Jennings scored 31 points, including three 3-pointers in a critical stretch of the fourth quarter, to lead Milwaukee to its second win over highly rated Miami this season.

Jennings also had eight assists while Drew Gooden added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, who have won three straight. LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points for the Heat, including a highlight-reel windmill dunk at the end of his huge first quarter. James had 24 points in the first quarter, the most points any player has scored in a quarter this season, according to STATS LLC. SPURS 99, ROCKETS 91 In San Antonio, Tim Duncan scored 25 points to power San Antonio’s rally past Houston. Tony Parker added 24 for the Spurs, who trailed their Texas rivals by as many as 18 points in the third quarter but fought back to improve their home record to 11-1.

Kevin Martin scored 29 points to lead Houston but went 1 for 6 in the fourth quarter.

PACERS 109, TIMBERWOLVES 99 In Minneapolis, Danny Granger scored 29 of his 36 points in the second half to help Indiana beat Minnesota. Granger also grabbed seven rebounds and hit 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and Darren Collison thoroughly out-played Ricky Rubio with 20 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Pacers, who topped 100 points for just the second time this season. Kevin Love had 21 points and 17 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who were completely overwhelmed by Indiana’s size and Granger’s offensive prowess.

CLIPPERS 107, JAZZ 105 In Salt Lake City, Chris Paul scored a season-high 34 points as Los Angeles snapped a nine year, 16-game losing streak at Utah.

Blake Griffin added 31, including 12 in the tight fourth quarter, as the Clippers won their fourth straight game. Los Angelese made eight free throws in the final 30 seconds, but Utah still had a chance. C J Miles intentionally missed his second free throw with the Jazz down two points with 1.2 seconds left but Reggie Evans grabbed the rebound to seal the win. Al Jefferson had 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Jazz.

CELTICS 100, RAPTORS 64 In Boston, Paul Pierce had 17 points and eight assists and Boston trounced Toronto and crept above .500 for the second time this season. Ray Allen and Brandon Bass added 12 points apiece for the Celtics, who led throughout. Boston improved to 6-2 without point guard Rajon Rondo, who has been out with an injured right wrist. Jerryd Bayless scored 14 on a miserable night for the Raptors.

MAGIC 109, WIZARDS 103 In Orlando, Ryan Anderson scored 23 points, including six 3pointers, to help Orlando edge Washington and snap a four-game losing skid. Dwight Howard and JJ Redick added 21 points each for the Magic, who beat Washington for the eighth straight time.

The Magic settled down after a rocky first half to commit just four turnovers in the final 24 minutes. Nick Young had 24 points for the Wizards, who dropped to 1-9 on the road.

DALLAS: Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook falls into the front row of fans chasing down a loose ball in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012. — AP

NBA results/standings NBA results and standings on Wednesday. Orlando 109, Washington 103; Philadelphia 98, Chicago 82; New Jersey 99, Detroit 96; Boston 100, Toronto 64; Milwaukee 105, Miami 97; Indiana 109, Minnesota 99; Phoenix 120, New Orleans 103; Oklahoma City 95, Dallas 86; San Antonio 99, Houston 91; Portland 112, Charlotte 68; LA Clippers 107, Utah 105.

Philadelphia Boston NY Knicks New Jersey Toronto Chicago Indiana Milwaukee Cleveland Detroit Miami Atlanta Orlando Washington Charlotte

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L 16 6 11 10 8 13 8 15 7 16 Central Division 18 6 15 6 10 11 8 12 4 20 Southeast Division 16 6 16 6 13 9 4 18 3 20

PCT .727 .524 .381 .348 .304

GB 4.5 7.5 8.5 9.5

Oklahoma City Denver Utah Portland Minnesota

.750 .714 .476 .400 .167

1.5 6.5 8 14

LA Clippers LA Lakers Phoenix Golden State Sacramento

.727 .727 .591 .182 .130

3 12 13.5

San Antonio Dallas Houston Memphis New Orleans

Western Conference Northwest Division 17 4 14 7 12 8 13 9 10 12 Pacific Division 13 6 13 9 8 13 7 12 6 15 Southwest Division 14 9 14 9 12 10 11 10 4 18

.810 .667 .600 .591 .455

3 4.5 4.5 7.5

.684 .591 .381 .368 .286

1.5 6 6 8

.609 .609 .545 .524 .182

1.5 2 9.5

A

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

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