4 Dec 2011

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

Egypt Islamists sweep polls in early results

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www.kuwaittimes.net

MUHARRAM 9, 1433 AH

Brotherhood leads vote, Salafists a strong second

Did Conficker sabotage Iran nuke program?

LONDON: A cyber warfare expert claims he has linked the Stuxnet computer virus that attacked Iran’s nuclear program in 2010 to Conficker, a mysterious “worm” that surfaced in late 2008 and infected millions of PCs. Conficker was used to open back doors into computers in Iran, then infect them with Stuxnet, according to research from John Bumgarner, a retired US Army special-operations veteran and former intelligence officer. “Conficker was a door kicker,” said Bumgarner, chief technology officer for the US Cyber Consequences Unit, a nonprofit group that studies the impact of cyber threats.

“It built out an elaborate smoke screen around the whole world to mask the real operation, which was to deliver Stuxnet.”

While it is widely believed that the United States and Israel were behind Stuxnet, Bumgarner wouldn’t comment on whether he believes the Americans and Israelis also unleashed Conficker, one of the most virulent pieces of so-called malware ever detected. He wouldn’t name the attackers he believes were behind the two programs, saying the Continued on Page 13

CAIRO: An Egyptian family is seen on a bridge over the Nile River near Tahrir Square yesterday. — AP

Six Yemenis killed as clashes rage in Taez SANAA: Six Yemenis were killed yesterday in shelling by government forces of the country’s second city of Taez and in shootings, as sustained violence threatened to derail a fragile power-transfer deal. State media said a ceasefire was reached in the afternoon after a call by Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi for an end to the fighting and a pullout of troops and militiamen. And the opposition warned it will not go ahead with forming a national unity government until a military commission is formed in

line with a Gulf-brokered accord and the offensive on Taez halted.

Three members of a Taez family were killed in shelling blamed on government forces, while two anti-regime gunmen were shot dead during clashes with troops loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh, witnesses said. The five bodies were taken to a field hospital in the AlRawda neighbourhood of central Taez, which is under the control of anti-Saleh protesters.

Continued on Page 13

SANAA: A Yemeni anti-government protester shows his palms reading ‘Taez’ during a demonstration yesterday to denounce the violence in the southern city. — AFP

Pakistani model’s nude photo causes fury

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Jones sinks Villa to keep United in touch

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Women driving spurs premarital sex: Saudi report RIYADH: A report given to a high-level advisory group in Saudi Arabia claims that allowing women in the kingdom to drive could encourage premarital sex, a rights activist said yesterday. The ultraconservative stance suggests increasing pressure on King Abdullah to retain the kingdom’s male-only driving rules despite international criticism. Rights activist Waleed Abu Alkhair said the document by a wellknown academic was sent to the all-male Shura Council, which advises the monarchy. The report by Kamal Subhi claims that allowing women to drive will threaten the country’s traditions of virgin brides, he said. The suggestion is that driving will allow greater mixing of genders and could promote sex.

Saudi women have staged several protests defying the driving ban. The king has already promised some reforms, including allowing women to vote in municipal elections in 2015. There was no official criticism or commentary on the scholar’s views, and it was unclear whether they were solicited by the Shura Council or submitted independently. But social media sites were flooded with speculation that Saudi’s traditional-minded clerics and others will fight hard against social changes suggested by the 87-year-old Abdullah.

In October, Saudi Arabia named a new heir to the throne, Prince Nayef, who is a former interior minister and considered to hold traditionalist views, although he had led crackdowns against suspected Islamic extremists. His selection appeared to embolden the ultraconservative clerics to challenge any sweeping social reforms. Prince Nayef was picked following the death of Crown Prince Sultan. — AP

Max 18º Min 04º Low Tide 00:40 & 12:42 High Tide 06:08 & 19:16

CAIRO: Early results from Egypt’s first post-revolution election showed Islamist parties sweeping to victory yesterday, including hardline Salafists, with secular parties trounced in many areas. Partial figures trickled in for the areas of the country that voted in record numbers on Monday and Tuesday, confirming earlier predictions that Islamist parties would win at least two thirds of the ballots cast. In northern Port Said, the moderate Islamist alliance led by the previously banned Muslim Brotherhood triumphed with 32.5 percent of votes for parties, while the hardline Al-Nur party gained 20.7 percent, the Al-Ahram daily said. The liberal Wafd party won 14 percent, while another Islamist party, Al-Wasat recorded 12.9 percent, according to the state-run newspaper.

In the southern Red Sea district, the Brotherhood’s alliance won 30 percent, while secular coalition the Egyptian Bloc came in second with 15 percent, it said.

The Brotherhood told its critics to respect the result. “We call upon everyone, and all those who associate themselves with democracy, to respect the will of the people and accept their choice,” it said in a statement after the first-round vote, which drew an official turnout of 62 percent. “Those who weren’t successful ... should work hard to serve people to win their support next time,” the Brotherhood added.

“The people have chosen candidates who represent their Islamic identity and who they have confidence in,” said Mahmud Ghozlan, a spokesman for the Brotherhood, which expects to win 40 percent of the vote overall.

Continued on Page 13

25 die as defectors battle Syria forces BEIRUT: Violence sweeping across Syria killed 25 people yesterday, most of them in a battle between troops and a growing force of army defectors who have joined the movement to oust the autocratic ruler, President Bashar Assad, activists said. The revolt against Assad’s rule began with peaceful protests in mid-March, triggering a brutal crackdown. The unrest has steadily become bloodier as defectors and some civilians take up arms, prompting the United Nations’ human rights chief to refer to it this

week as a civil war and urge the international community to protect Syrian civilians.

Economic and diplomatic sanctions by the United States, the European Union, Turkey and the 22-member Arab League have so far failed to blunt the turmoil. Arab officials were to meet yesterday in the Gulf nation of Qatar to review punitive steps by the Arab League, including a travel ban on 17 Syrian officials, among them Cabinet ministers and security officers.

Continued on Page 13

CAIRO: Anti-Assad regime protestors shout slogans during a demonstration in front of the Syrian embassy yesterday. — AFP

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LOCAL

PM faces challenges in forming Cabinet Sheikh Jaber urged to change approach KUWAIT: As MPs look forward to the Parliament’s dissolution, new Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah faces some challenges in his effort to assemble the new Cabinet, the most notable of which is choosing a lawmaker to a minister’s post - not to mention that many candidates refuse to participate in a short-lived Cabinet. Since the Parliament is widely speculated to end up being dissolved, this thought is discouraging for many national and political candidates who are more likely to be interested in joining the Cabinet when it is formed after parliamentary elections. In the meantime, sources indicate that Sheikh Jaber insists on selecting ministers with strong political experience in order to help dealing with main issues between the Cabinet and Parliament.

For that, the new premier is going to try to convince the candidate that a new Cabinet selected after the Parliament’s elections will be almost identical to the one formed these days.

And as the Cabinet’s formation could take more than two weeks, sources within the Parliament indicate that Sheikh Jaber might find himself facing a dilemma when choosing a law-

maker to represent the Parliament in the Cabinet, to succeed Ali Al-Rashid who was the Minister of Cabinet Affairs in the resigning Cabinet. On one hand, opposition lawmakers refuse to be a part of the pre-elections Cabinet, while on the other, the premier could be criticized by the opposition if he appoints a pro-government MP in the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak is not likely to face troubles appointing ruling family members as ministers, with “high chances” for Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah, Foreign Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Information Minister Hamad Jaber Al-Ali AlSabah to be reappointed.

MPs continued on Friday to react to the appointment of new Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, with MP Naji Al-Abdulhadi saying that managing the parliamentary elections process would be the “true testing opportunity” for the new Cabinet. On the other hand, MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri expressed hope in a recent statement for Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak to “change his [previous] approach” which he says includes “a history of mismanagement that includes supporting unconstitutional practices

such as the cancelation of the grilling motion [filed by MPs] Ahmad Al-Saadoun and Abdurrahman Al-Anjari [against former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad AlSabah]”.

In other developments, MPs Maasouma AlMubarak and Rola Dashti released separate statements calling those who mentioned their names online as being involved in the multimillion-dinar deposits scandals, to reveal their identities and provide proof to support their claims to authorities.

Also on Friday, Islamist MPs Mohammad Hayef, Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Dr Ali Al-Omair and Falah Al-Sawagh released separate statements condemning a controversial statement made by Shiite MP Saleh Ashour, in which he endorsed the prospect of turning the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries into constitutional monarchies which adopt full democracy.

Separately, MP Mubarak Al-Walan told a local daily in statements on Friday that the Opposition Bloc plans to meet today to discuss recent developments including legal actions taken by the Ministry of Interior against citizens for Twitter posts.—Al-Qabas, Al-Rai, Al-Jarida

Faten Al-Bader

Amal Al-Sayer

Kuwait hosts Special Needs Conference KUWAIT: The 1st International Special Needs Conference: Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is being launched today under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, and in the the presence of Dr. Hilal AlSayer, Kuwait’s Minister of Health. It is organized by The Center for Child Evaluation and Teaching (CCET) and the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences (KALD) at the Regency Hotel, and is ongoing for two days, under the slogan “The Future Unites Us.” It is worthy to mention that the conference is featuring a group of internationally renowned experts in the fields of Learning Disabilities (LDs) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) who are shedding light on the latest developments in these fields that are of immediate relevance to professional specialists, teachers, parents, students, researchers, and educationists in the public and private sectors.

Faten Al-Bader, the Director of CCET stated: “The importance of this conference lies in its ability to establish social harmony between civil society organizations and governmental and nongovernmental organizations.

The International Conference also demonstrates the leadership Kuwait possesses in providing better services to students with LD and/or ADHD who we firmly believe, are capable and have the potential to achieve. “ Amal Al-Sayer, Director of KALD, said: “Our initiative to organize this conference comes from our belief in the

role of civil society organizations in achieving the objectives of the development plan approved by Kuwait through HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The basis for the development of an educational system in Kuwait for the disabled depends on a mutual cooperation between governmental and non-governmental institutions.” Moreover, Al-Sayer assured that students with special needs are smart and have the ability to achieve great success if they were taught specific skills to help them learn their capabilities and use them in their own interest.

The conference’s objectives are mainly to clarify the role of all institutions working in the field of learning disabilities and ADHD in terms of the services provided; to improve the coordination among all educational institutions and between them and other concerned governmental and non-governmental institutions to better serve the students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD; to raise awareness among concerned parties (parents, students, teachers, principals, policy makers...) about learning disabilities and/or ADHD; to share experience and expertise in the areas of diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities and or ADHD; and to discover the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities and/or ADHD, from the group of experts in the fields of Learning Disabilities (LDs) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) that will be present.

Call to merge posts of crown prince, premier

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Dance performance of some disabled participants (top left) cake designing and Lt Genl Abdullah Al-Faris during the event held yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Kuwait celebrates Day of Persons with Disability

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Marking the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disability, the Training Gate International held a celebratory event over the weekend. It was held under the patronage of the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah entitled ‘Together for a Better World for All: Including Persons with Disabilities in Development.’ Lt General Abdullah Al-Faris, Governor of Hawally graced the function.

The Training Gate held the celebration for the second consecutive year. “This year 2,000 disabled and their families attended the event, compared to about 1,500 who attended it last year. Even the organization of the whole event this year is better, with more activities,” Mohammed Al-Mutawa, team member of the Training Gate told Kuwait Times.

The first day’s (Friday) program included a seminar held at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry(KCCI). Seven speakers from different international organizations presented delivered speeches. “About 700 people attended the forum, who then received certificates for attending this event,” said Shuruq Al-Othamn a team member of Training Gate.

On the second day, more activities were held. “We invited participation from all members of the disabled community in order to exchange views and cooperate, including Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and Ministry of Health. In addition, public and private schools, institutions supporting people with disabilities were invited to this event.

This year, international participants were invited to attend, and their number reached 59 local and international participants,” added AlMutawa.

Zain, the diamond sponsor of the event supported the event as part of its corporate social responsibility program. “Zain always supports the disabled in different events. We are keen to sponsor this Day to spread happiness for such people and their families. Zain always supports this and other categories which reflect values and strategies,” noted Sarah AlNasrallah, Acting PR and Communication Manager of Zain.

From her side Kifaya Al-Alban, Founder, General Manager of Training Gate International said, “We are holding this celebration as an initiative to participate in executing Law No 8/2010 regarding the rights of people with disabilities.

We aim to improve the life of the disabled and their families in Kuwait in cooperation with all sectors in the country. For this purpose, we have established Training Gate, which is the first non-profit

company in Kuwait that provides training, consulting, and human developing services in cooperation with international partners in the field of disability,” she pointed out.

An exhibition was organized on the sidelines of the event, providing services and products to the public. The disabled children along with their normal peers the other entertainment activities.

Fahad Al-Muwaizeri recited a poem and a welcome dance was performed by Abeer 2 Voluntary Team. A musical performance was staged by Conductive Rehabilitation, Ideal Education School, play Cinderella by Hope School. The Turkish Vision was enacted by Yousif Mishari of AlNibras Ideal School. This was followed by an opera performance presented by Abdulrahman AlMahmeed ‘Rahmani.’ It concluded with a musical performance by Sahar Al-Ajmi from the Kuwait Association for the Blind (KAB).

1 million sick leaves by end of October

KUWAIT: Princess Astrid of Belgium, accompanied by the Minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, visits the “Bait Abdulla” yesterday.

—Photos by Joseph Shagra

KUWAIT: More than one million sick leaves were taken by at least 200,000 public sector employees during the first 10 months of 2011, according to a news report quoting a source with knowledge of Civil Service Commission (CSC) statistics.

The majority of these sick leaves were taken by female employees, who also enjoyed lengthy maternity leaves that extended to several months following delivery, said the source who opted to speak on the condition of anonymity. He further indicated that the Ministr y of Education is placed first when it comes to the number of employees taking leaves.

Moreover, the source does not rule out the possibility that this number could increase to a million-and-a-half by the end of this year, noting that most leaves were taken before or after official holi-

days in order for them to become extended for traveling.

The source indicated that the CSC is currently coordinating with state departments through the electronic database connection system in order to detect cases in which employees faked illness to obtain leaves to travel. If a staff member is found to have left the countr y during the period in which he claimed to be sick, they will be subjected to punitive measures along with medical staff members who signed the sick leaves for them, the source said.

The M inistr y of Health had recently adopted a new electronic system for issuing sick leaves, which was intended to thwart the prac tice of fak ing illness.

However, the source indicates that the system has failed mostly due to the lack of proper administrative super vision in state departments. — Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: Sheikh Ahmad Sabah Al-Salem (Son of the Late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem AlSabah) said “Merging the Crown Prince post with the premiership is the most suitable, and correct solution to avoid political crises, so that Kuwait does not go through a similar replay of events as the past few days.” He said “Any other solution will not fix things, while the confidence of the Kuwaiti people in Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad is without limits.”

Sheikh Ahmad said in case the crown prince and premiership are merged again, there should be no interference in the selection of ministers, because there are precedents in this regard. He said each minister is responsible and they will be held accountable without interference and this will reflect on the general performance. About the latest political events, Sheikh Ahmad said “What took place proved to us that we have responsible people who are holding on to values to fight corruption. This prompted them to go out in to the streets to speak loudly and reject the regression while being determined to restore what was lost because of the corruption.”

He said “The stand of Kuwaitis with the honest MPs who wanted to keep Kuwait from being lost was serious, frank and clear, and reflects total knowledge of what goes on behind closed doors in the form of violations, mistakes and corruption which is alien to Kuwaiti people.”

Sheikh Ahmad said the voices we heard had Kuwait’s best interests at heart. He said “I laud those people who refused to bow down to corruption”. He said, we must not be hard on those who made mistakes with Kuwaiti people through practices which had longterm goals, and such violations occur in all societies over the centuries, adding that we, at the end, remain citizens of the same country, and the judiciary will give its verdict.

About the Arab Spring, and whether it will reach the GCC countries, he said “Everybody,

especially the ignorant, must know that the political map of GCC in its face value has borders and official border crossings for independent countries, but what the ignorant do not know is that these countries are not united by flags but rather by blood relations between the people”. He said such statements should be overlooked.

Meanwhile, legislator Mohammad AlHuwailah asked the new Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to accord top priority to cash deposits scandal and investigate the involvement of some MPs. He said this case is a black mark in Kuwait’s political history.

Al-Huwaila remarked, “due to the dangerous nature of the case, and the effect it has on the reputation of the National Assembly, I asked for a special session to be held to discuss the cash deposits case.”

Meanwhile MP Askar Al-Enezi congratulated Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah at being appointed as prime minister. “He is a man who can face all challenges.” He added, “we should be fair and remember the major played by Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad in solving problems of the ordinary citizen.”

Askar wished Sheikh Jaber success during the coming period, as there are many issues that need to be solved.

Askar called upon MPs to remain cooperative with the new government so that “we can face upcoming challenges.” He added that Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah has been successful in all the posts he held. On another subject, an Iraqi Parliamentary bloc attacked Kuwait’s continuation of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port construction, despite Iraqi rejections. It said that the Iraqi government is laggard and unable to build Al-Fao Port.

Bloc member Alia Naseef said the Iraqi people are dissatisfied because the government did not take steps to force Kuwait into halting construction of Mubarak port. Naseef added that information indicates that Kuwait has already completed more than 20 percent of the port.

Drugs seized

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: An Egyptian was arrested by d e t e c t i ve s f ro m the General Depar tment of Drug Control(GDDC ) upon his arrival in Kuwait after a joint of hashish was seized from his possession.

Forged certificates I m m i g r a t i o n o f f i c e r s a r re s t e d a n Egyptian in connection with forging a health certificate. Several fake stamps were seized from his possession.

Missing wife An expat filed a complaint with

Nugra police stating that his wife had been missing for weeks. He told police that he presumed she had gone to meet her family in her native place. However, he learnt that she had not left Kuwait.

Citizen arrested A c i t i z e n w a s a r re s t e d fo r p u b l i c drunkenness and assisting two drunk young women escape after picking a fight with police.

Camp burnt down A citizen lodged a complaint with p o l i ce s t a t i n g t h a t t h e g u a rd o f h i s camp set it on fire following a heated argument between the two.

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local

More bedoons to be naturalized soon surrounded a public square in the Taima district of Jahra Friday afternoon where a public gathering for bedoon residents was called after the Friday prayer. The officers left the scene shortly afterwards as no one answered the calls or showed up at the square.

In the meantime, sources indicate that investigations are on to reveal the identity of people responsible for making calls for the gathering either through songs or social networking websites.

Early this year, a number of bedoon residents were arrested following confrontations between police and demonstrators in Jahra, Sulaibiya and Ahmadi. The residents were released on bail, while they are set to go to court sometime this month for their trial proceedings. The demonstrations were held in protest against the treatment that is meted out to illegal residents in Kuwait. But ever since they took place, the government approved multiple privileges which include releasing official marriage and birth certificates, and allowing them to receive food at subsidized prices. — Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: A large number of bedoon residents who own official documents which prove their existence in Kuwait before 1965 are expected to be announced as candidates for naturalization by the end of this month, said a news report yesterday.

“Chairman of the state’s authority for resolving the situation of illegal residents Saleh Al-Fadhalah is set to hold a meeting today with his staff in order to discuss naturalization of bedoon candidates as well as a group of children of Kuwaiti widowed and divorced women”, the source told a local daily while speaking on the condition of anonymity.

In order for a stateless resident to guarantee their chance for obtaining a Kuwaiti citizenship, they must provide documents such as official papers for the 1965 census which indicates that they or their parents have been living in Kuwait before that date.

According to the source, around 800 married bedoon men with families possess these documents, including military personnel, police officers and teachers.

In other news, heavy police presence

KUWAIT: (Left) Ambassador Losada (Right) Ambassador Losada poses for photo with VAC officers.

—Photos by Ben Garcia

Spain opens visa application center in Al-Nasser Tower Smoother, better services

By Ben Garcia

Ali Abdul Wahab Company at Kuwait International Fair discuss job chances available.

He added that one of the their aims is to attract qualified Kuwaitis who are specialized in working in an environment full of challenges and make sure of their continuous developments. Bassem described the fair as a good place for those looking for a job as they could meet many companies’ representatives during a short period. It would also be a good chance for companies to advertise and acquaint themselves with all those who visit the exhibition.

He added, due to continuous growth and development over the past years Ali Abdul Waheb and Sons Company provides permanent and suitable jobs for more than 2,000 employees, and the main reason for participating in the exhibition is to find suitable staff for the vacant jobs as the aim of the company is to attract staff who are highly qualified in order to choose from them its needs and thus the company partly participates in solving the unemployment problem in the society. Bassem also said that they always have a number of candidates for different jobs ready to join the company at anytime.

KUWAIT: Ali Abdul Wahab and Sons Company has confirmed its participation in Jobs Exhibition 2011 which is organized by Kuwait International Fair Co under the patronage of State Minister for Council Affairs Ali Fahad Al-Rashed from Dec 13 to 15 at Fair Ground in Mishref.

Marketing and Public Relations Director at Ali Abdul Wahab and Sons Company Bassem Jawad said that there is great emphasis on the jobs exhibition in Kuwait. First of all the company will have a chance to promote its products, as everyone will be acquainted with its goods and services and trademarks run by the company. Secondly, it can provide necessary information about professional choices it has in a precise way about jobs available in the company currently.

Bassem declared that the basic aim for the company to participate in the exhibition is to attract those looking for a job from highly qualified persons who can be part of the company in the future. He added that the company’s doors are open for citizens and expats to work for it, so long as they have necessary qualifications, as they will have the chance to meet with officials in the company and

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of Spain to Kuwait Angel Losada inaugurated the new Spanish Visa Application Center (VAC) over the weekend. The VAC is located on the 12th floor of A l- Nasser Tower, Kuwait C i t y fa cing the famous Sheraton roundabout. VAC will be run by a private firm Mawared House, under the close watch of the Spanish Embassy. “This is the first time that we separated the consular section from our embassy,” the envoy said.

“We have a bigger space here compared to the small space in our embassy. So expect smoother and better services that will be managed by all professional people,” he added.

According to Losada, all the services rendered at Al-Nasser Tower will be available at the embassy in Surra. “With the opening of new VAC here, we hope to enhance our services, and at the same time improve our bilateral relations with Kuwait,” he said. The

KUWAIT: Don’t be surprised if a plains-clothed policeman, after flashing his police badge, asks you to place your finger on a handheld device on the streets.

According to a news repor t quoting a source from the Ministry of Interior, police investigators have been supplied with mobile fingerprint scanners that can detail

KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) will reward new and existing young customers who transfer allowances to Al-Shabab account by February 28, 2012 with a chance to win an all new 2012 Nissan Juke.

NBK Assistant General Manager, Consumer Banking Group Mohammed Al-Othman stated, “The draw will be held on April 2012. NBK encourages all new students to open an Al-Shabab account and transfer their allowances during the campaign period to become eligible to win. All existing Al-Shabab account customers who currently transfer their allowances automatically enter the draw as well.”

Al-Shabab is a youth account that caters to the various financial, social and lifestyle needs of college and university students between the ages of 17 to 23 years.

Students can open an Al-Shabab account by visiting any NBK branch in Kuwait.

Khaled Al-Duwaisan receives diplomatic distinction award LONDON: Kuwait’s Ambassador to the UK, Khaled Al-Duwaisan, has received the “BEN T V Special Award” for Distinction in Diplomatic Service at a ceremony held here late on Friday.

The station, which specializes in Commonwealth, Caribbean and African issues, hosted this event to mark the occasion in central London. Ayoub Mzee headed the organizing committee of the ceremony. It was attended by a large number of Ambassadors from the Commonwealth countries and from the Caribbean and African nations, as well as UK media representatives and diplomats from the Kuwait embassy here.

Addressing the award ceremony, Mzee emphasized that AlDuwaisan, who is also the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the UK, deserves, through his dedication, distinction and efficiency. “ This acclaim is not only for his services to his country, but also for the larger diplomatic community here,” he said.

In response, the Kuwaiti envoy thanked those present for this great honor bestowed upon him and his country, Kuwait.

He praised BEN T V Channel, which aims at empowering, transforming and challenging the conventional perceptions of Africa, and Caribbean and African descendants In his brief address, the

Kuwaiti Ambassador took this special opportunity to underscore the impor tance of co- operation between countries in order to face the various challenges and enhance security and stability in the world.

He went on: “Also allow me to reiterate the crucial role of diplomats and the responsibility that lays upon our shoulders in helping our countries work together to address the problems facing peoples around the world”.

The envoy equally recalled that diplomats strive to eliminate

poverty and resolve conflicts and crises as well as promoting prosperity. Al-Duwaisan noted that the UK has the largest number of diplomatic commissions in the world after the UN. There are 186 Diplomatic missions and 22,500 diplomats operating in London in a harmony which he personally “finds quite astonishing”. Meanwhile, Al-Duwaisan pledged in his capacity as Head of the Diplomatic Corps and Dean of Arab Ambassadors “to do everything in my power to ser ve its members”.—KUNA

Political groups get set for polls KUWAIT: Political groups have started their preparations for the parliamentar y elec tions w hich are e xpec ted by th e beginning of next year, based o n disso l vin g th e N ation al Assembly Council assumption.

Parliament sources revealed that political groups have gone back to their election base in order to prepare their candidates to run the election battle

Steps to apply for a Spanish visa Step 1 : Applications for Spanish visa and residence permit are accepted at the Visa Application Centre.

Step 2 : Before applying, please ensure you are very clear about your ‘purpose of visit’ - do remember staff members will assist and help you throu g h the entire v is a applica tion process but are not permitted to advise or guide you on choosing a visa category. Since the work is primarily administrative in nature, staff members have no say on whether you will be granted a visa and how long it will take to process your application, as this is entirely the prerogative of the Embassy or Consulate.

Step 3 : Please go to the link All About Your Visas to understand details of various visas.

Step 4 : Please ensure you read the security regulation notices before you visit the Visa Application Centre.

For more information and requirements please visit www.vfsglobal.com/spain/kuwait.

Mobile e-fingerprint scanners to detect criminals

NBK to reward young customers

Mohammed Al-Othman

ambassador highlighted that visitors from Kuwait have been growing. “Last year, over 15,000 Kuwaitis have been granted visas. The number of visa applications is definitely growing and we decided to give them a better place and venue. There are growing number of tourism visitors/investors taking advantage of healthier business environment/laws,” he noted. Many Kuwaitis, according to Losada, have also acquired several properties in Spain.

“So they are given residence permits that are valid for two years. This is the case if they own businesses and properties. Normally, we grant up to six months stay in Spain,” he said.

VAC will take care of all visa concerns from tourism to business and medical tourism. “Spain is still the best place to visit. In fact, the number of foreign visitors in the country in October 2011 stands at 50 million. By the end of the year, it will surely exceed 60 million,” he said.

The visa applications can be submitted at VAC. All applications will be screened by the Embassy of Spain, located in Surra.

in the constituencies where they think they have chances of winning.

Sources said that some Islamists including current MPs are working on reviving the coalition between Muslims brotherhood group and Salafi group in the upcoming elections with disregard to the idea that such arrangements have failed in the past polls. —Al-Anba

information about an individual, including residential and criminal status. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official explained that rechargeable scanners are connected with the ministry’s databases that contain information on citizens and residents, as well as data related to residence permit validity, in addition to information

on fugitives and deported expatriates.

“This step helps security inspectors identify violators and criminals immediately through the device instead of waiting for three days to obtain results from the Criminal Evidence General Department,” officials said, adding that the device also means that officers

aren’t necessarily required to ask people for identification cards.

The ministry decided to proceed with the project following the major success achieved by the efingerprinting system applied at the Kuwait International Airport (KIA). It helped bust nearly 1,700 deportees trying to access Kuwait through forged passports. —Al-Rai

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LOCAL Letters to Badrya Darwish

in my view

Save water, Electricity

Questioning carnivorism

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

Dear Madam, You write some good articles that I find interesting. I have a request to make. It would be a great idea if awareness can be created by writing about saving water and electricity. Most countries in the world are striving to save and protect our planet.

In Kuwait, large quantities of water are wasted in residential areas everyday by building caretakers (haris). They connect hosepipes to taps and wash parking lots, and pour water on cars. This activity goes on for hours, with several liters of clean water going down the drain. It even dirties the streets and over a period, holes are formed on the same street due to continuous water accumulation. If these caretakers are corrected or instructed, they don’t receive it well.

The MEW (Ministry of Electricity and Water) should promote educational programs in schools, colleges, institutions, offices, malls. Awareness campaigns should be held in various languages targeting locals as well as expats. Advertisements can be held on radio stations and television.

The same goes with electricity wastage. You will find hundreds of tube lights lit up every day on bill board advertisements lying idle for months or years.

You will find them installed in commercial areas.

They can be turned off because they are not in use.

These thoughts come to my mind when I witness water and electricity being wasted for no reason. As it is, we have a shortage in natural drinking water in this country. Maybe you can surely do something with your writing that will go a long way to help save this country and the coming generations by creating awareness.

Regards, Richard Simon

kuwait digest

Determination of the people

By Meshal Al-Thufairi he Cabinet has put for ward its own demands, and so has the parliament member. In the end, it’s the people who are going to have their demands realized.

The government’s decision-making process seems to be made without prior contemplation of reactions that their behavior might create.

After they seemed to have gained control over the Parliament, the Cabinet found itself facing young citizens as its main enemy. I began taking stances against the government to protect public funds and rid the Parliament of corrupt lawmakers. Instead of intimidating them, jailing young activists fuels the determination of their colleagues to maintain a national stance in fighting corruption because prosecuting protestors only means that these protestors are fighting for a right cause.

Young citizens chose to stay the night at the Irada Square, not because they wish to break the law and create chaos. They are only eager to

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I challenge anyone to tell me about an area or a field in which the Cabinet was successful. The Kuwaiti people today decided to step up and take matters into their own hands after personal conflicts between certain members of the ruling family cost Kuwait a lot. It’s a shame that the government and its allies would use the ‘Amir’s status’ card against youth movements, or to have their activities described as being chaotic. stop governmental corruption and eradicate it from both the legislative and executive authorities. This is why I believe these protestors gained the respect of society and should be applauded for their national stance. I challenge anyone to tell me about an area or a field in which the Cabinet was successful. The Kuwaiti people today decided to step up and take matters into their own hands after personal conflicts between certain members of the ruling family cost Kuwait a lot. It’s a shame that the government and its allies would use the ‘Amir’s status’ card against youth movements, or to have their activities described as being chaotic. Every day, these young men prove that their movements are purely nationalistic, and that they are eager to lead the country to development as soon as this Cabinet is gone.

Assuring that the country has an honest Cabinet and an active Parliament can only be achieved through efforts of people who love freedom and principles of the Constitution. It’s a battle today between the people of Kuwait and forces of corruption that try to keep their stranglehold on the country. I hope young activists receive all the support they can have to achieve victory. —Al-Rai

By Lisa Conrad

lisa@kuwaittimes.net recently cut out red meat and chicken from my daily diet, not on purpose, but purely due to a lack of time to prepare proper meat-based meals. Had you asked me before whether or not I’d ever consider doing so purposefully, you would have gotten a resounding ‘no’ as an answer. ‘Where would I get adequate protein?’ I would have asked, and ‘Why do humans have such teeth if we weren’t made to eat meat?’ I would have argued.

I often looked at pescetarians, vegetarians and vegans with curiosity, wondering how and why someone would cut out such a nutritious, delicious, part of their diet. I couldn’t imagine cutting out meat and often questioned vegetarian friends on why they had ‘taken the plunge’ to vegetarianism. Yet none of their answers seemed to make much sense to me.

However, despite my confidence that I had no interest in cutting meat out, I suddenly have and, quite miraculously, don’t miss it at all.

Cutting out meat and chicken has suddenly given my body a much needed break and left me with more energy, clearer skin and looser clothes. Not only that, replacing meat with other protein sources is surprisingly easy. Many supermarkets here supply tofu (which, despite its poor reputation, is delicious) and beans and pulses are a very filling, a versatile option.

Not only that, many regional dishes are delicious and meat-free: foul (a breakfast dish made of fava beans and chickpeas) falafel (delicious fried bean patties) and mdaridra (a dish of lentils and rice topped with fried onions) are all widely available.

What’s more, cutting out meat has allowed me much more time in the evenings, as I no longer lose time cautiously prepping meat and chicken, constantly checking that they’re fully cooked and making sure that there’s been no cross contamination in the kitchen. For new cooks, starting with vegetarian dishes is certainly a safer route because, once meat has been taken out of the picture, your risk of food poisoning is pretty slim.

What’s more, tofu cooks quickly, and so do pulses providing you’ve soaked them first. Despite my newfound enthusiasm for vegetarian food, I’m not vegetarian and I do add fish to my diet a few times a week.

As I said, I haven’t cut out meat on purpose, and I still eat it when I get a craving for it, but I’m certainly appreciating why people turn to vegetarianism much more. I think that moderation is certainly the way forward. So far, I’ve found a great difference in varying my protein sources and not relying fully on meat, despite being the ultimate example of a stubborn anti-vegetarian.

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in my view

Saving lives and money

By Fares Saade, Giuliano Sparacino, Dr Ulrich Koegler

nyone who has driven on the region’s highways knows that the Middle East has a problem with road safety. But many of the region’s governments don’t know the full socioeconomic cost of car crashes; lack the tools to effectively develop responses that would save lives.

Road crashes are a global problem. The World Bank notes that every year, more than 1.2 million people die in road crashes and more than 10 million are crippled or injured. The Middle East represents a disproportionate number of those accidents, with 17 to 22 people per 100,000 dying in car accidents every year, compared to an average of 6.2 people in OECD countries. The actual number of deaths in the region may be even higher, due to underreporting and databases that are underdeveloped.

Government officials recognize the gravity of the situation, yet they tend to systematically underestimate the social and economic costs of road crashes.

These include not only direct costs such as medical treatments and damage repairs, but indirect costs such as loss of economic productivity. When all of these are taken into account, the true socioeconomic cost of road crashes amount to a staggering 1 to 2 percent of GDP in MENA countries.

Since many governments today have the ability to calculate only the direct costs, which amount to just 25 to 30 percent of the total cost of crashes, their policies and infrastructure planning do not accurately weigh the economic benefits of investments in increased safety -such as intelligent transport systems or road improvements such as asphalt drainage systems. An accurate analysis of the full costs might also further encourage the development of public transportation, reducing road usage.

Finally, a complete overview of costs of road fatalities and injuries is essential for the regulatory framework and insurance market, in order to provide fair compensation to the victims of crashes.

The first step for MENA governments is to create

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a comprehensive set of estimates for the socioeconomic cost of crashes, and promote its use across agencies. Such estimates would allow different agencies to make appropriate trade-offs between different projects competing for limited government funds, which invariably leads to additional and more targeted investments in road safety.

Governments could also use these figures to raise awareness about the steep human and economic cost of crashes, as well as to review the legislation and methods for setting the crash victims’ compensation.

Beyond these benefits, MENA government can ultimately use these estimates as the cornerstone of a strategic, integrated plan for road safety. They can start by analyzing current road safety from multiple perspectives such as transport planning, societal awareness, and enforcement of safety measures.

Based on this analysis, they can coordinate among police, transport authorities, emergency responders, insurance companies, schools, and others to determine challenges-such as unsafe driver behavior, weak enforcement of traffic laws, or underused technologies for traffic managementand then set corresponding priorities to address them. Such priorities would make an integrated plan covering areas including regulations, driver awareness and behavior, enforcement, and investments in infrastructure and safety measures.

Finally, thanks to the more sophisticated costbenefit analysis that is possible with a complete understanding of the cost of crashes, governments can define the budget for this plan based on the expected benefits in terms of fewer road crashes.

The deaths and injuries that occur on the roads of the MENA region are tragedies with emotional costs that can never be fully calculated. But a more accurate accounting of accidents’ socioeconomic costs is key to creating a program that prevents unnecessary loss of life in the future.

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

The Japanese benefit from us!

Preparing for a rainy day

By Ibrahim Al-Awadhi heikh Nasser Al-Mohammad’s cabinet has failed recent years, with statistics indicating that it tripled in politically in its handling of the multimillion-dinar the past six years. Official numbers also indicate that the deposits and suspicious transactions scandals, not salaries of state employees increased by 50% in the past to mention the grilling motions. It further failed in the ten years. This is an alarming figure, especially if we consports arena following the crisis of the dissolution of sider predictions that Kuwait’s population will double various sports clubs’ boards and the appointment of a by 2035, along with public sector jobs which would also board for the Kuwait Football Association through ille- have to be doubled to reach nearly 400 thousand.

57% of oil revenues are spent on public sector gal means, not to mention the Jaber International Stadium, which is yet to be utilized to its full potential. salaries and subsidies. Statistics revealed that salaries The cabinet also failed in the educational field when raised from KD 2.2 billion in the fiscal year 2001/2002, to Kuwait University’s admission crisis took place, and with KD 4.7 billion in 2009/2010. If they keep increasing at the stalled project to build a new public university in the same pace, public sector salaries are estimated to reach nearly KD 10 billion Shaddadiya. It failed in the development field as All indications point toward serious by 2020. It’s worth mentioning that state provides major projects either flaws in the state’s budget, which can jobs for nearly 95% of stalled or stopped altogether. It can also be said lead the country to face a budget deficit Kuwaiti labor forces.

All these factors should that the cabinet failed if nothing is done. Around 90% of be taken into account as socially by sparking social Kuwait’s gross income comes from oil we prepare for an obscure disintegration as a result of sectarian and tribal escalarevenues, which means that any drop in future in which oil prices tions. However, all of these oil prices will put the state’s budget at are expected to change in light of the Euro zone crifailures can be rectified by risk. This risk is highlighted when we sis, the US debts crisis and a new, strong cabinet. The field which I believe Sheikh take into account the point that spend- the probability that Libya Nasser Al-Mohammad’s ing has been increasing in recent years, may return strongly to the global oil export market. cabinet failed the most in with statistics indicating that it tripled in Therefore, decision makers is the economic field in Kuwait must start which, in my personal the past six years. preparing for a potentially opinion, will continue to serious crisis and find long-term solutions which include be a source of concern in years to come.

All indications point toward serious flaws in the investing the surplus of oil sale revenues, creating a suitstate’s budget, which can lead the country to face a able investment environment in Kuwait, boosting the budget deficit if nothing is done. Around 90% of industrial sector and establishing a solid base to sustain Kuwait’s gross income comes from oil revenues, which a strong touristic industry. It is also essential to explore means that any drop in oil prices will put the state’s more options to increase non-oil revenues so that the budget at risk. This risk is highlighted when we take into state’s budget doesn’t continue to depend solely on oil account the point that spending has been increasing in revenues. — Al-Rai

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By Dr Wael Al-Hawasi can’t describe how glad I felt when I saw a TV news report about the visit by Japanese doctors to Kuwait to benefit from open heart surgery technology that this country is well-known for. Can you believe that the Japanese are coming to our country to learn something from our experience!

It is indeed an exceptional feeling which has made me realize that Kuwaitis are certainly not less educated or knowledgeable. They only lack proper utilization of talents and creative efforts. I’d like to express gratitude to the Ministry of Health for taking special care to hold medical events and conferences. The most recent is an obesity conference that exerts efforts to improve treatment of cardiac diseases.

Meanwhile, Kuwait has also recently been featured in the fourth international inventions exhibition to be held in the region. The event saw the participation of 21 Kuwaiti inventors who won several prizes and now wait for their talents to be publicized.

There’s no doubt that Kuwait is home to various creative individuals who can achieve great accomplishments. It’s unfortunate that all these efforts have been overshadowed by the ongoing political conflicts that have distracted the people. While the topics that form the core of political struggles are very important, it’s unacceptable that they completely deviate people’s attention from other aspects of life.

It was sad to see everyone, including children and social care homes’ inmates be forced to take part in events held as a result of political struggle.

Students got out of schools to stage protests that have a political coloring, while senior citizens in elderly care homes were taken to attend a pro-government rally.

The political struggle further spilled out over to TV channels that were created specifically to cover anti-government protests and the government’s flaws. — Al-Rai

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Arab Spring impacts lives of expats, families in Kuwait Anxious about future

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Thousands of expatriates residing in Kuwait have been influenced by the political turmoil that swept across Bahrain, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria. Kuwait has remained immune to the developments taking place in neighboring countries. Some expatriates, nationals of these Arab countries or those who have relatives working or living in these countries, have experienced varying degrees of distress. These events have changed the lives of thousands of people and has affected businesses.

Gary Tebes, a 30-year-old Filipino, said that the political events have not changed his life.

“The Philippines was affected by the Arab Spring with many compatriots returning to their country from Syria, Egypt and Bahrain. We were not affected here. We don’t know what the future holds, but we feel safe now,” he told the Kuwait Times.

A 50-year-old Egyptian, living in Kuwait for the past 15 years, is anxious about the future of his homeland although he was not economically affected. “I have worries about the repercussions of the incidents taking place in Egypt. I heard that they plan to divide the country. In general, the Arab Spring affected the whole

world in terms of economics as the prices hiked.

I will be affected by this as well,” said Husam working as an engineer in the public sector.

Hanadi, a 29-year- old Lebanese saleswoman living in Kuwait for the past five years, has been saving up for rainy days. “My husband withdrew most of his money from the bank, and told me that it is important to carry cash in case of an emergency. I also decided to start saving more money, just in case anything goes wrong. We have some fears about the future. I wonder if such an event will take place in Lebanon. Even if it does, our family back in Lebanon should not suffer. We still send them money every month,” she pointed out.

Shadi, a 45-year-old Jordanian working in a private company, agrees with Gary that his homeland was affected by the Arab Spring. “ Jordan was badly affected by the events that took place in neighboring countries. For instance, the number of tourists and visitors from Syria and Egypt have dwindled. The number of visitors has reduced drastically. This affected the economy of Jordan in general and I’m sure many other Arab countries face the same situation. I hope here the situation will remain safe and stable. I can continue working here and send my family to Jordan.”

Alexander from the Netherlands, who has

Al-Afasi arrives in Japan

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of Ukraine Voldymyr Tolkach hosted a reception at Holiday Inn over the weekend on the occasion of his country’s Independence Day. High-ranking officials, diplomats and media personalities attended the reception. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

OSAKA: Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi arrived in Osaka, western Japan, yesterday to participate in the 15th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Labor Organization (ILO) from Sunday.

Upon arrival at Kansai airport, Dr. Al-Afasi was received by Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi and Japanese officials.

The Kuwaiti delegation includes the ministry’s Undersecretary Mohammad AlKanderi, other officials from the ministry and Kuwaiti businessmen.

The four-day meeting is expected to be attended by about 500 people, representing more than 46 countries in Asia and the Pacific and the Arab States and Territories in West Asia.

Among those scheduled to attend are prime ministers, government ministers, representatives of workers’ and employers’

Ukraine to set up medical center in Kuwait KUWAIT: Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgen Mykytenko said Thursday his country plans to launch a medical center in Kuwait. The center to be provided by a Ukrainian medical team will treat all diseases including polio and orthopedics, a

statement issued here by Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) quoted the senior official as saying.

He made the remarks during his meeting with the KJA delegation, led by Faisal Al-Qana’ie, at Ukraine Diplomatic Institute in Kiev with

KIEV: Faisal Al-Qana’ie hands a memorial gift to Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgen Mykytenko.

KIEV: The KJA delegation meets with President of Ukraine’s State Agency for Investment and National Vladyslav Kaskiv.

Kuwait Ambassador to Ukraine Youssof Al-Qabandi. Mykytenko refuted reports that his country plans to scrap the project or divert it to Abu Dhabi, saying a decision in this regard could be made only by the Foreign Ministry not the Health Ministry.

He lauded the bilateral ties with Kuwait, noting that the State of Kuwait was among the first countries that recognized Ukraine’s independence and opened embassy in Kiev in 1993. Regarding the peopleto-people exchanges, he said more than 1,000 Kuwaitis visit Ukraine annually for tourism or medication.

Mykytenko commended the Kuwaiti press is “free and ver y respectable.” On their part, AlQabandi and Al-Qana’ie thanked the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for the warm reception offered to the KJA delegation and its effort to cement the friendly ties with Kuwait.

On Friday, the KJA delegation visited Ukraine’s State Agency for Investment and National Projects in Kiev, and met with its President Vladyslav Kaskiv who recently concluded a visit to Kuwait. Kaskiv explained to the Kuwaiti team that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was pleased with his visit to Kuwait and welcomed the opportunity to cooperate with the Gulf state in fields that include the real estate fields.

Kuwaiti publications ‘exceptional’ in Arab world BEIRUT: Kuwait’s participation in the 55th Beirut International Book Fair aims at familiarizing the public with some of the important publications about the Gulf country.

This remark was made, on the fringes of the book fair, by researcher at the Arab Media Department at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information Meshaal Al-Shihri.

Al-Shihri noted that “Kuwait’s publications are exceptional in the Arab and Islamic worlds.” “The book fair is considered a cultural stop where communication with international cultures can be accessible,” he pointed out.

He further said that Kuwait embraces a number of cultural elite. It also embodies many active cultural institutions. He stressed that the Ministry of Information always establishes cooperation and communication in all cultural and media venues.

The Kuwaiti delegation of this event includes Head of Arab Media Department Abdullatif Al-Sabeeh, Dr Saleh Malallah, Jinas Al-Adwani and Laila Al-Salem. Other countries engaging in this two-week book fair are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Egypt, Iraq and Palestine.

The event will witness many cultural programs touching on various literary issues. —KUNA

organizations and academics.

Al-Afasi underlined the importance of taking part in this meeting to review the developments related to the implementation of the Asian Decent Work Decade convention which Kuwait had signed.

At the meeting, three thematic panels will discuss the co-ordination of macroeconomic, employment and social protection policies; the development of productive employment, sustainable enterprises and skills; and promoting rights at work and social dialogue.

The ILO originally planned this meeting in April, but postponed following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March. The ILO is the UN specialized agency dealing with work and work-related issues. It has a unique tripartite membership structure, under which governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations act as equal partners, making decisions representative of the real economy. —KUNA

been in Kuwait for three years, believes that the Arab Spring’s political events have affected Europe’s financial situation. “The financial situation is bad in Europe, and it will take time to treat the matter. I think we are already dead. I hope things will get better. I’m glad the company I’m working in doesn’t have branches in these countries, so I have not been affected,” he noted.

Lora, a 25-year-old British employee, said that her Lebanese cousin’s life was disrupted owing to the events. “My cousin works in Bahrain since and he faces problems. He is afraid of leaving the country. He may not return if he leaves. He couldn’t even leave the country to attend his wedding. Every political system is corrupt,” she noted.

Syrian expats have been worst-affected by the situation. “I’m transferring money to my family on a monthly basis. Thanks to the terrible political situation there, I have to send them double the amount of what I used to send. A steep rise in prices have made life even more miserable. For instance, the price of a gas cylinder has increased by 300 percent. People in some areas are punished for opposing the regime by withdrawing certain services. This causes pressure on family members living outside especially in the GCC countries,” stressed Aya, a 30-year-old Syrian employed in Kuwait.

Pakistani brutally attacked in front of police officer KUWAIT: “I wish I could know the mysterious person whose influence was strong enough to prevent Sabah Al-Salem police station officers from filing my complaint”. This wish was among others made by a Pakistani resident in Kuwait who told Al-Rai daily about his story of being brutally attacked by three people in front of a police officer who failed to do anything to stop the onslaught. “I was waiting outside my brother’s phone maintenance shop in Qurain when three young men showed up”, the man identified only by his first name Tariq said. He explained that the men called his brother and decided to wait when he told them he was on his way. “The three then started a conversation with me after noticing I was also waiting for the shop to be opened. Soon enough, they launched their assault as soon as they learned I was the shop owner’s brother”.

Tariq says that he was knocked to the floor and beaten mercilessly by his attackers, and was even stabbed on his left thigh.

What added to Tariq’s chagrin was the inaction of a patrol policeman who he said stood there and allowed the beating to continue without doing anything to stop what he was witnessing. “[The officer] finally decided to step outside his patrol vehicle when a passerby approached him and asked him to intervene”, Tariq says, adding that even when that happened, the officer approached him and asked for his identification instead of putting the attackers under arrest. —Al-Rai

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KUWAIT: Maj Gen Sheikh Mohammad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah pictured during his visit to the northern borders yesterday.

US convoys cross northern borders KUWAIT: Maj Gen Sheikh Mohammad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, the Interior Ministry assistant undersecretary for border security affairs, inspected US (military) convoys as the troops crossed the north-

ern borders yesterday. Maj Gen Sheikh Mohammad, accompanied by the officer of the American military attache, inspected movement of the American forces across the border at

Khebari Al-Awazem (checkpoint number-one).

They were received by the director of the northern borders department, Lt Col Mejbel Bin Shawg. Speedy per formance of the border

guards was praised during the inspection tour.

And, the Kuwaiti and American sides held talks concerning issues of joint concern during the mission. — KUNA

One dead, 10 injured in Mutlaa car accident Policeman assaulted in Wafra KUWAIT: One motorist was killed and 10 people were injured in a car-crash that took place recently in Mutlaa. Paramedics and police rushed to an open space in the area where a serious collision between two vehicles was reported. The medical staff pronounced the driver of one of the vehicles dead on the scene, while 10 other victims were rushed to Jahra Hospital with injuries. Criminal investigators were called to take the body to the coroner. An investigation was opened.

Reckless driving Police are looking for a group of 20 thugs who brutally assaulted a police officer who tried to stop them from reckless driving. The policeman was sent to a street in Wafra where owners of nearby farms reported young men driving recklessly. He was able to apprehend one of the drivers whose car came to a halt after hitting a concrete barricade during a car chase. However, the policeman soon found himself surrounded by the suspect’s accomplices, who then launched an onslaught against him after he refused to let the suspect go. They escaped the scene leaving behind the police officer blooded, bruised and barely conscious. He was rushed by a passerby to the area’s polyclinic, where he was taken to the Adan Hospital. An investigation is underway to arrest the suspects.

Thieves held Three people responsible for several incidents of mugging that happened recently around the Farwaniya Governorate were arrested following extensive investigations carried out

by Farwaniya detectives. During the ongoing investigations in cases which involved pedestrians being robbed off cash and cell phones at knifepoint, the investigators were able to obtain the serial number of the stolen phones which helped them track their users and call them for investigations. The users gave police almost identical descriptions for the suspects who sold them the phones; and one of them even provided the phone number of the person who sold him the stolen phone. Police identified the

phone line’s owner as a Kuwaiti citizen living in Rihab area — who confirmed when contacted that the number was being used by his son.

Police called the young man to report for investigations and the first thing they noticed was the fact that his appearance matches the descriptions provided by the mugging victims. After initially denying the accusations, the suspect admitted to executing 12 separate crimes with the help of two Kuwaiti young men. The two were soon put under arrest and sent with their accomplice to the Public Prosecution to face charges.

Murder threat An expatriate man was arrested in Hawally shortly after threatening workers at a bookshop with a firearm. Investigations kicked off after the staff members reported someone pointing a handgun at them before fleeing. Detectives were eventually able to identify the suspect and put him under arrest. He was taken to the area’s police station where he was identified by the workers. Investigations further revealed that the man was previously charged with attempting to carry out a robbery at the same bookshop. He remains in custody as he faces murder threat charges.

Masseurs arrested Three women were arrested for offering sexual favors inside a Hawally apartment used for massage services. Criminal investigators were able to confirm information about three Asian masseurs using their profession as an undercover to offer sexual services. Based on the investigations results, a warrant was issued to raid the apartment and put the suspects under arrest.

The three were taken to the proper authorities following their apprehension to face legal charges.

Missing girl Search is currently ongoing for an underage girl reported missing since Wednesday by her mother. According to a news report, the Egyptian schoolteacher told officers at her local

area police station that she couldn’t find her 18year-old daughter with any of her friends or family members ever since she disappeared.

Drunk held A drunken driver found himself having to deal with more than just a hangover when he woke up from a deep sleep and found police waiting outside his car to arrest him. Security officers headed to a scene in Farwaniya where an emergency caller reported what he believed was a dead body lying inside a car parked suspiciously near his home. Police soon discovered that the 23-year-old GCC national was only having a lengthy nap after drinking homemade liquor from bottles found inside his car.

Costly temper A citizen could probably be considering anger management classes now after his recent tirade over a small extra charge cost him KD 500.

The incident took place in Maidan Hawally where the man became furious on discovering that his regular 500 fils shisha (hookah) charge had been increased to 750 fils. He soon went on a rampage that saw him damaging furniture of the coffee shop before waiters restrained him until police arrived. The man was eventually released after agreeing on a compromise in which he paid for repairs in order for charges against him to be dropped.

Harassers attacked A young man was rushed to the hospital with a head injury after being attacked by a man who caught him harassing his female relatives. The attacker was driving on Gulf Road with his father and female family members when his car was approached by a group of thugs who started harassing the women. The driver reportedly tried to ignore the harassers until they hit his car.

At this point, he stopped his vehicle and went out with a rod in hand which he used to attack one of the harassers on his head, leaving him injured and his friends in a state of shock. The injured was hospitalized while police filed a case for investigations. — Al-Rai, Al-Watan, Al-Anba

Wataniya Telecom launches new Wnet packages KUWAIT: As part of its plan to offer distinguished products and become a leading telecommunications provider in Kuwait, Wataniya Telecom has recently launched new Wnet (Internet) packages. Wataniya strives to offer seamless communication experiences by introducing unique products and services. For the first time in Kuwait, Wataniya Telecom launched high-speed Internet packages to heavy users, light surfers, prepaid or postpaid customers. Internet users can now all enjoy high speed Internet.

However, ever y person uses Internet in their own way; some only check emails and sur f the Internet, some chat and tweet, while others enjoy downloading movies and music. Wataniya’s stable network speed allows the customer to choose the price and package that most suits their usage.

Regarding the upgrade in the Wnet packages, Abdolaziz AlBalool, Public Relations Director at Wataniya Telecom said: “Our effort

Abdolaziz Al-Balool

to re-engineer and develop our Internet products is based on our objective to provide our customers with services that satisfy their daily communication needs. Our new Wnet packages are based on usage rather than speed. We want all our customers to enjoy the same smooth and fast connection.

Al-Balool also added: “We are constantly investing in research programs and market surveys to

study consumer behavior and measure customer satisfaction. And as part of the integrated customer experience program, customers will be informed of the performance and speed of their connection based on their location prior to their purchase. This program has been implemented as par t of Wataniya’s act towards transparency and honesty to its customers. At Wataniya, we want to reinforce our relationship with customers as well as to improve our ser vices and products based on customer feedback. This is the main reason why we have developed new Wnet packages.”

Wnet differentiates itself by offering four different packages for prepaid users starting at only KD 2 for three-day usage, and four packages for postpaid users starting at only KD 11 per month. In addition, Wataniya is also offering USB and router devices at discounted prices so that everyone is empowered and connected to the world-wide web.

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti ambassador to US (second from left) pictured with NUKS officials.

EQUATE attracts top Kuwaiti human resources KUWAIT: EQUATE Petrochemical Company sponsored the 28th annual conference of the National Union of the Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) - USA Branch, which was held under patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister.

On this occasion, EQUATE Senior Executive for Administration and Corporate Services Abeer Al-Omar said, “As an avid supporter of Kuwaiti human resources, EQUATE’s sponsorship of this event was aimed at attracting the most distinguished national human resources who have the desire and competency to be part of Kuwait’s emerging private sector.” Al-Omar added, “With Kuwaitis forming over 50% of its workforce, EQUATE’s strategy of recruiting competent Kuwaiti human resources plays a role in supporting the nation’s development plan of ensuring the growth and development of the private sector, which is only possible through the efforts of dedicated Kuwaitis.”

Al-Omar explained, “In support of Kuwaiti youth, EQUATE has forged strong ties with Kuwait University, the Public

Authority for Applied Education & Training (PAAET ), the Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP), as well as other organizations to ensure attracting Kuwait’s human resources to join EQUATE as a main component of Kuwait’s private sector.”

The conference, held in Beverly Hills, USA, was attended by over 2000 delegates and His Highness the Prime Minister was represented by Kuwait’s Ambassador to the US Sheikh Salem AlSabah.

Established in 1995, EQUATE is an international joint venture between Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC). Commencing production in 1997, EQUATE is the single operator of a fully integrated world-scale manufacturing facility producing over 5 million tons annually of high-quality petrochemical products which are marketed throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Kuwait takes part in Beirut conference BEIRUT: A workshop and conference on replacement of knee joints is being held here giving an opportunity for specialists and others to learn about latest procedures, said Head of Kuwaitís Al-Razi Hospitalís Orthopedic Department Ali Al-Makemi yesterday.

The conference goal is to introduce to participants latest modern technology in the field of surgery, joint replacement of knee with involvement of consultants from different international countries, Al-Makemi

said. Medical services in Kuwait have witnessed a quantum leap in enhancing treatment methods in artificial and changing knee joints, he added.

Al-Makemi explained that the participation in the medical event has a significant role in exchanging experiences as well latest innovations in the field.

For his part, Chief Consultant of Kuwait Military Hospital Dr. Wael AlRaees said, the conference particularly, with regard of subspecialties, is an

opportunity upgrade professional level of medical staff, studies, experiments and research.

Al-Raees stressed on importance of medical cooperation and exchanging experiences in this sector. Dr. AlMakemi and Al-Rees are considered among the most renowned in Kuwait, with a record of peforming complicated surgeries. The three-day conference involved Dr. Al-Makemi, Dr. AlRaees, Dr. Ahmad Al-Badah and Fadi Abu Saqer. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Al-Mulaifi, Al-Ghareer, Al-Ghais and Al-Dahis are pictured with members of the association’s board.

Scores injured in road accidents

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: In a car accident that took place near Mutlaa, a 22-year- old Ethiopian woman suffered chest pain, a 13year-old citizen suffered multiple injuries and bruises, and a 19-year old-citizen suffered lacerations to his forehead. A 20-year-old citizen suffered lacerations to the scalp, an 18-year-old citizen suffered spinal injuries and a 16-year-old Saudi national sustained neck injuries.

They were admitted to Jahra Hospital.

A 61-year-old citizen suffered from abdominal pain, a 43-year-old Indonesian woman suffered multiple bruises in a car accident that took place in Rumaithiya. A 13year-old citizen complained of pelvic and rib pain. A 37-

year-old suffered extensive injuries, and a 17-year-old complained of head injuries.

A 16-year-old suffered shoulder injury, while two citizens, aged 19 suffered bruises in a car crash that took place along Fifth Ring Road. The injured were admitted to Farwaniya Hospital.

An 8-year-old citizen fractured his left limb and a 25year-old and a 12-year-old suffered various bruises in a car accident that took place in Abu Halifa. He was admitted to Adan Hospital.

Two citizens and an unidentified individual in their twenties suffered injuries in a car accident that took place in Farwaniya. They were admitted to Farwaniya Hospital.

Private schools association discusses issues with ministry KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Association for Owners of Private Schools demands clear standards and regulations for the process in which teachers move to work from private to public schools, so that private schools do not suffer from a shortage in teaching staff.

This subject was among numerous topics pertaining to private education and problems facing private schools in Kuwait, which the association recently discussed with senior

Ministry of Education officials including Minister Ahmad Al-Mulaifi, Undersecretary Assistant for Private Education Fahad Al-Ghais, and General Director of the General Department of Private Education Mohammad Al-Dahis.

“We asked the ministry to commit to a previous decision of allowing a teacher to move from a private to a public authority only with a written approval of the [private] school’s own-

er, as well as find new controls to the process of hiring Kuwaiti teachers, and to the mechanism of relationship between private schools and the general department of private education”, said the association’s President Omar Al-Ghareer in a recent press release.

The meetings also discussed problems that private schools face as a result of the new labor law, as well as the new fees system that English schools must follow.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

France recalls some diplomats from Iran

US laments growing Israel isolation Page 8

Page 9

Tunisia Islamists, secularists face off Tunisia wrestling with how big a role Islam should play TUNIS: People shout slogans and hold banners reading ‘Yesterday they said the veiled women were cockroaches at night, now they said we are bats’ during a demonstration in front of the assembly yesterday. (Inset) Tunisian students shout slogans as they hold banners during a demonstration in front of the assembly yesterday. —AFP

TUNIS: Thousands of Tunisian Islamists and secularists staged parallel protests outside the interim parliament yesterday in a dispute over how big a role Islam should play in society after the country’s “Arab Spring” revolution. Tensions have been running high between the two camps since the revolt in January scrapped a ban on Islamists and paved the way for a moderate Islamist party to come to power at the head of a coalition government.

The latest round of protests was sparked when a group of hardline Islamists occupied a university campus near the capital to demand segregation of sexes in class and the right for women students to wear a fullface veil. About 3,000 Islamists gathered outside the constitutional assembly in the Bardo district of the Tunis yesterday, separated by a police cordon from a counterprotest by about 1,000 secularists. The Islamists say the secularist elite which has run the country since independence from

France is still restricting their freedom to express their faith. Their rivals say the Islamists are trying to impose an Islamic state in what has been one of the Arab world’s most liberal countries.

The Islamist protesters at the rally carried placards saying: “We support the legitimacy of the majority!,” “Islamic Tunisia is not secular!,” and “No to secularist extremism.”

An Islamist protester, Nourdine Machfer, said the Tunisian people had expressed their will when they handed victory to the moderate Islamist Ennahda party in an election in October. “It’s bizarre. Today in Tunisia we are living in a dictatorship of the minority,” Machfer said. “ They should respect the will of the people, who have made their views known.” Ennahda issued a statement saying that it did not support the Islamist protest outside parliament.

ISLAMIST POWER However, secularist opponents said they

News

in brief

Pakistan shuns Bonn BERLIN: Islamabad confirmed yesterday that it will boycott a major international conference in Germany next week on Afghanistan’s future, the German foreign ministry said, amid Pakistani ire over deadly NATO strikes. The news came as Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai arrived in Germany three days ahead of the conference in in Bonn where key leaders will mull his country’s future. He was met at the airport, amid some fanfare, by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle but with expectations for the conference falling. Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told Westerwelle, during phone talks earlier, that she hoped Monday’s conference would be a success and stressed Pakistan’s continued support for the process of regional stabilization.

4 Kenya troops killed NAIROBI: The Kenyan army said yesterday it had lost four troops killed in action against Somalia’s Shebab Islamist rebels while 10 had been hospitalized with wounds since it launched its incursion in mid-October.

Another four troops were killed in the crash of a helicopter on the first day of the intervention, military spokesman Colonel Cyrus Oguna told a press conference. He was speaking after the Shebab said Friday they had launched an attack on a small village in southern Somalia, “killing many enemy soldiers, including Kenyan soldiers.” The Somali government confirmed the fighting but denied the Shebab claims, saying government troops had had the upper hand.

“We are witnessing less and less resistance from AlShebab, and they are withdrawing deeper and deeper into central Somalia,” Oguna said, while adding that “this operation is not time bound.”

believed Ennahda’s true agenda was to create an Islamic state by stealth. “ The Islamists ... want to use the constitution to take power, and stage a coup d’etat against democracy,” said one of the secularist protesters, Raja Dali. “They want to give all the power to the prime minister,” she said, referring to senior Ennahda official Hamadi Jbeli who is his party’s nominee to lead the coalition government. Tunisia’s struggle to reconcile the rival camps is being watched closely in Egypt, where an Islamist-affiliated party performed strongly in the first phase of a parliamentary election. Tunisia became the birth-place of the Arab Spring when a vegetable seller, Mohamed Bouazizi, set fire to himself in protest at government repression. His suicide prompted a wave of unrest which forced president Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali to step down. Tunisia’s revolution inspired revolutions which ousted entrenched rulers in Libya and Egypt, as well as upheavals in Syria and Yemen.

Yesterday’s protest was the first time that both Islamists and secularists had staged simultaneous protest. Shouts and jeers were exchanged between the two groups but there were no clashes. Ennahda is in an awkward position because it wants to be seen to be defending the rights of Muslims to express their faith but at the same time it is wary of alarming secularists and Western governments by appearing too close to Islamist hardliners. The latest flare-up of tension is complicating efforts by Ennahda and its two secularist coalition partners to agree on the make-up of a coalition government. It is also distracting the country’s new rulers from addressing the high unemployment and low incomes that are the main preoccupation for ordinary Tunisians.

One young man yesterday stood between the rival crowds with tape over his mouth, a loaf of bread in his hand, and a placard which read: “I am with neither of you.. I am in favour of jobs and dignity.”— Reuters

Pakistani model’s nude photograph sparks fury ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani actress who posed in the nude for an Indian magazine with the initials of Pakistan’s feared and powerful intelligence agency on her arm has triggered fury across this conservative nation. Veena Malik’s photo on the website of FHM India, in advance of its publication in the magazine’s December issue, has been lighting up social network websites since earlier last week.

Many here anticipate a backlash, as nationalists and Islamists regularly stage rallies against anything they deem an insult to Islam or to the national honor.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars, and the Inter-Services Intelligence agency or ISI has been accused of sponsoring terrorist attacks inside India.

Malik has broken Pakistani religious and national taboos in the past. She is a target for conservative ire and a heroine to some Pakistani liberals.

Conservative cleric Maulana Abdul Qawi declared on Aaj TV yesterday that her latest venture into controversy was a “shame for all Muslims.” In an interview with Pakistani Geo television broadcast yesterday, however, Malik said the nude photo was published in violation of her agreement with FHM India and she was considering legal action against the magazine. Malik acknowledged having been photographed for a “bold but not nude shot.” She said the editor of the

magazine had promised that he would cover most of the photo with the ISI initials.

The photo was intended to poke fun

Veena Malik at the Indian fear of Pakistani spies, she said, adding “whatever happens (in India), people say ISI is behind that.”

Magazine editor Kabeer Sharma said Malik had given full consent for the shoot and the picture.

“We have all the record(s),” he told the Pakistani television station. “Veena was very excited about that ISI idea.”

Zubair Khan, a 40-year-old shopkeeper

in the northwestern city of Peshawar, agreed, saying the photo had given rival India another opportunity to insult Pakistan. “She has earned a bad name for the entire Pakistan nation,” he said.

Others questioned the authenticity of the photo. “It seems to be an Indian attempt to malign Pakistan by faking her nude pics, or she might have done it to get a cheap publicity,” said Lubna Khalid, 38, a housewife in the southern port city of Karachi. Twitter commentator Umair Javed however called on Pakistanis to “make copies of the picture and bury it in your backyard. This way, our grandkids will know there were some amongst us who lived free!”

Asked by reporters whether Pakistan would “pursue the matter” legally, the country’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik said yesterday, “First, let us see whether it is real or fake.” Malik does most of her work in India. The entertainment sector there is booming, while Pakistan’s is moribund. Her ties to Pakistan’s archrival have landed her in controversy in the past. During a muchpublicized talk show appearance early this year, she lashed out her nemesis Abdul Qawi, who criticized her for having a scripted love affair with an Indian actor on an Indian reality show. “What is your problem with me?” an angry Malik demanded of the scholar, who had accused her of insulting Islam.— AP

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

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‘Cairo as Kandahar’: hardliners air their views CAIRO: Islamist hardliners in Egypt, buoyed by their electoral success, are causing anxiety among liberals as they present their conservative vision for the country 10 months after its revolution. The focus of much of the anguish among liberals is Hazem Abu Ismail, an independent candidate for the presidency who follows the ultra-conservative Salafi brand of Islam dominant in Saudi Arabia.

The main political party grouping together Salafi candidates, Al-Nur, is projected to sweep up to 20 percent of the vote from this week’s elections, making them the surprise success in the first phase of multi-stage polls. Ismail, in a television interview broadcast on Thursday, declared that all Muslim women wanted to be veiled and that unmarried young men and women should not be seen together in public.

Mixed sex workplaces were “unacceptable,” he said, while the production and public consumption of alcohol should be banned. Pointing to the expected strong showing of Islamist parties in tourist areas around the Red Sea popular with Western holidaymakers, he said voters had chosen them “to preserve their honor.” Though he is seen as a marginal figure for the presidency, his views sent shockwaves through the liberal and secular community who hoped that February’s overthrow of 30-year dictator Hosni Mubarak would lead to new freedoms.

A Facebook group called “Say No to Hazem Abu Ismail” quickly appeared and Twitter was filled with comments from outraged Egyptians. “Hazem Abu Ismail is a clown,” said one, adding that his views represented a large number of candidates in the Al-Nur

party which may have won up to 25 percent in the voting on Monday and Tuesday. Partial results were trickling out on Saturday, showing that Islamist parties who want to implement sharia law have won at least two thirds of votes already cast.

The dominant party is the Freedom and Justice Party of the Muslim Brotherhood, a more moderate political movement with decades of experience as a religious and charitable organization. The new hardline Islamist groups such as Al-Nur were formed only

CAIRO: An Egyptian family rides a motorbike during a protest in Tahrir Square, in Cairo on Friday, Dec 2, 2011. — AP

after the end of Mubarak’s rule, meaning they were able to win more than one in five votes with minimal organization and campaigning. Another fear figure among the Islamists is parliamentary candidate Abdel-Moneim El-Shahat, who this week accused the late Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz, a Nobel prize winner, of “inciting promiscuity, prostitution and atheism.” In an interview on Thursday, the candidate from the conservative bastion and port city of Alexandria said that Mahfouz’s novels were “mostly set in areas involving brothels and drugs,” Al-Ahram newspaper reported. “We’re on our way to becoming a new Afghanistan!” said one of many similar comments on Twitter from young revolutionaries who complained that their revolution had been hijacked.

Another added: “My beloved secular father didn’t get killed in jan25 revolution, for Egypt to vote for a man like Hazem Abu Ismail. No, No and 1000x No!” A spokesman for the Al-Nur party said on Thursday that neither the country’s large Christian community nor liberal Muslims had anything to fear from his group, which he said would focus on improving all Egyptians’ lives. “The results in these elections are the best response (to such fears), despite a campaign of fear-mongering and slander in the past 10 months.

A large par t of the public trusts us,” said Mohammed Nur. He dismissed fears raised in the media that they might try to ban alcohol. “Maybe 20,000 out of 80 million Egyptians drink alcohol,” he said. “Forty million don’t have sanitary water. Do you think that, in parliament, I’ll busy myself with people who don’t have water, or people who get drunk?”— AFP

Post-Assad Syria would drop Iran, Hezbollah ties A new Syria to align with Arabs, Gulf

HOMS: In this image from amateur video, a soldier takes aim in Homs, Syria.— AP

Lebanese border residents fearful after Syria shootout WADI KHALED: Residents fearfully ventured back to Lebanon’s northern border with Syria yesterday after troops loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad raked the area with gunfire, wounding three people. “I’ve come back to check on my shop today but my family is still with our relatives in another village,” said Abu Saado, a shop owner in the village of Jisr AlGharbi which straddles the border in the Wadi Khaled district. Abu Saado was among dozens of terrified families who fled their homes in the district on Friday after shooting from the Syrian side of the border wounded two men and a woman.

Lebanese troop reinforcements deployed along the border overnight but pulled back yesterday. An army statement said the three Lebanese were wounded by stray bullets from “armed clashes” in Syria. But witnesses in Wadi Khaled said Syrian troops had intentionally opened fire on a crowd that had gathered on the Lebanese side of the border to protest against a bloody crackdown in the Tal Kalakh district on the Syrian side. Mahmud Khazaal, former mayor of the border town of Muqaybli said that troops began to “shoot randomly” when the crowd of Syrian refugees formed on the Lebanese side of the Kabir River, which separates the two countries.

Several riverside homes were riddled with

bullet holes yesterday and three had all of their windows shattered. A few children roamed among the abandoned houses collecting spent bullets to play with. Some 30 families chose not to return to their homes in Jisr Al-Gharbi for fear of fresh gunfire across the border, officials said. In recent months, thousands of people have fled into Lebanon from border districts of Syria such as Tal Kalakh as Assad’s troops have resorted to mounting violence to crush anti-regime protests launched in March.

Now many of them are seeking refuge further into Lebanon. “Yesterday, out of the blue, bullets started raining down on us out of nowhere,” said Khaled Azmi, a Lebanese citizen who lived in the Syrian village of Qusayr with his wife and eight children for years before fleeing four months ago. “We’ve heard conflicting reports and we still don’t know why or exactly what the source was. “We spent last night in fear and we’re afraid this could happen again,” said Azmi, adding that he was now moving to the village of Mashta Hassan, farther from the border. “Worse still, we’re afraid clashes could start in Lebanon too,” he said. Lebanon is bitterly divided between pro- and anti-Damascus camps, and there are growing fears that the bloodshed in Syria could spill over the border.— AFP

Panetta: Israel must get to ‘damn’ peace table US laments growing Israel isolation WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has urged Israel to get back to the “damn” negotiating table with Palestinians and take steps to address what he described as the Jewish state’s growing isolation in the Middle East. Panetta, addressing a forum in Washington, also made one of his most extensive arguments to date against any imminent military action against Iran over its nuclear program, saying he was convinced that sanctions and diplomatic pressure were working.

“You always have the last resort ... of military action. But it must be the last resort, not the first,” Panetta said. Militarily strong, Israel is battling a diplomatic storm as Arab uprisings upset oncestable relationships in the Middle East. But Panetta warned Israel against viewing uprisings like the one in Egypt that toppled president Hosni Mubarak as an excuse to enter a defensive crouch.

“I understand the view that this is not the time to pursue peace, and that the Arab awakening further imperils the dream of a safe and secure, Jewish and democratic Israel. But I disagree with that view,” Panetta said. He said Israel needed to take risks, including by breathing new life into moribund peace talks with Palestinians.

When asked by a moderator what steps Israel needed to take to pursue peace, Panetta said: “Just get to the damn table.” “The problem right now is we can’t get ‘em to the damn table, to at least sit down and begin to discuss their differences,” Panetta said.

Panetta said the United States would safeguard Israel’s security, ensure regional stability and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon-a goal Tehran denies having. “Israel, too, has a responsibility to pursue these shared goals-to build regional support for Israeli and United States’ security objectives,” Panetta said. “I believe security is dependent on a strong mili-

tary but it is also dependent on strong diplomacy. And unfortunately, over the past year, we’ve seen Israel’s isolation from its traditional security partners in the region grow.”

Panetta suggested that Israel reach out and mend fences with countries like Turkey, Egypt and Jordan which “share an interest in regional stability.” Turkey was the first Muslim state to recognize Israel, in 1949, but relations worsened last year when Israeli commandos boarded an aid flotilla challenging a naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza and killing nine Turks in ensuing clashes. “It is in Israel’s interest, Turkey’s interest, and US interest for Israel to reconcile with Turkey, and both Turkey and Israel need to do more to put their relationship back on track,” Panetta said. Israel is closely watching developments in Egypt, whose new rulers may be more susceptible to widespread anti-Israeli sentiment than under Mubarak.

Egyptians voted on Friday in the opening round of the country’s first free election in six decades. The Muslim Brotherhood’s party and its ultra-conservative Salafi rivals looked set to top the polls. But Panetta said the best course for the United States and the international community was to continue to put pressure on Egypt to follow through with transition to democracy and ensure any future government stands by its peace treaty with Israel. Turning to Iran, Panetta used some of his strongest language yet to explain US concerns about any military strike against Iran over its nuclear program-which the West believes is aimed at an atomic bomb.

Tehran denies this, saying its uranium enrichment is entirely peaceful.

Panetta said a strike could disrupt the already fragile economies of Europe and the United States, trigger Iranian retaliation against US forces, and ultimately spark a popular backlash in Iran that would bolster its rulers. — Reuters

BEIRUT: The collapse of the 40year-old Assad regime in Syria would radically change the politics of the Middle East, reducing the influence of Iran and its Islamist proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon, the main Syrian opposition leader in exile has said. Syria would align itself with the Arab League and the Gulf, Syrian National Council leader Burhan Ghalioun told the Wall Street Journal in an interview in France. “Our future is truly tied to the Arab world and the Gulf in particular,” he was quoted as saying in a WSJ transcript.

Damascus would have no special relationship with Iran and Hezbollah if President Bashar AlAssad lost power, he said. “The current relationship between Syria and Iran is abnormal,” Ghalioun told the daily. “Syria is the centre of the Arab Orient. It cannot live outside its relationship with the Arabian Peninsula, the Gulf countries, Egypt and others.” “There will be no special relationship with Iran. This is the core issue - the military alliance. Breaking the exceptional relationship means breaking the strategic military alliance. We do not mind economic relations.”

Syria has had close ties with Tehran since the early years of the Islamic Republic of Iran, founded in 1979. “As our relations with Iran change, so too will our relationship with Hezbollah. Hezbollah after the fall of the Syrian regime will not be the same. Lebanon should not be used as it was used in the Assad era as an arena to settle political scores,” Ghalioun told the paper. Ghalioun did not go into likely relations with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

He said the Council had links to the Palestine Liberation

Organisation, of which Hamas is not currently a member.

Regional sources told Reuters on Friday that the Iranian-backed Palestinian movement is quietly reducing its presence in its longterm Damascus headquarters as Assad’s future looks uncertain.

They said the Hamas delegation in the Syrian capital, which once numbered hundreds of exiled

Palestinian officials and their relatives, had shrunk to a few dozen.

In Beirut, a Hamas representative said the group was “still committed to supporting Assad”.

NO-FLY ZONE? Ghalioun said the Council sought political and financial support from “the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, and the West ”. “ We

DAMASCUS: A pro-Syrian regime protester breaks stones with his head to symbolize breaking sanctions against Syria, during a protest against the sanctions by Arab and European nations in Damascus.— AP

asked to apply pressure on Russia and China and to make use of all civilian protection measures. This is why (French) foreign minister (Alain) Juppe called for a humanitarian corridor.”

“Our main objective is finding mechanisms to protect civilians and stop the killing machine. If a humanitarian corridor is able to achieve this, then that is important,” the Syrian National Council leader said. A humanitarian corridor and a buffer zone “doesn’t mean military intervention to topple the regime”, he stressed. “This is different than the organized military intervention that happened in Iraq for regime change. We count on Syrians to bring down the Syrian regime. We want the international community to stop the oppression of the Syrian people.”

If Russia could be convinced that Assad’s opponents and the West were not considering military intervention in Syria, as NATO did in Libya, Moscow might be persuaded not to use its UN Security Council veto to block humanitarian intervention. But Ghalioun also mentioned a no-fly zone, which implies a degree of militar y inter vention. “ We will meet with the foreign minister of Turkey who is thinking of this with the Europeans to discuss the developments in what he mentioned as a no-fly zone,” Ghalioun said. “Assad got several offers of asylum,” he told the paper at his home near Paris. “ The Arab League and Turkey offered to help find him a safe haven. It is clear that he wants to continue and I believe he is not mature and he doesn’t have a grasp on reality. He is delusional.”— Reuters

Key political risks to watch in Iraq BAGHDAD: The US troop withdrawal, recent bombings by militants and an arrest campaign against former members of Saddam Hussein’s banned Baath Party have sharpened tensions in Iraq. A decision by Exxon Mobil to venture into semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan set up a confrontation between the world’s largest publicly traded oil company and the central government, which threatened to cancel Exxon’s southern oilfield deal.

The Exxon exploration pact could push ongoing disputes between Baghdad and the Kurds to new heights just as the remaining 12,000 American troops leave Iraq, increasing anxiety in the disputed territories, already a potential faultline for future conflict when the buffer of US forces is gone. US President Barack Obama’s announcement on Oct 21 that the remaining US troops would be home for the holidays kicked into high gear a withdrawal that dawdled as Washington and Baghdad talked about keeping several thousand in Iraq past the Dec 31 deadline.

The two sides were unable to agree on legal safeguards for US forces if they stayed. The prospect appeared unpalatable to Iraq’s fractious political blocs, uncertain of what the public response would be and pressured by a threat from powerful anti-American cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr to revive his militia if they stayed. While violence has fallen since the worst days of sectarian conflict in 2006-2007, bombings, assassinations and other attacks by Sunni Islamist insurgents and Shiite militias still occur daily and scores of people are killed every month.

US disengagement could worsen sectarian differences and meddling by neighbors, including Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia. By the end of December-nearly nine years after the US-led invasion that toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Husseinonly a small contingent of civilian trainers and few-

er than 200 US military personnel attached to the US embassy will remain. Multibillion-dollar deals Baghdad signed with energy majors that could quadruple oil output capacity in six years and power Iraq into oil’s big league are moving ahead only slowly.

Increased production would give Iraq the money it needs to rebuild, but everything depends on whether the OPEC member can secure oilfields, refineries and other vital infrastructure. Iraq is isolated from world markets. Only a few dozen firms are listed on the stock exchange. Iraq’s dinar is thinly traded and the exchange rate is effectively determined by the central bank in its dollar auctions.

Below are some of the major risks facing Iraq.

THE US PULLOUT US troops are headed for the exits. A steady stream of troops and equipment has choked the southern route to Kuwait in recent weeks. Troops have handed over most of their major bases, including the Victory headquarters complex in Baghdad, and consolidated operations on a handful of bases which are being steadily handed back to the Iraqi government. Prime Minister Nuri AlMaliki has said his army and police can handle internal security. But military commanders and some Iraqi soldiers say US troops are still needed next year to train weak air and naval defenses.

Baghdad has signed a deal to buy 18 F-16 warplanes in a move that will further strengthen military ties, but the jets will not be delivered for years.

Baghdad and Washington have yet to negotiate any new defense agreement but analysts say it is likely the US military will step in to protect Iraq’s vulnerable airspace from incursions. Keeping US forces in Iraq had risked upsetting anti-American Shiite Moqtada Al-Sadr, whose militia fought US and Iraqi troops after the 2003 invasion. Sadr’s political movement overcame its antipathy

towards Maliki to become a kingmaker for the prime minister last year. Sadrist protesters flexed their muscles this week in Baghdad, Basra and elsewhere as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Iraq to mark the start of a new diplomatic relationship.

KURDISH-ARAB CONFLICT Tension between Arabs and minority Kurds, who have enjoyed virtual autonomy in their northern enclave for 20 years, is festering. US military officials have long considered the northern disputed territories a potential flashpoint for conflict after US troops withdraw. Kurds hope to reclaim areas they deem historically Kurdish and their peshmerga troops briefly surrounded the disputed city of Kirkuk in February in a show of force. While Kurdish leaders celebrated the announcement last month of a new contract for six exploration blocks with Exxon Mobil, the first major to move into the region, Baghdad fumed. The central government claims rights over Iraq’s world-class oil reserves and deems contracts with the Kurdish government illegal. It threatened to void Exxon’s contract to develop the rich West Qurna Phase One oilfield in the south.

The oil ministry has demanded an explanation from Exxon, which is also the lead developer on a key, multi-company water injection project meant to boost production in southern fields. Baghdad and Arbil have been at odds for years over control of Kurdish oil. The Exxon deal came in the midst of some small signs of progress, including an agreement between Maliki and Kurdish Prime Minister Barham Salih to present a new oil law, possibly a modified version of a 2007 draft agreed by all the political blocs, to parliament by year-end. The Kurds are key allies of Maliki in his frail coalition government. Some officials have suggested that Kurdish support for the premier could be at stake in the oil law talks.— Reuters

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Extent of ‘honor’ crimes exposed in Britain LONDON: More than 2,800 socalled honor attacks-punishments for bringing shame on the family-were recorded by Britain’s police last year, according to figures released yesterday. At least 2,823 incidents of “honor-based” violence took place, with the highest number recorded in London, the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organization (IKWRO) found. The figures were compiled from 39 out of the 52 British police forces. The others were unwilling or unable to pro-

vide data. Eight areas recorded at least 100 incidents, the figures showed. The attacks included murder, mutilation, beatings, abduction and acid attacks.

Compared with 2009 figures released by 12 police forces, there was a 47 percent rise in incidents.

The Metropolitan Police (London) recorded 495 attacks; West Midlands (Birmingham) 278; West Yorkshire (Leeds, Bradford) 350; Lancashire (northwest England) 227; Greater

Manchester 189. “This is the first time that a national estimate has been provided in relation to reporting of honor-based violence,” the report concluded. “The number of incidents is significant, particularly when we consider the high levels of abuse that victims suffer before they seek help.”

IKWRO director Diana Nammi told the BBC: “The perpetrators will be even considered as a hero within the community because he is the one defending the fami-

ly and community’s honor and reputation.”

Honor crimes mostly happen in South Asian, eastern European and Middle Eastern communities, she said. Honor-based violence is an “organized or collective crime or incident” orchestrated by a family or within a community, she said, adding: “It can be by a relative and sometimes on the order of community members.”

Things considered dishonorable include having a boyfriend, being a rape victim, refusing an

arranged marriage, being gay and in some cases wearing makeup or inappropriate dress. IKWRO believes the British government does not have a proper national strategy to deal with honorbased violence.

Though it believes awareness of the issue has increased in recent years, police, teachers, social workers and other professionals “still don’t really understand it”. A spokesman for the Home Office interior ministry said: “We are determined to end

honor violence and recognize the need for greater consistency on the ground to stop this indefensible practice.

“Our action plan to end violence against women and girls sets out our approach to raise awareness, enhance training for police and prosecutors and better support victims.” Widelyreported honor crimes have shocked Britain, a nation widely deemed to have successfully absorbed immigrant communities and customs.—AFP

France recalls some diplomats from Iran Tension rising as Israel mulls air strikes

LONDON: Removal men carry packages from what is believed to be the residence of Iranian diplomats into a removal lorry in London. — AP

No such thing as ‘moderate Islam’ PARIS: A French minister said there was no such thing as moderate Islam, calling recent election successes by Islamic parties in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia “worrying” in an interview published yesterday.

Jeannette Bougrab, a junior minister with responsibility for youth, told Le Parisien newspaper that legislation based on Islamic sharia law “inevitably” imposed restrictions on rights and freedoms.

Bougrab is of Algerian origin, whose father fought on the French colonial side during Algeria’s war of independence, and said she was speaking as “a French woman of Arab origin.” “It’s very worrying,” she was quoted as saying. “I don’t know of any moderate Islam.” “There are no half measures with sharia,” she added. “I am a lawyer and you can make all the theological, literal or fundamental interpretations of it that you like but law based on sharia is inevitably a

restriction on freedom, especially freedom of conscience.” She was reacting to electoral successes scored by the Ennahda party in Tunisia, the Justice and Development Party in Morocco and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has called for dialogue with such parties as long as they respect certain criteria, including the rule of law and women’s rights.

Bougrab conceded that ousted Tunisian and Egyptian rulers Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak had used the Islamist “threat” to win backing from Western countries, but she added, “We shouldn’t go to the other extreme.” And she hit out at the 30 percent of Tunisians living in France who had voted for Ennahda in last month’s polls.

“I am shocked that those who have rights and freedoms here gave their votes to a religious party,” she said.— AFP

Key political risks to watch in Britain LONDON: Britain’s coalition government is struggling to stop the economy from falling back into recession and is battling public sector unions who have just staged the biggest strike in a generation. On the diplomatic front, relations with Iran have plunged into crisis as the result of an assault on the British embassy in Tehran after Britain raised pressure on the Iranians over their disputed nuclear program.

Britain’s economic fate in the short term is dependent on measures to rescue the crisishit eurozone, its largest trading partner even though Britain is not part of the single currency. The eurozone crisis has implications for the coalition in which the smaller Liberal Democrats are the junior partner.

Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron faces increasing pressure from his restive right-wing who see the crisis as a chance for Britain to claw back more powers from the European Union and are pushing for a referendum on EU membership.

Cameron is also facing a growing wave of street protests against the economic policies of a coalition which took power in May 2010 and made driving down debt and deficit its priority. Unions angry over pension reform staged demonstrations across towns and cities on Nov 30 and are threatening more strikes next year. Anti-capitalist demonstrators have set up camp at St Paul’s Cathedral, close to the heart of London’s financial zone, and their protests have struck a chord with Britons who feel the gap between rich and poor is getting too wide.

Another potential problem for Cameron is his links to figures involved in a phone-hacking scandal at a tabloid newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. The opposition Labor Party has established a seven-point lead over the Conservatives, the latest Reuters/Ipsos MORI poll showed last month.

However, centre-left Labor, in power for 13 years until 2010, is regrouping under new leader Ed Miliband and is not in a position to try to topple the coalition. The Lib Dems’ backing has crumbled since the election, and poor poll showings are helping to ensure they remain loyal to the coalition. An election is not due until 2015 and provoking an early vote would be political suicide for them.

ECONOMY/UNION UNREST Britain’s economy is teetering on the brink of recession as consumers cut back on spending while the crisis in the euro zone dampens hopes of an export-led recovery. Inflation is 5 percent-more than double the Bank of

England’s two percent target-and is outpacing pay settlements, forcing Britons to tighten their belts. Finance Minister George Osborne said this week that tough austerity measures would last until 2017 as slowing growth and higher welfare payments mean it will take longer to erase a budget deficit that peaked at 11 percent of national output.

That extends beyond the next election and is stirring unease among Lib Dems who fear losing their own identity. Labor argues that these cuts, which will see an estimated 710,000 public sector jobs disappear, are choking the life out of the economy. The Bank of England pumped a further 75 billion pounds into the economy in October, with Governor Mervyn King talking of the worst ever financial crisis, and the central bank is expected to deliver fresh stimulus early next year. Unions are threatening further strikes after as many as two million public sector workers walked out at the end of November over plans to make them pay more and work longer for pensions.

EUROPE Cameron suffered a blow to his authority in October when more than a quarter of his members of parliament (MPs) defied him and endorsed a call for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. Cameron wants to try to win back more powers from EU institutions but says the priority for now is for Europe to resolve its economic crisis. The prime minister is squeezed between his own right wing and the pro-Europe Liberal Democrats. There are also fears that Britain could be sidelined in Europe as the members of the single currency move towards closer political union. This could see Britain struggling to head off initiatives such as a financial transaction tax which the government believes could hurt British business.

PHONE HACKING Cameron has been tarnished by a scandal centered on the reporting methods at the now-defunct News of the World tabloid. While in opposition, Cameron hired former News of the World editor Andy Coulson as his communications chief after he quit the paper because of phone hacking under his editorship.

Coulson had to resign as the prime minister’s media chief in January because of growing evidence that phone hacking was more widespread than previously thought at the newspaper. A public inquiry into media ethics set up

by Cameron is exposing the dirty tricks used by the tabloid press to get stories.— Reuters

TEHRAN: France is to pull out part of its diplomatic staff from Tehran following the ransacking of Britain’s embassy this week by a pro-regime mob, adding to the backlash yesterday against an increasingly defensive Iran. The decision-a temporary precaution according to one French diplomatunderlined the seriousness of the crisis developing between Iran and the West amid the ratcheting up of sanctions over Tehran’s controversial nuclear effor ts. Britain has already evacuated all staff from its Tehran embassy following Tuesday’s rampage, and ordered Iran’s in London closed.

The expelled Iranian diplomats arrived back in Tehran yesterday, passing through airport service corridors to avoid media-and a pro-regime welcoming crowd of 150 yelling “Death to Britain.” The European Union on Thursday slapped extra sanctions on Iran and warned more could be on the way because of the embassy assault, while the US Congress is poised to pass a law hitting Iran’s central bank. Political tensions are rising in tandem with speculation that Israel is mulling air strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, with or without US backing.

France’s decision to downsize its diplomatic representation came after the French, German, Dutch and Italian ambassadors were recalled for consultations on the British embassy assault. More than half of France’s personnel, numbering around 30, could be pulled out along with the families and dependants of all its diplomatic staff, according to information gathered

by AFP. Diplomats did not give any precise figures, however. The 700strong French community in Tehran-mostly Iranian-French dual citizens-has not received any instructions.

The move came despite a warning by Iran to other EU nations not to join Britain’s diplomatic retaliation. “Now the British government is trying to involve other European countries in our bilateral issue. But we have told the Europeans not to

TEHRAN: A female Iranian demonstrator holds an anti-British placard as another holds a poster showing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (left) in the poster, and late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, during a demonstration to welcome Iranian diplomats expelled from London yesterday. — AP trouble relations with Iran because of Britain,” foreign ministr y spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said. Iranian officials have been defiant over the degrading British ties, saying a parliamentary decision before the ransacking of the British embassy to expel Britain’s ambassador over strengthened Western sanctions was justified.

But yesterday, one senior figure sought to disavow any connection between Iran’s regime and the hundreds of pro-regime militia members who trashed the embassy and another British diplomatic compound. “ There is no doubt that Britain is one of the oldest enemies of Iran... but young revolutionaries should not go beyond the law,” IRNA news agency quoted Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi as saying in a statement. “I advise them not to act without the permission of the supreme leader and officials.”

Shirazi implicitly rejected British asser tions the embassy was

assaulted with the backing and connivance of the authorities, while warning Iran could be hurt by the backlash. “It is important to note that sometimes cer tain actions overstep the law... And we could pay a high price for it,” he was quoted as saying. Britain’s evacuated ambassador, Dominick Chilcott, had said the attack could not have happened without “the acquiescence and support of the state.”

Shirazi’s defensive comments seemed for the first time to hint at an effort to halt a rising anti-British campaign in Iran.

But it was unclear whether that stance was shared by other factions in power. The foreign ministry expressed its “regret” in the wake of the attack. But parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani justified the rampage as an understandable and legitimate response to “the domineering policy” of Britain.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other senior government offi-

cials have not yet commented on the embassy attack. Foreign media in Tehran on Thursday were told that covering all anti-British, proregime demonstrations was now forbidden-an unprecedented restriction that adds to many other existing reporting curbs.

As the political and diplomatic situation tautened, so did concerns over Israeli air strikes against Iran along with warnings that such action would be risky with dim prospects of success. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned on Friday there was no guarantee that air strikes would hit intended targets, saying Iran’s sites are “difficult to get at.” In comments at an event organized by a Washington thinktank, he said: “The indication is that at best it (military action) might postpone it (Iran’s nuclear program) maybe by one or possibly two years.” Iran has repeatedly insisted its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes, to the skepticism of the West.—AFP

I Coast’s Gbagbo faces ICC judges THE HAGUE: Ex-Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo will face the world war crimes court for the first time tomorrow, for his role in the deadly aftermath of disputed polls last year in which some 3,000 people died.

Transferred to the Netherlands last Wednesday, Gbagbo, 66, is set to make his initial appearance at 2:00 pm before the judges of the International Criminal Court, where he faces four counts of crimes against humanity.

At the hearing, the judges will verify his identity and the charges, as well as his rights under the court’s founding Rome Statute, will be read out. Presiding Judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi will then set a date for a hearing to confirm charges against the man who stood at the Ivory Coast’s helm for a decade and who refused to admit defeat following a second round of votes in November 28 polls last year. At that nex t hearing, not expec ted for several months, prosecutors must convince judges there is enough evidence to take him to trial. Facing four counts namely murder, rape, persecution and other inhuman acts committed by forces loyal to him between 16 December 2010 and 12 April, Gbagbo is now behind bars at ICC’s detention unit in The Hague. The court issued a sealed arrest warrant against him on November 23 for his par t in the post-poll crisis which was sparked by his refusal to step down in favor of his opponent, now Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.

Reactions to news of his arrest have been varied this week. Gbagbo’s former ruling FPI party said the transfer amounted to a “political kidnapping” and announced it was suspending its participation “in all reconciliation processes”. But a government spokesman in Abidjan hailed the move, arguing that Gbagbo’s trial would give the

ABIDJAN: A man looks at local newspapers bearing pictures of ex-Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo in the Abobo neighborhood of Abidjan.— AFP

country closure.

Global human rights groups warned any prosecution focused only on crimes committed by forces loyal to Gbagbo and not those of Ouattara’s camp, would lead to an “explosive situation on the ground”. During a visit to Abidjan on October 15, the ICC’s chief prosecutor promised an “impartial investigation” aimed at “three to six people” who bore the greatest responsibility for crimes committed during the crisis. ICC head Luis Moreno-Ocampo said Wednesday that Gbagbo was the first to be brought to account, but that “there is more to come.”

When judges authorized the investiga-

tion earlier this year, they said there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that Gbagbo’s side hired some 4,500 mercenaries, including fighters from neighboring Liberia, and armed them as well as attacking the United Nations’ peace -keeping force in the Ivory Coast (UNOCI). Troops loyal to Ouattara are suspected of attacking civilians in Abidjan and western Ivory Coast, particularly in the town of Duekoue.

Opening its doors in 2002, the ICC is the first permanent international criminal tribunal to prosecute perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.— AFP

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Gingrich’s unpredictability raises concerns WASHINGTON: At last, Rep Phil Gingrey thought as he watched the most recent presidential debate. His candidate, Newt Gingrich, had moved beyond scolding journalists to talking ideas and looking like a contender. But then Gingrich seemed to embrace a form of amnesty for illegal immigrants. And Gingrey, who opposes amnesty like most conservatives, froze. “I thought, ‘Aw, I hope he’s not really saying that,” recalled Gingrey, R-Ga. Unpredictability is as much a part of Gingrich as his signature snowy mane, a quality that has vexed anyone who has

supported him for anything - be it speaker of the House or president of the United States. The history professor from Georgia may have, as he claims, matured over three dramatic decades in public life. But one constant is a mercurial personality.

For many Republicans, it’s a source of inspiration, charm and excitement in a year when conservatives are still looking for an alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and have driven Gingrich into the top tier of contenders for the GOP nomination.

Gingrich won a place in the history books

GREENVILLE: Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich prays with Ida McKinney, before he spoke at Tommy’s Ham House in Greenville, SC. — AP

as the force behind the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress. As speaker, he racked up some bipartisan trophies by working with President Bill Clinton to balance the budget and change the welfare system.

But melodrama has followed Gingrich up and down and back up the ladder of success, enough to raise the question in 2012: How steadily would Gingrich, a 68year-old grandfather and Catholic convert on his third marriage, guide a nation hungry for confidence in its leaders and jittery over the stuttering economy? “I don’t claim to be the perfect candidate,” Gingrich told WSC-FM this week. “I just claim to be a lot more conservative than Mitt Romney and a lot more electable than anyone else.”

Gingrey agrees. But Gingrich’s remarks on immigration left him with questions. “I don’t see how the party that says it’s the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families which have been here a quarter-century,” Gingrich said in the Republican debate. “I’m prepared to take the heat for saying let’s be humane in enforcing the law.” On the one hand, Gingrey suggested, if that’s the way Gingrich really feels about the issue, then saying so, rather than avoiding it, was “gutsy.” And it may have drawn a useful contrast with Romney. On the other, there’s uncertainty: What is his position on the issue? After all, he has flip-flopped on other issues Medicare, Libya, health care reform and global warming.

“I hope he set the stage for us looking very hard at making sure we have a temporary worker program that’s viable and has absolutely no hint of amnesty,” Gingrey said in a telephone interview this week. “I need to have a conversation with him about that.” Gingrich has since said he was calling for a path toward legal residency - not citizenship - for illegal immigrants who have lived here peacefully for generations. By any measure, stability is scarce on Gingrich’s resume. During his speakership there were two government shutdowns, a well-publicized snit over his seating on Air Force One, his push for Clinton’s impeachment while in an extramarital affair of his own, and lieutenants plotting his overthrow.

In 1998, shortly after winning re-election, Gingrich announced in a closed GOP caucus meeting that he would “bench” himself, and left Congress. Throughout, there’s been petulance, policy wobbles, and a tendency to cast himself in outsized terms. This year alone, while painting himself an everyman and Washington outsider at heart, he’s been forced to defend a six-figure shopping spree at Tiffany’s and the $1.6 million he earned over the past decade as a history adviser not a lobbyist, he insists - to mortgage giant Freddie Mac. He irked conservatives by harshly criticizing Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to overhaul Medicare as “right-wing social engineering,” then apologized but has since sent mixed signals on where he stands on the matter. His senior campaign staff quit on

him, en masse. The drama has Democrats licking their chops at the prospect of Gingrich as the GOP nominee. “I did not think I had lived a good enough life to be rewarded by Newt Gingrich being the Republican nominee,” retiring liberal Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said this week. “It still is unlikely, but I have hopes.”

The misfortunes of other Republican candidates - Rep. Michele Bachmann, Texas Gov Rick Perry, businessman Herman Cain - left an opening for Gingrich’s resurgence. Longtime politicos aren’t making the argument that Gingrich’s leadership is a neat or pretty thing to behold. But they’re not counting him out of the wide-open nominating contest, either. “I think he’s got a pretty good argument to make about his time as speaker, in terms of results,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, who served with Gingrich in the House and has not endorsed a presidential candidate. “The real purpose of a president, I think, is to find common ground with Congress to solve our problems. Newt has been in that mix.”

Rep Tom Price, another Georgia Republican who has endorsed Gingrich, suggested the former speaker has acquired the self-awareness to compete in the presidential arena. “Newt has always been an idea machine, and I think he clearly appreciates the gravity of the situation before us,” Price said. “There isn’t any sense that this (nomination) is a fait accompli. There’s an appreciation that there’s a long road to go yet.”— AP

Romney facing two big rivals: Gingrich, Obama GOP contender fights a two-front political war WASHINGTON: Suddenly Mitt Romney is fighting a two-front political war. The Republican presidential contender has skated along for much of the year as GOP challengers surged and faded. But now he faces an unexpected, more serious threat from Newt Gingrich - just as Barack Obama’s team is sharpening its criticism of Romney, whom the president’s aides view as his likeliest foe next fall.

With only a month before the Iowa caucuses kick off the nominating fight, Gingrich’s rise has forced Romney’s campaign to evaluate a new reality: He no longer has the luxury of staying above the Republican primary fray, avoiding tough questions about his own record and hammering Obama at will while essentially ignoring his GOP rivals. Well aware of the new challenge, Romney has started fighting back against two opponents from opposite ends of the political spectrum - no easy feat - while also defending himself from continuing criticism of reversals, equivocations and shifts on a range of issues.

What does he have to say now about Gingrich?

“He’s a lifelong politician,” Romney declared this week, signaling his intention to go after the former House speaker and long-time Washington insider in hopes of knocking him off course. Romney also is set to air his first television commercials on Friday in Iowa, where polls show Gingrich and Romney locked in a tight race. It’s another indication of how seriously Romney is taking the Georgian’s rise.

Gingrich sought Thursday to stay above board, telling The Associated Press while campaigning in Iowa, “I’m not going to focus on Romney or anybody else.” He made the comment just days after saying in South Carolina that he was “a lot more conservative than Mitt Romney” and added: “It’s wrong to go around and adopt radically different positions based on your need of any one election.” Romney also has started subtly contrasting his character with Gingrich’s once rocky private life. He said on Fox News that he’s a person “who has devoted his life to his family, to his faith, to his country.”

At the same time, Romney intends to keep the heat on Obama, convinced that his best chance at clinching the GOP nomination is to persuade Republican primary voters that he’s the strongest candidate to take on the Democratic incumbent on their biggest issue, the economy, next fall. Romney’s response was swift when the Democratic National Committee rolled out TV ads this week attacking Romney for flip-flopping on a series of issues, including abortion and health care.

The Republican’s team quickly organized conference calls with top supporters in about a dozen states - a demonstration of organizing power meant to serve as a warning to both Gingrich and Obama.

“They don’t want to see me as the nominee, that’s for sure,” Romney chided in response to the ads. “It shows that they’re awfully afraid of facing me in the general

HOUSTON: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney (center) visits former President George H W Bush and his wife Barbara at their Houston home. — AP

election. They want to throw the primary process to anybody but me, but bring it on. We’re ready for them.”

Obama’s aides privately say they see Romney as the Republican most likely to win the party’s nomination and they have been flummoxed that no GOP rival has gone after him aggressively. By stepping up the heat, the president’s aides hope to bloody Romney so he emerges from the GOP fight as a damaged nominee. Or, in what many Democrats view as a less-likely scenario, the Republicans would pick a candidate who would be weaker in the general election.

Gingrich has advantages of his own, in the primary fight or a general election. He’s universally known within the GOP with broad grassroots support, and he has a deep grasp of policy issues.

“Conservatives now have a credible, nationally known alternative in Gingrich,” said longtime GOP consultant Rick Wilson, who works in Florida. “That’s more of a problem for Romney than some other candidates have posed.”

But Gingrich lacks any significant campaign organization after his staff resigned en masse in June.

His fundraising dried up, and his campaign is still paying off debts from earlier this year. He also carries personal baggage - including two divorces and acknowledged infidelity - that could turn off conservative Republicans in Iowa, where voters will first choose among Romney, Gingrich and their rivals. And he has some political problems, having backed proposals now considered conservative apostasy such as an individual mandate for Americans to buy health insurance.

All that opens the way for Romney to employ a strategy he used as other, more conservative alternatives to him have risen and fallen over the past six months. As in those cases, Romney’s campaign expects the media to shine a light on Gingrich’s long record. The campaign also has spent much of the year compiling research to criticize rivals who rise to challenge him - and never stopped plotting for Gingrich despite the former speaker’s summer problems.

Romney allies say his campaign started picking up early on Gingrich’s surge by noting he was frequently the second choice among Republicans who preferred a different conservative candidate to the former Massachusetts governor. Either by coincidence or by design, other candidates also have started helping Romney. Texas Rep Ron Paul, a libertarian-leaning candidate with a big bank account, rolled out a blistering online video this week - that may eventually end up on TV - accusing Gingrich of “serial hypocrisy.”

The spot showed Gingrich alongside former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic boogeyman to Republicans. — AP

‘New Americas’ excludes US, seeks independence CARACAS: Leaders of Latin American and Caribbean nations worked yesterday to finalize an action plan for a new Americas bloc, which excludes the United States and which, according to its organizers, is designed to usher in a new era of Latin American “independence”. Led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the leaders gathered Friday at a military fort for the two-day meeting to forge the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), an alliance of 33 countries that also excludes Canada.

“We are laying down here a cornerstone of our future unity, independence and development,” Chavez said in his welcoming address.

More than 10,000 security forces are ensuring safety of the summiteers in Caracas, one of the region’s most dangerous cities. “For the first time, we will have an organization for our America. And if it works, if it’s successful, it can be considered the biggest event in our 200 years of semi-independence,” Cuban President Raul Castro said. CELAC should be a “political union to build a large power center of the 21st century,” the Venezuelan president said on the eve of the summit, pointing to strong regional growth, with many countries developing closer ties with Asia or Europe and reducing their traditional reliance on the United States.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a strong Chavez ally, said meanwhile the birth of the new

group represented a “death sentence for the Monroe Doctrine,” referring to the 1823 declaration by US president James Monroe which helped establish US power in the region. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States would obviously continue “to work through the OAS as the preeminent multilateral organization, speaking for the hemisphere.”

But another State Department spokesman, William Ostick, said the new organization could be a partner for Washington as well. “Sub-regional groupings are potentially important representatives of the hemisphere and can be useful partners for the United States,” he said. “The United States interacts with sub-regional multilateral groups as an important part of helping to constructively solve problems and engage with key actors in the region,” he said.

The summit comes as many countries celebrate 200 years of independence and a month after an IberoAmerican summit in Paraguay-including former regional colonizers Spain and Portugal.

But questions remain about the role the fledgling grouping will play in the diverse region, in the shadow of the current crisis in the European Union. On Thursday, foreign ministers adopted a democracy clause in CELAC bylaws, although there was no consensus on how the group would conduct its decision-making progress. “It provides that if a country

violates a democratic order, we would open consultations and the country could be suspended” from CELAC, said Antonio Jose Ferreira Simoes, Brazil’s vice-minister for South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

He said Brazil favored a decision-making process based on consensus. The foreign ministers also approved statements on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, nuclear weapons, food security and terror, according to Simoes. Leaders are expected to review and discuss these documents Friday and Saturday. Regional leaders proposed the new grouping in February 2010 in Mexico, more than 60 years after the start of the Organization of American States, which is based in Washington and which excludes communist Cuba.

Chavez dismissed the “old and worn-out” OAS, suggesting CELAC would eventually take its place.

OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza acknowledged CELAC would be a “natural match” for the regional organization, and expressed hope that the new group would “enhance inter-American dialogue.”

The first CELAC meeting was initially scheduled for July, but delayed after Chavez was diagnosed with cancer of an undisclosed type which he says he has since beaten. The next CELAC summit is scheduled to take place in Chile next year, followed by Cuba in 2013. — AFP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama listens as former President Bill Clinton (left) speaks at a building under construction in Washington. — AP

Clinton upstages Obama again in joint appearance WASHINGTON: Former President Bill Clinton, known for sometimes upstaging the current occupant of the White House, managed to get the last word again in a joint appearance with President Barack Obama on Friday. The White House enlisted the popular ex-president to join in a tour of a renovated Washington office building to help promote a $4 billion nationwide effort aimed at improving energy efficiency in construction and boosting job creation.

The unusual pairing served as further evidence the two have moved beyond the bitterness of the 2008 Democratic primary race and forged a warmer relationship since Clinton’s wife, former Obama rival Hillary Clinton, became secretary of state. Obama, perhaps hoping some of the former president’s high poll numbers would rub off on him in his troubled 2012 re-election bid, thanked Clinton for his time and effort. “As he pointed out, partly thanks to me, he’s home alone too often,” Obama told reporters jokingly, referring to Hillary Clinton’s frequent foreign travels as top US diplomat. Clinton, white-haired and slimmed down from his White House years, lavished praise on Obama for keeping energy conservation on his list of priorities.

But there was also a hint of lingering friction.

Alluding to Clinton’s comments about tax

increases that have been played up by the Republican camp, Obama said: “I’ve noticed that some folks on the other side have been quoting President Clinton about it’s a bad idea to raise taxes during tough economic times.” “That’s precisely why I sought to extend the payroll tax this year and next year. It doesn’t mean we lock in tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. I don’t think President Clinton has been on board for that for perpetuity,” Obama said, as Clinton smiled and nodded.

After the official statements, a reporter shouted a question to Clinton, the last twoterm Democratic president who left office with a budget surplus, on whether he had any advice for Obama on the struggling economy.

“Oh, he gives me advice all the time,” Obama responded, drawing laughter, as aides tried to usher journalists out. But Clinton stepped to the podium and held forth for a few more minutes about the economic benefits of energy efficiency. It was a reminder of how Clinton famously basked in the spotlight last December when he and Obama made an impromptu visit to the White House briefing room. The two fielded questions together and Obama then left. Clinton continued holding court for nearly a half hour more. — Reuters

Mexican ex-ruling party leader quits amid scandal MEXICO CITY: The head of Mexico’s former ruling party has resigned over a financial scandal that threatened the party’s efforts to rebrand itself as corruption-free and retake the presidency in 2012. Institutional Revolutionary Party head Humberto Moreira stepped down at a party meeting broadcast nationwide and intercut with live denunciations by opposition politicians. It was a remarkable scene in a country where the leader of the PRI once held virtually unquestioned power.

The PRI ruled Mexico for seven decades until voters angry at economic mismanagement, cronyism and corruption voted for the conservative National Action Party in the 2000 presidential race. Eleven years later, Mexicans appear to widely accept the PRI’s argument that it has learned from the past and become open and democratic. Its youthful and telegenic candidate, former Mexico State Gov. Enrique Pena Nieto, leads potential competitors by double digits in recent opinion polls on the July 2012 election.

Moreira was widely promoted as the face of the new PRI after he stepped down as governor of the northern state of Coahuila last January. He frequently appeared in national campaign ads with party candidates for key state races. Then, in July, the Coahuila legislature said the state’s total debt was four times larger than the 8.4 bil-

lion pesos ($700 million) that was reported by state officials just before Moreira stepped down.

The PAN said it suspected at least some of the public money was stolen by officials, demanding a criminal investigation into the assets of one of Moreira’s former aides.

Moreira has not clearly explained the ballooning debt figure, but has said repeatedly that the debt issue is being used by PAN as a smear campaign. For months, Pena Nieto and other powerful PRI members stood by Moreira, who repeatedly said he would not step down. Then, on Monday, Coahuila’s state treasurer was arrested on suspicion of falsifying state documents that authorized the government to seek new loans - the first criminal charges in the case.

Pena Nieto and other PRI members began distancing themselves from the party head, and on Thursday the presidential candidate told Milenio Television that the party “clearly needed to weigh the circumstances of the weakening of our party’s leader.” By Friday it was clear Moreira would be forced out. “I’ve resigned because I’m not going to allow a media war that is trying to harm our party to continue,” Moreira told party members. “I also do it because I believe in a man who is the hope for Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto.” PRI secretarygeneral Cristina Diaz was named interim president of the party.—AP

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Indian boy ‘killed for sharing higher-caste name’ LUCKNOW: A 14-year-old low-caste “untouchable” was strangled in northern India because he shared his first name with a higher-caste youth, police said yesterday. Neeraj Kumar, was allegedly kidnapped and strangled by a group of boys led by 23-year-old Neeraj Chaudhary, whose family resented the idea of the low-caste boy having the same first name, police said.

The victim’s family are Dalits-or “untouchables” as they used to be known-who occupy the lowest rung in India’s rigid caste hierarchy. Most live in

poverty and do menial, supposedly “unclean” jobs like collecting garbage. The victim’s father, Ram Sumer, a vegetable seller, said when his son was admitted to primary school, the alleged killer’s father “called me to advise me to change my son’s name because it was the same as his son’s”. Sumer said he told the father, an affluent landlord, it was too late to change the name because it had been entered in school records. “He warned me with dire consequences,” Sumer told local media.

The higher-caste family was further incensed

when Sumer named another son Dheeraj, the same as Chaudhary’s other boy. “So many names are common to so many people but Chaudhary disliked the idea because I belong to the lowest caste,” Sumer said. The victim was found dead in a forest near Raghupur village, some 200 kilometers from Uttar Pradesh state capital Lucknow. Brij Lal, police chief of India’s most populous state, said the victim was killed over “caste discrimination” last month but the murder only came to light a few days ago.

Local police superintendent, VK Singh, alleged

Chaudhary’s sons “nurtured the same hatred as their father and that apparently led them to strangle Neeraj”. Singh said two friends of the Chaudhary family had been arrested and police were searching for the two sons. “We are confident we will get them soon,” he said. Chaudhary has denied his family is responsible for the crime and has accused police of framing his sons. Caste discrimination is illegal in India but many low-caste and tribal groups are still marginalized in society, especially outside the major cities— AFP

Myanmar and rebels reach ceasefire deal Army-backed regime reaches out to opponents

BHOPAL: Survivor of the Bhopal gas tragedy, the world’s worst industrial disaster in India, and other supporters burn an effigy of London Olympic organizing committee chairman Sebastian Coe as the effigy of Indian Olympic Association’s Vijay K Malhotra is in flames during a protest in Bhopal, India. — AP

Bhopal survivors protest BHOPAL: Thousands of survivors of the world’s worst industrial accident blocked trains through a central Indian city yesterday to demand more compensation. The protest came on the 27th anniversary of the disaster in Bhopal, where a Union Carbide pesticide plant leaked lethal gas that killed an estimated 15,000 people and maimed tens of thousands more.

Activist Rachna Dhingra said police charged the protesters with sticks in trying to stop them from occupying Bhopal’s five train lines. The protesters, most of them women sitting on the tracks, threw stones at the officers and set four police jeeps and several motorcycles on fire. Several people, including a police superintendent, were injured in the stone pelting, police said.

Eight women were detained, activists said.

Trains were backed up and halted on most lines through much of yesterday, including the route between Delhi and the southern city of Chennai.

The five Bhopal victims’ rights groups that organized the protest demanded that Dow Chemicals, which bought Union Carbide in 2001, pay $8.1 billion in compensation for more than 500,000 people exposed to the leak. The activists called off plans to continue the protest Sunday, after the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh state, where Bhopal is located, promised to back their campaign and lobby the prime minis-

ter for his support. The protesters - shouting slogans including “We want compensation” - said India’s government accepted far too little in a 1985 settlement for $470 million, after initially asking for $3.3 billion.

The government is seeking an additional $1.7 billion for the victims from Dow, and activists accuse the US company of not cleaning up oil and groundwater contamination in Bhopal. Meanwhile, Dow has maintained that the issue was resolved by the $470 million settlement. “When the moment came to ask for rights for compensation, why this betrayal? The government has undermined the victims,” Dhingra said. Bhopal activists and survivors are also calling for Dow Chemicals to be dropped as a sponsor of the 2012 London Olympics. On Friday, about 200 protesters marched to the now-abandoned plant and burned effigies of two Olympic officials.

At least 21 Indian Olympic athletes have urged the organizers of the London Games to end Dow’s sponsorship, which includes a curtain-style wrap around a stadium where some Olympic events will be held. A few officials have even called for India to boycott the Olympics, but the government has said it has no plans to skip the Games, while London Olympic organizers say they will not change their position on Dow’s sponsorship.— AP

LUCKNOW: A man uses a tablecloth to fend off snakes scattered in an office room. Two Indian farmers fed up with alleged bribery demands emptied three bags filled with slithering snakes in a busy tax office in northern India, an official said Wednesday. — AP

Three NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan KABUL: Three troops from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, officials said. ISAF did not say which country the dead troops were from or give further details of the incident, in line with policy.

There are around 140,000 international troops in Afghanistan fighting a Talebanled insurgency, 100,000 of them from the United States. “ Three International Security Assistance Force members died following an improvised explosive device attack in eastern Afghanistan today,” a spokesman for the NATO-led ISAF said.

Many of the decade-long Afghan war’s worst fighting takes place in eastern Afghanistan, which is close to the border with Pakistan. Pakistan closed its supply routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed by a NATO air strike last Saturday close to the mountainous, porous border, provoking a major diplomatic row between Islamabad and Washington.

The latest incident takes to 542 the number of coalition troops k illed in Afghanistan this year, according to an AFP

tally based on that kept by independent website iCasualties.org. A total of 711 foreign troops were killed in Afghanistan last year, the highest annual total yet in the decade-long war triggered by a US-led invasion in 2001 which ousted the Taleban from power. Amid declining support for the war and fragile economies in the West, all foreign combat troops are due to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, by which time Afghan forces and officials are set to be in control of the country.

However, a substantial foreign troop mission training Afghan security forces is expected to remain beyond that time. A major international conference on the future of Afghanistan takes place in the German city of Bonn Monday. The meeting is set to discuss the process of transition from foreign to Afghan control of the country, the international community’s long-term role in Afghanistan and badly stalled efforts to promote reconciliation with insurgents. But the event is set to be clouded by the absence of Pakistan, which is boycotting it in protest at the NATO air strike which killed its soldiers.— AFP

YANGON: Myanmar has reached a ceasefire deal with one of the war-torn country’s major ethnic guerrilla groups, a mediator said yesterday, in the latest sign the new army-backed regime is reaching out to its opponents.

The pact was signed Friday by representatives of the Shan State Army South and the local government in the northeastern state, Hla Maung Shwe, founder of the civil societ y group M yanmar Egress, who witnessed the agreement said.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Myanmar government or the Shan State Army,

but the Irrawaddy news website, run by journalists in exile, said the agreement in the Shan State capital of Taunggyi also included government assurances of economic development and joint effor ts against drugs. It said the next step would be negotiations with the central government. The country formerly known as Burma has made a series of reformist moves in the past year-releasing democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, holding dialogue with the opposition and freeing some political prisoners.

Elections last year brought a nominally civilian government to

power, but it retains close links with the army. Civil war has wracked par ts of the countr y since its independence in 1948, and an end to the conflicts, as well as alleged human rights abuses involving government troops, is a key demand of the international communit y. The Shan State Army South has been one of the biggest rebel forces still battling the government, with thousands of guerrilla fighters mostly stationed near the border with Thailand.

Myanmar’s leaders last month held peace talks near the ThaiMyanmar border with several ethnic

groups fighting a long-running struggle for autonomy and rights, according to people involved. “They (the Shan State Army South) are the first group who signed the peace agreement among the five groups that we have met,” Hla Maung Shwe said. He said Myanmar’s Railways Minister Aung Min was present as a witness while the Shan rebel delegation was headed by Brigadier General Sai Luu. Mediators were also trying to reach peace agreements with the Karen National Union, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Chin National Front and the Karenni National Progressive Party, he added.— AFP

As NATO leave, Afghans turn to people smugglers KABUL: At a bustling Kabul market, people smugglers are making a quick buck out of Afghans increasingly desperate to buy a new life in Europe before NATO combat forces leave in 2014. Ordinary people pay up to $13,000 for the chance to embark on a long and perilous journeyhiding in truck chassis, stowing away on boats or trekking across mountains-that they hope will take them to a better life.

At Shahzada money exchange market between Kabul’s oldest mosque and its foul-smelling river, middlemen ply their trade among the din of currency exchangers shouting out their latest rates and brandishing wads of notes. Shamim Assir, 20, a thin man with a pale face and trimmed black beard from Logar, south of Kabul, is here to chase up a Turkish visa, which he paid for three months ago but has still not materialized. “I want to leave my home for a better life, the life is horrible in Logar,” he says. “The security situation is worsening day after day, there is no work for us, we cannot even roam around freely, there is no future,” he adds, lines wrinkling his young face.

“In Logar, if you work for the government, the Taleban will arrest you or even kill you. You either work for them or get beaten or killed.” He says that one of his friends was beaten to death by the Taleban for working for the government. Shamim is among thousands of Afghans who want to leave the country before foreign soldiers do, even though many people are baying for the departure of American forces, blaming much of the violence on their presence. There are currently around 140,000 international troops in Afghanistan and all NATO-led combat forces are due to leave by the end of 2014.

Suicide bombings, improvised explosive devices and other attacks already kill hundreds of civilians every year, but many Afghans worry that security will worsen after 2014, or even that civil war could reignite. There has been a surge of Afghans leaving the country in the last five years, Afghanistan’s refugee ministry says. The UN refugee agency UNHCR says that in 2010, more of the world’s refugees came from Afghanistan than any other country.

It adds there are more than three million Afghan refugees in 75 countries. Three in 10 of all the world’s refugees come from Afghanistan, which was wracked by war even before a US-led invasion ousted the Taleban in 2001.

Most of those who leave go to Pakistan or Iran, but some borrow cash or hand over their life savings in the hope of a better life further afield. “If you want to go to Turkey, you have to pay $4,000 to get your visa but it will cost you $13,000 if you want to reach Europe via Ukraine and Russia,” says one trader at the market, speaking on condition of anonymity. “This year, the number of asylum seekers has been on the rise. Most of those who come here are very young, in their 20s,” he says, claiming to have a waiting list of 2,000 Afghans willing to take on dangerous journeys to escape.

“If you pay less, you have to take a bus from Kabul to Iran via Nimruz province in western Afghanistan and then be smuggled to Turkey, Greece, France or Germany,” he said. He adds that there are several dozen middlemen like him working at the Shahzada market alone. The journey to mainland Europe can take months or even years-many never reach their destination, getting arrested and deported along the way or succumbing to other perils.

Some walk for weeks across the treacherous mountains of Iran, west of Afghanistan, towards Turkey, before crossing by land through Eastern Europe, or by sea to Greece and Italy.

In January, a ship reportedly carrying around 260 mostly Afghan asylum seekers to Italy sank near the Greek island of Corfu, killing around 20 people. When the Taleban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, there was a mass exodus of Afghans to Pakistan, Iran and the West as they sought to escape a harsh and violent style of government. After a US-led invasion toppled the Taleban in 2001, millions returned in the hope of a better life. But in recent months, the number of Afghans coming back to their homeland has slowed sharply-UNHCR says the figure for the first 10 months of this year was 60,000, compared with more than 100,000 in the same period last year. Meanwhile, the young men in the money market are simply desperate to get out, despite the hardships that await them. Hamidullah, 29, recently fled to Turkey but was detained by police there for a month before being sent back to Afghanistan. He said he spent weeks walking most of the way, pausing only to rest in shipping containers en route. —AFP

SEOUL: Ma Soon-Hee, one of the counselor at the 24-hour call centre for North Korean defectors, answers a call in Seoul. — AFP

N Korean refugees try to adapt to the ‘new world’ SEOUL: From an office in Seoul’s glitzy financial district, eight counselors on the end of a phone line try to help refugees from North Korea make sense of a bewildering new world. The call centre run by the North Korean Refugees Foundation opened in May on an experimental basis and now gets an average 1,120 calls a month-a sign of the problems that refugees face adjusting to the competitive capitalist South.

For decades after the 1950-53 Korean War, the South saw just a trickle of arrivals from its impoverished hardline socialist neighbor. In recent years, there has been a steady stream. Of the 23,700 to arrive since 1953, some 10,000 came in the past four years. All new arrivals must spend three months in the Hanawon government resettlement centre, where they get job training and learn basic survival skills-such as how to buy a subway ticket or use a credit card.

They also get financial and housing support upon leaving. “They get education at Hanawon for three months, but many times that’s not enough because the system is so different in the South,” said Ma Soon-Hee, who herself fled the North. “Adjusting to the capitalist system is the most difficult. Defectors often have a hard time understanding that they have to work hard to earn more, and that people get different levels of salaries.”

Some people who left family in the North sometimes say they think of going back because they feel lonely and find it hard to make a living in the South, she told AFP. “Life can be hard for people who were allotted food, work and money for their entire lives in the North.... The freedom they get after coming here can be tarnished by harsh reality,” Ma said. The centre operates round the clock every day of the year. Many callers seek aid with employment, housing and resettlement funds because they find regulations too complicated. Counselors field calls on what kind of government aid exists and whether the caller qualifies to receive it.

There are some odder requests. One woman asked where she could buy cab-

bages and other ingredients to make kimchi, Korea’s national dish.

Another asked about her marital status. She has family in North Korea but fled by herself, and wondered whether she would be considered single in the South.

Almost all refugees cross the border into China but face repatriation if discovered there. Those seeking to come to South Korea must first travel on to Southeast Asian nations. Ma was once contacted by two North Korean sisters in Thailand, who asked her to phone a Korean consulate so they could stay there pending a flight. She was able to help and the sisters later arrived in the South.

Four of the counselors were born in South Korea and four are former refugees. They are paired to work together. Ma, now 61, fled the North in 1998 and spent five years in China before coming to the South in 2003. “When I first came here, there was no such thing as education. We were turned loose into society immediately and I was confused at first,” she said. “Now they have a much better system and the situation is definitely improving, but I still feel the need for people to get support.” A July report from the International Crisis Group think-tank starkly spelt out the problems, saying almost all refugees fail to integrate or thrive. New arrivals on average were significantly smaller, more poorly educated, less healthy and less likely to have useful skills, but must adapt to a country where credentials and networks are essential to find jobs. Coming from a country where an all-powerful bureaucracy makes almost all life decisions, they “describe a bewildering rush of modernity, consumption and choice that rapidly overwhelms them”, the report said. It called for a new approach by Seoul’s government including tough laws to prevent discrimination.

“The difficulties of handling just over 20,000 refugees over a few decades should be a warning to those who wish to encourage the collapse of the North rather than a more gentle integration,” the report said.— AFP

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NEWS Did Conficker sabotage Iran nuke program?

Continued from Page 1 matter was too sensitive to discuss. The White House and the FBI declined to comment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which oversees Israel’s intelligence agencies, also declined comment.

If Bumgarner’s findings, which couldn’t be independently confirmed, are correct then it shows that the United States and Israel may have a far more sophisticated cyber-warfare program than previously thought. It could also be a warning to countries other than Iran that they might be vulnerable to attacks. His account leaves unresolved several mysteries. These include the severity of the damage that the program inflic ted on Iran’s uranium enrichment facility, whether other facilities in Iran were targeted and the possibility that there were other as yet unidentified pieces of malware used in the same program.

Bumgarner - who wrote a highly praised analysis of Russia’s 2008 cyber assault on Republic of Georgia says he identified Conficker’s link to Stuxnet only after spending more than a year researching the attack on Iran and dissecting hundreds of samples of malicious code. He is well regarded by some in the security community. “He is a smart man,” said Tom Kellermann, an advisor to the Obama Administration on cyber security policy and the chief technology officer of a company called AirPatrol.

His analysis challenges a common belief that Conficker was built by an Eastern European criminal gang to engage in financial fraud. The worm’s latent state had been a mystery for some time. It appears never to have been activated in the computers it infected, and security experts have speculated that the program was abandoned by those who created it because they feared getting caught after Conficker was subjected to intense media scrutiny.

Bumgarner’s work could deepen understanding of how Stuxnet’s commanders ran the cyber operation that last year sabotaged an underground facility at Natanz, where Iranian scientists are enriching uranium using thousands of gas centrifuges. He provided Reuters with his timeline of the attack, which indicates it began earlier than previously thought. He said that it was planned using data stolen with early versions of Duqu, a data stealing tool that experts recently discovered and are still trying to understand. The operation ended earlier-than-planned after the attackers got caught because they were moving too quickly and sloppiness led to errors.

The view that Stuxnet was built by the United States and Israel was laid out in a Jan 2011 New York Times report that said it came from a joint program begun around 2004 to undermine Iran’s efforts to build a bomb. That article said the program was originally authorized by US President George W Bush, and then accelerated by his successor, Barack Obama. The first reports that the United States and Israel were behind Stuxnet were greeted skeptically. There are still a handful of prominent cyber security experts, including Jeffrey Carr, the author of the book “Inside Cyber Warfare: Mapping the Cyber Underworld”, who dispute the US-Israel idea. He says that circumstantial evidence paints a convincing case that China was behind Stuxnet.

Some also question Bumgarner’s findings. “He is making assertions that have no basis in fact. Anything is possible, but the empirical evidence doesn’t show any linkage between the two,” said Paul “Fergie” Ferguson, senior threat researcher with security software maker Trend Micro. He was among a group of researchers from dozens of companies who teamed up in 2009 and spent months studying Conficker. That group concluded it was impossible to determine who was behind the worm.

Ferguson said on Friday he believed Conficker was likely the work of criminals in eastern Europe, based on similarities in the coding of Conficker and previously discovered types of malware. According to Bumgarner’s account, Stuxnet’s operators started doing reconnaissance in 2007, using Duqu, which spied on makers of components used in Iran’s nuclear and critical infrastructure facilities. In Nov 2008, Conficker was let loose and it quickly spread, attacking millions of PCs around the world. Its initial task was to infect a machine and “phone home” with its location. If it was at a strategic facility in Iran, the attackers tagged that PC as a target. The release left millions of untagged machines infec ted with Conficker around the world, but no damage was done to them.

In March 2009, Bumgarner says, the attackers released a new, more powerful version of Conficker that started the next phase of the attack on April 1 by downloading Stuxnet onto the targeted PCs. After it completed that task, Conficker’s mission on those

machines was complete. It took Bumgarner months to conclude that Conficker was created by the authors of Stuxnet. First, he noticed that the two pieces of malware were both written with unprecedented sophistication, which caused him to suspect they were related. He also found that infection rates for both were far higher in Iran than the United States and that both spread by exploiting the same vulnerability in Windows.

He did more digging, comparing date and time stamps on different versions of Conficker and Stuxnet, and found a correlation - key dates related to their development and deployment overlapped. That helped him identify April Fool’s Day, April 1, 2009, as the launch date for the attack. Bumgarner believes the attackers picked that date to send a message to Iran’s leaders. It marked the 30th anniversary of the declaration of an Islamic republic by Ayatollah Khomeini after a national referendum.

He also identified two other signals hidden in the Stuxnet code, based on the dates when key modules were compiled, or translated from programming text into a piece of software that could run on a computer.

One coincided with a day when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his nation would pursue its nuclear program despite international objections, and another with the day that he made a highly controversial appearance at Columbia University in New York.

The operators communicated with Stuxnet-infected computers over the Internet through servers using fake football websites that they built as a front for their operation: www.mypremier futbol.com and www.todaysfutbol.com. If Iranian authorities noticed that traffic, they would be deceived into assuming it was from football fans, rather than suspect that something was awry, Bumgarner said.

Once Conficker had pulled Stuxnet into computers in Iran there was still one big hurdle, he said. Those infected computers weren’t yet in the target - the underground uranium enrichment facility at Natanz.

Getting the virus in there was one of the trickiest parts of the operation. Computers controlling the rapidly rotating gas centrifuges were cut off from the Internet. The best way to attack was to put the malware on a device like a USB thumb drive, and then get somebody to connect that drive to the system controlling the centrifuges.

Stuxnet was programmed to automatically jump from an infected PC to a USB drive as soon as it was put into a computer. That was the easy part. Getting somebody to be a human “mule” by bringing that USB drive to Natanz and plugging it into the right machine was a logistical nightmare. It was impossible to predict when somebody with an infected USB drive would visit the plant. It could take a week or it might be six months. “It’s a painstakingly slow game of chess,” said Bumgarner. “They had to keep making moves and countermoves until they reached the centrifuges. Then it was checkmate.” That was probably delivered by somebody who regularly visited the facility and had reason to share information electronically - an academic affiliated with an engineering program at one of Iran’s universities or a worker at a company that provided technology to the facility, according to Bumgarner. He or she was almost certainly unaware of what was happening, he said.

Bumgarner is not sure when Stuxnet first hit Natanz, but suspects that early versions only did limited damage. He believes the attackers grew impatient with the pace at which it was damaging the facility and as a result they performed the cyber equivalent of injecting steroids into Stuxnet, adding modules to make it spread faster and inflict more damage. They deployed an enhanced version in January 2010, and two months later an even more power ful one.

Bumgarner believes the juiced-up malware was effective in damaging the centrifuges. But just as steroids have side effects on humans, so the additional modules had a negative impact on the malware: They started causing infected machines to act abnormally.

A then- obscure security firm k nown as VirusBlokAda in Belarus reported that it discovered Stuxnet after a piece of the souped-up virus made a computer in Iran behave erratically. International investigations followed, which eventually uncovered the attacks on Natanz. “It blew their operation wide open,” says Bumgarner. Yet its creators may still have other irons in the fire, thanks to Conficker, which lies dormant in millions of PCs around the globe in strategic locations such as Iran, China, Russia, India and Pakistan. “Conficker represents the largest cyber army in the world,” Bumgarner said. “These soldiers are just waiting for their next mission. — Reuters

Egypt Islamists sweep polls in early results Continued from Page 1 He stressed that the group’s new Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) was distinct from the Salafists, who he said had been a surprisingly success in the polls. “We hope that people make a difference between different movements and don’t put all Islamists in the same basket,” he added.

Full results after the first round which saw 62 percent turnout - were initially meant to have been published on Wednesday but have been held back by the electoral commission. There appeared few bright spots for the liberal secular movement which played a key role in the overthrow of the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak in February after an 18-day uprising. It has splintered and been overshadowed by the more organised Brotherhood, which is well known to Egyptians because of its decades of opposition to the Mubarak regime and its extensive charitable and social work.

Mohammed Abdel Ghani, a liberal candidate, told the independent AlShorouq newspaper that his movement needed to counter propaganda that “non-Islamist candidates were infidels”.

In Cairo, the rising star of the movement, Amr Hemzawi, won a seat in the upmarket Heliopolis dis-

trict, but elsewhere leading figures of the revolution were either struggling or had been beaten. In Tahrir Square, the epicentre of protests against Mubarak, demonstrators returned last week to protest against the military rulers who took over when the strongman quit, but their numbers dwindled to a few hundred yesterday. “Everyone that we had faith in has betrayed us,” 25-year-old protester Mohammed El-Assas told AFP. According to independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm, no women were elected in the first round. One of them, Nihal Aahdi, told the paper it was because “religious parties dominate Egyptian society and the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists dominated the results”. It was only the opening phase of a parliamentary election that is taking place in three stages, but the returns reveal the political trends that will shape the country’s transition to democracy.

For the lower house of parliament, the rest of the country will vote in a further two stages later this month and in January. An upper house will then be elected in another three stages. Voters are required to pass three votes for the new lower house: two for individual candidates and one for a party or coalition. All but four of the individual contests in this week’s election will go into a

run-off scheduled for Monday because no candidate gained an outright majority.

The prospect of an Islamist-dominated parliament raises fears among liberals about civil liberties, religious freedom in a country with the Middle East’s largest Christian minority, and tolerance of multi-party democracy.

Jeannette Bougrab, a junior French minister with responsibility for youth, told a newspaper Saturday that the success of Islamic parties in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia in recent elections was “worrying”. “I don’t know of any moderate Islam,” the Algerian-origin politician told Le Parisien. “There are no half measures with sharia.”

The Brotherhood and other political parties are expected to face a fierce power struggle for control with the army which took over when Mubarak stepped down. Their rise is also expected to raise fears in Israel, which shares a border with Egypt and a peace agreement signed in 1979. Militant Palestinian group Hamas, which enjoyed a landslide win in 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, said the success of Islamist parties in Egypt was a “a very good result”. “It will mean more and more support for Palestinian issues,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP. — Agencies

UNAWATUNA, Sri Lanka: Red Bull pilot Peter Besenyei of Hungary performs during the Red Bull Air Show yesterday. The Red Bull air show comes as tourism increases in the country. Sri Lanka greeted 53,636 tourists in June 2011, 20 percent more than a year earlier, mainly driven by visitors from India and East Asia. — AFP

Six Yemenis killed as clashes rage in Taez Continued from Page 1 A third gunman was later killed by sniper fire in Wadi Al-Qadi, while four civilians, including a woman, were wounded, witnesses said.

Yesterday’s casualties took the death toll from clashes and bombardments by government forces since Thursday to 31, after nine people, including a young girl, two soldiers and a colonel, were killed on Friday. On Thursday, 16 others died, among them five soldiers and three gunmen. The escalation of violence came hot on the heels of an order by Hadi late on Friday to cease fire and negotiate a pullout of troops and militiamen from Taez.

Gunmen backing anti-Saleh protesters control the centre of Taez and most of its streets, while government forces have taken up position on hills within the city and on its outskirts.

Witnesses said forces loyal to Saleh pounded most neighbourhoods in Taez yesterday, while clashes raged in western parts of the city, including Al-Hasab, Beir Basha, Wadi al-Qadi and Al-Murur.

The bloodshed sparked recrimina-

tions between the government and parliamentary opposition, which signed the hard-won accord in Riyadh that had raised hopes of an end to 10 months of violence.

Prime minister-designate Mohammed Basindawa, chosen by the opposition to head a government of national unity under the power transfer agreement, has threatened to resign unless the loyalist offensive against Taez stops.

And opposition spokesman Mohammed Qahtan accused Saleh loyalists of blocking the formation of a key commission tasked with restructuring the security forces, many branches of which are under the command of Saleh’s relatives.

Hadi late on Friday ordered the governor of Taez to begin talks with the Common Forum opposition aimed at reaching a ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops and militias from the city. Governor Hammoud Al-Sufi agreed with representatives of the Common Forum on a truce starting at 02:00 pm (1100 GMT ), in addition to withdrawing military units and gunmen according to mechanism to be agreed, Saba news agency said.

Hadi now holds the constitutional powers of Saleh who last month in Riyadh signed the Gulf-brokered deal under which his powers were passed on to his deputy, although he remains honorary president for three months.

Qahtan told AFP yesterday that Hadi’s directives were not enough, calling again for the formation of the military commission as stipulated in the Riyadh agreement. The opposition will not present its nominees for a national unity government until the commission is formed, he said. Meanwhile, local residents took action to try to stem the flow of military supplies to proSaleh troops from regions surrounding Taez, which lies 270 km southwest of Sanaa.

In Al-Raheeda, 30 km south of Taez, locals, including women and children, staged a sit-in on the main road obstructing a military convoy heading to Taez from the Anad base in Lahij, witnesses said. Fresh protests also broke out in the capital Sanaa for Saleh to be put on trial, despite a Gulf-tailored peace deal which granted him immunity from prosecution. — AFP

25 die as defectors battle Syria forces Continued from Page 1 Many of the sanctions announced last Sunday by Syria’s Arab neighbors went into effect immediately, including cutting off transactions with the Syrian central bank, halting Arab government funding for projects in Syria and freezing government assets.

The worst violence yesterday took place in the restive northwestern city of Idlib. The predawn clashes between regime forces and defectors killed seven soldiers and policemen, as well as five defectors and three civilians, according to a British-based group of Syrian activists called the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Elsewhere, security forces killed one civilian in the southern province of Daraa, six in the central region of Homs and three others in areas near Idlib, the observatory said.

The UN’s top human rights official said this week that Syria is in a state of civil war and that more than 4,000 people have been killed since March. Until recently, most of the bloodshed in Syria was caused by security forces firing on mainly peaceful protesters, but there have been growing reports of army defectors and armed civilians fighting regime forces. November was the deadliest month of the uprising, with at least 950 people killed in gun battles, raids and other violence, according to activist groups.

In the west of the country, Syrian troops detained at least 27 people in the village of Talkalakh on the border with Lebanon and set fire to the homes of nine activists who were on the run, the observatory said. Talkalakh is within walking distance from Lebanon, and at least two Lebanese civilians were struck by bullets on their side of

the border on Friday. Witnesses said that they had heard hours of explosions and heavy machine-gun fire coming from the village.

The country’s state-run SANA news agency confirmed the arrests in Talkalakh, saying that those detained were “terrorists” involved in smuggling weapons, drugs and bringing in fighters from Lebanon. The regime has consistently blamed armed gangs acting out a foreign conspiracy for Syria’s unrest. The opposition activists reject that and say they are pushing for Assad’s ouster in hopes of breaking open the nation’s closed political scene. The reports of new violence could not be independently confirmed. The regime has sealed the country off from foreign journalists and prevented independent reporting.

In Daraa, “special forces clashed with armed terrorist groups trying to attack security centers in rural parts of the province. One of the gunmen was killed in the exchange of fire,” SANA reported. “Special forces also clashed with armed terrorists in Idlib after they tried to attack a public roads building and several security detachments. Special forces were able to kill one of the gunmen and wound a number of others. One member of the security forces was injured.”

Army engineers in Hama disabled two improvised explosive devices planted in the city, the agency reported. The SANA correspondent said a source told the agency two other IEDs had exploded, one when a security patrol was passing near a sports stadium, injuring two. The second IED explosion caused no injuries. In Lattakia, an IED exploded in front of an electrical workshop, starting a fire in which two people died, the agency reported. — Agencies

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Washington Watch

Turkey’s changing regional role

By Dr James J Zogby n just one year, relations between the United States and Turkey have moved from tension to cooperation. This was the focus of remarks by a Turkish journalist speaking at the opening session at the second convention of the Turkic American Alliance. After reviewing the differences in the bilateral relationship, then and now, he asked rather pointedly, “What happened to account for this change and where will it lead us?”

The journalist recalled that when he had appeared at the group’s founding conference, in 2010, relations were at an alltime low. Turkey had broken with Israel over its blockade of Gaza and its deadly assault on the Gaza-bound flotilla. And the US was none too happy with Turkey’s efforts to negotiate a compromise that might ease international concerns with Iran’s nuclear program. In reaction, Congress and the Administration had been harshly critical of Turkish “meddling” and Turkey’s new “anti-Israel” bent.

Today, in contrast, relations seem warmer than ever.

President Obama and Prime Minister Erdogan speak often, as do their respective staffs, and there appears to be some degree of cooperation in dealing with critical regional issues from the continuing conflict roiling Syria to the imminent departure of US forces from Iraq. What happened to account for this change?

In short, it was the “Arab Spring”, and the difficulties the US has had finding its way through the maze created by the region’s new political realities. What were constants have now become variables changing the Arab World’s landscape.

All this has occurred at a difficult time for the United States.

Despite its economic and military dominance, the ability of the US to maneuver in this changing environment has been hampered by several factors. First and foremost, has been the damage done by the Bush Administration’s reckless and deadly war in Iraq which created deep resentment across the Arab World, tarnished the American image, and emboldened and empowered Iran. Add to that the failure of the Bush Administration to act to halt Israel’s four bloody wars against Lebanon (2006) and the Palestinians (West Bank in 2002 and Gaza in 2006 and 2009), which only deepened Arab anger at the US And finally, despite President Obama’s intention to change direction, Israeli intransigence and the deep partisan split in Washington have repeatedly frustrated his efforts. This obstruction culminated, last May, in the GOP’s invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to humiliate the President before Congress.

As a result, at the onset of the Arab Spring US policy in the Middle East was adrift. One by one allies had fallen or were at risk, and Washington found itself in a bind. The Administration could talk about supporting popular revolts, but it knew all too well that should the revolts succeed the resulting transformation would only complicate further the US’s already difficult situation in the Arab World. Furthermore, Washington’s “unshakable” bond with Israel, had, in effect, “taken it out of the game” reducing its ability to play a meaningful regional role.

It was at this point that Syria exploded. Like the US, Turkey was also caught off-guard by the unfolding Arab Spring. They, too, initially meandered in response to developments in Egypt and Libya. But with their southern neighbor boiling over, Turkey made a determined effort to intervene: first urging reform, then negotiations, then demanding an end to the bloodshed, before finally embracing the opposition, giving up on the Assad regime, and announcing far-reaching sanctions against their one-time ally. The US now appears to be deferring to Turkey as an invaluable ally in handling the Syria file for one important reason. As a result of its demonstrated support for Palestinians, Turkey has earned “street cred” in the Arab World, while the US has none. Turkey can meet with the Arab League as a partner, the US cannot, and Turkey can house and endorse the Syrian opposition in a way that the US cannot.

But several cautionary notes are in order. Turkey cannot overplay its hand in Syria. It is neither the “leader of the Arabs”, nor does it, I believe, intend to play that role. It is true, as our recent polling demonstrates that Turkey’s standing is quite high across the Arab region. But that is not an invitation for Turkey to reassert a new “Ottomanism”. In fact, our polls also suggest that Turkey may be but a “placeholder. When Arabs are asked who is currently playing a leadership role, they respond “Turkey”. But when asked who they want to lead, Arabs say “Egypt”. Turkey is respected, but as a regional partner, not as an Arab leader.

Secondly, Turkey must be careful not to allow either hubris or frustration or external pressure to force it to get dragged too deeply into a Syrian quagmire. Some Syrian oppositionists may want Turkey to militarily intervene in Syria, but that might prove to be a fatal mistake. It would exacerbate an already bloody conflict causing even more killings and unrest in an already unstable region, and would compromise Turkey’s hard won regional credibility. The wiser course would be for Turkey to resist these pressures and to continue to work in concert with the Arab League to insist that the Syrian regime enter into negotiations leading to broad reform and an orderly transfer of power. The Ba’ath leadership may be arrogant and frustratingly blind to the problems they have created for themselves and their country; but that should not provide the pretext for an overreach in response.

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NOTE: Dr James J Zogby is the President of the Arab American Institute.

All articles appearing on these pages are the personal opinion of the writers. Kuwait Times takes no responsibility for views expressed therein. Kuwait Times invites readers to voice their opinions. Please send submissions via email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.

Egypt election sends shiver through Israel

By Crispian Balmer eeling vindicated but vulnerable, Israel is preparing for a more precarious future with neighbour Egypt where Islamist power appears to be a rising tide forecast by Israeli leaders at the beginning of Arab unrest 10 months ago. Already preoccupied with the nuclear ambitions of Iran, the widely predicted electoral triumph for mainstream and ultraconservative Islamist groups in Egypt has strengthened the sense of encirclement in the militarily powerful Jewish state.

Ministers have stayed silent about the vote, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already made clear that Israel may soon have to increase defence spending to face the challenge of growing Islamisation across the Arab world.

“The government is obviously very worried by what it has seen since the start of the Arab Spring,” said Shlomo Brom, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. “When Israelis think of Islamic governments, the model they see in their eyes is the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said, adding that it was far from clear how an Egypt controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood would look.

Founded in 1928 and long seen as Egypt’s most organised political force, the Brotherhood talks the same language as other reformists when it comes to the need for democracy, and independent judiciary and social justice. But its critics say such language masks the group’s goal of turning Egypt into an Islamic state by stealth. Israel’s regional strategy is underpinned by its 33-year-old peace deal with Egypt, enabling the country to scale back dramatically its military budget and helping it maintain the status quo in its troubled relations with the Palestinians.

Egypt under ousted former president Hosni Mubarak also provided Israel with 40 percent of its gas needs and played a vital role in limiting the supply of weapons to the Islamist group Hamas, which rules the Palestinian Territory of Gaza. “To have the biggest Arab country taken over by the Muslim Brotherhood is not good news. They will be more hostile, but not to the

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point of breaking the peace deal,” said Uri Dromi, a spokesman for former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Some elements of the relationship have already sagged. The gas pipeline has been repeatedly blown up in an increasingly lawless Sinai, the Israeli embassy in Cairo was mobbed by protesters in September and Egypt’s ties with Hamas are warming.

Israel urged the United States to do more to bolster Mubarak in his final days, and resentment still lingers over the West’s perceived failure not to have propped up his unpopular regime. “All the demons have come out now,” wrote Guy Bechor, head of the Middle East Division at Israel’s Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, predicting growing extremism across the region. “The strong Israeli economy has enormous weight. It makes it possible for us to arm in such a way that no Arab side can afford to, and it is the almost sole guarantee for our stability,” he added in an uncompromising analysis.

Following the deaths of eight Israelis in a cross-border attack by militants in August, the government has already decided to speed up plans to build a security fence along the length of its 266-km desert frontier with Egypt. As tensions with Iran grow ever higher and neighbouring Syria sinks ever deeper into violence, Netanyahu has warned that more money might be diverted into the defence budget, which accounts for a substantial seven percent of the economy. “The security threats to Israel are growing and soon we will need to decide about the defence budget, both in order to strengthen active defence systems ... and to strengthen physical defences,” he told a parliamentary committee last month.

A jittery Israel is also at pains not to aggravate the Arab world, however, going as far as to delay demolition of a rickety footbridge at Jerusalem’s holiest and most volatile religious site, fearing the work could spark Muslim anger. “ There were repor ts in the Egyptian media that if Israel were to undertake unilateral steps, that the hate at Tahrir Square would be turned against (Israel),” an Israeli official said last week, referring to Cairo’s main public protest site.

Hamas, viewed as a terrorist group by Israel and much of the West, predicts that with its ideological partners gaining significant ground in Egypt, Israel and the world will have to be much more receptive to Islamist sensitivities in future. “The Hamas movement feels revived today,” said group spokesman Fawzi Barhoum, arguing that if the international community was ready to work with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, then it could no longer justify snubbing Hamas. “Today the world should open a new chapter in dealing with Hamas movement,” he said, predicting that moderate Islamist groups that were gaining ground across North Africa would strengthen the position of the Palestinian movement.

Rather than accommodating Hamas, Western allies want Israel to take bold steps towards peacemaking with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose secular Fatah movement is looking increasingly out of place in the changing Arab order. In an unusually blunt public statement on Friday, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urged Israel to get back to the “damn” negotiating table and take steps to address what he described as its growing isolation in the Middle East.

Peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis broke down last year in a dispute over continued Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

Repeated US efforts to break the deadlock have failed, with Netanyahu refusing to bow to a Palestinian demand that he halt the construction work. Senior INSS researcher Brom said with Egypt’s election process underway, Israel should try and seize the initiative. “It can’t just sit and wait. There are no guarantees that we can get an agreement, but we have to show the Arab Street that we are making an effort,” he said. But such a move looks unlikely, with a significant slice of Israeli society increasingly downbeat about striking a land-for-peace deal with Palestinians given the rise of political Islam. “Why establish now yet another Arab country, when its sister countries are all disintegrating one after the other? The Arab Spring came along and buried the idea of a Palestinian state,” said Herzliya’s Bechor. — Reuters

Gingrich plays role of spoiler in race

By Emmanuel Parisse ormer Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich emerged from oblivion last week to play the role of spoiler in the Republican nomination race, robbing Mitt Romney of his frontrunner status.

Gingrich, a longtime force in the Republican Party, received 38 percent support from respondents in a Thursday Rasmussen survey of likely Republican primary voters, more than twice the support given to Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, who had been deemed by many to be the default frontrunner.

That lead is the biggest attained by any Republican candidate so far in the roiling pre-primary jockeying that has seen several contenders claim the top spot to challenge Democrat President Barack Obama in next November’s elections, only to fall back a few weeks later. Most surprising, however, is the huge gap separating Gingrich and Romney, who earned just 17 percent in the poll. Romney consistently has been among the top contenders throughout the pre -primar y season. But in Rasmussen’s national survey of 1,000 people he appears to have lost a great deal of ground to Gingrich. No other candidates received double -digit suppor t, the poll showed.

The result confirms a Quinnipiac University survey of Republican voters that showed Gingrich pulling ahead of Romney by a commanding 49 percent versus 39 percent. “His reemergence was a huge surprise to everyone except maybe to him,” said John Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna University. “He has enormous self-confidence, and this is one case in which it proved to be justified.”

Faced with this new threat, Romney began to adjust his rhetoric. “He and I have very different backgrounds,” Romney told Fox television. “He spent his last 30 or 40 years in Washington. I spent my career in the private sector. I think that’s what the country needs right now.” The Iowa caucuses, the first test for Republican candidates, will be held on Jan 3. So far,

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Romney has failed to convince the Republican base to give him stronger support.

Gingrich is the latest in a long list of Republicans to win over public opinion. Since he announced his candidacy in May, he has seen the ups and downs of other candidates such as Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain.

“It’s a search for an alternative to Romney - a real conservative,” said political analyst Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution. “ They have gone through everyone else, now it’s Newt’s turn.”

The nex t confrontation between Romney and Gingrich took place yesterday night during a debate televised by Fox News. Gingrich, 68, is a former speaker of the House of Representatives and an architect of the Republican legislative victory in 1994 under the presidenc y of Democrat Bill Clinton. He has a doctorate in history, looks for new ideas, and appears to be an intellectual, compared to other candidates.

But Gingrich has often attracted criticism from his own camp, especially after suggesting in late November a more “human” approach to illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for a long time. Furthermore, he has been often criticized for eccentric ideas like making poor children work to instill in them work culture. Mann believes Gingrich has “said some perfectly preposterous things”. In addition, a confessed affair and two divorces tarnished his reputation in the late 1990s. More recently, he had to reject charges of lobbying for Freddie Mac, a government-backed mortgage company. — AFP

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sp orts Turkish match-fixing probe

Cotto, Margarito weigh in NEW YORK: Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto and Mexican Antonio Margarito both came in under the limit at Friday’s weigh-in for their eagerly-awaited rematch.

Cotto tipped the scales at 152-1/4 pounds while Margarito was a quarter of a pound heavier at 152-1/2 on the eve of their WBA super-middleweight bout at a sold out Madison Square Garden.

The contest is looming as one of the most anticipated fights of the year after the pair waged a brutal war in their previous

clash in 2008, for the WBA welterweight title, which Margarito won with an 11th round knockout. Cotto, 36-2 (29 KO), has lost just one fight since, against Manny Pacquiao in 2009, and currently holds the belt. After beating Cotto, Margarito (38-7, 27 KO) lost his next fight to Shane Mosley and was then banned for a year after it was discovered that he had used illegal hand wraps before that bout.

He was badly beaten by Pacquiao after returning to the ring and suffered a serious eye injury which almost prevented S a t u r d a y ’s fight from going ahead.

—Reuters

ISTANBUL: Prosecutors investigating soccer match-fixing in Turkey have brought charges against 93 suspectsincluding the chairman of champions Fenerbahce-in an indictment that mentioned almost all of the country’s top clubs, media reported yesterday.

More than 30 players and officials, including Fenerbahce chairman Aziz Yildirim, have been jailed pending trial since the scandal forced the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to delay the start of the season by a month.

Yildirim is accused of “forming an organisation for unjust financial gain” among a raft of charges ranging from larceny to match-fixing and payment of bribes, a statement by Chief Deputy Istanbul Public Prosecutor Fikret Secen said.

One of two deputy presidents of

the TFF, Goksel Gumusdag, was among those indicted on match-fixing charges. Another suspect, Olgun Peker, an ex-president of club Orduspor, was accused of organising an armed gang.

An Istanbul court has 15 days to decide whether the case is strong enough to go to trial, the prosecutors’ statement said. On Friday, President Abdullah Gul vetoed legislation approved by parliament that would have reduced jail sentences for match-fixing crimes from a maximum 12 years to three years. The president based his decision on concern that the public would view the change in the law as being made to benefit certain individuals, and that the reduced penalties would not act as a sufficient deterrent. — Reuters

Sunderland hires O’Neill SUNDERLAND: Martin O’Neill was hired as the new manager of Sunderland yesterday, returning to the English Premier League nearly 16 months after quitting Aston Villa.

The 59-year-old Northern Irishman signed a three-year contract as a replacement for Steve Bruce, who was fired on Wednesday with the northeast team in 16th place in the Premier League - two points above the relegation zone.

A boyhood follower of Sunderland, O’Neill will be a popular appointment having built a strong managerial reputation following successful stints at Leicester, Celtic and Villa, which he led to three straight sixth-

Red Wings soar over Sabres BUFFALO: Jimmy Howard made 27 saves, and the Detroit Red Wings stretched their winning streak to seven with a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.

Jakub Kindl, Johan Franzen, and Valtteri Filppula scored first-period goals for Detroit (16-7-1), which last won seven in a row in March 2010. Pavel Datsyuk extended the lead to 4-1 by scoring into an empty net with 1:17 left.

Howard was steady throughout. In the s e c o n d p e r i o d h e ro b b e d J a s o n Pominville, who was left alone in the slot.

He then stopped Nathan Gerbe on a break away in the third. Jochen Hecht spoiled Howard’s shutout bid with 6:13 remaining.

Jhonas Enroth, making his ninth straight start in place of No. 1 goalie Ryan Miller, made 32 saves for the Sabres (13-11-1), who have lost three of four.

Wild 4, Devils 2 At St. Paul, Minnesota scored three goals on their first four shots as it cruised to a 4-2 win over New Jersey. Dany Heatley, Kyle Brodziak and Casey Wellman scored in a 3:03 span of the first period to turn an early deficit into a 3-1 lead and knock New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur out of the game just 8:17 in.

Brodziak sealed the win with another goal in the third period. Niklas Backstrom made seven saves in the first period, and Josh Harding, who played the final two periods, stopped all 22 shots he faced for Minnesota.

Zach Parise had a goal and an assist, and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored for the Devils.

Johan Hedberg made 11 saves in relief of Brodeur.

Blackhawks 5, Islanders 4 At Chicago, Jonathan Toews netted the only goal in the shootout, after posting a short-handed goal and assist in regulation, to help Chicago outlast New York.

Corey Crawford stopped New York’s Frans Nielsen and Nino Niederreiter in the shootout. Matt Moulson, the final Islanders shooter, hit the post to end the game.

Andrew Brunette, rookie Ben Smith and Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks, who overcame a sluggish start and defensive breakdowns.

Niederreiter, a 19-year-old rookie, scored his first goal of the season midway through the third period. His low, 35-foot shot from the slot beat Crawford on the stick side to tie the game at 4.

A Singaporean shooter during training

London Olympics under fire for Dow Chemical ties

Oilers 6, Blue Jackets 3 At Edmonton, Ryan Jones scored his first career hat trick and Edmonton ended a three-game losing streak with victory over Columbus.

Jordan Eberle, Ales Hemsky and Ladislav Smid also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 8-3-2 at home. Derek Dorsett had a pair of goals and Mark Letestu also scored as the Blue Jackets lost their third in four games.

The Oilers opened the scoring on their first shot of the game just 21 seconds in.

With Columbus captain Rick Nash in the penalty box for hooking, Ryan NugentHopkins made a long pass through traffic to Eberle, who beat Columbus goalie Curtis Sanford for his 10th goal of the season.

Columbus outshot Edmonton 21-7 in the first period.

Avalanche 3, Blues 2 At Denver, Ryan O’Reilly scored the tying goal and then added another in the shootout to lift Colorado over St. Louis Blues.

O’Reilly, who also had an assist, lifted a backhander over the shoulder of Jaroslav Halak for the only goal in the tiebreaker.

Milan Hejduk, who netted his ninth goal of the season in regulation, and Matt Duchene had already been stopped in the shootout

by St. Louis goalie Jaroslav Halak.

Semyon Varlamov, who stopped 35 of 37 shots through over time, then denied Alexander Steen, T.J. Oshie and Jamie Langenbrunner to give Colorado a 4-0 mark this season in shootouts.

Kevin Shattenkirk and Patrick Berglund scored goals, and Halak made 35 saves for the Blues, who saw its four-game winning streak end. St. Louis is 7-1-3 under Ken Hitchcock since he replaced fired coach Davis Payne on Nov. 6.

Flyers 4, Ducks 3 At Anaheim, California, Claude Giroux scored 3:29 into over time to complete Philadelphia’s comeback from a three-goal deficit, ruining Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau’s debut.

Jaromir Jagr scored two power-play goals and Scott Hartnell tied it with 3:02 left in regulation for the Flyers, who trailed 3-0 late in the second period. Ilya Bryzgalov made 19 saves in Philadelphia’s return from a five-day break.

Teemu Selanne and Andrew Cogliano scored first-period goals and Jonas Hiller stopped 43 shots for the Ducks, who lost for the 17th time in 20 games. — AP

CHICAGO: Corey Crawford No. 50 of the Chicago Blackhawks moves to stop a shot by Nino Niederreiter No. 25 of the New York Islanders during a shootout at the United Center. — AFP

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Friday: Detroit 4, Buffalo 1; Minnesota 4, New Jersey 2; Chicago 5, NY Islanders 4 (SO); Colorado 3, St Louis 2 (SO); Edmonton 6, Columbus 3; Philadelphia 4, Anaheim 3 (OT). (SO denotes shootout, OT denotes overtime)

Pittsburgh NY Rangers Philadelphia New Jersey NY Islanders Boston Toronto Buffalo Ottawa Montreal Florida Washington Tampa Bay Winnipeg Carolina

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA 15 7 4 82 64 14 5 3 65 49 14 7 3 84 71 12 11 1 60 68 7 11 5 47 74 Northeast Division 15 7 1 81 50 14 9 2 82 81 13 11 1 69 67 12 11 2 77 86 10 11 5 65 68 Southeast Division 13 8 4 68 62 12 11 1 72 77 11 11 2 65 76 10 11 4 71 80 8 15 4 64 91

PTS 34 31 31 25 19 31 30 27 26 25 30 25 24 24 20

Western Conference Central Division Detroit 16 7 1 73 Chicago 15 8 3 85 St Louis 14 8 3 61 Nashville 12 9 4 66 Columbus 7 16 3 62 Northwest Division Minnesota 16 7 3 64 Vancouver 14 10 1 78 Edmonton 13 10 3 73 Colorado 12 13 1 71 Calgary 10 12 2 54 Pacific Division Dallas 15 9 1 65 Los Angeles 13 8 4 59 San Jose 14 7 1 64 Phoenix 13 8 3 65 Anaheim 7 13 5 57

52 82 53 68 88

33 33 31 28 17

57 66 66 76 64

35 29 29 25 22

67 56 51 58 81

31 30 29 29 19

Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Tunisian coach Abdelhameed Al-Qasimi, Shooter Noora Al-Nasri, Shooter Olfa Sharni and Head of delegation Hameeda Ajmi.

Kuwait gears for upcoming events

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex is geared up for upcoming events, with National, Arab and Asian teams, including the Olympics in six months time.

Shooting teams from Bahrain, Iraq, Tunis and Singapore held their training camps here in Kuwait to prepare for the Arab tournament to be held in Qatar. Bahrain and Iraqi teams participated in local tournaments which witnessed strong competition and contribution to better preparations, as the results were appreciated by coaches and administrators. Tunisian Shooter Olfa Ahmad Sharni said this is her third time in Kuwait, as she participated in the Arab and Police Championships, and now she is in a training camp.

About the choice of Kuwait to hold the train-

ing camp Olfa, who shoots the 10M and 25M Air Pistol, said Kuwait has many major achievements besides the fact that the shooting ranges are excellent, and is ideal to get ready for the Arab and Olympic Championships.

She said “as far as I am concerned Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex is the best I have seen, and I went to Germany, Egypt and Qatar and I find this complex the best.

Meanwhile, Tunisian coach Abdelhameed Al-Qasimi said, we feel the development and improvement of the Arab Shooters through our own. He said that training in Arab countries has improved a lot as the results show and as the case with Qatar and Egypt.

About Arab air gun shooters competing with their international counterparts, he said there are some Egyptian shooters who caught

up with shooters in the Mediterranean, and are expected to catch up with the international shooters soon.

He said, as an example Tunisian Shooters Olfa, had numbers that are similar of those established world shooters, but it seems that the low number of participations and the fear factor made her results fluctuate at the international events.

Al-Qasimi said, we felt large improvement with the new presidency of the Arab Shooting Federation, and that was evident during the Arab Championship in 2010 which was great, then a month later during the police championship.

He said, we are grateful that ASF President Eng. Duaij Al-Otaibi responded positively to our request to hold the training camp here in Kuwait, and made all arrangements for us.

place finishes before resigning in August 2010.

“It’s a very nice feeling to be back in football and to be the manager of Sunderland. It’s a big moment for me,” O’Neill said.

“I’d heard about what a good club it was but coming here, seeing the stadium and training ground, I’ve been bowled over. It’s fantastic.”

Sunderland, the seventh best-supported club in England, has won just two of its 13 league games this season after Bruce overhauled his playing staff this summer with signings that included defenders Wes Brown and John O’Shea.—AP

Al-Qasimi congratulated Kuwaiti people for the existence of such a shooting facility and wished them continued success.

Meanwhile, Singapore team coach said, they preferred to hold their training camp in Kuwait because of its close proximity to Qatar and similarity of the climate, especially that Singapore is getting ready for the Asian Championship in Qatar in January, during which qualifications to the London Olympics will be made. Singapore is participating with four shooters two women shooting air rifle and two men shooting air pistol. He said, there is a great opportunity to have two to qualify for the Olympics. He said that Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Olympic Shooting Complex has a great reputation, and it is really fantastic, and this was one of the main reasons for holding the camp here in Kuwait.

LONDON: Just a few months ago, Dow Chemical was hailed by the organizers of the London Olympics for saving a visual centerpiece - an artistic wrap around Olympic Stadium. Now, the Olympic sponsor is sparking the kind of controversy that no one wants.

Dow’s link to the company accused in the 1984 Bhopal gas leak - the world’s worst industrial disaster has brought a cascade of criticism down upon the organizing committee. Protesters in the central Indian city of Bhopal burned an effigy Friday of Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London organizing committee, and one Indian official has even uttered the word boycott.

Emotions in India are still raw, for the Bhopal disaster killed 15,000 people and injured half a million, according to the government, and is being blamed for major local health problems 27 years later.

Although Indian officials say the country has no intention of staying away from the games, pressure has been building for the Olympics to sever its ties with Dow or face the risk of constant protests marring the spectacle that Britain hoped would lift its flagging spirits and foundering economy.

Dow is one of the elite club of sponsors that the International Olympic Committee places in its “Top” category, enjoying a special status in exchange for paying about $100 million every four years.

Coe would have real trouble pulling out the rug from a sponsor with such status, particularly because the feelgood Olympic image is a main reason why Dow would sponsor the games in the first place. Companies pay big money to attach their brand to the warm and fuzzy glow of young, strong and photogenic athletes overcoming the odds to win on a world stage.

Much of the controversy stems from Dow’s funding of the “wrap,” an innovative curtain designed to encircle the stadium. Olympic officials scrapped the plan last year because its cost - 7 million pounds ($11.4 million) seemed out of step with austere times across Europe.

Architects and artists decried the decision, suggesting the image of the games would suffer - never mind that fans trying to find their seats in the steel-latticed stadium would need something to guide them through the identical girders.

Then Dow swooped in to save the wrap - and didn’t even blink at Olympic guidelines that will bar it from etching its brand logo onto the curtains.

Olympic organizers could face unpleasant consequences for being associated with a company linked to such an uncomfortable subject such as Bhopal.

“You run the risk of the association and sponsorship backfiring, to the extent that the Olympic Games might feel impacted by the relationship with Dow,” said Scott Rosner, associate director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative.

In India, where the Bhopal tragedy remains an open wound, survivors and their advocates said the Olympic wrap project with Dow ignores the immense pain they have suffered since gas and chemicals leaked out of the Union Carbide pesticide plant on Dec. 3, 1984.

Besides the massive number of dead and injured, residents say the area is still contaminated and the leak is causing birth defects and terrible health problems for those who remain.

Dow says that it had nothing to do with the leak. It only bought Union Carbide in 2001 - more than 16 years after the disaster. It said legal claims were resolved when Union Carbide reached a settlement with the Indian government and paid $470 million as compensation for those killed or injured.

Dow has expressed sadness about the disaster, saying that the “tragic events of 1984 have cast a long shadow over the people of Bhopal and the chemicals industry.”

“Dow has never had any involvement with the Bhopal plant site or with the 1984 Bhopal gas release and efforts by certain interest groups to attach this to the company are misdirected and inappropriate,” spokesman Scot Wheeler of Dow said in an email Friday.

The Michigan company’s vocal critics say that is not enough. They argue the victims of the leak never got proper compensation, and have demanded that Dow make amends. The Indian government is seeking an additional $1.7 billion from Dow in compensation for the victims and their families.

Indian Olympic athletes and Bhopal victims’ groups have urged the London organizers to boot Dow out, saying its continued involvement with the wrap endorses a company that is refusing to clean up the contaminated soil and groundwater in Bhopal. Dow and Union Carbide say the site is now owned by the state of Madhya Pradesh and the state is responsible for the cleanup.

Amnesty International has also condemned the Dow wrap deal, and several British politicians have campaigned to dump Dow from the games.

“What has given real offense to the people of Bhopal is that on this, the most sustainable games ever and lauded as such, that we should wrap the stadium, the big symbol of the games, in a skin that might as well be the skin of the families that died,” said London lawmaker Barry Gardiner.

All of this comes just as Coe, a former gold-medal runner, should be taking a victory lap, with all the Olympic venues completed on schedule and no major scandals ahead of the July 27 to Aug. 12 event.

Instead, his likeness was burned and beaten by hundreds of protesters in the streets of Bhopal on Friday, on the eve of the 27th anniversary of the disaster. The protesters carried banners reading, “Down with London Dowlympics” and “We want justice” - and they planned to stop trains passing through the city Saturday as well. Coe is being dogged at every public appearance now by questions on the Dow controversy.—AP

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Euro 2012 key for Ukraine’s reputation in Europe KIEV: Co-hosting the 2012 European Championship is important for Ukraine’s political integration, the former Soviet republic’s football leader said Friday.

Hrihoriy Surkis said it would have been “a disaster” for Ukraine’s relations in Europe if it had lost co-hosting rights with Poland because of delays building stadiums and crucial infrastructure projects. “This would be a refusal of European integration,” said Surkis, a former member of Ukraine’s parliament. “We would have lost the trust and confidence and the image of the country would be very low.”

Instead, Ukraine will receive global

attention Friday when 150 countries broadcast the 16-nation Euro 2012 draw, being staged in the Soviet-era Palace of Arts in Kiev.

Ukraine had “numerous” minor problems to solve before the June 8 opening match, Surkis said through a translator at the Olympic Stadium, which will stage the final on July 1.

Rebuilding the 70,000-capacity venue was UEFA’s main condition for allowing Ukraine to retain hosting rights, and the project overran by at least $100 million, the football federation president said.

Surkis said Ukrainians - who speak their native language or Russian,

which use the Cyrillic alphabet - must learn to “charm” visitors, and be more like other Europeans. “This is our problem. We don’t speak, like people do in Europe, all kinds of languages,” he said.

Ukraine is giving language training to service workers at restaurants, border crossing airports and police to prepare for the expected influx of visitors during the three-week tournament.

Surkis said Ukraine’s modernization was part of a “five-year renaissance,” after UEFA awarded it and neighbor Poland co-hosting rights in April 2007. The 62-year-old official

likened the project to a Soviet-style, five-year plan to build facilities such as hydro-electric power plants. “Under the Communist Party leadership those things were built,” Surkis said.

Amid widespread doubts about Ukraine’s ability to deliver upgrades costing billions of dollars during a global financial crisis, one presidential meeting was singled out as vital to the project’s progress.

UEFA President Michel Platini met Ukraine’s newly elected leader Viktor Yanukovych in Kiev in April 2010 seeking guarantees for his showpiece football tournament. “Platini left his office and told me sincerely, ‘Well, I

trust this man, he is very confident,’” Surkis said. Yanukovych said Friday that Euro 2012 preparations were “catastrophic” when the UEFA head visited.

“During four hours he (Platini) tried to convince me that there wasn’t even the tiniest chance to build everything in less than two years,” Yanukovych told Israeli daily Haaretz in an interview published on his official website.

“During the final hour I tried to convince him of the opposite.” Still, Ukraine has not won universal acclaim. Politicians in Europe and the United States have criticized a sevenyear jail sentence given to Yulia

Tymoshenko, the defeated rival in Yanukovych’s election victory. She denies charges relating to her handling of a gas import contract with Russia.

Asked if the issue could cast a shadow on Euro 2012, Surkis said he left politics to be “distant from the controversy that might take place between particular political forces.”

“In essence it is important because for the first time in the history of our country (that) the prime minister is sentenced,” Surkis said. “I hope that ...

Mrs. Tymoshenko herself has an opportunity to prove herself innocent.” —AP

Champions Trophy

Australia defeat Spain AUCKLAND: Captain Jamie Dwyer scored twice as defending champion Australia rallied to beat Spain 3-2 in its opening match at the Champions Trophy field hockey tournament yesterday.

in Champions Trophy matches and took him past current Australian coach Ric Charlesworth, who scored 18 career goals at the tournament.

In other matches yesterday,

them at Champions Trophy tournaments to 15-3 with five draws.

Australia has won 16 of 17 Champions Trophy matches in which Dwyer has scored.

The Australians took only 10

AUCKLAND: Quirijn Caspers (right) of the Netherlands competes with Woo Hyun (left) of South Korea during their first round match at the men’s hockey Champions Trophy. —AFP Australia, the top seed and an 11-time winner, came back from 2-1 down to beat Spain in its opening match in Pool A at the eight-team tournament.

Dwyer’s two goals lifted him among a group of six Australians who have scored at least 20 goals

Olympic champions Germany beat New Zealand 2-1, Britain defeated Pakistan 2-1 and the Netherlands beat South Korea 20.

Yesterday’s win was Australia’s fourth in succession over Spain and improved its record against

seconds to force the first penalty corner of the match, but it wasn’t until the 10th minute that Dwyer gave his team its lead, slotting home from close range.

Spain then hit back with two goals within three minutes to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. Gabriel

Dabanch scored the equalizer from a tight angle before Edi Tubau burst into the circle and crashed a fierce strike into the bottom left corner of the net.

Dwyer pulled Australia level early in the second half and, after Spain had gone close, Des Abbott scored to give Australia the lead with six minutes remaining.

Simon Mantell volleyed home a penalty corner with five minutes left to give Britain a 2-1 win over Pakistan and to stay level on points with Australia in Pool A. Pakistan took a 1-0 lead to halftime after Muhammad Imran expertly dispatched a penalty corner flick, but Britain drew level when 34-year-old Mark Pearn scored his first Champions Trophy goal in 10 years.

Christopher Wesley’s goal with 10 minutes remaining broke a lengthy 1-1 deadlock to give Germany its opening win over New Zealand.

After hitting the post from an early penalty corner, Thilo Stralkowski put Germany ahead with a goal from a Christoph Menke pass.

Hugo Inglis connected with a pass from Simon Child to score New Zealander’s equalizer, and went close to taking a second at the end of the first half, only to be denied by German goalkeeper Nico Jacobi.

The deadlock remained until Wesley sneaked ahead of his marker and deflected Jan Philipp Rabente’s pass into the top of the goal with 10 minutes remaining.

Britain faces Australia in its second match on Sunday while Pakistan takes on Spain. Germany plays the Netherlands and New Zealand plays South Korea. The gold and bronze-medal matches are scheduled for Dec. 11. —AP

Woods ahead at Sherwood THOUSAND OAKS: Tiger Woods mixed dazzling brilliance with occasional moments of sloppiness while charging into a three-shot lead in the second round of the Chevron World Challenge on Friday.

Seeking his first victory in more than two years, the former world number one fired a five-under-par 67 on a relatively calm day of gusting winds at Sherwood Country Club to take control of the tournament which he hosts.

and Hunter Mahan (68), were a further stroke back in a share of fourth. “That was probably the highest score I probably could have shot today,” Woods told reporters after taking the 36-hole lead for a second successive year in the elite 18-man event.

“I hit the ball really well, hit one bad shot today and almost made birdie on that hole if I would have hit a decent putt.”

Woods pulled his tee shot under trees in the left rough at the par-five fifth from where

THOUSAND OAKS: Tiger Woods watches a tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club. —AFP Woods, who has not been in the winner’s circle since the 2009 Australian Masters, recorded two eagles, five birdies, two bogeys and one double-bogey-along with three missed putts from three feet, to post an eightunder total of 136.

Overnight leader KJ Choi of South Korea lost ground after the turn to card a 73 and slip back into a tie for second at five under with American Matt Kuchar (67).

Two more Americans, Zach Johnson (67)

he was forced to chip out sideways back on to the fairway.

Despite hitting a stunning utility wood to three feet, he surprisingly missed the birdie putt. “I hit a few bad putts today, but overall I really hit the ball well all day,” the 14-times major winner said. “I didn’t really miss a shot.”

For his second tournament in row, Woods holds the lead going into the last two rounds, having led the Australian Open by a shot after 36 holes.

“I want the lead after the four days,” he said with a smile. “Two days is nice, but four days is even better. I know I’m playing better, and it’s nice to see my position on the leaderboard kind of equating to it.”

Woods made a sizzling start to the second round, eagling the par-five second after hitting a superb second shot with a five-iron from an awkward side-hill lie in the left rough to five feet.

Immediately after striking the ball, Woods charged down the hill to watch the end result and then pumped his right fist in delight.

He calmly knocked in the eagle putt to trim Choi’s overnight lead to just one shot before drawing level with the Korean at the par-three third where he sank a 10-footer for birdie.

Choi edged a stroke in front at the par-four fourth, thanks to a monster birdie putt from 40 feet, and then benefited from a surprising two-shot swing at the par-four sixth.

Woods bogeyed the hole after three-putting, missing a three-footer there for par, while Choi knocked in a six-footer for birdie to get to eight under overall, three ahead.

Two holes later, though, Choi’s lead had again been cut to one. Woods drained a 15foot birdie putt at the tricky par-three eighth and the Korean bogeyed the ninth after missing the green to the left with his approach and duffing his first chip from the rough.

Out in three-under 33, Woods eagled the par-five 11th after hitting an exquisite fouriron to 15 feet. A birdie at the par-three 12th gave him the outright lead for the first time which he never relinquished.

Despite running up a double-bogey at the par-three 15th, where he hit what he described as “a sweet shot” that got caught in a gust before ending up in the water hazard guarding the front of the green, he birdied 16 and then bogeyed 17 after flying over the green with his tee shot.

“There was a little bit of wind out there on the back nine,” Woods said with his trademark flashing smile. Choi, who had been three shots clear overnight, struggled on the back nine and ran up an ugly quadruplebogey at the 15th after hitting two balls into water. —Reuters

GREENBURGH: New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony speaks to the media after working out at their practice facility. —AP

NBA players return, month after scheduled opener NEW YORK: NBA stars Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony returned to work on Thursday - and immediately were asked about working together.

Dallas Mavericks players took the floor without knowing if starting center Tyson Chandler would ever join them, and the Miami Heat team they beat in the NBA finals arrived to some bad injury news. Finally, NBA players are back.

Owners opened the doors of their facilities to players for the first time since locking them out on July 1. Exactly one month after the regular season was originally scheduled to begin, players could work out but their coaching staffs couldn’t be present because there isn’t a new labor deal yet.

“I’ve got to be the happiest person in the world right now just to be back in the gym, getting a chance to work out with a couple of my teammates,” Paul said in New Orleans. “I’m just happy to be back and be back on the court, as I’m sure all the players are.”

League officials hope to open training camps next Friday, and that stayed on track on Thursday when more than 300 players submitted signatures authorizing the re-formation of the players’ association. That paves the way for negotiations to continue on the remaining issues, and both sides hope the deal is ratified sometime next week.

The league planned to return player content, images and videos to NBA.com and its other media on Friday after removing it when the lockout began. With the lengthy labor fight all but over, a sense of excitement has returned.

“Yeah, it was,” Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond said. “Since it was announced that the potential deal was imminent, it occurred immediately. I think immediately, you could kind of feel that in your gut: ‘Here we go, we’re getting ready to get started again.’ I think as each step progresses, that will continue.”

In the meantime, the big news remained the focus on the headliners of the 2012 free agent class, which also includes Dwight Howard.

The agent for Deron Williams told The Record of Bergen newspaper that his client would opt for free agency instead of a contract extension with the New Jersey Nets, and Yahoo Sports reported that Paul’s agent informed the New Orleans Hornets that he wanted a trade to

the New York Knicks.

Paul and Anthony are friends who spent time together this summer and it’s long been speculated they wanted to play together, but Anthony denied trying to recruit his Olympic teammate.

“As far as me recruiting Chris Paul, no, not at all,” he said at the Knicks’ training facility. “We’re very close friends. I’m pretty sure you guys saw him in New York a lot due to the player meetings and stuff like that, but we’ve never had any conversation about him coming to New York.

That’s something that I would leave up to him, him and his family. I’m staying away from that.”

The Anthony trade saga lasted from the summer of 2010 until Denver finally dealt him to the Knicks in February, and he said he doesn’t think the NBA needs a repeat of it now. Yet, he also realizes that “regardless of what I’m saying right here today, that will be the biggest topic, the biggest discussion, at the beginning of the season, the beginning of training camp.” Paul will do his best to ignore it.

“I don’t think about it, to tell you the truth,” he said. “I’m just ready to get out here and compete and hoop. This is what I do.”

In the meantime, the status of the current free agents must be solved. Chandler is one of the biggest, and though he provided the Mavericks the interior defense they needed to finally win a title, they may not spend the money necessary to bring him back.

“You can’t see my fingers or toes, but they are crossed hoping that Tyson’s coming back,” guard Jason Terry said. “He was a big part of what we accomplished here. We’ve laid a foundation. To take a step backward would be terrible. I’m not saying that we wouldn’t have a chance to win this year if Tyson doesn’t come back, but it definitely puts things up against us.”

Chris Bosh, looking more muscular, arrived at Miami’s facility, where LeBron James and Dwyane Wade aren’t expected until next week.

The Heat also were without Mike Miller, who has battled injuries since signing there last summer. He will miss about eight weeks while recovering from hernia surgery this week.

There was no guarantee Miller would return anyway, given the considerable speculation the Heat would waive him via the amnesty clause that will be in the new CBA. —AP

Preview

Time for Bengals to prove their worth NEW YORK: The Cincinnati Bengals have been scaring the daylights out of their more accomplished NFL division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, it’s time for Cincinnati to knock off one or both of them, or else it will be reduced to chasing a wild-card playoff berth.

On Sunday, the Bengals visit Pittsburgh with a chance to make a statement in a tough division and elevating themselves to the level of the elite: Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

The Bengals have a 7-4 record, but only one victory (Tennessee) came against an opponent that currently has a winning record. Their showdowns with the Steelers and Ravens this season wound up as close losses.

Unless they change that pattern, the Bengals can’t be taken seriously as a contender. “We’re excited,” Bengals tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “I mean, most people outside of this building, if you’d have told them we’d have a chance in the last five games of the season to dictate our destiny, I think people would have laughed at us. But we’re there.”

In front of Cincinnati on the schedule are Houston, down to a third-string quarterback, St. Louis and Arizona before a finale against

Baltimore. Not the most imposing test.

But beating the Steelers, who are 8-3, is the primary objective. Pittsburgh has won eight of the last 10 meetings. “I think every week’s a little different message,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “This is a big football game for us, no doubt about it. If we want to have an opportunity to win the AFC North, this is an important game for us.”

The Steelers struggled last Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, injured thumb and all, loves the sight of the Bengals. He is 11-4 against them, with six wins in the last seven games. The other AFC North teams face off in Cleveland, where the Browns host division leader Baltimore.

If the Ravens play down to the level of the opposition, as they have in losses to Jacksonville and Seattle, this could be troublesome for them. Baltimore’s defense was fearsome and dominant on Thanksgiving night in manhandling the San Francisco 49ers, and the Browns, who have yielded 27 sacks, are ripe to be ruined by Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata and perhaps a returning Ray Lewis, who missed the last two games with a right toe injury. —AP

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Argentina stay alive in Davis Cup final SEVILLE: Argentina kept their Davis Cup final hopes alive yesterday when David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank defeated Spain’s Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The result means the final will be decided today when Rafael Nadal tackles Juan Martin del Potro before David Ferrer is scheduled to meet Juan Monaco in the last reverse singles.

Nalbandian and Schwank were playing together for the first time but they overwhelmed the Spanish pair who have now lost 11 of their 12 matches in the competition.

Nadal and Ferrer had won Friday’s opening singles as they aim for a fifth Davis Cup title and history remains on their side-the last team to recover from a 2-0 deficit in the final was Australia in 1939.

Argentina are bidding for a first Davis Cup title having lost both their previous finals-against Spain in 2008 and Russia in 2006.

“We played great. We knew it was a very important match and we played unbelievable from the start to the end,” said Nalbandian, who could replace Monaco in Sunday’s singles. “ The result shows how well we played. They didn’t break us and we played well at the net. It’ll still be very

difficult on Sunday. We knew the doubles would be crucial so we will see what happens on Sunday. But we are still alive.” Six-time French Open champion Nadal will again hold the key in the reverse singles. His easy 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 win over close friend Monaco on Friday was his 19th win in 20 singles rubbers for Spain.

His only loss came to Czech Jiri Novak on his debut-as a 17-year-old-in February 2004. He is 15-0 in clay-court rubbers.

Nadal will take a 6-3 career lead into his clash with former US Open winner Del Potro, a record which includes the pair’s only previous meeting on clay, a straight sets win in the first round at Roland Garros in 2007.

The world number two also boasts a formidable record having won 66 of 67 best-of-five-sets match on clay, with his sole defeat coming at the hands of Robin Soderling at Roland Garros in 2009.

Del Potro will go into Sunday having played for almost five hours on Friday when he lost 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Ferrer. Meanwhile, Rafa Nadal thrashed Juan Monaco and David Ferrer rallied to fell Juan Martin De Potro in five thrilling sets to give Spain a 2-0 lead over Argentina in the Davis Cup final on Friday that put the favorites on the brink

of a fifth title.

Playing on his beloved clay before a rowdy crowd at the Olympic Stadium, Nadal got Spain’s bid for a third trophy in four years off to a predictably solid start with a 6-1 6-1 6-2 destruction of 26th-ranked Monaco, the world number two’s training partner.

As night fell over the Andalucian capital, the tenacious Ferrer fought back from two sets to one down to beat Del Potro 6-2 6-7 3-6 6-4 6-3 after almost five hours of attritional tennis and send the red and yellow clad home support into raptures.

“That was the match that we wanted from our side,” Argentina captain Tito Vazquez told a news conference. “We were very close but not close enough.

It’s very difficult.

“For us we have to start thinking about tomorrow, about winning the doubles, and then who knows.

“Maybe Del Potro recovers, he is capable of beating Nadal. You never know, we could be back in the game but it’s a difficult task.”

Needing to win yesterday’s doubles and today’s two reverse singles in the best-of-five tie, Argentina face a seemingly impossible task to secure a first Davis Cup trophy in their fourth final with Nadal apparently unbeatable on the red dust.

The muscular Mallorcan clubbed 27 winners on the specially constructed indoor court, which straddles the running track at one end of the arena, 20 of them on his fearsome forehand.

Monaco looked powerless as he was dismissed with brutal ease on an unusually damp afternoon in Seville. Showing no sign of end-of-season fatigue, Nadal took his Davis Cup singles record on clay to 15-0 as Spain sought to add to their four titles against an Argentina team they upset to win the trophy in Mar del Plata in 2008. After winning just two games in the opening two sets, Monaco made a better fist of the third.

Nadal, though, seemed to crush his spirit in the fifth game after an incredible rally that had both players scrambling all over the court and brought the 73-year-old King Juan Carlos of Spain to his feet. The point, which left Monaco with a bloodied left knee and a bruised wrist, secured Nadal his sixth break of serve and he broke again for a 5-2 lead before serving out the match to love.

Nadal told a news conference he tried to lift Monaco’s spirits in the dressing room after the match. “He hasn’t played that bad as to get that result but it’s just I have made very few mistakes,” the 10-times grand slam champion said.

“He’s one of my best friends and I was in the locker room talking with him. He

knew it was because I played especially well and not because he played especially bad.”

Monaco was realistic about playing a man who has only lost one five -set match on clay in his professional career, to Robin Soderling at the 2009 French Open.

“I’m very sad because nobody likes to lose this way,” the Argentine said. “But I am also aware that in front of me I had one of the best tennis players in history.”

Ferrer came close to losing his unbeaten record in Davis Cup singles matches on clay, but clawed his way back against the big-hitting but erratic Del Potro to extend his winning run to 12 on the surface.

The world number five stuttered when he was broken serving for the match at 5-1 up in the decider but secured victory at the second attempt two games later with a crashing forward winner that caught the baseline.

“I don’t have a serve of 200 kilome ters an hour and I don’t have a volley like (Roger) Federer but I’m in shape,” Ferrer told a news conference. “I had to be almost perfect otherwise I wouldn’t have won.”

Spanish pair Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco will take on David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank in yesterday’s doubles.—Reuters

Clarke ton drives Australia into lead

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Nasir Hossain play a shot as Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed looks on during their second one-day international cricket match against Pakistan. —AP

Dominant Pakistan win Bangladesh series 2-0 DHAKA: Ruthless Pakistan drubbed Bangladesh by 76 runs in the second one-day international in Dhaka yesterday to take a decisive 2-0 lead in the threematch series.

Umar Akmal scored 59 and Shahid Afridi hit 42 off 27 balls as Pakistan piled up 262-7 after they won the toss and elected to bat in the day-night match at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

The total proved beyond Bangladesh’s reach after they were reduced to 19-4 in the 10th over, and managed only 186-7 despite a maiden international century from Nasir Hossain.

Nasir cracked 100 and Shakib Al Hasan made 34, the pair sharing a fifthwicket stand of 106 runs, but Bangladesh were never in the hunt against the tight Pakistani bowling.

The 20-year-old Nasir, playing only his ninth one-dayer, plundered 11 boundaries and a six before he was dismissed in the final over. Seamer Umar Gul finished with four for 36, while off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez conceded just 15 runs in his 10 overs with two wickets.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim saluted Nasir’s effort, saying the youngster showed his team-mates how to compile an innings.

“I am very disappointed the way we played, but Nasir deserves a lot of praise,” said Rahim. “He showed us how to bat on this pitch. “But it’s time we start playing

as a team. Everyone has to contribute.”

Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said the win proved his team was becoming formidable.

“It’s really pleasing that the guys are doing such a good job,” he said. “It was a big enough total because it was not the best wicket to bat on.” Pakistan’s 27th win over the Tigers in 28 one-dayers has left only academic interest in the third and final match to be played in the port city of Chittagong on Tuesday.

The one-dayers will be followed by two Test matches. Pakistan had won the Twenty20 international by 50 runs and the first one-dayer by five wickets at the same venue.

Hafeez, who opened Pakistan’s attack, removed Imrul Kayes and Shahriar Nafees in successive overs after Gul had dismissed the aggressive Tamim Iqbal in his second over.

Gul also had Rahim caught at gully, before Nasir and Shakib delayed the inevitable with their century partnership.

Pakistan’s innings revolved around a fourth-wicket stand of 83 between Akmal and Misbah (37), before Afridi smashed two sixes and three boundaries towards the end to boost the total. Hafeez (32) and Younis Khan (37) put on 57 for the second wicket after opener Imran Farhat had fallen in the third over. Akmal lifted the tempo by reaching his 11th one-day half-century off 49 balls—AFP

SCOREBOARD DHAKA: Full scoreboard of the second one-day international between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka yesterday: Pakistan: Mohd Hafeez c Imrul b Rubel 32 Imran Farhat c Nasir b Shafiul 4 Younis Khan lbw b Razzak 37 Misbah-ul-Haq c sub (Reza) b Sunny 37 Umar Akmal c Shafiul b Shakib 59 Shoaib Malik c Rahim b Rubel 17 Afridi c Mahmudullah b Shafiul 42 Sarfraz Ahmed not out 12 Sohail Tanvir not out 0 Extras: (lb5, w17) 22 Total (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 262 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Farhat), 2-69 (Hafeez), 3-93 (Younis), 4-176 (Akmal), 5193 (Misbah), 6-222 (Malik), 7-261 (Afridi).

Bowling: Shafiul 10-0-50-2 (w7), Rubel 10-0-58-2 (w3), Shakib 10-0-27-1 (w2), Razzak 10-0-58-1 (w3), Sunny 7-0-46-1 (w2), Nasir 3-0-18-0.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal c Younis b Gul 4 Imrul Kayes c Misbah b Hafeez 6 Shahriar Nafees lbw b Hafeez 7 Mushfiqur Rahim c Hafeez b Gul 1 Shakib Al Hasan c and b Ajmal 34 Nasir Hossain c Farhat b Gul 100 Mohd Mahmudullah not out 20 Abdur Razzak b Gul 0 Elias Sunny not out 0 Extras: (lb5, w8, nb1) 14 Total (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 186 Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Tamim), 2-16 (Imrul), 3-19 (Nafees), 4-19 (Rahim), 5-125 (Shakib), 6-185 (Nasir), 7-186 (Razzak).

Bowling: Hafeez 10-2-15-2 (w1, nb1), Gul 9-1-36-4 (w2, nb1), Tanvir 7-0-26-0 (w1), Afridi 7-0-49-0 (w1), Ajmal 10-1-33-1 (w1), Malik 7-0-22-0 (w2).

BRISBANE: Captain Michael Clarke rode his luck to score 139 and help steer Australia to a 132-run first innings lead over New Zealand with a total of 427 on the third day of the first Test yesterday.

The hosts rammed home their advantage when debutant paceman James Pattinson removed opener Brendon McCullum for one just before the close of play to leave Martin Guptill (seven) and nightwatchman Dean Bracewell (0) to resume on 10-1 today.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin hit an aggressive 80 to help Australia past New Zealand’s tally of 295 and Mitchell Starc pitched in with a useful 32 to keep the tail wagging, but the day belonged to Clarke. “We’re in a pretty good position,” he said in a pitchside interview. “I think we still have to bowl well, I think there’s still enough there with the new ball.” “I had a bit of luck, but it’s great to make a few runs and another century for Australia.”

The 30-year-old had been poised nervously on 99 at lunch but five balls after resuming, crunched a straight drive past bowler Doug Bracewell for four to claim his 17th test hundred and third in his last four tests. Clarke, who had started the day on 28, punched the air in delight and kissed the badge on his helmet to mark his first century as Australia captain on home soil. He was dropped on 85 by wicketkeeper Reece Young and after passing his milestone by Jesse Ryder, both off the bowling of luckless quick Bracewell.

Those spills followed Friday’s stroke of fortune when Clarke was bowled on 23 but called back to the crease when television replays showed he had been dismissed by a no ball.

“When things are going your way... you have got to cash in and make the most of that and that was my goal in this innings once I got that life on 20-odd,” Clarke added. There were plenty of quality strokes as well as luck, however, not least the six he hit over the head of bowler Daniel Vettori to bring up his 22nd test half century in style.

The end came straight after tea when he topedged a short Chris Martin delivery to Tim Southee in the deep and the quick bowler gratefully took the catch to end the 249-ball knock, which featured 19 fours and the one six.

Peter Siddle lasted just six minutes before he followed his captain to the pavillion with a duck and Bracewell must have thought his luck had turned when Ross Taylor held on to a slip catch to despatch Pattinson for 12. Skipper Taylor turned villain soon afterwards, however, when he grassed a simple chance off Bracewell’s bowling which had Starc heading off to the pavillion before he realised he had been dropped.

Haddin had started his innings slowly but, when he found his rhythm, he punished any loose bowling and brought up his 50 with a huge six. He departed going for another big boundary off Guptill with Martin accepting a straighforward catch at long-on.

Ricky Ponting, who Clarke replaced as captain this year, had earlier been hoping to notch up his first century since January 2010 but was able only to add 11 to his overnight total of 67 before being trapped lbw by Martin, who finished with 3-89.—Reuters

BRISBANE: Australia’s James Pattinson (center) without a cap, celebrates getting the wicket of New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum during the third day of the first cricket Test.—AP

SCOREBOARD BRISBANE: Scoreboard at close of play on the third day of the first test between Australia and New Zealand at the Gabba in Brisbane yesterday: New Zealand first innings 295 (D. Vettori 96, D. Brownlie 77 not out; N. Lyon 4-69) Australia first innings (overnight 154-3) D. Warner c Young b Southee 3 P. Hughes c Guptill b Martin 10 U. Khawaja run out 38 R. Ponting lbw Martin 78 M. Clarke c Southee b Martin 139 M. Hussey c Ryder b Vettori 15 B. Haddin c Martin b Guptill 80 P. Siddle c Taylor b Vettori 0 J. Pattinson c Taylor b Bracewell 12 M. Starc not out 32 N. Lyon c Brownlie b Southee 5 Extras (lb-6, w-3, nb-6) 15 Total (all out, 129.2 overs) 427 Fall of wickets: 1-3 2-25 3-91 4-177 5-237 6-345 7-345

8-374 9-418 Bowling: Vettori 37-13-88-2, Southee 28.2-5-103-2, Martin 28-5-89-3 (w-2), Bracewell 26-3-104-1 (w-1, nb5), Guptill 3-0-18-1 (nb-1), Brownlie 3-0-11-0, Williamson 4-0-8-0.

New Zealand second innings M. Guptill not out 7 B. McCullum c Ponting b Pattinson 1 D. Bracewell not out 0 Extras (lb-1, nb-1) 2 Total (for one wicket, seven overs) 10 Fall of wicket: 1-10 Still to bat: K. Williamson, R. Taylor, J. Ryder, D. Brownlie, R. Young, D. Vettori, T. Southee, C. Martin.

Bowling (to date): Pattinson 4-3-1-1, Siddle 3-0-8-0 (nb-1)

Kohli upstages Rampaul as India wins second ODI VISAKHAPATNAM: West Indies pace bowler Ravi Rampaul smashed a world-record score for a No. 10 batsman but could not prevent India from earning a resounding five-wicket win in the second one-day international on Friday.

Rampaul’s unbeaten 86 helped West Indies recover from a precarious 63-5 to reach 269-9 in 50 overs. However, World Cup champion India replied with 270-5 in 48.1 overs and grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fivegame series.

Virat Kohli slammed 117 and Rohit Sharma made an unbeaten 90 in a decisive fourthwicket stand worth 163 runs. Their effort upstaged Rampaul, who clobbered six fours and as many sixes during his 66-ball knock, adding 99 in an unbroken last-wicket stand with Kemar Roach, who made 24 not out.

India also suffered from early dismissals, with openers Parthiv Patel (2), Gautam Gambhir (12) out quick ly, then captain Virender Sehwag (26) while trying to force the pace after a sedate period. He lofted the first ball from par t-time spinner Marlon Samuels straight to Andre Russell as India was reduced to 84-3. But Kohli and Sharma took charge of the situation with ease.

Kohli took nine balls to get off the mark but was quick to dispatch anything loose, especially on the leg side. He struck 14 fours in his eighth ODI century off 123 balls. He was out in the 45th over with the team victory in sight, but Sharma, the highest scorer in the previous game with 72, hit seven fours and two sixes and took the team to victory.

“Virat and Rohit batted very well for us,” Sehwag said. “But the day belonged to

Rampaul and I tried all combinations to try and get him out, it was a great innings by him.”

Rampaul, who bats left-handed but bowls with his right arm, rescued West Indies when it was in dire straits at 170-9 in the 36th over.

Rampaul unleashed a career-best score for West Indies, his maiden half-century in nearly 90 matches for his country in all formats since 2003.

Ready to come out of the crease and also quick to go for the slog-sweep on the legside, Rampaul struck three sixes off offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin, two in the same over. Rampaul also struck two sixes off pace bowler Varun Aaron and one off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as Sehwag seemed to run out of ideas to stop him. He reached his 50 in 35 balls, and capped the innings with a six off the last delivery bowled by Aaron, his stand with Roach being the third highest ever for the last wicket. Aaron conceded 14 off the last over.

“That last-wicket stand gave us a lot of inspiration,” West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. “We just can’t get over the line but sooner rather than later we hope we can get that final push.”

Earlier, opener Lendl Simmons had made a defiant 78 off 102 balls to lead a superb comeback after the visitors were tottering at 63-5 in the 17th over. Simmons was the ninth man out after smashing eight fours and one six, but West Indies still didn’t look like reaching 200 or batting out all 50 overs. For India, Umesh Yadav bagged 3-38 in overcast conditions after a 15-minute delay due to rain. The third match is tomorrow at Ahmedabad.—AP

SCOREBOARD VISAKHAPATNAM: Complete scoreboard of the second one-day international between India and the West Indies in Visakhapatnam yesterday: West Indies: L. Simmons run out 78 A. Barath c Patel b Yadav 0 M. Samuels c Raina b Yadav 4 D. Bravo c Ashwin b Kumar 13 D. Hyatt c Patel b Kumar 0 D. Ramdin c Jadeja b Yadav 2 K. Pollard c Patel b Ashwin 35 D. Sammy lbw b Jadeja 2 A. Russell b Jadeja 11 R. Rampaul not out 86 K. Roach not out 24 Extras (lb6, nb1, w7) 14 Total (for nine wickets; 50 overs) 269 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Barath), 2-25 (Samuels), 3-55 (Bravo), 455 (Hyatt), 5-63 (Ramdin), 6-119 (Pollard), 7-131 (Sammy), 8149 (Russell), 9-170 (Simmons).

Bowling: Kumar 10-2-43-2 (nb1), Yadav 10-0-38-3 (w2), Aaron 10-0-66-0 (w4), Jadeja 9-2-39-2, Ashwin 10-0-74-1 (w1), Raina 1-0-3-0.

India: P. Patel c Sammy b Roach 2 V. Sehwag c Russell b Samuels 26 G. Gambhir c Barath b Rampaul 12 V. Kohli c Ramdin b Rampaul 117 R. Sharma not out 90 S. Raina c Ramdin b Roach 0 R. Jadeja not out 9 Extras (lb4, w10) 14 Total (for five wickets; 48.1 overs) 270 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Patel), 2-29 (Gambhir), 3-84 (Sehwag), 4-247 (Kohli), 5-248 (Raina).

Bowling: Rampaul 10-1-62-2 (w1), Roach 10-0-40-2 (w1), Russell 8.1-0-60-0 (w3), Sammy 4-0-30-0, Samuels 10-1-40-1 (w2), Pollard 3-0-22-0 (w1), Simmons 3-0-12-0 (w2).

Result: India win by five wickets

18

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

SPORTS

Euro 2012 draw throws up tasty ties KIEV: Traditional rivals Germany and Netherlands will lock horns in a tough group at the 2012 European soccer championship while co-hosts Poland will be hoping that history does not repeat itself when Greece provide the opposition on the opening day next June.

Friday’s draw also pitted holders and world champions Spain against Italy with France facing England and co-hosts Ukraine. The event, the third biggest in global sport after the World Cup and Olympic Games, starts with a reminder of when outsiders Greece gatecrashed the opening day party of 2004 hosts Portugal with a 2-1 win on their way to a stunning tournament triumph.

“I hope that does not happen again, we would not want to experience what Portugal experienced on the first day of Euro 2004,” Poland coach Franciszek Smuda told reporters looking ahead to the June 8 game in Warsaw. “This is a good draw for us, it’s not a group of death. It’s not an easy group either and it will require a lot of effort to advance. “Greece have a good team.

Everything will depend on the first game in the group against them and whether we

win it.” The flesh was put on the bones of the biggest sporting event to take place in eastern Europe since the 1980 Moscow Olympics when the 16 finalists were drawn into four groups for the competition which runs from June 8 to July 1 next year.

More than 1.4 million visitors are expected to come to Poland and Ukraine and sample the delights of cities as far apart as Gdansk in northern Poland and Donetsk in southern Ukraine, separated by a distance of around 2,500 kilometres.

As well as facing Greece in Group A, Poland will also meet eastern European rivals Russia in Warsaw and the Czech Republic in Wroclaw. Smuda’s side have a reasonable chance of advancing from the quartet, which is far from the toughest of the four and was kinder than Ukraine’s group. They have been bracketed with Sweden, England and France in Group D with Ukraine playing their first game against the Swedes in their capital Kiev on June 11. England will meet France on the same day in Donetsk and the French will be hoping for the same outcome as when they played each other in their opening match of Euro 2004 in Lisbon, two late goals earning

Les Bleus a 2-1 win. Inconsistent France also beat Ukraine 4-1 in a friendly in Donetsk in June and will be one of the championship’s dark horses, a bit like England who will be without the suspended Wayne Rooney for the start of the tournament. Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin said: “What can you say apart from you will never face easy opposition in the Euros so whoever we played, it was going to be a challenge. But our stadiums are ready, our people are ready and the players will be ready.” Group B brought together four strong opponents in the toughest-looking pool with Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Portugal all renewing old rivalries.

The rivalry between the Germans and the Dutch has evolved into one of the most intense in international soccer dating from the 1974 World Cup final when the then West Germany beat hot favourites Netherlands 2-1 in the final in Munich. The Dutch gained a modicum of revenge when they beat West Germany 2-1 in the semifinal of Euro ‘88 in Hamburg before going on to be crowned European champions back in Munich. The present day Germany, under coach Joachim Loew, are heavily

backed to be crowned European champions for a record-extending fourth time thanks to their youth and played superbly to beat the Dutch 3-0 in a friendly in Hamburg last month.

Netherlands, the 2010 World Cup runners-up, are highly-rated too though and their meeting in their second group game in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on June 13 should be one of the highlights of the first round. “It is the toughest group.

Netherlands and Portugal have world-class players. We can look forward to very interesting duels,” Loew said.

Portugal and Denmark were in the same qualifying group for the finals, with Denmark coach Morten Olsen commenting: “We all know each other so well, we have beaten them and they have beaten us and it is going to be a very tough group to get through.” Spain are naturally the favourites, backed to become the first holders to retain the Henri Delaunay trophy, and will face Italy, Ireland and Croatia in a Group C which the southern European superpowers should both advance from. Spain have never beaten Italy in a major tournament apart from a penalty shoot-out win over the Azzurri in

the quarter-finals of the last Euros in Vienna in 2008. The draw brought a wry smile to the face of Ireland’s Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni, who will face his countrymen for the fourth time since taking charge of Ireland, winning one and drawing twice against the team he used to manage.

“We all know Italy and their strengths so it is not going to be easy,” he said. “But like the last times I have faced them, I will be wanting to beat them on the day.”

The draw was conducted by UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino at Kiev’s Palace of Arts before a crowd of invited guests and soccer celebrities.

He was assisted by four former European champions, Zinedine Zidane of France, Dutch ace Marco Van Basten, Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and German striker Horst Hrubesch. The finals will be the third to be co-hosted and will be played at four stadiums in Poland-Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw and Poznan, and four in UkraineKiev, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lviv.

Euro 2012 will be the last tournament to be staged with 16 teams. The tournament expands to 24 nations at its next edition in 2016 in France.—Reuters

Real open six-point lead over Barcelona

FRANCE: Montpellier’s forward Olivier Giroud (left) vies with Lorient’s Pedro Da Silva Rocha (right) during the French League football match. —AFP

Hazard rescues Lille PARIS: Montpellier blew away Lorient 4-0 yesterday to roar five points clear at the top of Ligue 1, as Lille battled to a 3-2 win at bottom side Ajaccio to move into second place. Geoffrey Dernis put Montpellier 1-0 up at home to Lorient in the first half before Olivier Giroud claimed his 12th goal of the season by slamming home the rebound following a Younes Belhanda freekick early in the second period.

Giroud, recently capped by France, teed up John Utaka for Montpellier’s third in the 62nd minute, with a lofted pass that the Nigerian chested down before toeing the ball past Fabien Audard.

Remy Cabella added further gloss to the scoreline with a fourth goal four minutes from time, as Giroud claimed his third assist of the game.

Victory took Rene Girard’s team six points clear of former leaders Paris SaintGermain and five points above defending champions Lille, who prevailed at Ajaccio through an 80th-minute penalty from Eden Hazard. Ajaccio took a second-minute lead through a Christian Kinkela free-kick that brushed Lille’s Aurelien Chedjou before nestling in the bottom-left corner but quick-fire goals from Ludovic Obraniak and Marko Basa put the away side 2-1 up. The hosts have won just once all season but they refused to accept their fate and equalised eight minutes before half-time, with Brazilian striker Ilan beating Mickael Landreau after dispossessing Basa on the edge of the box.

Lille coach Rudi Garcia introduced Hazard from the bench in the second half and the move paid off when the Belgian

winger dinked a penalty down the middle of the goal after Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi had impeded Florent Balmont.

Hazard also hit the crossbar with a freekick, but he had already done enough to ensure that his side will go into Wednesday’s must-win Champions League game at home to Trabzonspor in a positive frame of mind. Nolan Roux and PierreEmerick Aubameyang each claimed a brace as Saint-Etienne drew 2-2 at Brest, with Gabonese forward Aubameyang claiming a share of the spoils for the visitors with an 86th-minute equaliser.

Evian defeated Valenciennes 2-1, while Sochaux earned a 0-0 draw at Dijon despite Mathieu Peybernes’ second-half dismissal for a last-man foul on Brice Jovial.

PSG host Auxerre today, amid rumors that Antoine Kombouare’s tenure as coach could be brought to an end at any moment.

Yesterday’s edition of L’Equipe claimed the club’s owners are preparing to replace him with former player Claude Makelele on an interim basis, but Kombouare refused to discuss his future in his pre-match press conference.

PSG have gone four games without a win, having lost 3-0 at arch rivals Marseille last weekend and then fallen to a 2-0 defeat at Red Bull Salzburg that compromised their chances of reaching the Europa League last 32.

Eliminated from the Europa League on Thursday, fourth-placed Rennes visit second-bottom Nice later on Saturday, when victory for Frederic Antonetti’s side would take them level on points with Lille.—AFP

Rangers open up seven-point lead GLASGOW: Rangers got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Dunfermline to open a seven-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League yesterday.

After two games without a win the Ibrox club started with a point to prove and took a 22nd minute lead when Paul Gallagher’s attempted clearance came crashing off the back of Alex Keddie.

Sone Aluko was making his Ibrox debut for Rangers and won his new club a 29th minute penalty which Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic converted for his 12th goal of the season.

Dunfermline pulled one back two minutes later when Joe Cardle conjured a goal out of nothing to fire low past Allan McGregor. Rangers manager Ally McCoist said the win, rather than the performance, was the most important thing.

“After a couple of disappointments there is absolutely no doubt that the three points were the most important thing,” the Rangers manager said.

“We can and will play a lot better. We certainly created a lot more than we have done recently and I’m really pleased with the win.” Dunfermline boss Jim McIntyre was critical of referee Steve Conroy’s per-

formance. “Obviously the first goal was preventable and the second goal the ref has had a nightmare as it was never a penalty,” he said. Rangers created a host of chances in the second-half but were nearly made to pay when Keddie’s last minute header came close to an equaliser.

Old Firm rivals Celtic have the chance to close the gap when they take on Dundee United at Tannadice today. Rangers made three changes to the side which lost against Kilmarnock last weekend as young Norwegian Thomas Bendiksen handed his competitive debut after impressing in a midweek friendly.

However, it was Aluko who created a chance with a minute as he broke down the right and crossed for Jelavic to fire over.

Steven Davis’ lofted pass then found the Croatian in the box but he sent his downward header wide.

Bendiksen then set up Aluko on the edge of the box but he curled his shot over before Gregg Wylde stung the palms of Gallagher with a long-range strike.

The home side had been doing all the pressing and their pressure paid off when they took the lead in fortunate circumstances in the 22nd minute. —AFP

MADRID: Real Madrid stretched their winning run to 14 games in all competitions with a hardfought 3-0 victory at Sporting Gijon yesterday to open a sixpoint lead over Barcelona.

Angel Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo were on target as Real piled the pressure on Barcelona, who have also played 14 games, ahead of the champions’ clash with Levante later yesterday.

The win means Jose Mourinho’s Madrid will certainly be top when the two rivals meet next Saturday in the Santiago Bernabeu in the first Clasico of the La Liga season.

Sporting, who were bottom of the table early in the campaign, and took eight games to find their first win, tested Madrid throughout before finishing the game with 10 men when Sebastian Eguren was sent off late on. Di Maria struck in the 35th minute.

Ronaldo found the Argentine with a long raking pass which Di Maria controlled well before exploiting a mistake by Sporting full-back Damian Suarez to advance into the penalty area.

He then surprised goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas with a shot that squeezed inside the near post from a tight angle to conjure an important lead for his side out of nothing.

It was a full 30 minutes later before Madrid could relax and Di Maria was again prominent when

SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the Spanish League football match against Sporting Gijon. —AFP his defence-splitting pass found Ronaldo who rounded Colinas before slotting home for his 16th league goal of the season.

Sporting then had claims for a penalty turned down after substitute Gaston Sangoy was felled in the penalty area.

With the two-goal cushion,

Madrid were content to keep the ball, perhaps with one eye on next Saturday’s crucial battle.

And when Sporting’s Uruguayan midfielder Eguren received his marching orders on 79 minutes for a second yellow card, his side’s chances of getting anything from the game ended.

Bayern back on top BERLIN: Bayern Munich shot back to the top of the German League yesterday with an impressive 4-1 win over 10-man Werder Bremen and replaced defending champions Dortmund who were held 1-1 at Moenchengladbach.

France star Franck Ribery scored two superb individual goals, while Dutch winger Arjen Robben converted two penalties as Munich opened a one-point lead at the top. To compound Bremen’s misery, midfielder Aaron Hunt was sent off 10 minutes from time after being shown a straight red card following a foul on Germany star Toni Kroos.

“For Bayern, it was of paramount importance that we got back to the top of the table,” said coach Jupp Heynckes, whose side were humbled 3-2 at strugglers Mainz last Sunday. “My team produced a good response after the lacklustre defeat at Mainz. We saw there is harmony again in the team and we have the right balance once more between defence and attack.

“Everyone worked hard to get back when they needed to. In the first half, we didn’t play with the same composure we showed in the first third of the season or in the Champions League, but Mainz has cost us a lot of confidence.”

Ribery put Bayern ahead in the 22nd minute, but the guests got back on level terms just after the break when Sweden striker Markus Rosenberg turned Bayern defender Holger Badstuber inside out, before firing past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Robben converted the first of his two penalties on 69 minutes when Bayern’s Thomas Mueller was fouled in the penalty area and Ribery then added his second on 77 minutes when he drew Mielitz and then fired into an empty net.

Hunt then saw red before Greek defender Sokratis held back Ribery in the penalty area for Robben to convert his second spot kick to make it 4-1 at the end.

Victory gave the hosts their first win in three league games and allows them to avoid their first hat-trick of Bundesliga

GERMANY: Munich’s striker Mario Gomez (left) and Bremen’s Brazilian defender Naldo (right) challenge for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga football match. —AFP defeats in nearly 14 years, while Werder remain fourth.

“We weren’t in the game,” admitted Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf. Dortmund drop to second after they were held to a 11 draw at third-placed ‘Gladbach.

“That was an intensive game,” said ‘Gladbach coach Lucien Favre. “Dortmund were the better team in the first half, but we managed to put them under pressure after the break and I am happy with the draw.” The visitors went ahead when Poland striker Robert Lewandowski rose highest to head home a corner on 40 minutes for his 10th league goal of the season.

The hosts drew level on 72 minutes when ex-Germany striker Mike Hanke scored his third goal in two games, but the draw leaves both teams level on 30 points, one behind Bayern. Japan star Makoto Hasebe was sent off for Wolfsburg in their 2-2 draw at home to Mainz as Wolves threw away a 2-0 lead.—AFP

There was still time for Brazilian full-back Marcelo to increase Madrid’s lead in the last minute.

Also yesterday, crisis club Racing Santander beat Villarreal 1-0 with a crucial goal from Christian Stuani that lifted his side from the bottom of the league into third last.—AFP

Milan defeat 10-man Genoa ROME: AC Milan went top of Serie A for the first time this season after a 2-0 victory against 10-man Genoa in a match which was suspended in the first half after tear gas clogged the ground.

Udinese or previous leaders Juventus could yet overtake the champions at the weekend but it was still an ominous warning from the rossoneri to their rivals.

They now have seven wins and a draw in their last eight league games. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored from the penalty spot after former Milan player Kakha Kaladze had been sent off for bringing down the Swede and earning a second yellow card.

Antonio Nocerino scored the killer second after being teed up by Kevin-Prince Boateng. Ibrahimovic, however, denied this victory was a sign to their title rivals. “In the first half we had three chances that we could have scored from and that would have opened up the game,” he said. “In the second half things went better, we scored two goals and we’re playing very well. “It’s a signal for ourselves because we’re playing well, we’ve got a lot of confidence, also away from home. “We’re getting a lot of possession and scoring goals. The others are doing what they’re doing and we’re doing what we’re doing.”

Genoa coach Alberto Malesani felt the absence of top scorer Rodrigo Palacio, who was suspended, made a difference. “We missed Palacio, we tried to make Milan play to hit them on the counter but maybe we sat too deep. “When we started to improve we gave away a penalty and a red card from our mistake and unfortunately against Milan it’s difficult being 10.

“We tried but honestly Milan were better. I couldn’t see the team breaking through, we tried but we didn’t get very far.” There was trouble outside the ground as Genoa and Milan fans clashed, with police firing tear gas to disperse the warring parties.

That move forced the referee to suspend the match for 10 minutes just past the quarter-hour mark as gas seeped into the ground, causing breathing problems for players and fans. The first half was a tame affair, although Nocerino was twice played in behind the Genoa defence.

His first chance was thwarted by a vital last-ditch tackle from Genoa captain Marco Rossi, while goalkeeper Sebastien Frey was out swiftly to block Nocerino’s second opportunity.—AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

Years

S P ORT S

Arsenal crush Wigan

Soccer results/standings English Premier League results yesterday: Aston Villa 0, Manchester United 1 (Jones 20); Blackburn 4 (Yakubu 20, 45, 57, 82-pen) Swansea 2 (Lita 35, Moore 66); Manchester City 5 (Aguero 32, Nasri 51, Yaya Toure 68, Balotelli 88, Johnson 90) Norwich 1 (Morison 81); Newcastle 0, Chelsea 3 (Drogba 38, Kalou 89, Sturridge 90); QPR 1 (Helguson 20) West Brom 1 (Long 81); Tottenham 3 (Bale 7, Lennon 50, Defoe 60) Bolton 0; Wigan 0, Arsenal 4 (Arteta 28, Vermaelen 29, Gervinho 61, van Persie 78).

Playing Sunday Everton v Stoke, Wolves v Sunderland Playing Monday Fulham v Liverpool English league results Championship Blackpool 1, Reading 0; Brighton 1, Nottingham Forest 0; Bristol City 0, Middlesbrough 1; Doncaster 1, Southampton 0; Hull 2, Leicester 1; Ipswich 1, Watford 2; Leeds 2, Millwall 0; Peterborough 3, Barnsley 4; Portsmouth 2, Coventry 1; West Ham 1, Burnley 2.

Played Friday Crystal Palace 1 Derby 1

Third Division Berwick 0, Clyde 2; East Stirling 1, Annan Athletic 0; Elgin 1, Stranraer 1; Montrose 1, Alloa 1; Queen’s Park 1, Peterhead 1.

German league results Kaiserslautern 1 (Hubnik 5-og) Hertha Berlin 1 (Raffael 14); Freiburg 1 (Cisse 67) Hanover 1 (Bastians 44-og); M’gladbach 1 (Hanke 72) Dortmund 1 (Lewandowski 40); VfL Wolfsburg 2 (Mandzukic 10, Madlung 41) Mainz 05 2 (Ivanschitz 70, ChoupoMoting 81); Bayern Munich 4 (Ribery 22, 77, Robben 69-pen, 83-pen) Werder Bremen 1 (Rosenberg 52); VfB Stuttgart 2 (Gentner 29, 36) Cologne 2 (Podolski 15, 88).

Playing Sunday: Hamburg v Nuremberg, Schalke 04 v FC Augsburg Played Friday: Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Derdiyok 10, Sam 79) Hoffenheim 0 Spanish league results Racing Santander 1 (Stuani 27) Villarreal 0; Sporting Gijon 0, Real Madrid 3 (Di Maria 35, Cristiano Ronaldo 65, Marcelo 90+2).

Playing later Barcelona v Levante, Valencia v Espanyol

Scottish Premier League results Hearts 1 (Taouil 86) St Johnstone 2 (Craig 3, Maybury 79-pen); Kilmarnock 2 (Harkins 5, Dayton 65) Aberdeen 0; Rangers 2 (Keddie 22-og, Jelavic 29-pen) Dunfermline 1 (Cardle 31); St Mirren 1 (Thompson 45) Inverness 2 (Shinnie 11, Hayes 69).

Sunday Atletico Madrid v Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad v Malaga, Osasuna v Real Betis, Real Mallorca v Athletic Bilbao, Granada v Real Zaragoza Monday Sevilla v Getafe

Playing Sunday Dundee United v Celtic Played Friday Motherwell 0, Hibernian 1 (O’Connor 16) - match abandoned at half time due to electrical fire and floodlight failure Scottish Football League results First Division Falkirk 1, Morton 0; Hamilton 1, Dundee 6; Partick 2, Livingston 1; Queen Of The South 4, Ayr 1; Ross County 4, Raith 2.

Second Division Albion Rovers 3, Cowdenbeath 3; Arbroath 1, Brechin 1; Dumbarton 1, Forfar 1; East Fife 1, Stenhousemuir 3; Stirling 1, Airdrie 4.

Italian Serie A results Genoa 0, AC Milan 2 (Ibrahimovic 56-pen, Nocerino 79) Playing Saturday (1945GMT): Inter Milan v Udinese, Napoli v Lecce Playing Sunday (1400GMT unless otherwise stated): Catania v Cagliari (1130GMT), Bologna v Siena, Chievo v Atalanta, Fiorentina v Roma, Juventus v Cesena, Parma v Palermo (1945GMT) Playing Monday (1945GMT): Lazio v Novara

Wigan 0

Arsenal 4

WIGAN: Robin van Persie capped Arsenal’s crushing 4-0 victory over Wigan at the DW Stadium with his 18th goal of the season as the Gunners moved up to fifth in the Premier League yesterday.

Arsene Wenger’s side were in control from the moment they scored two goals inside a minute midway through the first half with Thomas Vermaelen heading home in the 29th minute, immediately after Mikel Arteta had given the Gunners the lead.

Gervinho made it three in the 61st minute before in-form Dutch for ward van Persie wrapped things up 12 minutes from time.

Three points continued Arsenal’s impressive resurgence but this was another dismal afternoon for Wigan who now sink to the foot of the table.

Arsenal have endured some unhappy experiences at the DW Stadium, Wenger’s side twice squandering two-goal leads in recent years.

Roberto Martinez’s Wigan have endured a desperate start to the season but after securing a first win in 10 games at Sunderland on their last outing, a week after they were controversially denied victory over Blackburn, the manager was moved to talk of a turning point.

Wigan’s short-lived improvement paled in comparison to Arsenal’s increasingly impressive progress and, after losing four of their opening seven league games, the Gunners came into the game having won six of their last eight.

It was the home side, though, who started the game more confidently, immediately pressing Arsenal back into their own half and creating the first real chance of the match in the seventh minute.

Centre forward Connor Sammon had already made his physical presence felt when he bustled

LONDON: Arsenal’s English striker Theo Walcott vies with Wigan’s English midfielder David Jones (right) during the English Premier League football match. — AFP his way to the by-line on the left hand flank and delivered a cross to Jordi Gomez, whose close range shot was denied by a deflection off Vermaelen.

The miss summed up Wigan’s problems in front of goal and, having failed to make the most of early pressure, Martinez’s side showcased their failings at the other end of the pitch when they allowed Arteta to open the scoring in the 28th minute.

The home side inexplicably allowed the midfielder to advance 25 yards from the halfway line at walking pace and Arteta was never going to pass up the invitation to shoot.

Ali Al Habsi should have done much better with the swerving effort, but the Wigan keeper allowed the ball to fly through his hands.

The finger of blame for the second goal, scored just 60 seconds later, was pointed squarely at Al Habsi’s defenders though when Vermaelen simply rose unhindered to head

Spurs demolish struggling Bolton

English Premier League table English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man City ManUtd Tottenham Chelsea Arsenal Newcastle Liverpool Everton Aston Villa Norwich QPR West Brom Stoke Swansea Fulham Sunderland W’hampton Blackburn Bolton Wigan

14 14 13 14 14 14 13 12 14 14 14 14 13 14 13 13 13 14 14 14

12 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 3 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 3 2 3 2

2 3 1 1 2 5 5 1 7 4 4 3 3 5 6 5 2 4 0 3

0 1 2 4 4 2 2 6 4 6 6 7 6 6 5 6 8 8 11 9

48 31 29 31 30 19 17 15 16 20 15 13 13 14 15 15 13 21 19 12

13 13 16 17 23 15 12 16 18 26 25 21 23 20 16 15 23 32 34 28

38 33 31 28 26 26 23 16 16 16 16 15 15 14 12 11 11 10 9 9

English Football League table Championship Southampton 20 13 3 4 West Ham 20 12 4 4 M’brough 20 9 8 3 Cardiff 19 9 7 3 Leeds 20 10 4 6 Brighton 20 9 5 6 Blackpool 20 8 6 6 Hull 19 9 3 7 Leicester 20 8 5 7 Burnley 20 8 3 9 Reading 20 7 6 7 Crystal Palace 19 7 6 6 Barnsley 19 7 6 6 Birmingham 16 7 5 4 Derby 20 7 4 9 Peterborough 20 7 3 10 Watford 20 6 6 8 Portsmouth 19 6 5 8 Millwall 20 5 7 8 Bristol City 20 5 5 10 Ipswich 19 6 2 11 NForest 20 6 2 12 Doncaster 20 4 4 12 Coventry 20 2 7 11

42 36 24 33 35 23 31 21 27 31 23 19 25 23 24 39 21 22 23 20 26 18 16 17

21 17 17 22 28 21 25 21 22 30 22 18 25 18 30 38 29 22 24 31 39 35 33 31

42 40 35 34 34 32 30 30 29 27 27 27 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 20 20 20 16 13

Scottish Premier League table Rangers 17 13 3 1 32 Celtic 16 11 2 3 34 Motherwell 16 9 3 4 20 St Johnstone 16 7 5 4 20 Hearts 17 6 4 7 16 Kilmarnock 17 5 7 5 23 St Mirren 17 5 5 7 15 Dundee Utd 16 4 6 6 21 Inverness 17 4 3 10 22 Hibernian 16 3 5 8 16 Dunfermline 17 3 5 9 20 Aberdeen 16 3 4 9 17

8 14 18 13 13 25 21 26 33 26 36 23

42 35 30 26 22 22 20 18 15 14 14 13

Scottish Football League tables First Division Ross County 15 10 4 1 28 Falkirk 15 7 4 4 24 Dundee 15 7 2 6 23 Partick 15 5 5 5 21 Livingston 15 4 7 4 21 Morton 15 5 4 6 17 Hamilton 15 5 3 7 22 Q South 15 4 4 7 18 Ayr 15 4 4 7 14 Raith 15 4 3 8 16

13 22 17 15 21 24 23 20 28 21

34 25 23 20 19 19 18 16 16 15

Second Division Cowdenbeath 15 Arbroath 15 Stenhousemuir15 Dumbarton 15 East Fife 15 Albion 15 Airdrie 15 Brechin 15 Forfar 14 Stirling 14

17 22 20 29 29 31 36 22 27 27

31 31 27 19 19 18 17 15 14 12

9 9 8 5 6 5 4 3 3 3

4 4 3 4 1 3 5 6 5 3

2 2 4 6 8 7 6 6 6 8

34 35 29 27 21 26 33 16 22 17

Third Division Annan Athletic13 8 Alloa 14 7

3 5

2 2

23 12 27 21 19 26

Elgin Stranraer Berwick Clyde Queens Park Montrose East Stirling Peterhead

13 13 14 13 13 14 14 13

6 6 6 5 5 4 2 1

Spanish league table Real Madrid 14 12 Barcelona 14 9 Valencia 13 8 Levante 13 8 Malaga 13 7 Sevilla 13 5 Osasuna 13 4 Athletic Bilbao 13 4 Espanyol 13 5 AMadrid 13 4 R Vallecano 14 4 Villarreal 14 3 Getafe 13 3 Real Betis 13 4 Real Mallorca 12 3 Granada 12 3 Real Sociedad 13 3 R Santander 14 2 Sporting Gijon 14 3 Real Zaragoza 13 2

4 3 3 4 4 2 2 4 1 4 3 2 2 6 6 5 2 4 4 5 4 1 4 3 3 6 3 4

3 4 5 4 4 8 10 8 1 1 2 3 4 2 3 4 6 5 6 6 6 8 5 6 7 6 8 7

23 28 26 18 19 23 11 12 49 42 21 23 17 13 16 19 10 18 15 11 14 12 10 5 12 10 12 12

14 19 22 11 19 34 32 22 10 7 13 12 16 10 25 16 15 20 19 20 19 19 17 12 20 20 24 27

22 21 21 19 19 14 8 7 37 31 27 26 23 21 18 17 17 16 16 14 13 13 13 12 12 12 12 10

Matches on TV (Local Timings) English Premier League Everton v Stoke ....................... 18:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD 3 Wolves v Sunderland ............... 19:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD 4 Spanish League Valencia v Espanyol ................... 0:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Atletico v Rayo ......................... 14:00 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Sociedad v Malaga ................... 18:00 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Osasuna v Betis ......................... 20:00 Aljazeera Sport +5 Mallorca v Bilbao ...................... 22:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Granada v Zaragoza ................. 23:30 Aljazeera Sport +5

Bolton 0

QPR 1

West Brom 1

Juventus v Cesena .....................17:00 Aljazeera Sport +5 Fiorentina v Roma ..................... 17:00 Aljazeera Sport +1 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Chievo v Atalanta ...................... 17:00 Aljazeera Sport +9 Bologna v Siena ........................ 17:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Parma v Palermo ....................... 22:45 Aljazeera Sport +1

Swansea 2

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspurs’ Luka Modric tries to score against Bolton Wanderers during their English Premier League soccer match at the White Hart Lane stadium. —AP when winger Chris Eagles managed to get away a shot, which took a vicious deflection before being well saved by Brad Friedel.

At the other end, Jaaskelainen repelled Spurs almost single-handedly, pulling off stunning stops to twice deny striker Emmanuel Adebayor, while Bale lashed over the bar when well set in the area.

The visitors’ luck ran out early in the second period when Lennon, fed by Defoe, cut into the area and drove a power ful shot past Jaaskelainen.

Tottenham were furious shortly afterwards when defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto went down in the area under a challenge from veteran Bolton striker Kevin Davies, but Attwell ignored appeals for a penalty. Defoe got himself on the score-sheet on the hour mark, turning in Bale’s flick-on from close range.

Jaaskelainen made a strong claim for man of the match, pulling off further saves from Croatia international Modric and his midfield partner Parker, as well as Bale and Defoe. —AFP

BLACKBURN: Ayegbeni Yakubu eased the pressure on embattled Blackburn Rovers coach Steve Kean with four goals to sink 10-man Swansea City 4-2 at Ewood Park yesterday.

Yakubu’s heroics lifted Rovers off the bottom of the Premier League, but Kean was still jeered by some home fans, who continued to chant for his dismissal and protested against the manager after the final whistle. Brendan Rodgers’ Swans had hauled themselves back into the game with goals from Leroy Lita and Luke Moore, and were pressing for an equaliser at 3-2 down when Joe Allen was sent off.

Rovers are now in 18th place, one point and one place from safety after only their second league win of the season. Yakubu grabbed his first in the 20th minute after superb work from Gael Givet, who cut in from the left flank and crossed for the Nigerian to blast home the opener.

But even that goal did not placate some sections of the home support, who booed when Kean celebrated with the goalscorer on the touchline.

It was clear Yakubu was up for the challenge, but after he sent another chance squirming wide, it was the visitors who notched an equaliser in the 35th minute. Mark Gower sent in a looping cross from the right flank and Lita, in for the injured Danny Graham, rose to angle a fine header in off the post.

Yakubu restored Blackburn’s lead in first-half injury time when he reacted with a point-blank header after substitute Simon Vukcevic volleyed across the box.

Scott Sinclair was at the centre of almost all Swansea’s moves early in the second half, setting up Lita to blaze over the bar then unleashing a shot of his own into the side-netting.

Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson played a big part in Rovers’ third when his booming goal-kick was tipped over the bar by opposite number Michel Vorm.

From the resulting corner Rovers grabbed their third, with Christopher Samba heading back Morten Gamst Pedersen’s set-piece and Yakubu pouncing to finally complete his hat-trick from close range.

But Swansea were far from done and they reduced the deficit in the 66th minute when Moore fired home from inside the box after Robinson had parried an initial effort from Wayne Routledge. —AFP

Long late show punishes QPR

Italian League Catania v Cagliari ...................... 14:30 Aljazeera Sport +1 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD

Blackburn 4

Yakubu hits four to lift Kean

Tottenham 3

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur swept into second place in the Premier League yesterday after a 3-0 demolition of 10-man Bolton Wanderers at White Hart Lane.

Goals from Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe ensured that Spurs leapfrogged Chelsea and Manchester United, but the champions had the chance to reclaim second place by beating Aston Villa in the day’s late fixture.

It was Tottenham’s sixth consecutive Premier League victory, equalling the club record. Spurs now lie seven points behind leaders Manchester City, who thumped Norwich City 5-1, with a game in hand.

Bolton, who had England defender Gary Cahill sent off for a professional foul, remain deep in relegation trouble, two points adrift of safety.

The 35,896 crowd and both sets of players joined in a minute’s applause before kick-off to honour former Wanderers midfielder Gary Speed, who was found hanged at his home on Sunday.

The visitors got off to the worst possible start when Bale, who played under Speed for the Wales national team, nipped in front of his marker to divert Luka Modric’s corner into the bottom corner of the goal.

The highly-rated midfielder took off his boot and held it aloft in apparent tribute to his former manager. Wanderers’ misery was compounded 10 minutes later when Cahill was controversially red-carded after hauling down England midfielder Scott Parker, whom referee Stuart Attwell adjudged to have had a clear run on goal.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle was visibly incensed, gesticulating and shouting at the young official from the touchline.

Spurs predictably dominated the rest of the first half and nearly doubled their advantage through Defoe, but visiting goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen made a miraculous save to keep out his close-range effort.

Wanderers nearly drew level on 25 minutes

home van Persie’s corner.

From being in a position where they could entertain reasonable ambitions of claiming a point, Wigan were suddenly a beaten side and it showed.

Arsenal’s passing and movement improved while Wigan looked like a team devoid of belief and ready to write off the game.

To their credit, Martinez’s side showed renewed spirit at the start of the second half, although they were fortunate to escape a strong appeal for an Arsenal penalty when Aaron Ramsey was manhandled by Steve Gohouri in the 50th minute.

After Mohamed Diame had flashed another shot narrowly wide of the Arsenal goal, the Gunners ended home hopes of a comeback with the third goal in the 61st minute. Al Habsi reacted well to save van Persie’s shot but could only push the ball into the path of Gervinho who finished into the roof of the net. —AFP

LONDON: A late equaliser from Shane Long earned West Bromwich Albion a 1-1 draw at QPR yesterday that poured cold water on QPR coach Neil Warnock’s birthday celebrations.

Warnock turned 63 on Thursday and saw in-form Heidar Helguson put the hosts ahead in the first half at Loftus Road, but his side were punished for their inability to extend their lead when Long levelled in the 81st minute.

Long’s goal prevented QPR from registering only their second home win of the campaign and left them 11th in the Premier League table, one place and one point above Roy Hodgson’s West Brom.

QPR created the game’s first clear chance,

with Shaun Wright-Phillips skewing wide from Jamie Mackie’s cut-back, before Jerome Thomas spurned an opening at the other end when he failed to test Radek Cerny with a tame shot.

Back in the QPR team after suspension, Joey Barton created the opening goal in the 20th minute with a measured cross that Helguson converted with his head to claim his sixth goal of the season.

The hosts had the ball in the net again moments later, Wright-Phillips rattling a superb shot into the top-right corner, but the strike was incorrectly disallowed for offside.

The former Chelsea and Manchester City winger spurned an opportunity to double the Hoops’ lead in first-half injury time when he lifted the ball over the bar after finding himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Ben Foster.

West Brom had a penalty appeal turned down early in the second half, after James Morrison appeared to be bundled over by Danny Gabbidon.

Barton then squandered a fine opportunity

to put daylight between his side and the visitors, robbing Jonas Olsson and exchanging passes with Helguson but then curling the ball wide with only Foster to beat.

QPR were given a big let-off shortly afterwards, as Gareth McAuley headed wide from only six yards out, before Wright-Phillips allowed yet another chance to make the game safe pass his side by.

Armand Traore rounded the floundering Foster and pulled the ball back for the England international but, despite having only one man to beat on the line, he contrived to miss the target.

West Brom almost punished their hosts’ wastefulness immediately, but Chris Brunt’s 25-yard shot whistled fractionally wide of Cerny’s goal.

Cerny ’s goal would not survive much longer, however, as with nine minutes remaining, Long seized on Peter Odemwingie’s deflected shot and tapped home at the far post to earn his side a point and spoil Warnock’s day. —AFP

Arsenal crush Wigan

Australia defeat Spain in Champions Trophy

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Argentina stay alive in Davis Cup final

Page 17

LONDON: Aston Villa’s English defender Stephen Warnock (left) vies with Manchester United’s English striker Wayne Rooney (right) during the English Premier League football match. —AFP

Jones sinks Villa to lift United Aston Villa 0

Man United 1

BIRMINGHAM: Manchester United star Phil Jones extended Sir Alex Ferguson’s remarkable hoodoo over Aston Villa as his first career goal secured a 1-0 win at Villa

Park that kept the champions in touch at the top. Jones provided the perfect cure for Ferguson after United’s League Cup embarrassment against Crystal Palace in midweek by securing his manager’s 10th victory in 16 visits to Villa Park.

The England international’s 20th minute goal ensured United went back above Tottenham into second place and left them five points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.

But the victory came at a cost after Mexico striker Javier Hernandez was stretchered off with a serious ankle injury.

Hernandez was clearly in pain as he left the field and early reports suggest the striker suffered ankle ligament damage.

The injury will undoubtedly unsettle Ferguson’s plans for the crucial Champions League clash with FC Basel on Wednesday, though this victory certainly gets United back on track in the Premier League. A trip to Villa Park was a timely tonic for Ferguson after the Palace coup on Wednesday. Ferguson hasn’t lost in this part of the West Midlands since August 1995 when TV pundit Alan Hansen famously ridiculed the United team by

warning “you’ll win nothing with kids” with that team then going on to win the title that same season.

But United’s hopes of a stress-free evening were damaged after just six minutes when Hernandez was stretchered off after falling awkwardly on his ankle.

United, however, did not take long to recover from that setback and inched ahead after 20 minutes following a typically sublime move that bamboozled the Villa defence. Patrice Evra set Nani clear on the left and his perfect cross was expertly directed past goalkeeper Shay Given by

Jones to break his duck.

Villa required Given to repel Nani’s header shortly after and that proved to be the Republic of Ireland international’s last save as he became the second player to be carried off with an injury.

Villa manager Alex McLeish never had a honeymoon period at the club due to his past connections with bitter rivals Birmingham and was booed off at halftime after a lacklustre effort from the hosts. Charles N’Zogbia has piled on the problems for McLeish after being dropped from the squad for allegedly fail-

ing to turn up for treatment on Thursday.

And McLeish’s night got even worse just after the hour when Jermaine Jenas making his first Villa start - became the third player to be taken off injured.

Villa came close to an equaliser 18 minutes from time when Richard Dunne flicked on Barry Bannan’s corner to the far post but Emile Heskey could not direct his header on target. And United needed Anders Lindegaard to tip over James Collins’ powerful header late on but the visitors clung on to stay in contention for a 20th title for Ferguson.—AFP

City thrash Norwich

Chelsea blank Newcastle

Kolo Toure, making his first Premier League start since February, struggled to clear.

Morison managed to get a touch to Toure’s failed clearance and then thumped a shot just wide of Joe Hart’s goal.

Norwich’s lone striker Morison went close again when confusion between Toure and Vincent Kompany at the back allowed the forward to break through, only to be denied by Joe Hart’s brave block.

City were finally able to find some room in the area when Nasri’s quick free kick put Aguero through but his firm effort was blocked at the near post by John Ruddy.

Aguero should have broken the deadlock when Nasri broke into the area and lifted a cross to the far post, only for the Argentina forward to shoot well over the bar from close range.

Dzeko was also denied when his clever flick took him away from Russell Martin only for Marc Tierney to throw himself in front of the Bosnian’s shot. But City finally broke through just after the half hour thanks to a moment of real quality from Aguero.

The forward was fed by a low cross from Micah Richards and spun in the area, despite having four defenders swarming around him, and stabbed into the bottom corner.

He could have added another shortly afterwards when he was picked out by Nasri once again but lifted his effort over the bar.

At the start of the second period

of the Newcastle players when Luiz was shown just yellow.

The early drama refused to subside and, just moments after an 11th-minute tribute to Speed, the visitors were awarded a penalty.

Sturridge jinked his way into the area only for the out-stretched leg of Cabaye to curtail his progress and Dean pointed to the spot.

Frank Lampard stepped up in search of his ninth goal of the season but Tim Krul, the Holland goalkeeper, was equal to the driven effort as he palmed onto the post and the game remained goalless. Sturridge was getting a lot of joy down Chelsea’s right and before the midway point of the opening period he had been denied by first a post and then Krul. The frenetic start continued and Ba, having improvised to back heel a Peter Lovenkrands cross towards goal, was thwarted when Petr Cech clawed over the crossbar on 24 minutes. Ba again went close on 35 minutes, this time seeing a 10-yard header crack the base of the post after Danny Simpson had delivered from the right.

But it was Chelsea who seized the lead on 38 minutes when Drogba headed home his third of the season after Juan Mata had escaped Cabaye inside the area before dropping delicately onto the Ivorian’s forehead.

Newcastle made another change at halftime with Shola Ameobi replacing the ineffectual Hatem Ben Arfa, the former Marseille forward. And United could have been on level terms within 10 minutes of the second period when Drogba inadvertently shuddered his own crossbar when attempting to head clear from a Cabaye corner.

Chelsea broke and the home side again had Krul to thank as, with Ramires clean through on goal, he used his shin to deflect the Brazilian’s low shot wide. —AFP

Man City 5

Norwich 1

MANCHESTER: Manchester City cemented their lead at the top of the Premier League with a 5-1 thrashing of Norwich at Eastlands yesterday.

Sergio Aguero opened the scoring with just over half an hour gone and goals from Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure in the second half put City in complete control.

Even when Steve Morison scored a late consolation a 12th victory in 14 Premier League matches never looked in danger as substitutes Mario Balotelli and Adam Johnson boosted City’s already impressive goal difference.

City have failed to score at least three goals on only three occasions in the league this season and they are now seven points clear at the top, although third placed Manchester United can cut the gap to five points with a win at Aston Villa in yesterday’s late game.

Roberto Mancini’s side were keen to make an early breakthrough and after a neat exchange of passes with Aguero, Edin Dzeko drove wide from just outside the area.

Norwich were the first team to really threaten after an error from

Newcastle 0

Chelsea 3

LONDON: Norwich City’s English defender Kyle Naughton (right) vies with Manchester City’s Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko (left) during the English Premier League football match. —AFP City were almost caught out when further when Yaya Toure was picked Kyle Naughton’s long ball forward out by David Silva’s cross and clipped was missed by Kompany and a shot into the corner from around Morison but Elliott Bennett ran too 15 yards out.

Morison got some reward for his wide to be able to find the empty net. But City looked to have made afternoon’s work when he headed in the game safe five minutes after the from David Fox’s cross with 10 mininterval when Nasri’s crossed free utes left.

But Balotelli restored the threekick was somehow allowed in by goal advantage when the ball went Ruddy.

The Norwich goalkeeper made up in deliberately off his right shoulder for that error with an impressive dou- from close to the goal-line. And ble save from Silva and Aguero as Johnson drove in a low effort in stoppage time to complete a convincing City continued to stream forward.

City extended their advantage victory.—AFP

NEWCASTLE: Chelsea eased the pressure on embattled boss Andre Villas-Boas with a 3-0 victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park yesterday. Villas-Boas was starting to feel the heat following a run of three defeats in Chelsea’s previous five Premier League matches and his team went into the game on the back of a 2-0 League Cup defeat to Liverpool on Tuesday.

But the win, courtesy of a first-half Didier Drogba effort and a pair of late strikes from Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge, saw Chelsea climb above fourth-placed Newcastle, who lost for the first time on home soil this season, into third place ahead of Tottenham’s clash with Bolton later on Saturday. A planned minute’s applause for former Newcastle midfielder Gary Speed, who died aged 42 this week, was observed by a sell-out crowd before kick-off.

With a sombre mood inside the stadium beforehand, a subdued start was perhaps expected but the game was sparked into life with just three minutes on the clock.

Yohan Cabaye threaded a low ball behind the static Chelsea backline for Demba Ba to chase, only for the Senegal striker to be wrestled to the turf by David Luiz. With the Brazilian centre-back the last line of defence and the home support baying for a red card, referee Mike Dean quickly incurred the wrath

The Banker names NBK ‘Bank of the Year in ME for 2011’ Page 22

Euro-zone casts shadow on GCC bourses Page 23 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

Canada PM sees politics behind pipeline delay Page 25

Geithner to urge Europe leaders to take action Page 26

MUMBAI: Indian laborers push a cart loaded with fruits at a market in Mumbai, India. India government yesterday put on hold its plan to open up the country’s retail sector to the foreign supermarkets. — AP

India defers plan to open up retail sector Wal-Mart won’t serve us, says opposition MUMBAI: India’s government will put a plan to open up its retail industry to foreign supermarkets on hold until it reaches consensus within the coalition, risking a possible dilution of the policy rather than a change of heart.

The decision to allow global giants such as Wal-Mart into India’s $450 billion retail market, the first major economic reform since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s graft-riddled term began in 2009, has been met with fierce opposition from some parties who say it will destroy the livelihood of millions of small traders. Mamata Banerjee, who is against the policy and whose Trinamool Congress brings 19 votes to the ruling Congress party-led coalition, said that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had told her that the policy would be put on hold.

Banerjee has previously pledged not to use the issue to bring down the government, and refrained from saying that consensus was impossible. “(Mukherjee) has told me that the centre has decided to suspend implementa-

tion of the decision to allow FDI in retail,” Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal, told reporters in Kolkata in a press conference broadcast on local television.

“He has told me that the decision will not be implemented unless there is consensus on the issue,” said Banerjee, who has announced her opposition to the policy. It was not immediately clear what the postponement would entail or whether negotiations were continuing yesterday. A Congress spokesperson was not reachable for comment. In India’s multiparty democracy, major parties are often forced to rely on fickle coalition allies, who often use the importance of their votes in New Delhi to negotiate concessions or support for the regions or states they represent.

Possible dilution of the policy could include lowering the 51 percent foreign investment permitted under the current rules, or increasing the percentage of products to be sourced locally, or the amount firms must spend on developing infrastructure.

With a thin parliamentary majority, the government is dependent on allies but does not face any immediate threat of losing power.

Trinamool’s votes would be required to bring the policy into law.

Any retreat on the policy would be seen damaging India’s image with foreign investors as Asia’s third-largest economy shows signs of slowing, and would add to a basket of key economic reforms that have been shelved by Singh’s government.

A senior leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the government was fooling the country about the benefits of foreign supermarkets, “Wal-Mart may be fine for (the West) but Wal-Mart does not serve us,” L K Advani, a former president of the BJP and leader of the opposition from 2004 to 2009, told a summit in New Delhi. “We should not be envious of Wal-Mart,” Advani said.

Allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) into the retail industry is one of a basket of

reforms, seen as key to sustaining India’s continued growth, that have been postponed over the past 18 months as the government reeled from scandal to scandal.

The controversy has drawn on some deepseated nationalism in the right-wing BJP, which appeared to support the policy in 2004 but has now jumped to the support of millions of small shopkeepers that they see as a key vote base.

The BJP has led protests in parliament that have paralyzed both chambers every day since the 21-day winter session opened last week.

Its opposition to the policy stands in stark contrast to its free-market stance and is the latest move by an increasingly populist opposition that has sought to portray Congress as out of touch with common Indians as elections loom in 2014.

“To give an impression that FDI in retail will solve all problems like inflation, price rises, unemployment... whosoever is saying this is fooling people that FDI will get millions of

US trade panel to probe solar dispute with China WASHINGTON: A federal trade panel voted on Friday to investigate whether Chinese companies are harming the US solar p a n e l i n d u s t r y by d u m p i n g low-price products on global markets.

US companies’ complaints about their Chinese rivals have been amplified by the controversy surrounding Solyndra Inc - a California-based solar panel maker that went bankrupt after winning a half-billion- dollar federal loan from the Obama administration.

American companies have a s k e d t h e g ove r n m e n t to impose steep tariffs on Chinese solar imports, and the unanimous vote by the International Trade Commission means the case will continue.

The solar panel manufacture r s h ave b e e n s t r u g g l i n g against stiff competition from C h i n a a s we l l a s we a k e n i n g demand in Europe and other key markets, just as President Barack Obama is work ing to promote renewable energy.

Th e f a i l u re o f S o l y n d r a embarrassed the administration and prompted a lengthy re v i e w by co n gre s s i o n a l Republicans who are critical of Obama’s green energy policies.

Solyndra, which isn’t involved in the ITC case, cited Chinese competition as a key reason for its failure.

The commission’s vote does not impose any penalties but

says there is reason to believe that Chinese imports harm or threaten to harm the US solar panel industry. The companies that filed the complaint said the ruling affirmed their claims that massive subsidies by the C h i n e s e g ove r n m e n t a re enabling Chinese producers to drive out US competition.

US energy officials say China spent more than $30 billion last ye a r to s u b s i d i ze i t s s o l a r i n d u s t r y. O b a m a s a i d l a s t month that China has “questionable competitive practices” on clean energy and that his a d m i n i s t r a t i o n h a s fo u g h t “these kinds of dumping activities.”

The administration will act to enforce trade laws where a p p ro p r i a te, O b a m a s a i d.

SolarWorld Industries America Inc., the largest US maker of silicon solar cells and panels and a subsidiary of Germany-based SolarWorld, is leading the US complaint.

Ben Santarris, a spokesman for the Oregon-based company, called the decision to continue the case “a positive step toward restoring sustained international competition.”

But the trade dispute has caused a split in the solar industry. Some US companies argue that low-priced Chinese i m p o r t s h ave h e l p e d co n s u m e r s a n d p ro m o te r a p i d growth of the industry.

To counter the trade peti-

jobs,” Advani said. “It cannot happen.” Singh this week rejected calls to roll back the policy amid media reports that some of his coalition partners were thinking of adding their voice to the opposition.

“Local retailers have been content thinking small and doing little. It’s time to change that mindset by opening up to FDI in retail,” the Economic Times said in an editorial yesterday.

The reform, as it stands, would allow global chains like Wal-Mart, Tesco Plc and Carrefour to own up to 51 percent of retail ventures and allow foreign firms to fully own single-brand retail operations.

Congress ministers have strongly defended the decision, saying that it will create millions of jobs, improve creaking supply-chain infrastructure and bring down stubbornly high inflation which is crimping economic growth.

The controversy comes as the party fights to fend off accusations of corruption and a failure to tackle high prices before state elections due next year. —Reuters

Obama pushes payroll tax cut extension

NANTONG CITY: Chinese work on the production line at a solar panel factory of the Eoplly New Energy Technology Co, Ltd in Nantong City, east China’s Jiangsu Province. A federal trade panel voted on Friday to investigate whether Chinese companies are harming the US solar panel industry by dumping low-price products on global markets. —AP

tion, a group of solar companies have formed the Coalition for Affordable S olar Energy.

Members include Californiabased SunEdison, Recurrent E n e rg y, SolarCity and Westinghouse Solar, as well as China-based Suntech Power Holdings Co. The companies argue that the US complaint could spark a trade war with China and raise prices for the entire industry.

“Ever y day that this trade d i s p u te co n t i n u e s, m o re American jobs are threatened,” s a i d J i g a r S h a h , fo u n d e r o f SunEdison and a leader of the group opposing the trade complaint. The vast majority of the

100,000 jobs in the solar indust r y a re i n s a l e s, m a r k e t i n g, design, installation and mainten a n ce, S h a h s a i d, w i t h o n l y small percentage in manufacturing. “ Th e s e j o b s d e p e n d o n affordably priced solar panels, and companies would have to lay off workers if panel prices rose as a result of this petition,” he said. “This trade dispute has already raised uncertainty and instability throughout the solar industry. We urge SolarWorld to w i t h d r aw i t s co m p l a i n t a n d cease its protec tionist trade practices.” A spokesman for the Chinese embassy declined to comment Friday. — AP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama wants voters to get involved in the debate over extending the reduced payroll tax and he’s asking them to tell members of Congress to keep the cut in place. “Let your members of Congress know where you stand,” Obama said yesterday in his weekly radio and Internet address. “Tell them not to vote to raise taxes on working Americans during the holidays. Tell them to put country before party. Put money back in the pockets of working Americans. Pass these tax cuts.”

Obama’s address directs listeners to the whitehouse.gov website, where an online calculator lets them determine how much money it’s worth to them to continue the 2 percent reduction in the payroll tax that took effect this year. A family with income of $50,000 a year would pay $1,000 more in payroll taxes if Congress does not act by the end of this year to extend that reduction.

Democrats want to expand the reduction in addition to extending it.

Republican leaders say they’re committed to passing an extension, fearing political fallout if payroll taxes rise on Jan. 1 on 160 million wage-earners. The GOP rank-and-file appears divided, with many Republican senators voting against an extension supported by their leadership this week.

There’s also disagreement about how or whether to pay for any extension.

Democrats favor a new tax on millionaires; Republicans prefer to cut federal spending. “We’re going to keep pushing Congress to make this happen. They shouldn’t go home for the holidays until they get this done,” Obama said in his address. “And if you agree with me, I

could use your help.” Obama also took note of a new monthly jobs report out Friday that showed the economy added 120,000 jobs in November, a positive number. “We need to keep this growth going and strengthen it,” the president said. Republicans devoted their weekly address to promoting a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, which is headed for a vote in the Senate after failing in the House last month.

Democratic leaders worked aggressively to defeat the measure in the House, saying that such a requirement could force Congress to cut billions from social programs during times of economic downturn and that disputes over what to cut could result in Congress ceding its power of the purse to the courts. The result was that the amendment got majority support but fell short of the two-thirds needed to advance a constitutional amendment.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, said “the impending vote to amend the Constitution represents a choice between changing business as usual in Washington or embracing the status quo that we can no longer afford.” “The real reason many lawmakers don’t want a balanced budget amendment is the exact reason why it’s so essential,” Snowe said. “ They don’t want their hands tied; they want to continue to spend without restraint.”

Like Obama, she asked listeners to make their views known. “Contact your senators and urge them to support our balanced budget amendment,” Snowe said, “so that we finally seize the fiscal reins and reclaim our future for our children and our grandchildren.” — AP

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BUSINESS

Microsoft’s Imagine Istanbul brings brands to life

The Banker names NBK ‘Bank of the Year in ME for 2011’ Honor comes for second consecutive year KUWAIT: For the second consecutive year, the leading and internationally renowned Financial Times magazine “THE BANKER” has selected National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) as “ The Bank of the Year in the Middle East” and “Bank of Year-Kuwait” for 2011 amongst the latest list of the World’s Best Banks for 2011.

The prestigious Banker award was presented to Fawzi Dajani, NBK London GM, on behalf of NBK, at a glittering awarding ceremony specially held in London for the occasion and attended by a host of international and regional senior bankers and executives.

This award reflects unprecedented global consensus on selecting NBK as the best bank in the Middle East for two consecutive years by the three largest international institutions;

“The Banker”, “Euromoney” and “Global Finance”. NBK also has been consistently awarded the highest credit rating of all banks

in the region by the major international rating agencies; Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings.

LONDON: Fawzi Dajani, NBK London GM receives the award.

This unprecedented global consensus on naming NBK Bank of the Year in the ME for two consecutive years is a testament of the prestigious status N BK en joys a m ongs t wor l d banks.

I n sele c t i ng N B K for t he award, The Banker said that NBK deservedly won the title of “The Bank of the Year in ME and In Kuwait” for 2011 mainly due to its strong performance prudent risk approach as well as its local and regional leadership. “ The title reflects the position NBK enjoys among international banks. It is also a culmination of the bank’s overall progressive performance, strong financial position, high asset quality and clear strategy.

Fur th e r m ore, t he awa rd comes as a recognition for the best performing banks worldwide” The Banker said.

Burgan Bank holds 10th annual Al Mass Awards event today Celebrating a decade of commitment KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday that it will hold today its annual 10th AlMass Awards ceremony, which will be held at 7:00 pm in Sheik ha Salwa Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah hall, near Marina Hotel, under the patronage of Sheikha Sheikha AlAbdullah Al-Khalifa Al-Sabah, the honorary president of Kuwait Handicapped Sports Club. The event will aim to showcase and honor the distinguished work of participating special needs individuals as well as organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment in providing the

necessary support for special needs.

The initiative, throughout the years, has rewarded numerous special needs by acknowledging their abilities to overcome their everyday challenge.

Al-Mass Awards are divided into three categories, each to include the different disabilities that special needs patients face. The Blue Diamond Award rewards those with mental disabilities, the Yellow Diamond Award recognizes physically disabled individuals, and the White Diamond Award honors patients with sensory disabilities.

Over the years, the Al-Mass Awards has witnessed a significant development. The awards ceremony, which began as a simple idea, is now one of Kuwait’s truly dedicated events that recognize special needs accomplishments. The bank has introduced and applied new themes as well as ideas to further enhance this annual event.

Al-Mass Awards today is an integral component of Burgan Bank’s corporate social responsibility framework, and echoes the bank’s efforts to establishing a social footprint across the local community.

they could be used to tell compelling brand stories.

Alexandre Michelin, General Manager for MSN Europe and Executive Producer for MSN EMEA shared insights into MSN’s global strategy and demonstrated how the portal’s “Choose MSN” strategy is moving the portal beyond passive engagement with consumers to become a destination of

DUBAI: Microsoft Advertising and Online division recently hosted over 130 attendees, clients, agencies and sales partners at its Imagine Istanbul 2011 event. The event focused on Microsoft offerings and approach to find more creative ways to support brands in the digital space across the MEA (Middle East & Africa) region.

Ali Faramawy, Corporate VP, Microsoft Corporation and President - Microsoft Middle East and Africa, welcomed regional guests while underscoring the huge potential, energy and momentum that MEA represents both in terms of growth and innovation. He said, “This region has some compelling and unique characteristics with its predominantly young demographic profile and quick adoption of technology, particularly mobile and the internet, which is driving change. IT has become a real enabler to realize the potential of the MEA region and what its people want it to be which points to the power and influence of technology in this process.” Salwa Smaoui, Regional Director, Advertising & Online MEA, questioned the irony of current digital advertising investment trends, highlighting its meager contribution to just 2% of total advertising spend, given that internet penetration in the region stood at roughly 13% with a potential base of 1 billion people.

Salwa said “Given the region’s potential, we are absolutely committed to our advertising business in the region as we position ourselves to manage and monetize Microsoft’s content and media platforms. Our division already contributes to 10% of Microsoft ’s revenue. Imagine Istanbul is just the first of many such initiatives which are aimed at bringing together advertisers, agencies and partner stakeholders from the region in sharing, collaborating and shaping the future of online within the region”. M arc Bresseel, Vice President, Global Marketing, Microsoft Advertising who spoke at the event talked about M icrosof t ’s offerings across MSN, Windows Live, X-Box Live and mobile, as well as shared key consumer and audience trends and insights. His session clarified Microsoft’s diverse offerings and how

Ali Faramawy, Corporate VP, Microsoft Corporation and President - Microsoft MEA choice for local brands. Microsoft capabilities are being used to enable and empower audiences with locally relevant content through MSN Arabia. MSN portal now has 500 million users and is adding 50 million a year, while generating 20 billion page views a month and is currently the number-one portal across 26 markets.

Microsoft research at the event also focused on the necessity of leveraging the power of digital as a new element in an advertiser’s approach to support brands.

This would work particularly well in emerging markets where there is high consump-

Why investors should be bullish on Africa CITADEL CAPITAL REPORT

Stephen Murphy

Home to the world’s fastest-growing working-age population and a massive untapped consumer market, Africa’s solid fundamentals promise outstanding investment opportunities to pioneering private equity investors, senior industry veteran says.

A decade ago, only one African nation held opportunities for private investors, according to a recent study by the International Finance Corporation. Today, the IFC believes the continent of more than 1 billion consumers - home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies including Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania holds at least 21 countries with opportunities for private equity investors seeking

superior returns, a top private equity leader told his industry peers at a conference today in Nairobi, Kenya.

“Africa is among the last great frontiers for private equity,” said Stephen Murphy, Managing Director at Citadel Capital, the leading private equity firm in the Middle East and Africa with $ 8.7 billion in investments under control in 15 countries spanning 15 industries.

“This simple fact often leads to the assumption that African private equity investments are too risky, too commodityfocused and too difficult to exit - to say nothing of the view that it is too difficult to find an established general partner with whom to invest,” said Murphy in a keynote

address headlined ‘African Private Equity: Perception vs. Reality’ at the annual SuperReturn Africa conference, which opened today.

“Do your homework, though, and a different picture emerges: Africa is about opportunity - the opportunity to do better because of brighter macroeconomic fundamentals, and on a micro level because of its natural resources; the opportunity to create and grow new businesses; and the opportunity to improve existing businesses.”

Moreover, Murphy said, “Consider that Africa has a population of more than 1 billion, 60% of whom are beginning the seismic shift from rural subsistence agriculture

to urban employment. This makes not just a huge potential workforce - about 1.3 billion strong by 2040 vs. 582 million today but a consumer market that has very little and yet which is hungry for goods and services that may previously have been out of their reach. Africa is about consumers, it is about high-impact infrastructure investing and it is certainly about value-added exports and not just commodity exports.”

African PE investments are not at all difficult to exit, Murphy added. “The simple fact is that in our eight year history, we have returned $2.2 billion in cash to our investors. While ‘commercial’ LPs are just starting to invest, the development finance institutions have very large African portfo-

lios and are making very substantial returns. They have proven the market for everyone else.

“Private equity investors would do well to look at what has occurred in public equities,” Murphy concluded. “In the past decade, the S&P 500 has had negative returns, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index has returned 163%. Africa offers private equity investors strong underlying economic growth, low competition for deals (and for the businesses in which they invest), low levels of financial risk, and the ability to have a real impact on the communities in which you invest - and all of this is broadly welcomed by regional governments.”

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4260000 .3670000 .2980000 .2650000 .2720000 .0040000 .0020000 .0750520 .7312060 .3810000 .0700000 .7168150 .0040000 .0430000

.2800000 .4370000 .3770000 .3090000 .2750000 .2830000 .0072500 .0035000 .0758060 .7385550 .4010000 .0760000 .7240200 .0072000 .0530000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2757000 .2793000 GB Pound/KD .4310710 .4367000 Euro .3694380 .3742620 Swiss francs .3006870 .3046130 Canadian dollars .2679820 .2714810 Danish Kroner .0496560 .0503040 Swedish Kroner .0400710 .0405940 Australian dlr .2768440 .2804590 Hong Kong dlr .0353810 .0358430 Singapore dlr .2129620 .2157420 Japanese yen .0035470 .0035930 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0053970 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0024600 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0031760 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0036530 UAE dirhams .0750920 .0760720 Bahraini dinars .7315910 .7411440 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3950500 Saudi Riyal/KD .0735400 .0745000 Omani riyals .7163830 .7257370 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0064500

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.598 5.337 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 47.500 46.282 1.272 189.860 392.670 1.865 6.003 33.814

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 370.650 Sterling Pound 431.930 Canadian dollar 268.420 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 300.620 Australian dollar 277.000 US Dollar Buying 277.750

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

SELL CASH 288.300 736.960 3.810 276.000 544.300 44.800 50.600 167.800 48.320 377.300 36.250 5.750 0.032 0.213 0.241 3.660 393.540 0.187 90.350 46.400 4.260 219.200 1.795

48.200 719.770 3.330 6.620 76.660 73.990 217.470 36.810 2.641 439.300 40.700 307.400 5.400 9.290 198.263 75.550 277.500 1.230

721.150 3.160 6.370 76.390 74.150 215.680 35.970 2.435 434.900 303.960 5.400 9.100 75.620 277.700

10 Tola

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 437.300 277.100

Sterling Pound US Dollar

SELL DRAFT 280.500 738.860 3.570 271.100

215.700 46.289 372.500 36.180 5.315 0.031

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

288.52 278.34 307.08 376.71 437.22 3.61 3.565 5.397 2.432 3.383 3.129 75.41 736.94 46.14 394.16 720.03 76.40 73.98

288.30 276.00 307.40 377.30 439.30 3.70 3.800 5.725 2.650 4.150 3.350 76.00 737.00 48.32 393.54 719.77 76.75 74.00

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 393.510 0.187 89.980 3.370 214.000

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

Selling Rate 276.850 268.505 443.300 374.970 303.055 733.125

UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

75.350 75.990 73.785 389.700 46.310 2.422 5.309 3.179 3.615 6.383 679.095 3.675 8.955 5.830 3.415 91.960

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

GOLD 1,817.520

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

GOLD 315.500 159.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 277.650 Pak Rupees 3.165 Indian Rupees 5.355 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.445 Bangladesh Taka 3.595 Philippines Peso 6.410 UAE Dirhams 75.685 Saudi Riyals 74.185 Bahraini Dinars 738.000 Egyptian Pounds 46.260 Pound Sterling 436.300 Indonesian Rupiah 3.190 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Jordanian Dinars 394.400 Syrian Pounds 5.750 Euro 376.400 Canadian Dollars 274.400 Nepali rupee 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 277.500 Euro 376.800 Pound Sterling 437.800 Canadian Dollar 274.300 Japanese Yen 3.575 Indian Rupee 5.405 Egyptian Pound 46.125 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.428 Bangladesh Taka 3.500 Philippines Peso 6.398 Pakistan Rupee 3.115 Bahraini Dinar 736.900 UAE Dirham 75.350 Saudi Riyal 73.500 *Rates are subject to change

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LOCAL Letters to Badrya Darwish

in my view

Save water, Electricity

Questioning carnivorism

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

Dear Madam, You write some good articles that I find interesting. I have a request to make. It would be a great idea if awareness can be created by writing about saving water and electricity. Most countries in the world are striving to save and protect our planet.

In Kuwait, large quantities of water are wasted in residential areas everyday by building caretakers (haris). They connect hosepipes to taps and wash parking lots, and pour water on cars. This activity goes on for hours, with several liters of clean water going down the drain. It even dirties the streets and over a period, holes are formed on the same street due to continuous water accumulation. If these caretakers are corrected or instructed, they don’t receive it well.

The MEW (Ministry of Electricity and Water) should promote educational programs in schools, colleges, institutions, offices, malls. Awareness campaigns should be held in various languages targeting locals as well as expats. Advertisements can be held on radio stations and television.

The same goes with electricity wastage. You will find hundreds of tube lights lit up every day on bill board advertisements lying idle for months or years.

You will find them installed in commercial areas.

They can be turned off because they are not in use.

These thoughts come to my mind when I witness water and electricity being wasted for no reason. As it is, we have a shortage in natural drinking water in this country. Maybe you can surely do something with your writing that will go a long way to help save this country and the coming generations by creating awareness.

Regards, Richard Simon

kuwait digest

Determination of the people

By Meshal Al-Thufairi he Cabinet has put for ward its own demands, and so has the parliament member. In the end, it’s the people who are going to have their demands realized.

The government’s decision-making process seems to be made without prior contemplation of reactions that their behavior might create.

After they seemed to have gained control over the Parliament, the Cabinet found itself facing young citizens as its main enemy. I began taking stances against the government to protect public funds and rid the Parliament of corrupt lawmakers. Instead of intimidating them, jailing young activists fuels the determination of their colleagues to maintain a national stance in fighting corruption because prosecuting protestors only means that these protestors are fighting for a right cause.

Young citizens chose to stay the night at the Irada Square, not because they wish to break the law and create chaos. They are only eager to

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I challenge anyone to tell me about an area or a field in which the Cabinet was successful. The Kuwaiti people today decided to step up and take matters into their own hands after personal conflicts between certain members of the ruling family cost Kuwait a lot. It’s a shame that the government and its allies would use the ‘Amir’s status’ card against youth movements, or to have their activities described as being chaotic. stop governmental corruption and eradicate it from both the legislative and executive authorities. This is why I believe these protestors gained the respect of society and should be applauded for their national stance. I challenge anyone to tell me about an area or a field in which the Cabinet was successful. The Kuwaiti people today decided to step up and take matters into their own hands after personal conflicts between certain members of the ruling family cost Kuwait a lot. It’s a shame that the government and its allies would use the ‘Amir’s status’ card against youth movements, or to have their activities described as being chaotic. Every day, these young men prove that their movements are purely nationalistic, and that they are eager to lead the country to development as soon as this Cabinet is gone.

Assuring that the country has an honest Cabinet and an active Parliament can only be achieved through efforts of people who love freedom and principles of the Constitution. It’s a battle today between the people of Kuwait and forces of corruption that try to keep their stranglehold on the country. I hope young activists receive all the support they can have to achieve victory. —Al-Rai

By Lisa Conrad

lisa@kuwaittimes.net recently cut out red meat and chicken from my daily diet, not on purpose, but purely due to a lack of time to prepare proper meat-based meals. Had you asked me before whether or not I’d ever consider doing so purposefully, you would have gotten a resounding ‘no’ as an answer. ‘Where would I get adequate protein?’ I would have asked, and ‘Why do humans have such teeth if we weren’t made to eat meat?’ I would have argued.

I often looked at pescetarians, vegetarians and vegans with curiosity, wondering how and why someone would cut out such a nutritious, delicious, part of their diet. I couldn’t imagine cutting out meat and often questioned vegetarian friends on why they had ‘taken the plunge’ to vegetarianism. Yet none of their answers seemed to make much sense to me.

However, despite my confidence that I had no interest in cutting meat out, I suddenly have and, quite miraculously, don’t miss it at all.

Cutting out meat and chicken has suddenly given my body a much needed break and left me with more energy, clearer skin and looser clothes. Not only that, replacing meat with other protein sources is surprisingly easy. Many supermarkets here supply tofu (which, despite its poor reputation, is delicious) and beans and pulses are a very filling, a versatile option.

Not only that, many regional dishes are delicious and meat-free: foul (a breakfast dish made of fava beans and chickpeas) falafel (delicious fried bean patties) and mdaridra (a dish of lentils and rice topped with fried onions) are all widely available.

What’s more, cutting out meat has allowed me much more time in the evenings, as I no longer lose time cautiously prepping meat and chicken, constantly checking that they’re fully cooked and making sure that there’s been no cross contamination in the kitchen. For new cooks, starting with vegetarian dishes is certainly a safer route because, once meat has been taken out of the picture, your risk of food poisoning is pretty slim.

What’s more, tofu cooks quickly, and so do pulses providing you’ve soaked them first. Despite my newfound enthusiasm for vegetarian food, I’m not vegetarian and I do add fish to my diet a few times a week.

As I said, I haven’t cut out meat on purpose, and I still eat it when I get a craving for it, but I’m certainly appreciating why people turn to vegetarianism much more. I think that moderation is certainly the way forward. So far, I’ve found a great difference in varying my protein sources and not relying fully on meat, despite being the ultimate example of a stubborn anti-vegetarian.

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Saving lives and money

By Fares Saade, Giuliano Sparacino, Dr Ulrich Koegler

nyone who has driven on the region’s highways knows that the Middle East has a problem with road safety. But many of the region’s governments don’t know the full socioeconomic cost of car crashes; lack the tools to effectively develop responses that would save lives.

Road crashes are a global problem. The World Bank notes that every year, more than 1.2 million people die in road crashes and more than 10 million are crippled or injured. The Middle East represents a disproportionate number of those accidents, with 17 to 22 people per 100,000 dying in car accidents every year, compared to an average of 6.2 people in OECD countries. The actual number of deaths in the region may be even higher, due to underreporting and databases that are underdeveloped.

Government officials recognize the gravity of the situation, yet they tend to systematically underestimate the social and economic costs of road crashes.

These include not only direct costs such as medical treatments and damage repairs, but indirect costs such as loss of economic productivity. When all of these are taken into account, the true socioeconomic cost of road crashes amount to a staggering 1 to 2 percent of GDP in MENA countries.

Since many governments today have the ability to calculate only the direct costs, which amount to just 25 to 30 percent of the total cost of crashes, their policies and infrastructure planning do not accurately weigh the economic benefits of investments in increased safety -such as intelligent transport systems or road improvements such as asphalt drainage systems. An accurate analysis of the full costs might also further encourage the development of public transportation, reducing road usage.

Finally, a complete overview of costs of road fatalities and injuries is essential for the regulatory framework and insurance market, in order to provide fair compensation to the victims of crashes.

The first step for MENA governments is to create

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a comprehensive set of estimates for the socioeconomic cost of crashes, and promote its use across agencies. Such estimates would allow different agencies to make appropriate trade-offs between different projects competing for limited government funds, which invariably leads to additional and more targeted investments in road safety.

Governments could also use these figures to raise awareness about the steep human and economic cost of crashes, as well as to review the legislation and methods for setting the crash victims’ compensation.

Beyond these benefits, MENA government can ultimately use these estimates as the cornerstone of a strategic, integrated plan for road safety. They can start by analyzing current road safety from multiple perspectives such as transport planning, societal awareness, and enforcement of safety measures.

Based on this analysis, they can coordinate among police, transport authorities, emergency responders, insurance companies, schools, and others to determine challenges-such as unsafe driver behavior, weak enforcement of traffic laws, or underused technologies for traffic managementand then set corresponding priorities to address them. Such priorities would make an integrated plan covering areas including regulations, driver awareness and behavior, enforcement, and investments in infrastructure and safety measures.

Finally, thanks to the more sophisticated costbenefit analysis that is possible with a complete understanding of the cost of crashes, governments can define the budget for this plan based on the expected benefits in terms of fewer road crashes.

The deaths and injuries that occur on the roads of the MENA region are tragedies with emotional costs that can never be fully calculated. But a more accurate accounting of accidents’ socioeconomic costs is key to creating a program that prevents unnecessary loss of life in the future.

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

The Japanese benefit from us!

Preparing for a rainy day

By Ibrahim Al-Awadhi heikh Nasser Al-Mohammad’s cabinet has failed recent years, with statistics indicating that it tripled in politically in its handling of the multimillion-dinar the past six years. Official numbers also indicate that the deposits and suspicious transactions scandals, not salaries of state employees increased by 50% in the past to mention the grilling motions. It further failed in the ten years. This is an alarming figure, especially if we consports arena following the crisis of the dissolution of sider predictions that Kuwait’s population will double various sports clubs’ boards and the appointment of a by 2035, along with public sector jobs which would also board for the Kuwait Football Association through ille- have to be doubled to reach nearly 400 thousand.

57% of oil revenues are spent on public sector gal means, not to mention the Jaber International Stadium, which is yet to be utilized to its full potential. salaries and subsidies. Statistics revealed that salaries The cabinet also failed in the educational field when raised from KD 2.2 billion in the fiscal year 2001/2002, to Kuwait University’s admission crisis took place, and with KD 4.7 billion in 2009/2010. If they keep increasing at the stalled project to build a new public university in the same pace, public sector salaries are estimated to reach nearly KD 10 billion Shaddadiya. It failed in the development field as All indications point toward serious by 2020. It’s worth mentioning that state provides major projects either flaws in the state’s budget, which can jobs for nearly 95% of stalled or stopped altogether. It can also be said lead the country to face a budget deficit Kuwaiti labor forces.

All these factors should that the cabinet failed if nothing is done. Around 90% of be taken into account as socially by sparking social Kuwait’s gross income comes from oil we prepare for an obscure disintegration as a result of sectarian and tribal escalarevenues, which means that any drop in future in which oil prices tions. However, all of these oil prices will put the state’s budget at are expected to change in light of the Euro zone crifailures can be rectified by risk. This risk is highlighted when we sis, the US debts crisis and a new, strong cabinet. The field which I believe Sheikh take into account the point that spend- the probability that Libya Nasser Al-Mohammad’s ing has been increasing in recent years, may return strongly to the global oil export market. cabinet failed the most in with statistics indicating that it tripled in Therefore, decision makers is the economic field in Kuwait must start which, in my personal the past six years. preparing for a potentially opinion, will continue to serious crisis and find long-term solutions which include be a source of concern in years to come.

All indications point toward serious flaws in the investing the surplus of oil sale revenues, creating a suitstate’s budget, which can lead the country to face a able investment environment in Kuwait, boosting the budget deficit if nothing is done. Around 90% of industrial sector and establishing a solid base to sustain Kuwait’s gross income comes from oil revenues, which a strong touristic industry. It is also essential to explore means that any drop in oil prices will put the state’s more options to increase non-oil revenues so that the budget at risk. This risk is highlighted when we take into state’s budget doesn’t continue to depend solely on oil account the point that spending has been increasing in revenues. — Al-Rai

S

By Dr Wael Al-Hawasi can’t describe how glad I felt when I saw a TV news report about the visit by Japanese doctors to Kuwait to benefit from open heart surgery technology that this country is well-known for. Can you believe that the Japanese are coming to our country to learn something from our experience!

It is indeed an exceptional feeling which has made me realize that Kuwaitis are certainly not less educated or knowledgeable. They only lack proper utilization of talents and creative efforts. I’d like to express gratitude to the Ministry of Health for taking special care to hold medical events and conferences. The most recent is an obesity conference that exerts efforts to improve treatment of cardiac diseases.

Meanwhile, Kuwait has also recently been featured in the fourth international inventions exhibition to be held in the region. The event saw the participation of 21 Kuwaiti inventors who won several prizes and now wait for their talents to be publicized.

There’s no doubt that Kuwait is home to various creative individuals who can achieve great accomplishments. It’s unfortunate that all these efforts have been overshadowed by the ongoing political conflicts that have distracted the people. While the topics that form the core of political struggles are very important, it’s unacceptable that they completely deviate people’s attention from other aspects of life.

It was sad to see everyone, including children and social care homes’ inmates be forced to take part in events held as a result of political struggle.

Students got out of schools to stage protests that have a political coloring, while senior citizens in elderly care homes were taken to attend a pro-government rally.

The political struggle further spilled out over to TV channels that were created specifically to cover anti-government protests and the government’s flaws. — Al-Rai

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

BUSINESS

KSE buoyant, eyeing political developments KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the green zone. The price index ended last week with an increase amounted to 0.92%, while the weighted index raised by 1.36% compared to the closings of the week before. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 9.72%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 19.46 million, whereas trading volume average was 148.55 million shares, recording increase of 32.26%.

The main event during the last week was the local political circumstances, as His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, accepted the resignation of the government.

The traders are looking forward to know the new government economic policies, hoping that it will carry clear improvements than the previous one on the economic issues, especially the development plan execution, as the economy of the country didn’t improve much since

BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT 2008, when Kuwait was affected by the global financial crisis impacts. That incident affected the market from different aspects, since the stock market is considered to be a mirror for the economy. By the end of the week, the price index closed at 5,835.20 points, down by 0.92% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index recorded a 1.36% decline after closing at 412.49 points.

Sectors’ Indices Six of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone, while the other two recorded declines. Last week’s highest gainer was the Non Kuwaiti Companies sector, achieving 2.02% growth rate as its index closed at 5,264.2 points.

Whereas, in the second place, the Real Estate

sector’s index closed at 2,045.2 points recording 1.73% increase. The Investment sector came in third as its index achieved 1.71% growth, ending the week at 3,619.0 points. The Food sector was the least growing as its index closed at 4,284.5 points with a 0.62% increase.

On the other hand, the Insurance sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 1.09% to end the week’s activity at 2,492.8 points. The Industry sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 0.20%, closing at 4,367.9 points.

the total market trading volume. The Services sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 25.12% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 149.25 million shares. On the other hand, the Banks sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 23.44 million or 30.12% of last week’s total market trading value. The Services sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 22.69 million represented 29.15% of the total market trading value.

Sectors’ Activity The Investment sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 244.01 million shares changing hands, representing 41.07% of

Market Capitalization KSE total market capitalization grew by 1.36% during last week to reach KD 29.07 billion, as all of KSE’s sectors recorded an increase

in their respective market capitalization except for one sector. The Real Estate sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 1.72 billion, increasing by 2.28%.

The Services sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 2.28% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 7.19 billion. The third place was for the Investment sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 2.14 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 2.01%. The Food sector was the least growing with 0.12% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 704.22 million. On the other hand, the Insurance sector was last week’s only decliner as its total market capitalization decreased by 1.18% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 289.07 million.

For further details, please visit our web site: www.bayaninvest.com.

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

business

Canada PM sees politics behind pipeline delay TORONTO: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper strongly suggested Friday that politics was behind the Obama administration’s decision to delay a proposed oil pipeline from Canada - days before his planned visit to the White House.

Harper travels to Washington on Wednesday where he and Obama are expected to announce an agreement to enhance border security and trade. Harper is also expected to urge Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline to the Texas Gulf Coast.

“It is not in this country’s interests that we are a captive supplier of the United States of energy products, especially when we see some of the politics that are going on south of the border,” Harper said.

Harper later said in an interview with Sun Media that he was “disappointed with the politics down there.”

Last month, the US State Department decided to delay the project until 2013,

after the presidential election, to allow the project’s developer to figure out a way around Nebraska’s Sandhills, an ecologically sensitive region that supplies water to eight nearby states.

Harper has said he has already made it clear to Obama that Canada will step up its efforts to sell oil to Asia since the decision was delayed, and would keep pushing the US to approve the project.

The pipeline is critical to Canada, which must have infrastructure in place to export its growing oil sands production from northern Alberta. The region has more than 170 billion barrels of proven reserves and daily production of 1.5 million barrels from the oil sands is expected to increase to 3.7 million in 2025. Only Saudi Arabia and Venezuela have more reserves.

The Obama administration’s announcement to put off a decision went over badly in Canada, which relies on the US for 97 percent of Canada’s energy exports. Harper said Canada’s economic prosperity

depends on the growing energy sector and said “diversifying our markets for those products is not just essential to our economic prosperity, but to our economic security.”

The Keystone XL pipeline would carry an estimated 700,000 barrels of oil a day, doubling the capacity of an existing pipeline from Canada. The heavily contested project became a political trap for Obama, who risks angering environmental supporters - and losing re-election contributions from some liberal donors - if he approves it.

Senate Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday that would require the administration to approve the Keystone XL pipeline within 60 days, unless the president declares the project is not in the national interest.

But the Republican bill has little chance of approval in the Democratic-controlled Senate. The measure illustrates Republicans’ belief that Obama is vulnera-

ble on the jobs issue.

Alberta’s premier told The Associated Press last month that the US should speed up a decision after the Canadian pipeline developer agreed to shift the route of the planned Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline out of the environmentally sensitive area of Nebraska. Premier Alison Redford said there appears now to be no reason to delay the Keystone XL pipeline.

Andrew MacDougall, Harper’s spokesman, said Harper will discuss economic competitiveness, trade and security when he visits the White House. He declined to confirm the border announcement will be made but technical media briefings are scheduled for Wednesday and an announcement has long been expected.

The border measures are expected to include better screening to reduce bottlenecks at the border, the use of new technologies, sharing information among law enforcement agencies and identifying

potential threats early.

Canada is the United States’ largest trading partner, with more than $1 billion in goods crossing the border every day.

Harper and Obama met last February to announce a broad road map of the initiative, but the agreement is expected to fall short of the larger vision outlined then.

Obama has said the free flow of goods and services results in huge economic benefits for both countries.

Harper said Friday “a lot of hours in a lot of levels of government” have been spent hammering out details of the deal since the initiative was announced 10 months ago.

“We’re seeking ways of ensuring security in North America while at the same time making sure that we continue strong Canadian access to the American market,” Harper said. “Even with all the problems that exist in the United States, this remains essential to our well being and our future prosperity.” — AP

GE ends F-35 fighter engine development Aviation unit sees no business sense in project

ATHENS: A lawyer walks through a line of riot police as she leaves the Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court, during a protest in Athens on Friday. The court is examining appeals against a new property tax that will leave nonpaying households without electricity. —AP

US has no plans to lend money to IMF WASHINGTON: The US has no plans to lend money directly to the International Monetary Fund, a senior Treasury official said on Friday, as the Fund pitches to boost its resources in the case of financial emergency.

The official, who would not be identified, said the US believes the IMF has enough resources for its needs. Currently the IMF has $389 billion (291 billion euros) available to lend to its member countries.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde has said it needs to boost its resources to be able to cope with potential large-scale financial meltdown-with all eyes in recent months on Europe. On Friday, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said the Fund “will need more resources should the crisis deepen further,” suggesting one source could be bilateral loans from central banks, including the

European Central Bank.

“The European authorities-like some other IMF member countries-are exploring bilateral loans to the IMF,” Rice said in a statement. “As we have also noted, such loans could indeed come from member country central banks,” some of which are already lending to the Fund, he added.

Bilateral loans to the IMF could be turned around and lent on to countries in need, under the Fund’s strict conditions for fiscal probity. Analysts see that Spain and Italy, their finances deeply out of balance and markets pushing up their costs to borrow, could be in line for rescue packages from the IMF. But the Fund’s board, which is already suspicious of committing any more money to the crisis-wracked euro-zone, would have to sign off on how any funds are used, including those from bilateral loans.— AFP

Lockheed F-35 output should slow: Chief WASHINGTON: Production of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the costliest arms purchase in history, should be slowed because of the potential number of airframe cracks and “hot spots” turning up in testing and analysis, the Pentagon’s F-35 program director said.

“The analyzed hot spots that have arisen in the last 12 months or so in the program have surprised us at the amount of change and at the cost,” US Navy Vice Admiral David Venlet, the program chief, said in an interview.

“Most of them are little ones. But when you bundle them all up and package them, and look at where they are in the airplane and how hard they are to get at after you buy the jet, the cost burden of that is what sucks the wind out of your lungs,” he said.

“I believe it’s wise to sort of temper production for a while here, until we get some of these heavy years of learning under our belt and get that managed right,” Venlet added.

The Pentagon program office confirmed the vice admiral’s quotes on Friday. He spoke in an interview with AOL Defense, a web site aimed at the industry. The Pentagon currently plans to buy more than 2,440 F-35 aircraft in three models, at a projected cost of $382.5 billion through 2035. It has been developed with eight foreign partners to replace at least 13 types of aircraft, including Lockheed’s F-16, for 11 nations initially.

The Defense Department already has restructured the F-35 program twice in recent years, with the next production batch due to fall to 30 from a previously planned 42. Venlet did not say how much more he favored slowing output.

The program chief raised doubt about the acquisition strategy known as “concurrency,” under which Lockheed builds production models even as flight testing continues with fixes to be incorporated later.

“Fundamentally, that was a miscalculation,” Venlet told AOL Defense. He said more changes were required than had been hoped and new planes had to be torn apart for modifications to make sure they would last the full 8,000 flight hours planned.

Lockheed, the Pentagon’s No. 1 contractor by sales, has projected the radarevading F-35 would account for just over 20 percent of its revenue when it hits full production. It says it expects to sell about 750 aircraft to the co-development partners.

F-35 competitors include Saab’s Gripen, the Dassault Rafale, Russia’s MiG35 and Sukhoi Su-35, and the Eurofighter Typhoon made by a consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish companies.

The plane is currently in early, low-rate production. It has been expected to ramp up to full output, with the concomitant economies of scale, by 2015 or 2016 once it gets a US government goahead. Lockheed said Friday that none of the required changes to the F-35 are safety issues, affect aircraft performance or go beyond “normal expectations.”

“Going forward, the savings associated with building at increased production rates will continue to mitigate the diminishing concurrency costs,” Michael Rein, a company spokesman, said by e-mail.

The cost to upgrade and maintain the aging aircraft that the F-35 is designed to replace should be factored into the equation, he added. — Reuters

CINCINNATI: GE Aviation has abandoned efforts to use its own funding to keep alive development of its alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a spokesman said, effectively ending the project.

The unit of the General Electric Co. has decided its offer to pay for continued development didn’t make business sense, spokesman Rick Kennedy said. Because of increased commercial business at the unit, based in the northern Cincinnati suburb of Evendale, there was no immediate job loss, he said.

However, he said, GE Aviation would have added some 500 jobs if the project had continued. “It’s a missed opportunity for southwest Ohio, definitely,” Kennedy told The Associated Press. He said some 800 jobs related to the project have been absorbed into other programs.

The Department of Defense in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations had declined to include the alternate in its recent budgets, calling it unneeded spending.

Members of Ohio’s congressional delegation from both parties had pushed for funding and to keep the program alive.

The House voted in February to cancel $450 million in funding for the alternative engine, deciding the project could be sacrificed for the larger effort to rein in the federal deficit. After

the Defense subsequently terminated the program, GE Aviation said it would continue working on the project with partner Rolls-Royce while self-funding. “We had offered to develop it on our own dime,” Kennedy said, but he said uncertainty over schedules in the jet fighter program and other issues led GE Aviation to conclude that “the business model just wasn’t there for us to do it.”

The jet fighter’s main engine is built by Pratt & Whitney. GE Aviation’s F136 engine has been in development for some 15 years. GE and its backers have argued that their alternative would provide competition that would help save taxpayer money - and add jobs.

“I had hoped that the GE/Rolls-Royce competitive engine could be a model for government industry partnership to drive down the cost of impor tant weapons systems,” Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, a California Republican who chairs the Armed Services Committee, said in a statement Friday. He said the discontinued development is “a blow to common-sense acquisition reform” for the Pentagon.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also lamented the project’s end, as did Sen. Sherrod Brown, DOhio. “The Department of Defense may come to regret its handling of this critical national security program, but I’m pleased that GE will main-

tain the hundreds of skilled workers at its Evendale facility,” Brown said in a statement.

Democratic Reps. John Larson and Joe Courtney of Connecticut - home of both Pratt & Whitney and GE - praised the decision as right for difficult economic times.

Rep. Tom Rooney, D-Fla., where Pratt & Whitney has a plant, called the alternative program unnecessary and costly. He said in a statement that the decision Friday “will finally remove any risk that taxpayers may be saddled with the costs of sustaining an extra engine in the future.”

GE Aviation and Rolls-Royce said in a joint statement they are proud of their technology advancements and accomplishments on the F136. They said six development engines had accumulated more than 1,200 hours of testing since 2009, and that the project had been consistently on schedule and on budget.

GE Aviation had said this year it would take some $1 billion to finish development of the engine, which was nearly 80 percent completed.

Republican Rep. Steve Chabot of Cincinnati, whose district includes the GE Aviation headquarters along I-75, said he was saddened by the news. He said the program “would have been a great boost for jobs in our community when so many are out of work.” —AP

Euro inherently flawed: Delors LONDON: Over-optimism shown by the euro’s creators meant the current debt crisis was inevitable, Jacques Delors, one of the currency’s chief architects, said in an interview published in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph. The former European Commission president also accused current European leaders of amplifying the crisis by doing “too little, too late”, in his first interview with a British newspaper for almost a decade. German Chancellor Angela Merkel kicked off a key week of talks on saving the euro by laying out a

vision Friday for closer European “fiscal union”.

Delors blamed the crisis on “a fault in execution” by politicians during the currency’s early days, particularly their refusal to acknowledge the threat caused by imbalances in the economies of member states.

“Everyone must examine their consciences,” the 86-year-old told the Telegraph. “The finance ministers did not want to see anything disagreeable which they would be forced to deal with,” he added. In an eagerly awaited speech in the

German parliament on Friday, Merkel said the stakes could hardly be higher, warning that the future of the euro was “indivisibly linked to the unification of Europe”. Delors, who was commission chief between 1985-95 and a key player in creating the framework for the euro’s 1999 launch, singled out Germany as the biggest stumbling block in finding a swift solution to the crisis.

“A combination of the stubbornness of the Germanic idea of monetary control and the absence of a clear vision from all the other coun-

tries” was responsible for the ongoing situation, he argued.

Germany has come under fire over its refusal to allow the European Central Bank to create new money in order to buy government bonds from at-risk countries, fearing rampant inflation. The former commissioner also accepted that “Anglo-Saxon” politicians and economists “had a point” when they warned that a single currency and central bank could not bring economic stability to a union of nations. — AFP

LG Cinema 3D Smart TV scores top marks

Nayla Al-Khaja, director at D-SEVEN Motion Pictures DUBAI: The recently launched LG CINEMA 3D SMART TV has received wide acclaim for bringing an immersive cinema 3D experience into living rooms across the UAE. The Cinema 3D SMART TV has been greeted with fanfare by leading media production house, health and technical experts including Emirati producer/director Nayla Al-Khaja, SAE Institute, Dubai and Canadian Specialist Hospital.

Fans include Nayla Al-Khaja, director at DSEVEN Motion Pictures: “The LG 3D TV is so innovative and avant-garde. It’s at the forefront of a new era of home entertainment. LG 3D TV has a broad viewing angle so the more you watch the merrier. Moreover, the whole family can enjoy the cinema experience in their living room as the TV comes with four pairs of 3D glasses.”

Also praising the television’s technology, she said, “It has less of a flicker effect than what you normally experience when watching 3D on a large screen. The picture is so vibrant and the sound quality is impressive. I won’t forget The Magic Motion Remote Control which operates like a computer mouse. It pro-

vides the easiest control over your TV. Just point, click, and control. With simple movements and gestures, you can drag, flick, and select your preferences, without the hassle of using multiple buttons and arrow keys. All in all, this TV is one remarkable invention by LG.” SAE Institute Dubai, the world’s largest private college for audio and film production, interactive animation and applied multimedia, has also given the CINEMA 3D SMART TV the thumbs up for both 3D films and 3D gaming quality.

Predrag Toncev, Campus Manager at SAE Institute Dubai said, “Gaming in 3D really elevates the experience to a whole new level. For the first time, gamers can feel completely immersed in a game as the 3D element adds a totally new and dynamic dimension. It’s an awesome experience, once you’ve played in 3D, you will never be able to settle for 2D again!”

The CINEMA 3D SMART TV is highly competitive price-wise. Predrag said, “It’s impossible to deny the attractiveness of the set’s price relative to active 3D sets, especially with multiple glasses taken into account.”

Ensuring its sound health credentials, Dubai’s Canadian Specialist Hospital also tested the LG CINEMA 3D SMART TV with some rigorous analysis.

After the 20 hour ‘checkup’, Canadian Specialist Hospital CEO, Dr Zubaidy, gave the TV a five star bill of health. “Although without doubt it’s a great innovation in the technological sense, as a doctor my primary concern is for my patients’ health. Before we could advocate the TV we needed to ensure it is in no way damaging to overall health and wellbeing.”

Many people complain about sore eyes and bouts of dizziness or tiredness after watching 3D, and many are concerned about possible adverse health risks from watching in 3D. “This was not the case with LG’s CINEMA 3D TV”, said Dr Zubaidy. “Viewing was flicker-free causing no eye strain or stress. Our leading ophthalmologist tested the TV over five days and didn’t experience any dizziness, which some other 3D TVs regularly cause. However, it’s still important to apply a healthy dose of logic when viewing any TV, including resting your eyes and not watching uninterrupted for hours on end.”

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Years

BUSINESS

Investors searching across the Atlantic for clues NEW YORK: The euro-zone will once again serve as the source of Wall Street’s angst, as investors look to a summit of the region’s political leaders for decisive solutions for the ballooning debt crisis.

Stocks posted their best week in more than two years last week, driven by central bank efforts to provide cheaper dollar loans to struggling European banks. In addition, the new head of the European Central Bank said on Thursday the ECB stands ready to act more aggressively to fight Europe’s debt crisis if political leaders agree to much tighter budget controls at the Dec 9 summit.

But Wall Street investors can be forgiven for feeling like they’ve been in this position before.

Markets seesawed throughout the fall, guided by prevailing sentiment out of Europe. “Next week it will be all focused on the upcoming Friday summit.

But don’t forget this is the fifteenth summit we’ve had now during the euro-zone crisis, and every one the market gets excited, gets excited and then boom - it gets disappointed,” said Ken Polcari, managing director at ICAP Equities in New York.

Until now, the ECB has resisted prodding from

WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK markets and world leaders to step in as the lender of last resort. European credit market yields have soared in recent weeks on concerns that the euro zone could break up or one or more countries would default on their debt.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel would meet next Monday to outline joint proposals for the summit. Investor optimism over apparent progress by euro-zone leaders towards taming their debt problems helped propel the S&P 500 7.4 percent higher for the week, its best weekly performance since March 2009. The best performers in the last week were companies with more international sales, according to Bespoke Investment Group, an investment adviser in Harrison, New York.

While volatility remains high as markets remain susceptible to any negative headlines coming out of the euro-zone, investors appear satisfied for the

time being that the region’s leaders will remain on track in tackling the crisis.

“We’ve seen some policy changes which suggest they are finally beginning to understand that they’ve got a problem,” said Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors in New York. “They are finally recognizing that this is their Lehman moment, and they have got to do the same sort of things that we did back in the 2007 to 2009 period.”

With markets swings closely tied to sentiment about the progress made in the euro-zone, investors have been forced to weigh the region’s fiscal stability with US stocks that are seen as cheap by many analysts. Recent corporate outlooks and analyst projections have been painting a less rosy picture, with estimates for fourth-quarter S&P earnings growth tumbling over the past two months as well as a near-record high ratio of nega-

tive corporate preannouncements to positive ones, according to Thomson Reuters Proprietary Research.

Even if European leaders continue on a path that investors have cheered, the difficulty in putting plans in place may throw cold water on investor optimism. Borrowing costs in major nations such as Italy and Spain remain at levels considered unsustainable in Europe’s slow-growth economy.

“I don’t know that the market just rallies straight through into the end of the year because whatever solution they come up with will be hard to implement,” said Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at the ConvergEx Group in New York.

“It will be politically hard, it will be economically hard and you will be facing the very real threat of a recession-a pretty deep recession in Europe in the first half of next year — because of all the uncertainty that is being created right now.”

The US economic calendar for next week is light, with the ISM services report, weekly initial jobless claims and the trade balance among the highlights. — Reuters

Geithner to urge Europe leaders to take action Meetings set with leaders of France, Italy, Spain, ECB WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is set to urge key European officials to take decisive action this week at a make-orbreak summit to prevent a debt crisis from turning into runaway contagion. Treasury announced Geithner will meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy, new Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, and Spanish Prime Minister-elect Mariano Rajoy on the Dec. 6-8 trip, which will include stops in Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, Marseille and Milan.

At a briefing later, a senior Treasury official said President Obama had asked Geithner to make the trip and said he would be ready to offer insights and suggestions to the Europeans as they refine their own plans. The official indicated that European countries had held discussions with the International Monetary Fund about providing bilateral loans that could be used to bolster its resources.

But the senior Treasury official said the United States was not planning to make such

loans to the IMF and said the lender’s resources were adequate. There did not seem to be a case currently for the United States to try to augment the IMF’s resources, nor would Congress likely be willing to do so, the official indicated.

Having euro zone governments provide bilateral loans to the IMF from national central banks could be one way for Europe to meet international demands that the region use more of its own money to tame the crisis. The IMF could then lend the money to governments that needed the extra support.

Within the euro-zone, lending through national central banks would circumvent any concern that the European Central Bank was funding profligate governments. The US Treasury official said it was important that countries like Italy and Spain, which are trying to get their debts under control, continue to have access to funds at reasonable borrowing rates.

The official said Europe has resources to cope with its crisis but has to muster the political will

WASHINGTON: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner speaks about Wall Street reform legislation at a conference entitled “The Macroprudential Toolkit: Measurement and Analysis” in Washington. —AP

Stock market closes out its best week since 2009 NEW YORK: The best week for the stock market in more than two years ended with major indexes nearly unchanged on Friday.

A surprise drop in the US unemployment rate sent stocks higher in early trading, but the gains fizzled throughout the afternoon. European stock indexes and the euro rose after German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a speech pushing for tighter rules on government spending.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 0.61 of a point to close at 12,019.42. The Dow ended the week up 7 percent, the largest weekly gain since July 2009. Bank stocks rose the most. JPMorgan Chase & Co. jumped 6.1 percent, the most among the 30 stocks in the Dow average. Morgan Stanley leapt 6.9 percent, the second-biggest gain of any stock in the S&P 500 index.

The unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent last month, the lowest level in 21/2 years. Economists had expected the rate to stay at 9 percent. But a key reason the unemployment rate fell so much was that more than 300,000 people gave up looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.

Germany’s Merkel said the 17 countries that use the euro must quickly restore market confidence by making financial controls stricter. Bond yields for Spain and Italy fell, a sign that investors are becoming more confident in the ability of those countries to pay their debt. France’s CAC 40 and Britain’s FT-SE each rose 1.1 percent. The Nasdaq composite index inched up 0.73 to 2,626.93. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 0.31 of a point to 1,244.28. The S&P surged 7.4 percent over the week, the most since March 2009.

Decisive steps by world leaders to right Europe’s teetering economy sent stocks soaring on Wednesday. The Dow jumped 490 points, its biggest gain since March 2009 and its seventh-largest one-day point gain in history. The weekly point gain of 787 in the Dow was the second-biggest in its history, following a 946-point gain in October 2008.

“This market has been gripped with fear for a long time,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital. “And I think some of these fear factors are beginning to dissipate.”—AP

to do so and to shore up its own firewall to keep the situation from infecting other larger economies.

Both Geithner and Obama have been vocal in warning that a wider crisis would hurt a stillfragile US recovery. Geithner has urged Europe to eliminate the threat of “cascading defaults.”

The Treasury’s chief economist, Jan Eberly, on Friday said a European recession brought about by the debt crisis would pose serious risks to the US economy, with 15 percent of total U.S. exports going to the euro-zone’s 17 member countries.

“That’s a substantial exposure from US economy to what happens in Europe, so that’s absolutely a source of concern,” Eberly, the assistant secretary for economic policy, told reporters.

She added that the United States should continue and expand its fiscal support in the face of such risks from Europe. Geithner will start his trip in Frankfurt, where he will meet with European Central Bank President Mario Draghi and Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann. The ECB under Draghi, who took the bank’s helm at the start of November, has shown willingness to take bolder steps to ease the crisis.

Among steps likely to be discussed at the Dec. 9 European Union summit is greater ECB purchases of euro-zone sovereign bonds, an action that Germany wants tied to tougher budget controls for bloc members. Geithner will meet with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble in Berlin before traveling to Paris on Dec. 7 to meet with Sarkozy and French Finance Minister Francois Baroin. Later that day he will fly to Marseille for a meeting with Rajoy. He will meet with Monti on Dec. 8 in Milan before returning to Washington.

Geithner will not stay for the Dec 9 EU summit in Brussels, which follows a string of halfmeasures agreed to by European leaders over nearly two years. Those measures failed to stop bond market contagion spreading from Greece to Ireland, Portugal and now Italy and Spain.

In September, Geithner attended an EU finance ministers meeting in Poland to urge more fiscal stimulus and suggest ways the firepower of the European-International Monetary Fund bailout facilities could be boosted. While a number of ministers welcomed his input, some gave him a cool reception. — Reuters

US jobless rate drops to lowest since 2009 WASHINGTON: The US unemployment rate, which has refused to budge from the 9 percent neighborhood for two and a half frustrating years, fell sharply in November, driven in part by small businesses that finally see reason to hope and hire.

Economists say there is a long way to go, but they liked what they saw. The rate fell to 8.6 percent, the lowest since March 2009, two months after President Barack Obama took office. Unemployment passed 9 percent that spring and had stayed there or higher for all but two months since then.

Obama, who faces a re-election vote in less than a year and a presidential campaign that will turn on the economy, seized on the decline to argue for expanding a cut in the tax that workers pay toward Social Security.

Obama may face voters next fall with the highest unemployment of a sitting president seeking election since World War II. Gerald Ford faced 7.8 percent unemployment when

he lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976. Ronald Reagan faced 7.2 percent unemployment in 1984 and trounced Walter Mondale.

Unemployment was 7.8 percent when Obama took office in January 2009. America added 120,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday. Private employers added 140,000 jobs, while governments cut 20,000. The economy has generated 100,000 or more jobs five months in a row - the first time that has happened since April 2006, well before the Great Recession.

“Something good is stirring in the US economy,” Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics, said in a note to clients. The stock market rallied at the opening bell, after the report came out, but finished flat for the day. It was still up 787 points for the week. The only bigger point gain in a week was in October 2008, when stocks lurched higher and lower during the financial crisis.—AP

PORTLAND: Maria Aplington, from United Parcel Service, helps Craig Wooten, of Portland, navigate their website during a hiring event for UPS at WorkSource Oregon, in Portland, Oregon. The unemployment rate fell last month to its lowest level in more than two and a half years, as employers stepped up hiring in response to the slowly improving economy. —AP

ISTANBUL: US Vice President Joe Biden (C), Turkish Finance Minister Ali Babacan (second right) and Turkish Sports Minister Suat Kilic (left) pose with entrepreneurs during the second Global Entrepreneurship Summit yesterday in Istanbul. — AFP

The taxpayers’ burden

By David Cay Johnston Taxpayers have much at risk in the coordinated action that six central banks took last week to lower shortterm interest rates and make it easier to issue dollar-denominated loans to cope with the European debt crisis.

The joint action on the last day of November is being characterized widely as buying time to deal with the European government debt crisis. But fears about whether the PIGSPortugal, Italy, Greece and Spaincan pay back their debts in full are just a symptom of a metastasizing economic disease that has been plaguing the West for three decades. That is where the risks to taxpayers come in.

The disease was man-made, a policy virus cooked up by the Chicago School, where leading theorists persuaded the world to cast aside four millennia of human experience in favor of their radical legal and economic ideas. They have achieved this by couching their plans in language that made them seem conservative when the theories were the antithesis of conservative, at least in the classic meaning of that word.

Among these ideas is that inflation is everywhere a government-created evil that must be fought at all costs, that financial institutions operate best with little to no regulation and that fraud laws are an anachronism in securities markets. In line with this, deflationary pressures are ignored and prudent investment houses become casinos charging hefty fees for derivatives that by their nature destroy wealth while frauds flourish in the form of mortgage securities perpetrated by banks and Wall Street.

The damage is now done. The price must be paid. Who bears this price will determine whether we face the scary risk of inflation or the even scarier prospect of deflation. Will those who benefited from these policies bear the price? Or, as with the 2008 US financial meltdown, will it be taxpayers?

To understand the damage from the idea that regulation is bad and no regulation is good, one need only look at the data analyzed by David Moss, a Harvard Business School professor.

Moss’s research persuaded him that regulations should be minimal-except for financial companies because of the damage they can cause. The accompanying graphic shows a fascinating correlation. In the years before New Deal regulation of banks and after the easing of regulations began in 1980, bank failures were quite high. So was income inequality.

But from about 1933, when the federal regulation of banks was put in place, to 1980, when Chicago School theories began to shape policy, bank failures were rare. During those years incomes were much more equal, with

a prosperous middle class. Moss notes that critics denounced as a moral hazard the creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp for banks, and similar insurance for other financial institutions, nearly eight decades ago.

Knowing the insurance would protect depositors, the critics said, would encourage loose lending practices and leave taxpayers stuck with the costs, an idea still in vogue at the Chicago School when I studied there in 1973.

But, in fact, the opposite occurred.

Many bank failures would have meant high insurance premiums, but strict regulation kept failures minimal, lowering costs while giving bankers an incentive to be prudent. That is not part of the anti-regulation Chicago dogma.

Correlation is not causality, but the fact that income inequality rose as banking regulations were eased makes sense. Freed of restraints, banks got into all sorts of activities that generated fees and saddled clients with highinterest debt. And once banks could collect fees for mortgages without having to worry about repaymentbecause the mortgages were sold off

by Wall Street-the crucial link between reward and responsibility was severed.

With loosened financial regulation it would seem smart to increase law enforcement. Instead, enforcement was cut, as the chart from Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse shows. Based on Justice Department internal reports, it shows criminal prosecutions involving financial firms down sharply since fiscal 1999. (http://link.reuters.com/xef45s) These findings about bank failures, income inequality and lack of prosecutions all take us back to the coordinated attempt by the central banks of the United States, Britain, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Switzerland to delay the day of reckoning on European debt.

Central banks can artificially set short-term interest rates, inject liquidity and acquire worthless assets pretty much forever if they deal in their own currency. No sovereign with monopoly control of its currency, as each of these jurisdictions has, can go broke in its own currency.

But that doesn’t mean the price of imprudence has been reduced to zero.

Creditors or borrowers must suffer the costs of unsound lending. They should not be allowed to shift that cost onto taxpayers. Given the revolving doors that allow the financial class to move smoothly between government, central banks and financial firms throughout the modern world, and how those in power in all of these places have invested their reputations in Chicago School theories, my educated guess is that taxpayers will be stuck with the costs. Let’s hope I am wrong. — Reuters

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Years

TECHNOLOGY

iPad babies lead shift to tech gifts SAN FRANCISCO: Like any proud father, cafe owner Paul Renn has ecstatically videoed his year-old baby Velia’s landmark achievements - when she said “dada”, started walking and most recently, operated his iPad for the very first time. “It’s amazing how intuitively she figured out this thing,” says Renn incredulously. “It’s like she’s hard-wired to understand it.” Now he says he plans to get a new iPad “we can both use” and he is far from alone in his proud sense of wonder.

A quick search for the term “iPad baby” on YouTube yields videos of hundreds of toddlers wielding tablet computers with the skill of seasoned pros. One particularly popular snippet shows a tiny baby adeptly manipulating an iPad and then yelling in frustration when her attempts to use her fingers to move pictures in a paper magazine don’t have the same effect.

It’s a great illustration of how the “real world” can seem boring in comparison the fabulous possibilities offered by digital technology. It may also reinforce fears for an iPad generation that’s more comfortable

facing an electronic screen than anything they may find in nature. These concerns are especially prevalent during the holiday season, when parents attempt to fill the holiday wish lists of their offspring. Scarves, skateboards, socks and Lego may once have brought tears of joy to their recipient. The only tears they are likely to provoke these days are usually accompanied by a frown.

For years now, as prices have dropped and features have improved, tech gifts have been commanding a larger and larger part of the Christmas budget.

Overall some 40 per cent of US shoppers bought electronic goods on the opening weekend of the shopping season, according to the National Retail Federation. Only clothing and clothing accessories are more popular, with some 50 per cent of shoppers choosing such items.

Apple’s iPad tops most peoples’ wish list - even among kids. According to market research firm Nielsen, 44 per cent of children aged 6 to 14 want one

for Christmas. Apple products also occupy the next two places in the popularity stakes, with 30 per cent of kids wanting an iPod Touch, and 27 per cent coveting an iPhone. For parents who don’t want to share an iPad with their kids, numerous toy tablet computers abound, such as the $100 LeapPad Explorer, which features an 11-cm touch screen, built-in camera and video recorder and numerous educational games. It has competition from the $60 MobiGo, which also features a slide-out keyboard.

Even conventional toys are being supplemented by technology. Who would want a plain old set of crayons when they could have a Crayola ColorStudio HD, an electronic marker and app for the iPad that allows toddlers to make animated creations? For that matter, what kid could be satisfied with a regular stuffed animal when any number of walking, talking, singing robotic pets are calling out to them from the toy store shelves?

One popular electronic pet is the Wappy Dog, a

$50 toy that can learn tricks, play games, converse, and even adapt his short-term mood to the amount of attention he receives. There are so many tech options for kids these days that the venerable PC Magazine has published a special guide section for perplexed parents. “Ah, the holiday season...the time of year when children are thrown into a frenzy about the latest tech toys being rolled out, and parents are thrown into a frenzy about what to get and where to get them,” it reasons. “After all, how would you know if that toy tablet is a better buy for your youngster than that talking mouse?” Some smart parents, however, will know that the best tech toys are ones they can use themselves. They may want to get an iCade, a box for the iPad that replicates the feeling of the 1980’s style video arcades. Even smarter parents may realize their kids already have more than enough technology to keep them happy - and get them some wooden blocks, football boots, or maybe a scarf, some socks or a skateboard. — dpa

Stealthy smartphone software stirs outcry Carrier IQ denies hiding ‘spyware’

NEW YORK: Mayor Michael Bloomberg (left) and Senator Charles Schumer (second left) listen as Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg speaks during a news conference on Friday. — AP

Facebook to open NY office, hire ‘thousands’ NEW YORK: Facebook will open an engineering center in New York City early next year, its first such office outside the West Coast, the social network giant announced Friday. Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg joined elected officials for the announcement at Facebook’s existing New York office on Madison Avenue. Sandberg would not say how many people Facebook would hire in New York, only that the company plans to add “thousands” worldwide in coming years.

Sandberg said the company will stay in its current location at Bank of America Plaza for the time being. The building overlooks Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.”Both New York and Facebook share this kind of energy that’s really hard to describe, and both make you feel like you’re part of something bigger than yourself,” said Serkan Piantino, who will head up the engineering unit.

Facebook’s New York office currently focuses on advertising sales and employs about 100 people. The Palo Alto, California-based company has about 3,000 employees; its engineers are based in Palo Alto and Seattle. After arriving at Facebook’s office, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York’s US Sen. Charles Schumer wrote messages in magic marker on a wall, the real-world equivalent of Facebook’s “Wall” messaging area. “Facebook loves New York,” the senator wrote.

Schumer said the city has been striving to bring in computer engineering jobs. “ We have turned the corner,” Schumer said. “New York is pleased to call Facebook a friend.” Bloomberg said West Coast tech companies “are finding that New York is the place they need to be.”

Facebook joins Google Inc and a trove of

smaller tech startups with offices in New York City. Among them are Foursquare, the blogging service Tumblr, as well as the online marketplace Etsy and Meetup, which lets people organize offline meetings online.

But “Silicon Alley,” as it is sometimes dubbed, has not attracted the hordes of engineers that Silicon Valley has and New York startups sometimes struggle to find qualified candidates for these jobs.

Facebook, though, could change that.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter, who follows social networking companies, said Facebook’s reason for opening an engineering office in the city might have to do with wanting to be close to New York industries like finance or music. It’s certainly not an economic decision Facebook will have to pay its New York workers for the city’s high cost of living.

However, payroll shouldn’t be a problem for the world’s largest online social network. The company is flush with cash and could fetch as much as $10 billion in an initial public offering next year.

Facebook’s move to expand its presence mirrors that of Google, which opened an office in New York to tap into Manhattan’s advertising, media and finance industries. Google’s office is in a former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey building that takes up an entire city block. The building has one of the biggest footprints in the city, and Google workers use children’s scooters to get around.

Google has tried to recreate the freewheeling feel of its California headquarters with ping pong tables, free food and a “Lego room”. The Facebook engineering office will be led by Piantino, who previously managed the team behind Facebook’s News Feed and built the infrastructure behind Timeline. — AP

Russia bloggers fume over cyber attacks MOSCOW: Russian bloggers complained yesterday as the most popular blogging website Livejournal was down for the third consecutive day, with some alleging the cyberattack had been timed to prevent people from discussing today’s vote. The website had been down repeatedly since Monday, with the service administrators explaining it as a distributed denial of service attack (DDoS), which overloads a website’s bandwidth by making thousands of computers access it repeatedly.

“Yes, they are still attacking. They must have a mountain of money,” head of Livejournal Ilya Dronov wrote on his Twitter blog yesterday as people inundated him with complaints that they were not able to access their accounts.

“One could predict that they would down Livejournal before the elections,” another Livejournal employee and popular blogger Rustem Adagamov wrote earlier this week. “And so they have, unfortunately. At least now we know where these attacks stem from,” he wrote, though without further explanation.

Other bloggers seemed sure that the attacks were organised by the govern-

ment. “Livejournal is down. I wonder which section of the budget is paying for the DDoS,” blogger Alexander Tashkinov wrote on Twitter.”It’s very easy to figure out that Russia is having elections tomorrow: Livejournal is down,” wrote Nadia Ivanova.

Livejournal was created by a US college student in 1999 but was purchased by a Russian media company SUP in 2007 after proving wildly popular with Russians using it for creative and political discussion, including by the opposition.

It has helped launch several grassroots campaigns, such as the anti-corruption drive by Alexei Navalny, whose political notoriety started with his blog, or a motorists’ campaign against the officials’ misuse of flashing blue lights to bypass traffic regulations.

In April, a series of DDoS attacks lasted several days, prompting some popular bloggers to suggest that the authorities were orchestrating a cyberwar to silence free political discussion. “The attack on it is preparation for parliamentary and presidential elections,” opposition politician Boris Nemtsov said in April. “It’s pure politics.” — AFP

SAN FRANCISCO: A California startup behind smartphone software accused of snooping on users stepped up the defense of its creation on Friday in the face of freshly filed lawsuits.

By Friday, lawsuits had been filed in three US states against software maker Carrier IQ and smartphone manufacturers HTC and Samsung accusing the companies of breaking privacy and wiretapping laws and demanding they be made to pay. A suit filed in a federal court in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose accused Carrier IQ of hiding “spyware” on smartphones. Lawsuits filed against Carrier IQ in the states of Illinois and Missouri included Samsung and HTC as defendants and each sought class action status to represent everyone affected. Damages being sought were estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Carrier IQ, meanwhile, received backing from a security consulting firm as it held firm that its application was a diagnostic tool for managing networks and not smartphone spy software. “Having examined the Carrier IQ implementation it is my opinion that allegations of keystroke collection or other surveillance of mobile device user’s content are erroneous,” said Rebecca Bace of Infidel.

Carrier IQ asserted anew that smartphone

information it captures is encrypted before being sent to mobile network operators, with whom users already have a “trusted relationship”. “We measure and summarize performance of the device to assist operators in delivering better service,” Carrier IQ said in a statement. “While a few individuals have identified that there is a great deal of information available to the Carrier IQ software inside the handset, our software does not record, store or transmit the contents of SMS messages, email, photographs, audio or video,” it said.

Examples given by Carrier IQ included being able to understand whether a text message was sent accurately but not recording what was written. “Carrier IQ is aware of various commentators alleging Carrier IQ has violated wiretap laws and we vigorously disagree with these assertions,” the company said. The software is deployed by major network operators to monitor performance and optimize efficiency, according to Carrier IQ. “Our software allows operators to figure out why problems are occurring, why calls are dropped, and how to extend the life of the battery,” Carrier IQ said. In another development, Carrier IQ spokeswoman Mira Woods told AFP the company will respond to a request from US Senator Al Franken for specifics regarding

what its smartphone software was doing. If Carrier IQ spies on users in ways first detailed by smartphone security researcher Trevor Eckhart it could be breaking federal law, Franken said in his letter. The software company threatened Eckhart with a lawsuit if he didn’t take the information down. The Electronic Frontier Foundation took on Eckhart’s case, and the company backed down.

In a YouTube video, Eckhar t showed Carrier IQ software buried deep in an Android-powered smartphone recording buttons pressed, Internet search queries, text messages and locations. The software was tricky to find on the device and couldn’t be turned off, according to his demonstration.

Another US lawmaker, Congressman Edward Markey, sent a letter to the US Federal Trade Commission chairman meanwhile saying an investigation into Carrier IQ software was warranted. Apple Inc has said it has stopped supporting Carrier IQ in most of its products.

Separately, the company came under fire last year over location-tracking features of the iPhone and made a software change to keep data on users’ movements for less time. For now, there’s no easy way to uninstall the Carrier IQ software without unsanctioned third-party software. — Agencies

Nissan Leaf electric Japan car of the year TOKYO: Japanese motor giant Nissan won Car of the Year Japan at the Tokyo Motor Show yesterday for its Leaf electric model, its makers said, the first time an electric vehicle has picked up the award. Electric cars with cutting-edge green technology and vehicles remote-controlled by smartphones have been a star feature at this year’s show, which runs till December 11 and features 179 exhibitors from a dozen countries. “Nissan is proud to announce that its 100 percent electric Leaf car has won the Japanese Car of the Year prize,” Japan’s second-largest automaker said in a statement.

The Nissan Leaf electric is a zero-emission vehicle fitted with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Since its launch on the market at the end of last year, some 20,000 models have been sold, notably in Japan and in the US. “All these accolades show that zero-emission vehicles can clearly be competitive alternatives to conventional ones,” Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn said.

Nissan, which is part-owned by France’s Renault, has invested some Ä4 billion ($5 billion) in the development of these electric cars. Ghosn said that in five years, Nissan and Renault will have sold 1.5 million of the vehicles, and estimated the world market for electric cars would jump from 0.05 percent today, to 15 percent in ten years. The hybrid (fuel and electric) would also see an increase from 1 percent today to between 5 and 10 percent over the same period, Ghosn added.

Nissan is trailing several electric concept vehicles at the Motor Show, including the Pivo 3, which can be remotely manoeuvered with a smart phone.

It has installed automotive telematics in

the Leaf electric car, allowing drivers to remotely control the air conditioning system and check on a car’s battery using their smart phone or personal computer. Several major foreign manufacturers who skipped the last

show are also back this year, including Germany’s Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche; French carmakers Renault and Peugeot-Citroen and Britain’s Jaguar and Land Rover. — AFP

TOKYO: COO of Japanese automaker Nissan, Toshiyuki Shiga (second right) receives the trophy for the “Car of the Year Japan” for Nissan’s electric vehicle Leaf at the Tokyo Motor Show yesterday. Nissan launched the Leaf electric vehicle last December and has sold 20,000 units globally. — AFP

Tweeting cardinals spread word VATICAN CITY: Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi breaks off from his rounds at the Vatican at least once a day to whip out his smartphone and shoot off a note to his followers: “Good morning, good people!” he tweets. The Vatican’s top culture man, “CardRavasi” tweets snappy quotes from the Bible, famous philosophers and dons, or passes on details about art festivals. The aim, he says, is to keep religion relevant for a younger generation. “The concise and pithy language of Twitter can teach religious communication a great deal,” Ravasi has said in interviews. His mission? To revitalise what faith means for “the children of television and the Internet”.

President of the Pontifical Council for Culture since 2007, Ravasi is keen to get priests, bishops

and other cardinals to use Twitter, Internet blogs and social networking sites to bring to life the Bible’s wealth of stories. “A child today, who passes an entire afternoon in front of a computer screen, has a different way of communicating from ours... We want to become part of the minimal, almost microscopic communication of tweets,” he said. Humorous or serious, Ravasi’s tweets - much like the blog he writes for Italy’s Sole 24 Ore financial newspaper - often include words of support for the country’s disaffected youth, caught in the grip of an economic crisis.

He is not the only cardinal who is riding the Twitter wave. Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Scherer, American Sean Patrick O’Malley, Italian Angelo Scola and South African Wilfrid Fox Napier also tweet - out of 200 plus cardinals in the world

many of whom might not be quite as techsavvy. In the wilds of Oxfordshire in England, Benedictine nun Catherine Wybourne who describes herself as keen on God, books and technology - tweets about life in a monastery, as well as answering faith questions from followers.

Even Pope Benedict XVI has had a go, tweeting from an iPad in June. “Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessing, Benedictus XVI,” read his first tweet, which he signed with his formal Latin name. Footage on YouTube showed a bemused pope tapping on the tablet device with the aid of a cardinal, who helped the 84-year-old get to grips with the Vatican’s web portal - with Twitter updates, as well as Flickr and Facebook. —AFP

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Green chile lovers fired up over genetic research NEW MEXICO: The distinct flavor of chile peppers from the US state of New Mexico has been adopted by palates as far away as Korea. But some are worried about the future of the crop. Labor costs, relentless plant diseases and competition from cheap imports have combined to put the chile industry in a steep decline. Scientists at New Mexico State University are helping through a series of efforts aimed at unlocking the genetic mysteries of red and green chile, but that has some pepper purists fired up.

The thought of genetically engineering chile has galvanized a group of seed conservationists and others who are sympathetic to the national protests targeting corporate greed and economic inequality.

Unlike the Occupy Wall Street movement, however, Occupy Green/Red Chile is on a simple, focused mission - to protect New Mexico’s chile seeds.

“Students, teachers, farmers, consumers, mothers and fathers, everyone cares about this because in New Mexico chile isn’t just a food, it’s your culture,” said Jessica Farrell, a University of New Mexico student who is participating in the movement. The group is concerned that if scientists develop a genetically engineered pepper to boost the industry, small growers could face patent lawsuits if their crops become cross-contaminated by the new

seeds. They’re also worried about a lack of labeling of genetically modified foods and the potential for New Mexico’s traditional varieties to be forever altered.

“To secure the long-term protection of the farmers and the protection of consumers in terms of culture, there is no room for a genetically engineered seed,” Farrell said. This is where some farmers, chile processors and researchers disagree. Over the last 20 years, New Mexico has seen a 75 percent decline in the number of acres of chile grown. Production per acre has increased by more than 2 tons over the last five years due to breeding and improved growing practices, but the industry is a long way from returning to the glory days when tens of thousands of acres were grown.

Jaye Hawkins, executive director of the New Mexico Chile Association, said the state will be in danger of losing its chile not because of genetic engineering but rather because farmers will simply not be able to grow the crop due to the mounting labor challenges and foreign competition. “We’re chipping away at the problems, and this is just one alternative,” she said of the genetic research.

Building the perfect pepper plant - one capable of withstanding root-rotting and leaf-wilting diseases,

one with more flavor compounds, one that is taller with easily harvested fruit - has been the focus of researchers at New Mexico State University for decades.

Most of the work has been done using traditional plant breeding techniques, but some of the problems have been unsolvable through classic methods, said Paul Bosland, head of the university’s Chile Pepper Institute. While critics argue that genetically modified foods are unnatural, experts say the world would not have the varieties of chile, wheat, potatoes, corn, rice and other vegetables that it has today if it weren’t for the genetic modification that comes naturally from breeding plants with one another. “It’s been 10,000 years for some crops. They don’t even remotely resemble their wild species anymore,” said Pam Ronald, a plant pathologist from the University of California, Davis, who is known for her work with rice.

Ronald and others say the difference with genetic engineering is it’s modern and more precise, and genes from unrelated species can be added to a plant’s genome. “It’s a fine line philosophically what people will accept, and there are reasons of course for not wanting a particular type of crop,” she said.

“But if you think about the great issues of our time -

sustainability, can we grow more food using less land and less water as resources diminish, can we reduce insecticides - if genetic engineering can enhance the sustainability, then why not use it?”

Steve Hanson, a scientist at NMSU, said the goal of the work being done in New Mexico is to increase the sustainability of chile and make the growing process more efficient. “It’s one of these things that seems mysterious and supernatural, but the entire process is modeled after a natural event and it’s not really even specific to plants,” he said, explaining that viruses can infect the human body and insert their own DNA into human cells. Genetic engineering in plants is based on that same horizontal exchange of genes. So does the journey of a chile pepper from seed to salsa really matter to those who have become addicted to the flavor? Occupy Green/Red Chile organizers think so. They have been gathering petition signatures and spreading their message on social media sites. On Saturday, they planned to brave the winter weather for marches in Albuquerque, Taos, Santa Fe and Socorro.

“It’s about giving us a choice about what we put in our bodies. It’s about getting New Mexicans out into the streets,” said Cynthia McDermand, one of the organizers. “We take pride in our chile.”— AP

Philippines struggles with AIDS problem Govt has to prioritize funding MANILA: The Philippines is struggling to deal with a worsening HIV-AIDS problem, with far too little money being spent on reversing a steady rise in infection rates, health experts warn. The government will have to prioritize its funding to concentrate on helping the most at-risk communities as it faces a budget shortfall of up to $370 million over the next five years, health department assistant secretary Eric Tayag said.

“If we only have so much, we have to prioritize the scope of our programs, choosing the target populations, choosing the specific areas,” Tayag told AFP. “It is a race against time because the more cases there are, the more different kinds of financial support are needed in the long run.” The number of HIV/AIDS cases detected in the Philippines-which has a population of 94 million people-is still relatively small with only 7,884 cases recorded since 1984. But the Philippines is one of only seven countries listed by UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS) to have suffered rising infection rates in 2010.

And more than 1,800 cases have already been reported in the first 10 months of this year, exceeding the 1,591 cases reported for all of 2010, according to government data. Tayag said the government estimated it needed 35 billion pesos ($810 million)

to carry out HIV-prevention programs from 2011 to 2016. However the health department had only identified foreign and local sources for 19 billion pesos ($440 million), leaving a projected shortfall of 16 billion pesos ($370 million). The funding crunch is expected to hit hardest when the current “round” of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria runs out in November next year, said Maria Teresa Bagasao, country director of UNAIDS. Another “round” of aid pledges was originally scheduled for next year but has been put back to 2013 and any grant money will not be released until 2014 at the earliest, she told AFP. “The country needs to look at whether there is going to be a critical gap in the funding. It has to actually sit down and identify where the gap will be. In prevention or treatment?” Bagasao told AFP. The Global Fund, a UN-supported partnership of governments and private aid groups, had made up the bulk of the foreign aid that paid for as much as 80 percent of the country’s HIV prevention and treatment programs, Bagasao said.

Activists have accused the government of cutting its own funding for HIV programs and relying too much on external sources. “There was a gradual decrease (in local funding) because of an overreliance on external financing like the Global Fund,”

said Jonas Bagas, spokesman for the Network to Stop AIDS in the Philippines, a coalition of health and activist groups. Amid the budget concerns, Tayag said the Philippines may have to focus its spending mainly on the homosexual and injecting drug user communities, because they were the groups in which infection rates were rising significantly.

“There are two populations that are the drivers of the epidemic: men having sex with men and injecting drug users,” said Tayag, who oversees government programs to fight infectious diseases. At least 46 percent of infections recorded this year were from homosexual contact compared with 25 percent in 2006, according to the government data.

Officials say they were caught off-guard by the rise in infections from homosexual contact when they had been mainly concentrating on female sex workers. Injecting drug users were still a small proportion of the total but there had been a sharp rise from only eight cases detected in 2009 to 147 last year, and another 80 in the first 10 months of 2011.

Previously, HIV had been mainly spread through heterosexual contact. This had been curbed with many HIV-prevention programs focusing on educating and testing female sex workers, according to Tayag. — AFP

Japan, Russia see chance to clone mammoth: Report

VIRGINIA: Lisandra Sanatis, left, holds her daughter, Theresa Tapia, as Rocio Watson, of the World Pediatric Project, a charity group that helped sponsor the operation, right, holds Maria Tapia in their room at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va, Thursday Dec 1, 2011. —AP

Once-conjoined toddlers leave hospital RICHMOND: Two formerly conjoined toddlers from the Dominican Republic have left a Richmond hospital after recovering from separation surgery, and doctors predict they’ll be ready to go home by Christmas. Maria and Teresa Tapia left Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University on Friday. At a news conference before their departure, the girls clapped and waved and one kissed the lead doctor on their surgical team, Dr. David Lanning.

“I thank God and everyone who made this possible,” the girls’ mother, Lisandra Sanatis, said through a translator. The 20-month-old twins were attached at the lower chest and underwent complicated, nearly daylong surgery on Nov 7. In a series of procedures, the surgical team divided the twins’ liver, pancreas and other shared organ systems and reconstructed their abdominal walls.

While they’re getting accustomed to exploring their surroundings separately, they still stay near each other and hold hands when they walk. Lanning said Friday that both children have been recovering well, and doctors don’t expect them to require any long-term medical treatment, except possible minor surgery to construct belly buttons. “Overall, I don’t think we could have asked for a better outcome,” he said at Friday’s news conference. They’ll lead healthy, long lives, with the ability to “be together but make independent decisions.”

Maria, the smaller of the two, weighs about 19 pounds, and Teresa weighs about 26 pounds. Lanning expects the disparity in their weight, caused by the configuration of their small intestines and blood flow from the liver, to gradually even out. Maria’s pancreas is slow to produce digestive enzymes, but she is taking replacement enzymes, and doctors are moni-

toring her colon function. Teresa is undergoing treatment on the incision where the girls were separated, Lanning said.

Doctors, nurses, volunteers and others who cared for them gave the girls and their mother and aunt a warm send-off from the hospital Friday afternoon. Lanning pushed a new double stroller to the van that took the family to a nearby residence for patients and their families.

The girls will stay in Richmond for follow-up medical visits and outpatient therapy to continue working on walking and other motor skills now that they’re no longer attached. Lanning said they’re on track to return to their native country by Christmas.

After being in Richmond for several months now, Sanatis said she and her daughters have grown fond of everyone they’ve met. But they’re more than ready to go home and reunite with the twins’ father and three other siblings. The twins have become celebrities in the Dominican Republic, with supporters including the country’s first lady, Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, who visited Richmond on the day of the surgery.

The World Pediatric Project, a nonprofit surgical-care provider for children in Central America and the Caribbean, sponsored the toddlers’ medical care, along with the family’s stay in the United States. Lanning has been a surgical volunteer with the group for several years. About a half-dozen separation surgeries are done in the US annually, and maybe double that number worldwide. Conjoined twins account for between 1 in 50,000 and 1 in 100,000 live births worldwide. The condition is three times more likely to occur among females than males. A third of conjoined twins are attached at the lower chest, as in the case of the Tapia twins.— AP

TOKYO: Scientists from Japan and Russia believe it may be possible to clone a mammoth after finding well-preserved bone marrow in a thigh bone recovered from permafrost soil in Siberia, a report said yesterday. Teams from the Sakha Republic’s mammoth museum and Japan’s Kinki University will launch fullyfledged joint research next year aiming to recreate the giant mammal, Japan’s Kyodo News reported from Yakutsk, Russia.

By replacing the nuclei of egg cells from an elephant with those taken from the mammoth’s marrow cells, embryos with mammoth DNA can be produced, Kyodo said, citing the researchers. The scientists will then plant the embryos into elephant wombs for delivery, as the two species are close relatives, the report said. Securing nuclei with an undamaged gene is essential for the nucleus transplantation technique, it said. For scientists involved in the research since the late 1990s, finding nuclei with undamaged mammoth genes has been a challenge. Mammoths became extinct about 10,000 years ago.

But the discovery in August of the well-preserved thigh bone in Siberia has increased the chances of a successful cloning. Global warming has thawed ground in eastern Russia that is usually almost permanently frozen, leading to the discoveries of a number of frozen mammoths, the report said.— AFP

SUNGAI ASAP: This picture taken on September 22, 2011 shows a young boy at kindergarten at a community center in Sungai Asap, in Malaysia’s Sarawak region. —AFP

Malaysia tribes struggle with modern problems SUNGAI ASAP: Tribal chief Danny Ibang lived most of his life in the pristine jungles on the Malaysian side of Borneo island until he was pushed into a modern world he was told would be better. And in many ways, it is. His Kenyah community of 2,000 enjoys electricity, running water, health and educational facilities previously undreamed-of since being moved out of the jungles to a new village to make way for the huge Bakun hydroelectric dam.

But as expanding dams, palm-oil plantations and other development forces thousands off ancestral lands in the state of Sarawak, a host of modern new problems threaten to break down once tight-knit tribal communities. Village elders and activists say alcoholism, drug use, and crime are on the increase and anger is rising over continuing encroachment on native lands.

“There have been a lot of social changes after the Bakun dam,” said Ibang, 66, whose people were among the first moved to the relocation village of Sungai Asap 14 years ago. “Some teens who go to school learn to rebel against their parents, and boys and girls now mingle freely as they see it on the television,” he said. There were 10 recent teen pregnancies-something unheard-of in the old days.

The state government is pushing to develop the economy of Sarawak, which is blessed by rich natural resources yet remains one of Malaysia’s poorest states. But critics say the effort, while necessary, is plagued by graft and harms tribes that are ethnically distinct from the nation’s majority Malays. Tribal lands make up about 80 percent of Sarawak and “nearly all has been taken for logging and plantations”, said Mark Bujang, head of Borneo Resources Institute, a body working in defence of native land rights.

In October, Penan tribespeople blocked roads into their lands for a week to protest logging and alleged river pollution by Malaysian firm Interhill until the blockade was dismantled by authorities. At a forum on native concerns in the town of Bintulu in October organised by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, about 150 Iban

tribespeople alleged a palm oil company illegally seized their land for a plantation and disturbed ancestral graves, said Joseph Laja, an Iban. “We are really angry,” Laja told commission members.

“If they move into another part of our land, there could be violence.” About four million of Malaysia’s 28 million people belong to indigenous tribes, most of which are native to Malaysian Borneo where some retain diminishing traditional rainforest hunting and farming ways. Officially, they enjoy the same preferential treatment in business, education and other areas accorded to Malays-a controversial policy meant to lift Malay socio-economic standing. But natives and activists say this has meant little to tribes, who remain among the country’s poorest groups.

As a result, many youths welcome their new life and opportunities in Sungai Asap, which now has 11,600 people from a range of tribes living in traditionally inspired longhouses. Roads linking the village to coastal cities have, along with modern telecommunications, opened new employment vistas for tribal youths. “I love living in Sungai Asap,” said Lenny Prescially, 18, as she tapped out messages to friends on Facebook in a local community centre. Her family moved here from the jungles when she was four and she knows little of the old ways.

“Only the elders want to continue the old lifestyle. They don’t know anything,” she said dismissively of the older men who still hunt wild boar in forests and nearby plantations, machetes strapped to their waists. The Bakun dam has been widely criticised as a white elephant, disastrous for uprooted tribes and pristine jungles that are now inundated by a reservoir the size of Singapore, its projected power output exceeding Sarawak’s needs.

Transparency International has called the dam, which began generating electricity in August, a “monument to graft”. Much of the anger in Sarawak is directed at Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud-himself from the Melanau tribe-who has governed the state since 1981 and is widely accused of corruption, cronyism, and plundering the state’s resources, which he denies. — AFP

Whale activists sue to free Lolita from captivity SEATTLE: Supporters have offered $1 million for her release. Annual demonstrations have demanded her return to the Northwest. Over the years, celebrities, schoolchildren and even a Washington state governor have campaigned to free Lolita, a killer whale captured from Puget Sound waters in 1970 and who has been performing at Miami Seaquarium for the past four decades.

Activists are now suing the US government in federal court in Seattle, saying it should have protected Lolita when it listed other Southern Resident orcas as an endangered species in 2005. “The fact that the federal government has declared these pods to be endangered is a good thing, but they neglected to include these captives,” said Karen Munro, a plaintiff in the lawsuit who lives in Olympia, Washington.

Plaintiffs include two other individuals, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals The lawsuit filed in November alleges that the fisheries service allows the Miami Seaquarium to keep Lolita in conditions that harm and harass her and otherwise wouldn’t be allowed

under the Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit alleges Lolita is confined in an inadequate tank without sufficient space and without companions of her own species. The agency is still reviewing the lawsuit, said Monica Allen, a spokeswoman with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, whose fisheries serv-

ice oversees marine mammals.

Lolita, who is estimated to be about 44 or 45, is the last surviving orca captured from the Southern Resident orca population during the 1970s. She is a member of the L pod, or family. Female orcas generally live into their 50s though they can live decades longer. The J, K, and L pods

MIAMI: This March 9, 1995, file photo, shows trainer Marcia Hinton with Lolita during a performance at the Miami Seaquarium, in Miami.

Celebrities, documentary artists, even the former Washington state governor over the years have sought to free Lolita, who was captured from Puget Sound waters in 1970 and has been performing stunts at the Seaquarium for four decades.—AP

frequent Western Washington’s inland marine waters and are genetically and behaviorally distinct from other killer whales.

They eat salmon rather than marine mammals, show an attachment to the region, and make sounds that are considered a unique dialect.

The whales, with striking black coloring and white bellies, spend time in tight, social groups and ply the waters of Puget Sound and British Columbia.

When the National Marine Fisheries Service listed the Southern Resident orcas as endangered - in decline because of lack of prey, pollution and contaminants, and effects from vessels and other factors - it didn’t include whales placed in captivity prior to the listing or their captive born offspring.

They’re “not maximizing opportunity to protect the species if you exclude captive members,” said Carter Dillard, litigation director for the Animal Legal Defense. Lolita should have the same protections as other wild orcas, he added. He noted that the US Fish and Wildlife Service is currently considering whether to give all captive chimpanzees the same protection as wild chimpanzees. — AP

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H E A LT H Arctic much worse since 2006: Report WASHINGTON: US officials say the Arctic region has changed dramatically for the worse in the past five years. It is melting at a near record pace, and it is darkening and absorbing too much of the sun’s heat. A new report card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rates the polar region with blazing red stop lights on three of five categories and yellow cautions for the other two. Overall, these are not good grades, but it doesn’t mean the Arctic is doomed and it still will freeze in the winter, said report coeditor Jackie Richter-Menge.

The Arctic acts as Earth’s refrigerator, cooling the planet.

What’s happening, scientists said, is like someone pushing the fridge’s thermostat much too high. “It’s not cooling as well as it used to,” Richter-Menge said. The dramatic changes are from both man-made global warming and recent localized weather shifts, which were on top of the longer term warming trend, scientists said.

The report, written by 121 scientists from around the world, said statistics point to a shift in the Arctic health in 2006. That was right before 2007, when a mix of weather conditions and changing climate led to a record loss of sea ice, from which the region has never recovered. This summer’s sea ice melt was the second worst on record, a tad behind 2007. “We’ve got a new normal,” said co-author Don Perovich, a geophysicist at the Army Corps of Engineers Cold Research and Engineering Lab. “Whether it’s a tipping point and we’ll never recover, who’s to say?”

The report highlighted statistics to show an Arctic undergoing change: A NASA satellite found that 430 billion metric tons of ice melted in Greenland from 2010 to 2011, and the melting is accelerating. Since 2000, Greenland’s 39 widest glaciers shrunk by nearly 530 square miles (1,375 sq. kilometers), about the equivalent of 22 Manhattans. The past five years have had the five lowest summer sea ice levels on record. For two straight years, all three major passages through the Arctic have been open in the summer, which is unusual. Seven of 19 polar bear sub-populations are shrinking. This year’s temperature is roughly 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 C) higher than what had been normal since 1980. What’s even more troubling to scientists is that there’s been a record darkening of the normally white Arctic land and sea. White snow and ice reflects solar energy, but a melting darker Arctic in the summer absorbs that heat. Marco Tedesco of the City College of New York, a co-author, said the darkening is like a speeding train going downhill, adding to the acceleration of warming. Richter-Menge said the darkening of the Arctic from melting ice and snow “causes more heating, which causes more melting, and on the cycle goes.” But there are some winners in the warming. The phytoplankton in the Arctic Ocean, at the base of the marine food chain, has increased 20 percent compared with the past decade, and some plants are doing better, scientists said.—AP

Thawing permafrost vents gases to worsen warming WASHINGTON: Massive amounts of greenhouse gases trapped below thawing permafrost will likely seep into the air over the next several decades, accelerating and amplifying global warming, scientists warn.

Those heat-trapping gases under the frozen Arctic ground may be a bigger factor in global warming than the cutting down of forests, and a scenario that climate scientists hadn’t quite accounted for, according to a group of permafrost experts.

The gases won’t contribute as much as pollution from power plants, cars, trucks and planes, though.

The permafrost scientists predict that over the next three decades a total of about 45 billion metric tons of carbon from methane and carbon dioxide will seep into the atmosphere when permafrost thaws during summers. That’s about the same amount of heat-trapping gas the world spews during five years of burning coal, gas and other fossil fuels. And the picture is even more alarming for the end of the century. The scientists calculate that about than 300 billion metric tons of carbon will belch from the thawing Earth from now until 2100. Adding in that gas means that warming would happen “20 to 30 percent faster than from fossil fuel emissions alone,” said Edward Schuur of the University of Florida. “You are significantly speeding things up by releasing this carbon.” Usually the first few to several inches of permafrost thaw in the summer, but scientists are now looking at up to 10 feet of soft unfrozen ground because of warmer temperatures, he said. The gases come from decaying plants that have been stuck below frozen ground for millennia.

Schuur and 40 other scientists in the Permafrost Carbon Research Network met this summer and jointly wrote up their findings, which were published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. “The survey provides an important warning that global climate warming is likely to be worse than expected,” said Jay Zwally, a NASA polar scientist who wasn’t part of the study. “Arctic

permafrost has been like a wild card.”

When the Nobel Prize-winning panel of climate scientists issued its last full report in 2007, it didn’t even factor in trapped methane and carbon dioxide from beneath the permafrost. Diplomats are meeting this week in South Africa to find ways of curbing human-made climate change. Schuur and others said increasing amounts of greenhouse gas are seeping out of permafrost each year. Some is methane, which is 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide in trapping heat.

In a recent video, University of Alaska Fairbanks professor Katey Walter Anthony, a study co-author, is shown setting leaking methane gas on fire with flames shooting far above her head. “Places like that are all around,” Anthony said in a phone interview.

“We’re tapping into old carbon that has been locked up in the ground for 30,000 to 40,000 years.”That triggers what Anthony and other scientists call a feedback cycle.

The world warms, mostly because of human-made greenhouse gases. That thaws permafrost, releasing more natural greenhouse gas, augmenting the warming.

There are lots of unknowns and a large margin of error because this is a relatively new issue with limited data available, the scientists acknowledge. “It’s very much a seat-of-the-pants expert assessment,” said Stanford University ’s Chris Field, who wasn’t involved in the new report. The World Meteorological Organization this week said the worst of the warming in 2011 was in the northern areas - where there is permafrost - and especially Russia. Since 1970, the Arctic has warmed at a rate twice as fast as the rest of the globe.

The thawing permafrost also causes trees to lean - scientists call them “drunken trees” - and roads to buckle. Study coauthor F. Stuart Chapin III said when he first moved to Fairbanks the road from his house to the University of Alaska had to be resurfaced once a decade. “Now it gets resurfaced every year due to thawing permafrost,” Chapin said.—AP

ALASKA: This handout photo, taken in 2009, provided by University of Alaska, Fairbanks, shows research assistant professor Katey Walter Anthony igniting trapped methane from under the ice in a pond on the Fairbanks campus. Massive amounts of greenhouse gases trapped below thawing permafrost will likely vent into the air over the next several decades.—AP

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W H AT ’ S O N Greetings

Happy birthday dear Merin Mol and Andrew Mon. May God shower you with his choicest blessings. Love and best regards from Christen Baby, Papa, Mama, Sibi and all dear ones.

Wishing Aslam Basha a very happy birthday.

May Allah Almighty shower His blessings on you and bless you with good health and happiness. Best wishes come from Anwar and Sajda, Parvej, Faiz and Tabassum, Ashu, Ayan and near and dears ones from Kuwait and Andhra Pradesh.

Upcoming events Photography exhibition Adel Bujbara, a silent photography exhibition that speaks a thousand words of freedom and speech and space. Opening reception is today (December 4, 2011) at 7 pm at Tilak Complex M3-M4, Shuwaikh Jahra Road 80. For more information contact 22256101.

BSK students enjoy healthy lifestyle

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n October 18 and 19, the Year 4 students from The British School of Kuwait went to Flex Gym and had a great time. They had been studying how bodies move and the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, and got to put their knowledge into action at the gym. On arrival the students were divided into four groups and got to experience rock climbing, basketball, karate and also had time to play in the soft play area. Between activities the excitement was palpable as the students were describing their newly learned skills. “I liked karate the most because we learned how to defend

ourselves,” Rakan said. Basmil thought that “rock climbing was the most exercise because I would climb a little and then fall. I got so tired and had to try again and again to get to the top.” This was also an opportunity for the students not only to get better at individual activities, but also to practise working as part of a team. Muaaz “liked basketball the most because you had to pass the ball to someone on your team to win.” The students left the gym feeling enthusiastic about exercise and keeping their bodies healthy and were full of promises to develop their interest in sport.

Open day at Sadu House An open day welcoming designers, textile enthusiasts, and all people interested in Kuwaiti traditional weaving at the Sadu House on Monday, December 5, from 10 am to 2 pm.

Christmas Carol concert The Ahmadi Music Group will be holding a fantastic Christmas Carol Concert on December 9 and 10 at New English School (NES) from 5pm both days with an adult show at 7:30pm on both days, in which Santa will be making an appearance, and the children can get involved with singing, waving jingle bells, etc. Guaranteed Christmas fun for the whole family!

Talent Hunt Wesal Media Team is organizing a new concept competition for little talents in Kuwait. This competition is for children ages 6-12 years who have excellent talents in singing, dancing, drawing, etc. All interested little talents are welcome to participate. To signup, just visit their website and register your child.

The final announcements will be published in a short event at Discovery Mall with famous singers and actors in Kuwait. For more information: 97547705 Silsila Ye Chahat Ka Youth icon for the millions Shreya Ghoshal will be performing live in Kuwait on Friday, 9th Dec. 2011.

ICS is now all set to present “Silsila Ye Chahat Ka” with Shreya Ghoshal at Al Jeel Al Jadeed School, Hawally. The mega evening is organised by Indian Cultural Society.

New Year Hangama The RAK Dance Academy (RDA) Kuwait, is planning to put a charity event as celebration of its New Year Hangama 2012, on 31st December, 2011, from 6 pm onwards, at Carmel School Khaitan. All participants are well known artists from Kuwait. The main purpose of this celebration is to collect donations and raise money for supporting handicapped children in India. contributions from you. Your attendance is your donation. Please join for an evening for a good cause. Call 99692266, 65925730 for details.

Aware Center Arabic lessons The AWARE Management is glad to inform you that Winter 1 Arabic language courses will begin on November 20th, 2011 until January 12th, 2012.

AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed and courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to teachers, travelers & those working in the private business sector. Arabic classes at the AWARE Center are unique because students are provided with the chance to practice their Arabic through various social activities that aim at bringing Arabs and Westerners together.

AWARE Arabic courses highlight: lIntroductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics lBetter prepare you for speaking, reading and writing Arabic lCombine language learning with cultural insights lTaught in multi-nationality group settings lProvide opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs.

For more information or registration, call 25335260/80 ext 105/104/0 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw.

Christmas music concert Men’s Voice and Choral Society - Kuwait, the renowned Christian musicale group in Kuwait since 2001, who were able to put up a splendid Christmas carol in the form of a Living Christmas tree last year, are going to be back on stage this season of winter with their 11th Annual Christmas Music Concert “Celtic Christmas” for all the music lovers of the region on Wednesday 7th, December 2011 at 7 pm at Hall of Faith, National Evangelical Church (NECK), Kuwait.

They are at their final stages of practice rounding up and polishing the best carols from English and Malayalam favorites. Every Music Lovers are cordially invite everyone to this spiritual musical concert, for more details contact 94064465/94063481 or visit www.mensvoicekuwait.org

KES students visit London

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uring the recent Eid holiday, drama students from Kuwait English School went on a study visit to London. The aim of the visit was to see some of the productions and plays currently showing in London’s West End. Students also took part in a day’s workshop organized by Pineapple Studios of Covent Garden. A great time was enjoyed by all and students also managed to take in some of the sights of London too!

Mesmerizing Open Day at LOA

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ndian Learners Own Academy celebrated its First Open Day for Classes 4 to 8 on November 24, 2011 in the school auditorium where distinguished guests and hundreds of parents witnessed the show. The magnificent performance of the orchestra and the admirable anchoring speeches of the talented students of different classes accompanied with the beautiful power point presentation added colour and elegance to the perfection of the function.

The program started by around 6 pm with the recitation of The Holy Quran followed by the Kuwait National Anthem and the Indian National Anthem. The welcome Song created an atmosphere of freshness and the welcome dance performed was a grand visual treat by the exuberant young dancers. The lighting of the lamp of knowledge by the Chief Guest Omar Al-Gharair filled the minds of the audience with positive energy. This was followed by the welcome address and presentation of the school report to the august gathering by the Principal of the school Asha Sharma.

It was a highly appreciable news for the whole ILOA family to hear from the principal that the first batch of Class 9 will be registered at CBSE, Delhi in June, 2012. All the students of 10 will be writing the public examination conducted by CBSE, Delhi from the academic year 2013-2014, which shows the continuous and sudden growth of the Institution in a short period of time. Asha Sharma also informed that the PAT (Performance Analysis Test) exam, which is on line test conducted by CBSE to assist children in choosing their careers will also be conducted at school for all the students of Class 10. CBSE conducts board examination for CBSE- I students on compulsory basis besides continuous and compulsory evaluation done by the school which gives good credibility to this system.

In her speech, the principal also mentioned the names of different International examinations which are Cap Q, ASSET, BENCH MARK and IAS for which many brilliant students appeared and won prestigious grades. These highly talented stu-

dents who passed these exams with excellent grades were highly appreciated. It was a moment of happiness and pride for the entire gathering to hear the happiest news of the day that the ‘Balkan-Ji-Bari International’, which has a consultative status with the UNICEF & ECOSOC is going to honor the Principal. Asha Sharma with a prestigious International Award designated as “Distinguished Academician and Outstanding Administrator” in the third week of January 2012.

The high achievers of LOA were given prizes for their outstanding performances in different areas of curricular and extracurricular activities. The School Journal “The Quest” was released by the respected Chief Guest Omar Al-Gharair. A series of mind blowing songs and dances won the applause of the inspiring crowd.

The movements in the peacock dance created an everlasting joy in every mind. The rich heritage of the state was reflected in the Bengali Folk Dance. The two melodious songs in the official language of India bordered on perfection. Feeling of unity and oneness was broadened by the wonderful song’ We Are One’ .The ‘Robot Dance’ which reflected the trends of the modern era was received with a huge applause.

Another fabulous item, the Fashion Show was admirably staged by the students in the traditional and ethnic costumes of different states. The famous play of Mark Twain ‘Whitewashing The Fence’ enacted by the senior students was scintillating.

Equally interesting was the awesome dance based on the theme “BeingEco-Friendly” which stressed on the importance of protecting ‘Mother Nature’. The sacred Arabic dance followed by the French dance by the dynamic team entertained the crowd with their rhythmic movements. It’s no doubt that the most thrilling items of the show were the Rajasthani dance and the Punjabi dance with highly energetic dancers in attractive and colourful costumes.

These historically significant unique style and charm of these dances were some of the highlights of the day. The fiesta came to an end with the vote of thanks by Rekha Ravikumar.

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W H AT ’ S O N

Bhavans celebrates glory of sports at Khaifan Stadium

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ports is where an entire life can be compressed into a few hours, where the emotions of a lifetime can be felt on an acre or two of a ground.

Sports is a theater where sinners can turn into saints and a common man becomes an uncommon hero, where the past and the future can fuse with the present. Sports is singularly able to give us peak experiences where we feel completely one with the world and transcend all conflicts, as we finally become our own potential. Yes, the deftness, rhythm and vibrancy of sports have united civilizations across the globe. IES Sports Meet 2011 celebrated the glory of sports on November 26, 2011 at Khaifan Stadium, Khaifan.

The proceedings commenced with the arrival of the Chief Guest, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Kuwait, CAHM Wijeratne and an impressive array of eminent personalities like Mohammed Fahad El Masoud, the President of Football Federation of Kuwait, TA Ramesh, Kirshnadas Menon, ED Titus and Kalyani Mukherjee, Principal of Kuwait Indian School.

Chairman, Bhavan Group of Schools in the Middle East, NK Ramachandran Menon, Principal T Premkumar and Vice Principal Lalita Premkumar and the students council members ushered the guests to the dais. The privilege to extend a warm welcome to all the guests for the day was vested on the Head Girl, Sonal Mashankar. She promptly came to the dais and delivered sweet bouquets of welcome through her solemn welcome address.

A euphonious Sinhalese song was sung by the IES minstrels to honor the chief guest and to eulogize the virtues of the majestic island nation - Sri Lanka. The house captains led their respective houses accompanied by the senior house members, holding the flags up as they marched to the catchy beat of marching music that too with military precision and camaraderie, and filled to the brim with sportsman spirit. It was so aweinspiring that the parents and teachers in the pavilion gave them a standing ovation. CAHM Wijeratne received the salute from the houses. Fourteen sports champions of IES brought the torch amidst cheers, and the torch lamp was lit by the sports captains.

The Sport Meet was declared open by the Chief Guest. In his inspiring speech, CAHM Wijeratne impelled the aspiring young sportsmen of IES to carve a niche in the world of sports. He emphasized the importance of true sportsman spirit in life as well as in sports. He expressed his great respect for athletes and athletics. He urged the young athletes to uphold the true spirit and fundamental

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Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency. nnnnnnn

ethos of sports, and reminded them that participation is more important than victory itself.

The power of human will to compete and the drive to excel beyond the body’s normal capabilities was most beautifully demonstrated by the young athletes of IES who displayed their insatiable quest for triumph and prowess in sports. Other than the usual track and field events, the function also witnessed a pompous pageantry of drill display - an amalgamation of exactitude, politeness, aerobics and dexterity enwrapped in decorum.

Creativity at its helm, the tiny tots of Grade 1 enthralled the spectators with their drill display, exhibiting their love for Mother Nature by presenting an eyecatching formation of a beautiful flower and a butterfly. This was followed by the drill display by Grade 2 students of IES. As a tribute to their foster motherland, the peppy kids displayed a symphonic and rhythmic display of harmony between the two countries, embodying the cordial relationships between

Kuwait and India.

Spectators watched with bated breath as the Grade 3 students of IES flooded the stadium in rainbow colours.

Their rhythmic and synchronized movements appeared like a celestial feet and indubitably it was a feast for eyes. The bubbly fourth graders exuded the fiery spirit of the sun, the multiplicity of the earth and the magnetism and the serenity of the moon in their enchanting display. Students of grades 5 and 6 performed a scintillating form of aerobics armed with colorful hoops and dancing to the fast beat of music followed by a rain of thunderous applause from the spectators. Girls of grades 7 and 8 displayed breathtaking formations by swaying multi-colored saris rhythmically in a series of lithe movements accompanied by foot-tapping beats. The culmination of the drill display was marked when 120 boys of grades 7 and 8 formed a human pyramid symbolizing the ever-rising fame of Bhavans in the Middle East. The stadium reverberated and crumbled with relentless rounds of

applause from the astonished spectators.

Moving forth with the athletic events, the Bhavanites did show their sportsmanship through an attitude of fair play, courtesy, ethical behavior, integrity and grace in triumph and defeat. The overall championship for sports was bagged by Seva house with 232 points. Satya house won the second position by securing 218 points and the third went to Tapas house with 211 points. The Ambassador of Sri Lanka and the other eminent personalities gave away the prizes to the budding athletes of IES. The virtuous young athletes drew the attention and adulation of the spectators thronged on either side of the stadium. The curtains fell on a successful Sports Day, amidst cheers, celebration, and jubilation when Sanoy Jacob Koshy, the Head Boy, proposed the vote of thanks. The amazing finesse and arduousness of the young athletes confined to the concrete cubicles in a foreign country will remain timeless in the minds of all those who attended the meet.

BSK students visit Thailand uring the recent term break a group of staff and Gold International Award students from The British School of Kuwait departed Kuwait for Bangkok, Thailand as part of their Residential Activity. The floods around Bangkok meant that the final leg of the journey to Northern Thailand had to be completed by plane instead of the epic overnight train journey. Here they would spend a week in an unfamiliar environment, teaching, helping and caring for students at the Huay Poo School in Thaton, Thailand. Following the flight and the challenging weather conditions it was comforting to witness the International Award spirit radiate as the BSK students got straight to work preparing the lessons they would teach to the children at the school over the week. The students quickly found their feet and became more animated and enthusiastic as the week progressed.

In addition to their teaching duties, the students completed several additional projects around the school, including making cement; retiling the floor of a large dinner hall; grouting the completed tiles; weeding the gardens used by the school to grow their own vegetables; and designing and painting a large wall mural for an outdoor activities area. It was an enjoyable experience for all and many were overcome by the happiness emanating from the young children who had experienced (and continued to

Embassy

experience) poverty in their lives. ‘I feel so selfish knowing I don’t appreciate what I have, when these children have so little and somehow feel completely grateful for it,’ said Sinem Ergen, one of the BSK participants. Accompanying the Gold participants were a group of Year 10 Geography students. They undertook fieldwork activities supported by the Education Centre in Thaton, including environmental surveys and river studies that allowed them to get a little muddy as they mapped the shape of the river.

One of the groups had never seen a river before and completely enjoyed the new experience. Finally, after a hard week, the weekend arrived and no International Award expedition comes without a little adrenaline rush! Activities included rock climbing, archery, a swampy obstacle course, rafting and a glorious night at a famous Loy Krantong festival, full of fireworks and great Thai cuisine. It was an epic weekend, and was fully deserved after a week of hard work!

The week proved to be an interesting and enjoyable experience for all with so many valuable ‘life skills’ learned. For all who visited Thailand, the trip changed their perspective on the world around them and made them realize how a small act of kindness, even something as simple as a smile or a conversation, can change a person’s life forever. Well done everyone! Next step is a 47 km walk in the Kuwait desert along Mutla Ridge!

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EMBASSY OF GERMANY

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait wishes to announce that as of 1 May 2011, the external service provider Al Qabas Assurex is operating a Visa Application Centre in support of the German Embassy. Short-term visa applications for travels to Germany (e.g. for tourism, visits, business) are to be submitted to the service provider Al Qabas who for your convenience will ensure that all relevant documents are included in your application. Your personal appearance at the Application Centre is not required. Address of the Visa Application Centre: Al Qabas Assurex Sanabel Tower (AlBabtain) Mezzanine (M3) opposite Sharq Mall Kuwait 22924444 Fax: 22924442 Further information are available on the following websites: www.kuwait.diplo.de www.qavisa.com nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy.

We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area Block 6 - Street 9 - Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF PERU The Embassy of Peru is located at Al-Arablya Tower, Sharq, Ahmed Al-Jaber Street, on the 6th Floor. In the same place, as a part of the Chancellery of the Embassy of Peru in Kuwait, also is located the Showing Room of “PeruExpoTour, Trade & Invest.” nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF RUSSIA Embassy of the Russian Federation will hold the elections to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (Parliament) on December 3, 2011, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm in the Embassy s premises by the address: Kuwait City, Daiya, Block 5, Diplomatic campus, Plot 17. All the Russians are invited to participate.

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GUST uplifts its website

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), winner of the 2010 Education Web Award for Best Interactivity for the State of Kuwait granted by Education Web Awards, uplifted the overall look of its website and improved on its functionality. The GUST website received the prestigious award earlier this year based on their excellent reviews through all award criteria including: concept and creativity ease of use and navigation, content and structure, visual design solutions and aesthetics and interactivity.

But, as the saying goes, there is always room for improvement. And the GUST technical team prides itself in always coming up with new innovative ideas to improve on the website and its interface.

Please visit the GUST website at www.gust.edu.kw.

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca.

The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form.

All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants. Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed.

Seasonal feel at ESF

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s the cold weather sets in and temperatures drop, the seasonal decorations fill the ESF Gallery. On behalf of everyone at the English School Fahaheel, the Head Boy Karl Bautista and Head Girl Tina Raad convey their best wishes for the festive season and a very happy new year!

EMBASSY OF US The United States and Kuwait enjoy a long-standing and fruitful relationship with higher education. As evidence of this enduring partnership, the number of Kuwaiti students enrolled in US institutions of higher education in 2010/11 increased from 2442 to 2998, a 22.8% increase compared to the previous year. Kuwaiti students study in 45 states.

This year, embassies and institutions around the world will be celebrating International Education Week the week of November 14-18.

In honor of International Education Week, the US Embassy s Mobile American Corner will be at the Marina Mall on Wednesday evening, November 16, and at the Avenues Mall on Thursday evening, November 17. Information about higher education in the US, English language classes and the student visa application process will be available, and staff will be present to answer questions about study in the USA from the general public.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 Untamed & Uncut 01:45 Dogs 101: Specials 02:40 Shark Invasion 03:35 Monster Bug Wars 04:30 Shark City 05:25 Dogs 101: Specials 06:20 Animal Cops Houston 07:10 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 09:15 Breed All About It 09:40 The Really Wild Show 10:10 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 11:05 Project Puppy 11:30 Monkey Life 12:00 Crocodile Hunter 12:55 Dogs 101: Specials 13:50 Wildest Africa 14:45 Wildest Africa 15:40 Dogs vs. Cats 16:35 America’s Cutest...

17:30 Trophy Cats 18:25 Monkey Life 18:50 Monkey Life 19:20 Ray Mears’ Wild Britain 20:15 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 21:10 Dogs 101 22:05 Shark City 23:00 Speed Of Life 23:55 Whale Wars

00:00 Blackadder Goes Forth 00:30 Beautiful People 01:00 Doctor Who 01:45 BBC Electric Proms: Paul McCartney 02:40 Blackadder Goes Forth 03:10 Blackadder Goes Forth 03:40 As Time Goes By 04:10 Last Of The Summer Wine 04:40 3rd & Bird 04:50 Bobinogs 05:00 Boogie Beebies 05:15 Poetry Pie 05:20 Tweenies 05:40 Fimbles 06:00 3rd & Bird 06:10 Bobinogs 06:20 Boogie Beebies 06:35 Poetry Pie 06:40 Tweenies 07:00 Charlie and Lola 07:10 Fimbles 07:30 3rd & Bird 07:40 Bobinogs 07:50 Boogie Beebies 08:05 Poetry Pie 08:10 Tweenies 08:30 Charlie and Lola 08:40 Fimbles 09:00 3rd & Bird 09:10 Bobinogs 09:20 Boogie Beebies 09:35 Poetry Pie 09:40 Poetry Pie 09:45 Buzz & Tell 09:50 Tweenies 10:10 Charlie and Lola 10:20 Fimbles 10:40 As Time Goes By 11:10 Last Of The Summer Wine 11:45 Doctor Who 12:30 The Weakest Link 13:15 Casualty 14:05 Big Cat Diary 14:35 Big Bear Diary 15:00 The Weakest Link 15:45 The Weakest Link 16:35 Doctors 17:05 Doctors 17:35 Doctors 18:05 Doctors 18:35 Doctors 19:05 Doctor Who 19:50 As Time Goes By 20:20 Last Of The Summer Wine 20:50 Coast 21:50 Big Cat Diary 22:15 Big Bear Diary 22:45 Return To Cranford 23:35 The Fixer

00:35 08:00 13:00 16:45 17:35 18:30 19:15 20:00 20:50 21:40 22:30 23:15

Holmes On Homes Come Dine With Me Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Design Star Design Star Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Holmes On Homes Holmes On Homes Holmes On Homes

00:00 BBC World News 00:30 Dateline London 01:00 BBC World News 01:10 The Doha Debates 02:00 BBC World News 02:10 World Features 02:30 Middle East Business Report 03:00 BBC World News 03:10 World Features 03:30 BBC World News 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Dateline London 05:00 BBC World News 05:10 The Doha Debates 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Newsnight 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 Click 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 India Business Report 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 Fast Track 10:00 BBC World News 10:10 The Health Show 10:30 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:10 World Features 11:30 Dateline London 12:00 BBC World News 12:10 World Features 12:30 Horizons 13:00 BBC World News 13:10 World Features 13:30 My Country 14:00 BBC World News 14:10 World Features 14:30 Newsnight 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 BBC World News 16:00 BBC World News 16:15 Sport Today 16:30 Click 17:00 BBC World News 17:30 World Challenge Final 18:00 BBC World News 18:10 The Doha Debates 19:00 BBC World News 19:30 India Business Report 20:00 BBC World News 20:30 Talking Books 21:00 BBC World News 21:10 World Features 21:30 My Country 22:00 Sports World Have Your Say 22:30 Sports World Have Your Say 23:00 BBC World News 23:10 This Week With Christiane Amanpour

00:00 00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:15 07:40

Dexters Laboratory The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show The Addams Family Popeye

08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:30 14:05 14:30 14:50 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 16:55 17:20 Doo 17:45 18:10 18:35 18:55 19:20 19:30 19:55 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:30 21:50 22:05 22:40 23:05 23:30

Paddington Bear Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm Puppy In My Pocket Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch Yogi’s Treasure Hunt The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Scooby Goes Hollywood New Yogi Bear Show Tex Avery The Addams Family Droopy & Dripple The Flintstones The Garfield Show Duck Dodgers Wacky Races Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Jetsons Wacky Races Scooby Doo Where Are You! Popeye Classics The Scooby Doo Show Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Top Cat Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Wacky Races The Scooby Doo Show Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo

00:15 Samurai Jack 00:40 Megas XLR 01:05 Robotboy 01:30 Squirrel Boy 01:55 George Of The Jungle 02:20 Cramp Twins 02:45 Chop Socky Chooks 03:10 Best Ed 03:35 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Generator Rex 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 05:40 Chowder 05:55 Powerpuff Girls 06:30 Ed, Edd n Eddy 06:55 I Am Weasel 07:20 Squirrel Boy 07:45 Cow & Chicken 08:00 The Life & Times Of Juniper Lee 08:25 Powerpuff Girls 08:50 Cartoon Network Dance Club 09:05 Eliot Kid 09:30 Chowder 09:55 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 10:20 Adventure Time 10:45 The Amazing World Of Gumball 10:55 Cow & Chicken 11:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 11:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 12:20 Generator Rex 12:45 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 13:10 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 13:35 Hero 108 14:00 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 14:25 Robotboy 14:50 I Am Weasel 15:15 Best Ed 15:40 Chowder 16:05 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 16:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 16:55 Cow & Chicken 17:20 Adventure Time 17:45 Codename: Kids Next Door 18:10 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 18:35 Generator Rex 19:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 19:25 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 19:50 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 20:15 Adventure Time

THE SIEGE ON OSN ACTION HD

20:40 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 21:05 Chowder 21:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:55 Cow & Chicken 22:20 Best Ed 22:45 I Am Weasel 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 23:50 The Secret Saturdays

00:00 World’s Untold Stories 00:30 World View 01:00 The Best Of Backstory 01:30 World Sport 02:00 World Report 02:30 News Special 03:00 World Report 03:30 Inside Africa 04:00 CNN Marketplace Europe 04:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 04:30 African Voices 05:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 06:00 The Best Of The Situation Room 07:00 World Sport 07:30 News Special 08:00 World Sport 08:30 The Best Of Backstory 09:00 World Report 09:15 CNN Marketplace Middle East 09:30 News Special 10:00 World Report 10:15 CNN Marketplace Europe 10:30 News Special 11:00 World Sport 11:30 News Special 12:00 African Voices 12:30 Talk Asia 13:00 World’s Untold Stories 13:30 World View 14:00 World Report 14:30 World Sport 15:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 16:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps 17:00 State Of The Union 18:00 International Desk 18:30 Inside Africa 19:00 News Special 19:30 World Sport 20:00 Prism 20:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 21:00 International Desk 21:30 News Special 22:00 World Report 22:30 News Special 23:00 Piers Morgan Tonight

00:40 Extreme Fishing 01:35 Nothing Personal 02:30 How It’S Made 06:35 How Stuff’S Made 07:00 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 07:50 Desert Car Kings 08:45 Ultimate Biker Challenge 09:10 South Beach Classics 09:40 Extreme Fishing 10:30 Marley Africa Road Trip 11:25 Coal 12:20 How It’S Made 12:45 Cash Cab Us 15:05 Cake Boss 17:20 Mythbusters 18:15 Coal 19:10 Deadliest Catch 20:05 Gold Rush: Alaska 21:00 Mythbusters 21:55 Curiosity 22:50 Ross Kemp In Search Of Pirates 23:45 One Man Army

00:40 Bang Goes The Theory 01:05 The Tech Show 01:30 Super Comet: After The Impact 02:20 Future Weapons 06:40 The Tech Show 07:10 How The Universe Works 08:00 Super Comet: After The Impact 08:55 Head Rush 08:58 Sci-Fi Science 09:25 Weird Connections 09:55 Da Vinci’s Machines 10:45 Prototype This 11:35 Future Weapons 15:45 Head Rush 15:48 Sci-Fi Science 16:15 Weird Connections 16:45 Bang Goes The Theory 17:10 The Gadget Show 17:35 The Gadget Show 18:00 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding Greensburg 18:50 Super Comet: After The Impact 19:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 20:30 Mission Critical: Hubble 21:20 Engineering Ground Zero 22:10 Invisible Worlds 23:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 23:50 Mission Critical: Hubble

00:00 Kim Possible 00:20 Replacements 00:45 Replacements 01:10 Fairly Odd Parents 01:35 Fairly Odd Parents 02:00 A Kind Of Magic 02:20 A Kind Of Magic 02:45 Stitch 03:10 Stitch 03:35 Kim Possible 04:00 Kim Possible 04:25 Emperor’s New School 04:50 Emperor’s New School 05:15 Stitch 05:35 Stitch 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:25 Handy Manny 06:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 07:10 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 07:25 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 07:30 So Random 08:00 Suite Life On Deck 08:25 Phineas And Ferb 08:37 Phineas And Ferb 08:50 Good Luck Charlie 09:15 Shake It Up 09:40 Wizards Of Waverly Place 10:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place 10:30 Cheetah Girls 2 12:00 So Random 12:25 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 12:50 Good Luck Charlie

13:15 13:40 14:00 14:25 14:50 15:15 15:35 15:55 Cody 16:20 Cody 16:45 17:10 17:30 18:00 18:20 18:45 19:10 20:35 20:55 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:05 Cody 23:30

Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Wizards Of Waverly Place My Babysitter’s A Vampire Shake It Up Fish Hooks So Random The Suite Life Of Zack And The Suite Life Of Zack And My Babysitter’s A Vampire Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Den Brother So Random Wizards Of Waverly Place My Babysitter’s A Vampire Good Luck Charlie Suite Life On Deck Sonny With A Chance The Suite Life Of Zack And Hannah Montana

00:25 Fashion Police 00:55 Chelsea Lately 01:25 Young, Beautiful & Vanished 03:15 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Reality Hell 05:30 Wildest TV Show Moments 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Style Star 09:45 Style Star 10:15 Giuliana & Bill 11:10 Ice Loves Coco 11:40 Ice Loves Coco 12:05 E! News 13:05 Fashion Police 13:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 23:25 The Soup 23:55 Chelsea Lately

GOODBYE BABY ON OSN CINEMA 00:40 02:15 02:15 03:05 03:05 03:50 05:25 05:25 06:15 06:15 07:10 07:10 08:00 08:00 08:50 08:50 09:40 09:40 10:25 10:25 11:10 11:55 11:55 12:40 12:40 13:25 13:25 14:15 14:15 15:00 15:00 15:50 15:50 16:35 16:35 17:20 17:20 18:10 18:10 19:00 19:00 19:45 19:45 20:10 20:10 20:55 20:55 21:20 21:20 22:10 22:10 23:00 23:00 23:50 23:50

A Haunting The Haunted The Haunted Ghost Lab Ghost Lab A Haunting On The Case With Paula Zahn On the Case with Paula Zahn Disappeared Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files FBI Files Forensic Detectives Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls On The Case With Paula Zahn On the Case with Paula Zahn Disappeared Disappeared Murder Shift Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls On The Case With Paula Zahn On the Case with Paula Zahn Disappeared Disappeared FBI Files FBI Files Forensic Detectives Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn On the Case with Paula Zahn Disappeared Disappeared Nightmare Next Door Nightmare Next Door I Almost Got Away With It I Almost Got Away With It

00:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 01:00 Word of Mouth 01:30 Food School 02:00 Danger Men 03:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 04:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 06:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 07:00 Word of Mouth 07:30 Food School 08:00 Danger Men 09:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 10:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 12:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 13:00 Delinquent Gourmet 13:30 Delinquent Gourmet 14:00 Exploring The Vine 14:30 Exploring The Vine 15:00 Word of Mouth 15:30 Banged Up Abroad 16:30 Banged Up Abroad 17:30 Weird & Wonderful Hotels 18:00 Travel Madness 18:30 Latin America On A Motorcycle 19:00 Delinquent Gourmet 19:30 Delinquent Gourmet 20:00 Exploring The Vine 20:30 Exploring The Vine 21:00 Word of Mouth 21:30 Banged Up Abroad 22:30 Banged Up Abroad 23:30 Weird & Wonderful Hotels

00:00 02:00 03:30 05:30 07:15 09:15 11:15 13:30 15:30 17:45 20:00 22:00

The Evil Dead-R Storm Warning-18 Blue Crush 2-PG15 Ninja Assassin-18 The Karate Kid II-PG Collateral-PG15 King Arthur-PG15 The Karate Kid II-PG What Lies Beneath-PG15 King Arthur-PG15 The Siege-18 The Payback-18

01:15 Goodbye Baby-18 03:15 Flash Of Genius-PG15 05:30 The Lizzie McGuire Movie-PG 07:15 The Devil’s Teardrop-PG15 09:00 Mee Shee-PG 11:00 The Lizzie McGuire Movie-PG 12:45 Flash Of Genius-PG15 15:00 My Son, My Son, What Have You Done?-PG15 16:45 The Social Network-PG15 19:00 The Answer Man-PG15 21:00 Blue Valentine-18 23:00 Sanctum-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 South Park 03:00 Melissa And Joey 03:30 2 Broke Girls 04:00 According To Jim 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 06:00 Yes Dear 06:30 Just Shoot Me 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 According To Jim 08:30 Melissa And Joey 09:00 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 09:30 Community 10:00 Hot In Cleveland 10:30 Just Shoot Me 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Yes Dear 12:30 According To Jim 13:00 2 Broke Girls 13:30 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 14:00 Just Shoot Me 14:30 Hot In Cleveland 15:00 Community 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Yes Dear 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 How I Met Your Mother 19:30 State Of Georgia 20:00 Happy Endings 20:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 South Park 23:30 Happy Endings

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

The Killing C.S.I. Miami Top Gear (UK) Breakout Kings Alias The View Good Morning America Law & Order Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Persons Unknown Breakout Kings Alias C.S.I. Miami Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Cold Case Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) Law & Order

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00

Detroit 1-8-7 Top Gear (UK) The Killing C.S.I. Miami Breakout Kings Commander In Chief Detroit 1-8-7 Modern Family Marathon

07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Coronation Street Kojak Top Gear (UK) Breakout Kings C.S.I. Miami Modern Family Marathon Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Kojak Detroit 1-8-7 Modern Family Marathon Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Bones Cold Case Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) Commander In Chief

01:00 03:00 05:00 18 06:45 PG15 09:00 11:15 13:30 16:15 18:30 21:00 23:00 PG15

Largo Winch 2-PG15 Blue Crush 2-PG15 Snow White: A Tale Of TerrorThe Manchurian CandidateSpeed-PG15 Top Gun-PG15 2012-PG15 Speed-PG15 Sherlock Holmes-PG15 The Payback-18 A Lonely Place For Dying-

Tale-PG15 12:00 Made In Dagenham-PG15 14:00 Family Gathering-PG15 15:45 Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale-PG15 17:45 Knight And Day-PG15 20:00 Burning Palms-U 22:00 All Good Things-18

01:30 Powerboats UIM 02:00 Trans World Sport 03:00 Live Test Cricket 10:00 International Rugby Union 12:00 WWE SmackDown 14:00 Live The Nedbank Golf Challenge 18:30 Trans World Sport 19:30 International Rugby Union 21:30 The Nedbank Golf Challenge

00:30 Pro 12 Celtic League 02:30 ICC Cricket World 03:00 Live Test Cricket 10:00 ICC Cricket World 10:30 HSBC Sevens World Series 14:00 Live The Nedbank Golf Challenge 18:30 Trans World Sport 19:30 Scottish League Cup 21:30 ICC Cricket World 22:00 Rugby Union International

00:00 Head Over Heels-PG15 02:00 Ball & Chain-PG15 04:00 Our Family Wedding-PG15 06:00 How To Go Out On A Date In Queens-PG15 08:00 Stuart Little 2-FAM 10:00 The Addams Family-PG 12:00 Addams Family Values-PG 14:00 That Old Feeling-PG15 16:00 Head Over Heels-PG15 18:00 Wake-PG15 20:00 Out Cold-PG15 22:00 Garage Days-18

02:00 HSBC Sevens World Series 05:30 Trans World Sport 06:30 Live V8 Supercars Championship 09:00 Trans World Sport 10:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 11:00 World Hockey 11:30 Futbol Mundial 12:00 Rugby Union International 14:00 Live Snooker UK Championship 21:30 Futbol Mundial 22:00 Live Snooker UK Championship

01:30 PG15 03:15 05:30 07:30 09:00 PG15 11:15 13:15 15:15 19:00 21:00 22:30

00:15 05:00 Finale 08:00 12:00 14:30 15:45 18:00 19:00 20:00 23:00

The Two Escobars¬†¬†¬†The Outlaw Josey Wales-PG15 Mr. Jones-PG15 Tuck Everlasting-PG Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale9-PG Return To Rajapur-PG15 Spartacus-PG15 The Sunset Limited-PG15 Cry Baby-PG15 A Prophet-18

01:00 Brighton Rock-PG15 03:00 Love N’ Dancing-PG15 05:00 50 First Dates-PG15 07:00 Phoebe In Wonderland-PG 09:00 District 9-PG15 11:00 Napoleon Dynamite-PG 13:00 Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming-PG15 15:00 Coco Before Chanel-PG15 17:00 District 9-PG15 19:00 Couples Retreat-18 21:00 How To Train Your Dragon-PG 23:00 Burning Palms-U

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 PG 12:00 14:15 FAM 16:00 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:00

In Search Of The Titanic-PG15 The Country Bears-PG The Last Airbender-PG In Search Of The Titanic-PG15 Gladiators: The Conspiracy-PG Gladiators: The Tournament-

00:00 01:45 04:00 06:15 08:00 10:00

Saint John Of Las Vegas-18 Personal Effects-18 Jane Eyre-PG15 Bond Of Silence-PG15 That’s What I Am-PG15 Elle: A Modern Cinderella

102 Dalmatians-PG Scooby-Doo! Camp ScareThe Little Engine That Could102 Dalmatians-PG Flicka 2-PG15 Gladiators: The Conspiracy-PG

UFC The Ultimate Fighter Live The Ultimate Fighter 14 Live PGA European Tour V8 Supercars Championship WWE Bottom Line Live Scottish Premier League WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale V8 Supercars Championship

00:00 America: The Story Of The Us 02:00 Dead Men’S Secrets 03:00 Cities Of The Underworld 04:00 The Lost Kennedy Home Movies 06:00 America: The Story Of The Us 08:00 Dead Men’S Secrets 09:00 Cities Of The Underworld 10:00 The Lost Kennedy Home Movies 12:00 America: The Story Of The Us 14:00 Dead Men’S Secrets 15:00 Cities Of The Underworld 16:00 The Lost Kennedy Home Movies 18:00 America: The Story Of The Us 20:00 American Pickers 21:00 Pawn Stars 21:30 American Restoration 22:00 Chasing Mummies 23:00 Battles B.C.

00:35 02:20 04:30 06:00 07:30 08:00 09:30 11:05 12:55 14:15 16:35 18:25 19:45 21:25 23:00

Heart Of Darkness The Fixer Fury-PG Ride, Vaquero!-FAM TCM Presents Under The...-U Above Suspicion-PG Girl Happy-FAM Young Bess-FAM Bad Day At Black Rock-PG Ice Station Zebra-FAM An American In Paris-FAM Vengeance Valley-PG Hearts Of The West-PG Code Name: Emerald-PG Wild Rovers

Classifieds SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

WWOOFing, a way to travel and meet people LOS ANGELES: Kelly Bayer took a vacation from her job in a sleep laboratory by toiling in a vegetable patch in Santa Barbara, Calif.

The sun beat down on her back as she worked a garden hose over a collection of tomatoes, peppers, carrots and onions that would eventually be consumed on the organic farm. "I'm kind of interested in farming and sustainable living," Bayer said, before giving away a bit of her real motivation for working on the farm: a quick and cheap way to visit the West Coast.

Bayer, 26, was part of an itinerant crew passing through the one-acre property that included a nursing student from Korea, an engineering student from France and a free-spirited 18-year-old fleeing the East Coast before starting college. In exchange for a few hours of work each day, they got a free place to sleep and two meals a day.

They'd found their way to Santa Barbara by way of a movement known as WWOOFing, which stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

Over the years — largely by word of mouth — WWOOFing has grown into a loose global network that hooks up those willing to work with farmers eager to take them for a few weeks, or even a few months.

Through the WWOOF network, wouldbe vagabonds find their way to a farm in Hawaii perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, a fruit orchard in the Bakony Mountains of Hungary or a rice farm in the tropical rain forests of Malaysia.

Hundreds of farms are located in the United States, including at least a couple dozen spread across California. They range from backyards with a single volunteer to large-scale organic operations with as many as 100 workers.

Some focus on teaching sustainable living; many others have a more casual approach, allowing youths to dabble in artistic pursuits while contributing some work. A few others, including one boasting family-sized yurts as accommodations, have the granola-infused spirituality of a flower child's commune.

Bayer, her short hair still tousled from sleeping under the stars, has traveled to Italy using the WWOOF network and planned to move on to a farm in Washington before returning home to Rochester, N.Y. — and her regular job.

WWOOFing began in the early 1970s in England as a way for farmers to get weekend help. Back then, the name stood for Working Weekends on Organic Farms. It was started by a London secretary who thought city people needed a convenient way to enjoy the countryside and learn a little about the organic

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Danielle Strom, 23, from New York, leads an early morning yoga session to visiting WWOOFers, before farm chores begin at ArtFarm in Santa Barbara, California, on July 20, 2011. College-age students, and others, travel and intern at a variety of farms through WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). — MCT

movement. A trial weekend of work in Sussex quickly led to others and, eventually, chapters in other countries.

The movement was soon embraced by young adventurers as a cheap way to travel. All they had to pay was their transportation to the farm. Because they only had to work half days during their stays, they had plenty of time to enjoy themselves in a new locale.

The growth of the Internet has unlocked the potential of the network, providing the adventuresome with a cheap gateway to the world. The American branch has a small staff, with headquarters in Laguna Beach, Calif.

WWOOFers are encouraged to purchase travel or medical insurance, and many hosts have homeowners insurance that may cover them, but there's an implicit understanding that workers are there at their own risk. Neither the volunteers nor their hosts are subject to background checks, so the organization warns both to check out comments and ratings on the WWOOF website.

Bayer, a technician in a sleep lab, said she first heard about WWOOFing from a friend right after she finished school at the University of Delaware.

She was interested in living in a more eco-friendly way, as well as experiencing other parts of the world — not as a tourist, but by immersing herself in a

new place.

After trying it overseas, Bayer wanted to go stateside, preferably on the other side of the country. With a friend, she found the farm in Santa Barbara — just a bike ride away from crystalline beaches, rugged hiking trails and shops on a downtown strand.

ArtFarm, owned by Madeline Gordon Jackson, wasn't exactly what Bayer had imagined. It's more like an overgrown backyard.

It's an acre or so of land with vegetables, chickens and two goats (Bella and Taco), situated in a modest neighborhood just off U.S. 101. Bhutanese prayer flags out front wave newcomers in to a maze of brush, fruit trees, ramshackle buildings and off-the-wall art projects, maneuverable by way of dipping under branches and squeezing through narrow corridors carved into the miniature jungle. Janna Powell, an 18-year-old who began her freshman year at Hampshire College this fall, was taken aback when she arrived last summer at the farm, which was recovering from years of being nearly abandoned.

She saw a blue foam sculpture that included melted doll heads (Jackson calls it "Wave of the Future") and stockpiles of dark blue glass water bottles from Trader Joe's for a future art project. In the back, on the porch of Jackson's abandoned art

studio, sits a mountain of old computer monitors that Jackson envisions as birdhouses. Soon, though, Powell became a believer. "There's something special," Powell said. "This place has so much potential. It doesn't look like there's much here, but we're rebuilding so quickly."

On a crisp morning, the crew of eight finished breakfast and wandered over to an expansive deck in the center of the yard. One of the volunteers led them through a yoga routine.

Then the work began. Simon Saaid, 21, from France, drilled holes in a compost box he was building so worms could wiggle through. Thomas Enne, 18, who grew up on a farm in France with WWOOFers, worked on finishing a chicken coop. Chris Mudge, 22, from England, balanced himself atop an old shed, wielding a chain saw to trim back a tangle of tree branches. "The more involved you become and the more you put into it, the more you take with you," Mudge said. Some of the volunteers at Jackson's farm have been letdowns — the occasional sour attitude, and a few didn't have the work ethic Jackson finds necessary. The volunteers say Jackson can be difficult or demanding. And having to spend so much time with the same people can sometimes lead to quibbles. — MCT

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Sunday 4/12/2011 Route

Airlines

Flt

LMU AFR JZR KAC RBG JZR JZR MLR ETH THY UAE DHX MSR FDB RJA ETD GFA KAC DHX FAH JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD IRA GFA FCX RBG IRC JZR IRA RKM MEA SYR MSR JZR GFA

1109 6708 185 154 3564 267 539 1405 620 772 853 370 612 67 642 305 211 544 170 201 555 529 157 412 206 53 382 352 302 332 284 855 125 132 55 301 603 213 203 3555 6801 165 615 310 404 341 610 201 219

ALEXANDRIA PARIS DUBAI ISTANBUL ASSIUT BEIRUT CAIRO COLOMBO/DUBAI ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI BAHRAIN CAIRO DUBAI AMMAN ABU DHABI BAHRAIN CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA ASSIUT LONDON MANILA/BANGKOK ISLAMABAD DUBAI DELHI COCHIN MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DHAKA DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI SHIRAZ BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA AHWAZ DUBAI SHAHRE KORD RAS ALKHAIMAH BEIRUT DAMASCUS/ALEPPO CAIRO DAMASCUS BAHRAIN

Time 0:01 0:10 0:20 0:35 0:40 0:45 0:50 0:55 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:20 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:20 9:35 9:40 9:55 10:30 11:05 11:10 11:20 11:35 11:45 11:55 12:35 12:55 13:00 13:25

KAC KAC FDB UAL QTR KNE SVA RJA ABY KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA RBG ABY JZR JZR FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI OMA AFG ALK MLR KAC DHX VOS MEA GFA QTR UAE KAC JZR AIC KAC JZR UAL AXB DLH

744 774 57 982 140 745 500 640 123 550 134 561 213 303 857 215 510 3557 127 777 177 63 502 542 787 786 618 674 166 102 562 61 572 647 405 267 1407 512 372 81 402 217 136 859 172 135 981 678 239 981 389 636

DAMMAM 13:25 RIYADH 13:45 DUBAI 13:50 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 14:05 DOHA 14:20 JEDDAH 14:25 JEDDAH 14:30 AMMAN 14:40 SHARJAH 14:45 SOHAG 15:15 DOHA 15:25 SOHAG 16:10 DEIREZZOR/ALEPPO 16:45 ABU DHABI 16:50 DUBAI 16:55 BAHRAIN 17:15 RIYADH 17:20 SOHAG 17:35 SHARJAH 17:40 JEDDAH 17:45 DUBAI 18:15 DUBAI 18:40 BEIRUT 18:45 CAIRO 18:50 RIYADH 19:05 JEDDAH 19:10 DOHA 19:15 DUBAI 19:25 PARIS/ROME 19:30 NEW YORK/LONDON 19:35 AMMAN 19:50 DUBAI 20:00 MUMBAI 20:10 MUSCAT 20:15 KABUL/DUBAI 20:30 COLOMBO/DAMMAM 20:45 COLOMBO/DUBAI 20:50 TEHRAN 20:55 BAHRAIN 21:00 BAGHDAD 21:15 BEIRUT 21:20 BAHRAIN 21:25 DOHA 21:35 DUBAI 21:40 FRANKFURT 21:45 BAHRAIN 21:55 CHENNAI/HYDERABAD/AHMEDABAD22:05 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI 22:05 AMMAN 22:45 BAHRAIN 23:00 KOZHIKODE/MANGALORE 23:35 FRANKFURT 23:50

Airlines AXB LMU UAL AIC BBC DLH RBG MLR AFR ETH THY FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD JZR GFA RJA JZR FDB BAW KAC KAC JZR JZR UAE ABY KAC FDB QTR ETD KAC IRA GFA KAC FCX RBG KAC IRC JZR KAC IRA RKM MEA KAC SYR KAC JZR

Departure Flights on Sunday 4/12/2011 Flt Route 394 COCHIN/KOZHIKODE 1110 ALEXANDRIA 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 976 GOA/CHENNAI 44 CHITTAGONG/DHAKA 637 FRANKFURT 3562 ALEXANDRIA 1405 COLOMBO 6708 DUBAI/VIETNAM 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 200 DAMASCUS 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 549 SOHAG 171 FRANKFURT 560 SOHAG 212 ALEPPO/DEIREZZOR 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 117 NEW YORK 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 773 RIYADH 602 SHIRAZ 214 BAHRAIN 743 DAMMAM 204 DUBAI 3558 SOHAG 541 CAIRO 6802 AHWAZ 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 614 SHAHRE KORD 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 342 ALEPPO/DAMASCUS 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI

Time 0:40 0:45 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:20 1:25 1:55 1:55 2:45 3:15 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:05 9:30 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:20 10:25 10:40 10:40 10:45 11:45 11:45 12:00 12:10 12:15 12:30 12:35 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:35 13:40 13:50

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

MSR GFA FDB KAC KAC KNE UAL KAC ABY RJA SVA JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA RBG ABY SVA JZR JZR FDB JZR KAC KAC FDB DHX KAC JAI OMA MLR ALK DHX MEA GFA FAH QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC AFG

611 220 58 561 673 746 982 677 124 641 503 786 617 511 141 238 304 538 135 858 216 3556 128 511 266 134 64 184 283 361 62 171 351 571 648 1407 267 373 403 218 102 137 301 554 860 205 343 502 415 411 406

CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH BAHRAIN MUSCAT/ABU DHABI SHARJAH AMMAN MEDINAH/JEDDAH RIYADH DOHA TEHRAN DOHA AMMAN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DUBAI DUBAI DHAKA COLOMBO DUBAI BAHRAIN COCHIN MUMBAI MUSCAT COLOMBO COLOMBO BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI ISLAMABAD CHENNAI LUXOR KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA BANGKOK/MANILA DUBAI/KABUL

13:55 14:20 14:35 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:20 15:25 15:25 15:35 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:25 16:30 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:45 19:05 19:20 19:55 20:15 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:30 23:35 23:45 23:55 23:59

34

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

s ta rs CROSSWORD 517

CALVIN & HOBBES

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) Romance would be meaningful to you now, or at least some type of emotional release. You can admire feelings and movement. You may just want to get out and walk or exercise. Your ability to take care of things on the behalf of others will be appreciated and valued. Someone understands how you feel and is sympathetic to your needs. This is a time when you can anticipate a helping hand, some sort of additional support or recognition from those around you.

Think about what it is you need and then speak up and say what it is you need; another person may want to be helpful but he or she might hold back his or her help unless you speak up. You should be feeling a sense of harmony with others, as the lines of communication are wide open.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. The part of the nervous system of vertebrates that controls involuntary actions of the smooth muscles and heart and glands.

4. Away from the mouth or oral region.

10. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care.

13. Less than normal in degree or intensity or amount.

14. The whiteness that results from removing the color from something.

15. The seventh and last day of the week.

16. Secondary or explanatory title.

18. Jordan's port.

20. United States assassin of President John F. Kennedy (19391963).

23. Capital and largest city of Iraq.

27. A soft yellow malleable ductile (trivalent and univalent) metallic element.

28. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

31. One of the most common of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

33. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.

34. A small cake leavened with yeast.

36. An artificial language that is a revision and simplification of Esperanto.

39. A state in southeastern United States.

40. An associate degree in nursing.

41. A village of huts for native Africans in southern Africa.

43. A laborer who is obliged to do menial work.

47. Short and fat.

53. Not in.

54. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

57. (Old Testament) The eldest son of Isaac who would have inherited the Covenant that God made with Abraham and that Abraham passed on to Isaac.

58. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

59. A state in northwestern North America.

61. An accountant certified by the state.

62. An inflammatory disease of connective tissue with variable features including fever and weakness and fatigability and joint pains and skin lesions on the face or neck or arms.

63. 100 dirhams equal 1 riyal.

64. The federal department that administers federal program dealing with better housing and urban renewal.

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

DOWN 1. In addition.

2. (British) Common sense.

3. The compass point that is one point west of southwest.

4. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829).

5. Bearing or characterized by a blade or sword.

6. An unabridged dictionary constructed on historical principles.

7. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

8. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

9. An Indian tree of the family Combretaceae that is a source of timber and gum.

10. (Old Testament) The first of the major Hebrew prophets (8th century BC).

11. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart.

12. A state in the western United States.

17. The (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb.

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

21. A shade of blue tinged with green.

22. American professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934).

24. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

25. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

26. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

29. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

30. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

32. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

35. A former copper coin of Pakistan.

37. (informal) Being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition.

38. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.

42. A rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders).

44. Well matched.

45. Conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual.

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

48. A small nail.

49. A thin coat of water-base paint.

50. United States writer (born in Poland) who wrote in Yiddish (1880-1957).

51. Chevrotain somewhat larger than the kanchil.

52. Two items of the same kind.

55. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

56. A vessel (usually cylindrical) with a wide mouth and without handles.

60. Before noon.

Yesterday’s Solution

Ignoring your duties would not be too difficult for you at this time.

However, realities may necessitate that you stick to business instead of dreams—this too shall pass. Tending to business, personal or professional, can become dull after many hours—so plan on taking breaks and rewarding yourself at the end of the afternoon. This way you will be concentrating better and can get more accomplished than you had earlier imagined. The accent is on recreation later this afternoon.

Reasonableness where spending money is concerned is important. In romance, there is a time of lovely togetherness. Tonight you may be making decisions involving the use of joint assets for future goals. You will be pleased with the results of open communication.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Today should be an excellent day for making decisions. A very good time to communicate goals and put them into words others will understand. An open-minded insight into your own plans is at your fingertips. In helping others with goal-setting suggestions, you will find your efforts much appreciated—you have positive as well as smart ideas. Understanding and focusing on what the public wants at this time puts you head and shoulders above the crowd.

This could mean you are in sales and must work today. You will be making decisions that affect others now. You place a great deal of value on what is authentic and direct and have a particular abhorrence to what is secret, intense and private. You don’t get your kicks from gossiping or nosey neighbors.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

Putting the past behind you or getting in touch with the mystical and the spiritual are the things that give you a feeling of satisfaction. Compassion and comprehension are emotional qualities that mean more at this time. You realize that it is wisdom and not knowledge that counts the most. Expect some nice compliments to come your way, either on your preferences or your personal effects. It should be easy for you to enjoy or value your own life circumstances today or to feel particularly kind hearted toward a friend or loved one. Your organizational abilities and sense of responsibility will be what guides you and proves successful. Tonight you enjoy a bit of relaxation with good friends. Pay no attention to gossip this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

ZITS

That special feeling of happiness and emotional well being comes from friends, ideals and social interaction at this time. There is a definite urge to make some changes; to break away from unnecessary possessions as well as old ideas of the past. You desire new, different and unique. It would be a good time for making reparation and making peace with the past and meditating on any difficulties. Someone needs caring for today. Your presence may be all that is needed in this person’s life. You could influence and encourage—before you even realize that you have been of help. Something extravagant catches your eye this afternoon and even if it is financially feasible for now, it would be better to bide your time and consider your needs.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Someone, with whom you are close, could be having some problems concerning a very personal or emotional issue and may turn to you for guidance. Your understanding of the problem will lead you to a quick resolution of what could potentially be volatile material. You have the ability to get at what is beneath and behind any difficulties. Attending spectator sports will be fun today. Going to a basketball, baseball or hockey game could be great if you can get completely into the action and yell out the cheers. Attending an air force show might provide an interesting change, as would an exciting rodeo. All of these activities are just the energies around you at this time—high and healthy. New people and high energy culminates into a very full day.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

You are likely to be wearing the rose-colored glasses today, as everything takes on a wonderful hue, due to your deep appreciation for the things of beauty around you. It may be very tempting to spend your hard earned money on anything that you see. This, however, can be a very financially rewarding period, provided that you do not spend it all on things that catch your eye.

It will do your heart and soul good to take a little trip, or just get outside today. You may want desperately to break the routine and try something new or different. This could all lead to a discovery of insights into day-to-day problems that will benefit you greatly later on down the road. Tonight brings an opportunity to go overboard in having fun. Singles meet new admirers.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) The situation that you currently find yourself today may need some revision—or it could otherwise challenge your thoughts and ideas.

Others may encourage you to do things differently today. Possibly, the best approach would be to go with the flow. Exchanging ideas with others is one of your focal points. Because you are relaxed and ready to go with the flow, others are ready to listen to your viewpoint or ideas. You enjoy learning and you know a little about many things. Staying in touch with the latest developments are the things that satisfy you now. You may spend new-found finances unwisely during this time. Much care and judicious thought must be given to the practical use of money. A relationship with a friend may hold a nice surprise.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your mental energies, ideas, thoughts and so on, may undergo some transformation or change—a natural sense of growth and development. Concentrating and getting down to the essential ideas are made easy during this time. It’s a really super time to contemplate and understand your own situation and just how you feel about yourself. Your emotions in particular or the feelings of those around you are crystal clear—a very nice time. You should find being with and working with others most pleasant; even on a Saturday. Someone in your community has probably picked up on your talent to manage others and could be coming to you for help in taking responsibility for a special job. This is a good time to plan your petition for a raise.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) The power of persuasion will be working in your favor as you will be quite articulate in speech and communication. The circumstances now are a natural for self-expression and will lend themselves to your particular ideas and thoughts. Words of encouragement come from a close tie. This is a good time to reach agreements with others. You may feel something pulling you towards the social life today and you want to be out and about. This can be a very close time with friends and loved ones. An enjoyable conversation this evening with someone you love is important. This is one of your most favorable times, so pull out all the stops and take a chance on love or money. Make your plans now for a special winter outing with a friend or loved one.

Yesterday’s Solution Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Mentally, you will be wearing your thinking cap and could be caught up in some very in-depth discussions and probing conversations. Analytically speaking you are at a high point. Financial know-how and a businesslike turn of mind are qualities that take on greater importance in your life. A family member needs your advice and you may have delayed long enough—now is the time to help. Those around you are very impressed with your ability to make commonsense decisions that relate to family and security issues. You just naturally seem to know what others want and need. It should be a really harmonious time—one where you find it easy to understand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. Shopping is favored tonight.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

You may enjoy that good feeling that comes with making improvements around your home. There is also a serious concentration in taking better care of yourself. Diet, exercise and work, all somehow mean more to you now, as you just want to feel good about yourself and the way that you do things. Getting things organized may be the number one secret to success in your endeavors today. Finding a place for everything and then keeping everything in a proper place is very beneficial. You look for a good nutritional program and you plan to stick to it. You and a friend may decide on a sensible method of exercise to do together . . . perhaps a daily walk. You are feeling good and your social life is becoming more fun than ever.

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

Years

i n f o r m at i o n FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Brooke Shields

wants more children he actress - who has two daughters, Rowan Francis, eight, and Grier Hammond, five with her husband Chris Henchy - revealed she would “die” to have more kids although her spouse is not so keen on the idea. She told E! Online: “I would die for one. Unfortunately, my husband is not as amenable. So I either have to trick him or lie to him to get knocked up. “He said to me the other day, ‘I’m beginning to think that if I don’t give this to you, you’ll do it on your own’. Yeah, it’s like, ‘Don’t test me. I’m very independent.’ But I’m older so my eggs probably need a chisel.”

Brooke hasn’t ruled out adding to her family by adopting because she feels it would be a good idea to be more “altruistic”. She said: “Maybe I should wait and then adopt. We have a lovely home and life and I want to be able to share it with a big family. But maybe it’s supposed to be done in a different way, an altruistic way.” Brooke also revealed her daughters have yet to reveal what they want from Santa Claus for Christmas. She explained: “I think it’s because they just discovered that Santa was not free. The other day we were looking at a gingerbread house and my younger daughter said, ‘I want one of those! Why don’t we get our own gingerbread house?’ I said, ‘Well, honey, you know they don’t just appear. Even if you ask Santa for them you have to pay for them.’ I think that totally changed their lists.”

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Lady Gaga has an

always been over-the-top crazypants

he eccentric singer - who is known for her outlandish costumes and lavish stage sets - admits she has always made herself the centre of attention and never turned down the chance to perform, even when she was a child. She said: “I was always in a show. I was just such an over-the-top crazypants.”

Despite her outlandish image Gaga insists she is exactly the same when she isn’t working. She told Britain’s Elle magazine: “Everyone always asks about the woman behind closed doors - what happens when she

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takes her wigs off, when she removes her clothes? But the truth is I am still the same.” Though the ‘Marry the Night’ hitmaker “struggled” to find success, she hopes her work never gets easier as she thrives on difficulty.

She said: “I struggled when I was young and I continue to struggle as an artist. “As an artist, that’s something I prayed for. I really want to experience something psychotic and outer-body and magical and inconvenient to help breed my creativity, to push my tortured reality to the place of the double rainbow.”

George Clooney

has told actors to quit complaining

he ‘Descendants’ star revealed he is sick of his peers moaning about how tough their lives are and he said other people need to remember how “lucky” they are. Speaking during The Hollywood Reporter’s actor’s round table, he said: “I cut tobacco for a living in Kentucky - that was hard work. I sold insurance door to door - that’s hard work. Acting is not hard work. If you’re lucky enough to be sitting at a table like this, you’ve been very lucky in your life.

“You caught the brass ring somewhere along the way. I’ve known a tremendous number of talented actors who didn’t get opportunities. Is it hard work?

There are long hours, but nobody wants to hear you complain. I remember I was selling women’s shoes at a department store, which is a lousy job.” George recalled hearing other actor’s complaining as he struggled to make it in the industry and said it has made his determined to enjoy his good fortune. He explained: “I remember I would hear of famous stars complaining in Hollywood about how hard their life was - I didn’t want to hear that. So I don’t find it difficult. I find it challenging, and sometimes I’m very bad at it, but I don’t find it hard.”

Beyonce

and Jay-Z may buy Ricky Martin s Beach mansion

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he superstar couple - who are expecting their first child - went house hunting in Florida last week where they viewed Ricky’s $12.5 million, ocean-front mansion with an estate agent although it is unclear if they will make an offer, according to gossip website TMZ. The seven bedroom, 10 bathroom palatial home also includes a swimming pool and was originally bought by Ricky for $10 million in 2005. Beyonce and Jay-Z already own an apartment in New York City and are thought to be preparing a huge nursery for their little one. A source told Us Weekly their home “will have a nursery that is 2,200 square feet”. But some of the couple’s friends are not too keen about the idea of creating such a big space for their tot to

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play in. The insider added: “Some people are like, ‘Won’t you be scared to leave your baby in that huge room?’ “ Beyonce has no concerns about her forthcoming step into motherhood and she recently revealed her pregnancy is “going really well”. She explained: “It’s going really well, I am so happy with everything right now. “I am not nervous because I know it’s happening at the right time. I felt I got married at the right time for me, and now we are having the baby at the right time. I feel like we didn’t rush anything, and now we are being blessed with everything naturally.”

Jessica Simpson

Bieberwon

t be allowed to babysit Mariah Carey s twins

thinks she is expecting a baby girl

he singer-and-actress is currently expecting her first child with fiance Eric Johnson and although the couple don’t yet know whether they will have a son or a daughter, Jessica has a feeling the child will be female. She told People: “I think it’s a girl. But I don’t know yet.” However, Eric disagrees and said: “I think it’s a boy. We’re pretty much at a standstill there.”However, the couple will soon know for certain as they are planning to have a scan to determine the sex of the baby on Monday. Jessica told USmagazine.com: “I’m so excited. We have a couple names picked out for [if it’s a boy or a girl], but we’re going to keep that private. “I like to plan things out. It’ll be good to know how to paint the nursery. I’m obsessed with thinking about what it’s going to look like.” Jessica added the best part of being pregnant is “just knowing that [Eric] and I created something inside of me is so crazy to think about. We love each other so much, and knowing that I love this baby inside of me is so amazing.”

he ‘Baby’ singer hit it off with the 41-year-old songstress when they filmed a video for their duet of Mariah’s single ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ recently, but despite their friendship Mariah’s husband Nick Cannon has no plans to let the 17-year-old popstar care for their seven-month-old babies Moroccan and Monroe. He said: “Justin didn’t meet our kids because Mariah didn’t bring them to the set of the video. I think he will eventually but hell no [would I ever let him baby-sit]!” Nick recently revealed his spouse is in her element planning the babies’ first Christmas and the family will spend the holiday season in the exclusive ski resort of Apsen, Colorado where they will “be as festive as we can.” He added: “I think my wife has been planning this all her life, Christmas with the kids. We always have a real Santa Claus come with real reindeer on Christmas Eve, but this is the first time with our own children.”

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Demi Lovato stattoos remind her to

stay strong

he former Disney starlet was admitted to rehab in November 2010 to receive three months treatment for an eating disorder and self-harming and got the inkings on her wrists to make sure she doesn’t forget what she has overcome. She told US Glamour magazine: “I think scars are like battle wounds-beautiful, in a way. They show what you’ve been through and how strong you are for coming out of it. My tattoos say ‘Stay strong’/’Stay’ on one wrist and ‘strong’ on the other. Now I’m able to look at them and be thankful for being alive. I think that I’ve been blessed over the past year to be able to start over.” —BangShowbizv

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

LIFESTYLE

Actress’ lawsuit puts focus on age as job barrier million-dollar lawsuit by an actress who claims her job prospects were damaged when she was outed online as a 40-year-old has run smack into conventional wisdom: If Sandra Bullock, 47, and Helen Mirren, 66, are getting steady work, bias against older actresses surely must have vanished. Film stars Meryl Streep, Halle Berry and Glenn Close also are members of the 40-plus and employed club. On television, the majority of the “Desperate Housewives” female leads are nearing 50, while Emmy Award-winning Julianna Margulies of “The Good Wife” is 44.

Industry insiders and unions say, however, that star power obscures the ageism gap between high-profile performers and working stiffs, a unique aspect of Hollywood’s division of the haves and have-nots. “There is a tendency for all of us to think of the actors we see all the time and whose names we know,” said Duncan CrabtreeIreland, the Screen Actors Guild’s deputy national executive director and general counsel.

“But the vast majority of characters on TV and film are portrayed by people we don’t know and who are struggling to make a living as an actor,” he said. Want examples? Think of searching a movie’s closing credits to identify an actor in a minor role, or the somewhat familiar face that pops up as the guest victim or killer on a TV crime drama. Older actresses face more hiring hurdles than their male counterparts, according to employment statistics from SAG and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, as well as the experience of those on the front lines.

Women over 40 comprise 24.3 percent of the US population, the 2010 census found. In comparison, union casting analyses show actresses over 40 years old get 12.5 percent of roles for television and film. Men of that age are also about a quarter of the population but nearly equal their ranks in casting.

Television overall does not do well by women, who are 50.8 percent of the US population but are seen in only a quarter of roles, according to union statistics. The picture is no prettier when it comes to earnings in the youth-obsessed industry. In 2010, for example, actresses ages 41 to 50 working in SAG-covered film and TV projects earned $58 million, compared with the $160 million paid to actors in that age group.

The guild is heartened by the highprofile older actresses who are finding work, especially on TV, and the guild’s Crabtree-Ireland said, “We hope that this will be the beginning of a trend for all of our members, but our data doesn’t show that.” Among the

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groundbreakers are Close, 64, of “Damages” and the coming theatrical release “Albert Nobbs”; Kyra Sedgwick, 46, of “The Closer”; and Marg Helgenberger, 52, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

That is progress, given that superstar Bette Davis was 42 when she played an aging actress on the brink of irrelevance in “All About Eve” (1950)

October by an actress identified only as “Jane Doe” contends that “lesserknown forty-year-old actresses are not in demand in the entertainment business.” How her age became public is at the heart of the suit. She says it was through the Internet Movie Database Pro website IMDbPro, the subscription-based counterpart to the popular and free IMDb, which are subsidiaries

In this Oct 24, 2011 file photo, actress Glenn Close poses backstage with the Hollywood career achievement award at the 15th Annual Hollywood Film Awards Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif. Close is one of many successful actresses over 40 working in Hollywood. —AP and was 56 when she starred as an elderly “spinster” descending into madness in “Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte” (1964). Compare that to Dana Delaney and her role as a smart, sexy medical examiner in “Body of Proof.” Delaney turns 56 next March.

“It’s a miracle I’m still working,” said Salma Hayek, 45, whose credits include the newly released “Puss in Boots” and “Frida” (2002), for which she received an Oscar nomination. “They told me you’ll never work because I have the accent. ... They told me you’re not going to work after 35 or 30, and I’ve never been busier in my life.”

Non-marquee performers see a different script. The lawsuit filed in

of Amazon.com. IMDbPro’s home page boasts that “Industry Insiders Use Pro,” which offers 80,000 representation listings for actors, directors, and producers. Those listings generally include, among credits and contacts, birth dates.

“It’s become a really big tool in our business. But it’s become a detriment to the working actor,” said agent Marilyn Szatmary, a partner in SMS Talent in Los Angeles. There is a growing reliance on using an actor’s chronological age to judge them for a role, instead of assessing the age they can “play” on screen, she said. “You get on the phone with a casting director and you try to pitch someone for a

role, say a 30-year-old character, and the actor legitimately can play 30,” Szatmary said. “But the casting director goes on IMDBPro and says, ‘No, this says they’re 35.’ And they won’t call them.”

What Crabtree-Ireland calls “the IMDb issue” has provoked a flood of complaints from guild members in the last five to six years. Young actors can

said casting veteran Sheila Manning. (“The photos they are using are, shall we say, Photoshopped,” she said.) If they look right for the part they will be considered regardless of their age, Manning said. “It’s better now. There’s more work for them (veteran performers), probably because the people hiring them are also getting older,” Manning said. “I don’t think we cast by

In this Sept 18, 2011 file photo, “The Good Wife” cast member Julianna Margulies poses with the Emmy for best lead actress in a drama series backstage at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Margulies is one of many successful actresses over 40 working in Hollywood. —AP be affected as well, he said, recalling a 22-year old who, when her age was revealed online, abruptly stopped getting juvenile roles she’d routinely played. Industry changes, including the rise of reality TV series and diminished film production, have reduced the available work for actors and made hiring more competitive. In this crowded field, even a guest role on a TV series such as “Grey’s Anatomy” can draw 2,000 submissions, Szatmary said.

That is why those responsible for filling roles need to use all tools at their disposal, casting directors say.

Actors may claim to be younger and may post misleading photos online,

age; I think we cast by looks. Look at Susan Sarandon, who’s 65. She looks spectacular.”

Isabella Hoffman, 52, whose credits include “Princess Diaries 2” and TV’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Criminal Minds,” tries to avoid being typecast by age and, like many working actresses in Hollywood, looks younger than her years. But she sees the problem in a larger, more intractable context. “Our belief system in America is ‘youth rules.’ That’s what people want to see. We’ve based a lot of our decisions about what we sell, what we wear ... on a much more youthful group.”

Asked if that makes it especially

tough for performers, she replies. “I don’t know. You could also look at the flip side.” She paused, and then added with a rueful laugh, “I can’t look at the flip side.” SAG and IMDb representatives have been meeting over a nearly two-year period to discuss dropping ages from the site, Crabtree-Ireland said, with the guild providing a proposal that he declined to detail. AFTRA and other guilds are involved in the effort that so far has been fruitless. The “Jane Doe” lawsuit filed in US District Court in Seattle, Washington, where Amazon is based, alleges that IMDB used the actress’ credit card and other personal information to determine and post her birth date in violation of privacy and consumer rights. The actress, whose suit does not describe her career and notes only that she is from Texas and of Asian ethnicity, said she was keeping her identity unknown to avoid “even further damage and economic injury.”(Her attorney, who did not respond to requests for comment, claimed in a filing that his client has been subjected to ridicule and retaliation. Several actors approached to discuss the issue on the record declined, citing its sensitivity, and a declaration filed this week by Crabtree-Ireland argued that if Jane Doe’s name becomes known she could face industry blacklisting as a complainer.)

Amazon has a “long-standing practice of not commenting on litigation matters,” company spokeswoman Mary Osako said in an e-mail that included a November motion for dismissal of the suit. There has been no ruling yet on the motion, which is based in part on the actress’ anonymity. The motion also alleges that she is attempting to deceive the public and potential employers by hiding her age and tried to make IMDb “perpetuate” a falsehood about it. SAG intends to keep pressing the company on posting ages and has not ruled out any options, Crabtree-Ireland said, including “litigation or legislative efforts.

However, we continue to hope that IMDb will acknowledge the harm and take voluntary action.”

“They have a moral obligation to consider the impact,” he said. “IMDb covers a whole lot of people who are not and never will be newsworthy, the journeymen who keep the industry running. There will never be a profile on them in a major newspaper or magazine. But data is being published in a way that really undermines their career.” Despite the specter of age bias, Salma Hayek insists that “you cannot lie about your age.” But, she added, “I do think people should stop being obsessed about the age of the actors because it takes away some of the magic. You should be able to transform into anything.” —AP

‘Deliverance’ Jay-Z provides the mountain blueprint for college course man actor McKinney dies M US In this Nov 30, 2011 photo playwright Douglas Carter Beane poses for a portrait at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York. —AP

Douglas Carter Beane spills the Broadway beans ouglas Carter Beane may have two musicals simultaneously playing on Broadway but that isn’t enough. “Neil Simon had four. Where are my other two? C’mon. I’m here to break records. I’m not here to do art,” says the playwright, matter-of-factly. “I used to care about the process of creating art. Now it’s all about the tally sheet at the end of the day.” Then he smiles slyly, unable to keep up the ruse. To meet Beane is to laugh a lot - his dialogue is littered with a wonderful mix of witty, arch and sarcastic humor that recalls the lost era of Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table. He drops bon mots the way regular people drop crumbs.

“He has something witty to say about everything,” says director and choreographer Dan Knechtges, who has worked with Beane twice. “He is always on. If you give him an inch he takes a mile with the joke.” These days are good ones for Beane. “Sister Act,” one of the musicals he helped write, has been playing for more than 250 performances on Broadway, and he’s about to watch his new offering “Lysistrata Jones” open a few blocks away. In the pipeline for the next Broadway season is a play - “The Nance” with Nathan Lane - and another, still hush-hush musical.

He both recognizes his good fortune and laughs at it. “I have very important phone messages that will be playing Broadway,” he says, cracking up. “An evening of my tweets I think is going to be booked into the Golden Theatre.” At a Times Square restaurant for an interview, he orders green tea but isn’t interested in food. The waiter wonders if he should take away the menu. “Leave it,” Beane says. “You never know. I have violent mood swings.” —AP

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ichael Eric Dyson parses Jay-Z’s rap lyrics of as if analyzing fine literature.

The rapper’s riffs on luxury cars and tailored clothes and boasts of being the “Mike Jordan of recording” may make for catchy rhymes, but to Dyson, they also reflect incisive social commentary. Dyson, a professor, author, radio host and television personality, has offered at Georgetown University this semester a popular, if unusual, class dedicated to Jay-Z and his career. The course, “Sociology of Hip Hop: Jay-Z,” may seem an unlikely offering at a majority-white Jesuit university that counts former President Bill Clinton among its alumni. But Dyson insists that his class confronts topics present in any sociology course: racial and gender identity, sexuality, capitalism and economic inequality.

“It just happens to have an interesting object of engagement in Jay-Z, and what better way to meet people where they are?” Dyson said. “It’s like Jesus talking to the woman at the well. You ask for a drink of water, then you get into some theological discussions.”

Classes centered on pop culture superstars like Bruce Springsteen have sprouted on college campuses in recent years; Dyson himself says he previously taught classes on rapper Tupac Shakur and rythm and blues singer Marvin Gaye at the University of Pennsylvania.

He says Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, is a worthy subject because of his diversity of business interests: a clothing entrepreneur, he also is part owner of the National Basketball Association’s New Jersey Nets (soon to move to his native New York borough of Brooklyn), as well as his immense cross-cultural appeal and “lyrical prowess” in articulating contemporary black culture and his place in it.

“I think he’s an icon of American excellence,” Dyson said.Though hardly as rigorous as organic chemistry, the course does have midterm and final examinations and required readings, including from Jay-Z’s book, “Decoded.” The 75minute classes, the final one coming Wednesday, focus more on African-American culture and business than on the particulars of the rapper’s biography, which include millions in record sales, Grammy Awards, a marriage to singer Beyonce with a baby on the way and tours with rappers Kanye West and Eminem.

One recent lecture centered on how popular

black artists reflect their culture and race to the public at large, with Dyson name-dropping rapper LL Cool J, singer Diahann Carroll and actorcomedian Bill Cosby. The professor and one student went back and forth on whether the rapper’s lyrical depictions of his extravagant lifestyle - “Used to rock a throwback, balling on the corner/Now I rock a Teller suit, looking like an owner” is one of many examples - amounted to bragging and rubbing his taste for fine living in the faces of his listeners, almost all restricted to much less opulent lifestyles.

The student took the position that Jay-Z appears overly boastful, but Dyson countered

black and my hat’s real low.” The chairman of Georgetown’s sociology department, Timothy Wickham-Crowley, says he supports Dyson’s course for trying to show how Jay-Z’s music fits into American society, and Steve Stoute, an author and marketing executive who has done business with Jay-Z and has spoken to the class, said the course has practical value for students interested in business.

Others think differently. Kevin Powell, who writes about hip-hop and has run unsuccessfully for Congress in Brooklyn, said any discussion of Jay-Z should account for what Powell says are the rapper’s derogatory lyrics toward

A textbook for professor Michael Eric Dyson sociology course at Georgetown University focusing on rapper Jay-Z, is seen in class, Monday in Washington. —AP that the rapper, who grew up in a Brooklyn housing project but has since become a multimillionaire, has never lost his ability to relate to the struggles of everyday people and has continued giving voice to their concerns. Though Jay-Z raps about Saint-Tropez and expensive cigars, he also talks about being nurtured by Brooklyn. And in one song, “99 Problems,” he attacks racial profiling with a stark depiction of a racially motivated traffic stop: “Son, do you know why I’m stopping you for?” the officer asks. Jay-Z replies: “‘Cause I’m young and I’m

women and his expressions of excessive materialism. Kris Marsh, an assistant sociology professor at the University of Maryland who specializes in the black middle class, said that while she appreciated Jay-Z’s cultural significance, she was wary of structuring an entire course around him and using his narrative alone to reflect black America. although hip-hop artists can focus a lens on urban life, she said, “sometimes these artists use poetic license” and blend fact and fiction to an audience that is often suburban and white. —AP

actor Bill McKinney, who played a sinister and sadistic mountain man in the 1972 classic “Deliverance” and acted in several Clint Eastwood films, has died aged 80, his family said.

McKinney, whose character in the disturbing movie sodomized one of four city friends whose weekend river trip descended into a prolonged nightmare, died of cancer of the esophagus, said a statement on his Facebook page.

“An avid smoker for 25 years of his younger life .. he was 80 and still strong enough to have filmed a Doritos commercial two weeks prior to his passing,” it said. McKinney’s movie breakthrough came with “Deliverance,” which also starred Burt Reynolds and featured a famous banjo dueling scene between one of the friends and a local hillbilly youth.

McKinney’s career had started on the small screen-including a spot in “The Monkees,” but he went on to specialize in “sickos,” as Reynolds called them, including playing the assassin in “The Parallax View” with Warren Beatty. The actor made a string of films with Eastwood, notably “The Outlaw Josey Wales” in 1976, in which he played Captain “Redlegs” Terrill.

More recently he worked regularly on both TV and the big screen, including parts in 2003’s JFK assassination movie “The Commission” with Martin Sheen and “How do you Know?” which starred Jack Nicholson.

McKinney was working on co-writing his autobiography until his final weeks, his Facebook page said, adding: “Hopefully 2012 will bring a publisher for the wild ride his life was.” He is survived by his son Clinton, “along with several ex-wives,” it noted. —AFP

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

lifestyle

LatAm collectors

shop for deals at Art Basel Miami

Spanish artist Javier Martin poses in Baltus Miami Design District before unveiling his collection of 14 pieces at the 10th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach. (Right) The opening of the Design Miami satellite exhibition: Architecting the Future: Buckminster Fuller & Lord Norman Foster, is viewed in Miami’s Design District dedicated to two iconic inventions by architect, designer and inventor Buckminster Fuller: the Fly’s Eye Dome and the Dymaxion 4 car. —AFP

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atin Americans who sell or collect top notch contemporary art are key players in the 10th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach, the biggest art fair of its kind in the United States. Thousands of art lovers, collectors and gallery operators from all over the world filled the Miami Beach Convention Center in a frenzied opening Thursday that recalled last week’s Black Friday shopping binge. “I want to buy a sculpture by a young Korean woman who is promising and spectacular,” said Ana Rosa Villasenor de Urrea, a Mexican from Guadalajara who hasn’t missed the art meet in 10 years.

“I love art. Everything one sees here and what the artists and their works convey makes my life happier,” she said as she walked through the fair with Mexican curator Patrick

Charpenel. Charpenel runs the Jumex collection and recommended the $20,000 sculpture that Villasenor plans to buy for her private collection. The fair’s big attraction is that it pulls in modern and contemporary art by artists from Latin America, Asia, Africa, the United States and Europe.

More than 260 galleries from around the world are exhibiting works by more than 2,000 artists in an event that organizers expect to draw some 50,000 people. “This show stands out for the variety that it brings from the whole world and for the Latin American accent it has acquired over the years,” said Ana Maria Goldstein, an art historian and museum coordinator in Colombia.

“In addition, it has created an artistic environment in Miami that has sprouted parallel

Michael Kors files for IPO valued at about $900m M T ichael Kors Holdings Ltd, the US luxury fashion and accessories brand, announced Friday that it was preparing an initial public offering in New York, hoping to raise about $900 million. The company, whose shares will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol KORS, will offer up to 47.96 million shares, including eventual over-allotment options if demand is strong, at $17 to $19 a share.

That would represent a possible total of $911 million, according to the prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available online. The prospectus did not mention a date for the eventual NYSE listing, but indicated that the share sale would be organized as soon as possible. Michael Kors, who launched his eponymous fashion label 30 years ago, is known for his sexy, sophisticated sportswear as well as a wide range of accessories, from jewelry, watches, eyewear, handbags and shoes.

He is also one of the judges on the long-running television fashion reality show, “Project Runway.” The company, which is present in 74 countries, generated $803 million in revenues in fiscal 2011, up 58 percent from the year before. Net income totaled $72.5 million, up 85 percent from the previous fiscal year. Michael Kors has 169 stores in North America and 34 abroad, notably in Europe and Japan. — AFP

Ubisoft’s dance

fairs which get better every year and where you can find works of great artistic value at very good prices.” “Uomo a Cavallo,” a small bronze sculpture by Colombia’s Fernando Botero, is the magnet at the booth of Swiss gallery Gmurzynska. The sculpture costs more than $500,000 and by Sunday, it’s very likely to have a new owner.

“Here one finds incredible pieces and the prices tend to be lower than at fairs in Europe,” said Ana Weal, who traveled from Peru with friends to visit Art Basel and the other fairs, hoping to find a little treasure for their private collections. “I don’t buy every year, a lot of times I come to appreciate the new talent. But this year, I do want to take something home with me,” Weal said.

This year, 16 art galleries came from Brazil,

Display of Community Information and Activation” installation, which each night will feature activists from community organizations, including the Florida Immigrant Coalition.

“The idea is that those people who for some reason are socially excluded be included and form part of art so that this art may serve them as a means of communication,” said Koumoundouros.

The installation was erected on the beach in Collins Park, where the works of various artists are presented in an open and public exhibition. Jose, an undocumented Argentine student visiting the installation who asked that his full name not be used, said the installation could help others “experience the surrealism in which we live.” — AFP

Utah home inspired by Disney movie ‘Up’ sold

wo self-described Disney “fanatics” have purchased a house in Utah modeled after the colorful home featured in the animated movie “Up.” Discovering the house in the Salt Lake City suburb of Herriman, Utah, was a dream come true for Clinton and Lynette Hamblin of Petaluma, Calif The couple had been looking for a house with some of the same flourishes as the one in the movie, such as a multi-colored exterior or a blue kitchen with retro appliances.

They initially looked in California until they saw news reports about the house in Utah that included every possible detail from the movie and was even officially recognized as the “Up” house by Disney. Even more surprising was the $400,000 price tag, which was less than homes they looked at in California. For them, however, the real attraction to the house was it underscored the overriding theme of the movie. “ We just love the message of the movie - adventure is out there,” Lynette Hamblin told The Salt Lake Tribune. The house is modeled on its appearance early in the movie, when Carl and Ellie

Photo shows a boy’s bedroom inside a house modeled after the home from the Pixar animated film “Up,”in Herriman, Utah. —AP photos

Frederickson are flush with the optimism of newlyweds. That was before infertility undid their hopes for a family and Ellie’s death left Carl a curmudgeonly recluse who refuses to succumb to developers and sell his house.

Homebuilder Adam Bangerter told The Associated Press earlier this year that he and his brothers - who collectively own Bangerter Homes - wanted to replicate the house because it’s iconic and plays an important role in the movie. “It illustrates what homeownership really is, and it’s not an investment. It’s part of the American dream to have a house to care for, to improve and to make part of your family,” Bangerter said during a tour of the house.

Herriman City spokeswoman Nicole Martin said about 45,000 people have visited the home for tours, and will continue to do so through the month of December. City leaders even recently passed a resolution honoring the house for its economic impact. The Hamblins plan to move into the home after closing Jan. 4, which happens to be Lynette Hamblin’s birthday. —AP In this July 6, 2011 photo, a full scale rendition of the house in the animated movie, “Up,” located a in Herriman, Utah, will be part of this year’s Parade of Homes.

The house has been sold to a family who are self-described Disney and Pixar fanatics.

title hits right chord with gamers

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rench videogame maker Ubisoft on Friday reported that its new “Just Dance” title is hitting the right chord with US players, who bought a record-high number of copies last week. More than 700,000 copies of “Just Dance 3” tailored for the motion-sensing capabilities of Nintendo’s Wii or Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360 consoles were bought in the week ending November 26, according to Ubisoft.

The latest version of Just Dance for the Wii has outsold its predecessor by 48 percent in a comparison of year-to-date figures. “Last week was an excellent start to the holiday shopping season for Ubisoft’s dance games,” said the company’s senior vice president of sales and marketing Tony Key. Ubisoft will release a version of Just Dance 3 for Sony’s PlayStation Move gaming gear on December 6.

Ubisoft commanded 76 percent of the dance videogame market as of November, according to recent figures from industry tracker NPD. The company on Thursday hosted a public party in a Fisherman’s Wharf parking lot to celebrate the release of an “ABBA You Can Dance” title featuring the beloved band’s music and playable only on the Wii. Hundreds of people visiting the iconic San Francisco tourist spot stepped up to test their ABBA music moves, with play projected on a giant screen.

The game features “Dancing Queen,” “Take a Chance on Me” and other ABBA hits. “In the video game market, Ubisoft is the dancing king,” Key said in a play on the lyrics of a famous ABBA song. —AFP

some of which have witnessed the growth of Ar t Basel Miami Beach since its debut a decade ago. “Before the 2008 crisis, the sales were spectacular. Then there was a slight drop, but this year has been phenomenal for us,” said Cristina Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Sao Paulo gallery Fortes Vilaca. Like Thompson, Vivian Gandelsman, of Sao Paulo’s Millan gallery, said the best clients were Brazilians who have come to the art fair to satisfy a desire to see and discover sculptures, paintings and installations by artists who may one day become household names.

Within 24 hours of opening its doors, Fortes Vilaca had sold eight pieces, ranging in price from $6,000 to $84,000. Nearby, Los Angeles artists Olga Koumoundouros and Andrea Bowers presented their “Transformer

Photo shows a room inside a house modeled after the home from the Pixar animated film “Up,”in Herriman, Utah. The home has been sold to a family who are selfdescribed Disney and Pixar fanatics.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

lifestyle In this image released by Disney, Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson performs a medley of holiday songs while taping a segment for the ‘Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade’ TV special at the Magic Kingdom park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on Friday.—AP

Al Vega, Boston jazz pianist, dies at 90

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l Vega, a longtime Boston musician who played with some of the finest jazz talents through a career that spanned 70 years, has died.

He was 90. Vega died Friday at Massachusetts General Hospital, hospital spokeswoman Kory Dodd said. No cause of death was given. Vega, born Aram Vagramian in Worcester, Mass., was the house pianist at the Hi-Hat jazz club, and spent the late 1930s, 40s and 50s playing with some of the jazz greats, Boston radio personality Ron Della Chiesa told The Associated Press.

Della Chiesa said Vega teamed up with many jazz greats including Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Count Basie and Duke Ellington and played many of the city’s legendary jazz clubs. He later led his own trio and became a fixture at Lucky’s Lounge, where he played Frank Sinatra tunes on

Sunday nights. “He was one of the most beloved musicians in the history of the city,” Della Chiesa told the AP. Vega played both the piano and the v i bra ph o n e, and had hundreds o f recordings as a pianist and a backup artist. Della Chiesa describes Vega as a legendary musician and teacher who launched a number of careers. He called him a friend to generations of Massachusetts politicians, including senators, congressmen, governors and mayors, regardless of their party affiliation.

Vega, a World War II veteran, was also a longtime Little League and Babe Ruth baseball coach in Everett, Mass., where a square was dedicated in his honor in October. Vega was due to appear at Sculler’s Jazz Club in mid-January, and Della Chiesa said the event will go on, as a memorial to his friend.— AP

Swift, Minaj get Billboard honor, talk Grammy nods

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aylor Swift doesn’t think the Recording Academy is mean. Though she won the Grammy for album of the year in 2010, she’s not sad her latest multiplatinum effort isn’t up for the honor this time around. “I got three nominations.

I was just so excited,” she said Friday, before she was honored as Billboard’s “Woman of the Year.” Among the Swift achievements that led to her Billboard honor was the best-selling performance of her third album “Speak Now,” which has sold more than 3.7 million copies and generated hits like “Mine” and “Mean.”

There was some surprise when the critically acclaimed album wasn’t among the overall best album nominees when the Grammy nominations were revealed Wednesday, but Swift says she’s excited by her nominations, which include best country album and two for “Mean,” in which she answers her critics and challenges bullies.

Rising Star award honoree singer Nicki Minaj attends the 6th annual Billboard Women In Music event at Capitale on Friday in New York. —AP

“That song is so personal, and I’m so glad that the Grammys recognized it,” she said on the red carpet ahead of the event.

Swift got a standing ovation as she accepted her honor. Swift recalled reading Billboard as a teen, pouring over its pages and hoping one day to see her name in the trade magazine. “I got here today and there were all these flashing camera bulbs ... I got to the table, and I saw the magazine on the chair and it had me on it,” she said. “All the daydreams I had as a little kid, I guess this is what it looked like.”

One of the country singer’s favorite artists, Nicki Minaj, was also honored at the event as Billboard’s “Rising Star.” Like Swift, Minaj was rocking blonde bangs.

“This is my Taylor Swift look,” Minaj joked.

But the rapper and singer got teary-eyed at the event when Minaj received her honor. She’s costarred on dozens of hit songs in the last two years, and her debut CD, “Pink Friday,” has sold more than 1.6 million copies in the United States. Minaj is nominated for four Grammys, including best new artist, pitting her against the Band Perry, Bon Iver, Skrillex and J. Cole.

“I don’t ever expect to win those kinds of things, but it’s good to be recognized and it’s good for girls to see that you can do whatever kind of music that you want to do,” Minaj said on the red carpet. Minaj is also up for best rap album, where she’ll face her mentor, Lil Wayne, as well as Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lupe Fiasco. She says she’s diligent, and that lethargic people annoy her.

“I always say hard work pays off. Don’t be lazy. I am racist against lazy people. I wish they would not exist in this world,” she said. Minaj, known for her outrageous and colorful fashion style, says she’s learning to “trust my first instinct.” The 28-yearold says proof of that will show on her upcoming album, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” due out on Valentine’s Day. “Things are happening so much easier for me now because I was over-thinking on the first album. I was trying to give people what I thought they needed, and what I needed my reputation to be,” she said.

“And now it’s like, ‘I don’t care what you think. I’m going to do what I wanna do for my core fans and if you like it, you like it. If you don’t, bye!’” — AP

Singer Mindy McCready’s

5-year-old son in custody B

y the time Arkansas authorities took country singer Mindy McCready’s 5year-old son from her and into custody on Friday evening, one thing had already become apparent to much of America: McCready’s life has come to resemble a bad country song. Since her emergence in the mid-1990s as a honey-voiced success story out of Nashville, McCready has been increasingly known for her personal foibles instead of her music. This week’s custody battle was the latest in a long saga of personal heartache and brushes with the law.

Florida Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Terri Durdaller said in an email Friday night that her agency was working with Arkansas state officials to bring McCready’s son, Zander, back to his maternal grandmother in Florida. His grandmother has been his guardian since 2007.

Officials say he’s safe and in good health.

Gayle Inge, Zander ’s grandmother and McCready’s mother, was tearful when she talked about the news by phone Friday night with The Associated Press. “I’m real excited that he’s safe,” she said. “But I can’t explain what this is like. We feel for Mindy and we feel for Zander.”

Inge said Zander was taken into custody at McCready’s boyfriend’s lake home in Arkansas.

Inge said that her son - McCready’s half-brother - texted McCready, who responded with a text that said her mother would never see her again. “I want to wrap my arms around her and tell her that I love her,” Inge said, adding that her daughter and grandson were found by authorities “hiding in a closet.”

McCready, who turned 36 on Wednesday, did not respond to emails late Friday. The evening’s developments capped a days-long struggle between McCready - who is seven months pregnant with twins - and several others, including state of Florida child welfare authorities, a Fort Myers, Fla. judge and her own mother. Authorities say McCready took the boy during a visit late last month to her father’s Florida home, where she was allowed to visit the boy. McCready ’s parents are divorced.

A Florida judge signed an order Thursday telling authorities to take the boy into custody and return him. It’s not yet clear whether the singer could face criminal charges. McCready said earlier in the week that she would not bring her son back from Tennessee, where she has a home, despite violating the custody

arrangement. She told the AP that her son had suffered abuse at her mother’s house, a claim that Inge vehemently denies.

“I’m doing all this to protect Zander, not stay out of trouble,” McCready wrote in an email to the AP on Thursday. “I don’t think I should be in trouble for protecting my son in the first place.” McCready told the AP Wednesday night she was in Tennessee and couldn’t travel because she is pregnant with twins. The boy’s father, Billy McKnight, told NBC’s “Today” show Friday he spoke on the phone with McCready and their boy after the judge’s 5 p.m. EST Thursday deadline expired.

“He did sound healthy and ok. He wasn’t crying or scared,” McKnight said about their

restoring the child back into our custody,” the judge wrote. “Nothing more. Nothing less. The court makes no judgment about whether Mom will or will not competently care for the child while in her custody. It only wants the child back where the court placed him.”

McCready found fame in the mid-1990s when she moved to Nashville at the age of 18, armed with only her karaoke tapes. Her first album, “Ten Thousand Angels,” sold two million copies. Her next four albums weren’t as successful. Her personal troubles began encroaching on her professional success.

According to her website, she suffers from severe depression. McCready fought the release of a tape in which she reportedly

In this undated file photo, country singer Mindy McCready performs in Nashville, Tenn. A missing persons report has been filed for McCready and her 5-year-old son Zander. —AP

son.”I think she believes she has a case and doesn’t realize she’s pushing her luck on this one,” he said. McCready and her mother have had a long custody battle over the boy, who was living with McCready’s mother.

“We can confirm that Zander has been taken into custody and we are working with Arkansas state officials to bring him back to his legal guardian in Florida,” Durdaller wrote late Friday. “He is safe and in good health.

McCready had provided a series of emails to the AP with Lee County Judge James Seals’ ruling to return the boy. “Mom has violated the court’s custody order and we are simply

talked about former Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, with whom she had an affair as a teenager. In August, she filed a libel suit against her mother and the National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc., over a story published in the tabloid newspaper that quoted Inge. And in 2008, McCready was admitted to a hospital after police said she cut her wrists and took several pills in a suicide attempt.

During the TV show “Celebrity Rehab 3” in 2010, McCready came off as a sympathetic figure, and host Dr. Drew Pinsky called her an angel in the season finale. — AP

Ukulele player Bill Tapia dies at 103 U

kulele player Bill Tapia, believed to be the oldest performing musician in the world, died on Friday at the age of 103, his official website said. Honolulu-born Tapia, who played with the likes of Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby, died in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles, the website www.billtapia.com said.

Tapia died just six months after releasing his latest album a live version of his 100th birthday concert celebration- and one month short of what would have been his 104th birthday in January 2012. Tapia started his career entertaining troops from World War One and later worked on steamships

between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. He became a teacher to Hollywood stars including Clark Gable and Shirley Temple when a ukulele craze hit the United States.

After World War Two, Tapia moved to San Francisco and worked for years as a guitar teacher until making a comeback in 2004, age of 96, with the release of a CD featuring jazz and Hawaiian standards. Tapia was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame in 2004 and continued to tour until 2010. News of his death on Friday, also posted on his Facebook page, brought tributes from friends and fans. — Reuters

Swift, Minaj get Billboard honor, talk Grammy nods

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

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The Art of Can Exhibition at 360 MALL A

rt encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture, and paintings.

The Red Bull Art of Can has gathered all forms of art in a nationwide creativity competition. From June to October Red Bull cans not only have been used by consumers to drink but they also have been used to create great pieces of art such as the 70 that will be on display at the Art of Can Gallery at 360 MALL Exhibition Hall from the 3rd of December to the 17th.

Artists from Kuwait were challenged to create new and innovative pieces of art using around 20,000 cans from Red Bull Energy Drink and Red Bull Sugarfree. Initially 120 pieces of art were submitted but only 70 were chosen for the exhibition which will feature a variety of creations from sculptures to paintings as well as photography and unique handmade mock-ups.

Six judges from Kuwait with an affinity to art and design will select the winners based on three criteria: creative concept (the idea behind the piece), conceptual execution (how well did the piece translate the concept idea) and construction (how well is the piece constructed). The top three pieces of art will awarded prizes and announced on the opening night of the exhibition.

The art of creating masterpieces out of Red Bull cans started back in 1999. Exhibitions have been held all around the globe from Europe to New Zealand. Countries like Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore and the USA have all inspired artists to create their own artworks made of aluminum.

The event is open for public and runs from December 317. For more information visit www.redbullartofcan-kw.com

Coca-Cola cans going back to red

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oca-Cola Co is bringing red back for its annual holiday cans after a white design drew criticism from pop purists. The company had turned its Coke cans white as part of a campaign to protect polar bears and their habitat. But some consumers thought the cans looked too similar to Diet Coke’s silver cans and others felt the beverage tasted

different in the new packaging. CocaCola says it is not pulling the cans from the market but adding red cans to the mix to help draw attention to the campaign and respond to consumer demands. The company has already put out more than 1 billion white cans and the new red cans would start arriving in stores Friday. — AP

Tom Cruise ‘excited’ to be in India for MI4 Hollywood star Tom Cruise poses in front of the landmark Taj Mahal in Agra, India yesterday. Cruise is in the country on a promotional tour of his new film “Mission: Impossible_ Ghost Protocol.” —AP

H This undated image provided by Coca-Cola Co shows the company’s limited-edition white can, left, and red can, right. The company is bringing back its red cans after the limited-edition white can drew complains from some Coke drinkers. —AP

ollywood superstar Tom Cruise arrived in New Delhi yesterday to promote the fourth installment of his blockbuster Mission: Impossible series. Sporting a big grin and sunglasses, the actor who is on a worldwide promotional tour for the movie, told reporters in the Indian capital he was “very excited to be here” as cameramen jostled to film him. Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, Cruise’s co-star in the upcoming “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol”, was accompanying him to the northern city of Agra where the pair

were to visit the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous monument to love, media reports said.

Cruise, 49, was also heading to Bollywood capital Mumbai where he will mingle with the who’s who of the city’s film and financial communities at a glitzy bash to be held today, the reports said. “I can’t wait for tomorrow night,” he told reporters.

The guestlist for Sunday’s party includes India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, as well as Bollywood’s leading stars such as Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Katrina Kaif, according to

the Times of India. Cruise, who plays intelligence agent Ethan Hunt in the stunt-packed movie, will also host a fan screening in Mumbai, nearly two weeks before the film is officially released in India.

The media blitzkrieg to promote the thrill-laden film has already seen Cruise zip through Japan and Dubai. The Mission: Impossible film series has so far grossed $2 billion worldwide. The three earlier installments, released in 1996, 2000 and 2006, were inspired by the Mission: Impossible TV series which aired in the mid-1960s. —AFP