6 Dec

CR IP TI ON BS SU

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Serbian NATO envoy jumps to death at Brussels airport

MOHARRAM 22, 1434 AH

www.kuwaittimes.net

Holders Chelsea hit six but their efforts go in vain

NO: 15649

150 FILS

9Protesters 20 on streets for 40 PAGES

third consecutive night Amir asks outgoing PM to form new govt

in the

news

By B Izzak

Philippine typhoon kills nearly 300

Ban urges immediate end to Syria fighting KUWAIT: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday called on all warring parties in Syria to stop fighting immediately, saying there is no military solution to the conflict. “The military option cannot be a solution. The violence must stop immediately,” Ban told reporters after talks with Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled AlSabah. “This is totally an unacceptable situation. We cannot let the situation continue this way,” Ban said. Ban also said that all problems should be resolved “through a political process”.

Kuwait endorses pact to end use of child soldiers UNITED NATIONS: Five more countries - Kuwait, Bolivia, Comoros, Guinea Bissau and Yemen - have signed up to an international declaration promising to end the use of child soldiers, officials said yesterday. Some 105 countries have now signed up to the so-called “Paris Commitments” agreed in 2007 in France to end the recruitment of child warriors. Leila Zerrougui, the UN special representative on children and armed conflict, particularly highlighted an accord reached with Yemen where rival militias are notorious users of underage soldiers.

Max 21º Min 13º High Tide 02:25 & 17:35 Low Tide 10:20 & 22:56

ANDAP, Philippines: Residents cross a damaged road destroyed at the height of Typhoon Bopha in this village in New Bataan town, Compostela Valley province yesterday. Nearly 300 people have been killed and hundreds remain missing in the Philippines from the deadliest typhoon to hit the country this year. — AFP (See Page 12)

KUWAIT: Thousands of opposition supporters demonstrated in several areas of the state yesterday for the third consecutive night to demand that the new National Assembly be scrapped, witnesses and activists said. The demonstrations were staged in at least seven areas in predominantly tribal suburbs and riot police used teargas and stun grenades in some areas to disperse protesters, witnesses said. The demonstrations have held nightly protests since Monday, with activists saying that dozens of people were arrested and some slightly wounded in clashes with riot police. Saturday’s snap polls were boycotted by the opposition and all the 50 seats were won by pro-government candidates, including a record 17 seats by the Shiite minority.

HH the Amir Sheikh Sheikh Jaber Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah earlier yesterday asked outgoing prime minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to form the new Cabinet two days after he submitted his government’s resignation following the general election. Sheikh Jaber will be forming his fourth government during his short tenure in office as he was appointed prime minister a year ago following the resignation of former prime minister Continued on Page 13

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

LOCAL

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and First Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah receive the visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the Seif Palace yesterday.

MPs seek 10 constituencies, two-vote electoral system Top priority to safety, security

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Several lawmakers are discussing a draft law to increase the number of constituencies from five to ten while entitling each voter to a maximum of two votes, said sources with knowledge of the development. The draft law would alter the current electoral system under which Kuwait is divided into five constituencies where citizens are entitled to a single vote each. This system came about following a slight modification by an emergency decree last September. Before that, citizens could vote for a maximum of four candidates. “The draft law is being proposed by MPs from different constituencies who plan to forward it during the early phase of the parliament’s work,” said the sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, hinting that the draft law might be given priority “in topics to be discussed by the parliament’s interior and defense committees.”

The MPs behind the proposal believe that the current system has failed to provide justice to citizens when it comes to demographic distribution, and hope to provide a more acceptable system that prevents problems similar to the boycotting campaign against the singlevote system.

Thirty six MPs had gathered at MP Ahmad AlMulaifi’s dewaniya on Tuesday in what was described as a “get-to-know gathering” which also featured discussions and coordination regarding topics to be discussed when the par-

liament convenes on December 16th.

Following the meeting, Al-Mulaifi indicated that “maintaining the state’s safety and security was agreed to be given top priority,” while MP Saleh Ashour asserted “full rejection of the idea of giving a post in the Cabinet to an individual who boycotted the elections or called for boycotting it.” In other news, former Dean of Kuwait University ’s Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, Dr. Mohammad Al-Tabtabaei, announced that the “Conference of Sharia Scholars in Kuwait plans to meet soon in order to discuss the ongoing internal relations and ways to curb them before it is too late.” AlTabtabaei also urged the public to “abide by the law and avoid practices that increase the risk of danger against the country and the public.”

Delayed power plant The Ministry of Electricity and Water has blamed the Finance Ministry as well as the Partnership Technical Bureau for delaying the execution of the north Zoor power plant project, local newspapers reported yesterday quoting a senior ministry official.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the source explained that the two departments failed to carry out necessary procedures to establish a shareholding company that was to set up he new plant since the tender for the mega project was rewarded. As a result, the source believes that it was “unlikely” that the project could be finalized by 2015 as was

planned earlier. The ministry produces a maximum capacity of 12,200 megawatts a day, which according to the source is “enough to meet the increasing demand until 2015.”

Furthermore, he warned that the current production rate could put Kuwait in a “tough situation” if extra demand were to come from the planned new residential areas’ projects.

Separately, the technical committee in the Municipal Council could not discuss the projected eighth ring road project after the Oil Ministry’s representative failed to attend its meeting on Tuesday morning. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Public Works, the MEW, and the Interior Ministry’s General Traffic Department, and was supposed to conclude with recommendations regarding the project that “benefits southern areas in general by reducing travel distances,” according to the committee’s President Faraz Al-Daihani.

It is believed that the Oil Ministry is objecting to the project since it passes near oil locations in Al-Ahmadi. In that regard, Al-Daihani insisted that the project does not threaten the security of oil establishments, giving Saudi Arabia as an example of “being able to overcome a similar issue in Dhahran,” east of the Kingdom. The Kuwait Oil Company had previously proposed an alternative route to the project which goes outside the boundaries of the Burgan field, but the proposal was rejected by the Cabinet.

IOC lifts Kuwait’s suspension KUWAIT: Chairman of the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah confirmed here yesterday that the executive bureau of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted suspension of Kuwait following issuance of Decree 26 that amended national sports regulations to be in harmony with international laws.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad said the office decided at a meeting yesterday to respond to a message, addressed by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to the committee, last June, requesting lift of the ban after issuance of the relevant decree.

He indicated that member states of the international bureau hailed the Amir’s steps in this respect and revealed that foreign sports federations that stopped playing with Kuwaiti teams began procedures to lift the suspension, to be effective during the coming two weeks.

These measures will ensure comeback of the Kuwaiti teams and athletes and participation in championships-hoisting the national flag.

Sheikh Ahmad expressed gratitude to HH the Amir for all the measures he had undertaken to “spare the national sports international suspension and ensure participation of Kuwait and its athletes in all regional, continental and international tournaments under the slogan of the State.”

He re-declared allegiance, also on behalf of all personnel of the national Olympic movement and national athletes, to HH the Amir, vowing to pursue the efforts to “hoist the slogan of Kuwait at regional, continental and international sports forums.”

The IOC suspended Kuwait’s membership in January 10 for “lack of match between the Kuwaiti sports laws with the Olympic charter.” —KUNA

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

LOCAL Legal amendments resulted in securing 109,000 residential units

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receiving His Highness the Prime Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday.

KUWAIT: The decree-into-law (number 27) has helped authorities secure 109,000 residential units and cope with towering pile of housing applications and the plots will be available for citizens in the foreseeable future, said the Director General of Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW).

Subhi Al-Mulla, speaking at a news conference yesterday, said the previous relevant law “was economically not feasible because it allowed private companies to invest in residential towns.”

However, the new law provided 57,000 plots in Kheiran and Metlaa and 52,000 in Sabbiah, he said, explaining that the authority received these plots of land, but had no power to allocate them for citizens seeking housing.

Elaborating, Al-Mulla indicated that the PAHW would execute three mega projects; construction of three residential towns, 24 percent of which to be specialized for the government (the PAHW or other state authorities), 26 percent for the investing company and 50 percent to be distributed to the nationals in public subscription.

Al-Kheiran is designed to house 35,000 units, each of a space of 600 square meters, Metlaa 22,000 of the same space and 52,000 in Sabbiah of 400 sq-m.

Investment companies will be invited

for bidding on first of the three planned towns in six months.

Responding to arguments that the new law was short of aspirations of the citizens in this sector, Al-Mulla affirmed that the authority was committed to offering subscribed houses to the citizens, reminding that the state bears costs of building the infrastructures of such ventures.

On amendments that would nudge the investment companies get involved on a wider scale in the housing sector, he elaborated noting that the modifications would allow the state acquire 24 percent of shares of the investing firms, thus enabling the companies obtain bank credits easily.

Amiri Decree No 27 (2012) was issued for amending law No. 47 of 1993 concerning housing care and law no. 27 of 1995 related to contributions of the private sector in construction on stateowned plots of land for housing purposes. Moreover, the amended law compels the state housing authority to establish at least one Kuwait-headquar tered national share -holding company to build and maintain the housing towns at locations, specified by Kuwait Municipality. The modifications are in line with government strategy of involving the private sector in various development fields. —KUNA

Iraq appeals sentence awarded to fishermen Liberal challenges decree

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: The Iraqi government contacted a Kuwaiti law firm in order to defend four Iraqi fishermen sentenced recently for killing a Kuwaiti coastguard, a senior Iraqi official said yesterday.

“The Iraqi Foreign Ministry coordinated with [Iraq’s] Ministry of Justice to hire a well-known law firm in Kuwait in order to defend the Iraqi fishermen,” said the First Deputy for Al-Basra Governor Nizar Al-Jabery, quoting the Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait. The Kuwaiti courts had sentenced one fisherman to death, while handing two-year prison terms each to two others and a one-year jail sentence to the fourth for killing Lance Corporal Abdurrahman Al-Enizy when the latter confronted them for entering Kuwait’s territorial waters. “The verdicts will be appealed by the law firm,” Al-Jabery indicated.

Al-Mulla challenge Former MP Saleh Al-Mulla filed a challenge

with the Constitutional Court yesterday against an emergency decree that altered the voting mechanism ahead of last Saturday’s elections. In his challenge, Al-Mulla is asking the court to annul the recent election results, and call for new elections to be held as per the old system by which voters were entitled to vote for a maximum of four candidates instead of one as per the amended law.

Al-Mulla’s step comes days after National Action Bloc members Abdullah Al-Roumi, Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Adel Al-Saraawi, and Aseel Al-Awadhi filed a similar challenge with the Constitutional Court.

In the meantime, the National Democratic Alliance released a statement urging the public to “defend the constitution” and calling for “immediate dissolution of the parliament that failed to garner political and public legitimacy”.

The liberal group also hailed “the successful public campaign for boycotting the recent

elections” in protest against altering the voting system. And while rejecting “any kind of non-peaceful protest or movement that violates the law”, the NDA warned authorities against “using violence against peaceful protestors.”

Logistics services Assistant Undersecretary for the transport sector and support services in the Ministry of Communications Mansour Al-Bader said that Kuwait is a piooneering state in logistics in the region where it was at the forefront of the Gulf states since the seventies after completing the structure of oil export and commodity import.

Al-Bader said during his speech at the opening of the Second Kuwait Conference of supply networks and logistics operations that Kuwait continues in the development of logistics services by taking advantage of global experience and expertise in this area.

He explained that Kuwait is working to

open more trade routes with its Gulf neighbors after the recent Gulf agreements that helped in the development of the Gulf transport sector, especially with regard to common rail systems for passengers and cargo.

He thanked the experts and academics from friendly countries who attended the conference who have provided the conference with all that is new of modern technology in the field of transport in addition to solutions to the challenges facing the logistics and supply services.

For his part, director of team work tasked with reducing transport costs in the Petrochemical Industries Company Salman AlAjmi reviewed during the conference the company’s experience in reducing the cost of transporting materials produced abroad through the use of the (6 Sigma) techniques.

Al-Ajami added that the company used the (6 Sigma) techniques after noticing that there are increasing petrochemicals shipping costs

produced by the company to its customers abroad, explaining that from January of 2011 until July 2012 the company noted an increase in transport costs, saying the main objective of the Action Plan was to reduce the cost down to USD 76 per ton of products shipped abroad.

For his part, associate director of the Institute of Communications and Navigation Munther Al-Kandari reviewed the study conducted by the Institute to see how many logistical ships which would be received by Kuwait ports in conjunction with the increase in population during the first half of the twenty-first century.

Al-Kandari said that this study is very important in the development of future plans for the construction of new ports in Kuwait, adding that it would be necessary to know before starting construction of ports the population growth in the coming period and the number of vessels that will import needs of foreign goods.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

LOCAL Kuwait digest

Kuwait digest

What’s next for Kuwait?

The Jaber Causeway

By Iqbal Al-Ahmad

By Dr Yaqoub Al-Sharrah he Jaber Causeway project, regarded as one of the most vital projects in the country’s developmental plans, has been a subject of controversy among different financial, administrative and technical parties which opened the door for speculation about suspicions of corruption surrounding it. Such speculation mirrored the fate of many other planned projects that had to be put on hold after similar rumors cast their shadow on them.

Since Kuwait signed a contract for the project with a major South Korean company, I hope the deal is not eventually cancelled as that would result in the country having to pay heavy penalties similar to what happened after the K-Dow project’s contract was voided.

I do have some reservations about the Jaber Causeway project, including statements of Municipal Council member Ashwaq Al-Mudhaf who claimed to be in possession of documents which she claimed proved that the project has a negative environmental effect, specifically on the Kuwait Bay zone.

I believe that the Environment Public Authority also has reservations about the project, while the State Audit Bureau criticized its high cost. In that regard, MP Saleh Ashour raised questions about haste in which the contract was signed when the government could have waited a few more weeks until the parliament is elected.

However, I still do not want to undermine the value of the project which would connect the Ghazali Road with

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I still do not want to undermine the value of the project which would connect the Ghazali Road with Subbiya via a 37-km-long oversea bridge. The project would not only reduce the distance for those going from areas south of the country to northern areas, but also aims to connect the south with the north where the government has major residential plans as well as other projects including the construction of the largest port in the Gulf region currently underway.

Subbiya via a 37-km-long oversea bridge. The project would not only reduce the distance for those going from areas south of the country to northern areas, but also aims to connect the south with the north where the government has major residential plans as well as other projects including the construction of the largest port in the Gulf region currently underway.

Far from ignoring it, I believe that the engineers and environmental experts had indeed studied the project’s environmental impact for years. In the meantime, I hope there would not be any problems on the procedural and executive sides of the project which was awarded to Hyundai under a KD730 million deal, which was the lowest bid forwarded that met Kuwait’s conditions.

I hope the project goes through without any obstacles so that the government earns people’s trust in its ability to build projects caught in a state of limbo for years because of various hurdles. These errors must be avoided while constructing the Jaber Causeway. In order to do so, it is imperative that the government keeps a close eye on the construction process and reports to the parliament regularly about its progress. — Al-Rai

Kuwait digest

What will you do now?

By Abdullah Al-Misfer Al-Adwani ow that the opposition is out of the National Assembly council, the oppositionists are having some forced rest, elections have been successfully held under the one man-one vote system, and winners have emerged exactly as the government had desired, it is time to be frank about the political situation.

The newly elected Members of Parliament who entered the portals of Abdullah Al Salem hall recently are pro-government and it is a fact that no one should doubt. It was clear from their declarations in which they flattered the government even during their election campaigns. So, what will this council do for us?

We have heard endless talk about stability and calm, incessant chatter about growth having been halted and fathomless speeches about wrongful usage of language, grilling motions and the necessity to have good faith. The question is, “What are you doing now, MPs and government?”

Here is the case where the majority boycotted and left the field all to you. They left the political theater of voting and nominating. Those accused of causing crisis are now out of the picture. The NA council now has only the new comers.

We will monitor you from the very first day onwards. We will wait what projects and proposals you bring to the table for boosting the growth. We will see how you rectify what had gone wrong because of the majority’s alleged crimes of highhandedness in language and proclivity to file grilling motions.

We will place our faith in you and await your achievements, dear MPs and government. We await the growth which you said was halted by the majority. What will you do now? — Al-Anbaa

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t is impossible to ignore the fact that the recent elections saw a considerable percentage of electorate boycotting these, which left a significant effect on the election process regardless of the reasons behind the boycott.

I believe that the government should not eliminate the opposition now that a ‘government-friendly’ parliament has been elected. It would be unfair to ignore a child who opposes your opinion because at the end of the day, he is very much your own child and lives under the same roof. Ignoring him would not solve the problem. The issue needs to be contained and can be if both sides honestly want to do so.

It is normal for the opposition to threaten to disturb any form of stability the next cabinet might enjoy with the new parliament. A leading oppositionist, in fact, had told BBC Radio that they plan to continue with the public demonstrations to keep up the pressure for the cabinet’s resignation. This statement came even before the cabinet forwarded its resignation as a formality following the elections.

It is also obvious that all this will not help various stakeholders in the Kuwaiti society, including vast sections of those who boycotted the elections. Our col-

Kuwait digest

Reject disloyalty claims

By Iqbal Al-Ahmad

fter being disappointed by a voting percentage that turned out to be higher than what it had expected, and after realizing the Kuwaiti people have made a choice different than what they had expected them to make, the opposition is resorting to tactics that could be extremely dangerous for the Kuwaiti society.

It is normal that the outcome of the elections and the prospect of development moving forward are factors irritating the opposition. It must be hurting them actually because they had never imagined that they will find themselves completely shunned away from the parliamentary scene. Now that it became a reality, they have decided to make noise everywhere to seek attention.

When Kuwaitis went out and voted in much larger numbers than what the opposition expected, it was a slap in their faces. “Be careful, people of the Gulf, lest Kuwait is swallowed by Iran,” went a sickening statement that one of them made afterwards. It contained a subtle yet malicious reference to the fact that a certain number of Shiite candidates were elected.

First of all, the Shiite candidates won the elections democratically after being elected by the Kuwaiti people. Those now alluding to references of ‘treason’ were the ones who had in the first place chosen to boycott the election, leaving open the possibility for more Shiite MPs to be elected.

The most recent parliaments featured lesser number of Shiite MPs compared to the number now, but they also saw record-breaking instances of tensions, troubles and attacks on national unity, not to mention disrespect to national symbols including Kuwait’s flag and the National Anthem.

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Kuwaiti Shiites are a main pillar of the country’s large umbrella under which we all take shelter.

Meanwhile, whoever questions the loyalty of any integral part of the Kuwaiti society, be it a tribe or a sectarian group, is the one who deserves to be shunned.

Kuwaiti Shiites are a main pillar of the country’s large umbrella under which we all take shelter. Meanwhile, whoever questions the loyalty of any integral part of the Kuwaiti society, be it a tribe or a sectarian group, is the one who deserves to be shunned.

I hope from the bottom of my heart that the all Kuwaitis would be aware of the negative effect that such statements leave upon the national interests, and realize that they cannot be made by someone worried about his country coming to any harm. We all must make it known that such statements are unacceptable.

Kuwait, which the oppositionists asked us to ‘save’ it before it is ‘lost’, can only be lost by such statements.

That is why Kuwaitis must stand together and defend their country from all such attacks targeting its unity.

— Al-Qabas

I believe that the government should not eliminate the opposition now that a ‘government-friendly’ parliament has been elected. It would be unfair to ignore a child who opposes your opinion because at the end of the day, he is very much your own child and lives under the same roof.

Ignoring him would not solve the problem. lective demand is that Kuwait remains stable and development goes ahead. Therefore, we urgently need to achieve stability or a modicum of it through the room left for maneuver without any party seeking to overpower the other.

Some people have been battling conflicting feelings of joy and worry following the elections. Each party finds the other’s predicament laughable and tries to convince itself that everything is falling into place exactly the way it wanted.

Given the country’s unique identity, we must not continue to pursue this path in Kuwait. Either party might refuse to cede concessions that might help narrow the gap with the other party, but at the end we might find ourselves forced to do exactly that in order to end the state of anxiety we live in today.

Total disregard is unacceptable, and so is total exploitation. What we need is good intentions to end both. — Al-Qabas

Kuwait digest

Problem of megalomania

By Aziza Al-Mufarej here is no problem with someone liking oneself, and most people actually do that. At least, those who do not would be too few. The problem happens when someone falls in love with himself to a point where he can see little else. History is full of pompous fools like Nero, Hitler, Saddam Hussein and others who destroyed their countries due to their narcissism.

Hitler’s own view of himself was so inflated that he considered others around him as mere insignificant midgets. No wonder, he caused so many wars and death of more than 60 million people around the world. He was a mere corporal but even the highest ranked officers in Germany were reduced to taking orders from him. He conducted himself as someone who understood everything.

Anyone daring to disobey him faced death. If only a courageous man had put a bullet in his head when he had embarked on his tyrannical journey, he would have saved humanity a great many tragedies and problems.

In Kuwait, we have our share of politicians who are in love with themselves. They have become so narcissistic that they cannot see others around them, and some of them belong to the Majority Bloc.

Musallam Al-Barrak, for example, likes himself so much that he actually claimed that the government was forced to release him from detention because, ostensibly, it was afraid of his huge electoral base.

Such a stance could only mean that if the government had continued to detain him, it would have led to violence. This is like saying that people would have defied a regime stable for the last 300 years, and started a war in Kuwait for the sake of Al-Barrak.

Al-Barrak committed state security crimes, and insulted HH the Amir. He delivered provocative speeches in which he instigated his followers to disobey the regime. He told people that he had documents that would have incriminated some people in the deposits and transfers issues. Later, it became clear that he did not have any such documents. Then he proceeded to deny all that was documented and videographed. Despite all that, he still undermines

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the state and pays little attention to anyone other than himself.

Defeat stared Saddam Hussein in the face. It was clear that he would have to exit from Kuwait but he loved himself so much that he could never shake himself out of his stupor until much later when defeat jolted him out of it.

Musallam Al-Barrak likes himself so much that he actually claimed that the government was forced to release him from detention because, ostensibly, it was afraid of his huge electoral base. Such a stance could only mean that if the government had continued to detain him, it would have led to violence. This is like saying that people would have defied a regime stable for the last 300 years, and started a war in Kuwait for the sake of AlBarrak.

Musallam Al-Barrak is unable to see tens of new candidates who are better educated and more experienced. He was unable to see candidates’ headquarters full of those who came to listen and discuss to formulate a clear opinion about the political scenario. Instead, Al-Barrak claimed that the headquarters were empty. In fact, he actually started believing his words and started claiming before the Dec 1 elections that the ballot boxes will turn out to be empty. Clearly, he is suffering from a problem of megalomania and does not understand that if he loves himself to this extent, Kuwaitis love their country without any limit. — Al-Watan

Kuwait digest

Playing around with words

By Thaar Al-Rashidi hy did we boycott the Dec 1 polls? How did we benefit from the boycott? And what has our boycott changed, or will change? These are all reasonable questions to be raised now since the results of the elections are already out, and we still do not know whether the new council is good or bad. These are the questions being raised by those who participated in the elections or supported participation and urged others to participate.

Personally, I cannot speak on behalf of those who boycotted the elections, as I hold no brief for them. Also, every one had his own reasons to boycott. But though reasons varied, in boycotting they were all one. Personally, I boycotted for two reasons; first, because I love Kuwait, and second, because I love my Amir. Love was my reason for boycotting the elections.

The Minister of Information, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah, announced yesterday that real percentage of boycotting did not exceed 18 while the Ministry of Information said the day before after announcing the official results that participation percentage was 38.6.

It is possible that the Minister of Information arrived at that percentage figure after deducting the percentage of voters in these elections (38.6%) from the percentage of voters in the last elections (61%). But even then, he should have reached a different figure through the equation - (61% - 38.6% = 22.4%). This is proof enough that the Ministry of Information is wrong in even this simple arithmetical calculation. In my assumption, percentage of those who boycotted the elections exceeded 22 and was not less than 18 as the Minister of Information says.

Numerically, almost 70 percent of the people boycotted the election as per voting reality and more than 80 percent as per simple logic. The problem is that you can play around with words but not figures. Figures do not lie, unless you start calculating wrongly from the beginning. — Al-Anbaa

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

LOCAL

UN chief wants Iraq to fulfill all obligations to Kuwait Ban to visit Baghdad today UNITED NATIONS: Following his visit to Kuwait, UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon is scheduled to visit Iraq today, to “strongly” encourage its leaders to implement the country’s remaining obligations to Kuwait and “expedite this process as soon as possible.” Ban said that he is “encouraged” by the improvement in the relationship between the two countries, “but more needs to be done.” “I am excited to visit Kuwait again. This time, I am going to visit both Kuwait and Iraq,” he said, indicating that he intends to discuss the matter with the leadership of both countries.

In Kuwait, the UN Chief is scheduled to meet with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Kaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

“I am encouraged that, through highlevel exchange of visits and positive outcome of the second session of the Joint Iraq-Kuwait Ministerial Committee last April, the relationship between Kuwait and Iraq is improving, but more needs to be done,” he stressed. He disclosed that “recently, I have been speaking to Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and I have been encouraging him to do all what Iraq is required to do in improving relationship with Kuwait and in also implementing relevant international obligations to Kuwait.” “They (Iraqi leaders) want to be off the Council agenda (Chapter VII), but I would really strongly encourage Prime Minister Al-Maliki to expedite this process as soon as possible,” he insisted.

Kuwait had agreed on Oct 23 to endorse a deal on the settlement of the financial dispute between Kuwait and Iraq. It approved the pact reached by the two sides on July 18, 2012, to settle the financial dispute between (the formerly named) Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) and Iraq Airways and stop litigations in this regard.

Kuwait had also agreed to a settlement concerning navigational rights in the Khor Abdallah waterway. This week the Iraqi Government announced the

names for the technical team of the border maintenance Project and will immediately update the list of farmers entitled to compensation. Ban wants both countries to build on these “positive developments.” He disclosed that when Kuwait took the “positive measure” on Iraqi airways, “I telephoned Prime Minister Maliki to take this opportunity as a way to improve the relationship (with Kuwait).

He told me he discussed this with the Prime Minister of Kuwait. I am going to really encourage both leaders” to continue to cooperate.

When he visited Kuwait and Iraq last March, he added, “I was very much encouraged. For the first time, there was an exchange of visits between the leaders in both countries. I hope this kind of relationship will continue.”

Ban believes “there needs to be a successor” to Gennady Tarasov, the HighLevel Coordinator for the missing Kuwaitis and property, who will relinquish his post by end of the month.

“There are discussions going on between the UN Secretariat, the Security Council and also with both countries.

Depending upon the outcome of these consultations, we will appoint a successor,” Ban said. Asked whether the IraqKuwait issues will remain under the Security Council’s care, as Kuwait insists, or be negotiated bilaterally between the two countries, as Iraq prefers, Ban said “it depends on the results of the consultations. One of my subjects to discuss with the leaders in both countries is this issue.”

On when he believes all the files between the two countries will be closed, Ban said “many issues have been resolved and implemented, but there are a few more issues. It is important that both countries, particularly both leaderships, discuss these matters and try to resolve all outstanding issues, so that, as far as Iraq is concerned, it can be able to implement all (relevant) Security Council resolutions.” Ban is scheduled to issue a report to the Council on his trip on December 10th, and the Council is scheduled to discuss it on Dec 17.

Ban said he is “very satisfied” in working together with the Kuwaiti government and the Kuwaiti delegation in New York, stressing that Kuwait is a “strong

partner” of the UN at all levels.

Ban is scheduled to meet in Kuwait with his newly-appointed Humanitarian Envoy for Kuwait Abdullah Al-Matoug.

Ban appointed him last week in a “further step to strengthen the engagement with the Government of Kuwait.”

On the recent Kuwaiti Parliamentary elections, Ban said Kuwait is the “only Gulf country which has had a long tradition of 50 years of parliamentary elections and also recognized women’s voting rights since 2006.” His hope was that more women won Parliament seats.

On the other hand, he described the vote in the General Assembly last week to upgrade the Palestinian status to a nonmember Observer State as “an important and historic development,” reiterating his position that the genuine aspirations of the Palestinian people for a viable and independent State is a “legitimate one and long overdue.”

“I would like to see both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to immediately resume negotiations, to enable them to resolve all outstanding issues,” he urged.

There were expectations from many member states, he added, that “it would have been better if the Palestinian bid came as a result of the negotiations between the two parties, but now that the General Assembly has decided, I think this is a dear decision, and they should work for a permanent settlement of outstanding issues.” Asked if the Mideast Quartet, of which he is a member, along with the US, EU and Russia, has been doing a credible job, not even being able to meet, Ban came to its defense saying it has been playing a “very important role, making great contributions. I’ll continue to work to contribute to an ultimate peace process.” On events in Syria, he said he is “extremely concerned” about the way the Syrian crisis is unfolding. “The military violence must stop immediately” by both government and opposition forces. “They cannot go on like this way,” he insisted, saying the Joint Special Representative for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, will soon discuss the matter with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. After his visit to Kuwait and Iraq, Ban is scheduled to visit thousands of Syrian refugees at the Jordanian and Turkish borders. —KUNA

Boubyan Bank organizes workshop for ‘Big Tree Society’ KUWAIT: Boubyan Bank (The Fastest Growing Bank in Kuwait) invited all schools in Kuwait to attend the first workshop next Tuesday, December 11, to provide all the details and answers to inquiries related to “The Big Tree Society” Competition organized by Boubyan Bank in cooperation with UNESCO for all government and private schools in Kuwait, and which witnessed massive interest in registration from schools.

Boubyan Bank said that due to the massive interest in registration from government and private schools in Kuwait, and out of the care of the Competition’s management to open the way for the biggest number possible of schools to participate, it was decided to invite all the schools in Kuwait, whether those which have registered in the Competition or not, to attend this workshop in which registration will be available, knowing that it will be held at The Palms Beach Hotel on 11th of this December from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

The Bank added that registration is available through its website www.bankboubyan.com by completing the Competition registration form, and you may also contact Customer Service Center on 1820082.

Noteworthy is that the Competition is the first of its kind in Kuwait as all government and private schools in Kuwait of all stages are invited to participated in this Competition which encourages students to innovate initiatives targeting environmental conservation, especially knowing that it is the biggest of its kind all over Kuwait and the first to be organized by the Bank on cooperation with a prestigious international organization.

All schools which have completed registration will be invited to the workshop on December 11 to explain to them all the details of the Completion which is expected to last till the end of the schools year, and winning schools will be announced at a big ceremony in the attendance

of key officials.

Meanwhile, Boubyan Bank has allocated financial awards to the winning schools in addition to a certificate of appreciation from UNESCO. “The Big Tree Society” Programme organized by the Bank in cooperation with UNESCO encourages students of all ages and stages to take control of their future, and lets them discover their own potential by giving them the opportunity to participate in a special competition with a view to enhancing the environmental awareness and impact on the environment.

Participation is based on two rules: The first is that students must be the ones who decide on how to change their behavior, and the second is that the solution must involve everyone in the school, from teachers to students. Apart from these two rules, schools are free to choose to follow any environmental program they desire, or they can even create their own.

KUWAIT: The Romanian ambassador Vasile Sofineti has held a reception on the occasion of the Natioanl Day of his country at the Kuwait Sheraton Hotel. It was attended by a number of diplomats and other dignitaries.

— Photos by Joseph Shagra

3,000 bottles of foreign liquor confiscated

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The liquor confiscated by drug enforcement agents yesterday.

KUWAIT: Drug enforcement agents confiscated 3,000 bottles of imported liquor, hidden in a basement in one of the residential areas, which was being used as a store by an Asian expat.

Earlier, a secret tip off was received about an Asian expat trading in imported liquor. After observing all legal formalities, the agents confiscated 250 cartons which contained 3,000 bottles of imported liquor hidden among tobacco cartons.

All confiscated materials were sent to the concerned authorities.

KIB completes PCIDSS Project KUWAIT: Kuwait International Bank (KIB) succeeded in achieving compliance to Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCIDSS) Version 2.0.

The completion PCIDSS V.2.0 project marks KIB’s continuous endeavours for providing world-class systems and protecting credit and debit cardholders information for the second consecutive year following the initial certification awarded in 2011.

PCI DSS 2.0 (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 2.0) is the second version of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS),where KIB has been certified last year on version 1.2.

The Payment Card Industry Data

Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a widely accepted set of standard intended to optimize the security of credit, debit and cash card transactions and protection of cardholders against misuse of their personal information.It is also a result of aligned policies of American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa International, promotes the implementation of high level security standards for protecting payment card information. A ceremony has been held to honor KIB employees who have taken part in completing this project attended by Corporate Support GM Mr. Abdulrahim M Al Awadhi, Retail Banking Department GM Ms. Entisar Al-

Suwaidi, Deputy GM - Corporate Support Ms. Lamya Al-Tabtebai&Executive Manager, Human Resources Department Salem Qabazard.

Eng. Eman Abdulwahab Altabtabaiy, SeniorManager, Technical Support and Planning, and the PCI DSS Project Manager at KIB, said: “This projecthas seen a success story for the 2ndconsecutive year at KIB. This year the certificationenabled us to covera wide range of processes, branches and activities across the bank and it marks our success in implementing world-class standards in this area. It is an important endorsement of KIB’s systems for its ability to protect customer’s information with the highest levels of security.”

Q8Aviation to import 1.6 million tons of aviation jet fuel KUWAIT: Kuwait Petroleum International (Q8Aviation) has concluded a contract with Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) where Q8Aviation would import about 1.6 million tons of aviation jet fuel by the start of 2013, it was learned here yesterday.

The amount specified in the contract is 25pct more than what has been imported during 2012, said Fadel Al-Faraj, General Manager of Q8Aviation.

He said this step reflected the company’s goals in meeting the increasing demand for aviation jet fuel and is a good indication on the cooperation between Q8Aviation and KPC. He added that his company’s outlook from now until 2030 was to con-

tinue supplying the strong European demand for Kuwaiti aviation fuel, noting that Kuwaiti aviation fuel was supplying 13 airports in the UK, for instance.

He said that the afore-mentioned contract signed by Q8Aviation and KPC would bolster the clients’ confidence in Q8Aviation’s ability to deliver aviation fuel seamlessly and on time.

Kuwait Petroleum International, known by the trademark Q8, refines and markets fuel, lubricants and other petroleum derivatives outside Kuwait.

Its main activities are focused on Europe and the Far East.

Established in 1983, Kuwait Petroleum International is the interna-

tional subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, which brings together all the state owned elements of the Kuwait oil sector under one corporate umbrella and is recognised as one of the world’s top ten energy conglomerates. Its business encompasses the marketing and sales, research and refining of petroleum products.

Q8 markets fuel via over 4,000 service stations across Europe and operates a direct sales operation, providing road fuel and heating oil. Its International Diesel Service is dedicated to the needs of international road transport companies; Q8Aviation provides jet fuel at more than 60 airports internationally. —KUNA

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

LOCAL

Friends rape boy in Mina Abdullah desert Businessman loses KD 35,000 in scam KUWAIT: A group of young men allegedly sexually assaulted a friend of theirs inside their camp in the Mina Abdullah desert. In his statements later to the local police, the teenage boy explained that he went to his friends’ camp after they invited him, but soon realized their ill-intentions. After their attempts to lure him into sexual acts failed, the suspects reportedly sodomized their friend before letting him go. The victim later approached the police and filed a case.

Investigations are on.

Mangaf accident A construction worker died after falling from a high rise building in Mangaf on Monday morning. The 34-year-old Indian man was reportedly pronounced dead after he suffered a major head injury, and other severe injuries, as a result of the fall. Criminal investigators took the body to the forensic department after carrying out investigations on the scene. Probe is still on to determine the circumstances that led to his fall.

Snake bite A middle aged man who arrived at the Farwaniya Hospital following a snake bite was reported to be stable now. The 55-yearold Syrian man was passing through a narrow space between two buildings in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh when what he described later as a ‘medium sized snake’ bit him on his right leg. An ambulance arrived at the scene

shortly after the incident was reported and managed to rush him to the hospital to receive treatment in time before the venom could spread.

Indian cheated The Fahaheel police are trying to arrest a Kuwaiti man accused of stealing thousands of dinars from a businessman through a scam. A case was filed at the area’s police station recently where an Indian man who runs a major car spare parts company in Kuwait, accused the suspect of disappearing with KD35,000 he had paid for a joint project. A search is on for the accused.

Couple mystery Investigations are on to unravel the mystery behind a couple escaping from a private hospital when they were asked to produce their identifications. Medical staff at the Salmiya hospital were approached by a woman bleeding heavily, and asked her and her male companion for their IDs to register them as patients while she received treatment. Instead, the couple escaped which prompted the medical staff to notify local police.

Maid adultery A domestic worker faces charges after admitting that she became pregnant following an illegal relationship with the driver next door. The Ethiopian worker was diagnosed at the Adan Hospital where she was

rushed by her Kuwaiti employer after he noticed that she was not feeling well. After learning about the maid’s pregnancy, the man drove her to the Abu Hlaifa police station since she is not married. The woman said during investigations that she has been in a relationship with a man who works as a driver for a family living next door, adding that he left the country a few days before.

The woman remains in custody pending further action.

Domestic violence An Andalus resident was charged with domestic violence after he physically assaulted his wife over suspicions about her character. The Saudi man grew highly suspicious after his Kuwaiti wife suddenly ended a conversation she was having on the phone the moment he stepped into the house. After beating her up, the woman called back her female friend to convince him that she was talking to her when he arrived. However, the man was still convinced that his wife was discussing something suspicious with her friend. He continued to assault his wife and finally the woman left the house and headed directly to the hospital. She brought a diagnoses report showing bruises sustained during the assault, and headed to the area’s police station to file a case. The woman also told officers that her husband had attacked her on numerous occasions earlier too due to similar reasons.

ABK announces eighth draw winners KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait announced the eighth draw winners of its “Update your Info Campaign”. The lucky winners were Omran Delwar Hussain Hajji from Main Branch who won Samsung Galaxy S lll and Moukhle Ahmad Alabdelaziz from Main Branch who won iPad 3.

Stewart Lockie, General Manager of the Retail Banking Division said, “Customers that update their personal information at any ABK branch will automatically be entered into a draw for a weekly chance to win an iPad 3 or a

Samsung Galaxy S III and a monthly draw to win cash prizes. There are 3 more weekly draws coming up until Dec 23 so I would suggest for everyone to update their info as soon as possible, so as to get a chance to win any of these valuable prizes.”

For more information regarding updating your information or to learn about any of ABK’s services, please visit www.eahli.com to talk directly with one of our Account Managers through Al Ahli Chat Service or call Ahlan Ahli on 1899899.

Immigration complex project almost complete

Kuwait celebrates Volunteer Day KUWAIT: Chairman of Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society Barjas Al-Barjas yesterday confirmed that the society had made great strides for promoting voluntary work and offering assistance to needy peoples around the world.

Al-Barjas said in a statement, on the occasion of the International Volunteer Day, which

fell today (Wednesday),”that the concept of voluntery work carries implications of humanitarian and moral values.” Moreover, he added “the volunteering work is a national duty and moral obligation,” also pointing out the society, on the global occasion, paid visits to hospitals, social welfare houses, delivered seminars

and lectures at schools. Al-Barjas declared that the society would hold a blood donation campaign at headquarters of the association, in coordination with the Central Blood Bank.

On this day every year, governmental and non-governmental organizations all over the world celebrate the occasion. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Construction work of the immigration department in the district of Dajeej reached the final phase and 95 percent of the project has been executed, the Ministry of Public Works said yesterday.

The project is being executed on a plot of land of 86,430 square meters in the district, located in Al-Farwaniah. The 16,950-sq-m ground floor includes six departments, a seminar hall and a large parking lot enough for 417 cars and vehicles, said Ahmad Hadi Al-Mutairi, in

charge of the public relations department.

The 16,052-sq-m first floor contains six departments including a section for the director general, a seminar hall, some parking lots and other sections.

Workers are now installing some sections and glass windows of the facade of the buildings and finishing interior works, he said, also indicating that contacts were under to secure power and other necessary services for the complex. — KUNA

Media, marketing show in Dubai

Fareah Al-Saqqaf with Fazel Hasan and his wife.

LOYAC among top 15 success stories worldwide KUWAIT: “LOYAC is a small organization in a small country with a positive influence and innovative approach that surpass all limitations to diminish the youth active contribution in society.” This is how writer Valerie Hnon described LOYAC in her book “Learning A Living” financed by the World Innovation Summit for Education, WISE. LOYAC was chosen as one of the top 15 success stories worldwide in innovative education through work. LOYAC Chairperson and Managing Director, Fareah Al-Saqqaf recounted LOYAC’s experience in a lecture at the conference. She described the social challenges LOYAC faced when it first started; namely the youth’s negative attitude to work which was a result of living in a rich country that provides a privileged upbringing. In addition, the relaxed government policies that guaranteed a high standard of living without real work on the part of the citizens lead to pampered spoiled youth.

Al-Saqqaf explained how LOYAC was successfully able to change that paradigm and instill positive attitudes and notions of active contribution in society, serving others, volunteer work, excelling, and celebrating others through numerous channels and opportunities.

Al-Saqqaf also expressed her gratitude for choosing LOYAC as a speaker at the summit which Qatar Corporation holds every year since 2009.She reiterated that WISE is not a mere conference; it is an international podium for innovative education that inspires and supports educational institutes and youth organizations .

To have LOYAC’s experience in “Learning a Living” which will be distributed to reputable educational institutes worldwide is an honor and a great incentive for us to thrive and advance, spreading peace and prosperity among the Arab youth. LOYAC’s success story would not have been possible without the generous support of the private sector and civil institutions.

LOYAC is a nonprofit organization established in 2002 and serving age group 6-30. It has a branch in Jordan since 2008 and in Lebanon since 2009. It offers different programs to enrich the youth’s personality through volunteering, community ser vice, par t time jobs, hands-on workshops in different fields and many more channels to unleash their creativity through the performing arts and enhance their self esteem, away from conventional academic education.

DUBAI: Kuwait News Agency is participating in the 7th Media and Marketing Show (MMS) 2012 that kicked off on Tuesday in Dubai, displaying its services and publications.

Media coordinator at KUNA Shouroq BuoAlay yan, and marketing researcher at the agency, Fatma Al-Hamad, said the ultimate goal from this participation is representing Kuwait, in addition to meeting editors in chief and editors of newspapers and magazines, and heads of television channels.

KUNA is a governmental news agency which is keen on offering accurate, reliable and objective news and reports to its local, regional and international clients.

The show is witnessing several seminars and panel discussions on many issues including needs resulting from current changes in the media, means of communications, latest smart techniques in the field and transparency of receiving news.

A number of countries are participating in the event like Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Morocco.

Bou-Alayyan and Al-Hamad expressed their thanks to the show organizers for exerting all possible effort in offering all needed facilities to the participants, especially the Executive Director of the organizing body of the event, DOS Group, Maison Abou Al-Hool.

Al-Arabiya news channel is holding a symposium in the second day of the show, themed “The Arab media after revolutions”, discussing the future of the ministries of information, privatization of the Arab media, Arab revolutions between freedoms and chaos, besides the official media information with the digital media.

MMS is one of the World’s must-attend, networking and educational resource platforms for media and marketing professionals. In addition, it is the only show of its kind in the region.

MMS is the region’s premier event for the media and marketing industry. Up to 9,000 visitors are expected to attend, based on previous years’ forecasts. MMS was first organized in 2005 and in 2012 it would be celebrating its 7th edition. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Interior Ministry Assistant Undersecretary Lt Gen Anwar Abdul Razaq Al-Yaseen has honored 229 soldiers and civilians working at border outlets for their efforts and good work. Al-Yaseen welcomed the staff and conveyed to them the greeting of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah and the Undersecretary General Ghazi AlOmar. Present were General Director of Airport security Brig. Khalid Mohammad Al-Saqaabi and his Assistant Col Iyad Al-Haddad.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Syrian civil war spills into Lebanon Page 8

Serbia’s NATO ambassador leaps to death Page 9

CAIRO: Egyptian President Mohammed Morsiís supporters clash with opponents, not pictured, outside the presidential palace, in Cairo, Egypt, yesterday. Yesterdayís clashes began when thousands of Islamist supporters of Morsi descended on the area around the palace where some 300 of his opponents were staging a sit-in. — AP

Egypt crisis turns violent Rival factions hurl petrol bombs outside palace CAIRO: Islamists fought protesters outside the Egyptian president’s palace yesterday, while inside the building his deputy proposed a way to end a crisis over a draft constitution that has split the most populous Arab nation.

Stones and petrol bombs flew between opposition protesters and supporters of President Mohamed Mursi who had flocked to the palace in response to a call from the Muslim Brotherhood. Two Islamists were hit in the legs by what their friends said were bullets fired during the clashes in streets around the compound in northern Cairo. One of them was bleeding heavily.

A leftist group said Islamists had cut the ear off one of its members, inflicting serious head wounds on him.

Riot police began to deploy between the two sides to try to end the violence which flared after dark despite an attempt by Vice President Mahmoud Mekky to calm the political crisis.

He said amendments to disputed

articles in the draft constitution could be agreed with the opposition. A written agreement could then be submitted to the next parliament, to be elected after a referendum on the constitution on Dec. 15.

“There must be consensus,” he told a news conference, saying opposition demands must be respected to overcome the crisis. Opposition leader Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister and secretary-general of the Arab League, said Mursi should make a formal offer for dialogue if his opponents were to consider seriously Mekky’s ideas for a way out of the political impasse.

“We are ready when there is something formal, something expressed in definite terms, we will not ignore it,” Moussa told Reuters during talks with other opposition figures.

Opposition leaders have previously urged Mursi to retract a decree widening his powers, defer the plebiscite and agree to revise the constitution, but have not echoed calls from street protesters for his overthrow and the “downfall of the regime”.

Mursi had returned to work at his compound a day after it came under siege from protesters furious at his assumption of extraordinary powers via an edict on Nov. 22.

The president, narrowly elected by popular vote in June, said he acted to stop courts still full of judges appointed by ousted strongman Hosni Mubarak from derailing a constitution meant to complete a political transition in Egypt, long an ally of Washington and signatory to a 1979 peace deal with Israel.

Rival groups skirmished earlier outside the presidential palace on Wednesday. Islamist supporters of Mursi tore down tents erected by leftist foes, who had begun a sit-in there. “ They hit us and destroyed our tents. Are you happy, Mursi? Aren’t we Egyptians too?” asked protester Haitham Ahmed. Mohamed Mohy, a pro-Mursi demonstrator who was filming the scene, said: “We are here to support our president and his decisions and save our country from traitors and agents.” Facing the gravest cri-

sis of his six-month-old tenure, Mursi has shown no sign of buckling, confident that Islamists can win the referendum and a parliamentary election to follow. Many Egyptians yearn for an end to political upheaval that has scared off investors and tourists, damaging the economy.

Mekky said street mobilisation by both sides posed a “real danger” to Egypt. “If we do not put a stop to this phenomenon right away ... where are we headed? We must calm down.” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton weighed into Egypt’s political debate, saying dialogue was urgently needed on the new constitution, which should “respect the rights of all citizens”.

Clinton and Mursi worked together last month to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip. “It needs to be a two-way dialogue ... among Egyptians themselves about the constitutional process and the substance of the constitution,” Clinton told a news conference in Brussels. Washington is worried about rising Islamist power in Egypt, a

Iran tells US to ‘recount’ drones TEHRAN: Iran’s Revolutionar y Guards are telling the United States to “recount” the drones in its fleet as they insist that-despite US denials-they captured a small US unmanned spy plane over Gulf waters, Iranian media said yesterday. “Its capture is not an issue the Americans can easily refute,” Guards spokesman Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif was quot-

ed as saying. “I advise the American commanders to recount their drones accurately,” he said.

The Guards on Tuesday claimed to have recently captured a ScanEagle drone, a low-cost, shortrange unmanned aircraft made by Boeing that measures 1.4 metres (4.5 feet) long and with a wingspan of three metres (10 feet).

They said the craft was seized in

This image taken from Iranian TV shows an intact ScanEagle drone aircraft put on display yesterday. — AP

Iranian airspace but gave no details about how it was captured intact, nor where or when. State television showed images of what it said was the drone: a grey, unmarked vehicle suspended in a hangar. A spokesman for the US Fifth Fleet based in the Gulf said none of its drones was missing, and a White House spokesman said there is “no evidence” the Iranian claim was true. A year ago, Iran displayed a bigger and vastly more sophisticated US drone, a batwinged stealth RQ-170 Sentinel, it said it had captured by hacking its guidance system. US officials, after initially denying that Sentinel drone had been inside Iran airspace, ended up admitting it had been lost during a CIA mission, but contended it had likely suffered a malfunction that brought it down.

US President Barack Obama unsuccessfully asked Iran to return it.

The ScanEagle that Iran says it now possesses is a much cheaper, simpler drone than the RQ-170 Sentinel. It is principally designed to feed back video images over a

radio link to operators up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) away. US and allied forces used ScanEagles in Iraq and Afghanistan, and several other countries operate the drone, including Australia, Canada, Poland and the United Arab Emirates, according to Boeing background information. The drone is also used for civilian purposes such as tracking fish or oil platform observation.

Sharif maintained the Guards’ assertion that the drone held by Iran came from a US Navy vessel in the Gulf, but no evidence was given to support that. Speaking to the Etemad daily, Sharif said the drone was on a reconnaissance mission hovering over Iranian military sites and oil terminals.

“We have extracted data off the drone... it shows what the Americans were looking for,” Sharif said. “ The drone was gathering intelligence on military (objectives) as well as the energy sector, particularly oil transitions at terminals,” he said without further elaboration. — AFP

staunch US security partner under Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood had summoned supporters to an open-ended demonstration at the presidential palace, a day after about 10,000 opposition protesters had encircled it for what organisers dubbed a “last warning” to Mursi.

“The people want the downfall of the regime,” they chanted, roaring the signature slogan of last year’s antiMubarak revolt. Officials said 35 protesters and 40 police were wounded.

The “last warning” may turn out to be one of the last gasps for a disparate opposition that has little chance of scuttling next week’s vote on a constitution drawn up over six months and swiftly approved by an Islamist-dominated assembly.

State institutions, with the partial exception of the judiciary, have mostly fallen in behind Mursi. The army, the muscle behind all previous Egyptian presidents in the republic’s six-decade history, has gone back to barracks, having apparently lost its appetite to intervene in politics.

In a bold move, Mursi sacked Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the Mubarak-era army commander and defence minister, in August and removed the sweeping powers that the military council, which took over after Mubarak fell, had grabbed two months earlier.

The liberals, leftists, Christians, exMubarak followers and others opposed to Mursi have yet to generate a mass movement or a grassroots political base to challenge the Brotherhood.

Investors have seized on hopes that Egypt’s turbulent transition, which has buffeted the economy for two years, may soon head for calmer waters, sending stocks 1.6 percent higher after a 3.5 percent rally on Tuesday. Egypt has turned to the IMF for a $4.8 billion loan to help it out of a crisis that has depleted its foreign currency reserves.

The government said on Wednesday the process was on track and its request would go to the IMF board as expected. The board is due to review the facility on Dec. 19. — Reuters

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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

Justice awaits for ex-rebel head’s murder in Libya BENGHAZI: Eighteen months after the mysterious murder of a top general who led the early stages of the rebellion against Moamer Kadhafi, Libya’s judiciary has yet to shed light on the case that could involve some senior former rebels.

General Abdel Fatah Younis had participated in the coup that brought Moamer Kadhafi to power in 1969 and later became the dictator’s interior minister before defecting early in the February 2011 uprising against the late strongman.

Following his defection, Younis, from the powerful Al-Obeidi tribe, became the chief of staff of the anti-

Kadhafi rebellion until he was assassinated on July 28 last year in the eastern city of Benghazi-the birthplace of the uprising-with two of his companions from the same tribe.

The general was murdered when he was recalled from the frontline for interrogation in Benghazi.

His murder was initially blamed on extremists, then Libyan rebel officials, while some Western intelligence agencies were also seen as having had a hand in it. But the Obeidi tribe still wants the truth, saying justice has been delayed.

They openly accuse Mustafa Abdel Jalil, who chaired the National

Transitional Council, the former political body of the rebels, Ali al-Issawi, former vice president of the executive, and a former cleric, Salem Shikhi.

Also accused was judge Jomaa Hassan al-Jazwi who himself was murdered on June 21 in Benghazi.

Judge Jazwi was believed to have signed an arrest warrant against Younis who was suspected of having maintained contacts with the Kadhafi regime. “The family will continue its efforts to shed light on this issue and seek justice even if there is procrastination and complacency on the part of the new government,” Moutassim’s son Younis told AFP.

He said the general’s family has observed a sit-in since November 22 at the Al-Harika oil terminal in the city of Tobruk to press the government to find and try his father’s killers.

Members of the Obeidi tribe have also set up a tent in the centre of Benghazi since the general’s killing, demanding justice. Under pressure, a military court in Benghazi on November 17 ordered the interrogation of Abdel Jalil.

“Mr Abdel Jalil has offered himself to appear to testify in the case,” Youssef al-Assifer, the military attorney general, told AFP. Abdel Jalil was the last minister of justice under Kadhafi and he

joined the rebellion against the dictator around the same time as Younis.

Youssef Aguila, lawyer of Younis’ family, said “the military prosecutor has to determine whether Mustafa Abdel Jalil will be examined as a witness or accused.”

“Since he was responsible for the political phase (after the fall of Kadhafi’s regime), if he is accused, he should be accused of abuse of power or inciting murder.”

A hearing has been set for February 20, 2013 and the attorney general could extend the investigation to other persons suspected of being involved in the general’s assassination. — AFP

Syrian civil war spills into Lebanon Ban not to favor an asylum deal for Bashar

PRAGUE: Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas (R) listens to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) during a press conference yesterday in Prague. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday arrived in the Czech Republic to thank Prague for its “courageous” support in the UN vote that resulted in the Palestinians securing a status upgrade. — AFP

NATO missiles to be sent to Turkey, Syria clashes rage BRUSSELS/BEIRUT: Rebels said yesterday they had surrounded an air base near Damascus, a fresh sign of battle closing in on the Syrian capital a day after NATO drew a line in the sand by agreeing to send air defence missiles to Turkey.

The Western military alliance’s decision to send US, German and Dutch Patriot missile batteries to help defend the Turkish border would bring European and US troops to Syria’s frontier for the first time in the 20 month civil war.

Heavier fighting erupted around Damascus a week ago, bringing a war that had previously been fought mainly in the provinces to the heart of Assad’s rule.

Fighters said on Wednesday they had surrounded the Aqraba air base, about 4 km outside the capital.

“We still do not control the air base but the fighters are choking it off. We hope within the coming hours we can take it,” said Abu Nidal, a spokesman for the rebel Habib al-Mustafa brigade. He said rebels captured a unit of air defence soldiers nearby, killing and imprisoning dozens while others escaped.

Accounts like this from Syria are impossible to verify, as the government has restricted media access to the country. The army’s strategy has been to divide Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad’s seat of power, from the countryside where rebels are increasingly dominant. Air raids and artillery have pounded rebel-held suburbs near the city for more than a week, in what activists call the worst shelling yet in the area. A Syrian government source said that the army had managed to push the rebels back 9 km from the capital. Rebels contacted did not confirm or deny this, but said their the goal was not yet to enter the city.

“It is very clear that the government wants to cut off the capital, the city was built that way with it’s air bases all around it.

Right now we are concerning ourselves with certain strategic points that we want to take before we try to enter the city,” said the spokesman Abu Nidal, speaking by Skype.

NATO’s says the Patriot missiles it will send to Turkey are purely defensive, but Syria and its allies Russia and Iran have criticised the decision, saying it increases regional instability.

Turkey, a NATO member hostile to Assad

and hosting thousands of refugees, says it needs the air defence batteries to shoot down any missiles that might be fired across its border. The German, Dutch and US troops would take weeks to deploy.

NATO ministers meeting in Brussels also unanimously expressed “grave concern” about US intelligence reports suggesting Syria might use chemical weapons as a last resort to protect Assad, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen and officials from a number of Western countries have warned this week that any use of chemical weapons by Syria would prompt an international response.

Syria says it would never use chemical weapons on its own people.

Fighting also continued for a seventh day around the Damascus International Airport, where opposition activists say the airport road has become an on-off battle zone. Fighting around Damascus has led foreign airlines to suspend flights and prompted the United Nations and European Union to reduce their presence, adding to a sense that the fight is closing in, although neither side has made a decisive advance.

More than 160 people were killed across the country on Tuesday, according to the opposition-linked Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group which includes civilians and fighters from both sides in its count. It said at least 58 people died around Damascus and its surrounding countryside.

Syria’s conflict has killed more than 40,000 people and foreign powers have remained deadlocked over the crisis.

Western powers support the opposition, while Russia and China have blocked antiAssad resolutions at the U.N. Security Council. Violence in Syria threatens to destabilise its neighbours, particularly Lebanon, whose sectarian makeup reflects lines of tension in Syria. Sunni Muslims there have mostly supported the opposition, led by Syria’s Sunni majority, while minorities have been more wary of the revolt. Many support Assad, particularly members of his own Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam. Sectarian clashes have repeatedly erupted in Lebanon’s mostly Sunni city of Tripoli, which has an Alawite minority. Two days of clashes that began late Monday have killed 4 people.—Reuters

Jailed Iran lawyer ends hunger strike TEHRAN: A prominent jailed Iranian human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, has ended a hunger strike in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison after 49 days, according to a lawmaker yesterday.

“Sotoudeh’s hunger strike has ended after an intervention by heads of the judiciary and parliament,” Mohammad Reza Tabesh told the ISNA news agency. The opposition website Kalame.com reported earlier that Sotoudeh, 47, ended her protest Tuesday after Tabesh and another lawmaker took steps to have authorities lift restrictions and harassment directed at her family. A Facebook page dedicated to her plight, with more than 50,000 followers, hailed the news but warned that the internationally recognised Sotoudeh now needed urgent medical care outside the prison.

Detained since August 2010, Sotoudeh is serving an 11-year prison sentence for defending political prisoners and aiding the human rights work of Nobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi. The official

charge against her is “conspiring against state security.” This year, Sotoudeh won the European parliament’s prestigious Sakharov rights prize.

The mother of two young children began her hunger strike on October 17 to protest against her conditions in Evin prison, limits placed on family visits and official harassment of her relatives. Her husband and 12-year-old daughter were slapped with a travel ban, among other punishment. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said on Tuesday she was “extremely concerned” about Sotoudeh, and called for her prompt release as well as the lifting of sanctions on her family. The United Nations, the European Union and the world’s main international human rights groups have often called for Sotoudeh to be freed, calling her a prisoner of conscience. Tabesh said he believed the news of Sotoudeh ending her protest would now “alleviate pressure by international bodies against Iran.” — AFP

TRIPOLI: Gunmen loyal to opposite sides in neighboring Syria’s civil war battled yesterday in the streets of a northern Lebanese city where two days of clashes have killed at least five people and wounded 45, officials said.

The Lebanese army fanned out in the city of Tripoli in an attempt to calm the fighting, with soldiers patrolling the streets in armored personnel carriers and manning checkpoints. Authorities closed major roads because of sniper fire. The fighting comes at a time of deep uncertainty in Syria, with rebels closing in on President Bashar Assad’s seat of power in Damascus.

UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon yesterday urged Syria’s regime against using its stockpile of chemical weapons, warning of “huge consequences” if Assad resorts to such weapons of mass destruction.

“I again urge in the strongest possible terms that they must not consider using this kind of deadly weapons of mass destruction,” Ban told The Associated Press, speaking on the sidelines of a climate conference in Qatar.

Syria has been careful not to confirm that it has chemical weapons, but the regime insists it would never use them against the Syrian people.

Ban also suggested that he would not favor an asylum deal for the Syrian leader as a way to end the country’s civil war and cautioned that the United Nations doesn’t allow anyone “impunity.” Assad has vowed to “live and die” in Syria, but as the violence grinds on there is speculation that he might seek asylum.

The Syrian crisis has spilled over into Turkey, Israel and Jordan over the past 20 months, but Lebanon is particularly vulnerable to getting sucked into the conflict. The countries share a complex web of political and sectarian ties and rivalries that are easily enflamed. Lebanon, a country plagued by decades of strife, has been on edge since the uprising in Syria began, and deadly clashes between pro- and anti-Assad Lebanese groups have erupted more than a dozen times.

Tensions in Tripoli have been mounting since last week, when reports emerged that some 17 Lebanese Sunni fighters were

TRIPOLI: A Lebanese army soldier, right, searches a civilian after troops deployed to calm the clashes that erupted between pro and anti-Syrian regime gunmen in the northern port city of Tripoli, Lebanon, yesterday. Gunmen loyal to opposite sides in neighboring Syria’s civil war battled in the streets of northern Lebanon at a time of deep uncertainty in Syria, with rebels closing in on President Bashar Assad’s seat of power in Damascus. — AP killed inside Syria, apparently after they joined the rebellion against Assad. The bodies of some of the men were later shown on Syrian state TV. Yesterday, Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali told Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour that Damascus has agreed to repatriate the men’s bodies.

Lebanon’s National News Agency said the countries would soon discuss how to hand over the bodies.

Anti-Syrian politicians in Lebanon have criticized the government, which is led by the Shiite Hezbollah group, for what they call a lack of effort to get the bodies back. Hezbollah supports Assad, whose regime is dominated by the president’s Alawite sect - an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

The fighting in Tripoli pits the Sunni neighborhood of Bab Tabbaneh, which supports Syria’s predominantly Sunni rebels, against the adjacent Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen, which supports Assad.

The sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed near the clashing neighborhoods, and police closed roads leading to the

area. Nearby cars raced to dodge sniper fire.

Lebanese soldiers parked tanks on a bridge and in a roundabout near the area and patrolled in dozens of armored vehicles, but did not enter the neighborhoods themselves to try to stop the clashes.

Lebanese security officials said at least five people have been killed and 45 wounded in the Tripoli fighting since Tuesday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media.

Syria’s uprising began with peaceful protests in March 2011 and later escalated into a civil war that the opposition says has killed more than 40,000 people.

Fighting continued around Syria yesterday, with rebels clashing with government troops around the capital, Damascus, and elsewhere. Government forces shelled and flew fighter jets over a number of restive areas south, east and north of the capital, clashing with rebels in the eastern suburbs of Zamalka and Arbeen, according to the Britainbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. At least two rebel

fighters were killed in clashes and three civilians killed in government shelling, said the group, which relies on contacts inside Syria. In the north, a Syrian jet bombed the rebel-held town of Tal Abyad, near the Turkish border, while rebels responded with anti-aircraft fire, Turkey’s staterun Anadolu agency said. At least two wounded people were brought to the Turkish border town of Akcakale for treatment.

An activist video from the northern province of Idlib showed residents of the village of Talmanis digging through rubble in search of survivors after a government air strike. The video then shows bodies lying in the back of a pickup truck while an off camera voice says five people from the same family were killed in a rocket attack from a nearby army base that rebels have repeatedly attacked.

The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other reports on the incidents. The Syrian government greatly restricts journalistic access to the country, making independent authentication of events nearly impossible. —AP

Israel advances settlement plan, enraging Palestinians JERUSALEM: An Israeli plan to build new settler homes in a sensitive area near Jerusalem passed a first hurdle yesterday, sparking fury from the Palestinians, who said building there would end all hopes of peace.

Israel’s plan for construction in a strip of West Bank land outside Jerusalem called E1 has sparked a major diplomatic backlash, with experts warning it could wipe out hopes of establishing a viable Palestinian state.

“If Israel decides to start building in E1 and approves all the settlements in it, we consider it to be an Israeli decision to end the peace process and the two-state solution, which ends any chance of talking about peace in the future,” Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP yesterday.

He spoke shortly after Israeli radio stations said a defence ministry planning committee which met on Wednesday gave its green light for the plan to be deposited for public approval, pushing it one step ahead in the planning process.

The Civil Administration’s planning committee “approved the programme for new building

in the E1 area between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim,” public radio said.

Maaleh Adumim is a settlement some five kilometres (three miles) from the eastern edge of Jerusalem. Public radio said the committee had approved plans for 3,200 homes in E1 and in annexed east Jerusalem, which would now be made available for public objections.

“For two months the public will be able to submit objections to the project and after that the debate on continuing it will continue,” it said. Army radio ran a similar report, saying the Civil Administration had “approved moving ahead with the project to build in E1 between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim.”

Observers say Israeli plans to build in E1 and connect Maaleh Adumim with east Jerusalem would effectively prevent the future establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state, dooming the two-state solution.

Earlier, an Israeli official confirmed that the defence ministry committee had begun examining plans to build in E1 that have been on hold since 2005 following heavy US pressure.

“After that it will need to go through another

few stages,” he told AFP. “Final approval for the plan will have to come from the political level. There won’t be any bulldozers going in any time soon. It will take at least several months, if not years.” News of Israel’s intention to push ahead with plans to build in E1 emerged on Friday, a day after the Palestinians won UN non-member state observer status, in what was a major diplomatic blow to the Jewish state as it tried to block the move.

It sparked an immediate outcry from top diplomats in Washington and Brussels, with at least six governments summoning the Israeli ambassador to protest at the move. The UN warned the plan could deal an “almost fatal blow” to the two-state solution.

Earlier, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper said that the committee was examining plans to build 1,200 homes in the southern sector of E1 and another 2,176 in the eastern part.

Construction there has been on Israel’s radar since the early 1990s, but the plans were never implemented because of heavy pressure, largely from Washington. — AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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

Colombia peace talks to resume in wake of rebel deaths HAVANA: Colombia will resume peace talks with the FARC yesterday amid rising tensions after government forces killed at least 20 rebels and President Juan Manuel Santos issued a 12month deadline.

The dialogue is being held in Cuba and is the fourth attempt to end a conflict that has lasted almost half a century, leaving 600,000 dead, 15,000 missing and four million displaced.

The FARC delegation has accused the government of “political incongruity” for refusing to join the leftist rebels in

declaring a ceasefire during the latest peace effort, which is restarting in Havana after a five-day break.

FARC negotiator Andres Paris suggested that the government was not doing enough to pursue peace, and said that although there had been some rebel violence, the incidents were minor. “The government is showing signs of political incongruity and its response to the FARC’s gesture is bellicose,” he told Cuban state media.

Santos upped the stakes with the FARC on Sunday, when he warned that

the peace process should take months, rather than years, and said an agreement to end hostilities should be reached by November 2013. Lead government negotiator Humberto de la Calle meanwhile demanded in Bogota that the FARC clarify their position on abductions, before heading to Cuba to resume the talks.

“The FARC have to answer to the victims. They have to clarify the kidnapping problem,” the former vice president stressed in a message to media at the presidential palace. The

Revolutionar y Armed Forces of Colombia formally started talks with Bogota on October 18 in neutral Norway. The negotiations moved to Havana on November 19. Both sides cited progress last week after that round.

But the military’s bombing early Saturday of three rebel camps in Narino province, near the border with Ecuador, rattled the calm. The army said 20 rebels were killed. Three previous peace attempts have failed. In the last effort, which lasted from 1999 to

2002, the government ended talks after concluding that the FARC were using a vast demilitarized zone to regroup.

The FARC-founded in 1964 and believed to have around 9,000 fighters-took up arms to protest against the concentration of land ownership in Colombia, which is seen as the defining issue of the peace negotiations. The rebels have suffered a string of military defeats in recent years, and several of their top commanders have been captured or killed.— AFP

Serbia’s NATO ambassador leaps to death: Officials Belgian police ruling death a suicide

ROME: Italian Premier Mario Monti, left, and his Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati review the honor guard at the Chigi palace, in Rome yesterday. — AP

US seeks accountability after Benghazi attacks WASHINGTON: After a car bomb struck the US ambassador’s residence in Lima in 1992, the State Department convened a special panel to answer the same questions now hovering over a review of the September attacks in Benghazi, Libya: How much security is enough? What is the right role for US diplomats? The Lima panel, known as an Accountability Review Board, issued a final report “that didn’t find anybody had been delinquent,” former US Ambassador to Peru Anthony Quainton said. That report was never made public.

Whether the report by the Benghazi Accountability Review Board, expected to be completed in mid-December, comes to the same conclusion could affect the arc of a controversy that has seen the Obama White House subjected to withering criticism over security arrangements in Libya and the administration’s shifting explanations of the violence. The attacks on the diplomatic mission and a nearby CIA annex in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, killed US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, and raised questions about the adequacy of security in far-flung posts.

The panel, led by veteran diplomatic heavyweight Thomas Pickering, is expected to consider whether enough attention was given to potential threats and how Washington responded to security requests from US diplomats in Libya. A determination that top State Department officials turned down those requests, as Republican congressional investigators allege, could refuel criticism - and possibly even end some officials’ careers. Also in the balance is the future of funding for embassy security and of a policy, known as “expeditionary diplomacy,” under which envoys deploy to conflict zones more often than in the past.

Central questions raised after the Benghazi attack include why the ambassador was in such an unstable part of Libya on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The board, which meets at the State Department, could determine whether security was at fault or whether Stevens and the State Department emphasized building ties with the local community at the expense of security concerns in a hostile zone. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has pledged to make some of the report’s findings public. Benghazi is the 19th accountability review board convened by the State Department since 1988 to investigate attacks on US diplomatic facilities. Until now, only the report on the deadly 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania has been made public.

Attacks in Pakistan and Iraq triggered the most review boards - three each - followed by Saudi Arabia with two. In addition to Kenya and Tanzania, there was one each for violence in Peru, Honduras, Greece, the Philippines, Bolivia, Jordan, Gaza, and Sudan.

The five-person independent board usually includes retired ambassadors, a former CIA officer and a member of the private sector. It has

the power to issue subpoenas, and members are required to have appropriate security clearances to review classified information.

“The board is meeting and is hard at work.

We have decided to keep the deliberations confidential to preserve the integrity and objectivity of the board’s work in accordance with the statute providing for its activity,” Pickering said in a statement. ARBs, as they are known, are not expected to take cookie-cutter approaches but to review issues specific to each diplomatic post. “In the case of Lima, the issue that arose above all those other issues was what was the purpose of the attack? I guess this is also a Benghazi question,” Quainton said. “Was it an attempt to assassinate the ambassador - meaning me - or was it an attack on one of the official symbols of US power flying the US flag, the ambassador’s residence in my case, and the consulate in Benghazi. And that is partly a question of intelligence,” he said.

Quainton added that he “happily was some distance away” at the time of the Lima attack, which killed three Peruvian policemen. Stevens by contrast was in the lightly defended Benghazi post, became separated from his security men, and died of apparent smoke inhalation.

The Africa accountability boards did not single out any US government employee as culpable, but found “an institutional failure of the Department of State and embassies under its direction to recognize threats posed by transnational terrorism and vehicle bombs worldwide.”

The report recommended improving security and crisis management systems and procedures. Philip Wilcox, a member of the Nairobi board, said the State Department took its recommendations to heart. “Security is never something that can be absolutely achieved.

And to provide absolute security for American embassies and American diplomats abroad would be to shut down our overseas operations,” said Wilcox, now president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace.

“There is no way to enable diplomats to do their work, to meet with foreign officials, foreign citizens, to move around the country, with total security,” he said. Lawmakers and administration officials have praised Stevens for being the type of diplomat who ventured out to meet with Libyans of all walks of life.

The job, diplomats say, is always a balancing act between trying to forge local ties and heeding security concerns. One former US diplomat, who would speak only on the condition of anonymity, said the underlying concept of accountability review boards from the beginning was a belief that it had to be somebody’s fault and to assign blame. But Wilcox sees value in the process. “As a result of the accountability review board that I served on, more money was appropriated, a great many steps were taken to fulfill the recommendations in the report,” he said. “So it’s not true these are vain, useless exercises.” — Reuters

TBILISI: Former Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, right, listens to his lawyer, not pictured, at a Tbilisi court yesterday, on the first day of his trial.

Okruashvili threw the ex-Soviet nation into political turmoil in 2008 when he claimed then-President Mikhail Saakashvili had asked him to organize the killing of opposition-minded billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili. — AP

BRUSSELS: Serbia’s ambassador to NATO was chatting and joking with colleagues in a multistory parking garage at Brussels Airport when he suddenly strolled to a barrier, climbed over and flung himself to the ground below, a diplomat said.

By the time his shocked colleagues reached him, Branislav Milinkovic was dead. His motives are a mystery. Three diplomats who knew Milinkovic said he did not appear distraught in the hours leading up to his death Tuesday night. He seemed to be going about his regular business, they said, picking up an arriving delegation of six Serbian officials who were to hold talks with NATO, the alliance that went to war with his country just 13 years ago.

Belgian authorities confirmed that the ambassador had killed himself. “It was indeed a suicide,” said Ine Van Wymersch of the Brussels prosecutor’s office. She said no further investigation was planned.

A former author and activist opposed to the authoritarian regime of Serbia’s former strongman Slobodan Milosevic, Milinkovic was outgoing, had a warm sense of humor and worked to keep good ties with ambassadors from other ex-Yugoslav countries, according to diplomats and acquaintances.

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release details, said they knew of no circumstances - private or professional - that would have prompted him to take his own life.

But Milinkovic, 52, had mentioned to colleagues at diplomatic functions that he was unhappy about living apart from his wife, a Serbian diplomat based in Vienna, and their 17-year-old son. One of the diplomats described his death to The Associated Press, saying she had spoken to a member of the delegation who had witnessed the leap from the 8- to 10-meter-high (26- to 33-foot-high) platform.

The diplomats all spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not permitted by foreign service regulations to speak publicly to

BRUSSELS: A handout photo made available by NATO yesterday shows Serbian Ambassador to NATO Branislav Milinkovic attending a meeting on Serbia joining the Partnership for Peace at NATO headquarters in Brussels on December 14, 2006. Serbia’s ambassador to NATO Branislav Milinkovic committed suicide by jumping from a multistorey car park at Brussels airport yesterday. — AFP the press. The death cast a pall on the second day of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. Officials said they were shocked by the news of the death of a very popular and well-liked man.

NATO’s Secretar y General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic death of the Serbian ambassador.”

“As Serbian ambassador to NATO he earned the respect and admiration of his fellow ambassadors,” he said. When Yugoslavia was a united country, Milinkovic worked for a prominent Yugoslav foreign policy think-tank. But when Milosevic seized power in Serbia in late 1980s, Milinkovic joined other liberals who opposed the former strongman’s regime and presented a rare voice of moderation during the era when much of Serbia was engulfed in nationalist fervor. He established close ties with international human rights and other

Texas slaying suspect escapes hospital DALLAS: Authorities are trying to piece together just how a capital murder suspect was able to take a deputy’s gun and escape from a Dallas hospital before he was cornered a mile away and surrendered.

Franklin B. Davis, 30, of Carrollton, stole the deputy’s service revolver and fled Parkland Memorial Hospital about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, beginning a manhunt that ended with a standoff as he hid in a barbecue delivery van about a mile south of the hospital.

Davis took refuge in the van about 9 pm and kept police at bay with the stolen weapon for about two hours before negotiators talked him into a peaceful surrender, Dallas County sheriff ’s spokeswoman Carmen Castro said.

No new charges were filed against Davis as police and deputies investigated the episode, Castro said.

Davis surrendered shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday and was returned to the same hospital from which he had escaped while receiving treatment, Castro said. She did not know what kind of treatment Davis was receiving, she said.

The deputy was not injured in the incident at the hospital, she said. Davis is awaiting trial in the death of Shania Gray, a 16-year-old sophomore at Hebron High School in Carrollton. Her body was found Sept. 8 along a fork of the Trinity River. She had been shot and strangled. Davis already had been charged with four counts of sexually assaulting Gray when he allegedly took Gray from her school. Police have said Davis confessed to killing the girl. Police say he did so to prevent Gray from testifying against him in a sexual assault case.

Family and friends had said that when she was killed Gray’s family was in the process of moving from one Dallas suburb to another so her father could be closer to work. Neighbors in Mesquite, the eastern suburb where the family lived for years, described Gray as friendly and caring.

According to relatives and an affidavit released by Carrollton police, Davis posed as a teenage boy on Facebook and bought a new cellphone to contact Gray and get information about the sexual assault case.

The two exchanged text messages, though Carrollton police spokesman Jon Stovall said he didn’t know how many. Davis told Carrollton police Gray was surprised to see him when he pulled up to her outside her school but got into his car because he wanted to discuss the case. —AP

groups and remained active in antiwar groups.

After Milosevic was ousted in 2000, Milinkovic was appointed Serbia’s ambassador to the Organization for Security and CoOperation in Europe, or OSCE, in Vienna. He was transferred to NATO as Serbia’s special representative in 2004. Serbia is not a member of the military alliance, but Milinkovic was named ambassador after Belgrade joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program, which involves neutral states. The move to join the NATO program had angered Serbian nationalists who are now in power.

They have pledged that Serbia will never join NATO because of the alliance’s 1999 bombing campaign that forced Milosevic’s forces to withdraw from Serbia’s southern province of Kosovo. In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, which has never accepted that loss.

Milosevic was widely blamed for instigating the ‘90s Balkan wars that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia, conflicts that claimed more than 100,000 lives and left millions homeless.At NATO, Milinkovic worked to foster closer ties with the representatives of all five other nations that gained independence after the bloody 1991 breakup of the former Yugoslav federation into Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia.

Relations were still politically charged when Milinkovic first arrived in Brussels, but they have since improved drastically. Two months ago, when Croatia’s ambassador to NATO was being transferred to Moscow, Milinkovic organized a dinner for all five of his counterparts and a band played music from all parts of the former Yugoslav federation. He is survived by his wife and son. — AP

Police seek sick girl taken from Phoenix hospital PHOENIX: Emily has leukemia. She just underwent a month of chemotherapy and had her right arm amputated after suffering complications. Doctors say she is at risk of dying from an infection.

But the sick 11-year-old isn’t in a hospital. Her mother last week inexplicably unhooked a tube that had been carrying vital medication through the girl’s heart, got her out of bed and changed her clothes. Then she did something police say is even more baffling - she walked the child out of the hospital, the tiny tube still protruding from her chest.

Doctors say the device, if left unattended, could allow bacteria to quickly enter her body, leading to a potentially deadly infection. Phoenix police are now on a desperate search for the mother and daughter, last seen nearly a week ago on surveillance video leaving Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the mother pushing an IV stand, the small child with a bandaged arm amputated above the elbow walking beside her.

Authorities have no explanation for why 35-year-old Norma Bracamontes took her daughter from the hospital before her treatment was complete, but they say it’s imperative she return her immediately. They’re even considering criminal charges.

“Certainly from our standpoint, we are looking at it thinking, is this negligence in failing to provide Emily the proper medical care that she requires?” police Sgt. Steve Martos said Tuesday. “They should know by now what is required, what Emily needs, so it baffles us that anyone, any parent with a child like this, with leukemia and an amputated arm, and now you put them in this situation where it’s potentially fatal, we just don’t understand why they would not seek

medical treatment.”

Authorities speculate the mother might have been concerned with paying the child’s hospital bill, but her motivation remains a mystery. The family lives a “nomadic” life without a permanent residence, but they have relatives in Arizona, California and Mexico, none of whom have been able to provide police with information about their whereabouts, Martos said.

US Border Patrol agents stopped the girl’s father, Luis Bracamontes, 46, as he crossed into Arizona from Mexico over the weekend, but the man denied any involvement in removing his daughter from the hospital and said he didn’t know where she was.

Martos said doctors, who can’t discuss Emily’s case publicly due to privacy laws, told authorities that when Emily’s mother removed the tubing, she failed to put a cap on the open line leading into the girl’s body. That’s left the young girl susceptible to a potentially deadly infection.

The cap was found in the girl’s hospital bathroom. Dr William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said Emily’s immune system is already compromised from the cancer and chemotherapy. “If bacteria get into the blood stream, that can cause a serious infection,” Schaffner said. The open catheter could serve as a pathway for bacteria, he said, adding that an infection is not only possible, but likely. “These are life-threatening infections, particularly in young children who’ve had leukemia and chemotherapy,” Schaffner said. And the longer the girl is away from medical care, the greater the risk of contamination. If infection does set in, he said, the girl could die “in a few days or worse, hours.” — AP

10

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

international

Year on, Russian opposition subdued but not defeated MOSCOW: Unprecedented protests that rattled Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s decade-long rule for the first time a year ago have died down but the movement still presents a challenge for the Kremlin.

After the euphoria that marked the first opposition protests of Putin’s rule that erupted in December 2011, the opposition is now beset by internal divisions and battling a tough Kremlin crackdown on activists. “ The protest movement has not choked and cannot choke. It is just moving from the explosive phase to the chronic,” said renowned detective novelist Boris Akunin, a leading figure in the protest movement when the demonstrations erupted.

“Now everything is going to be slow, long and predictable. But I am certain that authoritarianism is doomed in Russia,” he told AFP in emailed answers.

Anger over fraudulent December 4 parliamentary elections brought several thousand people into central Moscow the next day, in a surprise development for a country that lost its taste for street politics after the turbulent 90s.

Emboldened by the success of the December 5 rally, opposition leaders over the next months organised through social networks a series of rallies that at their peak brought up to 120,000 people near the Kremlin walls despite freezing temperatures.

Since then the movement has lost momentum, with the protests becoming less regular and divisions between the

motley coalition of nationalists, leftists and liberals clearly exposed. Despite the protests Putin, who draws the bulk of his support from blue-collar workers in the country’s industrial rust belt, returned to the Kremlin for a third term following March 4 presidential elections.

Weeks after the inauguration, he imposed a clampdown on civil society, signing off on a raft of laws in what critics saw as a bid to quash dissent. The new legislation recriminalised slander and libel, raised fines for misdemeanours at opposition protests and forced non-governmental organisations that receive foreign funding to carry a “foreign agent” tag in a move seen as a throwback to Soviet times.

Scores of activists now face jail time for taking part in May 6 protests on the eve of Putin’s inauguration and for alleged plans to overthrow the Russian strongman with the help of foreign sponsors.

Ksenia Sobchak, the daughter of Putin’s late mentor Anatoly Sobchak and a prominent opposition figure, bleakly said that the crackdown was the sum of the opposition’s achievements so far.

“Our achievement over the past year is that many of our colleagues have ended up in prison.”

“We’ve achieved the toughening up of repressions. That’s what our achievements are,” she said in a recent interview to gazeta.ru online portal.

While sceptics charge that the Kremlin has managed to suppress dissent, many observers say the rallies triggered tecton-

ic shifts in Russia’s incestuous political system.

Putin, 60, faces tricky challenges in a term that is due to last until 2018 at a time of rapid social change in Russia.

“The authorities realised that they’ve got

a serious adversary and they got scared.

They have felt that there are limits, that a purely authoritarian system no longer works,” said pro-opposition political analyst and activist Dmitry Oreshkin.

Analysts say Putin has taken notice of

MOSCOW: A file picture taken late on December 5, 2011, shows OMON, riot police, officers detaining one of the opposition supporters enraged over fraudulent parliamentary vote during a rally to protest the elections results in central Moscow. Russia marks today one year since unprecedented protests rattled Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s decade-long rule forcing the Kremlin to retaliate with a crackdown on activists. —AFP

corruption complaints that fuelled the winter protests.

In early November, Putin, who is well known for his disdain for public scandals, dramatically fired defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov over a corruption scandal, signalling the start of a fullblown anti-graft campaign.

“The protest movement has become a starter launching an important mechanism of political transformation,” said Nikolai Petrov, a political analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Centre.

Vladimir Pastukhov, a political analyst and visiting fellow at St Antony’s College Oxford, said that Putin realised that any political challenge should receive a “symmetrical political answer.”

“What we’re witnessing today is the first outline, the rough draft of some new policy,” he wrote in newspaper Novaya Gazeta. In a bid to consolidate its ranks and structure the movement, the opposition in October held an online election to establish the Coordination Council, with 36-year-old anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny gaining most votes.

The opposition’s next major rally is scheduled for December 15. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia’s most prominent prisoner and former chief of Yukos oil company, urged the opposition leaders to put their differences behind them to be able to hold negotiations with the Kremlin as a single force.

“You have gathered together some very intelligent heads indeed, after all,” Khodorkovsky wrote from jail. “So show it!” —AFP

Cannibalism is still a mystery as Russians found in wilderness Criminal case into suspected murder opened MOSCOW: Russian investigators have opened a murder case after two fishermen were rescued following three months lost in a remote Far East forest amid fears the pair could have eaten a companion to stay alive, officials said yesterday.

Four men disappeared in August on a riverfishing expedition to the vast Yakutia region in the Russian Far East, one of the most remote and inhospitable places in the world.

Rescuers finally found two of the men this month by the Sutam River some 250 kilometres (155 miles) from the nearest town of Neryungri in the south of Yakutia but without two companions.

The men claimed their group had split up and said the others were likely still alive, as they were used to living in the open. But a murder probe was opened after a team of top investigators from the regional capital Yakutsk found fragments of a human corpse close to the place where the pair was found.

Investigators carried out an examination of two areas. Fragments of a human corpse with signs of a violent death were discovered and removed,” the Yakutia branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement.

“A criminal case into suspected murder has been opened.” According to a report on the lifenews.ru website, the men have fled the hospital where they were being treated for

severe frostbite and were now on the run.

Russia has no article in the criminal code for cannibalism but the state RIA Novosti news agency said that the initial theory was that the two men had eaten one companion. It was not clear what happened to the fourth man.

“What we found were chopped human bones, fragments of a skull and a bloodstained chunk of ice,” an investigator, who was not named, told the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid daily. “It’s clear that this person did not die of his own accord,” said the investigator.

Meanwhile local news site Sakhapress.ru said that their expedition had been aimed at gold prospecting and not fishing as claimed.

Two of the four are local inhabitants of the Russian Far East and the others are from the region of Saratov in central Russia who were visiting the area.

The human remains have yet to be identified. The wife of one of the men who remains missing, named as Andrei Kurochkin from Saratov, said she had not yet given up hope for her husband. “The police said that they had found human remains. But I believe that Andrei is alive. I am hoping other hunters have found him and he is not alone,” Olga Kurochkina told the newspaper.

The rescued pair, reportedly aged 37 and 35, have denied any wrongdoing and said

they had managed to survive as the winter set in a wooden hut by foraging for wild foods.

Irina, the wife of one of the men, denied her husband named as Alexei Gorulenko could have eaten human flesh or was interested in gold prospecting.

“The information on the Internet that my husband is a cannibal and was looking for gold is not true,” she told local news site wolsk.ru. “I have spoken to my husband and he is shocked by the disinformation.” The Yakutia investigators said that DNA and forensic testing has been ordered and they are working urgently to uncover what happened.

Investigators want to take them for questioning to Yakutsk, which lies some 600 kilometres (370 miles) to the north.

A policeman who was involved in the initial rescue by aircraft told Komsomolskaya Pravda that the two men initially did not arouse suspicion. “But the whole night they just drank tea and ate pies and heated up corned beef.

There was the impression there was something wrong with them,” the policeman said.

“But we put this down to terrible stress as they had had to suffer for a long time,” he added. Yakutia, also known as the Sakha Republic after its indigenous Turkic inhabitants, is a vast region only slightly smaller than India and best known as the coldest inhabited location on earth. —AFP

S African gets life in honeymoon slaying CAPE TOWN: A South African judge sentenced the triggerman in the 2010 honeymoon slaying of a Swedish bride to life in prison yesterday, calling the shooter “a merciless and evil person” who deserved

killing of 28-year-old Anni Dewani.

Henney said that the shooter showed no remorse. “He had no regard to her right to freedom, dignity, and totally disregarded and showed no respect to her right to

Dewani’s family members, wearing black clothes and with pictures of the beautiful young woman pinned above their left breasts, stared at him.

In August, Mngeni’s alleged

CAPE TOWN: Vinod Hindocha (R) father of murdered tourist, Anni Dewani, flanked by his son Anish, answers to journalists outside the High Court of Cape Town yesterday. Xolile Mngeni the man convicted of firing the bullet that killed Anni was sentenced to life imprisonment on the charges of murder, robbery and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition in the Cape High Court. —AFP the maximum punishment for his crime. Prosecutors say the newlywed’s British husband orchestrated the November 2010 killing.

Judge Robert Henney did not hold back his contempt while sentencing Xolile Mngeni for the

life by brutally killing her with utter disdain,” Henney said.

Mngeni, who had surgery to remove a brain tumor while facing trial, at times sat with his face resting on the bannister of the dock on top of his crossed arms.

accomplice Mziwamadoda Qwabe pleaded guilty to charges over the killing, receiving a 25-year prison sentence. Zola Tongo, the taxi driver that police say husband Shrien Dewani asked to plot the killing, earlier received an 18-year prison

sentence. Both Tongo and Qwabe have said Dewani wanted it to look like he wasn’t involved his wife’s slaying and they planned to have the attack look like a carjacking in Cape Town’s impoverished Gugulethu township.

The men were paid 15,000 rand (about $2,100) for the killing, Qwabe and prosecutors have said.

In a statement provided as part of his plea deal, Qwabe said that after he and Mngeni staged a fake carjacking, he drove the car as Mngeni kept a 7.62 mm pistol pointed at Anni Dewani in the backseat and then pulled the trigger, the fatal shot going through her neck. Panicked, Qwabe said he stopped the car and got out, helping Mngeni find the spent bullet casing. He threw the casing into a sewer as they ran away into the night.

Officials at first thought the crime was robbery. The rate of violent crime is high in South Africa but attacks on foreign tourists are rare. Shrien Dewani has denied he hired anyone to kill his wife and was allowed by authorities to leave South Africa for the United Kingdom, where he was later arrested. In March, a U.K. High Court ruled that it would be “unjust and oppressive” to extradite Dewani to South Africa, as his mental condition had worsened since his arrest there. Dewani’s lawyer told the court in a hearing July 31 that he needed at least a year to recover from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder before being potentially sent back to South Africa. —AP

HANOVER: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Hesse’s State Premier Volker Bouffier sing the national anthem at the end of a congress of Germany’s ruling conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party yesterday in Hanover, central Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel was overwhelmingly re-elected her party’s leader on December 4 as she kicked off her bid for a third term, saying only she could steer Germany through turbulence at home and abroad. —AFP

Germany close to ban on far-right party BERLIN: German security officials are moving toward a new attempt to ban the country’s only significant far-right party, after meticulously collecting new evidence in an effort to avoid a repeat of the debacle when they tried to ban it in 2003.

The interior ministers of Germany’s 16 states are expected to recommend yesterday evening pursuing a new ban of the National Democratic Party on allegations it promotes a racist, xenophobic, and anti-Semitic agenda in violation of the country’s constitution.

Under the previous government of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, the country’s Federal Constitutional Court rejected an attempt to ban the party after it turned out paid government informants within the NPD, as it known by its German initials, were partially responsible for the evidence against the party.

The failed attempt seriously embarrassed the government and produced a spike in support for the NPD, which it rode to parliaments in two states in 2004 and 2005. That gave them access to state funding - about euro 1.2 million ($1.6 million) a year - which they used to bolster election advertising.

Still, opponents of a ban note that membership in the NPD has been dropping, with 6,300 people in the party in 2011 compared to 6,600 in 2010. And despite their occasional successes in economically-depressed eastern German states, the NPD is marginalized at a national level - winning only 1.5 percent of the vote in the most recent federal elections in 2009; well below the 5 percent needed to sit in Parliament.

Even though talk of a ban has been simmering for years, it wasn’t until the crimes of a murderous band of neoNazis calling itself the National Socialist Underground, or NSU, came to light that the calls became widespread.

The NSU is suspected of killing nine men of immigrant background and a policewoman between 2000 and 2007 operating under the radar of German authorities who blamed the killings on organized crime rather than racist violence.

It was only discovered last year when the other main members, Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boenhardt, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide after a bungled bank robbery. The third suspected member, Beate Zschaepe then turned herself in and has now been charged

with the murders and other crimes.

Even there has been no formal link made between the NPD and the NSU, the case brought a new focus on the farright in Germany.

The arrest of the NPD’s former spokesman in Thuringia, Ralf Wohlleben, in November 2011 on suspicion of aiding the NSU by providing the core group with a gun and ammunition helped reinforce the calls for a ban. He was charged last month with nine counts of accessory to murder.

In order to avoid the problems of informants, officials say almost all of the information collected in the current investigation is of public record, including details from the NPD’s own literature, Internet postings, and documented criminal activities like the conviction in 2009 of an NPD politician for defacing a Holocaust memorial.

A federal judge asked for a legal assessment of the case for a ban by the state of Lower Saxony reported back to authorities last week “an overall review shows the goals of the NPD to be incompatible with the liberal democratic order of the constitution,” Der Spiegel magazine reported.

He concluded a ban attempt would have a better than 50 percent chance of success with the Federal Constitutional Court. NPD leader Holger Apfel told the Frankfur ter Allgemeine Zeitung on Saturday that he hoped the government would decide to pursue a ban so the party can challenge it.

“We would welcome it if the application for a ban would finally be made,” Apfel said. “There’s nothing worse than living perpetually under the Sword of Damocles of a ban.” After the interior ministers make their recommendation, state governors are meeting in Berlin on Thursday and expected to follow suit.

That paves the way for the Upper House of Parliament, where the states are represented, to vote for a ban when it meets on Dec. 14, after which it is likely that the federal government will join the process as well, even though it is not necessary.

Officials say a first court hearing not likely before next spring and a decision from the court unlikely before next September’s federal elections.

Apfel said even if the German high court decides on a ban, the NPD would appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. —AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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

Maldives asked not to use force in airport row NEW DELHI: Indian infrastructure giant GMR appealed yesterday to the Maldives not to use force if it goes ahead with a threat to throw out the company as operator of the island-nation’s airport this week. The Maldives last week scrapped a 25-yearcontract with GMR to upgrade and manage the international airport in the Male awarded by the previous government and gave the company until Friday at midnight to leave.

The move has led to a standoff with neighbouring India, the regional power, which has said it is

ready to “take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of its interests and its nationals” in the Maldives.

“We appeal to the government of the Maldives not to use any force,” Sidharth Kapur, chief financial officer of GMR Airports, said at a press conference in New Delhi. “If there is any force, it will be very unfortunate. It will impact India’s interests,” he told reporters, adding that GMR has 140 foreign nationals working for it in the country.

GMR and Malaysia Airports Holdings won the

$500-million project in 2010 in a tender process overseen by the World Bank during the tenure of Mohamed Nasheed, the nation’s first freely elected president who was ousted in February.

The new government has targeted the Nasheedera deal with GMR, controlled by billionaire G.M. Rao, saying it was corrupt and illegal because its terms were never approved by parliament. The airport “has become a football in a political arena”, said GMR’s Kapur. Kapur warned GMR’s treatment will hit investor sentiment in the Maldives at a time when

the country is seeking foreign financing for tourism projects. He said GMR had made no calculation about the impact on its balance sheet if the contract is scrapped but added it could be “substantial”.

GMR’s shares closed at 20.05 rupees Wednesday after touching a lifetime low of 16.75 last week.

India, while not elaborating on how it will react if GMR is expelled, has said it is reviewing its aid and cooperation with Maldives, an archipelago of coralfringed islands famous as an upmarket honeymoon destination. — AFP

Thailand celebrates 85th birthday of revered king Large turnout a vivid demonstration of affection

AYODHYA: Indian policemen patrol on the eve of 20th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya yesterday. India risked being torn apart by sectarian conflict 20 years ago when Hindu zealots demolished a mosque, triggering deadly riots, but analysts say economic growth has proved a quiet balm on tensions. As the December 6, 20th anniversary of the Ayodhya violence approaches, attention, it would seem, is firmly focused on the growing economy and the riches it can bring.

US tells allies to make good on Afghan pledges BRUSSELS: The Obama administration pressed its European allies yesterday to follow through on their pledges to Afghanistan’s security after most international troops withdraw in 2014, fearful of being left with the check in an era of austerity budgets and defense cutbacks.

Donors pledged $4.1 billion a year to support Afghan forces from 2015 to 2017 at a May summit in Chicago - firming up a key plank of the US strategy to leave behind a secure Afghanistan after battling insurgents for more than a decade.

But many governments have yet to come through with the cash.

Speaking at NATO headquarters, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told allies it is “crucial for every nation to follow through on their commitments, and for those who haven’t yet committed any funding to do so.” To make her point, she invoked Afghanistan’s troubled history of chasing out the Soviet Union in the 1980s only to descend into civil war and the oppression of an extremist Taliban government. “All of us here have an interest in ensuring this region does not once again become a safe haven for international terrorists,” Clinton said. “We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of 1989 and just disengage. That’s why we made an enduring commitment, and it’s why we have to follow through on it - today, tomorrow and for years to come.”

For the United States, supporting Afghanistan’s army of about 230,000 men is also an issue of economics. Hoping to map the way out of an unpopular war, the US and NATO

brought in dozens of other countries earlier this year to build as broad a funding base as possible for Afghanistan’s still-developing army. The argument was straightforward: Even $4 billion a year to prop up the Afghan military comes out far cheaper than maintaining a foreign army in the country, and a lot easier for war-weary publics to swallow.

Together, the US and governments outside the fighting force promised to come up with the bulk of the money. But having repeatedly guaranteed the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai that his country won’t be abandoned, Washington doesn’t want to be left covering even more because of unfulfilled pledges.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said NATO and other coalition partners agreed Wednesday to develop a mechanism so funds are managed accountably and transparently. Widespread corruption in Afghanistan has prompted reservations by several governments.

Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai said his government was aware of the fiscal constraints cash-strapped European nations are facing, but he expressed confidence in all pledges being met.

The money “is an investment not only in the security of Afghanistan, but also in the security of the region and the wider world,” Mosazai told reporters at NATO. “So in our view, that is an efficient, cost-effective investment in long-term security.” — AP

BANGKOK: Vast crowds of devoted Thais turned out yesterday to catch a brief glimpse of their beloved king as the world’s longestreigning monarch celebrated his 85th birthday with a rare public appearance.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej sat on a throne on a balcony overlooking a plaza packed with a crowd that police estimated at 200,000 as he delivered a brief homily on national harmony. Most in the crowd were dressed in the royal color of yellow, many waving Thai flags and flags adorned with the king’s insignia.

Respectfully silent during the monarch’s halting words, they shouted “Long live the king” afterward, as well as when he made his way to and from the ceremonial Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall.

The turnout was a vivid demonstration of the affection in which many hold the king, despite political turmoil in recent years that has raised doubts about the future of the monarchy.

The king’s infrequent public appearances are poignant, since he is very visibly infirm with age and uses a wheelchair. He has spent the last three years living in a hospital, where he sometimes carries out royal duties such as the swearing-in of high officials.

The king, who took the throne in 1946, was originally hospitalized in September 2009 with a lung inflammation. Official statements have said he remained at the hospital for physical therapy and nourishment to regain his strength.

Bhumibol’s family flanked him yesterday for part of his appearance, including Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, his son and heir-apparent. However, his wife, Queen Sirikit, 80, was absent from the ceremony.

The royal palace issued a statement saying the queen’s doctors advised her against attending as even standing by the king’s side for an extended period might be strenuous for her because she is weak. She suffered stroke-like symptoms in July.

Several spectators in the packed crowd fainted in the high heat and humidity and needed medical attention.

The king’s occasional speeches in recent years have stressed the need for unity.

Yesterday, he thanked people for coming, saying their apparent show of unity “delighted and encouraged” him. “If Thai citizens still hold this virtue (harmony) in their hearts,

there is hope that in whatever the situation, Thailand would surely get through it safely and stably,” he said. He called on Buddha and holy spirits to bless the country and its people. The king traditionally has played a conciliatory role in Thai society, and his decline in health has coincided with trouble in the Southeast Asian nation.

A 2006 military coup ousting then-Prime

BANGKOK: Thai women hold a picture of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej before he addresses the crowd from a balcony of the Anantha Samakhom Throne Hall on his 85th birthday, in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. Vast crowds of devoted Thais turned out for a brief glimpse of their beloved king as he celebrates his 85th birthday with a rare public appearance. — AP Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ushered in a period of political instability marked by sometimes violent street protests.

Supporters of Thaksin blamed the palace though not so much the king himself - for supporting the coup.

The resulting social polarization brought into question the monarchy’s role in politics, undermining what had previously been nearuniversal respect for the royal institution.

The king’s near-disappearance from the public scene has also raised concerns about what will happen after his passing. Crown

Pakistan judge warns government over killings

NEW YORK: A carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Marine Lance Cpl. Anthony J. Denier Tuesday, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Department of Defense, Denier, 26, of Mechanicville, NY, died Dec. 2, 2012 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. — AP

S Lanka opposition urges fair trial for chief justice COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s main opposition said yesterday the chief justice, facing an impeachment motion moved by the ruling party, must be given a chance to cross-examine witnesses amid a standoff between the judiciary and the government .

The dispute has raised the risk of a destabilising clash, with both sides on a collision course since President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ruling party filed the motion against Shirani Bandaranayake, Sri Lanka’s first female head of the Supreme Court, last month. The United States, the United Nations and the Commonwealth have raised concern over the impeachment move and have called on the government to ensure the independence of the judiciary.

John Amaratunga, a legislator in the main opposition United National Party and a member of the impeachment committee probing the charges, said the chief justice must be given a chance question witnesses.

“The chief justice or her lawyers must be provided an opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and documents collected,” he told reporters.

“It is only then that the select committee has to

determine whether the chief justice is required to disprove the charges.”

Parliament Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, the elder brother of the president, has appointed an 11-member select committee, of whom seven are from the ruling party, to investigate the 14 charges ranging from hidden wealth to professional misconduct.

Bandaranayake recently came under criticism from government supporters for ruling against a bid by the central government to take control of an 80 billion rupee ($614.20 million) development budget, saying it had to be approved by nine provincial councils.

The opposition’s request came as judges on Monday demanded an impartial and transparent inquiry into the charges, labelling the government’s decision to appoint its own committee to probe the ruling party’s allegations a “a blatant violation of natural justice.” Chamal Rajapaksa last week rejected a Supreme Court summons challenging the legality of the impeachment move and the composition of the select committee. The Supreme Court rescheduled the hearing to Dec. 13 and 14. — Reuters

Prince Vajiralongkorn does not command the same respect and affection as the king, who was closely and actively involved in his country’s development efforts.

Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thailand’s current prime minister, led senior officials from government, the military and the courts in swearing allegiance to the king yesterday. Her brother, who is in self-

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top judge said yesterday he was determined to pursue the government over killings and disappearances in one of the most troubled parts of the country, accusing the authorities of inaction.

Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who in June dismissed the then prime minister, has for months been trying to investigate violence in Baluchistan, in southwestern Pakistan on the Afghan and Iranian borders.

Baluchistan is one of the most deprived areas of Pakistan.

Rights activists have accused the military of mass arrests and extrajudicial executions in its bid to put down a separatist insurgency that erupted in 2004. Chaudhry took the unprecedented step of ordering the security services to produce missing people in court, but said Wednesday that despite 71 hearings on Baluchistan, not a single missing person had been recovered.

“It is constitutional responsibility of executive government to protect life and property of citizens and failures to do so are bound to have consequences sooner or later,” Chaudhry told the court. Baluchistan is also plagued by Islamist militancy, and rights activists have raised concern about increasing sectarian violence against Shiite Muslims.

Chaudhry ordered the Baluchistan government to submit another report in two weeks’ time, but did not set a date for the next hearing. “We will keep this case open, because we have to ensure the fundamental rights of the people of Baluchistan. But those responsible are not delivering,” he said.

The judge said no one had been arrested over the killings of hundreds of Shiites and at least 26 doctors, and reprimanded security forces for not acting against “influential” people involved in kidnappings.

“Your own minister says on record that ‘yes our own people (in government) are involved in the crime. Somebody has to take the responsibility. The chief minister has to take responsibility,” Chaudhry said.

Shahid Hamid, a lawyer for the provincial government, said that in the last two weeks nine people had been arrested and claimed that there had been only one targeted and one sectarian killing. Baluch rebels have since 2004 been fighting for political autonomy and a greater share of profits from the region’s oil, mineral and gas resources.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Supreme Court yesterday asked the country’s electoral body to enlist the army and paramilitary forces to help verify controversial electoral rolls in Karachi ahead of elections due next year.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and its commercial capital, is in the grip of a long-running wave of political and sectarian violence and objections have been raised over voter lists ahead of a general election due in May next year.—AFP

imposed exile avoiding prison on a corruption conviction, remains the No. 1 enemy of Thai royalists, who accuse Thaksin of trying to usurp the king’s powers and denigrating the monarchy.

Open discussion of the monarchy and its future is difficult, because a lese majeste law makes it easy to prosecute people who have been accused of insulting the king or royal family. If convicted, they can be sentenced to three to 15 years in jail. There have been dozens of such cases in recent years, with several people convicted and jailed. — AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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

Malaysian police officer acquitted in teen’s death KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian court yesterday overturned the homicide conviction of a policeman who sprayed machine gun fire at a fleeing teen motorist, killing the boy and stoking anger over police brutality. Malaysia’s opposition denounced the verdict, calling for an appeal, while the family of 15-year-old Aminul Rasyid Amzah also said they were considering how to challenge the decision. Police officer Jenain Subi was convicted last year of causing the death of Aminul Rasyid in April 2010 by firing on a car driven by the youth in a suburb of the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Jenain had been sentenced to five years in prison.

He admitted firing 21 times with his submachine gun at Aminul Rasyid’s car in a bid to stop it after it had run through a police roadblock, the independent news portal The Malaysian Insider reported. But he has denied trying to kill the teen, who had sped through several traffic lights while taking the car on a joyride, leading police to believe he was a criminal on the run.

The judge overturned a lower court’s verdict after finding that “the intention of the shooter was to demobilise the car, not in any way to kill the boy”, said Salim Bashir, Jenain’s lawyer. Aminul Rasyid’s older sister, Azura, said the family would meet with lawyers on possibly challenging the verdict.

“It’s very sad,” Azura, 42, told AFP. She earlier was quoted by The Malaysian Insider as calling the ruling “unfair”. The prosecution can challenge the reversal in the nation’s Court of Appeal. Prosecutors in the case could not immediately be reached.

The lower court judge who had earlier convicted Jenain had called his use of force excessive. Police contend Jenain opened fire only after the teenager reversed the vehicle towards the police officer as he sought to escape, but a friend of Aminul Rasyid’s who was in the car has denied that claim.

Opposition politicians N. Surendran and Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of opposition leader

Anwar Ibrahim, said they were “shocked and disappointed” by Wednesday’s ruling. In a statement, they also alleged a police cover-up and called for a public apology.

The case reignited criticism of the Malaysian police force, which is widely viewed as trigger-happy, corrupt, and prone to manipulation by the country’s long-ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation. Malaysian media reported in October that the government said 298 people had been shot dead by police since 2007. In the wake of Aminul Rasyid’s death, the government had vowed to get to the bottom of how the boy was killed. — AFP

Philippine typhoon death toll nears 300 Parents search for missing children

JAKARTA: In this photo taken Dec 4, 2012, Indonesian police officers exercise during a new diet program for police in Tangerang, outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. Anyone over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) must follow the weight-loss program started because of the growing number of overweight officers and the perception that they are unable to provide public protection, said a Jakarta police spokesman. The banner reads “We are always loyal.” — AP

Fat police officers told to exercise in Indonesia TANGERANG: Potbellied police in Indonesia’s capital have been ordered to exercise, exchanging their uniforms twice a week for sweats and sneakers as they line up for aerobics and push-ups to try to drop a few pounds.

Anyone over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) must follow the weight-loss program started because of the growing number of overweight officers and the perception that they are unable to provide public protection, Jakarta police spokesman Col. Rikwanto said yesterday. Like many Indonesians he uses only one name. He said stress, sedentary lifestyles and junk food have made the capital’s police officers put on unwanted weight.

Registration that began last week has already enrolled nearly 300 heavy officers, and anyone deemed too fat will be required to exercise at least twice a week. He added that there are plans to expand the program nationwide.

No one will be punished for not losing weight, but the officers are not allowed to skip the exercise sessions. They can work at their own pace and are not required to follow strict diets. A similar program was started last

month by police in Tangerang, a city on the outskirts of Jakarta with 1,470 police officers.

They hired trainers to help 132 overweight officers get into shape. The program also involves a medical team that helps to monitor diets and health issues.

“The fat and paunchy cops can’t expect to catch fleeing criminals,” said Tangerang Police Chief Col. Wahyu Widada, while joining Tuesday afternoon’s exercise session along with hundreds of other officers, including obese cops. “This program is aimed at changing their unhealthy lifestyles.”

Some officers said they have managed to lose up to 2 kilograms (almost 4.5 pounds) after joining the program a month ago.

Others said they’ve seen no change. “I was embarrassed by my appearance. They keep motivating me ... it’s hard, but I have to try,” said Sgt. Sugiar, who weighs about 130 kilograms (286 pounds) and stands 175 centimeters (5 feet 7 inches) tall. “No changes so far.”

Indonesian police are typically viewed negatively by the public in a country where corruption runs rampant and officers have been involved in taking bribes. — AP

NEW BATAAN: Stunned parents searching for missing children examined a row of mud-stained bodies covered with banana leaves while survivors dried their soaked belongings on roadsides yesterday, a day after a powerful typhoon killed nearly 300 people in the southern Philippines.

Officials fear more bodies may be found as rescuers reach hard-hit areas that were isolated by landslides, floods and downed communications. At least 151 people died in the worst-hit province of Compostela Valley when Typhoon Bopha lashed the region Tuesday, including 78 villagers and soldiers who perished in a flash flood that swamped two emergency shelters and a military camp, provincial spokeswoman Fe Maestre said.

Disaster-response agencies reported 284 dead in the region and 14 fatalities elsewhere from the typhoon, one of the strongest to hit the country this year. About 80 people survived the deluge in New Bataan with injuries, and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who visited the town, said 319 others remained missing. “These were whole families among the registered missing,” Roxas told the ABS-CBN TV network. “Entire families may have been washed away.” The farming town of 45,000 people was a muddy wasteland of collapsed houses and coconut and banana trees felled by Bopha’s ferocious winds.

Bodies of victims were laid on the ground for viewing by people searching for missing relatives. Some were badly mangled after being dragged by raging flood waters over rocks and other debris. A man sprayed insecticide on the remains to keep away swarms of flies.

A father wept when he found the body of his child after lifting a plastic cover. A mother, meanwhile, went away in tears, unable to find her missing children. “I have three children,” she said repeatedly, flashing three fingers before a TV cameraman. Two men carried the mud-caked body of an unidentified girl that was covered with coconut leaves on a makeshift stretcher made from a blanket and wooden poles. Dionisia Requinto, 43, felt lucky to have survived with her husband and their eight children after swirling flood waters surrounded their home. She said they escaped and made their way up a hill to safety, bracing themselves against boulders and fallen trees as they climbed.

“The water rose so fast,” she told AP. “It was horrible. I thought it was going to be our end.” In nearby Davao Oriental, the coastal province first struck by the typhoon as it blew from the Pacific Ocean, at least 115 people perished, mostly in

three towns that were so battered that it was hard to find any buildings with roofs remaining, provincial officer Freddie Bendulo and other officials said.

“We had a problem where to take the evacuees. All the evacuation centers have lost their roofs,” Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon said. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies issued an urgent appeal for $4.8 million to help people directly affected by the typhoon. The sun was shining brightly for most of the day Wednesday, prompting residents to lay their soaked clothes, books and other belongings out on roadsides to dry and revealing the extent of the damage to farmland. Thousands of banana trees in one Compostela Valley plantation were toppled by the wind, the young bananas still wrapped in blue plastic covers.

But as night fell, however, rain started pouring again over New Bataan, triggering panic among some residents who feared a repeat of the previous day’s flash floods. Some carried whatever belongings they could as they hurried to nearby towns or higher ground.

After slamming into Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley, Bopha roared quickly across

the southern Mindanao and central regions, knocking out power in two entire provinces, triggering landslides and leaving houses and plantations damaged. More than 170,000 fled to evacuation centers.

As of Wednesday evening, the typhoon was over the South China Sea west of Palawan province. It was blowing northwestward and could be headed to Vietnam or southern China, according to government forecasters. The deaths came despite efforts by President Benigno Aquino III’s government to force residents out of high-risk communities as the typhoon approached.

Some 20 typhoons and storms lash the northern and central Philippines each year, but they rarely hit the vast southern Mindanao region where sprawling export banana plantations have been planted over the decades because it seldom experiences strong winds that could blow down the trees. A rare storm in the south last December killed more than 1,200 people and left many more homeless. The United States extended its condolences and offered to help its Asian ally deal with the typhoon’s devastation. It praised government efforts to minimize the deaths and damage. — AP

NEW BATAAN: A rescuer covers bodies recovered from flashflood in New Bataan, Compostela Valley province, southern Philippines yesterday. The death toll from Typhoon Bhopa climbed to nearly 300 people yesterday, while scores of others remain missing in the worst-hit areas of the southern Philippines. — AP

China Nobel literature winner to avoid politics

ISHIGAKI: A ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor is transported through a street in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan, after it was unloaded from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force transport ship Kunisaki yesterday.

The Kunisaki and another MSDF transport ship, the Osumi, carried the missile interceptors to be deployed in Okinawa to prepare for North Korea’s planned rocket launch. — AP

S Korea uncovers new fake documents at nuke plants SEOUL: South Korean officials said yesterday they had uncovered new instances of fake certificates being supplied for parts operating in nuclear power plants, but a source indicated that the revelations would cause no further reactor shutdowns.

Authorities shut two of the country’s 23 reactors last month after a nuclear safety commission found fake certificates supplied by eight firms. With nuclear power providing a third of electricity, that raised the prospect of winter shortages.

A third reactor was subjected to extended maintenance after microscopic cracks were found in tunnels that control fuel rods. The commission subsequently found nearly 1,000 more parts had been supplied with fake certificates by two other firms, but said remaining reactors would stay in operation.

In the latest revelations, the Board of Audit and Inspection said two unidentified firms had forged a combined 87 documents affecting parts.

It gave no further details, but a source at Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power said the documents related to parts not directly linked to the nuclear process, including pumps and cylinder heads for diesel engines. The documents served as guarantees for the quality of

raw materials used to make the parts.

“This case is different from last month’s as it is related to raw materials for parts,” said the source, who declined to be identified.

“We have no plans for (further) shutdowns as the parts are tiny.” The source said the affected parts were worth a total of 1.6 billion won ($1.48 million), while officials said all parts supplied by the companies were worth a total 11.4 billion won.

Authorities also said the parts affected in last month’s revelations, including fuses, switches and heat sensors, had no connection to the nuclear process and ruled out any safety risk. Officials in Asia’s fourth-largest economy have said they may have to resort to rolling blackouts as the grid will have less than a third of normal reserve capacity.

The government has been criticised for a lack of transparency over safety in its nuclear programme and for the dual supervisory and promotion roles of regulators. But the scandals have caused no backlash with the public, which remains fundamentally pronuclear. An opposition lawmaker has pressed the government to resume publishing polls on nuclear safety after a loss of confidence in the sector after last year’s Fukushima disaster in Japan.— Reuters

BEIJING: China’s Nobel literature winner Mo Yan headed to Sweden yesterday to collect his award, but he walks a delicate line with the authorities and is likely to avoid mentioning in his speech jailed fellow laureate Liu Xiaobo.

Mo Yan has been hailed as a national hero since the prize announcement in October, and his works have rocketed up China’s best-seller lists.

But he has also had to contend with criticism from activists who brand him a stooge for the ruling Communist Party.

State media reported the writer was leaving yesterday for Stockholm, where he will give his Nobel lecture on Friday ahead of the prize ceremony on Monday. Until the award Mo Yan had won critical praise but little mainstream fame for his works, which blend harshly realistic accounts of life in China’s countryside with fantastical and sometimes grotesque satire, including cannibalism and orgiastic feasting.

But the announcement prompted Chinese readers to snap up his books, leaving retailers

around the country with empty shelves. He earned royalties of 21.5 million yuan ($3.5 million) this year, the second-highest of any Chinese writer, according to an annual survey.

Gaomi, his home town, announced $107 million in projects to honour him, including a “Mo Yan Culture Experience Zone” and the planting of swathes of red sorghum, in honour of his bestknown work, a 1987 novella named after the plant. State-run media was effusive, hailing him as China’s first Nobel literature prize winner, even though Chinese-born Gao Xingjian-whose works were banned in China and who later took French nationality-won the 2000 literature award.

Liu Xiaobo, who was jailed in 2009 for calling for democratic change, was awarded the Peace prize the following year, but officials excoriated the decision as interference in China’s internal affairs. The Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was also awarded the 1989 peace prize.

Mo Yan himself was criticised for holding a senior role in the state-backed Chinese Writers’

GAOMI: In a file picture taken on October 12, 2012, Chinese author Mo Yan gives a press conference at a hotel in Gaomi, in eastern China’s Shandong province. China’s Nobel literature winner Mo Yan headed to Sweden yesterday to collect his award, but he walks a delicate line with the authorities and is likely to avoid mentioning in his speech jailed fellow laureate Liu Xiaobo. — AFP

Association, and for joining a government-sanctioned walk-out of a German book fair in protest at the presence of dissident writers.

Yu Jie, an exiled dissident writer, was quoted

by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle as calling Mo’s award “the biggest scandal in the history of the Nobel prize for literature”. Romanian-born novelist Herta Mueller, who won the literature prize in 2009, called Mo’s win a “catastrophe,” saying: “He celebrates censorship. It’s extremely upsetting.”

But Mo surprised his critics when he mentioned Liu Xiaobo at a press conference in October. “I hope he can gain freedom as early as possible,” he said. He strove to separate his work from politics, saying that his Nobel win was “a literature victory, not a political victory”.

Mo Yan has long trodden a fine line between criticising China’s political establishment and cooperating with it, said Ma Xiangwu, a literature professor at the People’s University in Beijing.

“For a long time Mo has occupied a position within the system, but not totally within it,” he said.

“His works are often very critical of society and politics-he’s too complex to be put in a box.”

In keeping with that, he said there was “absolutely no chance” Mo would refer to Liu in his Nobel lecture. “He won’t mention sensitive issues during his speech. I think he will be quite moderate. I don’t think he will directly criticise the government... but I also don’t expect he will heap extravagant praise on China,” he added.

In an open letter published Tuesday, more than 130 past Nobel winners urged the Chinese Communist Party’s new chief Xi Jinping to release Liu. The sensitivity of the issue is such that Wei Yingjie, an author and book critic, declined to mention Liu Xiaobo by name.

“It is possible that the Writers’ Association and government officials will remind Mo Yan not to mention sensitive topics during his speech,” he said. “I don’t think there is a big chance he will mention him of his own accord. He has already said more than Chinese web users are permitted to say online.” — AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

NEWS

Protesters on streets for third...

Continued from Page 1

Two young boys soak up the sunshine underneath a washline in a refugee camp on the border between Syria and Turkey near the northern city of Azaz yesterday. The internally displaced faced further misery as heavy rain was followed by a drop in temperatures. — AFP

Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad AlSabah following street protests.

The new government must be formed before Dec 16, when the new National Assembly is scheduled to convene for the first time. The new Cabinet must include at least one elected MP and unelected ministers automatically become member of the Assembly. The formation of the new government comes amid heightened tension as youth activists have been staging street protests in various parts of the country. The opposition has demanded that the newly elected Assembly must be scrapped because it is illegitimate and the amendment of the electoral law must be repealed because it breaches the constitution. The opposition plans to hold a huge demonstration on Saturday to protest against the election and to demand scrapping the amendment.

The liberal National Democratic Forum said in a statement yesterday that the low voter turnout of 39.7 percent indicates to the success of the boycott campaign and the rejection of a majority of the Kuwaiti people to go to the ballots to elect a Assembly on the basis of a deformed law that was created outside the

Assembly. The statement said the regime is required to read the outcome of the elections and the turnout, which is the lowest ever in Kuwait’s parliamentary life.

This requires to side by the constitution and the decision of the people and to immediately dissolve the new Assembly which has failed on political and popular levels, it said. The political developments and the level of escalation is expected whenever the regime deviates from the course of the constitution and tries to isolate the people and sideline their role in managing its affairs, the statement said. The way out of the crisis requires a true understanding of the demands of the people, the inevitability of developing a democratic state and a firm conviction that running the affairs of the country should be based on the principle of partnership and not competition, it said.

Former liberal MP Aseel Al-Awadhi meanwhile described the protests in various parts of the country as a social uprising rather than political and blamed the wrong management of the country for the events. The liberal Kuwait Democratic Forum also called on organizers of the protests to keep it peaceful and select the right locations, otherwise they risk losing their legitimacy.

14

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

ANALYSIS

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Issues

Obama could risk going over ‘cliff’

By Julie Pace t may be just a bluff or a bargaining ploy, but the White House is signaling that President Barack Obama is willing to let the country go over the “fiscal cliff,” a hard-line negotiating strategy aimed at winning concessions from Republicans on taxes. If Washington really does fail to avert the looming series of tax hikes and spending cuts, the White House will portray Republicans as the culprits for insisting on protecting tax cuts for the wealthy, an effort the administration is laying the groundwork for now. “This is a choice of the Republican Party,” said Dan Pfeiffer, White House communications director. “If they are willing to do higher rates on the wealthy, there’s a lot we can talk about. And if they are not, then they’ll push us over the cliff.”

But going over the cliff also would be full of risk for a president fresh off re-election and facing at least two more years of divided government. Ending the year without a deal could roil financial markets and dent consumer confidence just as the economy is strengthening. It could make it harder for Obama to get Republican help on his secondterm priorities like overhauling the immigration system and the nation’s tax code, or in getting potential Cabinet replacements confirmed.

And it would signal to the country that the president’s campaign prediction that the GOP “fever” would break following his re-election was a pipe dream. House Speaker John Boehner says Obama is playing a risky game. “If the president really wants to avoid sending the economy over the fiscal cliff, he has done nothing to demonstrate it,” the speaker said.

White House advisers say the president wants to avoid going into next year without a tax and spending deal, a scenario they say would hurt the economy. But with few signs of progress in postelection negotiations with Republicans, administration officials are hardening their warning that Obama will take that risk if the GOP refuses to drop its opposition to raising tax rates on families making more than $250,000 a year.

Of course, the White House warning could be a bluff, offered in the belief that Republicans are unlikely to back down on taxes unless they believe Obama is willing to go over the cliff. The White House says Obama’s firm stand on tax rate increases for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans is driven by economics. The debt-saddled country can’t afford to continue with the George W Bushera tax cuts, the president and his advisers argue. Obama has made that case to Republicans before only to back down in the final stages of negotiations. But this time around, the president and his team believe they hold the political leverage.

There is some evidence to bolster that notion. Taxes were a centerpiece of the presidential campaign, with Obama running on a pledge to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and return their rates to where they were in the 1990s, when the economy was thriving.

Exit polls showed that 60 percent of voters supported that position, an even higher percentage than backed Obama’s re-election. A new poll also suggests a majority of Americans would blame Republicans if the government goes over the fiscal cliff. Just 27 percent of those surveyed said they would blame Obama, compared with 53 percent who said they would point the finger at the GOP, according to the Washington Post-Pew Research Center Poll.

Seeking to cement those impressions, the White House is casting Republicans as willing to forgo tax cuts for the middle class in order to protect lower rates for wealthier Americans. Rates for all income earners will go up at the end of the year if both sides can’t reach a deal. In turn, Republicans say Obama is acting like a stubborn partisan who will put the economy in peril in order to get his way.

“My sense is the White House wants to go over the cliff,” said Tony Fratto, a former Treasury and White House official under President George W. Bush. “That may be the only way they get rates they want.”

Going over the cliff could mark a new low in the relationship between the president and congressional Republicans. While the contentious debates earlier in Obama’s first term over funding the government and raising the nation’s borrowing limit went right up to the edge, both sides were always able to reach a deal. As Obama ran for re-election, he sought to assure voters weary of Washington’s bickering that things would be better if he won a second term. Speaking to supporters in June, he said, “I believe that if we’re successful in this election when we’re successful in this election - that the fever may break.” “My hope, my expectation, is that after the election, now that it turns out that the goal of beating Obama doesn’t make much sense because I’m not running again, that we can start getting some cooperation again,” he added optimistically. —AP

I

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.

For EU, way ahead may be 3-lane highway

By Luke Baker uch has been written over the past year about the risks of a two-speed Europe in which the 17 euro zone countries move ahead more rapidly than the rest of the European Union. Such a divergence, the conventional wisdom goes, could mark the beginning of an unravelling of nearly 60 years of post-war European integration and tear the EU apart. Yet rather than having one speed, two speeds, no speed at all or being on the brink of shifting into reverse, the European Union more accurately resembles a three-lane highway.

And when EU leaders next meet at a summit in Brussels on Dec 13-14, it is the road ahead that will be the focus of discussions. In the slow lane, closest to the exit ramp should it choose to swerve off, is Britain, the reluctant partner of Europe for the past 40 years. As London mayor Boris Johnson, a potential future prime minister and former Brussels journalist, reiterated this week, Britain is in the process of reshaping its ties to Europe, with the goal being less engagement not more.

Many Britons resent what they see as interference by the European Union in issues ranging from London’s standing as a financial centre to the voting rights of prisoners. For now, Britain is headed in the same direction as everyone else but in the months or years ahead it could well decide it has less to gain from being in than being out. Beyond Britain, it’s harder to pin down precisely which countries are sticking to the far-right lane (or left on British motorways), but EU diplomats asked for their views suggest at least two: the Czech Republic and Sweden.

Neither has taken the same public hard line as Britain in the debate, but in subtler ways both have shown an

M

increasing discomfort with where the EU is headed as the push for deeper and more rapid integration gains momentum. At the end of 2011, the Czechs joined Britain in refusing to sign up to the “fiscal compact”, a treaty that enforces tighter budget discipline on member states and which the other 25 EU countries have ratified. Sweden came close to allying itself with Britain and the Czechs on the compact and is now in the same broad camp as them on another sensitive and pressing issue - banking union.

The push to set up a unified banking structure across the euro zone and wider EU has prompted non-euro states to define their positions sharply. They are concerned about losing sovereignty over their banks if the European Central Bank, a euro-focused institution, is given sole charge of oversight. For different reasons Britain, Sweden, the Czech Republic and a handful of others, including Hungary and Poland, are troubled by the banking framework and find themselves at odds with what they see as a euro-centric policy drive.

Such differences are visible in decisions beyond the future of economic and monetary union as well. Next week, the European Union will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo. At least 20 EU heads of state or government are scheduled to attend, but those not going include the leaders of Britain, Sweden and the Czech Republic. “There’s no question Britain is in the slow lane and thinking about the exit,” said the Europe minister of one EU country. “And I would put Sweden and the Czechs there too.

They may not be about to turn off, but they are definitely going slow.”

The fast lane should, in theory, be busy with the 17 countries that share the single currency, all of them moving at the same speed as if travelling on a German autobahn.

The picture is not so clear cut. While a handful may be able to keep up with the pace, others are struggling. Not only are they holding up the traffic, but they could cause an accident. After three years of the debt crisis, it’s not hard to identify who they may be: Greece and Portugal for sure, and to an extent Ireland, even if it has picked up the pace.

Behind them are several others that will either be bailed out soon, have asked for assistance or may have to in the months ahead, including Cyprus, Spain and Italy. The remaining 11 euro countries range from Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and Austria at one end of the speed spectrum to Estonia, Slovakia, Malta and Slovenia at the other, with France and Belgium hovering somewhere in between.

Perhaps the most challenging place to be is the middle lane. It is difficult to work out which of the seven or so countries are about to move into the fast lane, which are drifting to the slow side and which are staying in the middle. Hungary is a case in point. It is committed to joining the euro in the years ahead and yet has repeatedly shown British-style frustrations with where the EU is headed, particularly when it comes to banking union and justice issues.

Poland is not so hard to read, but still in two minds about the euro and when to adopt it. Lithuania wants to join the currency as soon as possible, but may not be up to speed.

And Denmark is steering clear of both the euro and major parts of EU legislation, but remains a committed European.

“The middle lane is difficult because some countries are indicating left and yet drifting right,” said a senior EU official involved in tackling the debt crisis, warming to the extended metaphor. “You almost need an exit ramp straight off the fast lane, otherwise you may end up with Greece swerving across three lanes of traffic to get off the road.” —Reuters

Cashing in on Gangnam Style’s YouTube fame

By Youkyung Lee and Ryan Nakashima s “Gangnam Style” gallops toward 1 billion views on YouTube, the first Asian pop artist to capture a massive global audience has gotten richer click by click. So too has his agent and his grandmother. But the money from music sales isn’t flowing in from the rapper’s homeland South Korea or elsewhere in Asia. With one song, 34-year-old Park Jae-sang - better known as PSY - is set to become a millionaire from YouTube ads and iTunes downloads, underlining a shift in how money is being made in the music business.

An even bigger dollop of cash will come from TV commercials.

From just those sources, PSY and his camp will rake in at least $7.9 million this year, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of publicly available information and industry estimates. But for online music sales in South Korea, he’ll earn less than $60,000.

Here’s how it works.

A

YouTube “Gangnam Style” with its catchy tune and much imitated horse-riding dance is the most-watched video on YouTube ever. The viral video has clocked more than 880 million YouTube views since its July release, beating Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” which racked up more than 808 million views since February 2010. PSY’s official channel on YouTube, which curates his songs and videos of his concerts, has nearly 1.3 billion views.

TubeMogul, a video ad buying platform, estimates that PSY and his agent YG Entertainment have raked in about $870,000 as their share of the revenue from ads that appear with YouTube videos. The Google Inc.owned video service keeps approximately half. PSY and YG Entertainment also earn money from views of videos that parody his songs. Google detects videos that use copyrighted content. Artists can have the video removed or allow it to stay online and share ad revenue with YouTube. In the last week of September when “Gangnam Style” had around 300 million views, more than 33,000 videos were identified by the content identification system as using “Gangnam Style”.

But since YouTube can be accessed from all over the world, wouldn’t Asia be responsible for a significant chunk of the $870,000?

The countries with the second and thirdhighest views of the video are Thailand and South Korea. “Ads rates vary depending on which country the video is played.

Developed countries have higher ad rates and developing countries lower,” said Brian Suh, head of YouTube Partnership in Seoul.

And the country with the most views of “Gangnam Style?” The United States.

Legal Downloads, CDs “Gangnam Style” has been downloaded 2.7 million times in the US and has been the No. 1 or No. 2 seller for

most weeks since its debut, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The song sells for $1.29 on Apple’s iTunes Store, the market leader in song downloads. Apple generally keeps about 30 percent of all sales, so the PSY camp could be due more than $2.4 million. How much PSY keeps and how much goes to his managers, staff and record label is unclear.

South Korean industry insiders said PSY likely gets 70 percent and YG Entertainment 30 percent for US downloads.

But earnings from downloads in PSY’s homeland are far from an embarrassment of riches. South Koreans pay less than $10 a month for a subscription to a music service that allows them to download hundreds of songs or have unlimited access to a music streaming service. That makes the cost of a downloaded song about 10 cents on average. The average price for streaming a song is 0.2 cent. PSY’s cut for downloads is 14 percent. That falls to 7.5 percent for streamed songs. Yes, 7.5 percent of 0.2 cent. And that’s before PSY’s “Gangnam Style” co-composer take his share. The biggest cut goes to his agent and online retailers. According to South Korea’s national Gaon Chart, “Gangnam Style” was downloaded more than 3.6 million times and streamed around 40 million times as of November. That adds up to a little more than $61,000.

It’s likely the fast fading music CD industry generated even smaller revenue. PSY’s 9 percent cut from sales of 102,000 CDs in South Korea would earn him $50,000 or more, according to an estimate by Kim Dong-hyun, a senior manager at Korea Music Copyright Association. As for many other parts of Asia, illegal downloads and pirated CDS are so pervasive that only a small minority are willing to pay up for the legal versions.

TV Commercials PSY has been jetting around the world, performing on shows such as “The X Factor Australia” and NBC’s “Today Show,” but such programs usually cover travel costs and not much else, said Gary Bongiovanni, editor-inchief of concert trade magazine Pollstar. It is television commercials that are the big money spinner for the most successful of South Korea’s K-pop stars. PSY has been popping up

in TV commercials in South Korea for top brands such as Samsung Electronics and mobile carrier LG Uplus. Chung Yu-seok, an analyst at Kyobo Securities, estimates PSY’s commercial deals would amount to 5 billion won ($4.6 million) this year. The money is cool. The products not so much. PSY is now the face of a new Samsung refrigerator and a major noodle company.

The Family A fact little known outside South Korea is that PSY’s father, uncle and grandmother own a combined 30 percent of DI Corp, a company which makes equipment that semiconductor companies use to make computer chips. It’s a stretch to plausibly explain how the success of “Gangnam Style” will boost DI’s profits but that doesn’t matter to the South Korean stock market. Perhaps inspired by the pure power of pop, DI shares surged eightfold from July after PSY’s hit reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the UK singles chart. It was time to cash in for PSY’s grandmother, who sold 5,378 shares for about $65,000. The share price has fallen since then but is still about double what it was before the release of “Gangnam Style.”

PSY’s agent YG Entertainment has also done well. Its share price is up about 30 percent since mid-July. The value of CEO Yang Hyunsuk’s stake has swelled to about $200 million, making him among the richest in South Korea’s entertainment industry.

The Future The question now hanging over PSY is whether he will replicate the blockbuster success of “Gangnam Style” or end up remembered as a one-hit wonder. “When this slows down, what comes next for PSY?” said Nielsen analytics vice president David Bakula.

“Is it the evolution of a new musical style, something audiences are going to be craving en masse, or is it something that’s just a passing fancy?” Analysts say “Gangnam Style” alone will not be enough to propel PSY into the ranks of musicians such as Adele and may not even be enough to make him the topgrossing K-pop star. That will depend largely on his upcoming album, which PSY said will be released in March. —AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

sp orts Lydiate to ditch Dragons

F1 set for 20 races in 2013

Cerezo: ‘Who is Mourinho?’

NEWPORT: Wales flanker Dan Lydiate will leave the Newport Gwent Dragons at the end of the season and join an unnamed European club, the Welsh side said yesterday. The 24-year-old, who missed Wales’ recent international defeats with a serious ankle injury, is expected to move to France where clubs are benefiting from extensive financial backing. Lydiate’s international team mates scrum-half Mike Phillips, prop Gethin Jenkins, utility back James Hook and former Dragons lock Luke Charteris all play in France. “We are obviously very disappointed that Danny has decided to leave the Dragons,” Dragons director of rugby Rob Beale told the club’s website. “He has been a key part of our set up for several years and is popular with both the players and the coaches.

“I can assure our supporters that we did all that we could to retain Dan’s services but we simply cannot compete with the offers which have been put on the table.” Lydiate was named Six Nations Player-ofthe-Tournament as Wales claimed the grand slam earlier this year and he is a likely candidate to make the squad for the British and Irish Lions tour next season. — Reuters

LONDON: Formula One could have 20 races again next season after the sport’s governing body said yesterday it had pencilled in an unspecified European race to make up for a postponed grand prix in New Jersey.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that the German Grand Prix has been moved from July 14 to July 7 with July 21 now “reserved for another F1 European event” subject to approval of national bodies. That date would be back-to-back with Hungary on July 28 while Germany would follow on immediately from the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on June 30, according to the previous provisional calendar. Istanbul, where the FIA is currently meeting, would be one likely option with renewed talk in recent days of the Turkish Grand Prix making a return to the calendar after being dropped this year.

France, which has returned to the frame with either its Magny-Cours circuit or Le Castellet in the south, could be another possibility. Formula One had a record 20 races this season but the absence of New Jersey, which had been due to make its debut with a race on June 16 while Valencia dropped off the list, had reduced that to 19. — Reuters

MADRID: Atletico Madrid were again put firmly in their place by Real Madrid in the city derby last weekend but they have not lost their sense of humour as the fallout from the game continues to make headlines in Spain.

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo was asked about comments Jose Mourinho made after Real’s 2-0 win at the Bernabeu, when the Portuguese coach brushed aside a question on whether there had been any tension between the dugouts during the game.

“Who is (German) ‘Mono’ Burgos?,” Mourinho had replied when asked about a reported threat directed at him from Atletico coach Diego Simeone’s assistant. Cerezo was asked for his opinion on the incident by reporters on Wednesday.

“Who is Mourinho?,” he replied with a deadpan face. “The president of Celta Vigo? (Celta’s president is Carlos Mourino). “Ah, the Real Madrid coach. I assume between professionals they know each other.” Atletico have gone 22 La Liga matches without a win over their city rivals but remain second in the standings behind unbeaten Barcelona, five points ahead of Real in third. —Reuters

Sri Lanka see Aussie backlash COLOMBO: Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has warned his team to be wary of a backlash from Australia in their three-test series after the hosts were stung by their series defeat to South Africa earlier this week.

Australia’s hopes of snatching the Proteas’ top test ranking ended in a crushing 309-run defeat in the third and final test in Per th on Monday, but Jayawardene took little comfort from the home side’s disappointment. “I see them as wounded soldiers — they could come back stronger against us,” Jayawardene told reporters in Canberra yesterday, on the eve of a three-day tour match against a Chairman’s XI side.

“So we just need to make sure we are ready for that and start well. “We can’t be complacent - we need to make sure we know from ball one we give them a good go at it.” Sri Lanka have their own problems coming into the first test at Hobart next week, losing their last test at home to New Zealand by 167 runs to level a two-match series 1-1, with key batsmen

out of form. Kumar Sangakkara scored five, nought and 16 in his three innings against New Zealand, but Jayawardene backed the veteran to bounce back in Sri Lanka’s bid to win their first test Down Under.

“I am happy that he went through a lean phase because he’ll be really hungry for runs - that ’s Kumar for you,” Jayawardene said of the 35-year-old stalwart. Jayawardene also said he would weigh up his future as captain after the series, which includes tests in Melbourne and Sydney, after taking on the role for a second time in the wake of Tillakaratne Dilshan’s sudden resignation in January.

“After this, we get a well-deserved four weeks off, after about three years, so it gives me a bit of time to think (about) what I need to do,” said Jayawardene, who captained the team for more than three years in his first stint from 2006. “We need to groom another leader as well. It’s very important to have that changeover done smoothly while the senior players are still in the side.” — Reuters

Dettori banned for six months PARIS: Italian jockey Frankie Dettori has been banned from riding in French races for six months after a positive dope test at Longchamp, the French racing authority said yesterday. Dettori, 41, tested positive for the unidentified substance on Sept. 16.

“France Galop stewards decided...to ban jockey Frankie Dettori from riding in public races from December 19, 2012 to May 19, 2013,” the French authority said in a statement. “They also asked the foreign racing authorities to extend the ban to the races they rule.”

Dettori was suspended for six months in 2006 after failing a drugs test. The British-based jockey will also have to undergo a further test from April 20 next year before he is cleared to resume riding.

“Samples will be taken during this medical in order to test him for prohibited substances again,” the statement said.

Dettori, one of the biggest names in flat

racing, won all seven races in one afternoon at Ascot in 1996, costing bookmakers millions of pounds in payouts.

He announced in October that he was ending his 18-year stint as the retained jockey for the Godolphin stable of Sheikh Mohammed, for whom he has ridden 110 Group One winners around the world since 1994.

Dettori’s solicitor Christopher StewartMoore said in a statement his client fully accepted the decision. “He also accepts that he has let down the sport he loves and all those associated with it, as well as the wider public. But most of all - and this is his greatest regret - he has let down his wife and children,” Stewart-Moore said.

“Racing has been good to Frankie, and he knows that his privileged position brings with it responsibility. For this reason, he is determined to re-build his reputation when he returns to the saddle in six months’ time.” — Reuters

PHILADELPHIA: Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love (right) shoots past Philadelphia 76ers’ Spencer Hawes in the first half of an NBA basketball game. — AP

Wizards, Thunder advance WASHINGTON: The Washington Wizards can’t beat many teams, but they beat the best: LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Perhaps inspired by the courtside presence of Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, the Wizards doubled their victory total this season with a 105-101 win over the Heat on Tuesday night, despite James’ triple-double of 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

Jordan Crawford led Washington with 22 points, including three free throws in the final 11 seconds, while James missed a potentially tying 3-pointer with 3.9 to go. While the reigning NBA champion Heat’s six-game win streak ended, and they fell to 12-4, the Wizards improved to 2-13. They started the season 0-12, but have won two of their last three.

Kevin Seraphin had 16 points and 10 boards to help Washington outrebound Miami 44-43.

Dwyane Wade scored 24 for Miami, while Chris Bosh added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Miami made only 8 of 28 attempts on 3-pointers.

Thunder 117, Nets 111 In New York, Kevin Durant scored 32 points, Russell Westbrook had 25 points and nine assists, and Oklahoma City held off Brooklyn for its sixth straight victory. Serge Ibaka added 18 points and Thabo Sefolosha 14 for the Thunder, who revved up the NBA’s No. 1 offense to surpass 100 points in a 10th straight game for the first time in 15 years.

The Thunder, who beat the Nets for the seventh straight time, let a 16-point lead shrink to two down the stretch, even as they shot 60.6 percent for the game. Deron Williams scored a season-high 34 points for the Nets, who had their six-game home winning streak snapped.

ASCOT: In this Thursday, June 21, 2012 file photo Frankie Dettori (left) celebrates after winning the Gold Cup horse race with Color Vision. — AP

Rockets 107, Lakers 105 In Houston, Toney Douglas had a seasonhigh 22 points and Greg Smith added a careerbest 21 to help Houston beat Los Angeles. The Lakers had a 13-point lead with less than 10 minutes to go, but Houston used two big runs, including a 9-2 spurt, to take a 100-99 lead with about 2 1/2 minutes left.

Kobe Bryant hit a 3-pointer with 13.3 seconds left to cut the lead to 106-105 before fouling Douglas, who made one of two free throws with 8.8 seconds left. Bryant missed a 3-point attempt before Metta World Peace was off on a putback to give Houston the win. Bryant led

the Lakers with 39 points and Howard had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Pacers 80, Bulls 76 In Chicago, Paul George scored 34 points, and Roy Hibbert added 10 points and 11 rebounds to help Indiana close its road trip at 3-1 with a win over Chicago. The Bulls, who failed to win three straight for the first time this season, were able to keep David West, Indiana’s leading scorer, in check - but George picked up the slack. George scored 10 points in the first quarter, highlighted by a thunderous dunk as George Hill’s 3-point attempt bounced up off the back of the rim. Nate Robinson scored 19 of the 25 points the Bulls got from their reserves.

Carlos Boozer notched his seventh double-double in nine games with 14 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago.

Grizzlies 108, Suns 98 In Memphis, Zach Randolph set season highs with 38 points and 22 rebounds to carry Memphis down the stretch and in overtime in a win over Phoenix. Randolph was 15 of 22 from the field and he dominated in the latter stages

of the fourth quarter and early minutes of overtime. He also had three blocks, two in overtime, as Memphis outscored the Suns 14-4 in the extra period, with all the Suns’ points coming at the foul line. Quincy Pondexter had a seasonhigh 16 points for Memphis, while Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay scored 14 apiece. Mike Conley had 11 points and five assists for the Grizzlies.

Goran Dragic scored 19 points and Luis Scola added 16 for the Suns.

Timberwolves 105, 76ers 88 In Philadelphia, Josh Howard had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Alexey Shved hit four 3pointers and scored 17 points to lead Minnesota over Philadelphia. Kevin Love had six points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who raced to a 23-point lead in the first half.

Jose Barea came off the bench and finished with 11 points and 10 assists, and three other Minnesota reserves also reached double figures.

The Timberwolves made 11 of their first 19 3point attempts after coming in shooting a woeful 27 percent from long range this season. Evan Turner led the Sixers with 19 points. — AP

NBA results/standings Minnesota 105, Philadelphia 88; Washington 105, Miami 101; Oklahoma City 117, Brooklyn 111; Indiana 80, Chicago 76; Memphis 108, Phoenix 98 (OT); Houston 107, LA Lakers 105.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT NY Knicks 12 4 .750 11 6 .647 Brooklyn Philadelphia 10 8 .556 Boston 9 8 .529 Toronto 4 14 .222 Central Division Milwaukee 8 8 .500 Indiana 9 9 .500 Chicago 8 8 .500 Detroit 6 13 .316 Cleveland 4 14 .222 Southeast Division Miami 12 4 .750 Atlanta 9 5 .643 Charlotte 7 9 .438 Orlando 7 10 .412 Washington 2 13 .133

GB 1.5 3 3.5 9 3.5 5 2 5 5.5 9.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 15 4 .789 9 9 .500 Denver Minnesota 8 8 .500 Utah 9 10 .474 Portland 8 10 .444 Pacific Division LA Clippers 11 6 .647 10 7 .588 Golden State LA Lakers 8 10 .444 Phoenix 7 12 .368 Sacramento 4 12 .250 Southwest Division Memphis 13 3 .813 San Antonio 14 4 .778 Houston 9 8 .529 Dallas 8 9 .471 New Orleans 5 11 .313

South Africa look to build on Australia win CAPE TOWN: South Africa want to use their recent series win in Australia as a stepping stone to cement their position as the world’s dominant test team and to build something “really special”, captain Graeme Smith said yesterday.

The Proteas, who have not lost an away test series since 2006, won their second consecutive series in Australia after their victory in the third test in Perth. They have a rating of 123 in the test rankings, with England in second place on 117.

South Africa take on New Zealand in a two-test home series in January and Smith said the tests would provide the Proteas the opportunity to

build on the momentum from Australia.

“We are enjoying the opportunity to be here.

We have worked hard to be here and we knew that Australia would be the big stepping stone for us holding onto number one (ranking),” Smith told a news conference.

“We have given ourselves the opportunity for our home summer to create a bit of a gap between us and the other teams. It is an opportunity to build something really special. The motivation for us will be to beat New Zealand first up,” he added.

South Africa’s success in the test arena has led to some calling the current Proteas team the best

ever, but coach Gary Kirsten was quick to play down such suggestions. “It is a ver y special achievement for the Proteas and South African cricket. I don’t think that what this team has achieved, over a long period, should be taken lightly,” said Kirsten.

“It has been nothing short of remarkable. We have played 10 test matches this year, nine away from home, and won series in England and Australia. “But it is always difficult to compare (different eras). In terms of this team’s achievements there is no doubt that they are up there but I think that the players would be reluctant to compare

with different eras.”

South Africa, who became the first team to win consecutive series in Australia since West Indies in 1992/93, had found success due to a growing maturity in the squad, Smith said.

“Having players that are able to perform around the world is a key factor and our understanding of how to be successful away from home. “When you go to another country you have to figure out how do we win here, how do we deal with the pressures of performing in front of someone else’s media and crowds and handing everything that comes with that.” — Reuters

5.5 5.5 6 6.5 1 3.5 5 6.5 4.5 5.5 8

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

sp orts

Indian athletes hope IOC ban could bring change NEW DELHI: Indian athletes have lamented the ban dished out to their national Olympic association by the IOC but hope that it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise and lead to a clean-up of the organisation which runs sport in the country.

At a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on Tuesday, the IOC banned the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and said a vote to elect its secretary-general on Wednesday would be “null and void”. Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in custody last year following corruption charges that plagued the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and who is out on bail, was left as the only candidate for the post after his rivals pulled out.

The ban means an effective end to funding from the IOC, no Indian officials attending Olympic meetings and Indian athletes banned from com-

peting at the Olympics under their country’s flag.

“This is unfortunate. As a sportsperson, I feel like I have been orphaned,” shooter Joydeep Karmakar told Reuters.

“It’s a big blow to us. I think the IOC is going to suspend funding and there could be other repercussions as well,” added Karmakar, who just missed out on a bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle prone at the London Olympics.

“Playing under the national flag means a lot for us. Competing under the Olympic flag won’t give you the same feeling. “At the same time, I’m optimistic it would lead to a new body which would be more efficient and more responsible.”

Former double trap shooter Moraad Ali Khan echoed Karmakar’s sentiments. “Standing on the podium with the national anthem being played

and the nation’s flag unfurled, it’s a different feeling altogether and it has been taken away from Indian athletes,” Khan told Reuters.

“But when medicine doesn’t work, what do you do? You go for surgery and we had reached that stage.” Khan, who won gold at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games in men’s double trap pair, said it seemed like the IOC’s move was the last resort.

“Only a drastic step like this could have shaken the ailing system. It’s time for taking the corrective measures. Maybe you won’t see overnight changes but I expect some positive developments in the coming months.” Shooter Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s first individual Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Games, was also left hoping the ban could bring about a better governing body to run

sports in the world’s second most populous nation. Bindra is one of the few Indian athletes to consistently question India’s sports administrators.

“Bye Bye IOA, hope to see u again soon, hopefully cleaner!” he said on his Twitter feed.

The IOC’s move to ban the Indian body, which has been plagued by in-fighting and criticised for lacking transparency, also found favour outside India’s sporting community.

Best-selling Indian author Chetan Bhagat suggested even more drastic measures were in order.

“As an Indian, I am happy that the IOA has been suspended. Some of our authorities change only when thoroughly shamed,” he Tweeted. “Dear IOC, you have suspended the IOA. Now if only you could round up the officials, take a javelin and ... oh well, one step at a time.” — Reuters

Finally free of ‘scar tissue’, Rose eyes win Down Under

MELBOURNE: Vladimir Chaus and Denis Gribanov of Russia sail through the waves in the 470 Men’s class at the ISAF Sailing World Cup event in Melbourne. — AFP

Australian League is next move, says NZ sports chief WELLINGTON: Entering a team in Australia’s Baseball League by 2014 and building a permanent facility was now in the sights of Baseball New Zealand after their credible per formance at last month’s World Baseball Classic qualifying tournament, according to the sport’s chief executive.

The Diamondblacks, a team of locals, expatriates and North Americans with New Zealand heritage, made the final of the four-team tournament but were beaten by seventh-ranked Taiwan 9-0.

New Zealand had been unranked prior to the tournament, but after a 12-2 win over Thailand and 10-6 over the Philippines they were given a world ranking of 29 by baseball authorities, something that Ryan Flynn said had vindicated their leap of faith in inviting the team to the tournament. “ They took a gamble,” Flynn told Reuters in a telephone interview from Auckland. “We were unranked. We came out of nowhere but ... they trusted we could put a team on the field that would represent the tournament, country and global baseball and we did.

“I think everybody around the world is quite pleased with jumping up to 29 in the world.” The two losses to Taiwan, 100 in pool play and then 9-0 in the final, had been a lot closer than the scorelines

AUCKLAND: In this photo taken on January 20, 2003 Peter Gilmour, skipper of America’s OneWorld syndicate, poses with the Lipton Memorial Trophy presented to the second placed American syndicate at the official Louis Vuitton presentation ceremony at Puketutu Island, Auckland, New Zealand. Gilmour announced yesterday that he was ending his career. —AFP

suggested Flynn said, with the Taiwanese scoring eight runs in the fifth innings of the first game and six in the fourth innings of the final.

“Taiwan are one of the true super powers of the sport, and we matched them for half of two games before our inexperience and lack of depth showed through. “But I (have never been) as proud of a group of men in my life. Our staff, and coaches were world class and our players believed they could play with anyone in the world and used it to showcase their talent.”

The impact of the qualifying tournament had been even more far reaching for the sport that struggles for attention in rugby-mad New Zealand. People in the United States had “come out of the woodwork” asking Flynn if he wanted help with coaching and development, while the ABL were receptive to allowing an Auckland-based team to enter their competition.

“There is talk that our performance will speed up that process to have a franchise in Auckland,” he said. “I would say (by) 2014 at the latest. I used to say at the earliest but we have momentum that we do not want to let die.”

The ABL currently has six teams, with Major League Baseball contributing about $3.2 million a year to offset operational costs and the cross-Tasman leagues in other sports that already operated were successful models they could emulate, he said.

New Zealand-based teams play in Australian’s National Rugby League, ALeague soccer competition and Australian Basketball League, while a joint netball competition also operates.

“The model is there (and) ...we think out of the gate we would be one of the best supported teams in the league. “We would also have an advantage in that we would have just one team that makes it easier for us to coalesce talent, resources and sponsors.”

The second priority for BNZ was to find a permanent, purpose-built venue that would house the potential ABL team, host international games and provide training and conditioning facilities.

The organisation was looking at three possible sites for the facility already, which could cost between NZ$3-$5 million ($2.46-$4.1 million) to construct.

Once a team was established and it was attracting regular revenues, a bigger facility could be in the pipeline within three to five years, Flynn said.

“We’d like to get to a NZ$12 to NZ$15 million facility, which isn’t Yankee Stadium but it’s enough to scale up for bigger tournaments, host international teams, maybe even host the next WBC qualifier here.

“We believe Major League Baseball will help with their Baseball Tomorrow Fund in helping to build a stadium. “ That will be pretty crucial for this country to see a stadium. It’s important for that to happen.” — Reuters

MELBOURNE: Globe-trotting Briton Justin Rose will battle jetlag and local favorite Adam Scott at the Australian Open in Sydney this week as he seeks to cap his outstanding year with a win Down Under.

Rose has little left to prove after finishing second on the European Tour money’s list behind Rory McIlroy but victory would help the 32-yearold forget his dreadful showing at the invitational Nedbank Golf Challenge last week.

Rose finished second to Northern Irishman McIlroy at the DP World Tour Championship two weeks ago, with a course record 62 in his final round in Dubai, but promptly fell from the sublime to the ridiculous at Sun City, where he crashed out to finish second-last in the field of 12. “I think it was just a hiccup,” the South Africaborn Rose told reporters yesterday. “Sometimes when you are around family, subconsciously you want to play really, really well for them. “I think there was an element of frustration. I think it was the first week when the season caught up with me. That is natural.

“I think you are allowed to play poorly once in a while and let it be water off a duck’s back.”

Rose has every reason to give himself a break, having boosted his world ranking to a careerhigh fourth after a season boasting wins at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March and the World Golf Final in Turkey in October.

Rose, who finished seventh on the USPGA Tour money list, returns to the Australian Open a far different player from the newly-minted professional who competed for the 1998 title.

After finishing fourth at the British Open in 1998 as a 17-year-old amateur, Rose turned professional but missed 21 cuts in succession, including the Australian Open in Adelaide.

“There was a lot of scar tissue that built up in the early stages of my career that ultimately took a lot of time to break down and get over,” Rose said. “Only in the past two or three years do I think I have completely overcome it, truly

Justin Rose takes a swing in this file photo. believe in myself under pressure and believe I am one of the best players in the world.”

Rose will battle good friend Scott for the title at the Lakes Golf Club, the local favourite also in solid form after edging Briton Ian Poulter to win his home Australian Masters in Melbourne last month.

World number seven Scott will be partnered with Rose in Thursday’s opening round, and will bid for his second national title after winning the 2009 tournament at New South Wales Golf Club.

Scott has had a consistent season but suffered colossal disappointment with his meltdown in the final few holes to lose the British

Open to Ernie Els. That would have been his maiden major trophy, and he has been dogged with questions about his mental fortitude since.

“I am going to use this year as motivation to go the next step next year,” he said. “I don’t see anything getting in my way at the moment.

I feel very confident with the plans I am putting in place.” Other tournament drawcards include 63-year-old, eight-times major champion Tom Watson and 14-year-old Chinese prodigy Guan Tianlang, who is poised to become the youngest golfer to play the U.S. Masters after winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand. —Reuters

Kuwaitis excel in India KUWAIT: President of the Arab Shooting Federation and Vice President of Kuwait Shooting Federation congratulated HH The Amir, HH The Crown Price, HH The Prime Minister and Kuwait people for the good results Kuwait shooters achieved during the Second Asian Championship for clay targets being held in India.

Kuwait’s skeet shooter Abdallah AlRashidi won first place and the gold medal, beating UAE’s Seif bin Futais, and Kuwait’s Zaid Al-Mutairi Al-Rashidi, Zaid Al-Mutairi and Salah Al-Mutairi won first place and the gold medal while India won silver and Kazakhistan won bronze.

In the women’s events, Afrah Adel won second place, while the team of Afrah Adel, Iman Al-Shamma and Sheikha Al-Rashidi won second place in the team category.

Al-Otaibi spoke to the national teams director Mohammad Al-Daihi over the phone and lauded the efforts of the delegation members to make such results in this important arena, which witnessed strong competition between participants. He also conveyed greetings of KSSC President and board members, and praised the support of Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. AlOtaibi wished Kuwait shooting all the best and more success for the State of Kuwait.

Otaibi and Abdallah Al-Rashidi

Chiefs got past game, but still must heal NEW YORK: They played a football game in Kansas City the other day. Even as the headlines fade, the question remains. Was it the right thing to do given the tragedy that happened 24 hours earlier?

There’s no playbook for this sort of grieving.

A Chiefs player killed his girlfriend - the mother of their infant child - then turned the gun on himself in front of the head coach and the general manager. The second half of the murdersuicide took place at the team’s training complex, right next door to Arrowhead Stadium.

The next day, the Chiefs reported for work in that very stadium for a game against Carolina.

Won it, too, for just their second victory of the season. Afterward, everyone talked about the cathartic effect of taking the field - as a team, as a family - in the face of such a heinous act. But, really, was it proper to play on?

I was downright adamant on the day of the game. No way they should’ve kicked off. Even got into a spirited debate on social media with some friends. Now, with a couple of days to reflect, time spent talking to several experts on grieving, I can see the value of playing what was a meaningless game in the standings between two teams going nowhere. With one big caveat: Please recognize that lasting peace can’t be found between the lines.

All those who felt it was necessary to play, from GM Scott Pioli to coach Romeo Crennel to the 53rd man on the roster, need to man up in a different way in the days, weeks and months to come. For the rest of their lives, really, because this is something that will remain with all of them to some degree until their time is up.

Be sure to address what are surely feelings of sadness and anger, maybe even a little guilt.

Take time to deal with the questions running through your own mind about why Jovan Belcher did what he did, even if deep down you know the odds of uncovering a logical answer

to a senseless crime are slim at best.

“It takes time,” said Jay Wade, a psychology professor at Fordham University in New York, “to deal with whatever feelings are associated with this major thing that happened. You can’t just say, ‘Suck it up, go ahead and play the next game.’ On the one hand, I think it’s understandable they played the next day. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“But,” he added, “later on down the line, if you don’t take time to deal with that tragedy, that trauma you’ve experienced, it probably will affect you for a long time. No doubt.”

All athletes are taught to be strong, football players in particular. On every play, they are attempting to prove the guy across the line is weaker than they are. But when it comes to dealing with Belcher’s crime, a little vulnerability will go a long way for these large men.

“Our culture still creates the mentality that ‘big boys don’t cry, big boys don’t talk about sensitive things,’” said James Overholser, who teaches psychology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and has been doing research on suicides for 25 years. “That’s the real problem. That’s what puts males at elevated risk of something like suicide.”

A couple of Atlanta Falcons players were asked Tuesday if they would’ve wanted to go ahead with the game under similar circumstances. There were no easy answers. “ That’s a tough call,” cornerback Dunta Robinson said. “I can’t even imagine that going on here and how I would respond as a player, but I think as players and as an organization, (the Chiefs) did what they thought was best for them. They went ahead and played the game.

They won the football game, so hats off to them for the way they handled it.”

Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan went through a double-tragedy during his previous job in Denver. Less than two months

apart in 2007, cornerback Darrent Williams was killed in a drive-by shooting and Damien Nash collapsed and died during a charity basketball game.

“People say, ‘Hey, maybe you can occupy your mind for at least a few hours and kind of get away from that grieving process if you can,’” Shanahan said. “But there’s not an easy way to deal with it. I’ve dealt with it a couple of times, and it’s as hard as it gets, especially when you’re very close to somebody. But it’s something you’ve got to work through, it’s part of life.

Nobody likes it, but sometimes I think it’s therapeutic” to go ahead and play the game.

But the shared experience of sport can’t overshadow what the individual is going through. Todd Farchone, a research professor in the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University, said it’s easy to understand how everyone got on board with taking the field in Kansas City, even if that wasn’t necessarily the way every one of them would’ve handled it.

“I can imagine being a fly on the wall in that meeting and hearing all the different perspectives,” Farchone said. “Some people, as the decision was being made, probably wanted to do what’s best for the team. But people deal with grief in different ways. Some want to get back to work immediately and throw themselves into things they need to do. Others might want to go through a lengthier process, to deal with the loss immediately.”

After thinking this out, I realize my feelings on what was appropriate this past Sunday aren’t so cut and dried. Really, there’s no right or wrong when it comes to grieving. All I can say to the Chiefs is this: You won the game as a team, just don’t forget to take care of yourself. Talk about it. Cry about it. Grieve about it. That doesn’t make you weak. That makes you a man. —AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

S P ORT S

FIFA launch goal-line revolution in Japan YOKOHAMA: Prompted into action by England midfielder ’s Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup, FIFA will use goal-line technology for the first time in Japan this week.

The technology will be employed in today’s Club World Cup curtain raiser between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Auckland City as soccer’s governing body finally answers calls for it to join the 21st century.

Hawk-eye, widely used in cricket and tennis, and GoalRef, which uses a microchip in the ball and low magnetic waves around the goal, will be used at venues in Toyota and Yokohama.

“The important thing is for the technologies to perform as well as possible and there are no mistakes,” Hawk-Eye’s managing director Steve Carter told Reuters. “Obviously the worst scenario you can have is if the technology isn’t that accurate is the TV broadcast cameras proving that the answer ’s wrong.”

With European champions Chelsea, whose players have been at the centre of several goal-line con-

troversies in recent years, competing in Japan, the science is set for even closer scrutiny. “Hawk-Eye has seven cameras per goalmouth,” said Carter. “You’re talking millimetre level and that’s absolutely essential for football.”

Carter referred to John Terry’s goal-line clearance in England’s 1-0 win over Ukraine at Euro 2012 as an example of the precision required to get decisions right. “If you look at the John Terry incident, we measured it using the TV footage, the ball was actually 25 millimetres over the line,” he said. “That is well within the accuracy of our system - two, three, four millimetres of accuracy in that scenario. Football needs that level.”

FIFA had resisted pressure for technology, successfully used in other sports including cricket, tennis, rugby and American Football, for years. But Lampard’s goal for England against Germany in South Africa, not seen by either the referee or linesman, prompted FIFA to finally turn to science.

“What happened at the World Cup in 2010 cannot happen again,” FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke told reporters. “The World Cup is the biggest

sporting event in the world. The ball was not two centimetres in the goal - it was clearly in. “Millions of people see that and wonder how the referee didn’t see it. That’s the decision we made after the 2010 World Cup.” Hawk-Eye and GoalRef are front-runners for next year’s Confederations Cup in Brazil, although FIFA have kept the door open for other competing companies. “It is expensive but over time technology gets cheaper,” said Valcke, adding that FIFA had invested $2 million to date on development and installation at stadiums in Japan. “The more market competition there is the cheaper it will get. It has to be available for all but at the same time it has to be accurate. We can’t afford mistakes.”

After analysing data taken from the Club World Cup, FIFA will choose which system to implement for the six Confederations Cup venues by the end of March. Those chosen will remain in place for the 2014 World Cup, although the six other venues could potentially end up with a different system.

“Obviously the Confederations Cup is going to be a competitive tender process,” said Carter.

Both the Hawk-Eye and GoalRef systems inform referees the ball has crossed the goal-line in a split second via a vibrating wrist-watch flashing the word “GOAL”. GoalRef were equally confident of persuading FIFA their radio-based system using low-frequency magnetic fields would be the most accurate.

“We wouldn’t be doing this if we weren’t confident we were going to proceed further beyond this tournament,” said programme manager Ingmar Bretz. Whichever system FIFA chooses, the likes of Chelsea, eliminated from the 2004-05 Champions League by Luis Garcia’s “ghost” goal, will have one less reason to blame the referee.

Hawk-Eye also floated the idea of an ultramotion video replay, although stopping the game to watch a replay would be detested by FIFA president Sepp Blatter. “It looks perfectly down the goalline,” said Carter. “If football wanted to use it, a definitive replay that absolutely proves the ball is over the line. “It would be a bit like watching Usain Bolt run the 100 metres, winning by one hundredth of a second and then not seeing a photo-finish replay.” — Reuters

Kaka, Modric and Rodriguez, Real’s past, present and future

Thiago Silva

Champions form can spark league recovery, says Silva PARIS: Paris St Germain are showing their true form in the Champions League and can now start to reproduce it in the French league, centre back Thiago Silva said. PSG, fourth in the Ligue 1 and five points off the pace after they losing three of their last five matches, beat Porto 2-1 on Tuesday to top their Champions League group with 15 points from six games, two ahead of the Portuguese.

“To be honest, I was not thinking the match could go as well,” PSG captain Thiago Silva, who opened the scoring at Parc des Princes, told reporters. “It is not good from us, but we are more focused when we play big guns like Porto than modest Ligue 1 sides.”

“We were playing with four forwards.

It shows that we can do well if we all have give our best and apply the coach’s orders,” the Brazilian added. The former AC Milan player was one of the major signings in the off-season, when PSG went on a 150 million euros ($196.30 mil-

lion) spending spree.

Apart from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the French league’s leading scorer with 13 goals in 12 appearances, most have failed to deliver so far in Ligue 1.

Argentine’s playmaker Javier Pastore, who signed last year for a then French record fee of 42 million euros, produced one of his best perfomances on Tuesday.

“We have to be more concentrated every day at training and in every game,” Thiago Silva added. “We can not expect Ibra to hand us the victory each and every time. This is not how it works.”

Coach Carlo Ancelotti said: “ The Champions League has been ver y demanding, both mentally and physically. It was very, very important for us to reach the last 16.

“The players may have been turned their eyes more on the Champions than the league. “It is not good to trail Lyon by five points. But if we are able to display the same attitude in the league, we would recover fast.” — Reuters

MADRID: Kaka, Luka Modric and debutant Jose Rodriguez showcased the past, present and future of the Real Madrid midfield as the trio lit up the Bernabeu in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Real manager Jose Mourinho fielded a weakened team for their final Group D match at home to Ajax Amsterdam, with a place already secured in the last 16, and they swept aside the Dutch side 4-1.

Kaka scored the goal of the game, driving forward from midfield and curling a wonderful shot into the top corner just after the re-start, drawing an admiring gesture from Mourinho on the touchline.

It was a reminder of why Real splashed around 65 million euros ($85.06 million) on him three years ago, but the highlights have been few and far between and the underperforming Brazil playmaker’s days are thought to be numbered at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho openly declared the former World Player-of-the-Year’s future was ‘in the air’ during the close season, but he stayed and has largely been restricted to substitute appearances. Last week, the president of Los Angeles Galaxy owners AEG Tim Leiweke said the Major League Soccer side had made their interest known to the player. “I am playing a little less this season, but I do what I have to do and await my opportunities. I always respect the coach’s decisions,” Kaka, who was captain for the

game, told reporters afterwards.

“I have always said I am delighted to stay on here. I’m fine and I have a contract until 2015. I will wait and see what the club decide and what their position is. In the summer we found a solution, and I keep training and doing my part.”

One of the players helping to keep Kaka on the sidelines is Croatia midfielder Modric, who had one of his best games yet in a Real Madrid shirt, though he faded in the second half.Signed from Tottenham Hotspur in August for a figure that could rise to 40 million euros, the 27-year-old has taken time to adapt, but shone in a deep-lying midfield role alongside Sami Khedira, a position normally occupied by the rested Xabi Alonso.

He won a crunching tackle and started the move for the opening goal with a long pass over the top in the 13th minute and spun away from a marker to launch another raking long pass for Jose Callejon, which led to the second before the half hour.

“He did well. He has played some very good games for us and nobody, if they are being honest, could say he is not an important player for us,” Mourinho said of Modric, whose purchase has been questioned in the local media.

“He is a potential starter for the team. It isn’t possible for everyone to play, but he plays to a very high standard.” Youth team midfielder Rodriguez became Real’s youngest Champions League debutant when

Footballer Hulk of Zenit

“Hulk is mistaken if he thinks he should play for 90 minutes all the time.

He said he wants to leave? Then, it’s his choice and I can do nothing about it,” added the Italian. “As for myself, I’m not going anywhere.” Earlier Spalletti said: “All big players don’t react well when they’re substituted. The most important thing is that we won the game.”

The Russian champions beat Milan thanks to a first half strike by captain Danny in their final Group C match to finish third and qualify for the Europa League. Hulk has had a tough time settling in St Petersburg, with several senior Zenit players apparently unhappy after the club splashed out a Russian league record 60 million euros ($78.52 million) just before the transfer deadline to sign the striker.

Zenit demoted Russia skipper Igor Denisov to the reserve team in September after he refused to play, issuing an ultimatum to renegotiate his contract in line with what Hulk was making. Denisov was later allowed to rejoin the first team after making an apology. — Reuters

said. “He is developing and you can imagine that when he is 20 he will be playing at the Real Madrid first team level. “At 17, you can throw him into the King’s Cup, the Champions League or La Liga and he plays without fear.” — Reuters

City’s European exit can be a title boost: Mancini

Hulk could quit Zenit after spat with Spalletti ST PETERSBURG: Zenit St Petersburg’s record signing Hulk has threatened to quit the Russian club following a heated exchange with coach Luciano Spalletti during Tuesday’s Champions League win at AC Milan.

The Brazil striker reacted angrily after the Italian coach substituted him late in the game at the San Siro, which Zenit won 1-0. Spalletti was seen extending his hand, trying to greet Hulk as he was leaving the pitch but the Brazilian just walked by without looking at the coach before having a heated discussion with the Zenit staff near the sideline.

“If the situation with the coach does not resolve itself I may leave the club in the January transfer window,” Hulk, 26, was quoted as saying by local media.

Spalletti hit back at the striker after initially playing down the incident.

“Hulk can say anything he wants, but if I decide to change him during the game it means I’m not happy with his play,” Spalletti was quoted as saying by local media yesterday.

Jose Rodriguez he came on for Kaka in the second half. At 17 years and 11 months he beat the record set by former Spain striker Raul, who debuted, also against Ajax in 1995, aged 18 years and two months.

“He’s a lad we like a lot,” Mourinho

Manchester City’s manager Roberto Mancini

LONDON: Manchester City’s dismal exit from European competition is not an embarrassment and could boost the big-spending club’s defence of the Premier League title, according to manager Roberto Mancini.

City’s haul of just three points from six games was the worst performance by an English club in the Champions League group stage with Mancini’s men finishing bottom of Group D and failing to qualify for the Europa League as well.

Newspaper headlines yesterday spoke of City as “The Worst Ever” and dubbed them “320 million pound ($515.41 million) flops”. Mancini saw a silver lining in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, however. “Clearly this can help us win the Premier League because we don’t play in the Europa League,” he told reporters. “But getting into it was our target. We wanted to win.”

City are currently second in the Premier League, three points behind Manchester United and seven clear of third-placed Chelsea, the European champions who are in danger of going out of the Champions League yesterday. United,

who travel to City for a league derby at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, have already secured first place in Champions League Group H. Had City qualified for Europe’s second tier competition, which awaits the thirdplaced clubs after the Champions League group stages, they could have faced up to nine fur ther European matches on top of domestic fixtures.

“I’m not embarrassed about where we have finished or the points tally,” said Mancini of City’s failed European campaign and second successive exit at the group stage.

“There could be embarrassment if we had not played with 100 percent effort.

You can still play 100 percent and lose, and that is what happened.” Mancini recognised that City needed to regain their sharpness in front of goal after scoring just seven times in six group games.

“At the moment we are not scoring goals, certainly not like we were last season. We are creating chances but we are not scoring,” he said. “That is a big problem that we need to work at.” — Reuters

Malaga eye knockout stage with confidence MADRID: Malaga have plenty of reasons to be bullish about their Champions League prospects after the financially troubled La Liga side overcame a turbulent summer to finish unbeaten at the top of Group C on their debut in the competition.

Despite losing several of his best players in the close season and delays in wage payments to those left behind, coach Manuel Pellegrini led the Qatar-owned club to three wins in their opening three games, including a memorable 10 success at home to seven-times winners AC Milan.

They went on to claim a 1-1 draw at Milan that sent them through to the last 16 with two games to spare, conceded late at Zenit St Petersburg in a 2-2 draw that sealed top spot last month and were denied a win late on at home to Anderlecht in another 2-2 draw in their final match on Tuesday despite fielding a weakened team.

They ended the group phase on 12 points from six matches, four ahead of Milan, and will find out who they will play in the first knockout

round when the draw is made on Dec. 20.

“I am completely indifferent,” Pellegrini told a news conference after Tuesday’s game at the Rosaleda when asked about possible opponents.

“There are no easy teams, they are the 16 best sides in Europe,” added the Chilean. “ The important thing is that we get to February playing at a good level and with the ambition of getting to the quarter-finals and with the conviction we can get through.”

Tuesday’s game was soured by an injury to Malaga’s French midfielder Jeremy Toulalan, who pulled up with what looked like a hamstring strain after 15 minutes and had to be replaced

by Ignacio Camacho.

It was unclear how long Toulalan would be out of action but the solidity he brings to central midfield will be sorely missed as Malaga try to reverse a dip in form in La Liga and advance in the King’s Cup. However, Pellegrini will soon have another attacking weapon in his arsenal when Brazilian forward Julio Baptista makes his return from a long-term injur y, expected sometime this

month. Malaga have one of the meanest defences in Europe but have lacked firepower up front, with Javier Saviola and Roque Santa Cruz failing to find the net consistently. With a fit Baptista back in the side and playmaker Isco and winger Joaquin providing creativity the Andalusians have the potential to challenge any side they may face in the last 16.

Importantly, given the state of their finances, Malaga’s impressive performance in Europe’s elite club competition should give a timely boost to their coffers. The club still faces punishment from UEFA for overdue payments to creditors that could see some of their prize money withheld.

But if they manage to sort out their accounts, they will be entitled to receive win and draw bonuses worth 4.5 million euros ($5.9 million) on top of the base fee of 8.6 million for playing in the group phase and another 3.5 million for making it through to the last 16. Beyond that, each quarter-finalist gets 3.9 million euros, the semi-finalists 4.9 million, the winners 10.5 million and the runners-up 6.5 million. — Reuters

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

S P ORT S

UEFA members back multi-host Euro 2020 plan NYON: Football leaders from across Europe have told UEFA they want the 2020 European Championship to be organized in up to 13 host countries. UEFA’s executive committee meet today and could agree in principle to support President Michel Platini’s multi-nation hosting plan, which he floated during this year’s European Championship.

Germany football association president Wolfgang Niersbach told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the idea has been supported during recent consultation meetings with UEFA’s 53 member countries.

“This is the general trend around these meetings,” Niersbach said at UEFA headquarters. “That UEFA should do it as an exception on the occasion of celebrating the 60th birthday of the European Championship.”

Platini also said in June that he wanted to ease

the financial and logistical demands on one or two host countries of the expected 24-nation, 51-match tournament - given difficult time for European economies.

The UEFA leader’s proposal has even won support from Georgia, which was one of the few likely candidates - in a joint bid with Azerbaijan - if UEFA held a traditional hosting contest for Euro 2020.

“I think it’s an interesting idea for Georgia,” its football president Domenti Sichinava told AP through a translator. “We had a few meetings around Europe and many countries are supporting this idea.” With the tournament divided into six groups of four teams, one idea for hosting a multinational event would be for each group to stage its matches in two cities. Ideally, those two cities would be relatively close to each other, so as to limit travel demands on teams and fans alike.

With 12 knockout matches scheduled in the second round and quarterfinals combined, each host could get one, to complete its four-match allocation. The action could then shift to a single host which would stage the semifinals and final, probably over a five-day period.

Georgia would be prepared to share a group with Azerbaijan, or other near neighbors such as Belarus, Russia or Turkey, said Sichinava. One attraction of the multinational idea would be to include countries which could never hope to host a major championship alone.

“We feel that a lot of small countries should have a chance,” said Netherlands official Harry Been, who was chief executive of the Netherlands-Belgium bid to host the 2018 World Cup. “Romania is a good example. They have built a new, big stadium and they will never get a tournament like that by them-

selves,” Been said. Been acknowledged that countries which recently hosted a Euro tournament, including his own, could be asked to stand aside to give other countries a chance. “But we think we can offer some possibilities.

In Rotterdam, they need a new stadium and it could be an incentive for them” to be a Euro 2020 host city, he said. Niersbach also highlighted Romania as a strong candidate, hosting matches in the National Arena in Bucharest which housed 52,000 fans at the Europa League final last May. The German official suggested that UEFA’s ruling board could request more detailed studies on how to implement Platini’s idea. UEFA’s National Teams Competitions Committee, which includes Niersbach and Been, is one potential forum to investigate options for seeking host bidders, and how to structure the final tournament. —AP

Troubled Chelsea seek solace in Japan Club World Cup YOKOHAMA: Chelsea travel 6,000 miles to Japan next week seeking solace at the Club World Cup and a trophy to quell the growing discontent surrounding the appointment of interim coach Rafael Benitez.

In an ironic twist that will not be lost on Chelsea fans unhappy at Benitez’s arrival, FIFA will implement goal-line technology for the first time in an official tournament. Benitez’s Liverpool beat the London side in the 2005 Champions League semi-finals through Luis Garcia’s “ghost” goal.

Often seen by European clubs as a quest for fool’s gold, Chelsea’s first appearance in the Club World Cup will come as a welcome distraction to Benitez and his players. Their quest to lift the trophy and buy some breathing space after owner Roman Abramovich fired Roberto Di Matteo and replaced him with Benitez will be a tough one.

Their confidence fragile having failed to record a victory in their first three matches under Benitez, Libertadores Cup holders Corinthians will be a real threat.

The European and South American champions join the competition at the semi-final stage and are expected to meet in the final in Yokohama on Dec. 16.

“Corinthians have some great players,”

misfiring Chelsea striker Fernando Torres told fifa.com. “They have great players, as always with the Brazilian teams. “Maybe if they play against Chelsea, everyone in the world is watching and they have the chance to come to Europe. It’s a great scenario for them and for us it’s really dangerous.

“It’s one of the main targets we should have this season,” added Torres. “We are not going to play this tournament again if we don’t win the Champions League.

“It’s even more difficult to win these games because everyone knows South American teams take it much more seriously than European teams. Hopefully that’s not the case this time.”

Egypt’s Al-Ahly, whose players will wear black armbands in memory of the 74 fans who perished in a riot following a game in February, play the winners of Thursday’s curtain raiser.

Asian champions Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea meet Mexicans Monterrey in the second quarter-final before Al-Ahly’s game, both matches taking place in Toyota on Sunday.

Benitez, whose side face Ulsan or Monterrey in Yokohama on Dec. 13, can ill afford to slip up as it would be no surprise to see Abramovich buying himself a new manager for Christmas. — Reuters

Mao Asada ready to storm to glory

Top skaters clash in ISU Grand Prix finals MOSCOW: The world’s top figure skaters are set to battle for the ISU Grand Prix series finals titles at the venue which will host the figureskating events at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The finals will get underway tomorrow at the newly-built 12,000 capacity Iceberg Skating Palace in the games’ host city Sochi, on the Black Sea coast.

The competition, the first international event to be held at the arena, starts with the short programmes tomorrow with the free skating finals scheduled for Saturday.

Reigning world champion Patrick Chan of Canada, who is hoping to earn his third consecutive world title in London, Ontario, next March, looks to be a strong favourite in the men’s section of the event.

However, the 21-year-old Toronto resident will have to battle hard against four Japanese rivals - world’s bronze medallist Yuzuru Hanyu, this season’s NHK Trophy winner, the 2011 world championships’ runner-up Takahiko Kozuka, who won Skate America, Tatsuki Machida, Cup of China winner and Daisuke Takahashi.

Russian fans will miss Yevgeny Plushenko who is sitting out the Grand Prix series, but many still hope will bring Russia Olympic glo-

Patrick Chan

ry in Sochi. Spain’s Javier Fernandez, who finished first at Skate Canada this season, also grabbed a place among this season’s six-leg Grand Prix series’ top six skaters.

In the women’s section of the event, former two-time world champion and Olympic silver medallist Mao Asada, who won the Cup of China and the NHK Trophy this year, is ready to storm her way back to the to after two unimpressive seasons.

Compatriot Akiko Suzuki, the world bronze medallist, will also battle for the title against the US reigning champion Ashley Wagner, who won the Skate America and Trophee Bompard titles and is set to put the United States back on top of the podium.

European championship silver medallist Kiira Korpi, who won the Russian Cup earlier this year and 15-year-old Russian prodigy Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, winner of the youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, are also hoping to perform well in Sochi.

The pairs title will be up for grabs as fourtime world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany failed to earn a place in the finals after they withdrew from participation in the Trophee Bompard because Savchenko had a sinus infection.

Russian pair Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov look strong favourites in the pairs section at their home ice after winning titles at Skate America and the Russian Cup this season.

Compatriots Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov, who won the Trophee Bompard and finished runners-up at the Cup of China, also have realistic chances of mounting the podium. However, Chinese Olympic silver medallists Pang Quing and Tong Jian, who won the Cup of China and took second spot at Skate America, have also set their sights on top place at the Sochi finals.

In ice dancing, Olympic gold medallists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada will be out to add the Grand Prix series finals trophy to the titles of Skate Canada and Russian cup, which they claimed earlier this year.

But French dancing pair Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat, fresh from their title wins at this season’s Cup of China and Trophee Bompard, their first titles after winning the 2010 Cup of China, are out to provide the Canadians with a tough competition in the battle for the top spot. — AFP

NICOSIA: Players of Marseille warm up during a training session prior to the Europa League, Group C soccer match against AEL Limassol at GSP stadium. — AP

Premier League teams aim to excel in Europa League LONDON: Premier League rivals Liverpool and Tottenham head into the final group matches of the Europa League today, with both wellplaced to join the likes of Inter Milan, Lyon and reigning champions Atletico Madrid in the knockout stage.

The last five of 24 places are up for grabs as the competition prepares for the round of 32 to be played in February. Liverpool managed only a second win in 10 games at the weekend, but has a good chance to progress to the knockout stage in Europe.

Liverpool travels to Italy to face an alreadyeliminated Udinese, looking to stay ahead of a Young Boys side that plays an already-qualified Anzhi Makhachkala of Russia. Liverpool and Young Boys are level on seven points from five games but the English club has the edge on the Swiss team in a tiebreaker by virtue of a better head-to-head record.

Danish international defender Daniel Agger, who scored Liverpool’s winner in its 1-0 weekend victory over Southampton, was upbeat about Liverpool’s prospects. “Confidence is a big thing here and we have it,” Agger said. “We are brave on the ball, we want to go forward.

We aren’t just playing it around.” “That’s a big difference from last season. There is more control and we are creating more chances than last season.”In Group J, Tottenham hosts Panathinaikos. A win for either side would send them through, although Spurs need only a draw to advance. Tottenham started November badly, losing three league games in a row.

Since then, manager Andre Villas-Boas has reversed his team’s fortunes with three consecutive victories. Striker Jermaine Defoe is counting on the home fans to help the north London club qualify. “We always have fantastic support

and that helps the lads to perform... The European nights are special and there is so much history here,” Defoe said. “We want to get through to the knockout stage of the competition and as we’ve said all along, we want to do something special this season. Things are going well at the moment and we’ve just got to keep it going.” Although other groups have long been decided, qualification is going down to the wire in Group E where two clubs from three - Steaua Bucharest, VfB Stuttgart and Copenhagen - will make it through. Steaua has rattled up 10 points so far but still needs to fin-

ish the job away to Copenhagen, while Stuttgart is at home to Norway’s Molde. In Group G, the final games will decide if FC Basel or Videoton makes it to the next round. Basel is two points ahead and travels to Belgium to face already-qualified Genk - needing only a draw to make progress.

If Basel loses, Videoton can advance by beating Sporting Lisbon, which has already been eliminated. The 24 teams that progress will be joined by the eight third-place finishers from the Champions League. The draw for the round of 32 will be held on Dec. 20. — AP

FRANCE: Lyon’s players run during a training session at the Gerland stadium the eve of the UEFA Europa League football match against Kiryat Shmona. — AFP

Gibraltar debuts in UEFA competition draws NYON: Gibraltar’s national teams have been included in UEFA competition draws for the first time, a move into European football which their FA president insists should not be a political issue.

Gibraltar Football Association leader Gareth Latin told The Associated Press yesterday it was “a proud moment” seeing Under-19 and Under-17 teams placed in qualifying groups for their 2014 European Championships.

However, some politicians in neighboring Spain want to stop the British territory playing those matches because of a sovereignty dispute.

“This is nothing at all to do with politics and we have said it from Day 1,” Latin said after the draws at UEFA headquarters. “We should think of football and work in unity.”

Still, Spain was barred as a potential opponent by UEFA to avoid inflaming political tension.

Gibraltar was drawn instead with an asterisk by its name in an Under-17 pool with England, Ireland and Armenia, and an Under19 group with the Czech Republic, Croatia and Cyprus.

Those fixtures will be fulfilled next October - in Armenia and the Czech Republic - only if Gibraltar is accepted as a full UEFA member by a majority of Europe’s 53 official football nations when they vote next May. Gibraltar was allowed in the draws because UEFA granted provisional member status in October after previous bids in a long campaign were blocked by Spain, which claims sovereignty.

Still, Gibraltar is sure to make its official competitive debut in January, playing qualifiers for the 2014 Futsal Euro. The matches in Nice, France, will be against the host, Montenegro and San Marino, another tiny territory which has become an established member of the European football family.

Latin said Gibraltar has six top-division teams and 600 registered senior players in its population of almost 30,000, who have full British citizenship. It seeks to follow Andorra, the Faroe Islands and San Marino who joined UEFA’s ranks within the past 25 years - though without facing such political opposition. The GFA, which was founded in 1895, applied to FIFA for membership in 1997 with the backing of England, but the world governing body

delegated the decision to the European body.

UEFA called a vote at its 2007 Congress but Spain engineered strong opposition to Gibraltar’s bid. Spain still has strong feeling about a territory it ceded to Britain in 1713.

After UEFA pushed Gibraltar’s application forward in October, Spain’s sports minister Jose Ignacio Wert said he hoped “provisional acceptance of Gibraltar won’t become permanent.”

Spanish football president Angel Maria Villar, a FIFA vice president and 20-year member of the UEFA board, is a potentially influential opponent ahead of the next vote in London.

“I’m hoping to meet him soon,” said Latin, adding that his Spanish is “excellent. We want to be friends and we want to build those bridges.” Latin, a volunteer president for four years with a day job in banking, aims to visit all 53 voters before the vote. He acknowledges he has much work to do.

“At the end of the day, I don’t expect countries closer to eastern Europe to know who Gibraltar is. That is reality. It’s important that we make them aware,” he said. “It’s something we’ve been waiting for 14 years.” — AP

19

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

sports

Kucher’s own goal sees Juve top Group E over Shakhtar

MUNICH: Bayern’s Toni Kroos (right) and BATE’s Dmitri Baga challenge for the ball during a Champions League Group F soccer match.—AP

Bayern cruise over BATE MUNICH: A largely second string Bayern Munich comfortably secured top spot in Group F of the Champions League with a 41 victory at home to BATE Borisov in a match in which both teams finished with 10 men here yesterday.

For Bayern it was a measure of revenge for BATE’s 3-1 win in Belarus in taking Group F honours with 13 points while BATE had already guaranteed third place and a spot in the Europa League Round of 32 with six points.

Mario Gomez gave Bayern the lead after 22 minutes but the hosts were reduced to 10 men when defender Jerome Boateng was sent off after 51 minutes. However, Thomas Mueller doubled their lead in the 54th minute and Xherdan Shaqiri ended the match as a contest by making it 3-0 after 66 minutes. BATE also finished the game with 10 men as Denis Polyakov was given a second warning for diving in the box in the 69th minute - David Alaba made it 4-0 in the 83rd minute before Yegor Filipenko scored a consolation goal for Borisov in the 89th minute.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said that revenge had been on their mind for their surprise loss in Belarus. “For us, it was a must win after the loss in Borisov,” said Neuer. “Of course there was a little bit of revenge. We wanted to show that we were the better team. But it was a little aggravating that we conceded the one goal.”

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said it was mission accomplished. “I am satisfied. Our goal was to win the game and win the

group. We did that in an impressive manner with a lot of reserve players,” he said.

BATE had the first chance of the game after 11 minutes but Neuer saved Aretm Kontesevoi’s low shot to his right. Bayern grabbed the lead in the 22nd minute as Shaqiri fought his way through the left side and crossed into the box where Gomez poked the ball past BATE keeper Andrei Gorbunov for his first Champions League goal of the season and 21st of his career.

Bayern were close to doubling the lead in the 39th minute with Toni Kroos turning and unleashing a blast from 19 yards which Gorbunov did well batting out of danger.

Bayern went a man down in the 51st minute as Boateng was shown red for his foul on Kontsevoi.

But that didn’t matter as Munich made it 2-0 in the 54th minute with Mueller volleying in Bastian Schweinsteiger’s header pass off Kroos’s long pass from the left side.

Gomez and Shaqiri swapped roles on Bayern’s third goal in the 66th minute as Gomez chipped a pass from the left side into the box where the diminutive Shaqiri (1.69m) headed home from five yards out to make it 3-0.

The visitors night worsened as Polyakov was booked a second time for overacting.

Alaba got on the score sheet in the 83rd minute as the Austrian international ran onto Ribery’s corner and blasted a left footed shot into the lower left corner to make it 4-0. BATE grabbed a consolation goal in the 89th minute with Filipenko beating Neuer from about 15 yards out. —AFP

DONETSK: Juventus qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League yesterday after Olexandr Kucher’s own goal gave the Italians a 1-0 win and dropped Shakhtar Donestk to second.

Shakhtar had sealed qualification for the last 16 a fortnight ago but came into their final group game looking for the draw or win that would seal first place.

But with Juventus in need of at least a point to go through, the Italian champions displayed more urgency throughout and it showed in the period leading up to Kucher’s blunder which gave Juve the winner in the 56th minute. The 1-0 win left Juventus top of the group on 12 points with Shakhtar qualifying second and eliminating reigning champions Chelsea.

Juventus had claims for an early penalty waved away after the ball appeared to come of the arm of Fernandinho following an Andrea Pirlo free kick on the left. When Kwadwo Asamoah forged down the left midway through the opening half to cut back for Pirlo, the Italy midfielder was well off target with his strike.

Shakhtar were pressing and looking dangerous on the attack but failed really to threaten Gianluigi Buffon in the Juve goal. The same could be said of Juve, who had the lion’s share of chances in the closing stages of the first half without really menacing Andriy Pyatov.

French midfielder Paul Pogba got in close during a threatening run but lost possession, then Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal sent a 20-metre shot into the arms of Pyatov. Shakhtar, however, came close only three minutes into the second half when a rising Alex Teixeira drive swerved just wide of Buffon’s upright. Juve replied almost immediately, Pogba cutting back to the edge of the area for Pirlo who rounded one defender before hitting a low shot that zipped inches wide of Pyatov’s post. At the other end Buffon dived low to his right, more in caution than conviciton, when Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan hit an angled shot from range. Juve finally got the break, although it came thanks to a spot of good fortune.

Kucker had been under pressure from Sebastian Giovinco when Stephan Lichsteiner’s low, bouncing cross zipped in and as both players hit the ground the ball bounced off the defender’s leg and into the net.

Both sides had a number of halfchances during the remainder, but Juve held on to hand the Ukrainians their 11th defeat from their last 16 games against Italian teams in Europe.—AFP

DONETSK: Leonardo Bonucci (left) of Juventus challenges for the ball with Eduardo of Shakhtar Donetsk during a Group E Champions League soccer match at Donbas Arena stadium.—AP

Champions League standings PARIS: Champions League tables after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Group E Juventus Shakhtar Chelsea

6 6 6

3 3 3 1 3 1

Nordsjaelland

6

0 1

Group F Bayern Munich 6 Valencia 6 BATE Borisov 6

4 1 4 1 2 0

Lille

1 0

6

0 12 4 12 - Q 2 12 8 10 - Q 2 16 10 10 - Europa League 5 4 22 1

1 15 7 13 - Q 1 12 5 13 - Q 4 9 15 6 - Europa League 5 4 13 3

Group G Barcelona Celtic Benfica

6 6 6

4 1 3 1 2 2

1 11 2 9 2 5

Spartak

6

1 0

5

Group H Man United Galatasaray CFR Cluj

6 6 6

4 0 3 1 3 1

2 2 2

Braga

6

1 0

5

5 8 5

13 - Q 10 - Q 8 - Europa League 7 14 3

9 7 9

7 12 - Q 6 10 - Q 7 10 - Europa League 7 13 3

Played Tuesday Group A Paris SG 6 FC Porto 6 Dynamo Kiev 6

5 0 4 1 1 2

Dinamo Zagreb 6

0 1

1 14 3 15 - Q 1 10 4 13 3 6 10 5 - Europa League 5 1 14 1

Group B Schalke 04 Arsenal Olympiakos

6 6 6

3 3 3 1 3 0

0 10 2 10 3 9

Montpellier

6

0 2

4

Group C Malaga AC Milan Zenit

6 6 6

3 3 2 2 2 1

0 12 2 7 3 6

Anderlecht

6

1 2

3

Group D Dortmund Real Madrid Ajax

6 6 6

4 2 3 2 1 1

6 12 - Q 8 10 - Q 9 9 - Europa League 6 12 2

4

5 12 - Q 6 8-Q 9 7 - Europa League 9 5

0 11 5 14 - Q 1 15 9 11 - Q 4 8 16 4 - Europa League Man City 6 0 3 3 7 11 3 Note: Q = qualified for knock-out phase. Third placed teams qualify for Europa League

Celtic through to last 16

PORTUGAL: Galatasaray’s Burak Yilmaz (right) challenges Sporting Braga’s Paulo Vinicius, from Brazil, during their Champions League Group H soccer match.—AP

Galatasaray grab last-16 spot BRAGA: Second-half goals from Galatasaray’s in-form striker Burak Yilmaz and substitute Aydin Yilmaz sealed a memorable 2-1 comeback win at Braga yesterday that sent the Turkish champions into the Champions League knockout phase for the first time in a decade.

Galatasaray were second in Group H before the match, with the same points as CFR Cluj but ahead on goal difference, and needed to achieve a result that matched the Romanians’ at Manchester United to reach the last 16.

Cluj upset the Premier League leaders and group winners 1-0 but the Turkish side matched them by chiselling out a late win on a cold evening at Braga’s “quarry” stadium.

After several wasted chances Braga scored the opener through Brazilian attacking midfielder Mossoro within the half-an-hour. But in the second half Galatasaray reacted. They equalised through Burak Yilmaz after 58 minutes before Aydin Yilmaz pounced for the late winner. “There’s a huge joy within the team now. Our coach Fatih Terim motivated us in a great way at halftime. We needed to make a comeback and we did so” Yilmaz told the UEFA website. “(Coach Fatih) Terim dressed us down a little in the dressing room but this gave us additional motivation and power”.

The Portuguese started stronger and were quicker and more aggressive, dom-

inating a surprisingly apathetic Turkish side who gave the ball away too easily.

Braga’s 24-year-old striker Eder wasted a good early chance, denied by a sliding tackle from Galatasaray’s Felipe Melo.

After a barrage of opportunities, the Portuguese deservedly went ahead.

Mossoro made the most of a poor clearance effort from Melo, picked up the ball outside the box and shot home.

“We started the match badly, just couldn’t get into the right mood. We realized that the outcome was going away from our hands and we returned to the game,” Burak Yilmaz said.

Galatasaray compensated for a poor start with deadly attacking efficiency.

Yilmaz continued his impressive form in the Champions League and extended his goal tally to six, levelling after 58 minutes with a textbook header.

“Amrabat provided me a very good cross,” he said. With Terim increasingly desperate on the sidelines they completed their comeback through substitute Aydin Yilmaz when the midfielder pounced on a loose ball from a parried save by Braga keeper Quim to grab a memorable winner. “This hurts. The result does not correspond at all to what happened on the pitch,” Braga coach Jose Peseiro told Portuguese television.

“We had more chances, more possession, more corners, more free kicks. We were almost always in control”. —Reuters

GLASGOW: A late Kris Commons penalty sealed a 2-1 win for Celtic over ten-man Spartak Moscow that saw the Glasgow giants progress to the last 16 of the Champions League after Benfica could only manage a goalless draw in Barcelona.

Spartak had come close through Kim Kallstrom and Emmanuel Emenike before Gary Hooper pounced on a Spartak defensive error to fire Celtic into a 21st minute lead. The goal spurned Spartak on and the Russians grabbed an equaliser in the 39th minute when Ari showed good composure to lob Fraser Forster from a difficult angle.

Georgios Samaras smacked the post with a volley just after the break and Mikel Lustig saw a header tipped just over as Celtic chased a winner. With just 10 minutes remaining Samaras won a penalty after a push in the box from Kirill Kombarov and Commons kept his cool to smash his spot-kick in off the bar.

Both sides ended with ten men after Kallstrom saw a straight red in the 88th minute for a high challenge on Commons, that saw the Celtic player stretchered off with the home side having made all their substitutions.

The win sees Celtic become the first Scottish side to achieve ten points in the competition as they progress out of the group stages for only the third time in their history behind Group G winners Barcelona.

Only Scott Brown and Kelvin

Wilson had survived from the Celtic side that drew 1-1 with Second Division Arbroath at the weekend while a strong Spartak line-up didn’t have room for former Celtic hero Aiden McGeady, who started on the bench.

Spartak carved Celtic open with 15 minutes played when Artem Dzyuba cushioned Kallstrom’s pass back into the Swede’s path and he curled an effort just wide of the post with Forster at full-stretch.

Moments later Ari flicked the ball on for Emenike to chase but the forward fired his shot well over the bar. Celtic had failed to really trouble the Spartak defence in the opening 20 minutes but a clinical finish from a terrible defensive error saw Hooper grab the opener.

Samaras launched a hopeful ball forward from the half-way line and when Juan Insaurralde made a hash of his clearance Hooper was first to react to lash a low right-foot piledriver past the keeper from 20 yards.

The goal sparked the Russians into life and Nigerian international Emenike made room for himself at the edge of the box before slicing a shot just wide. In the 39th minute Spartak got a well-deserved equaliser as they caught Celtic on the break.

Emenike showed great strength to shrug off the challenge of Kayal before slipping in Ari who causally dinked the ball over the advancing Forster and into the net despite the best efforts of Kelvin Wilson on the line. Samaras came close to restoring their advantage in the 51st

GLASGOW: Spartak Moscow’s Jose Manuel Jurado (left) vies for the ball with Celtic’s Beram Kayal (right) during their Champions League Group G soccer match.—AP minute when he connected well with Lustig’s cross from the right but his volley smacked the base of the post on its way out.

Efe Ambrose headed into the side netting before Sergei Pesyakov pulled off a superb save to tip Lustig’s goal ward bound header over the bar after the Swede con-

nected well with a Commons corner.

Just when it looked like the Hoops had run out of ideas Commons smacked his powerful 81st minute spot-kick straight down the middle which bounced off the bar and down over the line.—AFP

Valencia settle for second place LILLE: A first-half penalty by Jonas was enough for Valencia to win 1-0 at alreadyeliminated Lille but the Spanish side had to settle for second in Champions League Group F yesterday. Jonas converted a penalty nine minutes from the interval as Valencia finished on 13 points, level with Bayern Munich but behind the German team because of a worse head-to-head record.

Lille finished bottom with three points, three adrift of Europa League-bound BATE Borisov. Valencia were without new coach Ernesto Valverde who will effectively take

over from the sacked Mauricio Pellegrino today. With former match delegate Salvador Gonzalez ‘Voro’ on the bench on a temporary basis, the troubled La Liga side did not impress but played solidly. Lille made the best start but it was shortlived.

Lucas Digne made a good job of containing Sofiane Feghouli on Valencia’s right flank early on in a game played under a closed roof.

The left fullback was also at ease going forward, sending a fine cross into the box only for Marko Basa to head over the bar.

Basa brought down Jonas in the box 10

minutes before the interval and the Brazilian beat Steve Elana to convert the resulting penalty. Lille played nice football but definitely lacked stamina and proved to be toothless up front until the hour when Ronny Rodelin’s 10-metre volley was blocked on the goal line by striker Nelson Valdez.

Vicente Guaita impressively palmed away Salomon Kalou’s powerful 84th-minute strike to secure the win. Valencia, 12th in the La Liga standings 22 points behind leaders Barcelona following a mediocre start to the season, travel to Osasuna on Saturday.—Reuters

Premier League teams aim to excel in Europa League

Wizards, Thunder advance

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

UEFA members back multi-host Euro 2020 plan

Page 18

LONDON: Chelsea’s English defender Gary Cahill scores the third goal during their UEFA Champions League Group E football match against Nordsjaelland at Stamford Bridge. — AFP

Chelsea hit six but all in vain Champions League holders crash out LONDON: Chelsea became the first Champions League holders to go out in the group phase despite a resounding 6-1 win at home to FC Nordsjaelland in their final Group E game yesterday.

The much-maligned Fernando Torres scored twice, with David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Juan Mata and Oscar also on target, but Juventus’ 1-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk in the other group game put the Italians in the last 16 at Chelsea’s expense.

Chelsea finished their group campaign with 10 points-level with Shakhtar, but below the Ukrainian champions by virtue of an inferior head-to-head record. The result gave interim coach Rafael Benitez his first win in four games at the Stamford Bridge helm, but Chelsea’s only hope of securing silverware in Europe for a second successive season now lies in the

Europa League.

“The other game was out of our hands, so we couldn’t do anything about it,” said Benitez.

“I said before that we just had to do our job. As a manager, you have to be really pleased with the performance of your team.

“Thirty-two attempts at goal, 18 on target, six goals, a lot of clear chances. You have to think about the positives, even though we’re disappointed we can’t progress in the Champions League.

“People ask about the Europa League. Every competition is important for us. We will try to challenge and win where we can.” Ashley Cole was making his 100th Champions League appearance and he crafted the game’s first opportunity by teeing up Victor Moses for a volley that visiting goalkeeper Jesper Hansen blocked at his near post.

Cluj eliminated despite victory over Man United MANCHESTER: Luis Alberto scored the only goal as Cluj secured a 1-0 win over Manchester United but were still eliminated from the Champions League here yesterday. Alberto put the Romanian champions ahead just before the hour but with Galatasary coming from behind to win 2-1 in Braga, Cluj were eliminated on the head to head ruling.

Paulo Sergio’s side, who must have believed a victory at Old Trafford would take them to the next stage, will now feature in the Europa League in the new year.

United were through even before the 1-0 defeat at Galatasary last month and progress as group winners.

But despite making 10 changes ahead of the Manchester derby with City on Sunday, Alex Ferguson will still be frustrated at his team’s second successive European defeat. It was his team’s first home loss since a 1-0 defeat to Besiktas in November 2009. But, having taken the unusual step of criticising the defending of his side, who have now conceded 33 goals this season, before the game, he will be angry to have witnessed more errors against Cluj. Alberto’s goal was the 15th occasion United have fallen behind this season and they have only kept four clean sheets in 23 matches in the current campaign. Danny Welbeck went close to giving United an early breakthrough but his header from a Ryan Giggs cross flew wide of goal. There was more evidence of what has been troubling Ferguson when a loose Giggs backpass put Chris Smalling under pressure and the England defender’s poor clearance allowed Rui Pedro to shoot, only for David De Gea to make a smart save.

The Romanians pressed forward whenever they could and Pedro swapped passes with Modou Sogou before the striker’s effort was deflected wide by United youngster Scott Wootton. Camora found more space when he got in behind Phil Jones only to see his cross cleared wide by Tom Cleverley with Sogou about to pounce at the near post. United’s frustration continued when Cleverley picked out Wayne Rooney, who was the only survivor from Saturday’s win at Reading, on the right but after his initial effort was blocked he lifted his follow-up into the stand.

The hosts threatened when Welbeck robbed a defender and sent Cleverley through only for goalkeeper Felgueiras to rush out to make a block. Rooney was denied by the Cluj goalkeeper when he attempted a clever chip and after the Romanians failed to clear, Javier Hernandez clipped in a cross that was headed just wide by Smalling. — AFP

Hansen also saved from Torres, twice, and Eden Hazard, although the chants of ‘Come on Shakhtar!’ from the home support suggested Chelsea’s fans were keeping half an eye on events 1,700 miles away in Ukraine.

Chelsea came within inches of taking the lead in the 26th minute, with Nicolai Stokholm slicing an attempted clearance against his own crossbar from Moses’ low centre.

In reply, Kasper Lorentzen and Enoch Adu chanced their arm from range for Nordsjaelland, before a curious seven-minute spell that saw three penalties awarded for handball, but only one converted.

Chelsea were incensed when referee Bas Nijhuis awarded a penalty against them after Cahill appeared to handle Anders Christiansen’s shot outside the area, but Stokholm’s penalty was saved by Petr Cech.

Three minutes later, Hazard fluffed his lines from 12 yards after a handball by substitute Mikkel Beckmann, before Luiz showed him how it was done by confidently scoring from the spot following yet another handball by Joshua John.

Torres’ previous goal, in the 3-2 home win over Shakhtar, owed much to a fortunate ricochet and there was a touch of luck about his first goal in first-half injury time.

After racing onto Moses’ through ball, the Spaniard saw his shot blocked by Hansen but the ball rebounded against him and he steadied himself before finding the empty net.

Chelsea were on course to complete their side of the bargain in comfortable fashion but they allowed their opponents to pull a goal back within 21 seconds of kick-off in the second period.

Lorentzen picked out John’s run with a loft-

ed pass and the on-loan FC Twente forward held off Branislav Ivanovic before hoisting the ball past Cech. It took barely five minutes for Chelsea to restore their two-goal cushion, however, as Cahill met Mata’s deep free-kick with a strong header that looped over the despairing Hansen.

It was Chelsea’s 200th European Cup goal, and Torres poked in Hazard’s low cross in the 56th minute to make it 201, but by that stage Juve were ahead in Donetsk.

Mata added a fifth, following in after Hansen saved his first attempt, and the former Valencia man then teed up substitute Oscar to score Chelsea’s sixth. The celebrations, though, were subdued — 200 days on from their historic triumph on penalties against Bayern Munich in last season’s final, this was a very different kind of Chelsea victory. — AFP

Messi stretchered off as Benfica hold Barcelona BARCELONA: Lionel Messi was stretchered off with a leg injury as Barcelona drew 0-0 with Benfica at the Nou Camp, a result which sees Celtic go through at the expense of the Portuguese from Champions League Group G. Benfica needed only to match Celtic’s result against Spartak Moscow and they wasted a number of excellent chances against a weakened Barca, especially in the first half and were to rue them as Celtic snatched a 2-1 win over Spartak Moscow.

Messi was brought on as a second-half substitute but went down clutching his knee late on in the game. The Catalan side cruised through the group stage with just one defeat, away to Celtic, in what has been a prolific start to the season where domestically they have made a record start with 13 wins from 14 games.

Fans turned up hoping to see Messi match or better Gerd Mueller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year but in the end the night finished on a sour note with the Argentine still a goal behind.

Barca chose to rest the bulk of the regular side and took the opportunity to blood youngsters in the true spirit of the club which takes such a pride in the production line from their Masia academy. Still at the back there was the steadying presence of Carles Puyol at centre half, while Alex Song was in the middle and David SPAIN: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi from Argentina reacts after suffering an Villa in the attacking trident.

Benfica’s task of toppling the Catalan giants injury during a Group G Champions League soccer match against Benfica was made more difficult by the loss of a number at the Camp Nou stadium. — AP

of important players, including Pablo Aimar, Enzo Perez and Eduardo Salvio. Although with some unfamiliar faces in tehir line-up, Barca set out from the start to play the same way with quick, short passing but a combination of nerves and inexperience saw them struggle to move upfield and when Benfica broke they caused plenty of danger.

While Barca were building play with 15 to 20 passes strung together, just one ball from Ola John after 11 minutes should have seen Benfica go ahead. Rodrigo Moreno was put through on goal but with just Jose Pinto to beat he slotted past the post. The Barca defence looked too flat against the pace of the Benfica forward line and Rodrigo Lima headed wide from close range from a Nolito cross.

At the other end Barca were also making dangerous runs, especially through Cristian Tello but they were lacking the final ball or were caught offside as Benfica’s defence pushed forward.

Rafinha played the ball back into the goalmouth after 24 minutes but Ezequiel Garay cleared on the line. The danger to the Barca goal increased in the run-up to half time as a Nolito pass put Lima clear down the left channel but Pinto got his fingertips to the ball and deflected it onto a post. Then John cut inside Adriano Correia but Pinto again came to the rescue to parry his shot from 10 metres and it was not long before the home fans began to chant the name of Messi. — AFP

Business

Abu Dhabi’s TAQA to raise $2bn from bond Page 22 Kuwait’s govt spending picks up in Q2 2012/13

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Page 24 Accounting standards must reflect new trends: Experts

Official iPhone 5 from VIVA soon Page 26

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LONDON: Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (left) walks with Chief Secretary to the Treasury to deliver the half-yearly budget statement to parliament. (Right) Members of Britain’s biggest public sector trade union Unison wear masks depicting Osborne as they protest against budget cuts in central London yesterday.— AFP

Britain extends austerity, cuts GDP forecasts UK fiscal watchdog sees 1.1m jobs lost to austerity LONDON: Britain will prolong deep austerity measures by one year, finance minister George Osborne said yesterday and the government slashed its growth forecasts amid “deep-seated” economic problems.

Presenting a budget update, Chancellor of the Exchequer Osborne admitted that the coalition government would fail to meet its official target for reducing public debt as a proportion of British economic output by 2015/2016. Correcting the huge budget deficit is a vital policy objective for the government. “It is taking time but the British economy is healing after the biggest financial crash in our lifetime,” Osborne insisted in his Autumn Statement. Confirming that he was prolonging the government’s austerity program to 2017-18 — beyond Britain’s next general election due in 2015 — Osborne said: “We are making progress. It’s a hard road, but we are getting there. Britain is on the right track and turning back

now would be a disaster.” Explaining why he was extending cuts in public spending again, Osborne said the British economy faced “deep-seated problems at home and abroad.” He said: “In last year’s Autumn Statement we committed the government to maintain the same pace of consolidation for two further years beyond the current spending review into 2015 and 2016-2017”.

Osborne said: “In this year’s Autumn Statement we extend the consolidation for one further year into 20172018.” Britain meanwhile slashed its economic outlook, forecasting the economy would shrink by 0.1 percent this year and then return to growth in 2013, according to figures published alongside the budget update. The new forecast, issued by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) fiscal watchdog, showed a sharp drop on the previous 2012 growth estimate of 0.8 percent that was given in Osborne’s annual budget in March.

The OBR added that British gross domestic product was forecast to grow by 1.2 percent in 2013. That compared with previous guidance for greater expansion of 2.0 percent. Osborne also revealed that debt as a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP) was now expected to fall in 2016/2017 — a year later than the government’s previous forecast.

Recent official data showed that Britain had escaped from recession in the third quarter of this year, with its economy growing by a robust 1.0 percent. However the return to growth was owing to one-off factors such as the London Olympics and rebounding activity after public holidays in the second quarter. “The message... is that we are making progress,” Osborne said. The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government imposed austerity measures to slash a record deficit inherited from the previous Labor administration.

Saudis fear impact of new fees for foreign workers

Egypt gains; Kuwait slips after protests MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Egypt’s bourse extended gains yesterday as foreign bargain hunters bought blue-chips despite prolonged political turmoil, while Kuwait’s measure slipped and other Gulf markets were mixed.Cairo’s benchmark climbed 1.6 percent, trimming its losses since President Mohamed Morsi issued a decree that gave him more powers and triggered a political crisis to 6.7 percent.

Local investors were selling among fresh protests planned. The Muslim Brotherhood called for a rally to back Morsi outside his presidential palace yesterday and leftists planned a counterdemonstration, raising fears of clashes in a crisis over a disputed push for a new constitution.

“Good positions are built in bad times and smart money begins to come in at the most attractive prices,” said Karim Abed Alaziz, executive manager of equity fund at National Fund Management Company. “I’m expecting the rally to continue until the date of the referendum on the constitution.”

Bluechips gain with Orascom Construction Industries and Telecom Egypt rising 3.4 and 3.7 percent each.

Talaat Mostafa climbed 1.3 percent.

Kuwait’s bourse extended losses as retail investors booked profits amid fresh protests.

The state’s Interior Ministry said it would take all necessary measures to prevent “unauthorized assembly” in the Gulf Arab state after dispersing protesters it said threw stones and tried to mow down police with cars. The demonstrations are part of a wave of public protests since late

October triggered by changes to voting rules used in Saturday’s parliamentary election. The index lost 0.6 percent, down for a second session since Monday’s seven-week high.

It had rallied in recent sessions on positive comments from the emir signalling a push for economic development, as well as state-linked funds buying blue-chips.

“The political situation took away from the confidence built by the emir - retail investors want to book their gains and there are some people from the opposition who are trying to push down the market,” said Fouad Darwish, head of brokerage at Global Investment House.

Small-caps dominated trade. National Ranges dropped 12.2 percent, Gulf Investment House shed 5.1 percent and Sokouk Holding slipped 6.1 percent.

Five of the six largest stocks by market cap were flat. National Bank of Kuwait rose 1 percent.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia’s index gained 0.2 percent, up for a fifth session in the last six, since slumping to a 10month low over concerns over King Abdullah’s health after his back surgery last month. Banks and petrochemical stocks edged higher with Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) and Alinma Bank up 0.9 and 1.6 percent respectively.

In the UAE, Dubai’s index and Abu Dhabi’s benchmark closed near-flat as investors found little catalyst to increase risk. Qatar’s measure declined 0.2 percent, close to Monday’s four-month low.

Elsewhere, Oman’s index gained 0.4 percent, up for a fourth session since last week’s two-month low. — Reuters

Britain’s fiscal policy watchdog said yesterday that more than one million jobs would now be cut from the public sector by 2018 because of further government spending cuts.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility, which produces forecasts that underpin the government’s economic policy, said gross domestic product would grow much more slowly than it forecast in March. According to the OBR, about 1.1 million general government jobs would be lost in total from the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition’s austerity plans, which got underway in mid2010, “reflecting the additional year of spending cuts pencilled in for 2017-18”.

In March, it had expected about 730,000 public sector jobs to be cut across the full period of austerity. There are roughly five and half million people employed in Britain’s public sector. — Agencies

MUMBAI: An Indian saleswoman puts a price tag on a product at a retail shop in Mumbai yesterday. India’s ruling Congress Party-led coalition government yesterday won a crucial vote in favor of its decision to open up the country’s huge retail sector to foreign big-box companies like Wal-Mart. — AP

India govt wins vote on supermarket reform NEW DELHI: India’s fragile ruling coalition won a vote on allowing foreign supermarkets to operate in Asia’s third-largest economy in a test of support for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s minority government and his flagship economic reform. The victory gives Singh a much-needed boost at a time when he is trying to drive a second wave of economic reforms through a fractious parliament. The debate over retail reform has proved a costly distraction for the government and has already eaten up two weeks of the month-long parliamentary session.

The vote now clears the way for voting on bills aimed at attracting foreign investment to the ailing pension and insurance industries, two measures seen by financial markets as important steps towards further liberalizing an economy in the midst of a slowdown.

Expectations the government would win drove India’s stock market to a 19month high yesterday.

The vote in parliament’s lower house which the government won thanks to abstentions by two powerful regional parties - was non-binding. However, a loss would have made it harder for Singh to defend the policy to bring global chains such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to India’s $450 billion retail sector. Under threat of losing India’s investment grade credit rating, and facing the prospect of fighting a general election during the worst growth slump in a decade, Singh launched the policy amid a flurry of long-delayed reforms in September. Money has flowed into India’s capital markets since, and Goldman Sachs last week upgraded India’s outlook, but formidable hurdles remain to get the economy back on track. — Reuters

JEDDAH: Glancing through the newspapers one morning last month Saudi Arabian businessman Ihsan Al-Naeem was stunned by a government announcement that he fears will threaten the survival of his family’s 30-year-old contracting business.

In the latest and most aggressive of a series of labor reforms, the government has started imposing fees on companies that hire more foreign than local workers. The requirement covers everyone from expat professionals to hospital workers and laborers on construction sites and is in addition to quotas already in place to limit foreign staff numbers.

The new rule is aimed at reducing unemployment of 10.5 percent among Saudi nationals by getting them into jobs now performed by 8 million expatriates in the country, a long-term Saudi goal given fresh impetus by the uprisings in Arab countries last year that were partly driven by high unemployment. Labor Minister Adel Al-Fakeih said in January that the largest Arab economy needed to create 3 million jobs for Saudi nationals by 2015 and 6 million by 2030, partly through “Saudi-ising” work now done by foreigners.

However, in an economy in which imported labor fills nine in 10 private sector jobs, according to central bank data, many companies fear the new fees will hit their businesses hard by adding to their costs and shrinking the pool of available workers. “There are no Saudis who can drill or operate heavy machinery ... Where will they work in the construction industry?” said Naeem, who employs more than 1,000 foreign laborers working on 17 government contracts.

As of Nov 15, Naeem and other private sector employers who hire more foreigners than Saudis must pay a fee of 2,400 riyals ($640) a year for each additional expatriate when they renew an expat’s one-year residency permit. The rule does not cover foreigners with Saudi mothers or nationals of other Gulf states.

Businessmen protested outside Labor Ministry offices after the decision, threatening to raise their fees to cover the additional labor costs o r terminate existing government contracts.

A Labor Ministry spokesman said there were no plans to reverse or amend the decision. “The decision is based on detailed studies of the market mechanisms and it will hopefully increase the competitiveness of our local youth in a market that has no mercy, which has eight foreigners in every 10 employees of the private sector, who compete with our youth for their livelihood,” the spokesman, Hattab Alenezi, said. Businesses say the new system will not address the problem of Saudis unwilling to work in the private sector. —Reuters

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BUSINESS

Abu Dhabi’s TAQA to raise $2bn from bond Company to raise $750m 2018 bond ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi National Energy Co (TAQA), the state-owned firm buying some of BP’s North Sea assets, will raise $2 billion from its two-part bond, amid strong demand for the deal.

Proceeds from the bond sale are to be used for refinancing debt that is coming to maturity, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday, declining to be identified. The company has $1.75 billion in bond maturities next year. It last tapped markets for a dollar-denominated issue last December with a $1.5 billion

two-tranche bond to refinance 2012 maturities.

Global demand for top-rated Gulf debt is currently very strong and spreads have tightened significantly to attractive levels for state-linked borrowers such as TAQA and International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC). IPIC raised $2.9 billion from a bond sale last month. TAQA, over 70 percent-owned by the Abu Dhabi government, launched a $750 million bond maturing 2018 at a spread of 200 basis points over US Treasuries and a

and expect to finalize the transaction late Wednesday or by Thursday,” a spokesman for TAQA told Reuters earlier in the day.

BNP Paribas, Citigroup Inc, HSBC Holdings, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Standard Chartered Plc are mandated bookrunners on the deal. TAQA is the second Gulf borrower to issue bonds this week, after Gulf International Bank priced a $500 million five-year deal on Tuesday, as regional companies line up to get deals away before investors close books for the year. —Reuters

$1.25 billion bond maturing 2023 at 210 basis points over US Treasuries.

Final pricing at launch was slightly tighter than guidance issued earlier in the day, indicating strong investor appetite. Regional traders said there was substantial demand for TAQA’s new issue, with order books seen in excess of $10 billion at 1000 GMT, and the bonds already trading higher in the grey market.

“We are still in the process of book building. We have seen strong demand

South India Property Show 2012 to open tomorrow KUWAIT: South India’s largest property exhibition, ‘South India Property Show 2012’, will open its doors at 10.30am on 7th and 8th of December, 2012, at the Ramada Hotel in Al Riggae, Kuwait. The two-day event that will remain open till 8.30 in the evening on both days, will showcase several real estate developers who will present properties in various segments, including apartments, row houses, lifestyle residential properties, villas and residential plots in top South Indian cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Mangalore, Coimbatore, Tirupati and others.

According to a joint report from Jones Lang LaSalle and Confederation of Indian Industry conducted recently, the residential markets of South Indian cities have remained resilient in the past few quarters, relative to the significant decline in the sales volume of Mumbai and NCR. On an average, southern cities recorded nearly one-third of the country’s new launches in the past five quarters. Real estate investment in southern cities is proving to be highly lucrative for investors, especially NRIs looking to park their investments in India.

The property show is being organized by ‘Eyeball Media

Private Ltd’, a leading organizer of lifestyle events in South India in association with ‘Response Events & Exhibitions Kuwait’. Speaking about the exhibition, G Shakthi, MD of Eyeball Media, said, “South India Property Show 2012 will be a one-stop destination offering a wide range of budget and luxury properties from top cities of South India under one roof. This event was specifically conceptualized to cater to the NRIs living in Kuwait to showcase the enormous investment potential that these market have in terms of growth. Besides, this show for the first time in Kuwait, will be an exclusive platform of only south Indian properties starting from Rs 1 Lakh to Rs 10 Crores, showcasing a wide array of real estate projects for NRI’s living in Kuwait.”

The participants at this year’s show include prominent names like, True Value Homes, Real Value Promoters, Vasavi Housing, Arihant Builders, Unitech, Arun Excello, Phoenix Hodu Developers, Shanders, S&S Foundations, Olive Builders, BSCPL Ltd, Mahabaleshwara Properties and Land Trades among others. Top Home Loan provider HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation) is also participating in this show offering home loans to the NRIs.

Saudi firm Alkhabeer eyes 2014 IPO: CEO DUBAI: Alkhabeer Capital, a Saudi Arabia-based investment advisory firm, plans to offer new shares worth about 30 percent of its capital in an initial public offering (IPO) on the local bourse by early 2014, its chief executive said.

Alk habeer, in which conglomerate Saudi Binladin Group is a top shareholder, is awaiting the regulatory nod to initiate the IPO process, CEO Ammar Shata said in Dubai.

The Jeddah-based firm, which manages assets worth around $700 million, was formed in 2004 and raised about $210 million in capital from more than 30 shareholders after receiving an investment banking and asset management license from the Saudi regulator, the Capital Market Authority (CMA). —Reuters

UAE bankruptcy law draft may be delayed DUBAI: A draft of changes to United Arab Emirates bankruptcy law aimed at simplifying the process and letting failing companies restructure is taking longer than expected and may not be ready until the end of 2013. The draft, which has been in the works since 2009, should enable both listed and family-owned companies that get into trouble to restructure and be rescued rather than being forced to go through lengthy bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings.

The OPEC member’s government hopes the new rules will reassure foreign investors and help bring in more cash from overseas. “We are still in the consultative process, but we are a little unclear when the consultative process will finish,” said James Farn, a partner with commercial law firm Hadef & Partners, which was involved in drafting the legislation. Dubai’s debt crisis in 2009-2010 shone a spotlight on company restructurings but existing federal bankruptcy laws - seen as opaque and complex - remain untested in UAE courts as distressed firms prefer to settle creditor claims privately.

The new law, which will allow a bankrupt company to restructure its debts and assets and have a fresh start, is roughly based on French bankruptcy legislation.

“It’s certainly going to take months, perhaps the end of next year,” Farn, who heads the banking and finance team in the firm, told a forum on insolvency reforms.

He later told reporters that the legislation had not yet reached a stage of a draft bill, the first formal step in the process, when it is presented to the cabinet.

Justice Minister Hadef bin Juan al-Dhaheri said in May he hoped the draft legislation would be ready by the end of 2012. Dhaheri, who founded Hadef & Partners in 1980, told Reuters last month that the UAE was pushing hard to finalise the law but declined to say when the draft would be ready. In 2009, Dubai, one of seven UAE members, issued a special decree to deal with a $25 billion debt restructuring at its flagship conglomerate Dubai World.

The new UAE bankruptcy law may ease debt restructurings by providing greater scope for out-of-court negotiations. It would also contain provisions that could force a minority of creditors to accept a restructuring agreement if it was acceptable to the majority, a process known as a cramdown.

However, under the proposed law, it would still be difficult to seize assets, even if they are pledged as collateral, as land ownership in the UAE is on the whole restricted to citizens.—Reuters

Global gets full backing for restructuring KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Global Investment House said yesterday it had secured the full backing of its creditors for its $1.7 billion restructuring plan. The investment company and asset manager, undergoing its second debt restructuring in three years, will separate its core fee business from other parts of the company which would be spun off into special purpose vehicles (SPV) under the plan.

Global was one of several Kuwaiti investment firms hit hard by the global financial crisis, having used shortterm debt to invest heavily in local real estate and stocks whose values later slumped.

Under the restructuring, Global plans to create two SPVs one of which will hold company assets, along with debt, worth $1.3 billion. The other vehicle will take part in a capital increase for the parent company, in which Global will offer 122.2 million dinars ($433 million) of new shares to creditors, leaving them owning 70 percent of the investment firm.

Global’s business after the deal will include asset management, investment banking and brokerage operations, it said in a statement. Shares in the company were suspended from trading in Kuwait last December after the company accumulated losses exceeding 75 percent of its capital. On Sunday shareholders approved the delisting of the stock from the bourse. —Reuters

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 Egyptian pounds

.2740000 .4500000 .3650000 .3010000 .2810000 .2920000 .0040000 .0020000 .0761490 .7418950 .3880000 .0720000 .7272960 .0430000

.2840000 .4600000 .3730000 .3110000 .2910000 .3010000 .0067500 .0035000 .0769170 .7493510 .4070000 .0770000 .7346050 .0510000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2805000 .2826000 GB Pound/KD .4520820 .4554660 Euro .3678480 .3706020 Swiss francs .3028670 .3051340 Canadian dollars .2828330 .2849510 Danish Kroner .0493080 .0496770 Swedish Kroner .0425750 .0428940 Australian dlr .2937960 .2959950 Hong Kong dlr .0361930 .0364640 Singapore dlr .2302390 .2319630 Japanese yen .0034140 .0034390 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0052040 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0022090 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0029380 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0034900 UAE dirhams .0763990 .0769710 Bahraini dinars .7443280 .7499000 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3997170 Saudi Riyal/KD .0748200 .0753800 Omani riyals .7288550 .7343120 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0069690

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 3.435 5.144 2.917 2.187 3.216 231.950 36.394 3.442 6.892 9.991 0.271 0.273

GCC COUNTRIES 75.243 77.529 732.880 749.440 76.832

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 47.900 46.082 1.316 180.690 398.010 1.893 3.858 33.698

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.050 Euro 370.190 Sterling Pound 455.370 Canadian dollar 284.470 Turkish lire 158.010 Swiss Franc 305.580 Australian dollar 295.310 US Dollar Buying 280.850

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 298.800 749.290 3.690 287.500 553.300 45.900 50.400 167.800 47.850 373.600 37.050 5.440 0.032 0.161 0.246 3.460 399.270 0.191 94.960 45.400 4.330 235.900 1.825

51.300 731.850 3.070 7.120 77.930 75.230 232.750 34.750 2.684 458.100 43.700 307.300 3.700 9.540 198.263 76.820 282.100 1.360

731.670 2.934 6.904 77.500 75.230 232.750 34.750 2.191 456.100 305.800 3.700 9.380

SELL DRAFT 297.300 749.290 3.442 286.000

232.800 46.043 372.100 36.900 5.170 0.031

3.250 234.400

77.310 75.070 397.025 46.038 2.187 5.159 2.912 3.442 6.885 690.890 4.420 9.265 4.370 3.320 92.465

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

GOLD 10 Tola 1,821.670 TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 456.100 281.700

Sterling Pound US Dollar

COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar 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

SELL DRAFT 298.54 287.58 309.13 371.15 281.45 456.57 3.51 3.469 5.138 2.196 3.221 2.919 76.70 749.41 46.07 400.97 732.50 77.72 75.26

SELL CASH 297.000 288.000 309.000 370.000 283.000 456.000 3.690 3.570 5.400 2.300 3.650 3.150 77.300 749.000 47.750 399.000 732.000 77.850 75.800

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 399.240 0.190 94.960

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

76.720 281.700

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

GOLD 320.000 161.000 83.500

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

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams

281.650 284.475 454.715 369.870 304.750 746.660 76.660

Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 281.700 Pak Rupees 2.915 Indian Rupees 5.175 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.200 Bangladesh Taka 3.468 Philippines Peso 6.930 UAE Dirhams 76.795 Saudi Riyals 75.275 Bahraini Dinars 748.900 Egyptian Pounds 46.049 Pound Sterling 459.500 Indonesian Rupiah 2.990 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Euro 375.200 Canadian Dollars 290.000 Nepali rupee 3.265

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 281.900 Euro 369.650 Pound Sterling 454.350 Canadian Dollar 286.150 Japanese Yen 3.470 Indian Rupee 5.181 Egyptian Pound 46.135 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.164 Bangladesh Taka 3.456 Philippines Peso 6.895 Pakistan Rupee 2.925 Bahraini Dinar 750.650 UAE Dirham 76.600 Saudi Riyal 75.275 *Rates are subject to change

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BUSINESS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BUSINESS

Kuwait’s govt spending picks up in Q2 2012/13 NBK ECONOMIC REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait’s public finance data for the second quarter of FY 2012/13 reveal a substantial pick-up in government spending. However, the macroeconomic impact of the increase was probably small and spending remains relatively low in comparison to previous years. Combined with strong oil revenues, this continues to see the build-up of a huge budget surplus.

The budget surplus for the first 6 months of FY 2012/13 reached a substantial KD 12.6 billion before allocations to the Reserve Fund for Future Generations (RFFG). This surplus is equivalent to 26% of annual 2012 GDP, and is KD 3.8 billion higher than the comparable period in the previous fiscal year. We project the budget surplus for FY 2012/13 to close at KD 12.0 billion, as recorded spending typically accelerates in the second half of the year.

Total revenues for the first half of FY 2012/13 reached KD 16.0 billion, of which KD 15.4 billion came from oil revenues. Oil receipts were up 16% year-on-year. This is stronger than expected given the 2% drop in Kuwait Export Crude prices and the 11% increase in oil production over the same period. (Chart 2.) Non-oil revenues, on the other hand, were down slightly on lower miscellaneous revenues and fees, likely related to UN compensation payments.

Total government spending picked-up in the second fiscal quarter, following a particularly sluggish 1Q. 2Q spending stood at KD 2.5 billion, compared to just KD 0.9 billion in 1Q. Despite the apparent surge, spending remains low for this time of the year, at just 16% of planned full year expenditures. This is possibly due to the delayed approval of the budget. Moreover, although the full data set is not yet available, the rise in 2Q spending appears to be linked to intergovernmental transfers, which are unlikely to have had a big impact on the economy.

Current spending climbed to KD 2.2 billion in 2Q12, up from KD 0.9 billion in 1Q12. The rise was almost entirely driven by a rise in the miscellaneous expenditures and transfers segment. We suspect that this reflects a rise in transfers to cover the actuarial deficit in the social security fund and as such, will have limited macroeconomic impact.

Nevertheless, current spending as a whole is expected to rise strongly this year as a result of increases in wages and salaries. (Chart 3.) This will help support the consumer side of the economy.

Capital spending has recovered somewhat given its weak start, reaching KD 0.3 billion in 2Q versus KD 0.1 billion in 1Q. The rate of spending has picked-up to 13% of the full-year budget, but this still lags the 5-year historic average of 20%. (Chart 4.) Year-on-year, capital spending was down 9%. Some acceleration is expected in the second half of the year as the government speeds up execution of infrastructure projects.

Brent up on China hopes LONDON: Brent crude oil rose slightly to $110 per barrel yesterday on hopes that growth in top energy consumer China will pick up sooner than expected, while weak euro zone retail data limited gains. Frontmonth Brent futures traded 13 cents higher at $109.97 by 1134 GMT, after losing nearly 1 percent in the previous session. US crude added 21 cents to $88.71.

New Communist Party chief Xi Jinping said the Chinese government aimed to stabilize exports and make policies more targeted and effective, which prompted early strength in oil and equities.

“Chinese sentiment is pulling markets in general higher, and this is due to the statement from the new Chinese leadership with regards to maintaining a stable environment during 2013,” Filip Petersson, an analyst at SEB in Stockholm, said.

Brent was still well below Monday’s high above $112 per barrel, and price gains were capped as news of a sharp fall in euro zone retail sales increased worries about demand. The volume of retail trade in the 17-member euro-zone fell 1.2 percent in October from September, the biggest drop since April. The euro-zone’s economy, which generates about a fifth of global output, slipped into recession in the third quarter of this year and is expected to contract for all of this year.

Gains were also limited by worries that any delay in an agreement to avert a fiscal crisis in the United States may push the world’s top oil consumer into recession, darkening the outlook for demand. Obama and Republican lawmakers are locked in a battle over measures to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff” at the end of the year, a program of $600 billion of spending cuts and tax increases.

The absence of such a deal could cut global oil demand by about 0.6 million barrels per day, JP Morgan analysts estimated in a report this week. “ We’ve seen months of these discussions going back and forth,” Petersson said, adding that demand worries connected to the debates have limited effects today.

“We’ll have to wait until there is something on the table that people can have a serious discussion about.” Political and civil unrest in Egypt and Syria and a running dispute between Iran and the United States over Iran’s nuclear program have threatened to disrupt exports from the Middle East, triggering worries about supply. “Anything to do with the Middle East will underpin prices, but the big concern at the moment is the continuing tension with Iran,” said Ben Le Brun, market analyst at OptionsXpress in Sydney.

Iran said on Tuesday it had captured a US intelligence drone in its airspace, but the White House said there was no supporting evidence. Data from the American Petroleum Institute showed that total US stockpiles dropped by 2.2 million barrels in the week to Nov 30. — Reuters

Sudan presents new budget that ‘overcomes’ oil loss KHARTOUM: Sudan has overcome the loss of South Sudanese oil, the finance minister said in presenting a new budget to parliament yesterday, despite 45 percent inflation and a currency at record black-market lows. Finance Minister Ali Mahmud Al-Rasul said growth will reach 1.4 percent this year and will rise to 3.6 percent in 2013 — figures which contradict International Monetary Fund estimates for a contraction in 2012 with the economy holding roughly steady next year.

The IMF sees Sudan’s growth falling by 11 percent this year and hovering around zero in 2013.

South Sudan separated in July last year with roughly 75 percent of the 470,000 barrels per day of oil roduced by the formerly-unified country. The lost crude accounted for most of Khartoum’s export earnings and half of its fiscal revenues.

Without its largest source of hard currency, which is needed to pay for imports, inflation has soared and the Sudanese pound has plunged in value while the government tries to boost exports of gold and other non-petroleum products.

“The 2013 budget shows that we have overcome the secession of South Sudan,” Rasul said. But El Shafie Mohammed El Makki, head of political science at the University of Khartoum, said the budget will not address a deteriorating economy in which people are struggling to survive.

“It is (a) very serious situation,” he told AFP. A September agreement between Sudan and South Sudan included a financial package worth about $3 billion in southern compensation for the oilfields

Sudan lost at separation.

The two sides also agreed on fees for exporting the South’s oil through northern pipelines for export. South Sudan halted oil production in January after accusing Khartoum of theft in a long-running fee dispute. Those and other deals have not yet been implemented, and Rasul told parliament that his 2013 budget does not include any oil transit fees from South Sudan.

Neither will there be a further reduction in subsidies for the domestic oil market, he told legislators. As part of measures announced in June to address the fiscal imbalance, Sudan raised the pump prices of fuel by about 50 percent under a phasing out of petroleum subsidies which had been set this year at 2.2 billion pounds ($338 million at the current black market exchange rate).

Anti-inflation protests followed, with Arab Spring-inspired calls for the downfall of President Omar AlBashir’s 23-year regime. The scattered protests petered out following a security clampdown.

Reducing the subsidies was part of a reform package which the IMF called an important step to restoring economic stability and reducing dependence on oil. Along with a phasing out of subsidies, the government raised taxes, devalued the currency and increased social spending.

An IMF staff report in September said restoring economic stability would require “strong and determined implementation” of those measures. It urged the 2013 budget to maintain “the subsidy reform momentum”. - AFP

KHARTOUM: MPs gather waiting to listen to Sudanese Finance Minister Ali Mahmud Al-Rasul addressing the parliament in Khartoum yesterday as they consider the 2013 budget for an economy struggling for revenue after the loss of the South Sudanese oil revenue. — AFP

25

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BUSINESS

Accounting standards must reflect new trends: Experts KPMG holds 2-day seminar on IFRS in Kuwait

By Sajeev K Peter

LOS ANGELES: Shipping containers are stack beside idle cranes on Dec 4 at the Port of Los Angeles in southern California as a strike by port clerical workers enters its second week. —AFP

Deal reached to end major US port strike LOS ANGELES: Negotiators have reached an outline agreement to end a week-long strike crippling the US ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which handle 40 percent of US maritime imports, mainly from Asia. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the deal late Tuesday after taking part in marathon negotiations the night before, and the union said it expected to ratify the deal and resume work later.

The strike by clerical workers at the key US transport gateway, which constitutes the world’s seventh-biggest commercial harbor, has been costing billions of dollars to the local and wider US economy. Union officials said late Tuesday they had succeeded in winning new protections to prevent jobs from being outsourced.

“This was a community effort that will benefit working families for many years to come,” said John Fageaux, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 63-OCU. Stephen Berry, chief negotiator for the Harbor Employers Association, said “tonight is the end of a very long journey.”

“Both sides had principles that are very important to them,” he said. “The employers have struggled since the global economic crisis in 2008. Cargo volumes have dropped and they’ve not returned to those levels.”

The strike by about 800 clerical staff from the ILWU began at a terminal in Los Angeles port last Tuesday but spread to six other terminals and Long Beach the next day.

About 10,000 ILWU members have honored the picket call, shutting down 10 of the 14 cargo container terminals at the complex. The striking clerical workers said they had been without contracts since June 2010, and the two sides had argued over whether or not the employers could outsource the jobs of union workers who retired or left for other employment.

The strike raised concerns that closure of the ports could further hobble the already sluggish US economy and dent expected gains from the holiday season.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) noted that the recovery from a 10-day lockout of West Coast ports in 2002 took six months and cost the economy an estimated $1 billion a day.

More than 95 percent of cargo passing through Los Angeles is traded with Asia, mainly with China and Japan, according to its website, which put the value of 2011 cargo trade with China/Hong Kong at $136 billion. The Long Beach port supports over 30,000 jobs locally, 316,000 jobs in southern California and 1.4 million jobs throughout the United States, according to its website.

The strike had forced container ships to divert to other ports in California, notably Oakland, up the coast near San Francisco, and Mexico.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday that US President Barack Obama was concerned about the West Coast strike. “We-and that includes the president-continue to monitor the situation in Los Angeles closely and urge the parties to continue their work at the negotiating table to get a deal done as quickly as possible,” he said.

On Tuesday Villaraigosa said both sides had agreed to federal mediation, and that he had contacted Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director George Cohen by phone.

It was not immediately clear what role if any the federal mediator had played in reaching Tuesday’s tentative agreement. —AFP

Starbucks to open 1,500 cafes in US NEW YORK: Starbucks, the world’s biggest coffee company, is planning to add at least 1,500 cafes in the US over the next five years.

The plan, which would boost the number of Starbucks cafes in the country by about 13 percent, is set to be announced at the company’s investor day in New York yesterday. In addition, the Seattle-based company says it will eventually serve a new brand of tea in its cafes. Rather than its Tazo tea, Starbucks is turning its attention to Teavana, which it announced it would acquire last month.

Worldwide, the company says it will have more than 20,000 cafes by 2014, up from its current count of about 18,000. Much of that growth will come from China, which the company says will surpass Canada as its secondbiggest market.

Although Starbucks has been intensifying its growth overseas and building its packaged goods business back at home, the majority of its revenue still comes from its more than 11,100 cafes in the United States. In an interview ahead of its investor day, CEO Howard Schultz said the US expansion plans to be announced yesterday are based “on the current strength of our business” Just a few months ago, the company had predicted it would open just 1,000 new cafes in the country over the next five years.

The upbeat expansion plans mark a turnaround from Starbucks’ struggles during the recession. After hitting a rough patch, the company brought back Schultz as CEO in 2008 and embarked on massive restructuring effort that included closing 10 percent of its US stores. Cliff Burrows, who heads Starbucks’ domestic business, said the problem wasn’t that Starbucks was oversaturated, but that the company hadn’t been careful about its store openings. That led to cafes in locations where signs or traffic might not be optimal, he said.—AP

KUWAIT: Most of the countries across the world are moving towards adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) today with many entities going in for consolidation, speakers at a seminar organized by KPMG said yesterday.

The two-day (Dec 4, 5) annual seminar organized for KPMG’s clients and non-clients discussed the theme “IFRS: The Past, the Present and the Future” and reflected the evolution of accounting standards over the past few years.

The seminar on Dec 4 was held in Arabic which was the first of its kind in Kuwait and presented by Mohamed Aboubaker, Audit Senior Manager based in Saudi Arabia.

The English seminar was presented by Yusuf Hassan, IFRS Technical Partner from KPMG’s Department of Professional Practice (DPP) in the UAE and supported by Bhavesh Gandhi, Audit Director based in Kuwait and Christof Steube, Senior Manager, Quality and Risk at KPMG. “The reality of businesses has changed over the years. So the accounting standards also have to change in tune with the emerging trends in businesses, “ said Yusuf Hassan during his opening remarks.

Hassan said accounting must be able to give the correct assessment of the situation especially in the context of the current global financial turmoil. “Accounting will give you the diagnosis of the problem by reflecting the economic realities of the transactions enabling the businesses to take remedial actions,” he said.

KPMG is one of the world’s leading international firms offering professional services in audit, tax and advisory.

“Our objective is to create awareness among businesses and offer help to clients enabling them to face the emerging challenges.

We don’t say that everything is going to be changed soon, but entities have to be very careful in the coming days. Chances are that many businesses will go in for consolidations in the near future. The accounting standards will cover almost all areas and will move from cost accounting to fair value accounting in the future,” Christof Steube told the Kuwait Times prior to the seminar.

IFRS are becoming increasingly

important with around 180 countries either adopting IFRS as the basis for their national accounting standards or incorporating IFRS into their existing national standards. IFRS set a benchmark for accounting practices by introducing consistency and a common accounting language.

KPMG plays an important role in helping a wide range of businesses respond to opportunities and challenges, improve their performance and increase their value.

In the Middle East, except Iraq and Egypt, most of the countries have adopted IFRS as the basis for their accounting standards with Kuwait being a pioneer. While the EU states and countries like China, Japan and Saudi Arabia are moving towards adoption, others like the US and India remain ambiguous about their views on IFRS, Hassan pointed out.

The two-day seminar brought together around 120 professionals from various sectors in Kuwait such as financial services, family businesses, oil & gas and government.

At the seminar, Yusuf and Mohamed focused on the new standards issued and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)’s latest developments, including active projects. The speakers particularly focused on the recently issued standards: IFRS 10 ‘Consolidated Financial Statements’ and IFRS 11 ‘Joint Arrangements’. Also, discussed were Exposure Drafts issued by the IASB dealing with revenue recognition and leases.

In addition, Bhavesh covered IFRS 13, which defines fair value and sets out in a single IFRS the framework for measuring fair value and requires disclosures about fair value measurements. He explained the common financial statements issues and year-end reminder to the participants.

It may be noted that whilst some of these standards are effective from 2013, the potential impact of these standards and the proposed Exposure Drafts will require entities to review their financial information gathering process in order to be ready as and when these standards become effective.

During the interactive sessions, several participants shared their own experiences and challenges in this area and welcomed the suggestions made by others and the KPMG team.

“This year’s turnout is a clear reflection of the keenness of accounting community to keep abreast with the latest developments in the world of IFRS”, said Safi Al-Mutawa, Senior Partner at KPMG in Kuwait. “KPMG is committed to assisting accounting and finance professionals by providing timely insight on topics such as IFRS. We are pleased with the turnout and look forward to offering similar programs in the future,” he added.

“Whilst 2012 has been relatively a quieter year in terms of new standards being effective, the IASB has issued a number of new important standards and Exposure Drafts which would be applicable in the coming years and would be of particular interest to the industry”, said Dr Rasheed Al-Qenae, Managing Partner of KPMG in Kuwait.

KPMG Safi Al-Mutawa & Partners, the audit, tax and adviso-

KUWAIT: (From left to right): Dr Rasheed Al-Qenae, Karen Watts and Safi Al-Mutawa pose during a photo call session prior to the seminar. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

(From left) Mohamed Aboubaker, Christof Steube and Yusuf Hassan

A view of the participants. ry firm is the Kuwait member firm of KPMG International Cooperative (KPMG International). KPMG International’s member firms have

145,000 professionals in 152 countries.

The independent member firms of the KPMG network are

Supermarket Tesco ready to exit US LONDON: Britain’s biggest retailer, supermarket Tesco, looked on course to withdraw from its struggling US business Fresh & Easy as chief executive Philip Clarke yesterday said its presence would likely end. “It’s likely, but not certain, that our presence in America will come to an end,” Clarke told reporters, as Tesco said it was launching a strategic review of Fresh & Easy, which may lead to a sale of the business.

Tesco added in a statement that Fresh & Easy chief executive Tim Mason was leaving the company

with immediate effect after 30 years with the British group. “Whilst the (US) business has many positives, its journey to scale and acceptable returns will take too long relative to other opportunities,” Clarke said in the statement. “I have therefore decided to conduct a strategic review of Fresh & Easy, with all options under consideration.” Tesco, the world’s third-biggest retailer, said it had received “a number of approaches” from parties interested in acquiring some or all of Fresh & Easy, or in partnering the company

LOS ANGLES: The Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in the Eagle Rock section of Los Angeles. Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer, is reviewing options for its slow-growing US venture, Fresh & Easy. —AP

to develop the US business.

Clarke added: “Tim Mason, who leaves Tesco today, has played an important part in our success over a 30-year career with the company, and he leaves with my thanks and good wishes.”

Launched in 2007 by former Tesco chief executive Terry Leahy, Fresh & Easy has failed to turn a profit despite investment of about £1.0 billion ($1.6 billion, 1.2 billion euros).

Tesco said on Wednesday that Fresh & Easy’s sales performance fell below 2.0 percent during the British company’s third quarter. It added that revenues from its stores in Britain open more than a year, and excluding income from value added tax and petrol sales, fell 0.6 percent in the three months to November 24.

Tesco has struggled in the face of Britain’s recent recession, with many cash-strapped customers flocking to rival supermarkets such as Asda, Sainsbury’s and budget chains Aldi and Lidl in search of cheaper products. Abroad meanwhile, Tesco earlier this year struck a deal to exit its Japanese business after nine years.

Tesco shares rose 2.56 percent to stand at 335 pence following yesterday’s announcements and in morning deals on London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index, which was up 0.24 percent at 5,883.10 points. “The move to review its US operations is a big win for shareholders, who have been largely disappointed by the retailer’s inability to turn the business around quickly enough from loss making,” said Joshua Raymond, analyst at City Index trading group.

Tesco is the world’s third-largest retailer after leader US-based WalMart and France’s Carrefour. —AFP

affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity, and describes itself as such.

Nokia Siemens axes services unit, 1,000 jobs at risk FRANKFURT: Nokia Siemens Networks, a joint venture between Finnish and German engineering giants Nokia and Siemens, said yesterday it is shutting down one of its German units with the potential loss of 1,000 jobs.

“Nokia Siemens Networks is planning to close its German unit Nokia Siemens Networks Services, a network infrastructure services provider in the area of traditional telecommunications... by end-2013 at the latest.

The closure will affect 1,000 employees at 16 sites in Germany,” the company said in a statement.

The business has never been profitable in the five years since it was set up in 2008, instead running up accumulated losses “in the double-digit millions of euros,” Nokia Siemens Networks explained.

“In addition, given the decision to focus on mobile broadband as part of the strategic reorientation of Nokia Siemens Networks, these sort of network infrastructure services are no longer part of our core business,” it said. The unit, NSN Service, specializes in the installation and maintenance of so-called passive network technology such as cables, antennae and other components.

“We have made every effort to make the unit costeffective on a lasting basis. But the business continues to be loss-making and there is no sign of it ever breaking even,” said the head of Nokia Siemens Networks’ German operations Hermann Rodler.

“From our point of view, these losses in an business area that is no longer core are unacceptable,” Rodler said. Negotiations were underway with labor representatives regarding the fate of the unit’s employees, the company added. The giant services sector union, Verdi, slammed the decision as “scandalous” and “unacceptable.”

It urged Nokia and Siemens not to “punish employees for past business mistakes.” “The companies concerned must face up to their social responsibilities and offer employees stable employment prospects,” Verdi said in a statement. Verdi pointed the finger at management, saying they failed to solve the unit’s structural problems.

“Employees are now having to pay for this mismanagement with the loss of their jobs,” the union said.

It noted that the closure would actually affect 850 employees since 200 of NSN Service’s workforce enjoyed civil servant status dating back to when they were employed by the former state telecom monopoly Deutsche Telekom in its technical services operations, which were subsequently sold to NSN. That meant the 200 employees had an automatic right to a job at Deutsche Telekom, the union said. —AFP

26

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BUSINESS

The all-new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class wins ‘Golden Steering Wheel 2012’ STUTTGART: Readers of the German newspapers BILD am SONNTAG and AUTO BILD, together with a panel of motoring experts, have crowned the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class as the best SUV, voting to award the coveted “Golden Steering Wheel” to the luxury cross-country vehicle. This is the 22nd time that Mercedes-Benz has emerged as the winner of this Europewide competition. The prize was presented recently in Berlin to Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

More than 250,000 readers of “BILD am SONNTAG”, “AUTO BILD” and 25 affiliated publications in 22 countries were responsible for ensuring that the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class reached the final stages of voting for this year’s “Golden Steering Wheel” award, held at the Pirelli proving ground in Balocco (Italy). This is where, after a series of demanding field tests, a team of automotive experts met to agree on the best five vehicles. When it came to the SUV category, they voted to put the MercedesBenz GL-Class in the top spot.

The award represents recognition, from both readers and experts, of the first-class standards that define every aspect of this

large SUV from the Stuttgart company’s premium brand. The seven-seater GL-Class combines dynamism, efficiency and excellent off-road capabilities with elegance and the outstanding comfort of an S-Class saloon. With it, Mercedes-Benz has set a new benchmark in the SUV world.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing a long tradition with its win in this year’s “Golden Steering Wheel” competition: this year marks the 22nd time that the brand known by its three-pointed star has taken first place among the most successful automotive brands competing for the “Golden Steering Wheel”, an award that has become a highly regarded institution throughout Europe since its inception in 1976.

Michael Ruehle, General Manager Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co, said “ The Kuwait market launch of the all new 2013 GL-500 is in the second week of December and the “Golden Steering Wheel Award 2012” for the new GL already underlines what a fantastic product the new GL is. With its seven luxurious seats and a powerful V8 Bi-Turbo engine producing 408 HP we have no doubt that the esteemed customers of Kuwait will appreciate the all new Mercedes-Benz GL-500”.

Gulf Bank seeks young ‘High Flyers’ to be tomorrow’s management Bank introduces advanced online recruitment system KUWAIT: Gulf Bank recently announced the launch of its dedicated ‘high flyers’ recruitment program. This initiative is part of Gulf Bank’s investment in its long-term future and is designed to identify the very best potential future Kuwaiti managers.

Omar Al-Bassam, Assistant General Manager-Human Resources, at Gulf Bank said: “We at the Bank pride ourselves in our successful recruitment strategy which enables us to identify promising candidates

for management roles at a very early stage.

Thus allowing us to concentrate on the ‘High Flyers’ careers by investing in them and building their careers with the Bank. We believe this program enhances our ability to ensure that applicants are evaluated correctly and will help us to create a young and dynamic workforce to take the Bank forward.”

The ‘High Flyers’ program works by helping to identify potential candidates through a combination of specific criteria which

includes a series of assessments and interviews that assists in matching skills to the requirements laid down by the Bank’s Human Resources’ Business Partners. Once a candidate is selected, they will be offered a fasttrack development program at the Bank, which will provide them with the opportunity for a personalized development plan including numerous classrooms, training programs, online training programs, certifications and mentoring.

Omar Al-Bassam, Assistant General Manager, Human Resources at Gulf Bank

Overwhelming response to Secura India Real Estate Fund C

alicut-based Secura Investment Management (India) Pvt Ltd, promoted by Hi LITE group in association with reputed professionals in business, launched its second Scheme of Secura India Real Estate Fund with a fund size of Rs 50 crore. The fund has already gained overwhelming response from the investors.

Secura India Real Estate Fund is the first SEBI registered Real Estate Venture Capital Fund in Kerala. This is the first Sharia Complied Venture Capital Fund in India as well.

The Trustee of the Fund is IL&FS Trust Company Limited, Mumbai, a SEBI Registered independent Corporate Trustee promoted by leading financial institutions in India.

In early 2009, company has started its Scheme 1, and the pay back of investment to investors is already started after successfully implementing real estate projects at Calicut. Various projects started under Scheme 1 are Empora Aster, (Malaparamba Junction), Empora Gemz (Thondayad Junction) and Autum Leaves, a developed housing plots at Velliparamba, Calicut. Also a new project, Empora Views, at Malaparamba Junction will be starting next month. Secura expects that a yearly profit between @ 1820% may be paid to the investors of Scheme 1 after exiting from all the projects under Scheme 1.

Now Scheme 2 is open with the minimum investment of Rs 5 lakh, and no

maximum limits. Initial closing of the Fund is on 30th November 2012, and thereafter a premium of 2% shall be paid.

With the help of a team of highly proficient experts and financial analysts, Secura has been catering to many people who wish to make their investments ethical and useful for the society. The Fund seeks to make investments in privately negotiated equity and equity linked investments in unlisted or listed companies in India subject to the prevailing regulations and laws in India. The Fund will invest in sectors related to Real Estate activities in Calicut and Kochi, primarily.

The investments and operations of the Fund shall be subject to the compliances of Islamic Finance rules, as advised by the Shariah Advisor to the Fund, Taqwa Advisory & Shariah Investment Solutions Pvt Ltd (TASIS), Mumbai.

In other words, your investment in Secura Funds brings you some ethical returns. Fine, it relies on a kind of ethical investment, under such a system, Investment Manager invests its investor’s money in a venture, gathers profits from it and distributes it among investors after deducting its service charge or fee. Well, here the entire process is something constructive, creative and productive, indeed.

Well, thanks to large pools of Shariah compliant funds in several parts of the world, especially in the Gulf, North Africa and Asia, there is immense scope for the financial system that simply rejects inter-

est and pecuniary speculation. Of course, thus it turns out to be a neat way to handle investments in the current financial order. Apart from keeping the money stalled in shelves, it will be moving around and remaining productive.

The firm has lucratively tested all great potentials of Islamic finance in investment management to venture capital funds and real estate investment trusts. It has been performing well in gathering funds from investors and investing them in certain businesses, especially in real estate sector.

The result is that the earned profits go to the investors as returns, not involvement of interest in any event.

The Management team of the Investment Manager, Secura Investment Management (India) Pvt. Ltd. consists of a high calibre team with relevant experience in real estate, legal, corporate, finance, construction, development, retail and other sectors.

M A Mehaboob is the Managing Director of the Company, who leads the team, consists of Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, and other professional experts in the field of real estate, construction, and property development. In addition to the Investment and Professional Fund Management, Secura do entire Project Management, Leasing of spaces, Corporate Legal, and Management Consultancy. Over the period Secura has created its own unique benchmark in the Venture Capital

Industry as well as in the Shariah complied financial models in India.

The Fund size of the newly opened Scheme is Rs. 50 crore, and its tenure is 5 years. Minimum investment is Rs. 5 lakh, and no maximum caps, which shall be paid in instalments within almost 18 months’ time. Initial closing is fixed on November 30, 2012. After initial closing, there will be a premium of 2%. Hurdle rate, the ROI that a Venture Capital Fund Manager must return to the investor before Investment Manager can receive any kind is 18% per annum, and Secura targets 18 to 20% return per annum is expected to be paid to the investors. Its post hurdle profit sharing ratio between Investors and Investment Manager is 80:20. The down payment is 20% of the capital commitment, and subsequent quarterly payments shall be almost 15% and this to be paid quarterly and to be completed within a span of 18 months’ time.

Pay back of investment along with return to the investors will commence from the completion of the project or expiry of commitment period whichever is earlier, and profit will be distributed after repayment of capital contribution.

Here investment of each person becomes a building block of the nation and its development. At the end, you will get better returns that are not tainted by the strictly banned interest and futile savings.

Official iPhone 5 from VIVA soon KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s newest and most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider, announced yesterday that it is on the verge of officially releasing the iPhone 5 to its customers.

Eng Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran, Chief Executive Officer at VIVA said: “Being an official reseller of the iPhone 5 in Kuwait gives us an edge in introducing the latest Apple technology to our customers and presenting them with the opportunity to experience the latest iPhone. This also affirms VIVA’s position as the most advanced and pioneering telecom service provider in Kuwait.” iPhone 5 is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology-all while delivering even better battery life. iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features including: the all new Maps app; Facebook integration and Passbook organization.

To find out more about VIVA’s numerous competitive promotions, products and packages visit any of the 14 VIVA branches or visit our website at www.viva.com.kw or contact its 24 hour call center at 55102102.

QNB Group gets2 prestigious awards from The Banker DOHA: QNB Group, the largest financial institution in the State of Qatar, and the MENA region, has been awarded the ‘Bank of the Year- Qatar’ as well as the ‘Bank of the Year- Middle East’ regional Award by one of the industry’s most recognized and respected resources, The Banker.

Both of the Awards were presented to QNB Group at the Awards Gala Dinner which was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in London on the evening of November 28th .

This latest award for QNB tops off what has been a fantastic year for the Bank which has seen it awarded a slew of awards throughout the past 12 months as well as having enjoyed continued financial success. As in previous years, the 2012 The Banker Awards will once again set the industry standard for banking excellence with these awards being among some of the most intensely contested by the world’s leading financial institutions. Winners were judged on their ability to deliver shareholder returns and to gain strategic advantage. This draws parallels to QNB’s unwavering commitment to be the institution of choice for customers.

Thanks to this latest win, QNB will benefit from increased market visibility and enjoy this new position.

Continuing on, the Bank is still deeply committed to continuously improving the way that it operates through innovative offerings and is always refining its services.

The Banker is one of the world’s premier banking and finance resources, bringing it with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Further, The Banker is a key source of data and analysis for the Banking industry worldwide.

QNB Group recorded a net profit of QR6.2 billion ($1.7 billion) in the nine months ended 30 September 2012, up by 15.0% compared to the same period last year, demonstrating QNB Group’s success across business activities and the ability to achieve strong growth in profitability for the benefit of shareholders. Total assets increased by 25.3% since 30 September 2011 to reach QR351.0 billion, the highest ever achieved by the Group.

The Group has witnessed rapid international expansion in the past few years and operates in 24 countries around the world through its network, subsidiaries and associate companies employing about 8,500 staff, along with a network of 383 branches and offices and an ATM network that exceeds 780 machines.

Greece seen as EU’s most corrupt country: NGO

flydubai participates in UAE National Day festivities via exclusive agent In Kuwait KUWAIT: Represented by its exclusive agent in Kuwait Barakat Travel Co, flydubai, Dubai innovative low cost airline, participated at the festivities of UAE national day held at UAE embassy in Kuwait on December 2nd in presence of the Ambassador Ali Ahmed Ben Sager AlZoobi and Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh

Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. The event was attended as well by Ambassadors of different countries in Kuwait.

Flydubai had on display a creative branded booth where it shared informative booklet about the airline, its services and destinations. The low cost carrier has sponsored as well the Emirati folkloric band that

joined from UAE for the occasion.

Tayseer Barakat, President of Barakat Travel Co said: “we are proud to participate at UAE national day festivities which have consisted a great opportunity to create the awareness around flydubai, the innovative low cost airline, amongst attendees who have appraised its state-of-the art services”.

He added: “Being the exclusive agent of flydubai in Kuwait, we will spare no efforts in sponsoring leading events which would help in communicating the knowledge and awareness about flydubai excellence and its leadership as a low cost airline marked with innovative services on a high level standard”“

BERLIN: Greece is seen as the most corrupt country in the EU, Transparency International said yesterday, adding that crisis-hit nations are being held back by an inability to deal with graft. Publishing its annual Corruption Perceptions Index, the Berlin-based watchdog ranked Greece 94th out of 176 countries.

Perceived corruption in the country appeared to have worsened despite efforts to tackle graft. In last year’s index, the debt-ravaged country was ranked 80th on a scale of least corrupt to most corrupt. Fellow euro-zone struggler Italy also fared poorly, coming in 72nd-a decline from last year’s study when the country was ranked 69th. The director of Transparency International (TI) in Germany, Edda Mueller, told a news conference that the fight against corruption was intimately linked to the economic health of a country.

“The countries that are hardest-hit by the financial crisis have performed below expectations despite the reform efforts of recent months,” Mueller said. Corruption levels in a country are “closely linked to the economic stability of a country,” she added. “Therefore battling corruption is not just a moral necessity but it has a direct impact on the economic and political strength of a country,” she added. TI ranks countries on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean). —AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Amazon launches Kindle content service for kids NEW YORK: Amazon is launching a subscription service for children’s games, videos and books aimed at getting more kids to use its Kindle Fire tablet devices.

Amazon.com Inc. plans to announce last yesterday that the Kindle FreeTime Unlimited service will be available in the next few weeks as part of an automatic software update.

Amazon said subscribers will have access to “thousands” of pieces of content, though the company did not give a specific number. Kids will be

able to watch, play and read any of the content available to them as many times as they want.

Parents can set time limits, however.

The service, aimed at kids aged 3 to 8, will cost $4.99 per month for one child. It’ll cost $2.99 per child for members of Amazon Prime, the company’s premium shipping service. Amazon Prime costs $79 per year for free shipping of merchandise purchased in the company’s online store.

Family plans for up to six kids will cost $9.99 per month and $6.99 for Prime members.

The Kindle already allows for parental controls through its FreeTime service. Parents can set up profiles for up to six children and add time limits to control how long kids can spend reading, watching videos or using the Kindle altogether.

With the content subscription service, kids can browse age-appropriate videos, games and books and pick what they want to see. They won’t be shown ads and will be prevented from accessing the Web or social media. Kids also won’t be able to make payments within applications.

Amazon is launching the service as competition heats up in the tablet market among Apple, Barnes & Noble, Microsoft and Samsung.

Amazon’s strategy is to offer the Kindle at a relatively low price and make money selling the content.

Offering a subscription service aimed at kids helps set the Kindle apart from its many competitors. “We hope that our devices are really, really attractive for families,” said Peter Larsen, vice president of Amazon’s Kindle business. —AP

Billionaire joins boomless Supersonic-Jet quest Flying faster than sound

BOCHUM: This picture taken on January 17, 2008 shows a traffic sign in front of the plant of Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia in Bochum, western Germany. Nokia Siemens Networks, a joint venture between Finnish and German engineering giants Nokia and Siemens, said yesterday it plans to shut down its German networks services unit, putting 1,000 jobs at risk. — AFP

IBM launches new skills programs to help students, professionals ARMONK, NY: IBM has announced an array of programs and resources to help students and IT professionals develop new technology skills and prepare for jobs of the future.

The initiatives include new training courses and resources for IT professionals, technology and curriculum materials for educators and expanded programs to directly engage students with real-world business challenges.

The new resources will help reduce a critical technology skills gap outlined in IBM’s 2012 Tech Trends Report released this week. The report, authored by the IBM Center for Applied Insights, found that only 1 in 10 organizations has the skills needed to effectively apply advanced technologies such as business analytics, mobile computing, cloud computing and social business.

In addition, nearly half of the educators and students surveyed feel there is a major gap in their institution’s ability to meet the growing demand for advanced technology skills.

“Having a highly skilled workforce is critical to an organization’s ability to innovate, meet client demands and grow,” said Jim Corgel, general manager, academic and developer relations, IBM. “In response to the growing IT skill gap, IBM is expanding its skill development programs in key areas such as cyber security, mobile computing and commerce.”

In the US alone, IT jobs are expected to grow by 22 percent through 2020 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. To help faculty better prepare students for these opportunities, IBM today unveiled the largest expansion of its Academic Initiative since the program began.

For the first time, IBM will offer access to curriculum and training resources on IT security to help students gain marketready cyber security skills. Cited as the top barrier to adoption of advanced technologies in the IBM Tech Trends Report, cyber security is also a key job growth area. The information cyber security workforce is expected to nearly double by 2015. The new cyber security offerings include: * Pre-Packaged curriculum that brings real-world technology security scenarios into the classroom, helping students understand enterprise challenges and do in depth analysis of the trends uncovered in the IBM X-Force report. * No-charge access to security software that professors can use in the classroom to teach students how to test applications for bugs and check network and virtualized servers for vulnerabilities. Professors and students can remotely access the newest zEnterprise mainframe, a highly secure system that can be used to prepare students for real-world computing challenges using enterprise IT skills.

The ability to bring the latest enterprise technology directly into the classroom at no additional cost is critical in building skills. In addition to cyber security, IBM now provides software licenses and how-to training materials in three new areas: * Big Data & Analytics: Now professors can bring big data software directly into the classroom with access to a variety of IBM big data offerings. E-Books and learning modules on Hadoop geared for business and computer science students are also available. * Commerce: Now professors can download digital marketing and analytics software from IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative for use in the classroom. Through a series of hands-on learning modules, students study topics like benchmarking and learn how to develop code to uncover online buying patterns. * Mobile Computing: New hands-on learning modules on HTML 5 and DOJO prepare students to develop mobile applications. Professors can also download IBM mobile development software to give students hands-on experience.

To help faculty update their skills on advanced technologies, IBM today unveiled a Knowledge Exchange. This online resource allows professors from around the world to share and collaborate on courseware and best practices. The initial offerings in the Knowledge Exchange will feature curriculum from winning IBM Smarter Planet grant faculty members.

As more organizations turn to technology to solve tough business challenges, the need for skilled IT professionals continues to grow in all industries. For example, a recent report from TechAmerica outlines the need for government employees to sharpen their skills in the area of big data. In addition, the 2012 IBM Tech Trends report cites the lack of professionals with business analytics expertise as the number one barrier to adoption for that technology.

To make it easier for IT practitioners to stay current with rapidly evolving technologies, IBM is providing: * New, no-charge, learning materials, technical resources and online technical communities on mobile computing, cyber security and commerce technologies through IBM developerWorks. For example, in the new security section, developers can access examples of weaknesses in applications, learn about typical web attacks and collaborate with peers around best practices for responding to vulnerabilities. * New in-person training and certification for IBM Business Partners seeking to engage in Smarter Commerce and digital analytics that complement the new educational materials, installation guidelines and best practices resources on developerWorks.

VIRGINIA: Nine years after the last trip of the Concorde jetliner, the quest for speed without window-rattling sonic booms is spurring research by billionaire Robert Bass, General Dynamics Corp. (GD)’s Gulfstream, Boeing Co. (BA), Lockheed Martin Corp., the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and others. The efforts signal that the time may finally be nearing for corporate aircraft flying faster than sound, about 1,207 km per hour at sea level. Technological leaps since the Concorde’s development in the 1960s are converging with the willingness of globe-trotting chief executive officers to pay more for ever-bigger and longer-range jets.

“Most all of the manufacturers have done size, have done luxury and opulence,” said Andrew Hoy, a managing director at broker ExecuJet Aviation Group in Zurich. “Time is the biggest opportunity for them all and the only differentiator left.”

High operating costs and scant demand for the Concorde’s premium fares forced its retirement in 2003 after 27 years in service. The 100-seat jets streaked from New York to London at twice the speed of sound, slicing travel times in half to about three hours.

Planemakers took away a lesson in supersonic economics: It may be easier to find CEOs and wealthy individuals who crave faster corporate aircraft than to persuade airlines to invest in a Concorde successor.

“Given the amount of fuel you need to burn to achieve supersonic speeds, it’s going to be a more expensive proposition that only a sliver of the market is going to pay the price for,” said George Hamlin, president of Hamlin Transportation Consulting in Fairfax, Virginia.

“When you’re talking about a supersonic business jet, that begins to make more sense.”

The largest corporate planes already cost almost as much as the smallest Boeing and Airbus SAS airliners, and can fly about 90 percent as fast as sound. Gulfstream’s G650 lists for $58.5 million. Bombardier Inc. (BBD/B)’s Global 7000 and 8000 jets retail for as much as $65 million. Warren Buffett’s NetJets unit ordered 20 last year. The chief obstacle to supersonic flight is the same one that bedeviled the Concorde: the sonic boom. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration outlawed such flights by civilians over land in 1973 because of the noise, and other countries followed. Reversing that ban will be pivotal to any revival of supersonic travel, because the planes would lose their business case if they can’t fly at top speed, according to Savannah, Georgia-based Gulfstream.

“That requires a solution to the sonic boom problem, and that’s where our research efforts are focused,” Preston Henne, Gulfstream’s senior vice president of engineering and test, said during an aviation conference in Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 29. “We continue to make progress on that.”

NASA expects to start building a demonstrator plane in 2016 to show that disruptive booms can be minimized, and that jet may fly after 2020, according to Peter Coen, chief of supersonic research. In an industry in which Boeing’s Dreamliner took more than a decade to go from the Sonic Cruiser concept to first delivery, that’s not a long-range timeline.

Bombardier Inc.’s Global 7000 and 8000 jets retail for as much as $65 million. The largest corporate planes already cost almost as much as the smallest Boeing and Airbus SAS airliners, and can fly about 90 percent as fast as sound.

“This is a high-value niche market; the winner here will be the first to market,” said Brian Foley, an aviation consultant based in Sparta, New Jersey. “That’s why there’s interest and that’s why there’s motivation for these people to keep on trying.”

Success for a new generation of planes is hardly assured, said Foley, who spent 20 years as marketing director at Dassault Aviation SA (AM)’s Falcon business-jet unit.

No follow-on aircraft has emerged since Air France and British Air ways parked their Concordes, which were grounded for more than a year after the 2000 crash in Paris that killed 113 people when one of the Air France jets struck runway debris.

The planes slurped twice as much fuel as a Boeing 747 jumbo jet with only about a quarter of the passengers, and round-trip tickets in 2003 fetched as much as $13,500, then the sticker price on a Dodge Neon compact.

While new designs and engines may tame the roar billowing from a supersonic jet in flight, engineers still must muffle the so-called focused boom, the sharp crack that occurs as a plane first goes past the sound barrier.

Emissions and maintenance on high-performance engines also remain challenges.

“It doesn’t matter which manufacturer is working on it at the time, when you ask them when it’s going to be a reality, they generally all say, ‘Within 12 years,’” Foley said. “That seems to be the magic number. It doesn’t matter if someone asks them in 1980, 1990 or 2000, there will be one within 12 years.”

Supersonic-flight boosters such as NASA’s Coen see reason for optimism. Planemakers can employ more-powerful engines, use new materials such as the lightweight composites on Boeing’s Dreamliner and draw on years of aeronautical knowledge from the Concorde’s operations and from making supersonic warplanes. Gulfstream is experimenting with a telescoping rod protruding from a jet’s nose to disrupt the sound waves that cause sonic booms. Bass, founder of investment firm Oak

Hill Capital Partners LP, has hired a NASA research jet to test a high-speed wing design from his Aerion Corp.

Boeing and Lockheed (LMT) have devised supersonic concepts with slender fuselages and rear-mounted engines to damp drag that contributes to the noise. NASA is testing models as long as 3 feet (0.9 meter) in wind tunnels and studying nozzles from General Electric Co. (GE) and Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc (RR/) for future engines, Coen said.

“We were able to achieve both good aerodynamic elements and low sonic boom simultaneously,” Coen said. “We think we’re there or pretty close. That was a really exciting development over the past year.”

After holding public meetings on supersonic flight from 2008 through 2011, the FAA is shifting to gather data from NASA and industry groups as it weighs noise regulations. “Current research has demonstrated enough progress on reducing impact of sonic booms before they reach the ground for us to revisit this issue,” the FAA said in an e-mailed response to questions. No new public sessions are scheduled.

Bass’s Aerion doesn’t want to wait for any regulatory changes. The Reno, Nevada-based company has a low-drag wing design that it says will allow a jet to fly efficiently at subsonic speed over land and at as much as Mach 1.6, or 1.6 times the speed of sound, over the ocean. Aerion was in “deep discussions” on a planemaker partner to build the craft as the recession began in late 2007, Chief Operating Officer Douglas Nichols said. Before the economy tanked, Aerion had 50 commitments for an $80 million supersonic plane, Nichols said.

Bass declined to comment on Aerion through a spokeswoman, Marcia Horowitz.

“We have a thoroughly committed and patient investor who believes these things and is heavily involved in the business,” Nichols said. “The next frontier is speed and the industry will get there sooner or later. Our wish is sooner.” — MCT

Making Internet services smarter, faster, cheaper NEW YORK: In 2003 Martin Casado found himself with no small challenge on his hands: he needed to reinvent the technology that underpins the Internet. It had been developed decades earlier and was proving unsuited to an era of cyberwarfare.

Casado, then a researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, had been approached by a US intelligence agency with a thorny problem. Computer networking technology allowed intelligence agents and other government workers worldwide to stay connected to one another at all times. Field agents could instantly share data seized in a raid with experts anywhere in the world. But the fact that so many computer networks were enmeshed also aided enemy hackers. Once they gained entry to one system, they could hop across networks to search for other treasures. The agency (Casado won’t say which one) told him it wanted to keep its large network but reserve the ability to temporarily close off parts of it for crucial transmissions, creating a data equivalent of the dedicated telephone hotline that used to link the White House and the Kremlin.

Casado ultimately realized that he couldn’t help. Partly because the Internet was created with unreliable equipment, its creators had

wanted to make sure that it would work even if some parts malfunctioned. Thus, the networking hardware all operated independently and without central control. That’s good if you want information to keep flowing in dire circumstances, but it’s not so good if you want the option of isolating a specific communication channel within that network so as to keep secrets secret. For Casado to do what the intelligence agency wanted, each piece of hardware in a network would have to be reconfigured in a slow and manual process. “We hacked something together which in the end didn’t give us the properties they wanted,” he says.

That humbling experience has shaped his life since. Haunted by the problem, he soon left Livermore and entered grad school at Stanford University to search for an answer. He presented one in his 2007 PhD thesis, which proposed a radical new way for computer networks to operate. Now he’s cofounded a company called Nicira, which is poised to use that idea to make the Internet more powerful than ever before.

Nicira’s technology won’t just help intelligence agencies keep secrets. It should also improve the security, lower the price, and increase the power of any technology that uses the Internet, unlocking innovation that is too expensive or technically impossible to achieve

today. Along the way, Nicira (the name is pronounced “Nis-ee-ra” and means “vigilant” in Sanskrit) could very well upend some of the world’s largest technology companies.

Casado is 35 and has near-black hair with the faintest flecks of gray. He can appear intense, even nervous, but he is eloquent, with a friendly, didactic manner that shows evidence of five years teaching Stanford undergrads. He also has the steely determination required to run 100 miles in less than two days, something he has done more than four times as a devotee of the grueling sport known as ultrarunning.

His determination has surely helped during years spent arguing that one of the most successful and ubiquitous technologies of all time needs to be rethought. Stanford researchers have reshaped computing before -both Google and early work on the Internet itself came out of their labs-but Casado and his PhD supervisor, Nick McKeown (also a close friend), found their ideas initially unappreciated and even derided by other computer scientists.

“When we first published, they thought we were nutty,” Casado recalls. “We submitted a paper and were literally made fun of in the reviewers’ comments. They said, ‘This will never work.’” —MCT

28

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

health & science

Disability expected to rise as more premature babies survive LONDON: Little progress has been made in improving the long-term health of extremely premature babies, and with pre-term births on the rise across Europe, rates of serious disability are likely to increase, doctors said yesterday.

A decade of advances in medicine mean more babies born at between 22 and 26 weeks gestation manage to survive, but rates of severe health complications remain as high as they were in 1995, according to research by neonatal specialists in Britain. The findings of two separate studies published in the British Medical Journal suggest the number of children and adults with disabilities caused by premature birth will rise in coming years.

Babies born before 27 weeks of gestation - 13 weeks before they would be considered full term - face a battle for survival. Many of those who do survive face problems such as lung conditions, learning difficulties and cerebral palsy.

Rates of premature birth are rising in many European countries and are particularly high in Britain and the United States. “As the number of children that survive pre-term birth continues to rise, so will the number who experience disability throughout their lives,” said Neil Marlow, of University College London’s Institute for Women’s Health, who worked on both studies and presented the results at a briefing in London.

He said this was “likely to have an impact on the demand for health, education and social care services.” The two studies, led by Marlow and Kate Costeloe of Queen Mary, University of London, compared a group of babies born in the UK between 22 and 26 weeks’ gestation in 2006 with those born between 22 and 25 weeks over a 10-month period in 1995. The first one looked at the immediate survival rates and the health - until they went home from hospital - of extremely premature babies born in 2006 and compared them with 1995 rates.

Researchers found the number of babies born at 22 to 25 weeks and admitted to intensive care increased by

44 percent during this period. The number of babies who survived long enough to go home from hospital increased by 13 percent. There was no significant increase in survival of babies born before 24 weeks - the current legal limit for abortion in Britain and the number of babies who had major health complications was unchanged over the decade.

Costeloe said what while survival rates for babies born at less than 27 weeks gestation were moving in the “right direction”, there was still room for improvement. “We can’t be complacent, because the fact of the matter is, that in 2006 if at this gestation you were alive at the end of the first week,

Women can tell a cheating man just by looking at them More masculine-looking men rated to be unfaithful HONG KONG: Women can tell with some accuracy whether an unfamiliar male is faithful simply by looking at his face, but men seem to lack the same ability when checking out women, according to an Australian study published yesterday. In a paper that appeared in the journal Biology Letters, the researchers found that women tended to make that judgment based on how masculine-looking the man was.

“Women’s ratings of unfaithfulness showed small-moderate, significant correlations with measures of actual infidelity,” wrote the team, led by Gillian Rhodes at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders at the

University of Western Australia in Perth.

“More masculine-looking men (were) rated as more probable to be unfaithful and having a sexual history of being more unfaithful.”

Attractiveness was not a factor in the women making the link. In the study, 34 men and 34 women were shown colour photographs of 189 Caucasian adult faces and asked to rate them for faithfulness.

The researchers compared their answers to the self-reported sexual histories of the 189 individuals and found that the women participants were better able to tell who was faithful and who was not. “We provide the first evi-

dence that faithfulness judgements, based solely on facial appearance, have a kernel of truth,” they wrote in the paper. Men, on the other hand, seemed to have no clue. They tended to perceive attractive, feminine women to be unfaithful, when there was no evidence that they were, the scientists noted.

Faithfulness is seen as important in the context of sexual relationships and mate choice, the scientists wrote in the paper. Men with unfaithful partners risk raising another man’s child, while women with unfaithful partners risk losing some, or even all, parental and other resources to competitors. —Reuters

Fast-growing fish may never wind up on your plate WASHINGTON: Salmon that has been genetically modified to grow twice as fast as normal could soon show up on American dinner plates.

That is, if the company that makes the fish can stay afloat. After weathering concerns about everything from the safety of humans eating the salmon to their impact on the environment, Aquabounty was poised to become the world’s first company to sell fish whose DNA has been altered to speed up growth. The US Food and Drug Administration in 2010 concluded that Aquabounty’s salmon was as safe to eat as the traditional variety. The agency also said that there’s little chance that the salmon could escape and breed with wild fish, which could disrupt the fragile relationships between plants and animals in nature. But more than

bo. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have transferred an experimental herd of geneticallyengineered goats that produce protein-enriched milk to Brazil, due to concerns about delays at the FDA. And after investors raised concerns about the slow pace of the FDA’s Aquabounty review, Canadian researchers in April pulled their FDA application for a biotech pig that would produce environmentallyfriendly waste.

“The story of Aquabounty is disappointing because everyone was hoping the company would be a clear signal that genetic modification in animals is now acceptable in the US,” said Professor Helen Sang, a geneticist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland who is working to develop genetically modified

friendly and profitable. After all, the US imports about 86 percent of its seafood, in part, because it has a relatively small aquaculture industry.

Aquaculture has faced pushback in the US because of concerns about pollution from large fish pens in the ocean, which generate fish waste and leftover food.

Aquabounty executives figure that the US aquaculture industry can be transformed by speeding up the growth of seafood. The company picked Atlantic salmon because they are the most widely-consumed salmon in the US and are farmed throughout the world: In 2010, the US imported more than 200,000 tons of Atlantic salmon, worth over $1.5 billion, from countries like Norway, Canada and Chile.

Using gene-manipulating tech-

WASHINGTON: This undated 2010 handout photo provided by AquaBounty Technologies shows two same-age salmon, a genetically modified salmon, rear, and a non-genetically modified salmon, foreground. —AP two years later the FDA has not approved the fish, and Aquabounty is running out of money.

“It’s threatening our very survival,” says Ron Stotish, chief executive of the company. “We only have enough money to survive until January 2013, so we have to raise more. But the unexplained delay has made raising money very difficult.” The FDA says it’s still working on the final piece of its review, a report on the potential environmental impact of the salmon that must be published for comment before an approval can be issued.

That means a final decision could be months, even years away. While the delay could mean that the fastergrowing salmon will never wind up on dinner tables, there’s more at stake than seafood.

Aquabounty is the only US company publicly seeking approval for a genetically-modified animal that i’s raised to be eaten by humans. And scientists worry that its experience with the FDA’s lengthy review process could discourage other US companies from investing in animal biotechnology, or the science of manipulating animal DNA to produce a desirable trait. That would put the US at a disadvantage at a time when China, India and other foreign governments are pouring millions of dollars each year into the potentially lucrative field that could help reduce food costs and improve food safety.

Already, biotech scientists are changing their plans to avoid getting stuck in FDA-related regulatory lim-

chickens that are resistant to bird flu.

“Because it’s gotten so bogged down - and presumably cost AquaBounty a huge amount of money - I think people will be put off.”

Against the current The science behind genetic modification is not new. Biotech scientists say that genetic manipulation is a proven way to reduce disease and enrich plants and animals, raising productivity and increasing the global food supply. Genetically modified corn, cotton and soybeans account for more than four-fifths of those crops grown in the U.S., according to the National Academies of Sciences.

But there have always been critics who are wary of tinkering with the genes of living animals. They say the risk is too great that modified organisms can escape into the wild and breed with native species. Not that we don’t already eat genetically altered animals. Researchers say the centuries-old practice of selective breeding is its own form of genetic engineering, producing the plumper cows, pigs and poultry we eat today.

“You drive a hybrid car because you want the most efficient vehicle you can have. So why wouldn’t you want the most efficient agriculture you can have?” asks Alison Van Eenennaam, a professor of animal science at University of California, Davis.

Aquabounty executives say their aim is to make the US fish farming industry, or aquaculture, more efficient, environmentally

nology, Aquabounty adds a growth hormone to the Atlantic salmon from another type of salmon called the Chinook. The process, company executives say, causes its salmon to reach maturity in about two years, compared with three to four years for a conventional salmon.

Aquabounty executives say if their fish are approved for commercial sale, there are several safeguards designed to prevent the fish from escaping and breeding with wild salmon. The salmon are bred as sterile females. They also are confined to pools where the potential for escape would be low: The inland pens are isolated from natural bodies of water.

And the company says that these pens would be affordable thanks to the fast-growing nature of Aquabounty’s fish, which allows farmers to raise more salmon in less time. Overall, the company estimates that it would cost 30 percent less to grow its fish than traditional salmon.

Tough sale But getting the fish to market hasn’t been easy. The company began discussions with the FDA in 1993. But the agency did not yet have a formal system for reviewing genetically-modified food animals. So Aquabounty spent the next decade conducting more than two dozen studies on everything from the molecular structure of the salmon’s DNA to the potential allergic reactions in humans who would eat it. By the time the FDA completed its roadmap for reviewing

genetically-modified animals in 2009, Aquabounty was the first company to submit its data.

After reviewing the company’s data, the FDA said in a public hearing in September of 2010 that Aquabounty’s salmon is “as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon.” The FDA also said the fish “are not expected to have a significant impact” on the environment.

But as the company has inched toward FDA approval it has faced increasing pushback from natural food advocates, environmentalists and politicians from salmon-producing states. In fact, following the FDA’s positive review of the fish, the House of Representatives passed a budget that included language barring the FDA from spending funds to approve a genetically-engineered salmon.

“Frankenfish is uncertain and unnecessary,” said Rep. Don Young of Alaska, who authored the language.

The Senate did not adopt the measure. Despite such opposition, environmental groups such as the Food and Water Watch say that FDA approval seems inevitable. “We think there is a clear bias toward approving genetically modified animals within the FDA,” said Patty Lovera, assistant director of Food & Water Watch, a nonprofit that promotes environmental-friendly fishing and farming practices. “This thing is trapped in a regulatory process that is predisposed toward approving it.”

But the delay could cause Aquabounty to go bankrupt before its salmon reaches supermarkets.

Aquabounty, which started in 1991 focusing on proteins used to preserve human cells, changed direction after acquiring the rights to genemanipulation technology from researchers at the University of Toronto and Memorial University of Newfoundland. Aquabounty’s Initial financing came from Boston-area investors and biotech-focused venture capital funds, but the company has burned through more than $67 million since it started. According to its mid-year financial report, Aquabounty had less than $1.5 million in cash and stock.

And it has no other products besides genetically-modified salmon in development. In February, the cashstrapped company agreed to sell its research and development arm to its largest single shareholder, Kakha Bendukidze, a former Republic of Georgia finance minister turned investor, in return for his help raising $2 million in cash to stay afloat.

Aquabounty’s CEO Stotish fretted that Bendukidze, who controlled nearly 48 percent of Aquabounty’s public stock, would move the company overseas.

But in October Bendukidze’s investment fund sold its shares to Intrexon, a biotech firm headquartered in Germantown, Maryland. Stotish views the sale as a positive development, but he still worries that the US government is unwilling to approve the technology at the heart of his company’s work. “This is about more than Aquabounty and more than salmon,” Stotish says. “And shame on us if we allow this to slip away because of partisan bickering and people who oppose new technology.” —AP

you had no greater chance of going home (from hospital) than you would have done had you managed to survive the first week of life in 1995.”

The second study looked at the health of the 2006 babies when at three years old and compared this with 1995.

It found that while 11 percent more babies survived to three without disabilities the proportion of survivors born between 22 and 25 weeks with severe disability was about the same at 18 percent in 1995 and 19 percent in 2006. The researchers also found a link between gestational age and the risk of disability, with babies born earlier more likely to have serious health complications at three years of age. —Reuters

Asia air pollution deaths to rise: Environment group HONG KONG: Air pollution in Asia, which already kills at least 800,000 people each year, will likely lead to even higher death rates as the region’s air quality worsens, an environmental group warned yesterday.

Energy consumption and rising vehicle emissions amid Asia’s rapid economic growth are the main driving force behind the region’s increasingly acute air pollution; according to air quality group Clean Air Asia. “What we are worrying is that we are seeing the PM10 concentration (level) is on the rise again,” the group’s executive director Sophie Punte told a regional conference on air pollution in Hong Kong.

“Seven out of 10 cities in developing Asia are breathing air that is harmful to their health,” she told 600 environmentalists and government officials gathered at the “Better Air Quality” conference organized by the group. PM10 are air particles that are 10 micrometers, or 10 millionths of a meter (0.0004 of an inch), across. The group says air pollution will rise as the number of vehicles in Asia is expected to exceed one billion by 2035, while its fuel consumption and resulting carbon diox-

ide emissions will grow by 400 percent compared to its 2005 levels.

A World Health Organization study in 2008 found 800,000 out of 1.3 million premature deaths each year due to air pollution are in Asia, and experts warn the figure could rise if no urgent action is taken.

“Our concern is that as pollution begins to rise, the toll-which is already significantwill start to escalate again,” US-based Health Effects Institute vice chairman Robert O’Keefe said. O’Keefe, who is also Clean Air Asia’s trustees board chairman, said research had shown the deaths attributed to air pollution could double by 2050 if “business is as usual”.

Asian countries like China-which suffers from industrial pollution, increasing traffic and lax protection measures-has come under pressure in recent years to tighten its air quality standards. In Hong Kong, where its famed skyline is often covered in smog, the government has vowed to cut emissions from power plants and phase out polluting diesel vehicles as part of an ongoing effort to tackle air pollution. —AFP

Teen fighting down in many nations, but not US NEW YORK: Fistfights among children have become less common over the last decade in 19 out of 30 countries surveyed in a Canadian study - but fighting in the United States and Canada has remained steady, while it has risen in countries such as Greece. “It was not something that we anticipated,” said William Pickett, lead author of the study, which appeared in the journal Pediatrics. “If anything, given what you hear in the news, I would have anticipated the reverse.”

Fighting among children is an important public health problem, added Pickett, a professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. Not only does it increase their chances of getting hurt, but it’s also tied up in other dangerous behaviors, such as drinking and using drugs. To gauge how big the problem is internationally, Pickett and his colleagues surveyed nearly half a million school children in 30 countries, most of them in Europe. The children were between 11 and 15 years old.

In 2002, 154,000 children responded to the questionnaire, which asked how often they fought. Another 166,000 responded in 2006, and 174,000 responded in 2010.

Taken together, nearly 14 percent of the children reported that they got into a fight at least three times in the previous 12 months in 2002. That number dropped closer to 13 percent in 2006, and in 2010 to 11.6 percent.

“We saw this as very positive news,” Pickett told Reuters Health. “As society has evolved, there’s probably less tolerance of fighting in school systems and probably (more prevention) efforts across these

countries.” Fighting in the United States ranged from nearly 12 percent of children to close to 10 percent, depending on the year, but there was no obvious decline.

“It’s reassuring that the rates aren’t going up,” said Rashmi Shetgiri, a pediatrician and violence prevention researcher at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. “(But) it makes me wonder, have we sort of reached a plateau in terms of the interventions that we’re using, and do we need to develop some different types of interventions or use them in a different way to really make those rates start going down again,” she told Reuters Health.

Shetgiri said programs to curb bullying and improve social skills have been successful in reducing fighting, but perhaps tailoring them to specific racial and ethnic groups could have an even bigger impact.

Pickett pointed out that the United States, Canada and several other countries did show modest improvements in fighting rates, but the differences were so small that they could have been due to chance.

Greater numbers of children reported fighting in Greece, Latvia and the Ukraine reported fighting during each subsequent survey, and the authored pointed out that these countries experienced considerable economic instability during the study time period. In addition, they found that children from low income countries were more likely to fight than kids from wealthier nations. “If economic instability is the problem, we should monitor this because of what is going on in the world these days,” Pickett said. —Reuters

Most US internists don’t stay in primary care NEW YORK: Less than a quarter of new US doctors finishing an internal medicine training program planned to become a primary care physician instead of a specialist - a move that could worsen the primary care doctor shortage in some parts of the country. More people may need primary care doctors in the future due to health care reform that gives more people insurance, said authors of the study, which appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota analyzed surveys of close to 17,000 young doctors in the final year of an internal medicine residency program. Just under 22 percent said they would become a primary care physician. Another 64 percent wanted to be a specialist, most often a heart or lung doctor or an oncologist. The rest hoped to work in a hospital, or were undecided about their future.

Compared to responses by the same residents two years earlier, changes in career plan into, or away from, general internal medicine were both common. “There have been recent estimates that in the next decade or so, we may be as much as 50,000 primary care physicians

short in the United States,” said Colin West, one of the authors. That’s due to a combination of factors, such as older doctors retiring and more people getting insurance through health care reform and needing a general doctor.

“Our study suggests that current numbers of graduates planning general medicine careers won’t come anywhere near meeting that shortage,” he added. Some young doctors may graduate from medical school hoping to be a primary care physician, but realize during residency that it’s much more lucrative to get into a specialty such as cardiology or ophthalmology, said Amitabh Chandra, an economist and health policy researcher at Harvard University.

Others might plan to be a specialist all along, but find it easier to get into an internal medicine residency program than a competitive specialty one. Thus, training more internal medicine residents might not be the answer to doctor shortages, researchers said. But Chandra said another strategy could be to find ways to get current primary care doctors into specific areas of the country that are underserved - and to pay them slightly more to see more patients and work longer hours. —Reuters

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health & science

NASA aims to launch Mars rover twin in 2020 US pulled out of European Mars campaign SAN FRANCISCO: NASA plans to follow up its Mars rover Curiosity mission with a duplicate rover that could collect and store samples for return to Earth, the agency’s lead scientist said on Tuesday. The new rover will use spare parts and engineering models developed for Curiosity, which is four months into a planned $2.5 billion mission on Mars to look for habitats that could have supported microbial life.

Replicating the rover’s chassis, sky-crane landing system and other gear will enable NASA to cut the cost of the new mission to about $1.5 billion including launch costs, John Grunsfeld, the US space agency’s associate administrator for science, said at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco.

Budget shortfalls forced NASA to pull out of a series of joint missions with Europe, designed to return rock and soil samples from Mars in the 2020s. Europe instead will partner with Russia for the launch vehicle and other equipment that was to have been provided by NASA. Grunsfeld said NASA will provide a key organics experiment for Europe’s ExoMars rover, as well as engineering and mission support

under the agency’s proposed budget for the year beginning Oct 1, 2013.

T he United States also will provide the radio communications equipment for a planned European orbiter slated to launch in 2016.

Details about what science instruments would be included on the new rover, whether or not it would have a cache for samples, and the landing site have not yet been determined.

NASA plans to set up a team of scien-

tists to refine plans for the rover and issue a solicitation next summer.

The National Academy of Sciences last year ranked a Mars sample return mission as its top priority in planetary science for the next decade. “The (science) community already has come forward with a very clear message about what the content of the next Mars surface mission should be, and that is to cache the samples that will come

This image provided by NASA shows a shadow self-portrait taken by NASA’s Opportunity rover on the Martian surface.—AP

back to Earth,” said Steve Squyres with Cornell University. “That’s really a necessary part of having this mission,” he said.

Humans missions to mars NASA had considered flying an orbiter in 2018, but decided instead to provide equipment for the European probes, extend its ongoing Mars missions and develop the Curiosity twin rover for launch in 2020. “We could have come up with something in 2018, but with the budget that we’re in we would not have had such a full program. It would have been a down-scaled orbiter of some kind,” Grunsfeld said.

Under the revamped Mars plan, Curiosity’s two-year mission would be extended to five years. The new rover also would help NASA prepare for eventual human missions to Mars, a long-term objective of the US space program. “If we think of the 2030s as the potential for human exploration, I think this 2020 rover and the other things we might be able to do in the 2020s as a synergistic collaboration between science and human spaceflight. There are a lot of cool things we can do,” Grunsfeld said. —Reuters

Dar Al Shifa Clinic welcomes Dr Bilal Sakr to its Pediatric Team KUWAIT: Dar Al Shifa Clinic announced recently the arrival of Dr Bilal Sakr to its pediatric team. The new move is in line with Dar Al Shifa Clinic’s strategy and commitment in attracting the best medical talent, which is also in line with its primary objectives of providing optimum healthcare services to its patients that are of the highest international standards across all practices.

Dr Sakr’s career includes extensive specialties in relation to the pediatric practice such general pediatrics and children’s health, neonatal as well as pediatric intensive care. His work experience includes being part of leading healthcare organizations across the Middle East as well as Europe. His major accomplishments are ventilator associated pneumonia in very low birth weight newborns as well as the prevention and treatment of neonatal pneumonia occurrence.

Dr Sakr, who used to work for Al Mowasat Hospital, is a member of the Lebanese Order of Physicians, along with the Lebanese pediatric society, Kuwait order of physicians, doctor juror for legitimacy courts in Lebanon, as well as a member of the UNICEF’s Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative team in Kuwait.

On this occasion, Dr Sakr said: “Dar Al Shifa Clinic, which is a part of Dar Al Shifa Hospital, is amongst Kuwait’s top medical institutions, known for introducing the latest medical technologies. I am optimistic about my new career move to the clinic’s team, especially itsPediatrics department. I hope to add my extensive experience in the field of child healthcare to patients’ benefits.”

Dar Al Shifa Clinic provides patients with

comprehensive medical solutions.

The clinic includes an extensive array of departments such as Dar Al Shifa Dental Care Unit, Dermatology, Internal Medicine &

Dr Bilal Sakr Endocrinology Diet & Nutrition, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, a fully equipped laboratory as well as a solely dedicated pharmacy to accommodate patients’ prescription requirements.

Dar Al Shifa Clinic’s pediatric department is located at Dar Al Shifa Clinic Center in Midan Hawally. For more information, patients are required to call 25666999 or 1802555.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

WHAT’S ON

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

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Embassy of India condolence message ith profound sorrow, the Embassy of India announces the sad demise of the former Prime Minister of India, I K Gujral, on November 30, 2012. The Government of India has announced State mourning for seven days from 30th November to 6th December 2012. A condolence book is being kept open in the Embassy on December 3 and 4, 2012 from 1000 hrs to 1200 hrs and 1500 hrs to 1600 hrs.

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South African Embassy closure n the occasion of Christmas, Good Will Day and the New Year, the South African Embassy will be closed from Sunday, 23rd December 2012 to Tuesday, 1st January, 2013. The Embassy will resume its normal working hours on Wednesday, 2nd January 2013. Please note that the Working hours will be from 8h00 to 16h00 & the Consular Section operation hours will from 8h30 to 12h30, for emergencies please contact number 94924895. “On the behalf of the South African Embassy, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”.

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Lecture on AIDS by the Ministry of Health n Monday, December 3, two doctors, Dr Reem and Dr Sawsan, from the Education Department in the Ministry of Health addressed our Secondary pupils on AIDS in keeping with UNESCO World Aids Day. Issues such as the causes of AIDS, prevention and treatment were discussed. Pupils were afforded the opportunity to ask questions about AIDS. At the end of the session pupils were questioned by the team to gauge how much pupils learnt from the lecture.

Visitors from UNESCO as well as the Ministry of Private Education also attended the lecture.

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IDF conducts 3rd annual inter school health quiz competition he Indian Doctors forum - Kuwait, is conducting the 3rd Inter School Health Quiz competition on Saturday, 8th December 2012 at the Kuwait Medical Association Hall in Jabriya, 5pm onwards, exclusively for the benefit of Xth to XIIth standard students of all Indian Schools in Kuwait under the sponsorship of Al Mulla Exchange and Gulf Mart. This will be done under the banner “The first Wealth is Health” and will be an excellent opportunity to witness the battle of brains from leading schools of Kuwait as they compete one another to get a grip on the prestigious IDF Rolling Trophy, which has been won by the FAIPS school students for the last two years.

This program is being carried out annually by the Indian Doctors Forum, mainly to generate interest amongst the various school students in medicine and encourage these students to join the Medical Profession. We wish to remind all our well wishers not to miss out on this unique chance to experience the power of knowledge in motion. All students of various Indian Schools are hereby invited along with their teachers and staff to join in and support your respective students while they battle their way in winning this esteemed competition and becoming potential future medical professionals.

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The Cambridge English School holds claeaning campaign The Cambridge English School - Mangaf held a cleaning campaign at the Kout Beach recently featuring tenth grade students accompanied by teaching staff.

Announcements Joy of Christmas hristmas is the Season of new beginnings and second chances! Headlines of disease, disaster and death slowly but surely acclimatize us to permanently anticipate the darker side of life. Men’s Voice Kuwait and Choral Society has always carried the message of love, hope and unity, touching the hearts of thousands, regardless of age, creed or religion. Every year we look forward to ring the Christmas season with a night of joyous music. Popular 12-year-old choir draws us to the brighter side with the “The Joy of Christmas” a wonderful Concert on Friday, December 7, 2012 at 7 pm at Carmel School Auditorium, Khaitan.

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TASK general body meeting echnical Staff Association of Kuwait (TASK), Kuwait are conducting their General Body meeting on December 7, 2012 Friday 4:00 pm at Hi-Dine Auditorium. Election will be conducted for selecting new office bearers for the year 2013. The committee is inviting all members and technical staff non-residents from India in Kuwait to join hands with TASK and strengthen the association.

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Goan Culinary Club he Goan Culinary Club - Goa encourages you to log on to their website where you can find a video of Odette and Joe Mascarenhas sharing their thoughts on Goan cuisine. These videos were recorded at the launch of the Goan Culinary Club in Goa on March 3, 2012.

Thanks to support from all at the Goan Culinary Club, we have made great progress in six months.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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Chatura

Shaheen

Stait

Osama

Promise

Rahmat

Nabeel

Rendez-vous at FAIPS- DPS ur students of 9th and 10th Std participated in RENDEZ-VOUS 2012 at FAIPS on 29.11.12 accompanied by the Head of the Department of French. Daniel. The competition comprised of various events such as French Quiz, tongue twisters, word building, dumb charades, French cuisine and French song. The students of various CBSE schools in Kuwait participated. The competition was organized by DPS, Kuwait.

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Our school students’ bagged prizes in four different events. They have brought laurels to the school in the field of French as foreign language. Yousuf got first in Tongue twisters, Jacob, Zacharia & Khalil Second in Dumb charade for the seniors, Abdulla, Mansoor& Nadun Second in Dumb charade for the juniors and Rahaf, Sheikhana & Salwa second in French cuisine. Allez-y JIS !!!

Basketball Academy he new Premier Basketball Academy offers coaching and games every Friday and Saturday from 10 am onwards for 6 to 18 year olds, boys and girls. Located in Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. Free Basketball and Tee Shirts for all participants, with certificates and special awards on completion of each 6 week course. Qualified and experienced British and American Coaches, Everyone Welcome.

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Christmas Bazaar alesian Cooperators are orgainising their Annual Christmas Bazaar, on Friday 07th December, 2012 from 9.30am to 12 noon @ IEAS (Don Bosco School). As all the proceeds go to for a good cause...your presence will make a difference!

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Arabic courses WARE will begin Winter 1 Arabic language courses with new textbooks and curricula on from December 2, 2012 until January 24, 2013.

AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & 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. For more information or registration, please log-on to our website.

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JIS: Laurels in their crown of achievements abriya Indian School adding feather to their hat through their sports and cultural activities. Recently around 35 students participated in 14th Kuwait Cluster Athletic Meet 2012 which was organized by IES Bhawans. 14 CBSE Indian schools took part in it.

Competition was at Al Saheel Club & Al Nasser Club.

JIS student took up prizes in different activities and added laurels in their crown of achievements. Under 19 girls shotput Rahmat and U-16 boys long jump Mhd Nabeel -secured 1st position, Chatura-highjump, Shaheen-shotput, Stait-boys 1500 mts - secured second position, U-19 girls javelin Noor, U-19 boys high jump Osama, U-16 boys 3000 mts Stait, U-16 girls shotput Promise secured third position.

Another greatest achievement in the field of sports: Jabriya Indian School bagged the football trophy in the CBSE cluster football tournament. School chairman M. Mathews & Principal Dr. Shobha Vaddadhi congratulated the champions for their outstanding per-

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formance. In the quarter finals JIS exhibited a fine performance by defeating IIS (m) with the score of 7/1. In the semifinal JIS beated UIS with a score of 2/0.

Finals held at Al Saheel Club. Fahaheel , JIS defeated CSK with a lead of 5 /1 and lifted up the trophy.

The JIS Under 19 team comprises of Hassan Ali (captain),Osama Raed (vice captain), Yousaf Zayani, Ahmed Janka, Abdullah, Ali Hassan, Hamza, Said Shikely, Fadel Umerkutty, Ayman Abdul, Mohammed Nabeel, Christ, Faisal, Ahmad Tamour, Sheldoen Barreto. This spectacular success of JIS was made possible by the brilliant performance of each member of the team and excellent coaching and guidance by their Mentor Mawad and Rajesh. Students of JIS were awarded with special certificate from school for their tremendous victory amidst thunderous applause. It was indeed a proud moment for the team and the school.

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WHAT’S ON

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office).

In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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GUST bids farewell to UMSL colleague he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) held a farewell lunch for Dr. Milton Blood, an Adjunct Professor andtheInternational Coordinator at the Center for International Studies in the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), who will retire in 2013.

GUST’s Chairman of the Board, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Muhailan, and GUST’s President, Professor Shuaib A. Shuaib, presented Dr. Milton with a traditional Kuwaiti painting by one of GUST’s talented art students, as well as a Certificate of Appreciation for his valuable efforts in strengthening GUST’s programs.

Dr. Al-Muhailan and Professor Shuaib applauded Dr. Milton’s hard work and effort in assisting GUST in its academic

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and professional development over the course of GUST and UMSL’s working relationship, which surpasses over ten years of cooperation. Dr. Robert Cook, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Sabah Al Quaddoomi, Vice President for Academic Services, and Dr. Salah AlSharhan, Vice President of Planning and Development, were also in attendance to honor Dr. Milton, alongside the Deans and Heads of Departments for the College of Business and the College of Arts & Sciences, and Directors from various non-academic departments.

GUST wishes Dr. Milton the best in all his future endeavors, and thanks him for his dedication in ensuring the success of GUST and UMSL’s continued academic partnership.

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Scintillating open day at LOA ndian Learners Own Academy celebrated its Open Day on the 22nd November, with great pomp and show. The evening witnessed the spark and enthusiasm of students who were dressed up in Jazzy attires. The festivity of the evening began with the arrival of the Chief Guest of the occasion Talal Bousheetan, the performance enhancement coordinator at Kuwait Petroleum International Company (KPI). The programme commenced with the recital of verses from Holy Quran and a prayer in English. The parents, distinguished guest, invited guests, parents; staff of the school witnessed the lighting of the lamp, invoking the blessings of God the almighty to remove darkness of ignorance.

The children welcomed the guests and the audience with a welcome song.

Think of the magic of the foot, comparatively small upon which your whole

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body rests. It’s a miracle and dance is a celebration of that miracle. Students of Class II in their enigmatic attire and grandeur presented a classical dance form of India to express their happiness and joy to welcome the guests.

The Principal, Mrs Asha Sharma, a renowned educationist, an epitome of eminence and the navigator of the flagship of knowledge welcomed and addressed the chief guest, audience and spoke on the various activities and achievements of the school. She also said that the school lays stress on building the caliber of the students in all fields of learning. The school has always laid its emphasis in recognizing and appreciating the students for their excellence. The Chief Guest applauded achievements and gave away the prizes to the deserving students of Indian Learners Own Academy. He focused on learning for life and appreciated the

Indian system of education.

The ambience and festivity of the programme was further showcased by scintillating performance of Class I students who foot tapped to the alluring tunes of the song. There were also dance performances by the students, expertly choreographed by the teachers of Class I and II, which kept the audience enthralled. The mime by students of Class II depicting the effects of pollution was a wonderful message about the effects of pollution to human population. It won the admiration of the parents and eminent guests. The audiences were thrilled to see the performance of the children and gave thundering applause at every scene.

Life isn’t a matter of milestones but of moments. This thought was well executed and presented by students in an English Song ‘larger than life’. The Italian phrase ‘Mamamia’ was elegantly per-

formed in a dance form by versatile performers of the school. The children expressed the rich tradition of Arabs through an Arabic dance followed by a delightful dance for a French song. The kummi dance by the girls of class II was a blend of precise rhythmic splendor.

The fun and frolic of a holiday mood resonated in the hall with the students dancing and swaying away to the tunes of an English Song. The energetic fervor of the programme was at its peak with students reverberating to a Punjabi Bhangra. The children presented a laudable and astounding performance. It was applauded by one and all. Student representative of Class II delivered the vote of thanks and the audience left the auditorium with reminiscing memories of the programme.

Jabriya Indian School football team victorious abariya Indian School bagged the football trophy in the CBSE cluster football tournament. School chairman M. Mathews congratulated the champions for their outstanding performance.

This tournament was held between 10th to 14th November 2012. The tournament was organized by DPS School Kuwait and saw keen participation of students. 13 Indian schools in Kuwait participated in this tournament. A healthy sportsman spirit was shown on the field by the players during the tournament. In the

J

quarter finals JIS exhibited a fine performance by defeating IIS (m)

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Canadian Embassy in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 7:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed for lunch from 12:30 to 13:00. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday.

with the score of 7/1.

In the semi-final JIS beated UIS

with a score of 2/0.

Finals held at Al Saheel Club.

Fahaheel, JIS defeated CSK with a lead of 5 /1 and lifted up the trophy.

The JIS Under 19 team comprises of : Hassan Ali (captain),Osama Raed (vice captain),Yousaf Zayani, Ahmed Janka, Abdullah, Ali Hassan, Hamza, Said Shikely, Fadel Umerkutty, Ayman Abdul, Mohammed Nabeel, Christ, Faisal, Ahmad Tamour, Sheldoen Barreto This spectacular success of JIS was made possible by the bril-

liant performance of each member of the team and excellent coaching and guidance by their mentor Mawad and Rajesh.

This victory is also the result of the support of the management and the encouragement provided by Principal Dr Shobha Vaddadhi and cooperation of parents. Students of JIS were awarded with special certificate from school for their tremendous victory. Jabariya Indian school team amidst thunderous applause. It was indeed a proud moment for the team and the school.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on short-stay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes. Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database. Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, first-time applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com.

■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com.

■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait would like to remind that the external polling station No 90046 was created in the Embassy’s premises at the following address: Hawalli, Jabriya, bl.10, str. 6, build. 5. The working hours of the polling station: Sunday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Monday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Tuesday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Wednesday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Thursday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Friday from 10.00 to 13.00 pm; Saturday from 10.00 to 13.00 pm On October 28, 2012 the working hours of the polling station from 8.00 am to 20.00 pm. Please be advised to refer to the Embassy to check your data in the Electoral Register as well as to pick up your personal invitation from the polling station if you did not receive the document by post.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 01:45 02:35 03:25 04:15 05:05 05:55 06:20 06:45 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:25 Baker 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 12:55 13:50 14:15 14:45 15:40 16:35 17:00 17:30 17:55 18:25 18:50 19:20 20:15 20:40 21:10 21:35 22:05 23:00 23:55

Animal Cops South Africa Killer Crocs Untamed & Uncut Galapagos Biggest And Baddest Wild France Call Of The Wildman Going Ape RSPCA: On The Frontline RSPCA: On The Frontline Wildlife SOS International The Really Wild Show Weird Creatures With Nick Cats 101 Too Cute!

Wild France Last Chance Highway Gator Boys Wildlife SOS International Bondi Vet Animal Cops Philadelphia Wild France Going Ape The Really Wild Show Extraordinary Dogs Extraordinary Dogs Bondi Vet Bondi Vet Cats 101 Monkey Life Bondi Vet Call Of The Wildman Going Ape Wild France Austin Stevens Adventures Into The Pride

00:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 00:45 Come Dine With Me 01:35 Antiques Roadshow 02:30 10 Years Younger 03:20 10 Years Younger 04:10 Eating With The Enemy 05:00 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 05:45 Celebrity MasterChef 06:10 Celebrity MasterChef 06:40 Eating With The Enemy 07:25 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 08:10 MasterChef Australia 08:55 MasterChef Australia 09:20 10 Years Younger 10:10 10 Years Younger 11:00 Bargain Hunt 11:45 Antiques Roadshow 12:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 13:20 Come Dine With Me 14:10 Baking Made Easy 14:35 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 15:00 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 15:25 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 15:50 Bargain Hunt 16:35 Antiques Roadshow 17:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 18:10 Come Dine With Me 19:00 Glamour Puds 19:25 Glamour Puds 19:50 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 20:45 Come Dine With Me 21:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 22:20 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt

00:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 00:30 Hardtalk 01:00 BBC World News America 01:30 BBC World News America 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday

04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Asia Business Report 06:45 Sport Today 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 Hardtalk 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 World Business Report 11:45 BBC World News 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 Hardtalk 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 BBC World News 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 BBC World News 15:00 GMT With George Alagiah 15:30 GMT With George Alagiah 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 World Business Report 21:45 Sport Today 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 23:00 BBC World News 23:30 World Business Report 23:45 Sport Today

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:00 04:30 04:55 05:20 05:45 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:30 07:55 08:10 08:35 08:50 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:20 14:35 14:50 15:20 15:45 16:10 16:35 17:00

Taz-Mania Pink Panther And Pals Moomins Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Wacky Races Looney Tunes Duck Dodgers Dastardly And Muttley Dexter’s Laboratory Wacky Races Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Moomins Looney Tunes Tom & Jerry Tales Dexter’s Laboratory Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Ha Ha Hairies Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Wacky Races Looney Tunes Duck Dodgers Popeye Top Cat The Flintstones Dastardly And Muttley Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas Moomins Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby Doo?

17:25 17:50 18:15 18:40 19:05 19:30 19:45 20:00 20:15 20:40 20:55 21:20 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:40

Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Tales The Looney Tunes Show Taz-Mania Pink Panther And Pals Moomins The Garfield Show Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Cartoonito Tales Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby Doo? Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Tales The Looney Tunes Show

00:40 Chowder 01:30 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 01:55 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:20 Foster’s Home For...

02:45 Foster’s Home For...

03:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 04:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 04:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Powerpuff Girls 05:40 Generator Rex 06:05 Ben 10 06:30 Ben 10 06:55 Angelo Rules 07:00 Cow & Chicken 07:30 Casper’s Scare School 08:00 Eliot Kid 08:45 Johnny Test 09:05 The Powerpuff Girls 09:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:20 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:45 Courage The Cowardly Dog 11:35 Adventure Time 12:00 Regular Show 12:25 Transformers Prime 12:50 Ben 10: Omniverse 13:15 Courage The Cowardly Dog 14:05 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 14:30 Young Justice 14:55 Codename: Kids Next Door 15:45 Ben 10: Alien Force 16:10 Ben 10: Alien Force 16:35 Powerpuff Girls 17:00 Angelo Rules 17:20 Young Justice 17:40 Hero 108 18:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 18:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 18:50 Johnny Test 19:15 Adventure Time 19:40 Regular Show 20:05 Green Lantern: The Animated Series 20:30 Ben 10: Omniverse 20:55 Generator Rex 21:20 Level Up 21:45 Grim Adventures Of...

22:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 23:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:50 The Powerpuff Girls

00:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson 01:00 Amanpour 01:30 World Sport 02:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 03:00 World Report 03:30 World Sport 04:00 Anderson Cooper 360 05:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 06:00 Quest Means Business 07:00 The Situation Room 08:00 World Sport 08:30 Talk Asia 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Report 11:00 World Sport 11:30 Eco Solutions 12:00 World Business Today 13:00 Amanpour 13:30 Living Golf 14:00 World One

THE REUNION ON OSN ACTION HD

15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:45 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:45 23:00 23:30

Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Middle East World Sport Living Golf International Desk Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Europe Amanpour CNN Newscenter

00:15 01:10 02:05 03:00 03:55 04:20 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 14:35 15:05 15:30 16:25 17:20 18:15 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Dynamo: Magician Impossible Mythbusters Dirty Dozen Mythbusters Mythbusters Border Security Dirty Money Auction Kings How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made Hillbilly Handfishin’ Wheeler Dealers Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Dirty Money How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made Dynamo: Magician Impossible Mythbusters Dirty Dozen Mythbusters Border Security Dirty Money Auction Kings Ultimate Survival Wheeler Dealers Hillbilly Handfishin’ Mythbusters How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made Border Security Dirty Money Auction Kings American Guns Cook County Jail Gang Wars

00:40 The Gadget Show 01:05 The Tech Show 01:35 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 02:25 Meteorite Men 03:15 Prototype This 04:05 Weird Connections 04:35 The Future Of...

05:25 How Do They Do It? 05:50 How Do They Do It? 06:15 The Gadget Show 06:40 The Tech Show 07:05 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 08:00 Meteorite Men 08:50 The Future Of...

09:40 Head Rush 09:43 Things That Move 10:10 How Stuff’s Made 10:40 How Do They Do It? 11:05 How Do They Do It? 11:30 Engineered 12:20 Prototype This 13:10 The Gadget Show 13:35 The Tech Show 14:00 Meteorite Men 14:50 The Future Of...

15:45 Weird Connections 16:10 How Do They Do It? 16:35 How Do They Do It? 17:00 Head Rush 17:03 Things That Move 17:30 How Stuff’s Made 18:00 Engineered 18:50 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 19:40 Thunder Races 20:30 Weird Or What?

21:20 Killer Outbreaks 22:10 The Gadget Show 22:35 The Tech Show 23:00 Weird Or What?

23:50 Killer Outbreaks

00:10 00:20 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:35 09:45 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:25 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:00 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30

Fish Hooks Fish Hooks Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor‘s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck A.N.T. Farm Recess So Random Good Luck Charlie Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mouk Jonas So Random Hannah Montana Fish Hooks Fish Hooks Kim Possible Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb Hannah Montana Forever Hannah Montana Forever So Random Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up Austin And Ally Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Austin And Ally Phineas And Ferb A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Jessie That’s So Raven Cory In The House Kim Possible Hannah Montana Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie

22:55 23:20 23:45 23:55

Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Fish Hooks Fish Hooks

00:55 Style Star 01:25 THS 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 THS 05:05 E!es 06:00 15 Remarkable Celebrity Body Bouncebacks 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Khloe And Lamar 09:45 Khloe And Lamar 10:15 E!es 12:05 E! News 13:05 Opening Act 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Married To Jonas 17:25 Married To Jonas 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Opening Act 20:55 Married To Jonas 21:25 Fashion Police 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Scouted

00:40 01:30 02:20 03:05 03:55 04:45 05:30 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 Jones 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:15 14:40 15:30 Jones 16:20 16:45 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:05 20:55 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50

Dr. G: Medical Examiner The Haunted A Haunting Reel Crime/Real Story I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted A Haunting Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Murder Shift Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives True Crime With Aphrodite Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Murder Shift Disappeared Forensic Detectives Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Great Crimes And Trials Great Crimes And Trials Nightmare Next Door

01:30 Blow Out 03:15 The Taking Of Pelham 123 (1974) 05:00 Madonna: Truth Or Dare 06:55 A Girl To Kill For 08:25 Bound For Glory 10:50 Mr. Wonderful 12:30 Mgm’s Big Screen 12:45 Viva Maria 14:40 Rockula 16:10 Driving Me Crazy 17:35 A Star For Two 19:10 Lights Action Music 20:10 Eye Of The Needle 22:00 Firestarter 23:49 Yentl

00:15 00:45 01:40 02:05 02:35 03:00 03:30 03:55 04:25 05:20 05:45 06:15 06:40 07:10 07:35 08:05 09:00 09:25 09:55 10:20 10:50 11:15 11:45 12:40 13:05 13:35 14:00 14:30 14:55 15:25 16:20 17:15 17:40 18:10 18:35 19:05 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:25 22:55 23:20 23:50

Pressure Cook Long Way Down Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Danger Beach Into The Drink Perilous Journeys The Green Way Up The Green Way Up David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 4 Pressure Cook Pressure Cook Long Way Down Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Danger Beach Into The Drink Perilous Journeys The Green Way Up The Green Way Up David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 4 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 4 Food School Food School Long Way Down Meet The Amish Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Ultimate Traveller Food School Food School David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 4 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 4 The Green Way Up The Green Way Up David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 4 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 4 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00

Alaska Wing Men China Circus China Circus Sea Patrol Bizarre Dinos World’s Deadliest Animals Sea Patrol Trapped Alaska Wing Men China Circus China Circus

THE TOURIST ON OSN CINEMA 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Sea Patrol Situation Critical Predator CSI Hooked Big, Bigger, Biggest Ancient Megastructures Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) Nomads Dive To Tiger Central World’s Deadliest Animals Nomads Swamp Troop

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:00 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Hunter Hunted Swamp Troop Wild Russia Lady With 700 Cats, The Unlikely Animal Friends Built for the Kill Hidden Worlds Hidden Worlds Wild Russia Lady With 700 Cats, The Unlikely Animal Friends Dangerous Encounters Fish Warrior Maneater Manhunt Secrets Of The King Cobra The Living Edens Unlikely Animal Friends Animal Superpowers Dangerous Encounters Fish Warrior Hunter Hunted Wild Russia Lady With 700 Cats, The Unlikely Animal Friends Dangerous Encounters Fish Warrior

01:15 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Saving Private Ryan-18 Carjacked-PG15 Legendary Assassin-PG15 Warbirds-PG15 Go Fast-PG15 Biker Boyz-PG15 Warbirds-PG15 The Reunion-PG15 Biker Boyz-PG15 Fade To Black-18 Resident Evil 4: Afterlife-18

01:45 03:45 PG 05:45 07:45 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:15 16:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Shanghai-PG15 Searching For Bobby FischerSkirt Day-PG15 Kings Ransom-PG15 Green Lantern-PG15 Shanghai-PG15 Kings Ransom-PG15 Ice Age-FAM John Rabe-PG15 Toast-PG15 The Tourist-PG15 Jackass 3.5-R

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 02:00 Veep 02:30 The League 03:00 How I Met Your Mother 04:00 Samantha Who? 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 06:30 Friends 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Samantha Who? 08:30 How I Met Your Mother 10:00 Modern Family 10:30 The Office 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Samantha Who? 14:30 The Office 15:00 Modern Family 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Friends 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 How I Met Your Mother 18:30 30 Rock 19:00 Two And A Half Men 19:30 The Office 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay

Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:30 Veep 23:00 The League 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 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 22:00 23:00

Body Of Proof Combat Hospital Smash The Tudors Touch Warehouse 13 Body Of Proof Emmerdale Coronation Street White Collar Smash Combat Hospital Touch Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar Body Of Proof Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar Touch The X Factor U.S. Smash The Tudors

01:00 Alien-18 03:00 Dorothy Mills-18 04:45 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-PG15 07:00 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.1-PG15 09:30 Wild Bill-PG15 11:15 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-PG15 13:30 Vengeance-PG15 15:30 Wild Bill-PG15 17:15 Boiler Room-PG15 19:15 The Kingdom-18 21:15 Rage Of The Yeti-PG15 23:00 Medium Raw-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 PG15 12:00 14:00 16:00 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:00

Analyze That-PG15 Tamara Drewe-18 Analyze That-PG15 The Bad News Bears (1976)-

01:00 02:45 05:15 07:00 PG15 09:00 PG15 11:00 PG15 13:00 15:00 PG15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Talhotblond-18 Sunshine State-PG15 Chasing 3000-PG15 Le Crime Est Notre Affaire-

Cheaper By The Dozen-PG Desperately Seeking SantaBest In Show-PG15 Cheaper By The Dozen 2-PG Desperately Seeking SantaSnow Day-PG Failure To Launch-PG15 Mardi Gras: Spring Break-18

Ike: Countdown To D-DaySunny And The Elephant-

21:00 The Tourist-PG15 23:00 Unknown-PG15

01:00 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 02:45 Olentzero Christmas TaleFAM 04:30 Toyz Goin’ Wild-PG 06:00 Paws-PG 08:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes-FAM 10:00 Marco Macaco-FAM 11:30 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 13:00 Barbie In A Mermaid Tale 2FAM 14:30 Yogi Bear-FAM 16:00 Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader-PG 18:00 Marco Macaco-FAM 20:00 Spy Kids: All The Time In The World-PG 22:00 Barbie In A Mermaid Tale 2FAM

00:30 Trans World Sport 01:30 Futbol Mundial 02:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 03:00 PGA European Tour Weekly Review 04:00 Live Emirates Australian Open 09:00 Trans World Sport 10:00 Futbol Mundial 10:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Official Film 12:00 ICC Cricket 360 12:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 13:30 PGA European Tour Weekly Review 14:30 Live European PGA Tour 18:30 Extreme Sailing Series 19:00 Trans World Sport 20:00 Rugby Union Varsity 22:00 Futbol Mundial 22:45 Live European Challenge Cup

00:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 01:30 HSBC Sevens World Series 04:30 Dubai Ladies Championship 09:00 Rugby Union International 11:00 Trans World Sport 12:00 Live Dubai Ladies Championship 16:00 Futbol Mundial 16:30 NFL Game Day 17:00 Live Rugby Union Varsity Match 19:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 20:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 21:00 Emirates Australian Open

02:00 Spirit of a Champion 02:30 Golfing World 03:30 Fukuoka Marathon 06:30 Spirit of a Champion 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Snooker UK Championship 12:00 Total Rugby 12:30 Asian Tour Golf 13:00 Ladies European Highlights 14:00 Golfing World 15:00 Spirit of a Champion 15:30 Spirit of a Champion 16:00 Live Snooker UK Championship 21:30 Spirit of a Champion 22:00 Live Snooker UK Championship

Pina-PG15 Ike: Countdown To D-DayThe Greatest-PG15 I’ve Loved You So Long-PG15 The Butcher Boy-PG15 Mercy-18

01:00 After Life-18 03:00 Spooky Buddies-PG 05:00 Love And Mary-PG15 07:00 African Cats: Kingdom Of Courage-PG 09:00 The Conspirator-PG15 11:00 The 19th Wife-PG15 13:00 Senna-PG15 15:00 Stolen Lives-PG15 17:00 The Conspirator-PG15 19:00 Super 8-PG15

01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:30 19:00 20:00 23:00

UFC The Ultimate Fighter V8 Supercars V8 Supercars UFC Unleashed UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed WWE SmackDown NHL V8 Supercars WWE Experience WWE Vintage WWE Bottom Line V8 Supercars V8 Supercars European Le Mans Series European Le Mans Series European Le Mans Series WWE NXT Prizefighter UFC The Ultimate Fighter

Classifieds THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation with Muslim family available in Abbassiya since Jan 2013, for family or working women. Mob: 97612248.

(C 4238) 6-12-2012

FOR SALE Furniture of 3 bedrooms, drawing, dining, lounge, cooking range, 60 in. LED. Camry 2004 ( Touring) in excellent condition.

Contact: 66780119 / 25742068 (after 3 PM).

(C 4240) 6-12-2012

MATRIMONIAL A suitable alliance is solicited for a north Indian male, 28 years/ 5’X6”/ MBA, well settled in Kuwait in family business from an educated and beautiful girl from any part of India. No bar. Email: enya_rathore@yahoo.co.in (C 4241) 6-12-2012

CHANGE OF NAME

Prayer timings

I, Salim holder of Indian Passport No: J4441787 hereby change my name to Muslim Tankiwala S/O Rajbali Tankiwala. (C 4237) 4-12-2012 I, Robino Joao Novals, holder of Indian Passport No: H0590686 issued in Kuwait, change my name to Robino Joao Novais.

(C 4235) 1-12-2012

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES

Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

05:03 06:27 11:38 14:30 16:50 18:11

Required a decent babysitter for a small Pilipino family in Hawally. Contact: 60387734.

3-12-2012

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

SITUATION VACANT Required English speaking nanny/maid. 99824597.

5-12-2012

Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

112 THE PUBLICAUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines =JAI THY JZR JZR QTR SAI ETH GFA UAE ETD QTR FDB MSR DHX THY JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC KAC FDB IRA KAC IRA KAC UAE GFA IZG ABY QTR FDB ETD GFA BAB AGA JZR MEA MSC MSR UAE KAC SYR GFA FDB KNE KAC KAC SVA QTR KAC KAC KNE

Arrival Flights on Thursday 6/12/2012 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 441 LAHORE 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 138 DOHA 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 354 COCHIN 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 302 MUMBAI 617 AHWAZ 332 TRIVANDRUM 855 DUBAI 223 BAHRAIN 4161 MASHAD 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 436 BAHRAIN 1306 TBILISI 165 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 403 ASSIUT 610 CAIRO 871 DUBAI 382 DELHI 341 DAMASCUS 219 BAHRAIN 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 672 DUBAI 546 ALEXANDRIA 500 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 788 JEDDAH 284 DHAKA 470 JEDDAH

Time 00:30 00:35 00:45 00:50 01:00 01:30 01:45 01:50 02:35 02:45 03:01 03:05 03:10 05:15 05:30 05:55 06:35 06:40 06:45 07:35 07:40 07:45 07:50 07:55 07:55 08:15 08:40 08:45 08:50 09:05 09:10 09:15 09:20 09:55 10:05 10:30 11:20 11:55 12:35 12:45 12:50 12:55 12:55 13:35 13:50 14:10 14:15 14:15 14:30 14:45 14:55 15:10 15:10

QTR OMA JZR KNE KAC UAE ETD RJA GFA SVA JZR QTR ABY UAL KAC JZR RBG KAC TAR BAB FDB MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB JAI AXB MSC MSR JZR ABY QTR ALK KAC MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE JZR JAI FDB DHX AIC JZR GFA KAC JZR UAL BBC DLH

134 645 535 474 118 857 303 640 215 510 777 144 127 982 542 177 3553 786 327 438 63 405 176 618/ 104 674 774 647 61 572 393 401 618 189 129 146 229 562 402 136 221 307 859 135 576 59 372 981 239 217 502 185 981 43 636

DOHA MUSCAT CAIRO JEDDAH NEW YORK DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH DOHA SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES CAIRO DUBAI ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH TUNIS BAHRAIN DUBAI SOHAG GENEVA DOHA LONDON DUBAI RIYADH MUSCAT DUBAI MUMBAI KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA COLOMBO AMMAN BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN COCHIN DUBAI BAHRAIN CHENNAI AMMAN BAHRAIN BEIRUT DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA FRANKFURT

15:30 15:40 16:25 16:30 16:35 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:45 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:30 18:35 18:40 18:45 19:00 19:15 19:20 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:20 20:25 20:30 20:35 20:45 20:55 21:05 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:30 22:45 22:50 22:55 23:05 23:25 23:45 23:55

Airlines AIC AXB UAL DLH JAI KAC ETH THY SAI KAC FDB UAE ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA KAC THY FDB BAW IRA IRA JZR KAC KAC GFA KAC ABY UAE FDB ETD IZG QTR GFA BAB KAC MSC KAC JZR MEA KAC AGA MSR JZR SYR UAE GFA FDB KAC KNE KAC KAC

Departure Flights on Thursday 6/12/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA / CHENNAI 390 MANGALORE 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 573 MUMBAI 283 DHAKA 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 442 LAHORE 381 DELHI 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 545 ALEXANDRIA 771 ISTANBUL 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 606 MASHHAD 616 AHWAZ 534 CAIRO 101 LONDON 787 JEDDAH 224 BAHRAIN 671 DUBAI 122 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 4162 MASHHAD 133 DOHA 214 BAHRAIN 437 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 406 SOHAG 165 ROME 776 JEDDAH 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 1306 SHARJAH 611 CAIRO 176 DUBAI 342 DAMASCUS 872 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 561 AMMAN 617 DOHA

Time 00:05 00:15 01:10 01:20 01:30 02:25 02:45 02:55 03:00 03:15 03:45 03:50 04:00 04:10 04:50 06:05 06:55 07:00 07:30 07:35 08:25 08:45 08:50 08:55 09:15 09:20 09:25 09:30 09:40 09:45 09:55 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:30 10:40 10:50 11:30 11:35 11:50 12:15 12:55 13:00 13:00 13:45 13:50 13:55 14:15 14:20 14:30 15:05 15:10 15:40 15:45

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

SVA JZR KNE QTR KAC OMA KAC JZR KNE ETD JZR QTR UAE RJA GFA JZR SVA ABY JZR QTR RBG JZR UAL TAR FDB BAB MSC FDB KAC KAC OMA JAI AXB ABY KAC MSC MSR KAC DHX ALK MEA ETD QTR GFA KAC FDB JZR UAE JAI KAC DHX QTR GFA JZR KAC KAC

505 188 471 141 773 646 501 238 475 304 538 135 858 641 216 184 511 128 266 145 3554 134 982 328 64 439 404 62 351 331 648 571 394 120 343 402 619 543 171 230 403 308 137 222 361 60 554 860 575 205 373 147 218 528 411 415

JEDDAH DUBAI JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH MUSCAT BEIRUT AMMAN JEDDAH ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH SHARJAH BEIRUT DOHA ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN TUNIS DUBAI BAHRAIN ASSIUT DUBAI KOCHI TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT MUMBAI KOZHIKODE SHARJAH CHENNAI ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA CAIRO BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN MUSCAT DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI KOCHI ISLAMABAD BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN ASSIUT BANGKOK KUALA LUMPUR

16:00 16:05 16:10 16:15 16:25 16:40 17:00 17:15 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 17:55 18:15 18:30 18:35 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:00 19:05 19:10 19:25 19:25 19:30 20:00 20:40 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:10 21:15 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:40 21:50 21:55 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 22:45 22:50 22:55 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:50 23:50 23:55 23:55

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

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

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

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

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

Hawally

ST TAT TE OF KUW K WAIT A

Te el.: 161

DIRECTORA AT TE GENERAL GENE OF CIVIL AV VIA ATION T PARTMENT A METEOROLOGICAL DEP DA AY Y: Wednesday e

05/12/2012

BY Y DA AY:

Partly cloudy to cloudy with moderate to fresh south easterly wind, with speed of 20 - 45 km/h with a chance for scattered rain that might be thundery at times

BY Y NIGHT:

Partly cloudy to cloudy with moderate freshening at times south easterly to southerly wind, with speed of 20 - 40 km/h with a chance for rain that might be thundery at times No Current Warnings arnin a

WARNING A

17 °C

22451082

KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

23 °C

14 °C

Mirqab

22456536

NUW WAISEEB A

24 °C

15 °C

Sharq

22465401

WAFRA A

24 °C

15 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

21 °C

12 °C

ABDAL LY

22 °C

14 °C

Jabriya

25316254

JAL ALIY YAH A

22 °C

13 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FAILAKA A

21 °C

17 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

22 °C

18 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

22 °C

20 °C

W Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YA AN

20 °C

16 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

ST TATION T

SFC. CHART

05/12/2012 0000 UTC

4 DA AYS Y FORECAST Temperatures DA AY

DA ATE T

WEA AT THER

Thursday

06/12

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

Friday

South Jahra

24775066

Saturday

North Jahra

24775992

Sunday

North Jleeb

24311795

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

clouds to decrease

23 °C

14 °C

NW-N

15 - 35 km/h

07/12

cool

21 °C

11 °C

N-VRB

08 - 30 km/h

08/12

sunny

22 °C

11 °C

SE-NW

15 - 40 km/h

09/12

sunny

20 °C

10 °C

NW

20 - 40 km/h

PRA RA AY YER TIMES

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPORT

Fajr

05:03

MAX. Temp.

20 °C

Sunrise

06:27

MIN. Temp.

07 °C 86 %

24884079 24892674

Zuhr

11:38

MAX. RH

24719048

Asr

14:31

MIN. RH

30 %

Sunset

16:49

MAX. Wind

S 28 km/h

Isha

18:11

TOT TAL AL RAIINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

24710044

Fintas

23900322

00 mm

05/12/12 03:03 UTC

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

V1.00

T1.06

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

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

Dr. Salem soso General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

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

Kaizen center 25716707

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

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

23 °C

N Khaitan

22545171

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

07:00

Issue Time

KUW WAIT A CITY

Omariya

Al-Shuhada

Fax: 24348714

MIN. REC.

Firdous

Ext.: 2627 262 - 2630

22418714

WWW.MET.GOV V.KW .

MAX. EXP P.

Ardhiya

PHONE

Al-Madeena

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

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

lifest yle G o s s i p

ew mom Reese Witherspoon is being honored by March of Dimes for being a model celebrity parent. The 36-year-old Oscar winner and mother of three will receive the organization’s Grace Kelly Award at its Celebration of Babies event Friday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The award recognizes celebrity parents committed to healthy pregnancies and families.

Witherspoon gave birth in September to a son, Tennessee, with her husband, talent agent Jim Toth. She’s also mom to Ava, 13, and Deacon, 8, from her previous marriage to actor Ryan Phillippe. “I was very lucky to have a healthy delivery and leave the hospital with a healthy full term infant, but so many families in this country do not get that experience,” she said, adding that she hopes her involvement with March of Dimes calls attention to its efforts to prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Hollywood has a long

N

history with March of Dimes, said event chair and Universal Pictures President Jimmy Horowitz. The tradition continues with this seventh annual celebrity luncheon, where star parents Susan and Robert Downey Jr, Brooke Shields and Chris Henchy, Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman, and Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are also expected. Cannon will serve as master of ceremonies for the private event. The March of Dimes is also inducting new celebrity parents into its Stork Club. Members include Amanda Anka and Jason Bateman, Drew Barrymore and Will Koppelman, and Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green.

ulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov who is also known under the name of GooGoosha as a pop star, has released a duet with French actor Gerard Depardieu. In a song named “Nebo Molchit” (The Sky is Keeping Silent), posted on Gulnara Karimova’s website realgoogoosha.com, the French actor reads a poem written by Karimova. Uzbek FM radio stations have started playing the song, where Depardieu lyrically reads Karimova’s poem in French under her voice singing in Russian. The duet was recorded when France’s best known actor visited Tashkent last week to discuss his role in an Uzbek serial about the origin of the famed Central Asian silk route and set in the 5th-6th centuries in Central Asia.

The script of the serial was written jointly by Karimova and Uzbek writer Akbar Khakimov, and Depardieu agreed to play the role of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the film, producers said. Depardieu, 63, is due to appear in court in France next week on drink driving charges after last month falling off his scooter, which he had been riding while more than three times over the legal alcohol limit. Karimova, 40, has become a public face of Uzbekistan, a largely Muslim but secular state with a population of around 30 million, serving as its permanent representative in the United Nations in Geneva and as its ambassador in Spain until last year. She also runs jewellery, cosmetics and clothing lines under her Guli label.

G

rench actress Sophie Marceau said yesterday the growing appetite for content created by new media such as YouTube and cable television posed a threat to creative and original filmmaking.

Speaking at a French film festival news conference in Singapore, the “Braveheart” and James Bond actress said the need to feed popular new media platforms may cause filmmakers to make uninspired and uniform movies. “The only thing that I’m a little bit afraid of is the uniformity, the standardization of movies because it’s so accessible now,” Marceau, 46, said. “I think cinema should also sometimes bring new ideas, open people’s eyes on certain subjects or realities. A movie is not just a movie, you know,” she added. “Making movies... OK so what? To fill the cable TVs and YouTube? No. I think behind that it should be meaningful, it should be a real point of view from a director, from somebody who absolutely wants to say something.” Marceau was in Singapore to promote her latest film, the romantic French comedy “Happiness Never Comes Alone.”

F

New media platforms offering video content such as YouTube have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, helped along by the increasing prevalence of tablet computers and smartphones equipped with video-streaming capabilities. YouTube boasts more than 800 million unique visitors who watch over four billion hours of video each month, its website states. Users also upload 72 hours of video every minute.

N

scar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar is set to be feted with a retrospective of his work by the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in London, the Academy said on Tuesday. The Dec. 13 tribute will feature the “Volver” director in conversation with British director Stephen Frears (“The Queen”), British playwright Peter Morgan (“Frost/Nixon”) and French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Other participants include Almodovar’s brother and producer Agustin Almodovar, Spanish film composer Alberto Iglesias and British director Sally Potter. Parts of Almodovar’s films will be shown, the Academy said in a statement. Almodovar, 63, is known as a significant director in Spain’s cultural transition after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. Almodovar burst onto the international scene with his 1988 Oscarnominated film “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.” He won a best foreign language Oscar for his 1999 film “All About My Mother” and best original screenplay for 2002’s “Talk to Her.” The Spanish director is known for his portrayal of human emotions and strong female characters as well as his longstanding collaboration with actress Penelope Cruz.

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layboy founder Hugh Hefner is headed to the altar again - with the blonde Playmate who ditched him five days before their planned wedding in 2011.

Hefner, 86, and his former “runaway bride” Crystal Harris, 26, obtained a marriage license in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Los Angeles County Recorder spokeswoman Elizabeth Knox said. Celebrity website TMZ.com said the couple, who reunited earlier this year, are planning a New Year’s Eve wedding. Harris was Playboy magazine’s Miss December 2009 and appeared on the July 2011 cover of the adult magazine with a “runaway bride” sticker covering her bottom half. In what was described at the time only as a “change of heart,” Harris dumped the magazine mogul and left his Playboy Mansion five days before a lavish June 2011 wedding before 300 guests.

This time around, the couple are playing it low-key, staying mum on their busy Twitter accounts with Hefner’s spokeswoman declining to confirm or deny their plans.

Hefner, founder of the Playboy adult entertainment empire, has been married twice before. He and his second wife Kimberley Conrad, also a former Playmate, divorced in 2010 after a lengthy separation. His first marriage to Mildred Williams ended in divorce in 1959. He has two children from each marriage.

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aomi Watts says playing Princess Diana was the “hardest thing” she’s ever done. The 44-year-old actress takes on the role of the late royal in new movie ‘Diana’ and she admits recreating such an iconic and beloved figure was a very daunting task. She said: “Playing Princess Diana was the hardest thing I’ve done. Because of the pressure of everyone’s beliefs about who she was and the fact that it was just really hard to claim her as my own, since everybody feels they know her.” Naomi also says she was keen to channel Diana - who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 - rather than mimic her, as any attempt to impersonate her speech and physical behavior would detract from the performance. Speaking to Manhattan magazine, she said: “I don’t want to get caught up in mimicry - that’s the worst thing. I was to try to embody her and get the essence of her. Those things are really important to me.” Naomi also admits she was scared about people comparing her to Diana, who had two sons, Princes William and Harry, with ex-husband Prince Charles.

She said: “I was afraid of the comparison that comes

with playing any iconic figure - and because of her memory - we’re fond of her memory. “And the way she died ... Is it going to open it all up again? We’re certainly not trying to upset the boys, though they’re men now.

I hope they’re OK with it.” Diana’s eldest son Prince William, 30, this week announced he and his wife Duchess Catherine are expecting their first child together.

os Angeles police say they’ve recovered a stolen 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible that belongs to talk-show host Phil McGraw. Detective Jess Corral said Tuesday that investigators recovered McGraw’s classic car, along with 13 others, after law enforcement began targeting auto theft rings. McGraw is known as television’s “Dr Phil.” His car was stolen from the RODZ shop in Burbank in August, and was found with minor damage. The car is worth at least $80,000.

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Muniz alcolm in the Middle” star Frankie Muniz tweeted that he was hospitalized Friday for a “mini-stroke.”

“I was in the hospital last Friday. I suffered a ‘Mini Stroke,’ which was not fun at all. Have to start taking care of my body! Getting old!” wrote the actor, who turned 27 yesterday. The “Malcolm in the Middle” star now plays drums for the band Kingsfoil, and has tweeted details of the band’s upcoming dates since the hospitalization. A representative for Muniz did not immediately respond to a email inquiring about the nature of the “mini stroke,” its cause, and Muniz’s current condition. In February 2011, Phoenix police were called to the

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home of Muniz and his girlfriend, who told officers that the actor had struck her and put a gun to his own head, possibly with suicidal intent. After finding no signs of injury, police confiscated Muniz’s .380 semi-automatic gun and issued disorderly-conduct warnings to Muniz and his girlfriend. They said the incident wouldn’t be investigated further. Muniz’ rep denied at the time that he had struck his girlfriend or was suicidal. Muniz told police the gun was not loaded and that he had picked up its case, but not the gun itself. — Agencies

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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he refurbished Hollywood sign was presented in all its freshly painted glory Tuesday after its biggest makeover in 35 years, in time for 90th birthday celebrations next year. Some 360 gallons of fresh bright white paint was applied over the last two months to the Tinseltown icon, which sits atop Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills north of Los Angeles. “It’s our Statue of Liberty, it’s our Golden Gate... but it’s more than that it’s Hollywood, which is hope,” said Tom LaBonge, LA city council member for Hollywood. “The Hollywood sign, there’s nothing like it in the world.”

“It puts a bright face on the icon of the southern California lifestyle,” added Chris Baumgart, chairman of the non-profit Hollywood Sign Trust that manages the icon, at a press conference staged below the landmark. Over the last two months, workers have used window-cleaner style platforms to strip down the 50-foot (15-meter) tall letters, powerwash the corrugated iron and apply fresh primer and topcoat paint. The paint job cost some $175,000, $140,000 of it paid for by the company whose paint was used. Sherwin-Williams also provides the distinctive color for the Golden Gate bridge, further up the California coast. “The sign was scrubbed to the bone, and two tonnes of makeup was put on her best side. A lot was done to her backside but we’ve leaving that her secret,” quipped Baumgart.

Victor Galindo, who was on the team of painters, said he felt proud of having worked on the worldfamous landmark. “It’s a privilege for a lot of us to be up here, because a lot of us grew up here in the City of Los Angeles, and we’re used to seeing this sign from far away, and now we’re so close to it, painting it,” he told AFP. The job went more quickly than expected it, added the 37-year-old. “The hardest part was the H. After that first letter we got the hang of it, we just went fast.”

Millions of tourists come to see the icon-visible from large parts of Los Angeles, depending on the weather-but fences, warning notices and security surveillance keeps all but the most determined from the sign itself. Access for the painters-and journalists given a close-up look at the makeover Tuesday-is via a steep slope down from behind the sign, through a locked gate and using a rope to rap-

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The freshly painted Hollywood sign is seen after a press conference to announce the completion of the famous landmark’s major makeover in Hollywood, California. — AFP

pel down for newcomers. Cameras attached to the top of the huge white letters feed live video 24 hours a day to a bunker in downtown LA to alert officers to anyone trying to scramble several hundred meters (yards) up the steep slope below the sign.

Looking down the hill from just in front of the sign, ranger Patrick Joyce said: “Several times a month people make their way up here. It’s against the law, you can be arrested. “Most of the time what they do they write on the sign, or they just want to take a picture up here and they leave,” said Joyce, 40. “But every once in a while somebody will

att Damon is in negotiations to join George Clooney’s “The Monuments Men,” a person familiar with the situation told TheWrap. As previously announced, the cast includes Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville and Bob Balaban.

Clooney is directing and starring in the film.

Written by Clooney and Grant Heslov, the story is set during World War II and follows a group of art historians and museum curators who come together to track down artworks stolen by the Nazis. “The Monuments Men” is based on the book “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History,” by Robert M Edsel. The book, which focuses on the 11-month period between D-Day and V-E Day, tells the story of American and British museum directors, curators and art historians who risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of art confiscated by the Nazis.—Reuters

come up here and they drink too much, or they’ll consume drugs. We’ve had crazy people come up here, start small camp fires and stuff like that.” The original sign was erected in 1923 to advertise a property development called Hollywood land, but the last four letters were removed in the 1940s.

One of the City of Angels’ most beloved attractions, the sign had fallen into disrepair until it was restored in the 1970s after a campaign that saw nine donors pay $27,777 to “adopt” one letter each.

It was threatened again more recently when investors who own land surrounding the giant white letters indicated plans to sell the plot to

kyfall”, the 23rd official James Bond movie, has become the most successful film in British box office history, earning 94.3 million pounds ($152 million), its producers said yesterday. The tally, earned over 40 days, surpasses the previous record of 94.0 million pounds set by 2009 3D adventure film “Avatar” over its 11 month run in UK cinemas, although the figures do not take inflation into account.

Skyfall, which has been well received by critics, stars Daniel Craig in his third outing as 007, and is directed by Sam Mendes. In it Bond and British spymaster M, played by Judi Dench, are pitted against technological wizard Silva (Javier Bardem) who is bent on revenge.

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Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan talks about his new film ‘Chinese Zodiac 2012’ with Chinese actresses Yao Xingtong and Zhang Lanxin at the global launch in Shanghai yesterday. Chan said recently that ‘Chinese Zodiac 2012’ will be his last major action movie. — AFP

thank everybody, especially Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes, who have contributed to its success,” said co-producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli in a statement. Globally, Skyfall has some way to go to match Avatar. It has earned $870 million in ticket sales around the world, according to movie tracking site Boxofficemojo.com, compared with Avatar’s record $2.8 billion. According to the same website, Avatar’s adjusted box office total comes in at 14th in cinema history, with the 1939 classic “Gone With the Wind” in pole position. — Reuters

Singer Katy Perry performs during a celebration of Carole King and her music to benefit Paul Newman’s The Painted Turtle Camp at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. — AP/AFP photos

Actor Danny DeVito speaks onstage.

Singer Jesse McCartney performs.

developers. But Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner helped secure the sign in 2010, along with thenCalifornia governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other Hollywood luminaries, including Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. The sign’s history is not without tragedy. In 1932, British actress Peg Entwistle infamously committed suicide by throwing herself off the top of the letter H. — AFP

Singer Alicia Keys performs

Actor Jack Nicholson speaks onstage.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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Still ‘scummy,’ Ke$ha gets respect with new CD

ecoming one of pop’s top-selling acts over the past two years hasn’t changed Ke$ha much - the girl who got famous by celebrating the trashy life is still reveling in it. One track is about a relationship with a ghost. And before a recent photo shoot, Ke$ha let out a massive belch that sent her busy prep team into an awkward silence. “I still love having really terrible house parties,” said a relaxed and reflective Ke$ha during a recent interview. “I still don’t live my life with my happiness being dependent on name brands or how much things cost or some sort of VIP club. ... I still love being kind of scummy, to be honest.”

Her “Warrior,” released this week, flaunts the same uncouth attitude that propelled her debut “Animal” and EP “Cannibal” up the charts. Like those albums, “Warrior” is filled with upbeat, living-in-the-moment anthems like current single “Die Young,” now No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. But while Ke$ha isn’t courting respect, she’s getting it - and from an elite group in the music industry. “Warrior” features an expansion of collaborators beyond musical overseer Dr Luke, the hitmaker who discovered and signed Ke$ha when she was 18. Among those on the album are Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Iggy Pop, Nate Ruess of fun. Patrick Carney of the Black Keys and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips. Last year, the sometimes reclusive Andre 3000 did a verse for a remix of her track “Sleazy.”

Ke$ha said she pushed herself to put her “heart on the line” by reaching out to the musicians she admired. “And then when they respond and they’re down to collaborate with you, it’s scary as an artist because you don’t want to get into the room with somebody that you adore and have them think you suck,” said Ke$ha, sporting a floppy black hat with a flower, a brightly patterned blazer and multiple rings on both hands as she sat in a rehearsal space before her well-received American Music Awards performance. “You never know how good you’re going to be on a certain day or what they’re going to think of you.”

Ke$ha says she “stalked” Iggy Pop “because I’m obsessed” but the other musical partnerships came through mutual friends. They serve as a reminder that she’s a hard-working songwriter at heart, not a labelmanufactured dance-pop star. She began her career in the industry writing for others, and co-wrote Britney Spears’ hit “Till The World Ends.” “It was nice to know

In this Tuesday, Nov 13, 2012 photo, singer-songwriter Ke$ha poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. — that people that I really love wanted to collaborate.

Because I feel like when you collaborate with somebody, there has to be some element of mutual respect. Because you’re putting your name with their name for the world to judge,” she said. “So I’m really happy I pushed myself to reach out to these people.”

Ke$ha co-wrote five songs for “Warrior” with her mother Pebe Sebert, a singer-songwriter from Tennessee who penned “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You,” a hit for Dolly Parton in 1980. She says she learned about songwriting by sneaking into her mother’s sessions as a child. They now bounce ideas for lyrics back and forth regularly. “I can write with her about anything. I can write with her about boys. I wrote the song ‘Cannibal’ with her, which is about me dismembering men and eating them,” Ke$ha noted.

The album features more guitar than her previous efforts, with her punk and hard rock influences heard on “Gold Trans Am” and “Dirty Love,” the collaboration where Iggy Pop gleefully name-checks Rick Santorum.

It also features less Auto-Tune: After taking criticism for relying too heavily on voice manipulation technology, she showcases her natural pipes throughout large chunks of “Warrior” and on an accompanying five-song acoustic EP, “Deconstructed.”

“We wanted to tone it down on the gimmicky, cutting stuff up, Auto-Tune stuff,” said Dr. Luke, credited as executive producer. “I signed her because the first stuff I heard her with was just acoustic guitar and her voice. ... When you hear her on a song, you know it’s her right away. It’s a very distinctive voice.” Ke$ha’s voice is also being heard with her new book, “My Crazy Beautiful Life.” In it, she writes that she feeds off the energy of her passionate fans, whom she calls “animals,” a la Lady Gaga’s “Little Monsters.” Yet she’s also happy to get away from them. At the end of her last tour, she turned off her phone and backpacked around Central and South America and Africa.

“When you live a life where you’re surrounded by a lot of people all the time, it’s a very ego-centric lifestyle. And to prevent myself from like totally living on another planet, I wanted to like you know run around barefoot and sleep in the dirt and go meet random people who have no idea who I am and just don’t give a (care),” she said. “And that was really nice.” She admits to one rock star indulgence: “I’m kind of a diva about glitter. Somebody told me I couldn’t have glitter at a show and I threw a fit. But I’ve always been a diva about glitter.” — AP

Singer Ian Gillan and guitarist Steve Morse of the English hardrock band Deep Purple perform during a concert at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam. — AFP

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This film image released by Warner Bros. shows Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in a scene from the fantasy adventure ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.’ — AP

‘The Hobbit’ suffers from story bloat udging part one of Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” prelude “The Hobbit” is a bit like reviewing a film after seeing only the first act. Yet here goes: “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is stuffed with Hollywood’s latest technology - 3-D, high-speed projection and Dolby’s Atmos surround sound system. The result is some eye candy that truly dazzles and some that utterly distracts, at least in its test-run of 48 frames a second, double the projection rate that has been standard since silent-film days. It’s also overstuffed with, well, stuff. Prologues and sidestepping backstory. Long, boring councils among dwarves, wizards and elves. A shallow blood feud extrapolated from sketchy appendices to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” to give the film a bad guy.

Remember the interminable false endings of “The Return of the King,” the Academy Awardwinning finale of Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings”?

“An Unexpected Journey” has a similar bloat throughout its nearly three hours, in which Tolkien’s brisk story of intrepid little hobbit Bilbo Baggins is drawn out and diluted by dispensable trimmings better left for DVD extras. Two more parts are coming, so we won’t know how the whole story comes together until the finale arrives in summer 2014. Part one’s embellishments may pay off nicely, but right now, “An Unexpected Journey” looks like the start of an unnecessary trilogy better told in one film.

Split into three books, “The Lord of the Rings” was a natural film trilogy, running nearly half a million words, five times as long as “The Hobbit.”

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Jackson and his wife, Fran Walsh, along with screenwriting partners Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro - who once was attached to direct “The Hobbit,” with Jackson producing have meticulously mined Tolkien references to events that never played out in any of the books (stuff the filmmakers call the “in-between bits”).

With that added material, they’re building a much bigger epic than Tolkien’s book, the unexpected journey of homebody Bilbo (Martin Freeman, with Ian Holm reprising his “Lord of the Rings” role as older Bilbo). Bilbo has no desire to hit the road after wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen, grandly reprising his own “Rings” role) and a company of dwarves turn up to enlist him on a quest to retake a dwarf mountain kingdom from the dragon that decimated it. Yet off he goes, encountering trolls, goblins, savage orcs and a grisly guy named Gollum (Andy Serkis, re-creating the character that pioneered motion-capture performance in “The Lord of the Rings”).

Improved by a decade of visual-effects advances, Gollum solidifies his standing as one of the creepiest movie creatures ever. And as bigscreen prologue moments go, Bilbo’s acquisition of Gollum’s precious ring of power may be second only to Darth Vader’s first hissy breath at the end of George Lucas’ “Star Wars” prequels.

“An Unexpected Journey” resurrects other “Rings” favorites, some who didn’t appear in “The Hobbit” (Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Cate Blanchett as elf queen Galadriel, Christopher Lee as wizard Saruman) and some who did (Hugo Weaving as elf lord Elrond).

Richard Armitage debuts as dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield, ennobled from a fairly comical figure in Tolkien’s text to a brooding warrior king in the mold of Viggo Mortensen from the “Rings” trilogy.

The filmmakers also pluck orc bruiser Azog out of Tolkien’s footnotes and make him Thorin’s sworn enemy. Azog’s a bland antagonist, adding little more than one-dimensional bluster. While there are plenty of orc skewerings and goblin beheadings, the action is lighter and more cartoonish than that of “The Lord of the Rings.” Still, much of it is silly fun, particularly a battle along a maze of footbridges suspended throughout a goblin cave.

The potential sea change with “The Hobbit” is Jackson’s 48-frame rate. Most theaters are not yet equipped for that speed, so the film largely will play at the standard 24 frames a second.

Proponents, including James Cameron, say higher frame rates provide more lifelike images, sharpen 3-D effects, and lessen or eliminate a flickering effect known as “strobing” that comes with camera motion. I saw the movie first at 24 frames a second and then at 48, and they’re absolutely right that higher speeds clarify the picture. Strobing noticeable at 24 frames is gone at 48, providing a continuity that greatly improves the action sequences. And the panoramas are like Middle-earth actually come to life, as though you’re standing on a hill looking down at the hobbits’ Shire. If Cameron’s “Avatar” was like looking through a window at a fantastical landscape, “An Unexpected Journey” at 48 frames is

like removing the glass so you can step on through.

But with great clarity comes greater vision. At 48 frames, the film is more true to life, sometimes feeling so intimate it’s like watching live theater.

That close-up perspective also brings out the fakery of movies. Sets and props look like phony stage trappings at times, the crystal pictures bleaching away the painterly quality of traditional film. This may be cinema’s future, and the results undoubtedly will improve over time. It’ll be an adjustment for audiences, though, and like the warmth of analog vinyl vs. the precision of digital music, the dreaminess of traditional film vs. the crispness of high-frame rates will be a matter of taste. The technology may improve the story’s translation to the screen. There’s just not that much story to Tolkien’s “Hobbit,” though. Jackson is stretching a breezy 300 pages to the length of a Dickens miniseries, and those in-between bits really stick out in part one.

“I do believe the worst is behind us,” Bilbo remarks as “An Unexpected Journey” ends. From a hobbit’s lips to a filmmaker’s ears. Let’s hope Jackson has the goods to improve on a so-so start. Otherwise, “The Hobbit” - subtitled “There and Back Again” by Tolkien - is going to feel like traveling the same road more than twice. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” released by the Warner Bros. banner New Line Cinema and MGM, is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images. Running time: 169 minutes.

Netflix to get

‘ The Message’ deemed Disney films greatest hip hop song ever in TV distribution deal T

alt Disney gave a much needed boost to Netflix, becoming the first major Hollywood studio to use the video service to bypass premium channels like HBO that traditionally controlled the delivery of movies to TV subscribers. News of the deal, which enables Netflix to stream Disney’s first-run movies to its subscribers, boosted Netflix shares by 14 percent. Liberty Media Corp, whose Starz group now distributes Disney movies on TV, fell almost 5 percent. Investors saw the Netflix-Disney deal as an important endorsement of the DVD rental and streaming service, which has been struggling with slowing subscriber growth and higher costs for content distribution.

Disney movies will be available for streaming on Netflix starting in 2016, after its current deal with Liberty Media’s pay-TV channel Starz expires. The deal is for both new Disney movies and library content such as “Dumbo” and “Alice in Wonderland.” “An exclusive deal with Disney differentiates the Netflix content from Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video,” said Anthony DiClemente, an analyst with Barclays Capital.

But some analysts worried that Netflix paid too much to get Disney’s movies. Tony Wible, an analyst with Janney Montgomery Scott, estimated in a report that Netflix paid more than $350 million a year for Disney’s movies and said “we would not be surprised if (Netflix) would need to raise capital”. By comparison, HBO agreed to pay an estimated $200 million annually in its socalled “output,” or movie licensing deal, with 20th Century Fox earlier this year, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The deal gives Netflix streaming rights to movies from Disney’s live-action and animation studios, including those from Pixar, Marvel, and the recently acquired Lucasfilm. On Oct. 30, Disney announced a $4 billion deal to purchase the famed studio founded by George Lucas, which will now make new episodes in the blockbuster “Star Wars” series. “This deal brings to our subscribers some of the highest quality, most imaginative family films being made today,” Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, said in a statement. “It’s a leap forward for Internet television.”

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Dreamworks excluded Movies from Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks Studios are not included in the deal, as that studio distributes its movies through CBS’s Showtime on TV. Disney recently signed a deal to distribute DreamWorks’ films theatrically after the studio’s deal with Viacom’s Paramount Pictures expired.

The deal allows Netflix to stream Disney movies beginning seven to nine months after they appear in theaters, as Starz does now under Disney’s prior agreement. The deal does not cover DVD rentals of Disney movies.

Disney said in November that it would shut down its own video streaming service, Disney Movies Online, which had failed to catch on with users. A message on the ‘Disney Movies Online’ website said it would shut down on Dec 31.

Netflix, which started its streaming business with mostly older films, has been moving to add more original programming and produces TV shows such as “Lilyhammer,” which stars “Sopranos” actor Steven Van Zandt as an American gangster who starts a new life in Norway. The company also struck a high-profile deal with actor Kevin Spacey for “House of Cards.” The Disney pact follows similar deals Netflix has inked for new films with smaller studios, including Relativity Media, The Weinstein company and DreamWorks Animation. The agreements have saddled Netflix with nearly $5 billion in contractual commitments over the next three years for deals its made for streaming content, the company said in a recent quarterly earnings report. Netflix’s struggles over the last year, which have included missed subscriber guidance, an ill-fated attempt to split the DVD and streaming operations, and a swooning stock price, recently attracted the attention of billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn.

Icahn disclosed in regulatory filings on Oct 31 that he had amassed a nearly 10 percent stake in the video company and suggested it should pursue a sale. Netflix responded by adopting a poison pill defense.Losing Disney’s movies means Starz is left with only Sony Pictures for film content. The pay-TV channel cast the ending of its agreement with Disney as its decision, saying it preferred to use the money for original programming creation. —Reuters

he 1982 hit “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was named the greatest hip hop song of all time on Wednesday, in the first such list

by Rolling Stone magazine to celebrate the young but influential music genre. “The Message,” which tops a list of 50 influential hip hop songs, was the first track “to tell, with hip hop’s rhythmic and vocal force, the truth about modern inner-city life in America,” Rolling Stone said.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, a hip hop collective from the south Bronx in New York, was formed in 1978 and became one of the pioneers of the hip hop genre. The full list spanned songs ranging from Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 hit “Rapper’s Delight,” which came in at No. 2, to Kanye West’s 2004 hit “Jesus Walks,” which landed at No. 32. “It’s a list that would have been a lot harder to do ten or 15 years ago because hip hop is so young,” Nathan Brackett, deputy managing editor of Rolling Stone, told Reuters.

“We’ve reached the point now where hip hop acts are getting into the (Rock and Roll) Hall Of Fame... it just felt like the right time to give this the real Rolling Stone treatment.” Rolling Stone’s top 10 featured mostly hip hop veterans, such as Run-D.M.C.’s 1983 track “Sucker M.C.’s,” Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s 1992 hit “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang,” Public Enemy’s 1990 song “Fight The Power” and Notorious B.I.G’s 1994 hit “Juicy.”

Other influential artists in the top 50 songs included Beastie Boys, who came in at No. 19 with “Paul Revere,” and recordings by Jay-Z, Eminem, Missy Elliot, Outkast, Lauryn

Hill, LL Cool J, Nas and the late rapper 2Pac. The list of 50 songs was compiled by a 33panel of members comprising Rolling Stone editors and hip hop experts. They included musician Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots, who Brackett described as “an incredible encyclopedia” of both old and new hip hop knowledge.

Brackett noted that some songs consid-

ered to be one-hit wonders, such as Audio Two’s 1988 hit “Top Billin’,” made the final selection. “The references in those songs become the building blocks of all these other songs down the road ... they become touchstones, really part of the meat of hip hop songs going forward,” Brackett said. The full list will be released online at RollingStone.com and in the pop culture magazine on newsstands on Dec 7. The issue will feature four different covers of Eminem, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac.—Reuters

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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Hollywood sign unveiled after major makeover

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Two young men dressed in bizarre straw outfits and devilish masks await the start of the traditional ‘Buttnmandl’ run, when they shout and make noise with cowbells to frighten people in the village of Bischofswiesen, Germany, yesterday. The pre Christmas tradition dates back to pagan times as a protection against evil spirits in the darkest time of the year. — AP

World’ s biggest aquamarine gem going on show in US he largest single piece of cut-gem aquamarine in the world is going on permanent exhibition from today in Washington alongside the Hope Diamond and Marie Antoinette’s earrings. Mined from a Brazilian pegmatite in the 1980s, and named for Brazil’s first two emperors, the Dom Pedro Aquamarine will take pride of place at the National Museum of Natural History, part of the Smithsonian Institution. “The quality of the original crystal

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The US National Museum of Natural History will permanently display the Dom Pedro Aquamarine, pictured, which is the largest single piece of cut-gem aquamarine in the world, beginning today. — Reuters

and its size, exquisite blue-green color and distinctive cut make it an exceptionally rare gem,” the museum said in a statement.

The obelisk-shaped, blue-green gemdesigned by famed German gem cutter Bernd Munsteiner, known as the “father of the fantasy cut”-stands 14 inches (35.5 centimeters) tall and weighs 10,363 carats or 4.6 pounds (two kilograms). “The Dom Pedro Aquamarine represents a combination of an extraordinary crystal of rare clarity and rich color with the unique skills of a celebrated artist,” said Jeffrey Post, curator of the museum’s gem collection. The Smithsonian Institution’s collection of gems and minerals is one of the largest of its kind in the world, with the dark blue Hope Diamond-donated in 1958 — a big attraction at the National Museum of Natural History. — AFP

World’s tallest woman dies in China

Washington, Van Gogh letters go under hammer in US undreds of letters penned by a host of historic figures including Vincent Van Gogh, George Washington, Ludwig van Beethoven and Marilyn Monroe will go under the hammer this month in New York. The December 18 sale will also include correspondence written by John Lennon, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein, auctioneer Profiles in History said Monday.

In one letter written less than seven months before his death in July 1870, Van Gogh detailed his health woes.

“I often told myself that I would prefer that ... this would be over,” reads an excerpt of the letter to his friends, Mr and Mrs Ginoux, estimated at between $200,000 and $300,000.

Other highlights include a rare letter by Beethoven in which he writes of his Ninth Symphony; ten letters by Washington, the first US president; an 1800 letter by John Adams, the second US president, that evokes his succession; as well as others by Jefferson, also a US president. “I am still lost,” wrote Monroe, the US actress who died in 1962 from a drug overdose, in a note also to go on the auction block.

The historic documents, 300 in total, could fetch between $5 million to $8 million, according to the auction house. They are part of a collection of some 3,000 manuscripts owned by a private American collector that will gradually be broken up over the next two years. —AFP

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An autographed letter from Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh less than seven months before his death as he shares his thoughts with an ailing friend on January 20, 1890. — AFP

Julian Lennon launches photo exhibit in Miami J ulian Lennon-the oldest son of the voice of the Beatles-will exhibit a new collection of his melancholy photographs, called “Alone,” at a prestigious art show to raise money for his charity. In his second visit

Singer-songwriter and musician Julian Lennon exhibits his fine art photography and promotes ARTS FOR A BETTER WORLD (AFABW) to launch Social Responsibility Effort: ‘Sponsor a School Art Program’. — AFP

to Miami to promote his photography, Lennon is selling about a dozen prints with prices ranging from $3,500 to $5,500, modest by the standards of the popular international Art Basel Miami Beach show. “I’ve been a philanthropist for all my life, and ... I’ve had many involvements in humanitarian and environmental issues,” Lennon, 49, told AFP, referring to his WhiteFeather Foundation.

“Whatever work I do, I’ve always put at least ten percent aside (for) my foundation,” he said ahead of the show, which runs from December 6-9. “What we’re trying to do here, and that’s why I’m so happy to be part of this, is we’re trying to make everybody else see that. Because there is a lot of money, obviously. And the idea is to put it back in schools,” Lennon said. Julian Lennon was able to build a close relationship with Paul McCartney-the singer dedicated “Hey Jude” to him when he was just five years old to help him feel better after his parents, John Lennon and Cynthia Powell, divorced. Julian also inspired Beatles hits “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Good Night.”

He has composed his own music to help benefit the foundation, and his latest photo exhibit is a follow-up to an earlier showing, 2009’s “Timeless.” John Lennon was largely absent from Julian’s life; he also made statements indicating that Julian was not planned, unlike his son with Yoko Ono, Sean. Asked about how his father influenced his art, Julian Lennon said: “What his work has shown many people is that you can actually be an individual in this world, and you don’t have to be a sheep. And you can achieve things.” — AFP

This file picture taken on May 18, 2002, shows Asia’s tallest woman, China’s Yao Defen at 2.3 meters (7.54 feet) thanking the doctors and nurses at the Sanjiu hospital in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, where she had been undergoing treatment to halt her growth. —AFP

File photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, Yao Defen, right, who is 7 feet and 7 inches (233.3 centimeters) tall poses for a photo with her elder brother in a hospital affiliated to Anhui Medical University where she is having a physical examination. — AP

Chinese woman who was certified as the tallest in the world has died, an official from her hometown said yesterday. Yao Defen, of eastern China’s Anhui province, was listed as the world’s tallest woman by Guinness World Records in 2010, when she stood 2.33 meters (seven foot eight inches) high, according to the record compiler’s website.

“Yao Defen died in the middle of last month,” a spokesman for the government of Shucha township, where Yao lived, told

AFP by telephone. The official, who refused to give his name, said that he was not certain of the cause of her death. Yao, recorded as the third tallest woman who ever lived, was 40 when she died. Her gigantism was reportedly due to a tumor in her pituitary gland.

An Anhui newspaper reported that she died on November 13, having reached a height of 2.36 meters, adding that she was already more than two meters tall when she was 15. — AFP

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French clock fetches record $6.8 million at auction

n 1835 French clock sold for a record $6.8 million on Tuesday, the highest price ever paid for a clock at auction. The Duc d’OrlÈans Breguet Sympathique had been estimated by Sotheby’s to sell for more than $5 million. Last auctioned in 1999 when it was sold by the Time Museum in Rockford, Illinois for $5,777,500 - a record price at the time - the gold and red tortoiseshell quarter-striking clock was the highlight of Sotheby’s watches and clocks sale.

The sale totaled $11.7 million and also set records for any work by Breguet as well as for any French timepiece. The total marked the highest result for the sale of watches and clocks by

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Sotheby’s in New York. The auction house did not identify the buyer, but said it was a private museum.

The rare Sympathique clocks helped cement the fame of French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, Sotheby’s said in a statement.

Nearly two feet high, the clock is one of only about a dozen Sympathiques known to exist. They were variously commissioned by the Spanish crown, the Russian crown and Napoleon and made for Britain’s King George IV. The Duc D’Orleans is the only Sympathique known to wind, set to time and regulate its watch via an integrated cradle mounted on the clock’s pediment, according to Sotheby’s. —Reuters