06 Jan 2012

Orange is the color of tradition

FR EE

4 www.kuwaittimes.net

Bombs target Iraqi Shiites, kill at least 73

10

Barcelona crush Osasuna 4-0 in Copa del Rey

63 Max 23º Min 07º

NO: 15320- Friday, January 6, 2012

Death sought for Mubarak SEE PAGE 11

Egyptian protesters hold a noose and pictures of people who were killed during the revolution that ousted president Hosni Mubarak during his trial outside the police academy on the outskirts of Cairo yesterday. — AFP

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Just kiddin’, seriously

By Sahar Moussa

Honestly I’m not lying!

sahar@kuwaittimes.net

“I

have caught him so many times lying to me, and even when I give him straight evidence he will just turn it against me!” said Sarah, a 35 year old divorced woman”. It is a well known fact that men lie, but women are not angels either. We all lie for different reasons, we even color the lie as white, black, grey and even pink or purple (take your pick which one suits you). Even when you try not to lie you stretch the truth to fit you perfectly. Even if you say you never stretched the truth, do not tell me that you have not “embellished” the facts or left them out.

It is not only that the liars are color-coded but there are also distinguished types - the good liar, bad, sleazy, guilty, convincing, pathetic, artistic, exceptional, brilliant and forgetful. Lying is an amazing skill which needs a lot of imagination, talent, logic, analysis, self controlled body language and definitely self confidence. The main criterion to be a good liar is to believe your own lies. And in order to catch a liar you must be a

human lie-detector.

What are the most common lies that men and women tell each other? When men lie about salaries, they usually add a few zeros on the right side. On the other hand, when women are asked about their age they subtract a few digits. Men lie about what is in their garage and women lie about what is in their wardrobe. Man’s statement: “I used to drive a red Porsche two years ago.” Translation: “I used to drive a red Porsche two years ago in my dreams.” Woman’s statement: “My wardrobe only has Gucci, LV, YSL, and Chanel bags.” Translation: “My wardrobe only has Gucci, LV, YSL, and Chanel bags - all fakes.”

The funniest and most common lie between men and women is the number of dates they have had. Man’s statement: “I have dated more than 20 gorgeous women.” Translation: “I haven’t even seen 20 gorgeous women in my life.” Woman’s statement: “You are the first one I am going out with” Translation: “You are the first one I am going out with since last Saturday”.

A very amusing lie that both men and women falsify equally is a lie about time and place: A woman questioning a man: “Where on earth have you been and when are you coming?” Man’s answer: “Five minutes, I’m on the road!” Translation: “After 25 minutes. I’m in this cafe - by the road.” A man asks a woman: “How much time do you need to get ready?” Answer: “Ten minutes maximum!” Translation: “ Ten minutes minimum - before I go for a shower, then 1 hour for a bubble bath, half an hour to dry my hair, 45 minutes for my makeup, 20 minutes to decide what to wear, 10 minutes to find the right shoes, five minutes to find a matching bag - and 10 minutes to take a few pictures to post on Facebook.”

According to an alpha male, the number one lie that men tell women is they are listening to them. I was shocked because that was unexpected honesty. She says: “‘And then she said that I said, that they said, that he said, that we said... honey, are you listening?” He says “Yes dear! Of

course!” Translation: “Oh my God! Messi just scored a goal! Show the replay, show the replay!”

Another good lie that men usually try to get away with is: “Dear I’m having dinner with a friend”. Translation: “ I’m eating with a friend please do not ask me if it is a he or a she!” Men usually hate to go shopping with women, because this trip will make them sin so many times with every outfit that is worn. “Honey do I look fat in this?” He says: “Not at all dear, you look stunning.” Translation: “Not at all... you look obese”.

Number one lie that women usually do not admit is how ‘natural’ their natural beauty is. Not that they have put too much makeup, weight or plastic surgery. Man: “Why do you have such a serious look when I tell a joke?” Woman: “Because my cat died this morning”. Translation: “ I got botox done this morning!” He says “What is more important - money or love?” She says: “Love”. Translation: “I love money!”

Satire Wire

De-clutter your drawers, de-clutter your thoughts

By Sawsan Kazak

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

E

very couple of months I like to go to work, open all my drawers, completely empty them out and put everything back in. During this process, I take the opportunity to throw out what needs to be discarded, re-file the important documents and rediscover some lost artifacts such as staplers or pens once believed to be stolen by colleagues. A couple of hours and three trash bins later, the process is complete.

Sure I might have taken some time and some physical effort, but it is always worth it. I have come to the realization that reorganizing my drawers seems to reorganize my mind simultaneously.

The state of my drawers seems to be directly related to the state of my thoughts; messy drawers means messy thoughts. It is almost like every time I throw out an item that was taking up space in my desk, I am also dropping a corresponding thought.

Every time I re-file an important document, I am categorizing my thoughts on importance and when I locate ‘lost’ items I am remembering misplaced ideas. I never plan for this process or schedule it in, it just seems to happen spontaneously, as if my body automatically knew that it was time to empty my brain of the clutter.

I’m not a compulsive hoarder or any-

thing, but I might hold on to some papers or other items for longer than I should, causing a pileup in my space. Going through these items one by one and taking the time to determine if they are important or not is a very therapeutic, a form of meditation if you will. In a sense, it is a way to regain control of at least one part of my life.

I can dictate what goes into my drawers, just like I can dictate what goes into my thought process; it’s just sometimes I need a little reminder of both. I control my thought process and office space, and not the other way around.

Looking into a clean and organized cupboard or drawer seems to bring me peace of mind and tranquility. I guess being able to see all the content and access it all gives me the feeling that my thoughts are in the same state, clear and accessible; nothing is hiding or repressed. But like your mind, your drawers will re-clutter, stuff will always accumulate once again, that’s why I have found that it’s a good idea to de-clutter on a regular basis, or you could break your drawer or have a nervous breakdown.

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Conspiracy Theories

Fair deal and a gentleman’s agreement

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

G

entlemen. Don’t get carried away. I don’t mean the Honorable Gentlemen in parliament. I mean gentlemen the world over. This is a word we hear since we are kids. It is either a gentleman’s agreement or decent behavior. There is no need of contracts. When somebody is to be praised, he is referred to as a gentleman. A behavior can be gentle, too.

In the past, and I mean not centuries ago but some 20 years ago, when you used to ride the bus the gentlemen would stand up and let a woman sit. This would happen on the train too. Or at the station they would offer to help immediately. There will be somebody coming and carrying a bag for you and open the door or the car door for you. At least if he doesn’t do that, he will hold the door for you behind him.

These small gestures mean a lot. They started to vanish unfortunately. Not only vanish I am afraid; in some countries they are extinct like dinosaurs. I hardly see anybody in London or the US stand up in public transportation and offer a woman a seat or help.

Actually nowadays, the train companies or buses have a sign that the seats’ priority is for the elderly and women with kids. In the past there was no need for such signs. It was expected and natural from the gentlemen. It was in the culture.

What happened? What changed people? Whom do we blame for this change? The fast pace of life and modernization have contributed to the change. The second part is that we did it to ourselves. We started demanding extreme equality. Equality is good and we are equal but in some countries some women went too far.

The feminists’ movement swept the globe. These women really

Local Spotlight

Smile...and say thank you

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

I

really wanted to write about this a long time ago, but it seems that here in Kuwait we were affected by the virus of Arab Spring and we only had a little time to speak about anything outside the political arena. This Friday I have some time to write about this powerful tool, which we are not using a lot here in the Middle East even within our group of friends, with colleagues or even next door neighbors.

I do not see many people smile at each other unless they are best friends or family members. I do not mean that someone would walk around like crazy in public smiling at strangers passing by, but what I mean is a greeting when you meet someone in the elevator. When you finish shopping, it is okay to smile at the cashier or say thank you to the boy who carries your bags. It is okay to show some kindness and politeness.

I find it strange that many middle aged people think of it as improper behavior, which it is not at all. Apart from the fact that when you smile you move some facial muscles, you would spread a sense of respect to those who may not be as lucky as you and need to serve others for long hours with little income. So why not? I think of this issue as reflecting a sense of humanity while others, especially women, avoid chatting with people with menial jobs. They do not have stings - those people who are working for you. Smile and say thank you. It is one word and one gesture that shows who you are as a human being.

believed that they are heroes. Why are we fighting nature?

Don’t misunderstand me please! I am a woman and I believe women should try their luck in all walks of life - be it doctors, engineers, singers, dancers, chefs etc. But we don’t have to make a fuss about it.

We could be equal to men in respect, values, education, culture and many things. Why the feminists’ movements are going too far? My body biology is different from that of a man. I can’t ask men to deliver babies and breastfeed.

You cannot ask all women on Earth to be soldiers. Maybe

few thousands are fit but I am talking about the majority. I am not specifying about those few women in the army.

Can all women be wrestlers?

When we ask for the extreme, this is the result. We should not complain. Next time you are on the train, do not expect gentlemanly behaviour because we are equal.

Swallow your pride, stand up and carry the luggage alone to the next train station. It sounds like a fair deal and a gentleman’s agreement.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Local

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

By Sawsan Kazak

A

rare sight these days, orange-colored taxis used to fill the streets of Kuwait and were the only mode of public transportation many years ago. These days, their numbers are in mere double digits and shrinking with every passing year.

In fact their appearance has become such a rare sight that the photographer and I had a hard time tracking one down for this article. We roamed the streets of Kuwait City for half an hour before we were able to spot a couple near the bus stop terminal in downtown Kuwait. Finally we were able to flag down one of these rare orange taxi drivers for an interview.

Orange taxis usually work on a fixed route, somewhat like a bus would. They pick up passengers along a designated route until the car is completely full. Passengers can get off anytime during the ride and other ones can get on. The rates are about 250 fils per passenger. “The first license I got for this type of taxi was in 1963. It was a Chevrolet,” says Mutlaq Al-Otaibi, a driver of an orange taxicab. He has been driving his orange taxi ever since. The car may be newer but he thinks the tradition has remained the same.

“You can see that all of us orange taxi drivers are of the older generation. We all still wear dishdashas and shmaghs (traditional dress and headdress),” he said jokingly. But Otaibi has also noticed a sharp decline in this type of transportation. “The airport is no longer our territory. There used to be so many always waiting at the airport. Now it is the white and green ones that have taken over there,” he explains.

He believes that there are only about a couple of dozen left roaming the streets.

“Before there weren’t any options. There were not so many bus or taxi companies. The roaming taxis had the biggest effect on our business. Before we were the only ones in the market, but now the streets of Kuwait are flooded with different types of transportation,” he says. “Anyone that wants to license this kind of taxi has to be Kuwaiti. There are some stateless residents who drive these cars, but the car is probably registered in a Kuwaiti’s name,” said Otaibi.

“The driver has to paint his car completely orange, but it does not matter what make or model it is,” he explained about the regulations.

“I cover from Kuwait City to Fahaheel and back, and other orange taxis cover other routes. From what I know, there are only about five of us that cover the downtown-Fahaheel route these days,” said Otaibi.

“Our main customers these days are Asians. It’s very rare to see Arabs riding these taxis,” he said. His favorite part of the job is that he is his own boss. “I work every day, but not mornings, “ he says. He explains that new licenses are still available to any Kuwaiti that wants one, but there aren’t any new drivers applying.

Remembering the heydays “These types of taxis are vanishing,” said Hassan, an Egyptian expatriate who has been in Kuwait since 1967. He recalls often using their services before he purchased a car in 1990. “The most popular route they would cover was Fahaheel to Kuwait City and back. The great thing about them was how cheap they were,” said Hassan. Explaining that typically you would not take the whole taxi for yourself, but rather share it with strangers. “The taxi would start off in Fahaheel with five passengers, for instance, and people would get on and off along the way. The cost was about a quarter of a dinar per passenger,” he recalled. Hassan believes it is a shame we are losing this part of the Kuwaiti culture. “I think it is because all of those who used to drive the taxis have become old and retired and the younger generations do not seem to be interested in this type of work,” lamented Hassan.

Jack, a Filipino expatriate, recalls taking orange taxis a lot before purchasing his own car. “I remember that there were many orange taxis, even in 2000 when I was constantly using them as my main mode

Mutlaq Al-Otaibi, a driver of an orange taxicab of transportation. They were convenient because you never had to wait long for one of them to pass by,” he said. “They were more efficient than a bus because they could move faster in traffic and did not have to make that many stops. Also, the difference in price was minimal. At that time a bus ride was 150 fils and the orange taxi was 250 fils,” explained Jack. He also believes that it is a pity that this part of culture is fading so fast.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Standup and be counted!

‘Standup comedy stimulates people’s minds, and helps us understand things around us. It provides entertainment, but at the same time educates us. Hopefully it is something that can build or create a better country and world.’

By Ben Garcia ave you been to a standup comedy theater? There are many in other countries, but not one single venue of the likes in Kuwait. Until Wednesday, when Live Theater, a real standup comedy show, began in Kuwait at Discovery. It was the beginning of ‘hopefully’ what will be a regular standup comedy show in Kuwait. It is licensed to tackle ‘almost’ every issue that is unfolding in the country and the rest of world.

Ronnie Khalil, an Egyptian-American comedian, is the first performing comedian guest. He has his own regular show in Miami.

He is here for the first time until Jan 8 to start-up the comedy theater and showcase his talent. Live Theatre will be managed under Bin Firnas Media Production Company. Mazyed Al-Musherji is Managing Director and Jasim Al-Shaheen is Marketing Consultant.

Standup comedy is an art which is performed in front of a live audience, speaking directly or interacting with them humorously and is unscripted. The performer is a comic, a stand-up comedian who is born with talent but can uplift the spirits of the audience through jokes, one-liners and monologues.

There are many of them in Kuwait, but according to Engineer Khalid Al-Shaheen, founder and owner, Kuwait lacked a venue for them and most of the talent ends up unharnessed.

“We have a lot of talent in Kuwait right now, but since we did not have a venue to showcase their skills, they were forced to keep silent. We needed to do something to develop and get them involved in performing arts like comedy. So Live Theater is the place we created for them so that they are encouraged,” he noted.

Standup comedy in other countries has the reputation of talking about everything under the sun including sex, social issues, religion and politics. Not in this young venue in Kuwait though. According to Al-Shaheen, the audience in Kuwait can expect clean jokes and words that are carefully chosen to suit the conservative country. “We sit and talk about the subjects comedians can tackle on stage. We give suggestions, otherwise

H

Live Theater founder and owner Khalid Al-Shaheen and Marketing Consultant Jassem Al-Shaheen

they will do it alone,” he asserted. “Standup comedy is for adults only, since we will be using words that are intended or suited for people who understand,” he said. But AlShaheen explained that children will have their own place and time at the venue. “We are currently discussing holding a story reading or perhaps puppet shows and Barneylike shows that can entertain children. So far, we have not agreed to it, but it will come soon,” he added. Basil Al-Dousari, ventriloquist, will also be showcased alongside Ronnie Khalil at the Live Theater. The puppet master reached a semi-final round in the 2011 Arabs Got Talent. He is very popular in Kuwait and other Arab countries nowadays.

Al-Dousari is just one example of Kuwaiti talent. He was not discovered by Kuwait but by the ‘Arabs Got Talent’ search. “It is a shame that we did not discover him right here, because we did not have a venue to support such talent. He had to go to another country to become famous, thanks to the talent search,” Al-Shaheen pointed out.

Standup comedy in Kuwait promises to deliver the audience with something new and unique to both locals and expatriate audiences. “We are not focused on locals. We hope to get expatriates involved too. So we will mix the performances with English speaking comedians maybe once in a while.

We will be inviting some performers from other countries too.” Kuwaiti performers will be regularly featured and they only have a few minutes to showcase their talents. “It will be fun,” he added.

According to Al-Shaheen, the place will be known as a venue to unwind and enjoy.

“We are offering an alternative place to visit other than malls, theaters or even restaurants in Kuwait. We think people are bored with the same routine every day, including weekends, so we created this Live Theater. It is a big challenge for us, to be honest, but we expect public support since it is new in the market. We will show them what we have; our comedians will be interacting with the audience. They will be calling the audience to come forward and join them on stage,” he disclosed.

Al-Shaheen stated that standup comedy is something witnessed in other parts of the world, and bringing it to Kuwait will benefit

the country. “Many of us studying abroad know what standup comedy means. But for those who are in Kuwait, they have no idea of what standup comedy is. But we want to help our country. Standup comedy stimulates people’s minds. It help us understand things around us. It provides entertainment, but at the same time educates people. It is something that can hopefully build or create a better country and world. They will learn how to respect their parents and respect the laws.”

The Live Theater audience can enjoy not just the performances, but also food. “There will be good food that everyone can enjoy although it will be mostly finger food. Food that uses knives and forks will not be available, as it can create sounds that are caught in the sensitivity of the microphone,” he explained. Since the standup comedy will be scheduled only in the evening, various activities will be set up in the morning to fill the gap. “Perhaps the venue will be converted into a conference room or exhibition hall in the morning or for shows for children.”

Production people are countless, according to Al-Shaheen but comedians and actors vary. “We hired people like Ronnie Khalil and an Egyptian standup comedian to entertain.

We paid them well for their services. Locals who just want to cooperate and showcase their talents on stage are doing it for us for free,” he admitted.

Al-Shaheen stated he expects it to be recognized as a form of entertainment. “There are comedy shows in Kuwait, most are on television and they are not live like us. There are television channels coming up with shows with funny scenes and offering comedy, but people want something new. We are sick and tired of soap operas and dramas, crimes and killings. To be honest, this is a very challenging task for us,” he said.

The comedians will be talking mostly about social issues in Kuwait, but promised to do so in a funny way. The Egyptian comedians will also talk about their struggle during the revolution, but according to AlShaheen, it will be amusing. “We are tired of politics and we want people to come forward and have fun, so we will try our best to divert their attention to something worth watching and spending their money on,” he

reiterated. Local comedians have prepared for the live show during the last two months.

According to Al-Shaheen, and all of them are ready to conquer the stage for the 8-day live show. Live Theater can only accommodate 250 persons. Tickets will be available at the venue for KD 10 and KD 20.

Ventriloquist Basil Al-Dousari

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Aflutter over fake

By Nawara Fattahova

eyelashes

ntil recently, fake eye lashes were reserved for A-listers and celebrities. Today, it is a fad that has pandemic proportions in Kuwait. Young, old and teenagers opt for artificial extensions that make them look better. Or so they claim. The demand has created a new niche - fake eye lash application salons. The fad also prompted the opening of a salon dedicated to artificial eyelashes. “We apply each individual lash to mimic your natural lashes but make them fuller, longer and darker,” explained Khadija from Kuwait Lashes.

In her salon, they offer different sizes and kinds of lash extensions which are usually fixed one by one. The price depends on the number of fixed lashes, usually varying between 30 to 40 lashes, and costs KD 50 for 50 lashes. The eye lashes come in different colors too - brown, blue and purple among others. Lashes can be decorated with crystals or feathers. According to Khadija, her lash extensions are of professional grade and have passed many tests for safety,

U

non-irritability, and duration.

Having longer and thicker eyelashes is a laborious procedure. It starts with cleaning the natural eyelashes drying and priming. A protective soothing gel patch will be placed under the lashes for protection, then the lashes will be cleaned and primed again. Individual eyelash extensions will be adhered to individual lashes. The customer waits for the adhesive to completely dry, and then she is done,” said Khadija. These lash extensions remain on a customer’s eye for two to three months.

“We advise our clients to come for maintenance every two weeks. Because these lashes are applied by professionally trained and certified technicians, and because the best quality products are used, no extra care is necessary other than you would

usually do with your natural lashes. However, there are a few things that can ensure a longer lasting result,” she explained.

According to her, the first 24 hours are the most crucial to ensure the most optimal bonding strength. Therefore it is advised that you keep your new lashes dry for the first 24 hours. This excludes washing, swimming, the steam room and sauna. Then, if you like to dive for instance, you have to wait for 48 hours before doing this.

“Be gentle with your lashes while washing and never pull at them or rub aggressively or excessively,” advised Khadija. “Customers also should avoid any oil based products, as they will interfere with the bond strength of your new lashes and may cause them to detach and fall off. Also avoid eyelash curlers, especially heated ones. Customers can use a sealer and a conditioner for longer lasting results,” she said.

Khadeeja explains that there have not been any complaints from customers about the lashes. “We did not have any complaints of allergy or lashes falling since we opened our salon four months ago,” she said.

Because these extensions give a fuller thicker look around the eyes, clients find that they do not need mascara or eyeliner, she added.

A regular eyelash customer agrees with Khadija. Sina is in her early 30s and makes regular trips to the salon to apply eyelashes. “It is addictive. I like seeing my eyes with long and thick eyelashes,” she said. Others are less upbeat about the new fad. “I would not risk and spoil my natural eyelashes.

Surely, the glue that is used damages the eyelid or the eye altogether,” Vivian remarked.

According to Dr Shubah, general ophthalmologist at AlZuhair Clinic, wearing artificial lash extensions will not affect vision. “It is just a cosmetic look. There is a possibility of allergy from the glue used in fixing the lash extension. Also no infection is expected, but there is a possibility of allergic reaction and losing some lashes. This loss will be temporary, and after a customer stops applying fake eyelashes, their own lashes will grow again,” she said.

Some women have found a cheaper option for a similar effect. Rasha, 22, is using lash extensions which last for a week and cost KD 6. “When I brought my own lashes, they fixed them for half price. I like it as it looks natural and people cannot notice I’m wearing artificial lashes. The price does not change with the number of fixed lashes. When I use this extension, I continue my day as a regular day, but I am careful not to be rough with them,” said Rasha.

“I would like to try the permanent ones, but it is a bit expensive for me, as I am a student. Also I haven’t seen anybody do it before so I do not know if it is worth it, and I do not like committing to keep maintaining them. The lash extension I am using is a cheaper option, and it is easier to apply. When I am bored with them, I can remove them with a little Vaseline, and they come right off. The worst thing is that after removing them I feel ugly, as I have got addicted to having them on,” rued Rasha.

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

A giant leap into 2012

By Sahar Moussa

I

wanted to skydive all my life and I finally did it when I knew it was the right time for me to do it. When people asked me what I did on the New Year, they expected the usual answers; “Oh I spent it at home with the family” or “I went out with some friends to a party!” But when my answer was, “I was skydiving in Dubai”, the look upon their faces was priceless. I was really amused by their reaction when I showed them the photographs and the video. It is like I was doing something that they want to do, but they lack the courage to do it. I felt self satisfaction and pride, but mostly being different.

The first question people asked me was “weren’t you afraid?” Well, of course I was, although I was trying to hide it all the time. The idea really flourished in my head when I was going through a very hard time one day and saw the skydiving in Dubai link posted on the wall of one of my friends on Facebook. I said to myself, “That’s it. That’s the sign. Now it’s the right time to do it”!

Although my decision was fast and easy, the procedure to book for the jump, check my passport for the visa, and take a day off from work was not a piece of cake. I had to postpone the skydiving trip several times until it finally happened due to my stubbornness (determination) of course. Only after I booked my ticket to Dubai and my jump did I know that there was not a way back. I really started to feel the excitement in my stomach. The minute I was actually on the plane heading to Dubai, I started to feel the adrenalin rush invading my veins like a stream.

I reached Dubai at midnight and all of the weirdest questions that you can ever imagine popped into my head, which of course deprived

me from sleeping. The first question was “What if the parachute does not open?” or “What if I change my mind at the last minute, what will my friends and family say about me?” or “What will happen if I hit the ground really hard while landing in the parachute?” or “ What if the plane crashes before I do my jump?” or even “What if I panic in the air and just lose it!”

I managed to sleep only an hour before I had to get up in the morning. I booked a taxi, took a shower, wore my favorite jogging suit, fixed my hair and of course put on a bit of makeup. I said to myself, “at least if something goes wrong, I want to look beautiful”. It was silly, but it relaxed me. On the website they tell you that you have to be there three hours in advance. The taxi came on time and when I told him the address, he was more excited than me. He started to tell me how much he wants to do it, but he is too scared to take such a step. All I did was tell him that I know it is scary and that is why I am doing it. With a smile, he looked at me with his big black eyes and told me, “madam, you are very courageous.”

When I reached the location, I went to this big, almost empty tent. A few people were folding and removing the air from parachutes with extreme precision. I walked ahead and saw a table with skydiving brochures on it. There were pens and papers. A woman and a guy were sitting behind the table smiling at me and welcoming me. Then the woman said, “Sahar, is that you?” I recognized her voice from the phone.

She was the woman that I was communicating with to book my jump. I smiled back and said, “yes, it is me.” She was so nice and friendly. Then she gave me a bunch of papers to sign. First my full name, then my initials like twenty times.

Honestly I could not read it all because I was so

nervous but it was obviously a legal document to preserve their legal rights in case of an accident. I waited on a chair for maybe thirty minutes. While I was waiting, there was a young woman with her parents also signing the legal papers. We exchanged a quick look and a smile and waited. I was really impressed with how cool and supportive her parents were. While I was all alone, trying to support myself, I believed that I had to do this jump all by myself. After thirty minutes, I heard the sound of the jet’s engine getting nearer and louder. I knew it was time. Three instructors came to the tent wearing special jumping outfits and equipment. One of the instructors went to the young girl and started to explain to her what she must do. I could not hear them because my instructor came to me and introduced himself. His name was Kaka. He was about 26-years-old and had an amazing smile, short spiky hair and a soft voice that brought comfort to my soul. He asked me my name and where I was from. After a while, another instructor came and introduced himself as Mel. He was the photographer. Mel is short and blue-eyed with a sarcastic sense of humor. Kaka started to prepare me and explained the steps of the jump in a very simple way: how I should bend my knees and raise my head while jumping from the jet and so on. Meanwhile, Mel was taking my photograph and trying to ask me questions. He was joking with me for the video. Finally it was time to get on the jet. Kaka did not leave me for one second. He was checking the safety harness all the time, which was his first concern and that made me feel secure.On the jet Mel and Kaka were trying to lighten the situation by telling jokes to relax me, although I was not nervous.

After I was tied to him we took baby steps to the door. Without any discussion, or thinking twice

To be able to make a tandem jump you must follow these rules and restrictions for your safety and comfort: ● Age: You must be at least 18 years old, please come with a valid ID. ● Clothes: Bring athletic and comfortable clothes. Wear sneakers/sport shoes, not sandals or boots or shoes with heels. ● Weight: You must be within the weight limit: Ladies: Less than 200 lbs.

Men: Less than 220 lbs. ● Time: Plan to spend at least 3 hours for your experience. ● Reservation: A deposit of 57 KD is required to make your reservation.

Call and book to reserve your jump.

Walk-ins might be possible but there is no guarantee without a booking in advance. ● Weather: Skydive Dubai is sensitive to weather. If the conditions are not perfect, your experience may take a little longer. ● Absolutely no alcohol or drugs in your system before making a tandem skydive.

to change my mind, we simply jumped. The first seconds I was petrified. My brains could not register what was happening around me. I was completely numb. Only when I felt pain in my ears from the air pressure did I know I was alive. I could not think of anything while I was falling through the sky. It was rather like having a nightmare that you are falling, but you know it is real.

I could not make out how many minutes it took before the parachute opened. When it did open, I felt relieved. I started to enjoy the air, view and the jump. I simply felt free and content. Kaka asked me if I was alright. When I told him I felt great he actually let me stir the parachute. I made it turn 360 degrees all by myself. It was a thrilling moment. When it was time to land on the ground, he asked me to raise both feet so that he could land before me. It was a smooth landing. When I landed on the ground, I felt that all the troubles and heavy load I was carrying were left in the sky.

I felt light, free and fearless. One simple advice to anyone who really wants to skydive: if you are ready to do it, don’t talk about it, just do it! sahar@kuwaittimes.net

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Bedoon leader urges Arab Spring in Kuwait KUWAIT: A meeting was allegedly held in London between Mohammad Wali, one of those who urged stateless residents to gather and demonstrate in Kuwait, with a high ranking officer from a Gulf country, authorities concerned with the issue said. The officer thought Wali wanted to discuss humanitarian issues, but was surprised when Wali asked for money to cover fees of lawyers who will file inter-

national cases against members of the special forces in Kuwait who used brutality against demonstrators.

Wali also asked for the names of Kuwaiti officers who went through special forces training in his country, and asked for the support of Al-Jazeera channel for his issue. Wali spoke of the faults of the Kuwaiti government and of pressuring it in a similar way to the Arab Spring revolutions, so

that all stateless residents can be naturalized. Wali boasted to the ranking officer about his ability to urge stateless residents to demonstrate in Jahra during the past weeks. Wali told the officer that the demonstrations will not stop, and will reappear with force during the National and Liberation Day celebrations next month.

He said that he has Kuwaiti relatives, and among them is one

named “Adnan”. He said Adnan is the link between him and the stateless residents and he delivers the instructions Wali sends from London, where he lives. The officer noticed that Wali spoke in the strong belief that his Gulf country is an enemy of Kuwait.

Wali revealed many secrets that are concerned with naturalization to convince the Gulf country to side with the demands of the stateless residents. —Al-Watan

Cement chunk kills motorist KUWAIT: A 26-year-old citizen was killed instantly when a cement block penetrated his windshield and hit his head. The incident took place when a female citizen hit the middle barrier on King Fahd Road, flipped over and rested on the barrier. This caused a chunk of cement to fly and hit the victim’s windshield.

He lost control and hit another car, driven by a Lebanese woman.

Room service A hotel employee entered a room, without realizing a couple were inside. The husband became furious and beat the worker hard. Security men were called to calm the husband down.

Axe wielding addict A detective officer succeeded in arresting an addict, who was threatening his family with an axe in Mubarak Al-Kabeer area. The detective spoke for a long time with the addict until he was able to bring him under control. He took him to the concerned authorities. - Al-Watan Drug peddlers nabbed Jahra police arrested a person and is searching for two others on drug charges. A source said the policemen became suspicious of a car carrying three men. When they were asked to stop, the driver did not heed the instructions and drove away. When the car was stopped, one person was arrested. Inside the vehicle 250 gm of heroin and 40 sticks of hashish were found.

School maid kills self An Asian woman working in a school committed suicide by hanging at a laborers’ residence in Salmiya. ñ Hanan Al-Saadoun

News

in brief

Meningitis patient dies KUWAIT: An Asian patient who was admitted with meningitis to Farwaniya Hospital died on Wednesday.

Informed sources said the Amiri Hospital also admitted two Asians, one of whom was confirmed to have meningitis and the second is suspected to also have the contagious disease. The sources said that all precautions were taken to protect the patients and the medical team that is treating them. The hospital prepared special isolation rooms due to the possibility of more cases of meningitis and to face any emergency related to it. The sources said the case of the first patient is not dangerous and can be controlled. The hospital said he will recover soon.

First aid course for teachers KUWAIT: The Medical Emergencies Department in cooperation with the Ministry of Education held first aid courses in all educational zones starting with girl guide teachers in Farwaniya Zone. The course lasted for three days with 11 teachers participating in the class. Practical courses were led by trainer Ashraf Abdallah, under the supervision of the head of Field Training Department Sadiq Karam. Certificates were distributed to the trainees, who thanked the department for their contribution.

KUWAIT: Veteran opposition ex-MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun’s election tent is seen under a cloud-streaked sky yesterday.

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Court refuses to rule on election Candidates urge transparency in meningitis

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The Administrative Court yesterday said it was not competent to rule on a petition requesting general polls to be suspended because a decree dissolving the previous National Assembly breached the constitution. The ruling is final and cannot be challenged and accordingly, the controversy over the constitutionality of the Cabinet is all but laid to rest. The petition was filed last month by ex-MP and pro-government candidate Saadoun Hammad who claimed that the decree by which the previous Assembly was dissolved was unconstitutional because it was approved by an illegal Cabinet.

The issue started on Nov 28 when former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah resigned and former defense minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah was appointed as the new prime minister.

Sheikh Jaber was later sworn in by HH

the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah as prime minister but the previous Cabinet remained unchanged. A week later, the new prime minister chaired the outgoing Cabinet and approved the decree that was later issued by the Amir on Dec 6 to dissolve the Assembly. Several constitutional experts and former MPs contested that the decree was not in line with the constitution because it was recommended and approved by an illegal Cabinet, but the state’s legal department insisted that the decree was constitutional and that the Cabinet was also completely legal. To overcome any legal controversy, a new Cabinet was later formed and approved a decree setting Feb 2 as the date for the general polls but the new Cabinet did not change the decree dissolving the Assembly which kept part of the legal controversy alive. Hammad then took the controversy to the administrative court assisted by his lawyer and former MP Nasser Al-Duwailah who said

after the verdict was issued yesterday that the verdict was based on the fact that dissolving the Assembly is a sovereign authority of the Amir.

Separately, a large number of candidates urged the Health Ministry to be highly transparent about the reported spread of meningitis after the ministry announced last week that an Asian man had died of the dangerous disease. But the ministry insisted that the infection was brought by the labourer from outside Kuwait. The ministry also acknowledged that there were a number of other cases but were treated. Rumours however spread like fire that the number of cases infected with meningitis was much higher than announced and the cases were mainly centered in Farwaniya public hospital. Candidates called on the ministry of health to be transparent and announce the facts to the public and warned that any shortcoming could lead to a political questioning.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Obama unveiling strategy for slimmed-down military

German president’s mea culpa fails to convince

15

14

Kidnapped Aussie seeks $2m ransom

17

BAGHDAD: Iraiqs inspect the scene in the north Baghdad neighbourhood of Kadhimiyah where twin car bombs exploded yesterday.—AFP

68 dead as Iraq bombs hit Shiites Worst toll in nearly five months BAGHDAD: A wave of attacks against Shiite Muslims killed at least 68 people yesterday, the worst toll in nearly five months, as Iraq grappled with a weeks-long political row that has stoked sectarian tensions. The violence, which also wounded more than 100, comes two weeks after a crisis erupted when Vice President Tareq Al-Hashemi, a Sunni, was charged with running a hit squad soon after US troops pulled out.

Yesterday’s attacks, which targeted only Shiites, were quickly condemned by parliament speaker Osama Al-Nujaifi, a Sunni, as well as by Iraq’s Shiite-majority neighbor Iran. “Political leaders fight each other for power, and we pay the price,” said Ahmed Khalaf, a laborer who was near the site of attacks in the north Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City. “How is it our fault if Hashemi is wanted, or someone else is wanted?

Why should we pay instead of them?”

The worst incident saw at least 45 people killed by a suicide attack on the outskirts of the southern city of Nasiriyah as pilgrims were walk-

ing to the shrine city of Karbala for Arbaeen commemorations. “Hospitals in Nasiriyah have received 45 killed and 68 wounded,” said Hadi Badr al-Riyahi, head of the provincial health department in Dhi Qar, of which Nasiriyah is the capital. Arbaeen marks 40 days after the Ashura anniversary commemorating the killing of Imam Hussein, one of Shiite Islam’s most revered figures, by the armies of the Caliph Yazid in 680 AD. Five bomb attacks also struck two Shiite neighborhoods of northern Baghdad, killing 23 people and wounding dozens more. In Kadhimiyah, two car bombs exploded at around 9:00 am (0600 GMT) at adjoining intersections, said officials from the interior and defence ministries.

The blasts killed 14 people and wounded 37 others, the defence official said, while the interior ministry source put the toll at 15 dead and 31 wounded. Several nearby vehicles and shops, as well as the facade of a newly built hotel, were badly damaged, an AFP journalist said. “Where

are the security forces?” shouted 60-year-old Ashur Abdullah at Al-Zahra intersection in Kadhimiyah. “Where are the checkpoints? How did this happen here? The responsibility lies with the security forces.”

In Sadr City, a booby-trapped motorcycle exploded at around 7:00 am near a group of day labourers waiting to pick up work, killing seven and wounding 20 others, the interior ministry official said. A short time later, twin roadside bombs detonated near the district’s main hospital as victims were being ferried in, killing two more people and wounding 15, the official said.

The defence ministry official confirmed the toll. Security forces cordoned off the scenes of the blasts, and largely refused to allow journalists to enter, sparking the ire of residents. “Why are you preventing the press and photographers from entering the scene?” shouted one man in Kadhimiyah who declined to be identified. “Are you afraid that the world will see your failure?”

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has backed off from

threats to fire ministers from the Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc who have boycotted the cabinet, the latest move in an apparent toning down of the crisis. The stand-off was sparked by a decision to issue an arrest warrant for Hashemi on terror charges. Hashemi, who is holed up in the northern autonomous Kurdish region, denies the charges and his Iraqiya party has boycotted the cabinet and stayed away when parliament reopened on Tuesday. Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlak, also a member of Iraqiya, has decried Maliki as a dictator “worse than Saddam Hussein,” and the premier has called for him to be sacked.

UN special envoy Martin Kobler, in a statement on Wednesday, “expressed concern about the current political stalemate in the country,” and US Vice President Joe Biden has urged dialogue among top Iraqi leaders. On December 18, US forces completed their withdrawal from Iraq, where there were once nearly 170,000 American troops on 505 bases.— AFP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Prosecutor wants death for Mubarak, security boss Judge asked for death sentence for security chief

JERUSALEM: In this March 17, 2009 file photo, then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gives a statement to the media at his Jerusalem office. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was indicted yesterday on new corruption charges. —AP

Ex-Israeli leader Olmert accused of seeking bribes JERUSALEM : Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was indicted yesterday on new corruption charges for allegedly seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in a wide- ranging real estate scandal that dwarfs the other cases in which he’s accused. According to the indictment, millions of dollars illegally changed hands to promote a series of real estate projects, including a controversial housing development in Jerusalem that required a radical change in zoning laws and earned the developers tax breaks and other benefits.

Jerusalem residents have long suspected that the hulking Holyland housing development, built on a prominent hilltop, was tainted by corruption. Yesterday’s indictment against Olmert - who was the city’s mayor when the project ballooned - cemented those doubts about his integrity.

He is also suspected of influence-peddling in another, smaller real estate deal included in the indictment, which charges a total of 13 government officials, developers and other businesspeople in three separate schemes.

All the alleged crimes took place while Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem and minister of industry and trade, positions he held before becoming prime minister in 2006.

Olmert has denied all the charges. The former Israeli leader is already standing trial on separate charges of accepting illicit funds from an American supporter and double-billing Jewish groups for trips abroad - also before he became prime minister.

He has denied those charges, too, and claims no wrongdoing during a three-decade political career dogged by suspicions of corruption but no convictions. The accusations, however, forced Olmert to resign after a three-year term as prime minister in 2009. The Holyland case broke two years ago on the strength of a businessman involved in the project who turned state’s witness.

The indictment accuses Olmert of seeking money, through a middleman, from Holyland developers to help out his brother, Yossi, who fled Israel because of financial problems. According to the indictment, Yossi Olmert received about $100,000. Ehud Olmert is also accused of asking the middleman to help out city engineer Uri Sheetrit, who also had money woes. Sheetrit later dropped his opposition to the broad expansion of the Holyland complex, which burgeoned from a small development into a massive, high-rise project that sticks out from its low-rise neighbors. According to the indictment, Sheetrit received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.

The 87-page indictment also ensnares other powerful Israeli figures. Former Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, who succeeded Olmert, was charged in the Jerusalem real estate scandal. Danny Dankner, the former chairman of Israel’s second-biggest bank, was charged with offering hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to a government official to rezone land for one of his businesses.— AP

CAIRO : The prosecutor in the trial of Hosni Mubarak yesterday demanded the death penalty for the ousted Egyptian leader on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during last year’s uprising against his rule. Mustafa Khater, one of a five-member prosecution team, also asked the judge for the death sentence for Mubarak’s security chief and six top police commanders being tried in the same case.

“Retribution is the solution. Any fair judge must issue a death sentence for these defendants,” said Khater on the third and final day of the prosecution’s opening statement. Mubarak’s two sons, one-time heir apparent Gamal and Alaa, face corruption charges in the same trial along with their father and a close family friend who is a fugitive.

An 18-day uprising forced Mubarak, 83, to step down on Feb. 11 after a nearly 30-year rule. The military, led by a general who served as defense minister under Mubarak for 20 years, replaced him in power. Earlier in yesterday’s hearing, chief prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman said Mubarak was “politically and legally” responsible for the killing of the protesters and charged that the former president did nothing to stop the killings that he was aware of from meetings with aides, regional TV channels and reports by his security agencies.

He said Mubarak’s security chief and co-defendant, former interior minister Habib el-Adly, authorized the use of live ammunition on orders from Mubarak.

“He (Mubarak) can never, as the top official, claim that he did not know what was going on,” Suleiman told the court.

“He is responsible for what happened and must bear the legal and political responsibility for what happened. It is irrational and illogical to assume that he did not know that protesters were being targeted.”

Addressing Mubarak directly,

CAIRO: An Egyptian anti-Mubarak protester demonstrates with chains during the trial of ousted president in front of the police academy on the outskirts of Cairo yesterday.—AFP Suleiman said, “If you had not issued these orders yourself, then where was your outburst of rage over the lives of your people?” Testimonies by two interior ministers who succeeded el-Adly, he said, pointed out that the defendant could not have given the order to use live ammunition against the protesters without Mubarak’s personal approval, said Suleiman.

Suleiman said Mubarak told investigators he decided to step down after the military refused to intervene to “immediately and urgently” help the security forces contain the protests.

Mubarak called out the army on Jan. 28 - three days into the uprising and on the day when security forces disappeared from the streets in circum-

stances that have yet to be fully explained. “He (Mubarak) fully knew what was happening but he did nothing,” said Suleiman. Another prosecutor, Wael Hussein, said that one of the six police commanders on trial - former chief of the hated state security agency Hassan Abdel-Rahman - has personally given orders to allow inmates to escape from a string of jails across the nation during the uprising. The escapees, who numbered in the thousands, have been blamed for a dramatic surge in crime since Jan. 28 last year when almost all vestiges of state authority collapsed.

Most of the inmates have since been captured and returned to jail, but Egypt continues to suffer higher-than-usual crime rates.—AP

Israel bars 12 extremists from West Bank for violence JERUSALEM: Twelve Jewish extremists suspected of hate crimes against Palestinians and attacks on the army have been temporarily barred from entering the West Bank, Israeli police and the army said yesterday. The restraining orders were issued following months of so-called “price tag” attacks on mosques and other Palestinian property, which in recent months have also been directed at the army, angering the Israeli leadership. The orders, which were signed off by a top West Bank military commander, were delivered by police late on Wednesday “to 12 activists for periods ranging from three months to nine months,” an army statement said. The step was taken following a recommendation by the Israel

Security Agency (ISA), better known as the Shin Bet internal security services. According to ISA information, “the group of extremists has been involved in leading, directing and executing violent and clandestine activity targeting Palestinian residents of Judaea and Samaria (the West Bank) and security forces operating in the area, therefore endangering lives and disrupting public order,” it said. “It should be noted that the issuing of these orders derives from a specific security necessity, and after exhausting all other alternatives.

These orders are a preventative measure to remove the threat by the activists in the area.”

Police said the 12 were living in the settlements of Yitzhar and Elon

Moreh, while others were residents of the wildcat outposts of Havat Gilad, Havat Migron and Maoz Esther, all of which are in the northern West Bank. Hardline Jewish extremists have adopted what they call a “price tag” policy, under which they attack mainly Palestinians and their property in response to Israeli government moves against illegal settlement outposts, but those behind them are almost never caught, let alone prosecuted. But in recent months, there have also been vandalism attacks on Israeli bases in connection with the demolition of wildcat settlements, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce tougher measures against the perpetrators.— AFP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

UN diplomat wants Libya NATO investigation UNITED NATIONS: The incoming UN Security Council president called Wednesday for an investigation into human rights abuses committed during NATO’s bombing campaign to oust Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

South Africa’s UN Ambassador Baso Sangqu, who holds the rotating Security Council presidency for January, said he believed NATO overstepped its mandate enforcing a no-fly zone, killing an untold number of innocent civilians.

“We were alive to the fact that the implementation of the resolution itself would have its own problems, but we now hear strong voices that talk about

many mistakes that were made,” Sangqu said. “They were supposed to be precision strikes, but it was clear that those were not that precise.”

Sangqu said UN human rights officials are currently conducting investigations on the ground, but demanded that they must look at all parties involved.

“There must be investigations of human rights abuses in Libya across the board: by Gadhafi regime supporters, by the rebels, by NATO, anybody who was involved in that conflict as mandated by the resolution 1973 and 1970 should be held accountable especially those that were mandated,” Sangqu said.

Iran nuclear move may raise concern VIENNA: Iran appears to be testing atomic fuel intended for a planned reactor which could one day yield nuclear bomb material, a former senior United Nations nuclear official said yesterday. The Islamic Republic is building a heavy water research reactor near the central town of Arak, a type which Western experts say could produce plutonium for nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is entirely peaceful.

Earlier this week, Iran announced it had made a breakthrough in producing fuel rods for nuclear power plants. Olli Heinonen, former head of nuclear safeguards inspections worldwide at the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, said he believed the fuel was being developed for Arak, which Iran hopes to bring on line by the end of next year.

Spent fuel can be reprocessed to make plutonium, possible bomb material, but Western worries about Iran’s nuclear activities are focused on its enrichment of uranium, which can also provide the core of nuclear weapons if refined much more.

“The rod Iran claims to have made contains natural uranium, suggesting that it is intended for the IR-40 heavy water reactor at Arak,” Heinonen wrote in a comment for Guardian newspaper. “This is a cause for concern as such an action is proscribed by the United Nations Security Council,” Heinonen, now a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center, said, referring to sanctions resolutions imposed on Iran over its nuclear work.

Other Western experts had said they did not see Iran’s announcement on Sunday - that it successfully made and tested nuclear fuel rods - as bringing Tehran closer to having atomic bombs any time soon. They told Reuters that Iran, which rejects Western accusations that it is seeking to develop the capability to make nuclear weapons, was still possibly years away from being able to make fuel for running its reactors. Iran’s latest claim of nuclear progress coincided with escalating tension with the West, in a long-running row that could spark a military conflict, and some analysts suggested it may be intended as a negotiating tactic. Iran’s only existing nuclear power plant, at Bushehr on the Gulf coast, uses fuel rods delivered by Russia, which will repatriate the spent material under its contract with Iran.

A Tehran research reactor, which makes medical isotopes, is running out of fuel provided by Argentina in the 1990s. Iran has said it plans to produce its own fuel for the facility after a uranium swap deal with the West collapsed two years ago.

Neither Bushehr nor the Tehran reactor is “optimal” for harvesting plutonium, Associate Professor Matthew Bunn of Harvard University’s Kennedy School said.

But Arak, once completed, is seen as better suited for this. “Hence this show of ostensibly civilian nuclear progress could end up further stoking international tension,” Heinonen said. A Washington-based think-tank, the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), said Iran’s aim to start operating Arak in 2013 could be “delayed because of problems acquiring necessary items overseas or in building the reactor.”— Reuters

Sangqu, who said he was speaking in his capacity as South Africa’s ambassador, said he believed the Security Council resolution that his country supported authorized only a no-fly zone but did not mean “regime change or anything else.” Sangqu’s remarks echoed a similar call by Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who recently expressed unhappiness with Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon over the UN chief’s comment that NATO acted within its mandate in its bombing campaign in Libya.

Russia has also called for an independent UN investigation of civilian casualties. Syria’s President Bashar

Assad is a close Russian ally. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu denied that the alliance exceeded its mandate or that the bombing resulted in a large number of civilian casualties.

“Throughout the operation, we took every precaution to minimize the risk to civilians with solid intelligence, a very strict target selection and precision-guided munition,” Lungescu said, speaking from Belgium. “And we repeatedly warned civilians to stay away from military installations and equipment. We did everything we could to reduce the risk, while also making clear that in an air campaign that risk can never be zero.”— AP

Activists accuse Syria of ‘torture chambers’ 617 confirmed killed: Report BEIRUT: An activist group accused the Syrian regime yesterday of torturing hundreds of people to death in overcrowded prisons, jails and illegal detention centers across the country since an uprising began in March. Avaaz, an online global activist group, issued a report saying 617 people have been confirmed killed under torture by President Bashar Assad’s forces as they cracked down on the revolt.

“Assad’s henchmen have tried to break the pro-democracy movement in these torture chambers, but brave Syrians are still standing up for their rights,” said Stephanie Brancaforte, Campaign Director at Avaaz. The alleged torture victims are among 6,874 people killed since the uprising began, Avaaz said, giving a significantly higher toll than the estimate of 5,000 given several weeks ago by the United Nations.

Avaaz said it verified each death by three independent sources, including a family member of the deceased and the imam who performed the funeral procession. The group said it works with a team of 58 human rights monitors in Syria. The group encouraged Arab League monitors in the country to “visit these torture chambers and ensure the regime immediately end these atrocities.” Syria generally does not respond to criticism about its human rights record. But the regime has long contended that the turmoil this year is not an uprising by reform-seekers but the work of terrorists and foreignbacked armed gangs. Most international observers dismiss that claim as an attempt by an autocratic regime to terrify its citizens into abandoning the revolt.

Avaaz’s figures are impossible to independently confirm, with Assad’s regime continuing to bar almost all foreign journalists or human rights groups from entering Syria. Syrian state-TV reported yesterday that authorities have released more than 500 prisoners accused of involvement in anti-regime activities. The move appeared to be another gesture to comply with an Arab League plan to end the regime’s 9-month-old crackdown on dissent.

Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby said this week that Syria had released about 3,500 detainees in recent weeks. And

HOMS: An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube shows Syrian army defectors displaying their identity cards and reportedly pledging allegiance to the opposition on January 2, 2012. —AP state television said yesterday another 552 had been released. But Avaaz said yesterday that 37,000 people remain in detention. The Arab peace plan, being monitored by about 100 Arab League observers now in Syria, requires Assad’s regime to remove security forces and heavy weapons from cities, start talks with opposition leaders and free political prisoners. The League claims it has won some concessions from Syria, including the pullout of heavy military weaponry from cities and the release of thousands of prisoners.

However, Syria’s opposition is accusing the regime of misleading the monitors by taking them to areas loyal to the government, changing street signs to confuse them, painting army vehicles blue to look like those of police and sending supporters into rebellious neighborhoods to give false testimony.

An Arab League official said the observers have not reported or complained about being misled by the regime. He said the Syrian opposition is making pre-emptive statements, fearing the regime might try to mislead the monitors. Addressing the opposition’s complaint about painting military vehicles

blue to appear as police vehicles- something that has been seen on amateur videos - the official said: “Observers know what is for the army and what is for police.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

He added that additional monitors will head to Syria on Friday to raise the total numbers of observers to about 140.

Assad agreed to the Arab peace plan on Dec. 19, but the Arab League has acknowledged that its plan has failed to stop violence. Activists have reported nearly 400 deaths since the monitors began work last week. Yesterday, a team of monitors visited the tense Damascus suburb of Arbeen, two village in the southern province of Daraa and a hospital in the central city of Hama, state TV said. Activist groups reported continued shooting of protesters yesterday, with at six people killed. Two died in the central province of Homs and four in the eastern region of Deir el-Zour, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Another activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, said security forces killed 10 people yesterday.— AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Blasts rock Nigeria’s north as Islamist ‘ultimatum’ expires Attacks claimed by Boko Haram

BRUSSELS: Benjamin Stanis Kalombo, chairman of the Association for the Promotion of Democracy and Development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (APRODEC) speaks during a press conference of several Congolese organizations, regarding the outcome of the Congolese presidential elections in Brussels yesterday.—AFP

Foreign experts mull review of disputed DR Congo election KINSHASA: Foreign experts have arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo to look at a possible broader review of the November elections, which have been denounced as flawed by international observers. The team from the US-based National Democratic Institute and International Foundation for Electoral Systems, which arrived on Wednesday, will meet electoral authorities, members of key political parties as well as national and international electoral observers during the three-week mission.

“The purpose of this mission is to discern whether it is possible to verify the election results through a broader review of the processes and to offer advice about what shape such an effort might take,” NDI president Kenneth Wollack said in a statement. The November 28 vote which handed President Joseph Kabila five more years in office sparked violent protests in the capital and was widely criticised by international monitors and the country’s powerful church.

Kabila himself admitted that there were flaws although he rejected claims that the polls lacked credibility. His main rival, veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, last month declared himself president just days after Kabila took the oath of office. — AFP

Russian protest movement risks split MOSCOW: Russia’s nascent protest movement behind recent mass rallies risks a split unless its diverse members agree on a common strategy, a prominent opposition activist warned yesterday. “We need to structure ourselves a bit, because at the moment everyone is pulling for his side,” Sergei Udaltsov told Moscow Echo radio station a day after he was released from police detention. “Maybe once, twice, everything went well spontaneously, but after that there is a risk that the authorities will start playing us off against each other and pulling us apart.”

Two huge rallies in Moscow protesting against alleged vote-rigging in December’s parliamentary polls won by Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party brought together diverse political forces, including liberals, nationalists and communists. Udaltsov said the diverse groups should agree on strategy ahead of March presidential polls in which Putin will stand for a third term and on dealing with authorities, warning that “any separate talks cause huge harm to the movement.” The 34year-old Udaltsov, a lawyer by training and the coordinator of the radical Left Front movement, was freed from police detention late Wednesday after serving a 10-day sentence for taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration. — AFP

KANO: Bomb blasts have rocked northeastern Nigerian cities under a state of emergency as an ultimatum from Islamists for Christians living in the area to leave expired, officials said yesterday.

No casualties were reported after the attacks in Maiduguri and Damaturu late Wednesday, claimed by the same purported spokesman for Islamist group Boko Haram who on Sunday issued a three-day ultimatum for Christians living in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north to leave. One of the bombs in Maiduguri, Boko Haram’s stronghold, destroyed a house near a customs barracks, according to a customs source and resident.

The Damaturu blast occurred at an open-air pub.

In a separate incident, two civilians were shot dead on the outskirts of Damaturu, a hospital source said. The attacks were the first in the area since President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency last weekend in parts of the country hard hit by violence blamed on the Boko Haram, a nebulous and shadowy Islamist group. Abul Qaqa, who claims to be a spokesman for the group in Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer, said it was behind the latest bomb attacks, although his claims could not be independently verified.

“We are responsible for the bomb blasts in Damaturu and Maiduguri this evening,” he said in a phone call to AFP. “This is a response to the expiration of the ultimatum we gave to southerners to leave.” Nigeria’s population of 160 million is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south, but with each area having a millions-strong minority of the other faith. The Boko Haram spokesman warned Sunday that in the wake of Jonathan’s emergency decree, the group would confront soldiers and Christians who did not heed the warning to leave.

Nigeria’s police chief Hafiz Ringim issued a statement calling on residents to ignore the ultimatum. “Nigeria is one united and indivisible entity where citizens are at liberty to reside where they desire and practise whatever faith,” he

LAGOS: The chairman of the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association Adebamigbe Omole (C) flanked by other members of the bar attend a march gathering some 30 lawyers in Lagos streets to protest against soaring fuel prices yesterday.—AFP said. A spokesman for a military task force in Maiduguri, Colonel Hassan Mohammed, told AFP that there were two explosions in the Mairi area of the city. “The explosives were planted in a ditch and detonated when nobody was around,” he said, adding that they occurred near a customs centre, but denying the establishment was the target. A customs source and a resident however, said a customs officer’s residence was destroyed in the attack. “A bomb went off at the edge of the barracks,” the customs source said. “The house of an officer close to the wall was destroyed in the blast. Fortunately, he was out on duty and nobody was home at the time.” In the first attack since the state of emergency was declared, but just outside the areas covered by the decree, gunmen attacked a police station in the northern Jigawa state Tuesday, killing a teenage girl and wounding an officer.

Jonathan’s weekend declaration of a state of emergency in parts of four northern states came in response to a

wave of attacks attributed to Boko Haram, particularly a series of Christmas Day bombings that killed 49 people.

While Boko Haram has been blamed for increasingly deadly attacks for months, including an August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja that left 25 dead, the Christmas violence sparked intense fear and outrage.

Muslims have frequently been victims of Boko Haram attacks, most of which have occurred in northeastern Nigeria, but the Christmas bombings targeted churches and raised rears of retaliation by Christians. The spiralling violence is one of a number of concerns facing Nigeria, including increasingly volatile protests over a government move to end fuel subsidies on January 1, which has doubled petrol prices. Police yesterday fired tear gas and beat demonstrators who staged a protest in Nigeria’s main northern city of Kano, an organiser of the rally said. Separately, a group of about 30 lawyers marched in the latest protest in the economic capital Lagos.— AFP

Plaintiffs want new psychiatric evaluation of Norway gunman OSLO: Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the July 22 twin attacks in Norway that left 77 people dead called yesterday for a new psychiatric evaluation of the gunman, whom experts have found criminally insane. In a letter released by the Oslo district court, lawyers representing 56 survivors and families of the victims questioned two court-appointed experts’ diagnosis of Anders Behring Breivik which concluded that he was suffering from “paranoid schizophrenia”.

That conclusion means Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old right-wing extremist who has confessed to the killings and claimed he was waging a war against the “Muslim invasion” of Europe, will likely be sen-

tenced to psychiatric care in a closed ward instead of going to jail. “Several of the civil parties who saw him on Utoeya (the island where he committed 69 of the killings) found him to be cynical and rational and find this incompatible with the conclusion that he would be psychotic,” the lawyers wrote.

On July 22, Behring Breivik first set off a car bomb outside government buildings in Oslo, killing eight people. He then went to Utoeya, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Oslo, where, disguised as a police officer, he methodically shot and killed another 69 people attending a summer camp, most of them teenagers. On November 29, the two court-appointed

psychiatrists concluded that Behring Breivik was criminally insane and therefore not accountable for his actions.

That conclusion was later confirmed by a panel of experts. The Oslo court had given all sides in the case until yesterday to decide whether they wanted a new psychiatric evaluation to be conducted. The lawyers for the victims noted in their letter that three psychologists and a psychiatrist who have been monitoring Behring Breivik in prison have, according to media reports, seen no signs of paranoid schizophrenia nor suicidal tendencies.

In a separate request, several representatives for other plaintiffs have also requested a new assessment. —AFP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

German president’s mea culpa fails to convince Wulff says feels like a victim BERLIN: A televised mea culpa by Germany’s scandal-hit president failed to convince editorialists yesterday who deemed he would hold on to his job for now but had deeply damaged the ceremonial office.

Christian Wulff, 52, held up his hands in a 20-minute interview on public television late Wednesday to having made a “serious mistake” in angrily calling a national newspaper editor ahead of the publication of a damaging story.

But he said that he had felt like a “victim” on hearing during an official overseas trip that Bild daily was running an article about his low-interest home loan from a tycoon friend’s wife. And he vowed to stay on in the job he assumed in 2010 with, at the time, strong backing of Chancellor Angela Merkel but which he only secured in a humiliatingly hardfought third round of voting.

Under the headline “A Wasted Chance”, the mass circulation newspaper Bild that has been at the centre of the three-week-long series of

Christian Wulff scandals said Wulff’s appearance had not saved him. He “wasted a further, possibly last chance to continue his time in office with dignity”, it said.

“The office (of president) will how-

ever need years until it recovers. And the affair is not yet over,” it added disparagingly. For its part, the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung said that while one of the president’s constitu-

High water in north sparks Dutch evacuations THE HAGUE: Farmers were told yesterday to evacuate a village in the Netherlands’ low-lying north after days of driving rain and strong winds sparked fears of a dike breach. Authorities also cordoned off river banks in some areas of the densely populated south, distributing sandbags in flood-prone regions as the Netherlands resumed its neverending battle to stay dry.

A quarter of the country of nearly 17 million people lies below sea level and 55 percent is considered vulnerable to flooding, according to the nation’s Environmental Assessment Agency.

Inspectors also patrolled dikes along the Oosterschelde estuary in the south yesterday as powerful wind gusts battered the North Sea coast, national water authority Rijkswaterstaat said in a statement.

Some 85 people in the village of Tolbert 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of the capital, Amsterdam were asked to leave their farms voluntarily as a storm lashed the region, though many chose to remain until they could move their livestock out of the threatened area. A month’s worth of rain has soaked the northern Netherlands in

Journalists on trial in Turkey mock conspiracy case ISTANBUL: Prominent Turkish journalists on trial for links to an underground anti-government network called the conspiracy charges against them “political” in a case that has raised concerns over media freedom in Turkey. Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik, investigative journalists arrested in March and held since in a top-security prison outside Istanbul, were among 14 defendants in court to open their defence yesterday.

Turkey is currently holding nearly 100 members of the news media in jail, one of the highest numbers worldwide, in a crackdown that critics and rights groups say blights Muslim Turkey’s

image as a role model for democracy in the Middle East. Looking thinner but defiant, Sener, an award-winning journalist who has written books about Turkey’s clandestine “deep state” activities, greeted observers as he entered a packed courtroom saying “Welcome to the theatre” and took a bow. Sik, who has written books about the infiltration of the police by an Islamist movement led by Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim theologian based in the United States and considered close to parts of the ruling AK Party, derided the case against them.

“Our arrests were political,” Sik told Reuters during a break. —Reuters

recent days, and a northwesterly wind is hampering efforts to pump the water out of polders - reclaimed land that is drained by pumps and mills.

The polder being evacuated is one meter (yard) below sea level, according to a map provided by the Noorderzijlvest water authority that monitors the region. Local mayor Ben Plandsoen told national broadcaster NOS that the polder would likely be submerged under some 40 centimeters (16 inches) of water if the dike protecting it breaks. “You just don’t know how the dike will hold up,” he said. “It is saturated, so you don’t know how much pressure it can take.”

Water authorities further north said early yesterday that the situation there was under control after they pumped millions of gallons of water into the sea, lowering water levels in drainage canals that crisscross the country. They also deliberately flooded uninhabited nature reserves to lower water levels elsewhere in populated parts of the region. The Groninger Museum in the city of Groningen was closely monitoring water levels in the moat that surrounds the building. The museum said in a statement that some of its exhibition halls were threatened, and it was in close contact with water authorities about whether it needs to close and shift some exhibits, including a recently opened show of clothes by Tunisian designer Azzedine Alaia.— AP

tional roles was to grant pardons, Wulff, who said he was “human and one makes mistakes”, was the first president to pardon himself. Asking how could restore the gravitas of the position, it said however: “Wulff apparently trusts in the fact that he himself can do that.

He stands rather alone in this confidence.” News weekly Der Spiegel said in its online edition that it was well-known that no political leader wanted a new presidential election.

“Too troublesome, too irritating, too big is the danger of failure for them,” it said.

“Therefore Wulff is allowed to stay. For now.” Forsa polling institute head Manfred Guellner told the Hanover-based Neue Presse paper he believed that the revelations about the president had “harmed the office”. According to a poll published yesterday but conducted before the interview was broadcast, 50 percent of those questioned said he should step down while 47 percent believe he can stay in office. — AFP

Kenyan police probe deputy chief justice gun threat NAIROBI: Kenyan police are investigating an accusation by a security guard that the deputy chief justice threatened her with a pistol during a security check at an upmarket shopping mall on New Year’s eve, police said yesterday. Nancy Baraza, sworn into office in June, has a track record of pushing for legal reform. She and Chief Justice Willy Mutunga have promised to transform a judiciary widely seen as inefficient and corrupt.

“The investigations are being carried out into the claims by the security guard,” Anthony Kibuchi, the Nairobi provincial police boss, said. Baraza issued a statement saying she had received security threats since her appointment and that she was concerned for her safety. She did not discuss the incident in detail, citing the police investigation. Security guard Rebecca Morara told local media Baraza refused to be screened at the entrance to the Village Market shopping mall. When asked to have her bag checked, Morara said Baraza resisted and threatened her with a pistol.

There is heightened security in public places in Kenya after threats by Al-Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants in Somalia. Hand-held metal detectors are used in places where people gather, including shopping malls. The rebels have threatened attacks in Kenya after the east African country sent its troops into Somalia to crush the rebel network it blamed for a spate of kidnappings and cross-border attacks. “In the last few months a number of security incidents have occurred in and outside my office. As such, threats of violence have been directed at me and I have had to request increased security measures,” Baraza said in her statement. “The unfortunate incident at the Village Market should be viewed in light of the genuine security apprehension on my part. I certainly had no intention of high handedness, arrogance or ill will,” she said. — Reuters

A

y

e niv rsar n

International

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Obama unveiling strategy for slimmed-down military WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is putting his personal stamp on a shifting Pentagon strategy for absorbing hundreds of billions of dollars in defense budget cuts, marking a turning point in US security policy after a decade of war.

Obama planned to make a rare appearance in the Pentagon press briefing room yesterday to announce results of a strategy review that he ordered last spring. The aim was twofold: Streamline the military in an era of tighter budgets and reassess defense priorities in light of China’s rise and other global changes.

Obama’s decision to announce the results himself underscores the political dimension of Washington’s debate over defense savings. The administration says smaller Pentagon budgets are a must but will not come at the cost of sapping the strength of a military in transition, even as it gets smaller. In a presidential election year, the strategy gives Obama a rhetorical tool to defend his Pentagon budgetcutting choices. Republican contenders for the White House already have criticized Obama on a wide range of national security issues, including missile defense, Iran and planned reductions in ground forces.

Obama also wants the new strategy to represent a pivot point in his stewardship of defense policy, which has been burdened throughout his presidency by the wars he inherited and their drag on

resources. A prominent theme of the Pentagon’s new strategy is expected to be what Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has called a renewed commitment to security in the Asia-Pacific region. China is a particular worry because of its economic dynamism and rapid defense buildup.

A more immediate concern is Iran, not only for its threats to disrupt the flow of international oil but also for its nuclear ambitions.

The revamped strategy, to be outlined

at a news conference also attended by Panetta and the Joint Chiefs chairman, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, is not expected to radically alter defense priorities. It may set the stage, however, for expected cutbacks in Europe and big weapons programs. It also will move the US further from its longstanding goal of being able to successfully fight two major regional wars - like the 1991 Gulf War to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait or a prospective ground war in Korea - at the same time.

CLEVELAND: President Barack Obama waves after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday after returning from a trip to Cleveland. —AP

Police kill student carrying pellet gun TEXAS: The parents of a teenage student who was fatally shot by US police inside his South Texas school are demanding to know why officers took lethal action, but police said the boy was brandishing - and refused to drop what appeared to be a handgun. The weapon turned out to be a pellet gun that closely resembled the real thing, police said late Wednesday, several hours after 15-year-old Jaime Gonzalez was repeatedly shot in a hallway at Cummings Middle School. No one else was injured.

“Why was so much excess force used on a minor?” the boy’s father, Jaime Gonzalez Sr., told The Associated Press outside the family’s home Wednesday night. “Three shots.

Why not one that would bring him down?” His mother, Noralva Gonzalez, showed off a photo on her phone of a beaming Jaime in his drum major uniform standing with his band instructors. Then she flipped through three closeup photos she took of bullet wounds in her son’s body including one in the back of the head.

“What happened was an injustice,” she said angrily. “I know that my son wasn’t perfect, but he was a great kid.”

Interim Police Chief Orlando Rodriguez said the teen was pointing the weapon at officers and “had plenty of opportunities to lower the gun and listen to the officers’ orders, and he didn’t want to.” The chief said his officers had every right to do what they did to protect themselves and other students even though there weren’t many others in the hallway at the time. Two officers fired three shots, hitting Gonzalez at least twice, police said.

Shortly before the confrontation, Jaime had walked into a classroom and punched a boy in the nose for no apparent reason, Rodriguez said. Police did not know why he pulled out the weapon, but “we think it looks like this was a way to bring attention to himself,” Rodriguez said. About 20 minutes elapsed between police receiving a call about an armed student and shots being fired, according to police and student accounts. Authorities declined to share what the boy said before he was shot.—AP

This takes into account a bigger focus on immediate threats like cyber warfare and terrorism.

The administration and Congress already are trimming defense spending to reflect the closeout of the Iraq war and the drawdown in Afghanistan. The massive $662 billion defense budget planned for next year is $27 billion less than Obama wanted and $43 billion less than Congress gave the Pentagon this year.

White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said Wednesday that Obama was closely involved in the defense strategy review, meeting six times since September with top defense officials, including Panetta and Dempsey. Vietor said the review established priorities to ensure that defense spending cuts are “surgical.”

As for Obama’s decision to make a personal appearance at the Pentagon, Vietor said, “It’s a sign of how personally engaged he is in this process and the level of importance he puts in shaping our priorities for the next decade.” Factors guiding the Obama administration’s approach to reducing the defense budget are not limited to war-fighting strategy.

They also include judgments about how to contain the growing cost of military health care, pay and retirement benefits.

The administration is expected to form a commission to study the issue of retirement benefits, possibly led by a prominent retired military officer.—AP

5 days from next vote, rivals race for money Romney spends over $17 million since January WASHINGTON: As they try to derail Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, his Republican challengers face an urgent task: raising enough cash to compete. The campaign for the Republican nomination is moving into states that are more dependent on TV advertising, and nobody has been able to match the former Massachusetts governor’s financial operation as they swing into state-by-state voting toward the general election against President Barack Obama in November.

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, riding a wave of momentum, nearly won Iowa’s caucuses this week on a shoestring but has no national fundraising network. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich vows to go after Romney in New Hampshire - which votes Tuesday - but if history is any guide, he lacks the cash. And Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a prolific fundraiser, still might be a threat, but the Iowa results showed his support has waned.

Romney’s campaign has spent more than $17 million since January 2011, while Gingrich and Santorum have each spent less than one-sixth of that. The conservative Santorum, who finished just eight votes behind Romney in Tuesday’s caucuses after Iowa’s evangelical Christian vote moved his way, has seen a surge of online donations, enough to cripple his campaign’s website shortly after the Iowa results were announced.

Santorum aides reported raising $1 mil-

lion Wednesday alone, and campaign manager Mike Biundo has said the campaign’s fundraising pace has tripled over the last week. But with just five days to go before the New Hampshire primary, it’s unclear how Santorum, Gingrich and Perry can compete financially with Romney in New England and beyond.

An Associated Press review of federal campaign-finance data reveals a stark contrast between Romney and most of the remaining Republican candidates. Romney has a national donor network that’s raised more than $32 million during the first nine months of 2011, the most recent data available. Other candidates are more limited. Santorum received many of his contributions from Pennsylvania and Florida.

Much of Perry’s money - including from outside groups - came from Texas. Ron Paul, with $12 million, has been financially competitive, but his libertarian views limit his appeal to Republican primary voters.

Romney had little trouble raising cash from across the US during that same period - getting donations from liberal-leaning districts as well as Republican strongholds in the South. Complicating this election has been the explosion of outside political action committees, known as super PACs, which have spent millions in support of their favored candidates. While they must legally remain independent from candidates, they’ve helped the Iowa front-runners in part by deflating the brief surge of

Gingrich, who especially suffered from negative ads by the Romney-backing Restore Our Future PAC. Among the disparities so far Individual donors: To date, Romney has drawn more than $32 million in individual contributions. Gingrich took in just under $3 million since early 2011, Santorum just over $1 million. Super PACs: These outside groups spent at least $5 million on ads leading up to the Iowa caucuses, notably from Restore Our Future. Santorum’s campaign spent an anemic $4,200 on ads in the state, while his supportive super PAC the Red, White and Blue Fund - spent about half a million dollars in Iowa media markets and is expected to spend more in other primaries.

Defunct campaigns: Candidates often seek to recruit the fundraisers of their rivals who withdraw from the race. But following Tuesday’s results, only one candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann - has dropped out. Since January, the Minnesota congresswoman has raised about $5 million but reported about $1 million cash on hand this fall, putting her near the middle of the Republican fundraising heap. As Santorum and the others rush to expand their operations, Romney is wasting no time. On Wednesday morning, his campaign released a new campaign video, titled “American Optimism,” which makes a nod toward New Hampshire.— AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

103 journalists killed in 2011, Mexico deadliest place: IPI VIENNA: A total 103 journalists were killed in 2011, with Mexico the most dangerous place to work for the media, Vienna-based press watchdog IPI said yesterday. This was the second highest toll on record after 2009, when 110 journalists were killed while covering a story.

“The numbers are getting worse,” the International Press Institute said in a statement, noting that 55 journalists were killed in 2001. “In 2002, 19 countries

appeared on the IPI Death Watch list. In 2011, there were 40 — more than in any year of the past decade.”

With 10 journalists killed there in the past year, Mexico was the deadliest country for the media to work, IPI said. Iraq came second with nine deaths-mostly from bombings-followed by Honduras, Pakistan and Yemen, each with six deaths, and Libya and Brazil with five deaths. In North Africa and the Middle East, journal-

ists were mostly killed during the Arab Spring uprisings. In sub-Saharan Africa, in Russia and in several cases in Pakistan, the reporters were victims of targeted killings, IPI said.

“Almost all of the journalists killed in 2011 were local reporters and cameramen covering local conflicts, corruption and other illegal activities, it said.

“Tragically, the likelihood that the perpetrators will be brought to justice is close

to zero. Impunity is fuelling the murders.”

IPI also noted a “trend of increasing violence against journalists in the Western hemisphere” and called on governments to respect the media’s right to work freely. Aside from targeted killings, the IPI Death Watch list includes journalists killed in natural disasters, plane crashes and attacks while covering a story. In its own tally for 2011, Reporters without Borders counted 66 journalists’ deaths. — AFP

31 killed in prison brawl in Mexico Thirteen inmates suspected involved in fight NUEVO LAREDO: Fighting between inmates left at least 31 dead and 13 wounded Wednesday in a jail holding alleged drug gang members in northeast Mexico, authorities said. Police and soldiers surrounded the Santa Amalia jail, in Altamira on the Gulf of Mexico, and eventually regained control, a federal police spokesman said. Prisoners used makeshift weapons in the clash, which broke out in the men’s section of the jail in the south of the border state of Tamaulipas.

Thirteen inmates suspected of involvement in the fight were detained, state authorities said. The jail was designed to hold 2,000 inmates but had a population of more than 3,000. It lies in an area where the rival Gulf and Zetas

drug gangs have been locked in a bloody turf war. Many of the inmates were doing time on drug-related charges. Prison riots and jailbreaks are common in Mexico, where some 230,000 prisoners are behind bars, with 25 percent in overpopulated prisons.

Tamaulipas, which houses some 7,800 inmates, has seen a wave of breakouts and clashes in recent years. Twenty inmates were killed and 12 wounded in a prison fight last October in the town of Matamoros, across the border from the US state of Texas. Another seven inmates died and 12 were hurt in a clash that same month in a jail on the outskirts of the northern city of Monterrey. One of seven states bordering the United States, Tamaulipas is a prime battleground for

the powerful Zetas and Gulf gangs, whose rivalry often leads to brutal clashes on the streets as well as inside jails.

The Zetas, who have spread a wave of fear across Mexico in recent years, were accused in the near simultaneous breakouts of 32 inmates from three jails in eastern Veracruz state last September.

Fourteen of those were recaptured. Rising lawlessness as the cartels battle it out for lucrative smuggling routes into the United States, as well as running clashes with Mexican police and soldiers, have raised concerns on both sides of the border.

More than 45,000 people have been killed in spiraling drug-related violence in Mexico since the government deployed tens of thousands of federal forces against the cartels five years ago.— AFP

Cuba criticizes Twitter for Fidel death rumor CARACAS: Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, right, and Miss World 2011 Ivian Sarcos pose for pictures during a photo call prior to their meeting at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday. —AP

Chavez urges caution over implants CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday urged Venezuelan women to be cautious about breast implants after a global scare over faulty prostheses and blamed capitalism for the widespread popularity of breast augmentation. Frequent ruptures of implants made by now defunct French manufacturer Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) spurred worldwide concern about possible health effects and led Venezuela to offer to remove them for free.

“We have to be more rigorous and, of course, we have to act to protect our people and call on the female population to be more careful,” the socialist Chavez told reporters. He blamed “capitalist advertising” for spurring the widespread use of breast augmentation surgery that is so popular in Venezuela it is sometimes given to teenage girls as a birthday present. “They get it into your head that this is an indispensable part of beauty,” Chavez said. “Now we’ve got this health problem, you see how far capitalism and the degeneration of health have gone.”

Venezuela’s health ministry urged women with breast implants to have them checked, but said they would not replace them if they were removed. One prominent Venezuelan plastic surgeon estimated that between 30,000 and 35,000 prostheses of all brands were used each year in Venezuela. The French government has been investigating possible links to cancer from the gel used in PIP implants, which in some cases included industrial grade silicone, but has found no evidence so far.— Reuters

HAVANA: State media on Wednesday accused the social networking site Twitter of helping spread a rumor that former Cuban leader Fidel Castro had died, and criticized anti-Castro expatriates it dubbed “necrophiliac counterrevolutionaries” for jumping on the story.

An article on the state-run Cubadebate Web site accused Twitter of allowing an account holder with the sign-on “Naroh” to start the rumor on Monday from an Italian server, possibly after it was taken over by a “robot.” It says the account was then quickly deactivated.

It said Twitter then helped spread the disinformation by allowing the hash tag “fidelcastro” to become a trending topic. It briefly became the fourth most popular in the world as it drew many more people to the subject. The site also accused Twitter of censoring subjects in the past that were in favor of the Cuban government. A Twitter spokesperson, Jodi Olson, said the company had no comment on the specifics of Cuba’s complaint, but added “as you know, we don’t mediate content.”

Rumors that a celebrity or other public figure is dead are common on social media sites and can spread quickly because of their nature.

“Naroh,” whose account was in active

use on Wednesday, was one of more than 50 Twitter users to retweet a message that was a joke in fact casting doubt on the rumors of Castro’s death.

He and others were posting other, mostly sarcastic, messages about the rumor at the same time. The account’s owner lists his name as “Naroh - David Fdez,” and his biography identifies him as a 20year-old living “between Asturias and Madrid” in Spain.

Reached via Twitter on Wednesday, the owner of the account reacted with shock and amusement. “Obviously I didn’t start anything,” he tweeted back to an AP reporter. Asked which of his tweets may have gotten Havana’s attention, he said he had no idea, that his posts were jokes and that the topic was already trending when he got involved.

He then tweeted to his followers, in Spanish: “Cuba is blaming me for killing Fidel Castro on Twitter. Can I now consider myself a Twit-star?”

Cubadebate also blamed anti-Castro expatriates anxious to see Castro’s demise for gleefully furthering the rumor, saying “necrophiliac counterrevolutionaries, aided by some media, immediately started to party.” Castro, 85, turned power over to his brother Raul in 2006 during an illness that nearly killed

him. He is officially retired, though he occasionally publishes opinion columns.

In recent months, Castro has alluded to the limits of age, but has also taken pride in his longevity. Cuba boasts that along with besting the actuarial tables, the former Cuban leader has survived hundreds of assassination attempts at the hands of his enemies in the United States. Cubadebate noted that a false story about Castro’s demise was spread on the Internet and elsewhere back in August. On that occasion, there was even a computer virus embedded in a spam email titled “Fidel is Dead,” which featured a doctored, grainy photograph of the former Cuban leader that appeared to show him lying in a coffin.

As usual, the Cuban government has declined to make any official comment about Castro’s health. But the former leader hasn’t been silent. On Dec 31, he sent a get-well letter to a Cuban baseball star that was read over state television. Cubadebate on Wednesday reiterated a refrain it used the last time the Castro rumors began, saying that the latest hubbub was spread by “people inventing things in the virtual world that even the CIA could not accomplish in real life.”— AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

25 dead, 150 missing in Philippine landslide Area declared too dangerous for habitation

In this undated image taken from a video sent by the kidnappers of Australian citizen Warren Richard Rodwell to his family, Rodwell pleads for a US$2 million ransom for his safe return. —AP

Kidnapped Aussie seeks $2m ransom MANILA: A former Australian soldier kidnapped in the southern Philippines is seen in a video sent to his family pleading for his life and urging Manila and Canberra to raise a $2 million ransom being demanded by his captors. The video of 53-year-old Warren Richard Rodwell, along with four photographs showing him in handcuffs and apparently wounded in the right hand, were mailed to his Filipino wife before Christmas, Philippine police officials said. The Associated Press saw a copy of the video and photos yesterday.

Wearing a sweater and appearing to read from a piece of paper, Rodwell tried to clear his throat as he spoke in the brief video, which was given by his family to Philippine police investigators. Looking haggard and unshaven, he squinted his eyes at times and stood in front of a blue tarpaulin covering a backdrop of vegetation. While saying he was once with the Australian army, Rodwell suggested the terrain he was in was difficult.

One of the photos showed a silver handcuff and its chain dangling from his left wrist. The side of his right palm appeared to be wounded. In Melbourne, Australia, Home Affairs and Justice Minister Brendan O’Connor told reporters that Australian officials were working with Philippine authorities to ensure Rodwell’s safe release, but he refused to divulge more details. When asked about the kidnappers’ demand for money, he said Australia has a policy of not paying ransom. “Our concerns are for him and our thoughts are with his family, and the embassy will be doing everything they possibly can to ensure he’s released,” O’Connor said.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said that her government has established a task force to investigate the kidnapping. Philippine Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo declined to issue any statement on the video or ongoing efforts to free Rodwell for his safety.

He said the Philippine government has a no-ransom policy.

Rodwell worked as a university teacher in Shanghai before his marriage in June to a Filipino woman he met through the Internet, police said. His personal website describes him as an English teacher who has traveled widely around the world and written about his journeys. He was taken at gunpoint by about six men on Dec. 5 in southern Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay province. It was the latest abduction of a foreigner in the Philippines’ volatile south, where several kidnappings for ransom have been blamed on the alQaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group.

No group has claimed responsibility for Rodwell’s kidnapping, but officials suspect the Abu Sayyaf and its allied gunmen may be responsible. The Abu Sayyaf, which is on Washington’s list of terrorist organizations, is believed to still be holding a number of foreign hostages in their jungle lairs on Jolo island in southern Sulu province, including a Japanese treasure hunter, an Indian and a Malaysian. — AP

PANTUKAN: At least 25 people were killed in the southern Philippines yesterday when a landslide buried gold prospectors who had refused to leave an area declared too dangerous for habitation. Officials said up to 150 people were missing on Mindanao island after the collapse of a rainsoaked hillside that had been settled by thousands of migrants in search of instant riches. Rescuers using handheld tools pulled 25 bodies and 15 injured residents from the rubble after the dawn landslide in Napnapan, a hamlet of more than 8,000 people near the town of Pantukan, civil defence chief Benito Ramos told AFP. “A military unit is in the area but they are basically digging with their hands,” he told AFP. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said 150 people were missing and that the health department was transporting 150 body bags to the site, even as heavy rain halted rescue efforts for the rest of the day. Local military official Colonel Lyndon Paniza, who is coordinating the rescue from Pantukan, about two hours away via rugged mountain roads, said rescuers fear there could be more fatalities.

“We expect many were killed since the worst-hit was the middle, where there are more than 50 shanties,” he told AFP. The landslide buried a 7,500square-metre (81,000-square-foot) area as people slept, Paniza added.

The provincial government and local mining firms have been asked to bring heavy equipment to the village.

Pantukan and nearby Monkayo, both on the west flank of Mindanao’s Pacific Cordilleras mountains, have drawn gold prospectors for years despite frequent, deadly landslides.

Their largely unregulated tunnelling have made the mountainside unstable, government experts say, while officials also said a 2.8-magnitude quake that hit the area about three hours earlier could have triggered the disaster. Paniza said another landslide had occurred about two kilometres (just over a mile) away on

April 22 last year. Local officials said that landslide had killed 14 people, while another in 2009 killed 26. Aerial photographs released by the army showed an expanse of brown mud crushing wooden homes and vehicles, as rescuers scrambled down dangerous, near-vertical slopes to search the rubble.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau head Leo Jasareno said miners had been told to leave the area as early as 2008, but local officials failed to enforce the ban. “That place is full of tension cracks. Geologically, the stones beneath were really fractured,” Jasareno said over ABS-CBN television.

He said the ground had been saturated, with heavy rains from a storm off Mindanao’s southeast coast soaking the peaks over the past two weeks.

“We classify this as rain-induced, although structures built on the mountain aggravated the problem,” Jasareno said. Disaster reduction chief Ramos said the victims were partly to

blame. “These are small-scale miners who tunnel into the side of the mountains like rats,” Ramos told AFP. “It’s obvious that the gold attracts them. We cannot guard the mountain 24/7 because we have other responsibilities.” The Philippines has some of the world’s biggest gold, copper and nickel deposits, according to expert estimates, but most of these have remained off-limits to big mining firms partly due to local opposition.

The situation has let in individuals or small-scale ventures that simply start digging on slopes and process ore using antiquated and dangerous methods.

The environment department estimates that 70 percent of all gold in the country is produced by small-scale miners, many of them in areas like Pantukan. The landslide came just barely three weeks after a powerful storm caused heavy flooding elsewhere on Mindanao, killing more than 1,200 people. — AFP

PANTUKAN: This handout photo taken yesterday and released by the Public information Office of Philippine Army 10th Infrantry Division shows residents and rescuers looking for survivors at the site of the landslide in the village of Napan, Pantukan town in southern island of Mindanao. —AFP

Tourist bus plunges off bridge in China, killing 18 BEIJING: At least 18 people were killed, including one child, after a speeding, overloaded tourist bus veered off an icy highway bridge in southwest China, local authorities said yesterday. The 53-seat bus-packed with 57 peopleplunged off the bridge in Guizhou province on Wednesday, leaving six others in critical condition, a spokeswoman for the local government told AFP. The injured were rushed to a local hospital and an investigation into the cause of the accident-which happened in Guiding county-has been launched.

The spokeswoman for the Guiding government, who refused to be named, said one of the four extra people travelling on the bus was a baby, and the three others were children. One of the children, who was between five and seven years old, died.

The accident happened when the bus was travelling on

an icy patch of an expressway, she added. A photo of the crash published in state media showed rescuers standing next to the overturned blue and white bus, the top of the vehicle slightly squashed. Investigators have blamed the crash on human error, saying the tired driver drove the bus across two lanes and broke through a barrier before plunging about nine metres (30 feet) into a valley, the state Xinhua news agency said.

The fatal crash is the latest on China’s notoriously dangerous roads, where drivers often flout traffic safety laws.

In December, 15 primary school children died when the bus they were travelling in rolled into a river. The previous month, 19 children were killed in an overcrowded, nineseater van. Almost 70,000 people died in road accidents in China in 2010 — around 190 fatalities a day-according to police statistics. — AFP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

2 Britons charged over weapons in Afghanistan KABUL: Two British men arrested in Afghanistan with 30 AK-47 assault rifles have been charged with weapons smuggling, a government spokesman said yesterday. The men, named as Julian Steele and James Davis, were paraded at a news conference which heard that they were detained while driving through Kabul and told police they were working for a private security company, Garda

World. “The detainees did not have any documentation for carrying weapons, so we have charged them with illegal smuggling of weapons and have handed them to the attorney general for further investigation,” said spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.

“The National Police hereby also announce the dissolution of this company, and based on the order of the interior minister, the head and other

officials of this company will be summoned to give account. The company has been dissolved.” Two Afghan nationals travelling with the men were also detained. They were also shown to the media along with the weapons, but all four men stood with their backs to reporters.

Afghanistan is home to thousands of foreign private security personnel providing services for foreign troops,

diplomatic missions and aid organizations. But relations with the authorities have deteriorated. President Hamid Karzai accuses the firms of breaking the law and taking business away from Afghans.Perceptions that those working for security firms are little more than gun-toting mercenaries, roaming the countryside with impunity, have made them deeply unpopular among Afghans. — AFP

Taleban kill 15 Pakistan troops Corpses found with bullet wounds

NAYPYIDAW: British Foreign Secretary William Hague, left, talks with Myanmar’s House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann during their meeting at parliament in Naypyidaw, Myanmar yesterday. —AP

Suu Kyi positive on democracy ahead of historic Britain talks NAYPYIDAW: Aung San Suu Kyi said yesterday she expected to live to see full democratic elections in Myanmar, ahead of historic talks with Britain’s foreign secretary who called for more steps towards reform.

Hague, the first British foreign minister to visit the military-dominated nation in more than half a century, also issued a call for the release of all political prisoners before holding talks with President Thein Sein.

He was due later yesterday to meet with Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace laureate who has grown cautiously positive about the country’s future since the installation of a nominally civilian regime after November 2010 elections. “I think there will be full democratic elections within my lifetime, but then of course I do not know how long I’m going to live,” Suu Kyi said in an interview with the BBC. Shortly afterwards, her National League for Democracy (NLD) announced the party had been officially registered, passing the final hurdle to enable it to run in by-elections scheduled for April. Suu Kyi, who has spent most of the last two decades in custody, was freed from seven straight years of house arrest days after the November polls which were discredited at the time but have been followed by surprising reforms.

The 66-year-old opposition leader, who could enter parliament for the first time if she goes ahead with plans to contest the February by-elections, was noncommittal on the prospects of eventually running for president. “I’m not even sure that this is something that I would like to do,” she said ahead of her meeting with Hague in the commercial hub of Yangon where she lives.

Hague’s trip, the first by a European Union foreign minister since the power handover

from the military junta which ruled for decades, is the latest round of international diplomacy aimed at encouraging the budding reforms. As he embarked on the mission which began in the capital Naypyidaw, Hague said he would try to encourage the Myanmar government to “continue on its path of reform, and to gauge what more Britain can do to support this process.”

“Further steps are needed that will have a lasting impact on human rights and political freedom,” he said in a statement released by the Foreign Office in London.

“In particular, we hope to see the release of all remaining political prisoners, free and fair by-elections, humanitarian access to people in conflict areas, and credible steps towards national reconciliation.” He told reporters that Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin had “reaffirmed commitments that have been made to release political prisoners”, according to the BBC. The minister “said the changes are irreversible and I welcome that way of thinking... I stressed that the world will judge the government by its actions,” he said.

Since taking office last year Thein Seinhimself a former junta general has held dialogue with Suu Kyi, suspended an unpopular Chinese-backed mega dam and shown a desire to reach out to the international community. Some political prisoners have also been released but the government this week caused disappointment when it announced reduced jail terms for inmates but failed to issue a much-anticipated amnesty for detained dissidents.

Myanmar’s parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann said Hague had been asked to give “constructive criticism” to the country’s new leaders. — AFP

PESHAWAR: The bodies of 15 members of Pakistan’s paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC) were found yesterday, almost two weeks after they were kidnapped from a northwestern town, officials said. The Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killings. “We have received dead bodies of 15 kidnapped FC men”, senior local FC commander Ali Sher Mehsud told AFP, revising the earlier death toll. He said that the FC men were killed in Shawa,” a small town in the North Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border.

All the corpses, which arrived in a military hospital in the northwestern Tal town, had bullet wounds, he added. A local intelligence official also confirmed the killings.

The FC personnel were kidnapped late last month during a night-time attack on a checkpoint in the northwestern town of Tank. Pakistan’s seven tribal districts near the Afghan border, including North Waziristan, are rife with homegrown insurgents and are strongholds of Taleban and Al-Qaeda operatives.

Taleban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the killings, telling AFP: “We have taken revenge for continued operations of security forces against us. They are in fact fighting for Americans.” Islamist militants opposed to the government, particularly the nebulous Tehreek-e-Taleban (TTP) network, have carried out bomb and gun attacks killing more than 4,700 people across Pakistan since July 2007. But significantly, there has been no major Islamist militant attack in Pakistan since a suicide bomber killed 46 people, targeting an anti-Taleban militia at a funer-

al in the northwestern district of Lower Dir on September 15 last year.

Pakistan has for years battled insurgents in the northwest and the tribal belt. More than 3,000 soldiers have died but Islamabad has resisted US pressure. The United States described Pakistani tribal regions as the most dangerous place on earth and asked Islamabad to take decisive action against militants especially in North Waziristan, a bastion of the Haqqani network. But Pakistan withstood US pressure to wage battle with the Afghan Talebanallied Haqqani network, which is blamed for some of the worst attacks in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s fragile alliance with the United States crashed to new lows on November 26, when NATO air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in what the Pakistan military called a deliberate attack. The air strikes were the latest in a series of crises last year that have brought the fragile Pakistani-US alliance to an all-time low.

In January, a CIA contractor shot dead two Pakistanis and was taken into custody, accused of double murder. On May 2, a covert American raid killed Osama bin Laden near the capital without Washington informing the government. Pakistan refused to take part in the inquiry, having criticised previous investigations into crossborder attacks as worthless. Instead, it has sought a formal apology from US President Barack Obama. Islamabad has kept its Afghan border closed to NATO convoys since November 26, boycotted the Bonn conference on Afghanistan and ordered Americans to leave an air base understood to have been a hub for CIA drone strikes on the Taliban. — AFP

Karzai concerned over role in Afghan peace talks KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai is concerned over being sidelined in US efforts to bring Taleban insurgents to the negotiating table, a government official said yesterday. The hardline Islamists announced this week that they planned to open an overseas political office, a move seen as a precursor to talks to end the long and bloody war in Afghanistan.

A senior official in Karzai’s administration told AFP that the Western-backed leader was unhappy over the process as it

had not involved his government. “Any peace process without Afghanistan’s government in the lead is meaningless,” the official said, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

“The US officials that we are in contact with say that once the office is set up and talks gets underway the lead will be given to Afghanistan’s government. Without that no talks could succeed,” he told AFP. “But so far, the Afghan government has not been involved.” — AFP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Fitch: Saudi spending to exceed 2012 budget

US private hiring up, jobless claims drop

PAGE 20

PAGE 21

KUWAIT: Traders watch the price monitors at the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The KSE index dropped to seven and half-year low yesterday on continuing political uncertainty. — KUNA

Kuwait slumps to new 7-year low Gulf markets mixed amid uncertainty DUBAI: Kuwait’s market slumped to a new seven-and-half-year-low yesterday on political uncertainty in the Gulf state, while regional bourses ended mixed with many investors away on holidays and global markets providing few cues. The Kuwaiti index fell 0.5 percent, its fourth consecutive decline, to end at its lowest level since August 2004, with little buying interest among investors.

“There is a downtrend in Kuwait because of political issues and it’s still expensive so the trend should continue,” said Sebastien Henin, portfolio manager at The National Investor.

HH the Amir has called an early parliamentary election for Feb 2, nearly two weeks after he dissolved the chamber following a long-running dispute with the cabinet that has paralyzed politics in the OPEC oil-exporter.

Telecoms operator Zain fell 1.2 percent and Kuwait Finance House declined 1.1 percent.

Elsewhere, Oman International Bank (OIB) rose 3.2 percent, after a local newspaper cited unnamed sources as saying its merger talks with HSBC were at an advanced stage. In October, the two banks confirmed they were in talks over merging their operations in the Gulf Arab state.

“OIB has a strong balance sheet and with HSBC, we see robust growth in the merger,” said Adel Nasr, United Securities brokerage manager. Muscat’s benchmark gained 0.3 percent to its highest close since September 2010.

In Dubai, contractor Arabtec gained 1.9 percent, helping lift the emirate’s index.

Arabtec said on Wednesday it had won a $153 million contract for the expansion of Dubai airport. “There are still a few rumors regarding Arabtec that one shareholder is trying to buy a large stake,” Henin said. Dubai’s benchmark edged up 0.2 percent but it is in a

five-month declining trend. Dubai Investment gained 4.1 percent and logistics operator Aramex climbed 1.7 percent. In Abu Dhabi, banks were the main drag on the index which slipped 0.7 percent in its largest one-day drop in two weeks. National Bank of Abu Dhabi dipped 0.5 percent, First Gulf Bank fell 1 percent and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank dropped 2.8 percent.

In Qatar, the index eased 0.07 percent, slipping from Wednesday’s 11-month high.

Industries Qatar fell 0.6 and United Development declined 3.1 percent. Banks gained, with Commercial Bank of Qatar climbing 0.6 percent, and Masraf Al Rayan rising 0.4 percent. “Trading in Qatar was relatively thin today, with some key stocks seeing wider spreads,” said Sleiman Aboulhosn, assistant fund manager at Al-Masah Capital. “There aren’t any specific catalysts at the moment and global

markets are relatively calm as many traders are standing aside in anticipation of US job-related numbers due today and more importantly tomorrow. We’ll probably see activity tick up a notch next week.”

KUWAIT: The measure fell 0.5 percent to 5,727 points.

OMAN: The index gained 0.3 percent to 5,733 points.

DUBAI: The index ticked up 0.2 percent to 1,349 points.

ABU DHABI: The index declined 0.4 percent to 2,430 points.

QATAR: The benchmark eased 0.07 percent to 8,886 points.

EGYPT: The index fell 0.7 percent to 3,628 points.

BAHRAIN: The measure gained 0.1 percent to 1,138 points. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Fitch: Saudi spending to exceed 2012 budget Kingdom seen reporting surplus

CLEVELAND: US President Barack Obama speaks about the economy at Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland on Wednesday.

Obama plans to appoint Richard Cordray as acting head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in a recess appointment, bypassing Congress and setting up a bitter election-year legal showdown with Republicans. — AFP

Saudi oil price cuts not seen tempting buyers SINGAPORE: Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia’s deeper than expected cuts to its February official crude selling prices (OSPs) for buyers in Asia are unlikely to drum up interest for additional supply. Demand from refiners was expected to be stable, industry sources said. “We will nominate based on demand from our refineries, not based on prices because after Saudi cut its OSPs, Kuwaiti, Iraqi and Iranian crude prices will also be cut,” said a source with a Northeast Asia refiner.

“We see stable demand from refineries in February.” The kingdom’s state oil firm informed customers on Wednesday that it had set its OSP for February Arab Light barrels to Asia at the Oman/Dubai average plus $2.05 a barrel, down from $4.15 a barrel this month.

Regional refiners and traders had expected Saudi Arabia to cut prices by about 50 cents according to a Reuters poll on December 29. “It was a surprise, we expected a cut in line with the weaker distillate margins, but we didn’t think it would be this deep,” an Asian based trader said.

Gasoil margins, the key profit indicator for refiners, dipped to around $16.82 a barrel in late December, the lowest it’s been since mid-October but has since recovered to around $18 a barrel, Reuters data showed. Saudi Arabia, which last month announced that it had boosted output to over 10 million barrels per day (bpd), raised prices for its January crude supplies between $1.60 and nearly $2 a barrel, much to the chagrin of its Asian customers in the region.

“The prices we saw in January were ridiculously high, many lifters felt it didn’t truly reflect market fundamentals,” a Singapore based trader said. Incremental demand in the region has been cool as arbitrage cargoes from the North Sea move to Asia, following the recent shutdown of Petroplus refining operations in Europe. Some traders pointed to the start of the turnaround season in the Spring as another reason for the lower than expected Saudi crude prices.

“Here in Asia we’re already seeing quite a bit of capacity coming offline ,” a trader said.

Yesterday, Reliance Industries said it was planning scheduled maintenance at one of its crude distillation units at its refinery complex in Jamnagar. The maintenance is expected to last for three weeks. Global oil benchmarks have been given a boost on fears of potential supply disruptions from Iran, as the war of words between Tehran and the West heats up.

The prospective embargo by the European Union, along with tougher US financial measures signed into law by President Barack Obama on New Year’s Eve, form a concerted Western campaign to hold back Iran’s nuclear programme.

“This saga has lifted oil prices, flat prices go up...it only makes sense for OSPs to come off,” a Singapore based trader with a Wall Street bank said. “The cuts by the Saudi’s would definitely help to balance things out.” While traders and refiners said it was unlikely that the Saudi’s adjusted their prices lower in view of the standoff between Iran and the West, they did suggest that lower prices did make it easier for Asian refiners seeking alternatives to supply from Tehran. —Reuters

RIYADH: Spending by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012 will likely be higher than budgeted, but the country will still run a fiscal surplus of 4% of GDP, says Fitch Ratings.

Spending growth will moderate in 2012 compared with last year. In 2011, spending growth reached 24%, the highest in a decade. The government raised public sector wages, created government jobs, injected capital into state-owned lenders and pledged more resources for housing. Capital spending - mainly on infrastructure exceeded 12% of GDP. Saudi budgets typically underestimate both revenue and spending. In 2002-2011, central government spending exceeded the budget by an average of 24.8%. But in each year other than 2009, oil prices lifted revenues beyond expectations, giving the government room to spend more without running a deficit. In its National Budget released December 26, the Ministry of Finance projected total revenues of SAR702bn ($187.2bn) and government expenditure of SAR690bn, giving a surplus of SAR12bn.

This appears to be based on a conservative oil price assumption.

Assuming Saudi Arabia reduces oil output to an average of 9mbd in 2012, the breakeven oil price would be around $60/b.

However, a budget overspend in line with the recent historical average would result in spending of SAR846bn and push up the breakeven oil price to

$75/b. At Fitch’s oil price assumption of $100/b, revenue would reach SAR907bn, giving a surplus of SAR61bn, or around 4% of GDP. Over the medium term, there is still a possibility of Saudi Arabia running a deficit by 2015. Assuming 7% spending growth - which would be lower than the annual average of 12.5% in 20022011 - modest oil output growth, and an average oil price of $100/b, the country would run a deficit of 1% of GDP by 2015. Fitch rates Saudi Arabia ‘AA-’ with a Stable Outlook. The high

investment grade rating largely reflects the very strong sovereign and external balance sheet.

The sovereign balance sheet improved further in 2011, despite the highest spending growth in a decade.

Sovereign net foreign assets grew by over $100bn to 112% of GDP. With Brent averaging $110/b, the general government surplus for the year was 14% of GDP, higher than our expectation of 7.5% when we affirmed the rating on April 8, 2011. That estimate was based on an assumption of $100/b. — Reuters

KARACHI: A Pakistani laborer sorts rice at a whole sale market in Karachi yesterday. The World Bank has said it would provide Pakistan with $5.5 billion in development aid over the next two years. — AFP

Nakheel in negotiation on $272m contractor claims DUBAI: Troubled Dubai developer Nakheel has negotiated contractor claims worth 1 billion dirhams ($272.24 million) so far and hopes to issue the second tranche of its Islamic bond within the next six months, its chairman said yesterday.

“So far we have been successful in the negotiations,” Ali Rashid Lootah told reporters at the Nakheel headquarters in the man-made island Palm Jumeirah.

“We dealt with the claims of one billion dirhams,” Lootah said. The indebted developer, which issued the first tranche of a $1.31 billion sukuk, or Islamic bond, to trade creditors in August as part of its restructuring, said the second tranche of one billion dirhams would be to settle claims of the contractors. The contractors would be repaid up to 40 percent in cash and 60 percent via the bond, Lootah said. “We hope to issue the sukuk in the first half of the year,” he added. He declined to comment on how many contractor claims were pending and the value of these claims. Nakheel was hit by the property slump in the Gulf Arab emirate after it overstretched itself building islands in the shape of palms and other ambitious projects. Nakheel completed the restructuring of a total of $16.06 billion in debt, including $8.71 billion of government debt which is to be converted into equity. The company, which was previously the property arm of Dubai World, is now controlled by the Dubai government along with another debt ridden property firm Limitless, that is restructuring a $1.2 billion loan of its own.

Lootah said after the restructuring, the company’s priority is to repay the contractors and to regain the confidence of investors. “People are trusting Nakheel again... we are getting contractors who want to bid for some of our new projects,” he said. He said the company is on track to deliver 7,000 units by end of the year and is also tendering new contracts in its retail segments. —Reuters

Naphtha firming, gasoline supported DUBAI: Naphtha markets strengthened in the Gulf Middle East this week, drawing support from rising prices in Asia while regional demand supported gasoline, traders said yesterday. “Naphtha is getting much stronger,” one trader said. Prices in Asia edged up nearly 2 percent to approach a three-month high on Wednesday.Top Asian naphtha buyer Formosa purchased some 100,000 tons of naphtha for mid-February arrival at premiums of about $3 a ton to Japan spot quotes on a cost-and-freight (C&F) basis, similar to levels it paid for 200,000 tons for January arrival.

Qatar’s Tasweeq offered 50,000 tons of plant condensates for Feb. 18-19 loading from Ras Laffan in a tender closing on Jan. 16, with bids to stay valid until Jan. 19.

Gasoline was also supported by regional demand, and tightness in Asia which has been on the rise due to existing and upcoming maintenance in refineries. “There is increased demand in the Gulf for gasoline,” a gasoline trader said. “Saudis are looking for term contracts and Egypt and Bahrain are looking to buy spot,” he added.

Saudi Arabia’s gasoline demand is set to be higher than usual in the first quarter of this year, traders say, as the state oil giant is seeking cargoes as part of its planned donation to Yemen and to fill the gap from a turnaround in its Riyadh refinery in January. Elsewhere, Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) has signed a deal to buy nearly 1.5 million tonnes of gasoil and gasoline for delivery over the first half of the year, industry sources said on Tuesday. —Reuters

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Oil dips on strong dollar, Iran backs LONDON: Oil edged lower to around $113.40 a barrel yesterday as a stronger dollar offset fears of supply disruptions to Iranian crude should a European Union agreement to cut off oil imports from the No. 2 OPEC producer come into force.

Brent crude futures were off 37 cents to $113.33 at 1018 GMT, giving up earlier gains as the dollar strengthened. US crude was down 72 cents at $102.50 a barrel, after reaching an intraday high of $103.73 earlier in the session.

Analysts and traders said oil prices had come under pressure as the dollar strengthened, up 0.59 percent against a basket of currencies at 1018 GMT. But they added that the risk remained to the upside given geopolitical tensions around Iran and Syria, and calls for strikes in Africa’s biggest

producer Nigeria which may affect crude oil exports. This is keeping a floor under prices. On Wednesday, European Union governments reached a preliminary agreement to ban imports of Iranian crude to the EU, although they have yet to decide when the embargo will be put in place.

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will travel to China and Japan next week to discuss US sanctions on Iran with top government officials. “It is the geopolitical situation that is supporting the prices, with the possible EU import ban on Iranian oil,” said Eugen Weinberg, an analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt. “Oil prices are also establishing themselves above $100 in the case of WTI and above $110 in the case of Brent.”

Analysts also pointed to potential prob-

lems in Nigeria following the government’s decision to remove gasoline subsidies at the start of 2012 which has triggered protests and calls for strikes by trade unions. “Nigeria has a history of long strikes and that can have an impact on overall crude exports - that is definitely something that needs to be watched,” said Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix.

He warned that the price of gasoline in Europe per tonne was already above the peak levels seen in the Libyan crisis.

“The West is playing a very dangerous game with Iran - they are making a lot of assumptions, but if you have something blowing up in Nigeria, the prices could really start to get out of control. It is a difficult time to be short oil I think,” he said.

Brent has gained nearly 6 percent over

the last two sessions and closed at the highest since Nov. 11 on Wednesday. US crude gained 4.4 percent over the same period and settled at its highest since May 10 on Wednesday. Despite the EU embargo threat, Iran says it is ready to ship its oil to China and other Asian countries as well as Africa. “The excess Iranian production will continue to be fed back into Asia,” said Jonathan Barratt, chief executive of Barrattsbulletin.com. Buyers could strike a deal to buy the crude at lower prices, he added. Saudi Arabia had said it is prepared to increase output in case of a sudden supply cut. OPEC oil output rose in December to the highest since October 2008, a Reuters survey found, as members showed little sign of cutting output as Libyan supplies recover. — Reuters

US private hiring up, jobless claims drop Employers add 325,000 new workers

TOKYO: Japan Automobile Manufactures’ Association (JAMA) Chairman Toshiyuki Shiga (2R), Chief Operating Officer of Nissan Motor, and vice chairmans, Toyota Motor president Akio Toyoda (3R), Honda Motor president Takanobu Ito (4R), Mitsubishi Motors president Osamu Masuko (L) welcome a guest Shoichiro Toyoda (R) prior to a 2012 New Year’s Party in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Moody’s still negative on UK bank environment LONDON: Moody’s said the operating environment remained negative for British banks which, themselves, were better placed in some respects than European Union rivals more directly hit by the euro-zone debt crisis. Senior vice president Elisabeth Rudman also told Reuters in an interview Moody’s would not necessarily cut British bank ratings again.

“In the UK, the banks have considerably strengthened their capital levels and liquidity levels. It means the UK banks are relatively well-placed with regards to their peers in Europe.”

“But the operating environment which they are in is extremely challenging and we think it will remain so.” In October, Moody’s cut its ratings on part state-owned banks Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland, and also downgraded Spanish group Banco Santander’s Santander UK unit, Cooperative Bank, Nationwide Building Society and seven smaller building societies.

Rudman said negative risks for British banks were rising unemployment and the possibility of an economic recession, along with the ongoing European debt crisis. “We have a negative outlook on the system. It is similar to most banking systems in Europe and many banking systems globally ... Any kind of rise in unemployment will feed through to banks’ profitability and asset quality.”

Lloyds and RBS shares were both down 1.1 percent in midmorning trade, outperforming bank stocks elsewhere in Europe. Italian lender UniCredit, which has set a chunky discount on a 7.5 billion euro ($9.7 billion) rights issue, was down 10 percent, while Deutsche Bank was down 4.6 percent.

Britain’s so-called “Big Four” banks-Barclays, HSBC , Lloyds and RBS-were due to report 2011 results in late February and early March. — Reuters

NEW YORK: US private-sector hiring surged in December as employers added 325,000 new workers while claims for jobless benefits fell, raising hope that recent labor market improvement would continue in 2012.

The ADP National Employment Report’s December job tally surprised economists who had expected a 178,000 gain. It was also well above the 204,000 private jobs added in November.

“The number is stunning,” said Wayne Kaufman, chief market analyst at John Thomas Financial in New York.

“This is another data point that shows our economy is healing. It fits in well with improvements we’ve seen in consumer sentiment, and obviously that’s because there are more people getting paychecks, which is making everyone happier.”

Joel Prakken of Macroeconomic Advisers, which helps produce the report, struck a note of caution, telling reporters that the December surge in hiring might have been caused in part by year-end seasonal factors and revisions were possible. In the US stock market, stock futures pared losses after the data while US government debt prices fell slightly.

A more comprehensive government report due today is expected to show the economy added 150,000 public and private sector jobs last month, but the ADP report may cause some to revise that total upward.

Yesterday’s data “point to what should be a fabulous number tomorrow,” said Todd Schoenberger, managing director at Landcolt trading in

LA HABRA: Customers wait in line to pay for their items at a Kohl’s department store in La Habra, California. Many retailers are reporting solid sales gains for December, capping a decent holiday season. — AP Wilmington, Delaware. “We should welcome this positive news because clearly Santa Claus is still around.”

A separate report from consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed the number of planned layoffs at US firms fell to a five-month low in November.

But John Challenger, chief executive officer, said the two sectors that suffered the most job cuts in 2011 - government and financial services-look destined to struggle again this year.The jobless rate is expected to have edged

up to 8.7 percent as some Americans who had given up their search for work were lured back into the market, according to a Reuters survey.

Even so, economists say recent labor market trends have been encouraging. The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell last week for the fourth time in the last five weeks.However, in December 2010, a surge in private sector hiring far exceeded the total job gain for that month reported by the government. —Reuters

Futures drop as euro, European shares fall NEW YORK: US stock index futures fell yesterday as renewed concerns about the euro zone’s financial health pushed down the euro and European shares. The euro, which has been closely correlated with global equities, tumbled to a 15-month low against the dollar and an 11-year low ver-

sus the yen as investors questioned the ability of European banks to raise capital amid the region’s debt crisis. European shares were lower yesterday, led by bank stocks as sovereign yields rose across the region after a French debt auction. French borrowing costs rose slightly when the

euro zone’s second-largest economy sold debt for the first time this year yesterday.

Demand was solid despite concerns the country could lose its AAA credit rating and offered relief that the bloc’s stronger sovereigns can still smoothly manage an escalation of the debt crisis for now. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

China trade surplus narrows to $160bn Weaker demand from key export markets NEW YORK: People talk with a recruiter (center) at a job fair sponsored by National Career Fairs, in New York. The average number of people seeking unemployment benefits in the past month fell to the lowest level in three and a half years, a positive sign for hiring one day ahead of today’s December employment report. — AP

Consumer blues weigh on pre-election France PARIS: French consumer expenditure, linchpin of an economy that depends far more on domestic demand than its exportpropelled neighbor Germany, could falter further in the coming weeks, according to a two reports published yesterday.

With morale at its lowest in three years and unemployment claims at their highest in 12 years, economic prospects are dim as President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative government prepares to raise tax in a policy U-turn just over three months from an election. His own prospects will hardly benefit either from relentless news headlines of the threat to France’s debt market rating and job losses at companies such as ferry operator SeaFrance and a closure threat at a Petroplus oil refinery.

A monthly report from statistics office INSEE said consumer morale held steady in December but at its weakest since December 2008 when the country was heading into recession along with much of the industrialized world.

“One interpretation is that French consumers have not recovered from the subprime crisis, which triggered the worst recession since the Second World War and has now turned into a sovereign debt crisis,” said Marion Labore, economist at Barclays Capital Research. A survey by polling outfit TNS Sofres showed that 67 percent of respondents, or roughly two in three people, think they will have to cut back on spending in the coming months, primarily on holidays and entertainment and then on clothes.

The two reports followed another one on Wednesday in which the statistics office reported a drop in household expenditure in November, the last month for which a readout of expenditure by French households is available. Seasonal discount selling gets going in earnest next week, which may bolster spending to an extent, especially if people are keen to concentrate their annual purchases of clothes and other items in cut-price periods, but the outlook thereafter remains worrying, economists say. The statistics office’s December survey of consumer morale showed people rating of their personal financial situation had deteriorated, both when they rated it for the recent past and for the period ahead. — Reuters

EU bank watchdog to forge bonus rules LONDON: Agreeing binding rules to curb excessive bank pay will be a top priority over the next two years, the European Union’s banking watchdog said in its upcoming work program.

“The crisis has shown the adverse personal incentives could lead to risk-prone behaviur,” the year-old European Banking Authority (EBA) said in a statement. It introduced guidelines in January 2010 and will now collect data for drawing up binding rules the watchdog will develop in 2012-2013 to ensure “sound remuneration policies”.

The EBA said its main regulatory objective is to play a leading role in the creation of a single rule book for the EU banking system. A core part of this will be to flesh out 200 rules and other items mainly this year to implement an EU law now being approved that will force banks to hold more capital and liquidity, and introduce a leverage ratio. “Based upon the capacity available at both the EBA and at the national authorities, it is expected that not all activities can be undertaken as currently proposed without additional human resources at the EBA,” the watchdog said. The EU’s executive European Commission is expected to publish its delayed draft law on bank crisis resolution in coming weeks. — Reuters

SHANGHAI: China’s trade surplus narrowed to around $160 billion in 2011, the commerce minister said yesterday, as the world’s number two economy faced weaker demand from key export markets.

The drop from a 2010 trade surplus of $183 billion came after a year of economic turmoil in key export markets including the United States and Europe. Commerce Minister Chen Deming said total trade volume-imports and exports combined-rose more 20 percent to $3.6 trillion last year, according to the official Xinhua News Agency, which gave no breakdown for exports and imports.

China’s trade surplus is politically sensitive, since the United States and other countries have accused Beijing of keeping its yuan currency artificially low to boost exports. US officials have long charged that China was deliberately pursuing a weak currency, helping fuel a flow of cheap exports that helped send the US trade deficit with China to more than $270 billion in 2010.

Chinese leaders have pledged to boost domestic demand to counter slowing exports, a key driver of the country’s economic growth. Chen said last month China would move to “stabilize” its exports in 2012, in the face of slowing demand due to the debt crisis and economic turmoil in the industrialized world.

A Chinese government researcher also said last month that export growth would slow sharply this year, which could drag the country’s annual economic growth below nine percent for the first time in more than a decade. In a bid to boost economic growth and counter the slowdowns in Europe and the United States, authorities in December cut the amount of money banks must hold in reserve for the first time in three years.

The US Treasury said last month that China’s yuan is still significantly undervalued, although it refrained from saying Beijing manipulates the currency, which could lead to retaliatory action by Congress. China defends its exchange rate regime, saying it is moving gradually to make the yuan more flexible. China’s commerce ministry said Wednesday that for-

eign trade was forecast to grow at an annual rate of 10 percent to reach $4.8 trillion by 2015, as it issued development goals for the next four years. — AFP

HYDERABAD: Indian shoppers look at China Mobile phones in a mobile phone outlet in Hyderabad yesterday.

Indian customers seek cheap products which are only available in China. Bilateral trade between the two Asian economic giants has grown from just $2.33 billion in 2000-01 to $60 billion in 2010 and is expected to touch $100 billion by 2015. — AFP

Lebanon eyes gas drilling tenders BEIRUT: Lebanon will issue international tenders for drilling in its potentially gas-rich Mediterranean waters and aims to have contracts signed with the winning firms within a year, its Minister of Energy said yesterday.

Interest in drilling off Mediterranean coasts has grown since two natural gas fields were discovered off the coast of Israel, Lebanon’s southern neighbor.

Estimates value those reserves at tens of billions of dollars. Lebanon has yet to explore off its own coast but on Wednesday its cabinet approved plans to implement a law on drilling that would pave the way for international

tenders. “Launching the international tenders can and should be completed in the next three months and we will make a big effort to do this,” Gibran Basil told Reuters by telephone.

“The last step will be signing the first contract which we will do in the next year or less.” Basil said the cabinet’s approval of the ministry’s plans would allow it to appoint a committee to oversee drilling and exploration. The committee should be appointed within a month, he said.

The minister shrugged off concerns over potential drilling delays due to a maritime border conflict with Israel. The

two countries, which remain formally at war, are disputing an 850-square-km stretch of sea off their coast that lies near an area where US and Israeli firms discovered the two massive natural gas fields. “Our petroleum resources are not limited to this area and this issue will not stop us in anyway from progressing on the drilling issue,” the energy minister said.

“If Israel thinks it can delay us with this plan, no, that is a completely separate problem and we are not cornered.” United Nations officials said the two countries were working to avoid conflict. — Reuters

MILAN: People wait outside a shop in the main fashion shopping street on the first day of sales in Milan yesterday. The specter of Europe’s debt crisis returned yesterday after a brief respite, when a lukewarm French bond auction forced up the country’s borrowing costs, underscoring concerns that confidence in even the region’s biggest economies is shaky. —AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Business

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

KPMG plans return of MF Global assets MF Global UK administrator KPMG plans to start returning to clients the $1.2 billion of cash and assets frozen at the defunct broker as early as this month in a move that will placate customers ahead of their showdown with KPMG next week.

Richard Heis, joint special administrator of MF Global UK, told Thomson Reuters yesterday the administrator had recovered the majority of client monies and almost all outstanding client assets, and hoped to start returning these to owners shortly. “At the end of December we had recovered some 82 percent of client monies and substantially all of the

client assets. We hope to commence the return of client assets and an interim distribution of monies as early as this month,” Heis said. The administrator said he is initially talking with clients over the return of 30 million pounds of assets, in what would be the first returns to European customers since the US futures broker collapsed on Oct 31.

The pledge comes as KPMG and MF Global clients prepare for a meeting on Monday which will see the broker’s customers taking a vote of confidence on the administrator and appointing a committee to sign off KPMG’s fee. MF Global UK

clients have been frustrated by the slow progress recovering the estimated $1.2 billion of client cash and assets frozen at MF Global when it collapsed.

The broker’s European clients complained in the immediate aftermath of the firm’s default that there was inconsistency in how their live trades were being handled, with some being sold down while others were being transferred to other brokers. KPMG responded by taking the unusual step of apologizing to MF Global customers and assuring them it was transferring open client positions “wherever possible”. The administrator also moved

to reassure MF Global investors when it said in November it would make interim distributions of money to clients before it had finally settled all positions.

“It is hard to tell how the client meeting will go. Inevitably there will be questions about why MF Global collapsed and how soon the clients and creditors will get their money back,” said Heis. MF Global had been one of the biggest US futures brokerages but the firm, led by former United States Senator Jon Corzine, failed after a bad $6.3 billion bet on European sovereign debt spooked counterparties and investors. — Reuters

Spain sees big bill for bank bad loans Govt to crack down on regional deficits

HONG KONG: A man walks past residential building blocks in Hong Kong yesterday. Hong Kong’s red-hot real estate market is tipped to fall this year, analysts said, as property transactions fell to a five-year low after a slew of measures to rein in soaring prices. — AFP

Swiss CB chief to break silence on dollar deals ZURICH: Switzerland’s central bank chief was breaking his silence yesterday over a private currency deal that appeared to net his family big profits at a time when he was spearheading efforts to lower the value of the Swiss franc.

In a bid to counter a national uproar, the Swiss National Bank said its President Philipp Hildebrand would hold a news conference in Zurich to discuss “financial transactions and events of recent days.”

Swiss media say Hildebrand’s appearance could make or break the 48-year-old financial prodigy who is considered key to Switzerland’s success in riding out the worst of the European financial crisis largely unscathed. “SNB’s Hildebrand - today his head is on the line,” read the front page of Switzerland’s mass market tabloid Blick.

The Neue Zuercher Zeitung, which is widely read in business and political circles, saw the pressure on Hildebrand growing.

“It’s now up to the central bank president to ensure complete transparency,” the influential paper wrote in an op-ed piece yesterday. The public furor over Hildebrand’s private deals marks a fall from grace for the former champion swimmer. As recently as last week, one Swiss newspaper described him as the “rock star of the euro crisis” for keeping a cool head while Switzerland’s neighbors trembled amid the turmoil affecting the euro currency.

It was Hildebrand who led the Swiss National Bank’s efforts to vent steam out of

Switzerland’s overheating currency by setting the minimum value of the euro at 1.20 Swiss francs on Sept. 6.

When details of Hildebrand’s account at the exclusive private bank Sarasin surfaced late last year, the Swiss central bank declared that its chief had done no wrong and that the case was considered closed.

But the recent drip-drip of claims - some of them pitting Hildebrand’s word against those of a magazine hostile to his leadership of the bank - has reignited debate over the future of Switzerland’s top banker.

Much of Hildebrand’s defense rest on his claim that it was his wife Kashya, a former currency trader now running an art gallery in Zurich, who bought more than half a million US dollars on Aug. 15 without telling her husband.

Kashya Hildebrand, a Pakistan-born US citizen, told Swiss television Tuesday that she invested in the dollar “because it was at a record low and almost laughably cheap.”

It is unclear whether she was aware that her husband’s central bank would two days later increase the liquidity of the franc, thereby lifting the value of the dollar. The SNB says the deal, along with two other Hildebrand transactions totaling over $1.6 million, were within the rules set for senior bank officials to prevent them profiting from insider knowledge. That take was challenged by a senior figure in the powerful conservative Swiss People’s Party. —AP

MADRID: Spain’s new economy minister said yesterday banks may face up to 50 billion euros ($65 billion) in bad loan provisions and he vowed to crack down on regional deficits in a new austerity drive.

Economy Minister Luis de Guindos’ estimate of the banks’ bad loans, provided in an interview with the Financial Times, was higher than many private forecasts. De Guindos’ comments revealed the scale of the challenges confronting the new right-leaning government: a troubled financial sector, bulging public deficit, and feeble economy with high joblessness. “If you take international valuations as in the case of Ireland, at the most you are talking about the need for 50 billion euros of extra provisions (for Spanish banks),” De Guindos said.

“In the great majority of cases, they can provide it themselves from their profits, and it could be done not in one year but over several years.” The banks loaned huge amounts of money during the property bubble, which imploded in 2008 leaving them holding piles of doubtful loans and devalued real estate assets. The property crash also destroyed millions of jobs, leaving Spain with an unemployment rate of 21.5 percent, and sent the economy into a slump from which it has yet to recover.

Banks are now being pressed by new rules forcing them to boost levels of rock-solid core capital, and by the weak economy, which makes it tougher to turn a profit. The European Banking Authority said in December that Spain’s five biggest banks required an extra 26 billion euros in capitalization.

De Guindos’ warning came as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s cabinet met to decide on austerity measures to help meet a target of slashing the deficit to 4.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2012.

Spain is set to miss its target of reducing the public deficit from 9.3 percent of GDP in 2011 to 6.0 percent in 2012, with a final figure possibly topping 8.0 percent, the government says.

That overshoot could add another 20 billion euros to the required austerity measures, now estimated at 16.5 billion euros, according to the Popular Party government, which won power in November 20 elections. Last week, the government announced budget cuts amounting to 8.9 billion euros, and tax increases, including on salaries and on capital income, to bring in another 6.275 billion euros.

Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, which are responsible for health and education services, were hard hit by the housing market crash and are a growing source of concern for economists and policy-makers.

De Guindos vowed to crack down on their spending.

The economy minister also said Spain’s austerity program will target the powerful regions, with a new

Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos’. law in March introducing strict control over their budgets. “You will have a priori controls. Before approving the budget, ministers will need the green light from the central government,” he said.

Moody’s Investors Service warned last month that the regions will miss deficit-cutting targets for 2011 and could imperil Spanish efforts to curb the national deficit in 2012.

In yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the ministers will be studying a future cut in the government services, likely slashing the number of governmental organizations, according to a report in El Pais. No decision was expected immediately, it said. — AFP

PARIS: Swiss oil refiner Petroplus CEO Jean-Paul Vettier arrives at the Hotel Matignon yesterday in Paris before a meeting with French Prime Minister.

Petroplus, Europe’s largest independent oil refiner employing 2,500 people, began this week the temporary economic shutdown of a refinery near Rouen in France. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

India’s Tata admits mistakes with Nano It’s not poor man’s vehicle: Ratan

NEW DELHI: President SsangYong motor company Yoo-II Lee poses with the newly launched car XIV-1 concept during the 2012 India Auto Expo in New Delhi. — AFP

Car-makers head to Indian expo NEW DELHI: The world’s leading car makers jostled for space at the start of India’s Auto Expo yesterday, eyeing a market that has slowed sharply but remains a hotspot compared with depressed Western economies.

The exhibition, which takes place every two years, has grown in stature in line with interest in the Indian economy, which is expected by economists to expand by 7.0 percent this financial year despite a recent slowdown. “We now see this as one of the most important shows on the calendar,” Ford’s Asia-Pacific president Joe Hinrichs said ahead of the opening, adding that the group expected India’s market to be the world’s third-biggest by 2020.

In a sign of changing priorities in the industry, Jaguar Land Rover, the British brands bought by India’s Tata conglomerate in 2008, decided to skip the overlapping Detroit motorshow to focus on the New Delhi expo. Beneath the dazzling lights, pounding music and exhibition girls accompanying the launch of up to 50 new models lies a clear commercial logic. Car ownership remains low in India, a country of 1.2 billion people where two-thirds live below the poverty line, but an expanding economy is minting millions of new middleclass families and millionaires each year.

Growth of the passenger car market hit 31 percent in 2010, but has since dropped off sharply due to rising interest rates, higher commodity prices and economic uncertainty.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) expects sales in the fiscal year to March to rise between two and four percent. Far from discouraged by what analysts say is a temporary blip, French auto giant PSA Peugeot Citroen is to announce its return to India after an unhappy and ultimately aborted alliance with a local partner in the 1990s.

Fellow French manufacturer Renault re-launched itself in India last year amid a big marketing push and will unveil its new Pulse model and an SUV at the Delhi Expo, which ends on January 11.

Peugeot, Renault and BMW, the German manufacturer that dominates in the luxury segment of the Indian market, face dire market conditions at home as the European debt crisis dampens consumer spending. “The current slowdown (in India) is not here to stay as the fundamentals of car sales growth, namely urbanization and car density, are still very attractive,” said the consultancy Deloitte in a recent study.

Indo-Japanese alliance Maruti Suzuki, the market leader with about 40 percent of car sales, said the current slowdown was “short-term and temporary” as it unveiled a concept SUV yesterday. India remains a country dominated by small cars as consumers follow the familiar path of upgrading from pushbikes, to motorbikes to cars, with most new buyers opting for affordable models at the bottom of the market. But Maruti Suzuki Chief Executive Shinzo Nakanishi told AFP that the industry’s focus was shifting from the low-end of the market as buyers become more sophisticated and less price-sensitive. “Pricing is important, but people are also thinking differently from 5-10 years ago,” he told AFP. “People want more luxury and well-equipped models.”

Proof of this, he said, was that 70 percent of customers for the company’s cheapest model, the Alto, opted for the “super deluxe” model with extra trimmings rather than the standard version. — AFP

NEW DELHI: The boss of India’s Tata Group conceded yesterday the company had made mistakes with its Nano, the world’s cheapest car, saying it now wanted to change the perception it was a “poor man’s” vehicle.

The 140,000-rupee ($2,650) Nano has failed to take off as expected since its launch in 2009, with analysts blaming poor marketing and a series of technical problems including some highly publicized engine fires.

Sales have been a fraction of the 25,000 a month the company once expected, falling to a low of just 509 units in November 2010. In December, the company sold 7,466 units, a rise of 29 percent from the same month the previous year.

“I don’t think we were adequately ready with an advertising campaign or a dealer network,” chairman of the Tata conglomerate Ratan Tata explained to reporters yesterday, referring to the early days of sales.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Auto Expo show in New Delhi, he added: “I think we wasted an early opportunity but have not, in fact, seen much in terms of competition for the pricing of the car.”

Tata, chairman of the Tata Group which owns Tata Motors, added that he

NEW DELHI: Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata (center) and deputy chairman Cyrus Mistry (left) pose near a Tata Safari during a press preview at the India Auto Expo, in New Delhi yesterday. — AP was still confident about the car’s poten- status-conscious and aspirational new tial in a country where millions are mov- middle classes.

“We’ve never pushed it as a poor ing into the middle classes.

Analysts say the Nano was seen as a man’s car but an affordable, all-weather, vehicle for Indians to buy once they family car,” Tata said, adding that “whatcould afford to upgrade from a motor- ever stigma has been attached to it, we bike, meaning it failed to appeal to the will undo going forward.” — AFP

UK trade union writes to RBS over job cuts LONDON: British trade union Unite is writing to Royal Bank of Scotland to express its anger over renewed speculation of thousands of job cuts at the part-nationalized lender.

“Unite is disgusted that the workforce of RBS has today read in the media that further job losses are being considered. This constant speculation and rumor is highly concerning for those who work for RBS,” Unite national officer David Fleming said in a statement yesterday.

“Unite is today writing to management to call on them to engage with Unite ... on their plans for RBS in the UK,” he added. “It is vital that they develop a strategy for saving jobs at all levels.” RBS, which is 83 percent owned by the British government after a state bailout during the 2008 credit crisis, is planning to scale back its investment banking arm, and the Financial Times reported that some 10,000 jobs could be cut.

However, an RBS spokesman said the report of 10,000 job cuts was “inaccurate” but declined further comment. A source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters this week that RBS had hired investment bank Lazard to advise it over its scale-back of the RBS investment banking division.

RBS had already announced last year cutbacks to its investment banking division and plans to axe more jobs at the unit. It came under further pressure to rein in the business, known within RBS as “GBM” (Global Banking & Markets), in December when British Finance Minister George Osborne told RBS to make “further significant reductions”. The Scottish bank’s GBM unit is strong globally in bond trading, foreign exchange and American mortgage financing.

But it is outside the global top tier and is expected to scale back in equities-potentially selling its UK advisory and broking business Hoare Govett-as part of a retreat that could again cut its size in half, bankers and analysts said. —Reuters

Lower demand, higher interest in first French bonds of 2012 PARIS: France successfully raised 7.963 billion euros ($10.23 billion) in new long-term bonds yesterday despite lower demand, but was forced to pay higher interest amid fears over the country’s credit rating. In France’s first auction of 2012, the rate on the benchmark 10-year bond rose to 3.29 percent, up from 3.18 percent during the last long-term bond issue on December 1.

Demand for 10-year bonds was also lower, with a bid to cover ratio of 1.64, almost half of the 3.05 it was in the December auction. The drop in demand came despite the European Central Bank agreeing last month to loan a record 489.2 billion euros at 1.0 percent to 532 banks in a three-year refinancing operation.

Following the last similar operation during the global financial crisis, banks used a considerable portion of the money to buy sovereign bonds, helping keep government borrowing rates low.

“The French bond auction this morning saw decent demand but rising yields showed a deterioration in investor confidence in France’s ability to maintain its top notch credit rating,” said City Index analyst Joshua Raymond.

Ratings agencies have warned that France is exposed to the sovereign debt crisis gripping the euro-zone and have threatened to downgrade its hitherto perfect rating.

Yesterday’s auction did however reach the treasury’s goal of raising between 7.0 and 8.0 billion euros. For the 10-year bonds, maturing on October 25, 2021, the amount raised was 4.020 billion euros. For bonds maturing on October 25, 2023, 690 million euros were raised at an average rate of 3.50 percent. Longer term, France raised 1.088 billion euros at an average rate of 3.96 percent on bonds maturing on April 25, 2035.

And on bonds maturing on April 25, 2041, France raised 2.165 billion euros at an average rate of 3.97 percent, against 3.94 percent during the last similar operation. France said in late December it will need to raise 178 billion euros in medium and long-term bonds in 2012, slightly less than last year, as the state will have to meet a budget deficit of 78.7 billion euros and repay 97.9 billion in debt. “This auction was on the whole a success,” said Cyril Regnat, an analyst with Natixis. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Cheap, clean and risky Natural gas, still a pipedream?

P

olitical leaders from both parties argue that natural gas could save our economy, the environment and promote our national security. Is this so? Or is it just a dream?

It turns out that the way one develops natural gas will determine whether it is a serious help to our energy and climate problems, or a dangerous extension of bad habits.

On the face of it, natural gas looks terrific.

The United States — and many other countries — have abundant domestic supplies. The cost, per delivered unit of energy, is about a third of that of oil. It is cheap and fast to build power plants fueled by natural gas. And when burned, it emits only half as much carbon as coal. So what’s not to like?

Well, things are not so simple. Under the best conditions, we may enjoy those benefits, but under more adverse conditions, gas can be a worse generator of greenhouse gas than coal, can wreak massive local environmental destruc-

On the face of it, natural gas looks terrific. The United States — and many other countries — have abundant domestic supplies. The cost, per delivered unit of energy, is about a third of that of oil. It is cheap and fast to build power plants fueled by natural gas.

And when burned, it emits only half as much carbon as coal. So what’s not to like? tion and can undermine energy efficiency and renewable energy. And without a strong set of policies to guide natural gas development, the worst case is far more likely.

Start with climate change: Generating a kilowatt-hour’s worth of electricity with a natural gas turbine emits only about half as much CO2 as generating the same electricity at a coal plant. Half-off is pretty good. But unburned natural gas turns out to be a very powerful greenhouse gas: One molecule of leaked gas contributes as much to global warming as 25 molecules of burned gas. That means that if the system for the exploration, extraction, compression, piping and burning of natural gas leaks by even 2.5 percent, it is as bad as coal.

So, how much does the gas system leak? No one knows: Estimates range from 1.5 percent to as high as 8 percent. Even near the low end of that range, gas can be as bad as coal. And whatever the leaks in the U.S. system, it is likely to be far worse in, say, Russia. This gives us Rule One

Natural gas flares off of a well located on a farm outside the northeastern Pennsylvania town of Leroy. — MCT photo for smart natural gas development: No leaks in the system. We have to know, for certain, that the whole process is tight, and stays that way.

There’s more we need to ensure, because of the economics of energy systems, and how that drives the choice of options in the electricity system. It starts with a basic economic truth: Once a coal-fired plant is built, it is incredibly cheap to run. Once built, our coal plants run forever. The median age of a coal plant in the United States is 44 years, and fully a third of them were built during or before the Eisenhower administration.

What this means is that when we add new natural gas power plants to the electricity system, it does not, through pure market forces displace coal. Instead, it displaces other new alternatives, which generally means new renewable energy. If half-CO2 gas is displacing zero-CO2 renewables, well, that’s hardly a victory. So, Rule Two: Use gas to shut down old coal. Make this an explicit condition.

The final three rules have to do with local environmental conditions. We have all seen the films of people’s tap water catching fire after a nearby gas well was put in. That’s because of lousy construction quality: Bad well casings allow gas to leak into the aquifer. They can also allow in fluids from hydraulic fracturing (fracking) when that method is used to tap a new gas well. Rule Three: Strong standards for wells, with effective monitoring and enforcement.

Then there is the damage that wells can do to the gas site. Many wells extract brackish water and other nasty byproducts, like benzene and toluene from deep underground, and spill the mixture onto nearby farmlands — literally salting the earth. The water is a large-scale byproduct of the gas extraction, and, at the request of then-Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force, it is exempted from any regulations under the Clean Water Act. Rule Four:

Don’t allow these toxic streams to poison the land. Finally, choosing where and how to drill is important. Many of the new natural gas technologies entail massive surface disturbance.

Roads, drilling rigs, compressors, pipelines, drainage ponds and large amounts of heavy equipment are required for each well. And wells are densely placed, sometimes one for every 10 acres. This means that many natural gas fields are industrial wastelands. After drilling, cattle ranches in the West have been left unsuitable even for cows, never mind wildlife.

We need to zone the natural gas develop-

ment so that it is kept out of ecologically important areas, and we need strong drilling, operating and reclamation standards so that gas doesn’t become a scorched-earth energy strategy.

Gas can do a great deal for our energy future.

But if it is mishandled, it can instead serve up great problems — in land destruction, water quality and climate change. Five rules get it right: Don’t allow leaky systems; use gas to phase out coal; have sound well drilling and casing standards; don’t pollute the landscape with brackish water; and drill only where it is sensible.

Let’s do this right. — MCT

Welcome progress on US fuel efficiency

L

ess than a decade ago, oil cost less than $30 a barrel and drivers pumped $1.50a-gallon gasoline into their vehicles.

While those good old days aren’t likely to return, several notable events in 2011 showed it’s time for Americans to change at least some of their old ways of thinking about oil. That was then: Any threats to petroleum supplies from the Middle East will result in immediately soaring prices. This is now: From the civil war in Libya to unrest in Egypt and Syria to last week’s warning from Iran that it would close down the Strait of Hormuz, 2011 brought a number of events that could have spiked the cost of crude.

Yet even while oil did briefly close above $110 a barrel earlier in the year, it also dipped months later to around $75 before finishing the year at $100 a barrel. That’s far from the record $140-plus in 2008. And US

gasoline prices that soared close to $4 a gallon in early 2011 had plummeted to just over $3 a gallon by late December.

A big part of the reason for the relative stability: Demand remained tamped down in America and Europe because of their continued economic problems. In addition, the more stable Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia insisted on pumping out enough oil to meet demand in efforts to pay for their own domestic spending programs.

That was then: US automakers will fiercely resist government-mandated programs to boost fuel efficiency. This is now: In mid2011, President Barack Obama announced a stunning deal with auto companies to essentially double the average fuel economy standard for domestically produced vehicles to 54.5 miles a gallon by 2025. —MCT

Opinion FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Iran speaks loudly, carries small stick

By David Rosenberg

I

t went off in a powerful blast from a shipboard launcher to the cheers of sailors and soared across the skies over the Gulf of Oman, leaving a white trail on its way to a target somewhere over the horizon. Billed as a new surface-to-air missile and tested during 10 days of naval exercises that ended on Monday, Iranian officials say the Mehrab is designed to evade radar.

But showing off the projectile was designed to attract attention by convincing the world that the Islamic Republic is capable of closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz and choke global oil supplies.

“I said at the beginning of these war games that we have no intention of closing the Strait of Hormuz during the maneuvers, but doing that would be as easy as pie for us,” Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told state-owned PressTV after the launch.

“Iran’s naval forces do have the ability to close the Strait.”

But behind the display of military prowess is an army equipped with out-ofdate equipment acquired when the Shah was still in power, supplemented with inferior hardware bought from China and North Korea or like the Mehrab, developed and manufactured at home. Analysts maintain that Iran’s armed forces are more bluster than blast. “There is not a lot of concern about direct military threat from Iran. There is that notion that the US can withstand any operation undertaken by Iran. The threats of closing Hormuz are not really serious,” Christian Koch, director of the International Studies Research Program at the Gulf research Center, told The Media Line. “At the moment what the Iranians are trying to do is to increase the sense of insecurity.”

Iranian officials have threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions are imposed on its central bank or on oil exports. Such a scenario came closer to reality over the weekend when US President Barack Obama signed into law tough new sanctions targeting Iran’s Central Bank and financial sector. The Hormuz is vulnerable.

The only sea passage into and out of the Gulf, which is home to the world’s biggest petroleum reserves, the strait is a relatively narrow channel just 54 km across at its narrowest point. Iran controls one of its two coasts. Tankers travelling through it account for about one-third of the world’s ship-borne oil traffic.

In fact, Iran did have some success in the 1980s disrupting oil supplies enough during its war with Iraq to raise insurance premiums, which is why Iran’s naval exercises sent shivers across the world. Crude oil for February delivery reached an eight-month high Tuesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange to nearly $103 a barrel. But, said Christian Le Miere, research fellow for naval forces and maritime security at the International Institute of Strategic Studies

Behind display of power in naval exercises, its armed forces are ill-equipped for war (IISS), the US and its allies could cope with the challenge.”Iran could not maintain an effective blockade for any long period of time. That requires sea power well beyond its capacity,” he told The Media Line.

The most challenging weapon in Iran’s arsenal would be mines targeting tankers passing through the Strait. On Tuesday,

budget. Cordesman estimated Tehran spends between $12 billion to $14 billion on defense, less than the tiny United Arab Emirates across the Gulf and no more than a third of what its chief rival in the region, Saudi Arabia, allocates for arms.

On paper, Iran has 312 combat aircraft.

But, citing an IISS estimate, Cordesman said

period, but they could severely restrict shipping through the Gulf for five to 10 days,” Cordesman concluded in a paper included in the US Institute of Peace’s book The Iran Primer. He estimated that with the support of Iran’s neighbors the US could destroy Iranian military power within weeks.

The qualitative gap between Iran and its Gulf neighbors is due to widen as Saudi Arabia accepts delivery of state-of-the-art aircraft from the US. Last week, the Obama administration announced a $29.4 billion deal with Saudi Arabia to sell and upgrade advanced fighter jets. Riyadh will get 84 new F-15SAs starting in 2015 while 70 F-15s already in the fleet will be improved. A week before, the White House cleared the

Iranian navy conducts the “Velayat-90” naval war games in the Strait of Hormuz on Jan 1, 2012. — AFP Iran’s army chief Ataollah Salehi kept tensions boiling, saying that the country would take action if a US aircraft carrier returned to the Gulf. The carrier had reportedly left the area due to Iran’s exercises including the missile launch.

Just what does Iran’s arsenal consist of?

Outsiders can only make rough estimates, but Anthony Cordesman, of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, concluded after analyzing data from a variety of sources that the Islamic Republic is a “comparatively weak conventional military power.” Iran is barred from buying military hardware from the West and has a relatively small defense

as many as 60 percent of the aircraft have little or no mission capability at any given time because the Cold War-era F-14s, F-5Bs and the like that make up its fleet are old and poorly maintained. Iran’s navy, which in the Gulf is controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), poses a more serious but not insurmountable problem, Cordesman said.

While it lacks modern combat surface vessels, Iran has three Russian Kilo-class submarines, which may be able to lay smart mines and fire long-range homing torpedoes, as well as a fleet of small submarines and anti-ship cruise missiles “The navy and IRGC cannot close the Gulf for an extended

sales of between $2 billion and $3 billion worth of Lockheed Martin’s Thaad missile interceptors to another Gulf power, the United Arab Emirates.

Koch, of the Gulf Research Center, says the most serious threat posed by Iran is asymmetrical warfare that employs irregulars or proxies to engage in sabotage. Iran doesn’t need to close Hormuz to wreak havoc; it could target oil fields, power plants and other critical but vulnerable installations on the Arab side of the Gulf.

“That is a much more dangerous scenario,” Koch said. “The Iranians have shown themselves to be an intelligent power in that sense.” — Media Line

A

y

e niv rsar n

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Years

www.kuwaittimes.net

Colored maple leaves are covered in snow in Oberstdorf, southern Germany, yesterday. Temperatures fell below the freezing point in southern parts of the country. — AFP

Members of the Canadian performance group, Cirque Du Soleil perform Totem at the Royal Albert Hall, London, yesterday. —AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Te c h n o l o g y

Years

t h f o e p h o t

is t itl

On

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

T

he best website in the world won’t do you any good if no one looks at it.

And there are companies out there to help you rise to the top of Google’s hitlist. Better yet, they’re not just for businesses. The fact is anyone can post something online, but there is some talent involved in getting Google’s attention. Companies that help you do that are versed in the art of SEO (search engine optimization). Private individuals are increasingly focused on these services as they are finding they can’t reach a large audience unless they scoot up the hitlists.

There’s no reason to shell out a lot of money for SEO services though. There’s a lot you can do to boost your site’s presence. “It’s really not that difficult. It’s not magic,” says SEO expert Heiner Hemken, who runs a website on the topic. There are two areas of focus. “On Page” SEO is targeted at the appearance of the site.

“Off Page” SEO looks at everything in the site’s background.

Rene Wienholtzk, head of technology at internet search engine Strato, offers six tips to get more eyes on your private website.

1) “On Page SEO starts with the right choice of keywords,” says Wienholtz. Just a few choice keywords stored in the metadata of the HTML document are better than many unimportant words, because search engines filter out everything above a certain limit. “You should have a maximum of 10, but it’s better to use five keywords that absolutely need mention.”

2) The choice of the right internet address is Wienholtz’s second tip. Always try to pick a domain name that says something about the site’s content.

3) Every website should have a meaningful title and a description that is included in the metadata under the “description” title.

4) The website should have unique content, as well as text that includes the keywords. Search engines today will not be fooled by tricks like the one where hidden words appear in the same color as the background.

5) Include alternative text descriptions of images and videos. These should be designated with alt, for alternative text, in the HTML code.

6) To save search engines some work, always set up an XML map. This map, which can be created in a sitemap generator, lays out the internal structure of the website. This is key for web offerings that include dynamic content, like technology from Ajax, which cannot always be picked up by search engines. To upload the sitemap, Google and Bing both have a link in their webmaster area.

“If a sitemap is available, then the robots can work their way through that easily,” explains Wienholtz, referring to the crawler software that feeds data to search engines.

Web hosts like Strato, where people can rent server space for their own website, also offer SEO tools to their clients. Such tools allow webmasters to check their contents versus those of other sites, such as those that use the same keywords.

“This competition analysis can give you ideas for your own optimization and let you learn from the competition,” says Joerg Lammers, spokesman for German internet provider 1&1. “You have to do this kind of analysis permanently, otherwise you quickly lose relevance and end up way behind.”

If you’re working with common keywords - like vacation, car or computer - then you have next to no chance of getting your site up to the top spot. “But if you find a niche, then you have a chance to move up to the top,” explains Hemken. There are also commercial SEO options, like Off-Page SEO, which focus on building up links that lead back to your own site. Those are a central factor in Google’s PageRank, its central algorithm for weighting the popularity of a site. But Google warns SEO dabblers from trying too much manipulation. “A violation of our guidelines can have a negative impact on the ranking of your website with Google or even lead us to removing you from our index,” it advises.

Net briefs World Bank launches ‘Apps for Climate’ Competition Software developers and development practitioners are being brought together by an “Apps for Climate” competition launched by the World Bank. The competition, launched at the Durban climate conference, is asking entrants to use open data to create innovative software applications that can help solve some of the development problems that climate change poses. “The competition aims to discover new and extraordinary ways to use open climate data,” said Andrew Steer, World Bank Special Envoy for Climate Change. “We hope to unleash the creative energy out there which will make apps that help create solutions to weather-related disasters, risks for agriculture, food and water supplies, rising sea levels and other climate related challenges.” The apps can be created for the web, for mobile devices, for SMS, for a desktop, or a tablet. The competition includes cash prizes for the winning entries. Apps must be submitted by March 16, 2012. (www.worldbank.org/appsforclimate)

Create your own QR codes QR codes offer the possibility to add a website link or email address to a poster, flyer or invitation. They serve as a link between the offline and online worlds. The graphic can be scanned with a smartphone, allowing free reader apps to lead the user to the corresponding websites.

Now it’s very easy to produce a QR code yourself with a browser add-on. The QR Code Generator for Firefox produces the graphics through the search field on the browser. With the add-on Short QR for Google Chrome, users can produce a QR code for any website and shorten the internet address. At the same time, texts can be graphically encrypted and used as a digital message. — dpa

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

R E L AT I O N S H I P S

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

When death does us part J

ohnnie McCain misses his wife deeply, to the point he doesn’t like to talk about it.

Understandable, given that McCain’s marriage - at 80 years - lasted longer than probably any other in St Louis. But his grief in some ways is the same as that experienced by anyone who has lost a partner.

Experts say that the stress from loss of a partner increases the chance of depression, illness and death in the surviving spouse. The sense of loss can be particularly acute during the holidays, and caretakers should be especially watchful. “The first year is critical,” says Tom Meuser, who directs gerontology graduate studies at the University of Missouri St.

of a review can be positive. Meuser said that many of those who are despairing are able to come to terms with their faults, and forgive themselves. “Some people die in despair because someone never asked them their story, in effect, to review their lives,” he said.

Meuser said someone of McCain’s age falls into a completely different category of aging than most people. “Someone who is in their mid 70s today can expect to live maybe another 10 to 15 years,” Meuser said.

McCain has outlived any reasonable life expectancy. “We could consider him an outlier from that perspective and a very successful one,” Meuser said. McCain’s eyesight is

Widower, 102, copes with loss after 80-year marriage Louis. A 1969 study published in the British Medical Journal reported a 40 percent excess mortality rate among widowers in the first six months after the death of a spouse. Its title: “Broken Heart.”

“Think about it this way,” Meuser said. “You suddenly have to think about yourself in a very different way. Suddenly someone is single and has to negotiate his or her world alone. That can be threatening.” Meuser said the difference in mortality rates between men and women is explained by women being more expressive of their emotions, being more likely to reach out for support and in general having more close friends than men do. Meuser said that men more often remarry in the first year after the death of a spouse, “often in response to that stress of being alone,” Meuser said.

McCain, 102, and his wife, Mary Etta who died Aug 21 at age 98, had no children. But they had a network of good friends who have helped him. Rose Thompson, who lives down the street from McCain, has been a friend for 54 years. Her sister, Marie Ferguson, who is a goddaughter of McCain, and a godson, Gabriel Beauvais and his son Daniel, also help out.

They remember how McCain used to hold his wife’s arm and carry her purse whenever they left their home. That was before he quit driving and before she became ill and had to be hospitalized. McCain, in a recent interview at his kitchen table, said his faith has helped him cope.

“I miss her daily,” he said softly. “I think about Jesus. I try to keep dedicated through prayer so I can have peace. I’m trying to strive to be good so that I’ll be ready for the rapture with the saints,” he said as his eyes glistened.

“God has kept me in peace.” Meuser, who has not met McCain, said it’s common for people in McCain’s situation to get their affairs in order.

Meuser said many elderly are helped by a “life review.” Meuser, who teaches a course on the subject at the University of Missouri at St Louis, said such a review asks such questions as, “How do I feel about the life I have lived?

Have I done the best I can? Will I leave with a meaningful legacy? Do I have unfinished business? Am I despairing?”

Even if some of the answers to those questions tend toward the negative, the outcome

strong, he walks without assistance and appears in excellent health.

He is amazed he has lived this long, seeing so many people die “down through the years.” “God still spared me to be here,” he said softly. “Sometimes I wonder myself because I’ve had others try to kill me but God spared me.” That’s a reference to an incident decades ago when a man chased McCain through the streets and fired three shots at him. One bullet shot right past his head, but he wasn’t struck, he said.

McCain recalled another close shave, but, laughing, said, “It isn’t necessary to tell it.”

McCain, indeed, isn’t inclined to look backward too much. He just got his hearing aid repaired. “I’m glad to be able to hear better today than I could yesterday,” he said smiling.

“I’m trying and God is helping me.” — MCT

In this file photograph, Johnnie McCain 101, greets his wife, Mary Etta McCain, 98, with a kiss while visiting her at the SSM DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton, Missouri. — MCT

How to cope with the loss of a spouse? here are five “stages of grieving”: denial (shock), bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance. It is important to realize that these stages don’t have any particular order and that some people may find themselves back in a stage they thought they had already conquered. This is normal part of grief. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up with having to do things within a certain time frame. You’ll know the right time to empty drawers and closets and deal with personal items like wallets and purses.

Wait until you are ready.

T

your spouse’s name, or look you in the eye, or to give you a hug.

It is OK to cry Pain is necessary. So are tears. Tears do help. Crying is a healing device. Dr. Joyce Brothers describes tears as “emotional first-aid.”

Tears contain leucine-enkephalin which is one of the brains’ natural pain relievers. Tears also contain a hormone that encourages the secretion of tears - prolactin. Women have more prolactin than men, which is one of the reasons why they can cry more than men.

Looking to the future Dr. Joyce Brothers wrote in her book, Widowed, “And if there should ever be another good man with whom I share my life, there will still be that empty corner of my soul. I know what I had and what I lost. I hope I will not spend the rest of my life alone.

But if I do, I will not be sorry for myself. Life goes on, and I am ready to join the parade again.”

The US Census states that on the average, widowers will remarry within 3 years of the death of their wives, and widows remarry within 5 years. Experts state that it is important though, to marry for love ... not because you are lonely. — about.com

Dealing with others Many people are uncomfortable with death. As a result, they will say and do dumb things. Forgive these folks. They don’t know what to do or say. They don’t realize that it is okay to mention

Holidays and special days Your life is changed and changing. The calendar will have a different effect on you as your wedding anniversary, Valentines’ Day, special events, birthdays, and holidays come around. These dates must be dealt with. Plan ahead for them and do what you want to do. Don’t let yourself be manipulated by family and friends.

Food FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Egg

Everyday cooking

Food FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Tomato and basil quiche

Garlic deviled eggs

P

reheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake pie shell in preheated oven for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until soft; remove from skillet. Sprinkle tomato slices with flour and basil, then saute 1 minute on each side. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. season with salt and pepper.

Spread 1 cup shredded cheese in the bottom of pie crust. Layer onions over cheese, and top with tomatoes.

Cover with egg mixture. sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Egg fried rice 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 cup uncooked instant rice 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup green beans 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

I

n a saucepan bring water, salt and soy sauce to a boil. Add rice and stir. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Heat oil in a medium skillet or wok over medium heat. Saute onions and green beans for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in egg and fry for 2 minutes, scrambling egg while it cooks.

Stir in the cooked rice, mix well and sprinkle with pepper.

6 hard-cooked eggs 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard 2 green onions with tops, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1/8 teaspoon salt Paprika

S

lice eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks and set whites aside. In a small bowl, mash yolks. Add mayonnaise, mustard, onions, garlic and salt. Fill egg whites; sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until serving.

Egg curry

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, sliced 2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons dried basil 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup milk salt and pepper to taste 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust 1 1/2 cups shredded Jack cheese, divided

4 Eggs (hard boiled) 1 onion 1/2 tomato (pureed) 3-4 flakes of garlic 1/2-inch piece of ginger 1-2 green chilies 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves Salt To Taste Red chili powder to taste 3/4th tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 3/4 tsp garam masala 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil / ghee 1 cup green peas or 250 gms paneer

R

emove the shell of boiled eggs & keep aside. If using Paneer cut into cubes and fry till golden & set aside for later use. Make a paste of onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies in a mixer or chopper. Heat oil in a kadhi or wok and add onion-garlic paste and fry till golden brown.

Add all the spices (salt, turmeric, coriander & chili powder) except garam masala and fry for a minute and add tomato puree. Fry till it starts leaving oil. Add a cup of water and cook till it dry’s. Now add the fried paneer cubes or green peas (which ever using) and boiled eggs. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil and reduce the flame. Simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish egg curry with garam masala and coriander leaves and serve hot with paratha, roti or rice.

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend. One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE 99 Baghdad lies in ruins, destroyed by the marauding armies of Hulagu Khan. The brave librarians of the great Dar Al-Hikma rush to save the glory of the ancient world’s accumulated wisdom, little knowing that centuries later their efforts will bear strange fruit. While the Noor Stones were created to save the library, their power has transcended that task and in our own time has provided extraordinary abilities to an international group of young people, the world’s newest superheroes known as… The 99.

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

www.the99.org

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

The 2012 travel calendar

January: Georgia Winter sports fans and city breakers looking for somewhere new should try Georgia. The country is attracting a growing number of independent travellers who are exploring mountains dotted with historic castles and churches, beautiful towns such as Svaneti and Kazbegi, and the Europe-meets-Asia capital Tbilisi. It won’t be warm in January but skiers won’t mind: the country’s main resort, Gudaur, is a good bet for reliable snow and can be reached by road from the capital in two to three hours.

February: Oman This year looks set to be a great one for Oman, the fastest-growing destination in the Middle East, according to several tour operators. The beach resorts of the Musandam Peninsula are an increasingly popular combination with Dubai, while Muscat’s star as an alternative Arabian city destination is rising.

March: Panama Panama City’s old town is one of Central America’s finest historic areas. Central America’s star turn over the past few years has been Costa Rica, but Panama has all the qualities to rival it. The country boasts brilliant beaches, the world’s most famous canal and unspoilt rainforest. Best of all, the continuing renovation of Casco Viejo, Panama City’s old town, is boosting the profile of one of the region’s finest historic areas.

April: Titanic tours The centenary of the sinking of the Titanic is big news for cruise operators capitalising on interest in the doomed liner.

While there are cruises recreating the exact

voyage (but with a happier ending), there are other Titanic-themed voyages taking place to coincide with the anniversary in April. Landlubbers can overdose on Titanic heritage in Belfast, the city where it was built, and Southampton, from where it set sail.

May: France The birthdates of saints aren’t normally a good reason for a holiday, but following Joan of Arc around France, 600 years on from her arrival into the world, is just that.

Joan blazed a trail across France from her birthplace in Domremy-la-Pucelle to Rouen, where she was burnt at the stake aged 19.

Orleans, the site of her most famous victory, stages a week-long series of festivities in her honour (orleans.fr/fetes-de-jeannedarc-2011/). ● The January 2012 edition of France magazine (£3.99; francemag.com) has a guide to Joan’s France written by Sophie Jackson June: Germany Germany remains Europe’s most underrated destination, and its cities are at their best in the early summer sunshine. Art fans should head to Nuremberg for the Early Durer exhibition (der-frueheduerer.gnm.de), the largest collection of works by the German Renaissance artist for 40 years. You can even bring the kids back a Playmobil model of Durer.

July: Ukraine Discover Ukraine’s coastline this summer. Alamy Europe’s football championships finish with fireworks in Kiev on 1 July, leaving the rest of the summer to discover Europe’s largest country. Apart from

the big-city delights of the capital there’s Lviv, a central European stunner that’s been turning heads for a few years, and all the fun of the seaside in the Crimea. Ukraine remains an inexpensive destination - especially away from Kiev - but book ahead if you want to be by the coast in the high summer.

August: New York City Such is the pace of change that, like Paris and London, New York is somewhere best visited regularly. If you haven’t been in the past year you won’t have had the chance to admire the new 9/11 memorial, explore the latest section of the High Line or take a superhero walking tour (viator.com). The Big Apple bakes in summer, but you can at least stay in a cool spot at the new Bowery House. Many of the cabin-style rooms are small with funky shared bathrooms, making this a great deal in a hip part of New York. ● Bunks in shared rooms start at £31 with single cabin rooms from £51 (theboweryhouse.com) September: Iceland It’s a good year for getting to Iceland without breaking the bank. EasyJet (easyjet.co.uk) will start flying from Luton to Reykjavik at the end of March. In addition to this and established airlines such as Iceland Express, a new carrier, Wow Air (wowair.is), is advertising flights from the Icelandic capital to Stansted.

October: Milan Milan’s delights for a city break need little introduction, but a shake-up of any big city’s hotel scene is a welcome thing. Selfstyled “eco-chic” hotel E.c.ho wears its

green credentials on its sleeve. Look for 125m of solar panelling, sustainably sourced decor materials and a seasonally focused menu. The courtyard garden is home to a Renaissance chapel by Donato Bramante, who designed St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

November: Norway Keep your fingers crossed for a clear night ... Alamy This is predicted to be the best year yet for spotting the northern lights, so if you’ve been promising yourself a trip, then this is the time to do it.

November is as good as any other part of winter to go: all you need to do is keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and a light show. There’s nothing to stop you making your own way via Bodo in Norway or beyond on a flight with Norwegian (norwegian.no).

December: Cambodia Cambodia is so much more than the magnificent temples at Angkor, as a bunch of funky new openings is busy proving.

As well as luxury resorts, such as Shinta Mani and Song Saa, The Plantation has just opened in Phnom Penh in 1940s colonial-style buildings set in tropical gardens. —Guardian

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Guatemala: I did it Maya way

By Kevin Rushby

O

n top of the hill the old man and his wife were standing next to the altar they had made, muttering words into the smoke. The dogs that had been fighting in the bushes had gone and the raucous rock music that had been pulsating from the town a mile away had mercifully stopped. There was a moment of total peace and tranquillity.

Two black vultures suddenly broke from the horizon of trees and wheeled low over our heads. The old woman knelt down and kissed the earth while the old man kept on chanting, in a strange guttural language full of creaks and hisses. If languages can sound like the lands they inhabit, this one seemed perfectly attuned to the volcanoes, cloud forests and ruined temples of Guatemala.

This is as close as one can get, I thought to myself, to pre-Columbian America. I had a vision of priests in feathered gowns standing on high stone platforms and sacrificing human beings to the sun god. Then the old man rummaged in his pocket and took out not a deadly jade dagger but a bottle of Coca-Cola. He took several gulps and then carried on chanting.

We were on top of Pascual hill, near the Guatemalan town of Chichicastenango, Chichi to its residents, and I was with Don Diego, a Mayan ajq’ij, a word often translated as shaman but literally “day-keeper”. The Mayans are a people much interested in time and number. They count in 20s, a human-size unit - all the fingers and toes which they multiply by the number of major joints in the body - 13 - to make 260.

Long ago they noted that the planet Venus moved from being an evening to a morning star in 260 days, the same time it takes to grow a crop of maize and to complete a human pregnancy.

From this basis, and the solar year, they linked humanity with the heavens and built a calendar of minute precision, and also of epic size. It runs in short cycles of about 20 years (or katuns, of which 13 make one may - hence Maya, people of the may) and longer ones of more than 5,000 years. One of these long cycles is due to end on 21 December 2012, a fact that has led some people to claim that the Mayans have predicted the End of the World. I’d come to Guatemala to investigate - as good a place as any to spend some of my limited time on earth.

The ceremony on the hill was over. Don Diego and his wife, Juana, walked slowly down the hill to their house, where they showed me a room full of masks. In the corner was a shrine to Guatemala’s homegrown deity, Maximon, a strange syncretic god who manages to combine the apparently contradictory aspects of ancient Mayan deity and Marlboro Man. His image is that of a cowboy: Stetson on his head, cigarette forever on his lip and Coca-Cola close to hand. But looking closer I could see jungle fruits too, vestments in hammocks and skins of animals. This was a god who drinks and smokes and needs placating. My guide, Rita, leaned over and whispered: “He will do bad things for you, if you ask correctly.” She grinned. “Really. Lots of people come for that.’

The Mayans have had to survive for a

long time as underdogs and they have done it by accommodation. When the Spanish came in 1523, plotting total cultural destruction, the indigenous people (Mayan is a catch-all term for several related languages and peoples) responded with guile. Images of Catholic saints were stuffed with old Mayan gods; parts of temples were incorporated into churches; at Nuestra Senora de la Merced in Antigua Guatemala you can see how Mayan masons carved symbols of maize and hummingbirds into the church facade.

The persecution did not end with independence, because in the Americas independence was for the colonials not the colonized - it meant nothing for any indigenous person, Arawak to Zapotec. In Guatemala persecution of the Maya continued: an estimated 60,000 died in the army’s genocidal campaigns of the early 1980s under President Efrain Rios Montt. (The man whom Ronald Reagan described as having “integrity” still sits in the country’s congress.) Mayan languages were outlawed and cultural practices vilified and suppressed. Fortunately these nightmares have ended and now, on the eve of their new era, it seems that the Maya might have a chance of a renaissance.

In the small town of Comalapa to the south, the Tuesday market is filled with Mayan women in boldly colored, homewoven clothes, all speaking Cakchiquel, one of the main Mayan languages. But ris-

ing above the chatter of the crowds is another noise: the amplified sound of rocked-up cheesy Christmas songs. I asked a local man what it was. “That’s the evangelical church,” he said, without much enthusiasm. I gathered he was not one of them. “They do it every market day - to remind us they are here.”

I followed the noise and wandered through the open doors. The church was full of children in fancy dress, all singing their hearts out. The evangelical movement is growing at a phenomenal pace in Guatemala, having hit upon a simple message: join us, get rich. God, it seems, loves sinners, but most of all he loves people who embrace a full Yankee lifestyle and give 10% to the pastor. Unfortunately most of these churches also demand a total rejection of Mayan traditions.

From Comalapa I headed east towards Lake Atitlin. It was raining when we got to Solola, a town on a hill overlooking a collapsed water-filled volcanic crater. There were no tourists in Solola - it’s too far from the water - but the vibrant market was superb. Women’s costumes were very different from those in Comalapa, and many men wore Mayan dress, too: colourful patchwork trousers and shirts, cowboy hats and dark woollen sarong/apron affairs - a Vivienne Wild Westwood look.

There are villages all round the lake and, bizarrely, each has a very different character. I was heading for Santiago Atitlan, on a

narrow bay reached by boat on the south side of the lake, in the shadow of the 3,156m Toliman volcano. There was something here that Rita was very keen I should see.

“There’s a shrine to Maximon. Actually, there are two: one is a tourist rip-off, no more than a business to take money off visitors. The other is genuine.”

We disembarked and strolled up the village’s main drag, an assault of craftwork and weaving: Mayan fingers are so nifty and productive that in most markets I’d have to scoot through at double-quick pace. Everything is so well-conceived, wellmade and superbly finished - the Mayans have turned creativity into pure shopping addiction, handicraft crack-cocaine. I just couldn’t add any more wonderfully attractive cloths or exquisitely sculpted wooden artifacts to my bag without risking irreparable spinal damage.

Kevin Rushby Rita bustled me away down a dark narrow alleyway. As we followed its twists and turns, she tried to explain how the shrines used to work.

“There is a system of cofradias [brotherhoods] in the town and each of them has an image of Maximon. Every year someone from the cofradia will display the figure in their house - it’s a big sacrifice, as these are people who might only have two rooms and the Maximon needs his own.”

A man in a straw cowboy hat squeezed past us. The alleyway appeared to be petering out into little more than a concrete crevice. “They get benefits of course: once a year they wash Maximon’s clothes and the dirty water is bottled up and sold.”

“Sounds like a good money-spinner.”

We waited while a woman in a traditional handwoven blouse with skirt and frilly apron went past with a basket on her head.

“It used to be,” agreed Rita. “But now the number of people has fallen off. There used to be more than a dozen cofradias with shrines here in this one village. Now there is just one - plus the tourist one, which is a fake.”

We had come to a dilapidated gate that opened into a beaten-earth courtyard where three sorry-looking chickens were pecking each other in the mud. A small child stared up at us.

“This is it.” We went into the courtyard and Rita called out until a woman appeared. She led us to a room away from the main house. As I entered I banged my head on something and stopped dead in my tracks. The thing that I had walked into was a flying pig: a stuffed wild boar, black as night, flying in a ceiling of bright paper bunting and balloons. There were other animals up there too: strange New World creatures that I did not recognize, jungle cats, monkeys and more pigs, all stained black with incense smoke. At the back of the room was a stack of deerskins and other body parts, long since dried. —Guardian

A

y

e niv rsar n

Books

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

New authors for 2012 Harriet Lane he idea for her first novel came to Harriet Lane in a flash one Sunday in May 2010.

“The plot just fell into my head, quite complete. When I dropped the kids off to school on Monday I took the laptop out to the garden where there was no Wi-Fi and started writing.”

She wrote a first draft in just 11 weeks. “It was so much unbelievable fun. I had this weird confidence about it and I just blitzed it.”

That confidence shines through on every page of Alys, Always (to be published by Weidenfeld), a gripping thriller set in the London literary world. It begins with a car crash on an icy English road and a death which turns, slowly and unnervingly, into an opportunity for the narrator Frances Thorpe, a lowly subeditor on a newspaper books desk, to insinuate herself into the upper echelons of London literary life.

Lane has firsthand experience of Frances’s world, having worked as a subeditor for Tatler before going on to edit and write for the Observer, the Telegraph and Vogue. But in 2008 her journalistic career came to an abrupt halt when she nearly lost her sight. She was diagnosed with a chronic inflammation of the optic nerve and put on medication which even now “just about manages the condition”.

Unable to do her job properly, she decided on a whim to join a creative writing course. The decision paid off. “My life is quite difficult at the moment, but little bombs of joy keep going off.”

When I meet her at the British Library, she has just received the cover art for the American edition of Alys, Always and she’s thrilled with it. She hasn’t planned a follow-up. “I’ve got quite good at not thinking too far ahead, but when I get some space, fingers crossed, I’d like to try this again.”

T

Chibundu Onuzo As a final-year history student at King’s College London, 20-year-old Chibundu Onuzo must juggle lectures, essay deadlines and writing her dissertation. But she has something else on her plate too - promoting her debut novel.

The young Nigerian writer impressed the literary world when she signed a two-book deal with Faber in February last year, the youngest woman ever to do so.

Onuzo’s book, The Spider King’s Daughter, follows a pair of Lagos teenagers, a well-to-do girl called Abike and a young street hawker, as their relationship blossoms.

“It’s just interesting, how people from different classes relate to each other,” Onuzo says.

“Abike should relate to the hawker in the same way as she relates to her driver. But the hawker

is good-looking, and speaks English well, and that makes her pause.”

Growing up in Lagos, the youngest daughter of two doctors, Onuzo started writing on a whim, aged 10. She typed stories on the family computer, influenced by the American TV shows she watched at home.

“It wasn’t seen as something abnormal, in the sense that they [my parents] didn’t discourage me,” she says. “But at the same time, they didn’t go, ‘Our daughter’s writing a book! That’s amaz-

tively from the book’s front cover.

“I’ve always been interested in cultural differences in attitudes,” says Dabhoiwala, whose day job is teaching history at Exeter College, Oxford.

“That may be because I grew up in Amsterdam in the 1970s and 1980s and then I moved back to England in Mrs Thatcher’s heyday to go to university, so that was a little bit of a contrast.

Most of my family live in India and they have particular attitudes to sexuality. So I have always been attuned to the subject and then I had the

ing!’ I think that would have been equally very harmful.”

Her imagination began to turn to Nigeria when she moved to England to do her GCSEs. “When you’re removed from Lagos, you realize that there are a lot of interesting things to write about.”

Encouraged by her older sister, she sent 33 pages of The Spider King’s Daughter to three agents. Capel & Land recognised her potential and asked for the rest, which took her 10 months to write. Numerous redrafts later and it’s ready to hit bookshops in March. “As a Christian I believe it’s just the grace of God,” she says, reflecting on her success so far. “All things work together for good.”

luck of stumbling across this huge unexplored, unexplained revolution in behaviour and I just pursued it.”

Dabhoiwala hopes that his book, with its mix of juicy anecdotes and rigorous analysis, will appeal to everyone from schoolchildren to academics and he is thrilled to have lighted on such a populist subject. “I modestly hope it will change the way that people think about sex,” he says. “I could also say that people should read it because it will almost certainly improve their sex lives, but even if it doesn’t it’ll still be a really good read.” — Guardian

Faramerz Dabhoiwala For Philip Larkin, famously, intercourse began in 1963, and this has become something close to a prevailing view of our times. But the 42-yearold historian Faramerz Dabhoiwala decided to dig a little deeper and, after a decade of research, the result is his radical and enthralling debut of his book, published in February. Here we discover that the “first revolution” can be dated to the 18th century; even our prurient interest in the lives of celebrities can be traced to this time with the rise of media-savvy courtesans such as Kitty Fisher, who gazes out seduc-

A

y

e niv rsar n

Books

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

T

here are two kinds of people in the world, as an old joke has it: those who think there are two kinds of people in the world, and those who realise there aren’t. The philosopher Roger Scruton belongs to the first set.

Over the past 30 years he has created a role for himself as a champion of traditional English conservatism, placing himself in one corner along with other admirers of fox-hunting, village greens and parish churches. In the other he sees hordes of chavs and Guardian-reading prigs - health-and-safety fundamentalists, postmodern relativists, entitlement freaks, utilitarians, multiculturalists, socialists, aging soixante-huitards, nihilist revolutionaries and political correctionists gone mad.

But if you think Scruton can be dismissed as a churlish little-Englander you’re in for a big surprise. Read his books without prejudice and you will find him lucid and informative, companionable, learned and urbane. He is probably better-read than you, in more languages than you know, and he can take on experts in legal history, economic theory, music, art, architecture, wine and world literature without missing a beat.

There seems to be only one thing he cannot do, and that is ambiguity. His constant refrain is: “Which side are you on? Will you stand by the gnarled oak of Englishness or will you bring on the bulldozers of soulless modernity? Can you appreciate beauty or are you an enraged devotee of contemporary art? Do you want wholesome food or tasteless, shrink-wrapped crap? Do you care about western civilisation or would you be happy to see it demolished? Are you one of us or one of them?”

Those who dwell in the valleys of uncertainty are liable to feel bullied by Scruton’s methods. If we value the kind of authors who are hard to pin down Rousseau, say, or Marx, Mill or Derrida we will wish he was not so eager to deride them. No one can be right all the

time, after all, and none of us is immune to life’s ironies. Even if we agree with Scruton that many of the horrors of the past century are due to leftist authoritarianism, we might want to jog his memory about the NHS and other achievements of social democracy, and remind him that totalitarianism has right-wing forms as well. But as I said, he is one of the best philosophers of our time.

In his new book Scruton turns his attention to ecological issues: erosion of habitats, depletion of resources, accumulation of waste and, of course, climate change. He’s not a catastrophist, but he’s not a sceptic either, and he recognises that the future of our natural environment poses theoretical problems as well as practical ones. The familiar backstops of political discussion - notions such as individual freedom, social equality, national sovereignty, representative democracy or human rights - are not going to help us face the fact that if we carry on as we are, the entire planet may soon become uninhabitable. You could in fact see old-style politics as the root of the problem: a vast filibuster that keeps the interests of unborn generations off the agenda, not to mention the fate of other species and the biosphere as a whole.

If the standard routines of political thought prevent us from confronting the dangers that threaten our planet, we might conclude that it is time to abandon the old stand-off between rightists who want to cling to the past and leftists planning a brave new world. But Scruton will not see it that way. If environmental disaster is the question, he thinks, then leftism is still “the worst thing that can happen”, and conservatism the only answer. He knows that conservatism has got itself a bad name by flirting with unbridled capitalism and promoting the idea that there’s no motive like the profit motive. But that’s never been Scruton’s version, and for the past few years he has been conducting a grand exercise in

Roger Scruton at the pigsty on his Wiltshire farm.

—Guardian

rebranding. He still divides the world into shrewd conservatives and leftist buffoons, but in the new terminology his sort of people are now “oikophiles” (from the Greek “oiko” for house, which is the derivation of “eco”), while the rest of us are benighted “oikophobes”.

The English have a word for it too: home-lovers, as opposed to homehaters. I’m not sure why Scruton resorts to Greek, but up to a point I can see what he means. I got through Green Philosophy sitting by an open fire in the old stone cottage where I have lived most of my life, and I can understand why oikophiles such as me might be well-attuned to environmental issues.

We like to think of ourselves not as lords and masters of our private patch, but trustees of a heritage that we hope to pass on to successors who will cherish it as we do. On the other hand I cannot get my mind round the idea of oikophobia.

The great wanderers of myth and history, from Oedipus to Wotan, from Borrow and Stevenson to Davies and Kerouac, may not have been amiable oikophiles, but they did not have a sinister plan to replace homely hearths with parallelograms of paupers. And if you are homeless, or hate the place where you live, the chances are that you are not suffering from oikophobia, but drifting into oikophilic melancholia, dreaming of the cherishable home you have not got.

The distinction between oikophiles and oikophobes may not hold water, but it gives Scruton a launch-pad for some effective polemics. He is acute about the so-called “precautionary principle”, pointing to the dangers of disaggregating the innumerable risks that face us and trying to pick them off one by one.

He also reminds us that NGOs are not angels, and that some of them have the wealth and power of governments, without any of the accountability. But then he does not like governments either, and enjoys setting off alarms about faceless bureaucrats and the nanny state though if he really thinks that schools no longer organise adventure-trips, or that fruit and vegetables cannot be sold unwrapped, he needs to stop reading

the red-tops and get out a bit more.

The damage we do to our environment arises mainly from what economists call externalities: side-effects that can be disowned by the people who cause them. Scruton believes that many ecological externalities - river pollution, for example - can be sorted by a combination of free markets and common law.

Beyond that, he appeals to the idea borrowed without acknowledgement from the socialist historian EP Thompson - of a “moral economy”, meaning standards of acceptable behaviour that are espoused by ordinary people. Thompson used the notion to rescue 18th-century rioters from the condescension of the right, but in Scruton’s lexicon it describes the values promoted by the Women’s Institute, National Trust and Campaign for the Protection of Rural England in their struggles with polluters and property developers. On any normal definition, these institutions belong in the same category as the NGOs that Scruton abhors, but he circumvents the difficulty by calling them “civil associations”, on the not-un-question-begging ground that they have a different “moral character”.

When it comes to environmental dangers that are too big to be dealt with by NGOs or civil associations, Scruton displays a boyish confidence in the prospect of a technical fix. His aversion to international organisations limits his options, and his hatred of state power cramps him further, but he ends up calling for government-funded research into carbon capture and solar energy, and argues that Washington ought to get into the business of geo-engineering solar radiation management perhaps, or ocean fertilisation - without waiting for the consent of other countries. If you are wondering how these proposals can be squared with Scruton’s lofty objections to state intervention as such, do not worry: with a wave of his rhetorical wand he transforms the faceless nannies of legend into kindly patriots shouldering their inherited responsibility for the homeland that they love.

Perhaps the idea of externalities could be extended from economics to philosophy, to describe by-products of the argumentative process for which other people are expected to pick up the tab. By the end of his book, Scruton is clearly involved in the same sorts of intellectual make-do-and-mend as the rest of us, but he tries to dump all the inconsistencies on the trusty old fall-guy that is the loony left. He might be even wiser if he were less interested in ideological purity - as he acknowledges, with characteristic grace, by giving his dateline as “Scrutopia”. — Guardian

Beauty FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

How to fix hair color mistakes Assuming you care about your appearance, the second choice is most likely going to be what you pick. This being said, here is a look at some different things you should keep in mind when fixing a hair coloring gone wrong.

W

hile we all want our hair colorings to turn out perfectly, sometimes mistakes happen. And when a major hair color gaffe happens, you have two choices: 1.Walk around with a totally messed-up dye job.

2.Do something to fix the problem.

Assuming you care about your appearance, the second choice is most likely going to be what you pick. This being said, here is a look at some different things you should keep in mind when fixing a hair coloring gone wrong.

Fix the problem quickly The biggest thing you need to keep in mind when hair color doesnít turn out the way you expected is that the quicker you get to the problem, the more chance you have of fixing it. In the best case scenario, you will fix a bad dye job within 24 hours of the coloring; in the worst case scenario, you’ll attempt to correct things within 72 hours.

Letting the dye sit in your hair any longer than this will let the unwanted color penetrate your cuticles. Now this isnít to say that itís impossible to remove or reduce the color after 72 hours, but you’ll need to invest a lot more time and money into the matter if you donít handle it quickly.

Hair color correction kit Assuming you’re going to fix a hair color mishap yourself, the best way to do this is by purchasing a hair correction kit. When buying the color corrector, make sure that you get

the whole deal, including gloves, a shower cap, conditioner, color reducer, a color brush and processing lotion. In addition to all of this, you should get a set of instructions to follow with the kit, but weíll also cover what to do below.

Most corrector packages call for you to mix the conditioner and color reducer together; once the mixture is created, you put the mix on your head with the color brush. As you apply the mixture, make sure to move the brush from your roots to the tips. The next step involves gently massaging the color reducer into your hair.

When youíve finished with the reducer, you need to cover your head with a shower cap, and wait for the allotted amount of time (according to directions). While you’re waiting, you should be doing strand tests to see if the product is actually reducing the color (hopefully it is). If you’re unfamiliar with strand tests, you just need to take a small part of your hair, and wipe away the product to see what color your hair is.

After removing the shower cap, you can apply the processing lotion and let it sit in your hair. Once the processing lotion has run its course, you can jump in the shower to rinse the product out.

Visiting the hair salon If your hair was colored at a salon, chances are that youíll be able to re-visit the salon and get the color removed/corrected free of charge. These chances improve greatly when you contact the salon within the first 48 hours

after the coloring.

Now sometimes you may lose confidence in the original salon that colored your hair. In this instance, you can always visit another salon to have the problem taken care of.

Better yet, you can go to a color correction specialist and get really good results! In any case, just don’t try to redo a professionallydone job by yourself.

Re-Dyeing your Hair Instead of trying to remove or reduce color, many people opt for re-dyeing their hair.

This is an especially popular choice for those who have used a permanent product, and canít use conventional means to take the dye out. But keep in mind that you’ll most likely have to visit a professional if your hair was colored a darker color.

When it comes time to re-dye your hair, the longer you wait to perform the dyeing, the better off you’ll be. In fact, you should try using a conditioner for color-treated hair before running out and buying more dye.

After all, your hair is in a very sensitive state, and re-dyeing it too quickly can cause the hair to become even more dry and brittle. In addition to this, re-dyeing right after the initial dye job can lead to your hair either absorbing too much or too little of the color.

So when you take all of this into account, itís very important to look at the health of your hair before deciding to re-dye it.

Assuming your hair is dry and brittle, it’d be a good idea to wait at least a month (preferably two months) before dyeing all over again. If

the health of your hair is good, you are safe to re-dye it within 2-3 weeks.

Letting hair color fade naturally In some cases, removing the hair color isn’t an option. Maybe you waited too long and a stylist won’t fix the bad dye job, or you tried several at-home solutions and the product still won’t come out. Whatever your situation is, you may be in the unfortunate position of having to wait until your hair color fades naturally.

If youíre wondering how long this will take, it all depends on the hair color you chose and the product that was used. For example, if you dyed your hair blonde with a cheaper product, you would probably be waiting 2-3 months before the color is completely gone.

Of course, it will fade before that, but this is a general estimate.

Assuming you used a permanent hair color product, your color is not meant to wash out or fade, so your best bet is to get it cut short and wait for the roots to grow in. Once this happens and your hair has grown out more, you can visit the salon and get your hair cut again. But hopefully you wonít have to go through this, and you’re able to use a solution that doesn’t require waiting on the hair color to fade.

(www.beauty-tips.net)

Style FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Matching the season : Winter make up T

he key to successful application of winter make up is keeping in mind the harshness of winter weather and the wearing of traditionally darker clothes. Unlike summer with its light clothing and sunny humid days, winter is composed of dry days and warm clothing. Winter make up should accommodate the weather and reflect the heavier clothing and darker colors. That means you put away the light foundations and summery eye colors and bring out the oil based moisturizers, protective foundations

and matte eye shadows in fall and winter colors like grey and brown.

Winter make up should begin with an oil based day moisturizer which prevents skin from drying out due to the low humidity and cold. At night, itís important to use a heavier moisturizer with essential vitamins and other skin rejuvenating ingredients immediately after the shower in order to seal in moisture.

When you choose a foundation for winter, the matte finishes are more appropriate than shiny bright finishes. The eye shadow colors

should reflect the colors in your winter clothing to create a unified and polished look. In addition, puffiness under the eyes which is common in the winter can be downplayed through skillful use of very pale yellow under eye cream.

It’s typical for people to have paler skin in the winter than they do in the summer.

Winter make up should be applied in a way that adds color and vitality to your skin tone.

In the summer the face is rosier due to sun exposure with its dose of Vitamin D. In the

winter, the lack of sun means winter make up should include a light tint that matches skin tone without being obvious. The basic foundation should be one shade lighter in order to make the skin look brighter.

These are just a few tips for the application of winter make up that can make your skin look healthy and glowing despite the darker colder weather. (www.beauty-tips.net)

Mascara for Winter Makeup C

hanging your makeup should be as effortless and natural as changing your wardrobe with the seasons. Just as we change into our darker and warmer clothes for winter, so do makeup trends point us towards darker and cooler colors, especially when it comes to eyes. Mascara is no exception to the rule. As mascara should be replaced about every three months, replacing it with the seasons is a natural and easy way to remember to make the change. Here are a few helpful tips for mascara during the winter months.

No matter what makeup trends are, long, full eyelashes are always a classic look and never go out of style. This is especially true in winter. Those that are searching for good winter mascara should keep in mind that it isnít necessarily the mascara formula that can make your eyelashes longer and fuller, but the type of wand you use.

Wands vary in shape and fullness, and if itís fuller eyelashes youíre looking for, be sure to choose a wand with a full brush. Smaller wands are useful for reaching the corners of the eyes, while a wand with a comb styled brush can help keep your lashes separated and clump-free. Winter is the best time to experiment with dramatic eyes, and smoky eyes in grey have grown in popularity recently. Black mascara is always the best color accompaniment for smoky eyes and will help draw attention to the eyes.

Apply two coats of mascara during the winter, but be sure to apply the second coat before the first dries, as this will help avoid the lashes from clumping together. Since smoky eyes look best with eyeliner on both the lid and the bottom of the eye, donít forget to apply mascara on the lower lids as well, this will really make the eyes pop. (www.beauty-tips.net)

Health FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Control appetite and curb your hunger C

ontrolling hunger is one of the biggest challenges you face when dieting to lose weight. And food cravings can be very difficult to control, with a lot of people eventually giving in to their body, which forces them to gain more weight. So if you’re looking to curb hunger successfully, read the following tricks and tips to better yourself and lose weight. You’ll be surprised as to how easy and basic these tricks are and how they help control appetite!

How to Suppress Appetite Value of Vegetables Vegetables offer a fare share of fiber, which is known for warding off hunger for long periods of time. The fiber found in vegetables will not only keep your system regular and make you full, but it’s also low in calories, which is ideal for weight loss. Keep sugar snap peas, carrots, and celery around so you can snack on healthy foods - as opposed to filling up on chips and crackers that offer little-to-no nutritional value. Salads are also good sources of fiber, and are great to eat before meals to ensure you have the right nutrients going into your body.

Move your body At the first sight of hunger, try taking a brisk walk before you prepare a snack if you’re thinking of suppressing your hunger. Keep your body moving for 10 minutes to dispatch feelings of hunger. Also, make the walk short and keep your pace brisk without jogging.

When you first begin working out regularly, you will experience changes in appetite, finding it more suppress according to the intensity of your workout, which may cause hunger cravings to sharply decrease.

The best way to use exercise as a hunger fix is to take yourself out for a brisk 10-minute walk. This moderate intensity exercise will be just enough to increase blood circulation throughout your body, and keep your hunger at bay. When the walk is completed, you may notice that your hunger has subsided, but your energy has increased.

Shift your caloric intake Breakfast is an important part of staying full throughout the day, and it keeps you from waiting until lunch to fuel your body. By eating breakfast every day, you may eat at least 5% fewer calories than if you skipped breakfast. That adds up to about 100 calories when you’re eating 2,000 calories a day.

Furthermore, this adds up to 10 pounds in one year, depending on the individual.

The average person will consume 20% of their calories at breakfast, 30% at lunch, and 50% at dinner.

Of course, this is easier said than done for those who struggle to eat a large breakfast; so in this case, you should add a snack or two before lunch.

Warm drinks Hot or warm beverages are known for making you feel full; but not all hot drinks are ideal for this tip. Coffee is not the best choice since it increases the amount of insulin, cortisol and hormones, which all increase hunger.

With this being said, tea is the better choice if you want to suppress your hunger.

Increase water intake If you eat foods high in sodium, or are on a low carb diet, it is important to drink plenty of water. In many cases, hunger is often mistaken for thirst, so it’s suggested that you drink a

glass of water before or during each meal.

Water will curb hunger, make you feel full, and by not drinking sodas or other sugary drinks, you will feel more energized throughout the day.

Eat raw fruit Eating raw fruit during meals will keep you full longer by keeping the amount of fructose in your liver at a reasonable level. Once your fructose levels get too low, this organ sends messages to your brain that ignites the feeling of being hungry. Be sure to keep your fruit servings to one serving size, and beware of eating too much since it can raise your fructose levels, which causes sugars in your body to turn into fat.

Eat enough fiber Fiber is the best carbohydrate for your body, and it will keep your body full longer by increasing the amount of time it takes to digest food. These carbohydrates also keep your blood sugar levels stable so that the cravings for fats and sugars are subsided.

Foods that will provide you with fiber are whole grains, vegetables with skin, fruits and lentils.

Foods that should be avoided are white rice, white pasta noodles, sugars, and white bread since these forms of carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate; this, in turn, causes the desire to eat more.

Healthy fats When you’re between meals and are in the mood for a salty snack, eat nuts like almonds instead of potato chips or crackers.

Almonds are a high nutrient snack that contains fiber and unsaturated fat; together these keep your hunger at a minimum. You can eat a handful of almonds daily for 365 days to slim your waist by 10-14% in one year.

Other nuts also give you a daily dose of healthy fats such as peanuts, pistachios and walnuts.

You can also try eating nut butters - assuming they are allnatural with no hydrogenated oils, sugars or additives.

Add protein Foods rich in protein will help you feel full longer giving you a chance to control your hunger for longer - even longer than carbohydrates. Another positive part of adding protein to your diet is that your body will use up more calories digesting the proteins, which may cause your calorie intake to decrease. It’s worth noting that extra dressings or dips you may want with high protein foods will add to your carb and sugar intake. The best sources of protein to curb your appetite are cottage cheese, fish, chicken breast, egg whites and turkey.

Beans A natural hunger suppressant called cholecystokinin can be found in beans, which makes this a great side dish for your lunch and dinner meals. Beans have the ability to keep your blood sugar at a normal level without fluctuating, which keeps hunger at bay. One more reason to eat more beans is that they can lower your cholesterol to keep your heart healthy.

The best way to change up your routine in order to stay full longer is to simply change one

habit at a time. You won’t have much success if you try to do all of these things in one day because it will be too different from your daily routine. The best thing to do is to trade one bad habit for a good habit; with this in mind you will be able to keep hunger in check while you lose weight. (www.beauty-tips.net)

Health FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Liposuction: cons The L

iposuction popularity is increasing with the number of patients choosing liposuction as a weight loss method, which rids the body of surplus fat. This leads us to ask what liposuction is and what are the issues and benefits of this treatment?

What is liposuction?

Liposuction is fat removal from specific body areas using a suction tube. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASPS), Liposuction is the most popular form of cosmetic surgery in the United States. The suction tube is inserted into body fat through small incisions in the skin and an extremely strong hose and vacuum joined to the tube sucks out excess fat from the body. Common areas that are suitable for this procedure include upper thigh, under arms, the stomach area and buttocks. There are pros and cons to choosing this form of weight loss system that you should be aware of before taking this drastic step to the ideal bodyweight.

pros and

There are pros and cons to choosing this form of weight loss system that you should be aware of before taking this drastic step to the ideal bodyweight.

Liposuction Pros ● Can make it easier to exercise with improved mobility ● Can regulate cholesterol ● Liposuction will stimulate motivation levels in the patient to help make long-term adjustments to their workout and eating habits. ● This procedure is suitable for hard to slim areas of the body for example, the pectoral area or underside of the chin.

Liposuction Cons Patients must stop weight increase, as untreated areas in the body are likely to fill with fat, as fat does not return to the treated area. ● Removing too much fat can make cellulite appear worse ● Stretch marks will not improve and could worsen. ● This treatment can lead to a difference in feeling in the place where treatment was given. ● Liposuction is likely to result in swelling and bruising. ● Post-procedure muscle spasms are likely ● There is a danger of infection. ● During the treatment, there is a risk of burns. ● Puncture wounds may scar. ● Post- surgery pain is likely.

Conclusion From investigating the good and bad points of selecting liposuction as a weight loss method, it is easy to see that this treatment must not be known as a risk free answer to body fat elimination.

To begin with, there is the concern of the patient looking out of proportion, as fat will not return to the liposuction site. This leads to the result that when Liposuction patients gain weight the surplus fat will develop on untreated areas which gives an out of proportion look.

Also, there is the risk of surgical complications including scarring, infection and the pain and length of recovery time, none of which are very practical for dieters.

Finally there is the cost of surgery. Liposuction is an expensive option and often the cost is too much for the average dieter.

There are some cases in which liposuction could be the best choice. Examples could include the demand for treatment on body areas that don’t respond to diet and exercise as they are usually due to genetics, however for average circumstances, patients will see good results from other weight loss methods.

People who are trying to lose weight can get adequate results from different weight loss techniques trying a calorie controlled diet and consistent workouts. This would eliminate the risk of Liposuction complications and the high cost of the procedure. (www.gottalosefat.com)

Lipo Stats ● Liposuction was the number one, most performed cosmetic surgery by ASPS member surgeons in 2004. ● ASPS member surgeons performed 324,891liposuction procedures in 2004, a 2% increase from the previous year. ● Patients aged 18 and younger made up 1% of the total liposuction procedures with 3,250 procedures, an 8% increase from the previous year.

● Patients aged 19 to 34 made up 28% of the total liposuction procedures with 90,969 procedures, a 0% change from the previous year. ● Patients aged 35 to 50 made up 51% of the total liposuction procedures with 165,694 procedures, a 2% increase from the previous year. ● Patients aged 51 to 64 made up 18% of the total liposuction procedures with 58,480 procedures, a 4% increase from the previous year. ● Patients aged 65 and over made up 2% of the total liposuction procedures with 6,498 procedures, a 9% decrease from the previous year.

● The national average surgeon/physician fee for liposuction charged by ASPS member surgeons in 2004 was $2,223. All members in total charged $722,232,693 for liposuction procedures. * These fees are averages only and do not include other related expenses such as those for anesthesia or operating room facilities. ● 90% of liposuction patients were women, totaling 292,402 procedures for 2004. ● 10% of liposuction patients were men, totaling 32,489 procedures for 2004 (www.drphilipmiller.com)

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

crosswise

3. One of the 5-letter words is illumination and the other is country, home of the Pyramids.

4. The 4-letter words are enclosure with bars; percussion instrument; organs of sight; opposite of early.

5. The two 3-letter words on the left are snakelike fish and large Australian flightless bird.

6. The two 3-letter words on the right are rodent and beverage.

Can you ďŹ nd the hidden numbers? They may be horizontal or vertical.

04363, 11789, 16988, 17736, 18893, 19283, 22464, 23299, 24232, 32180, 34432, 38273, 47378, 68745, 74839, 76686.

mystery-word

There are no clue numbers in the grid. Use your powers of deduction to put the right words in the correct positions in the grid. All the E’s have already been filled in.

1. One of the two horizontal 7-letter words is planet nearest to the sun and the other is a day of the week.

2. One of the two vertical 7-letter words is envious and the other is a mythical creature, half woman half fish.

number-search

sudoku

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

3 letters BAY SEA 4 letters POND POOL SURF

WAVE 5 letters CANAL CREEK OASIS OCEAN RIVER

6 letters LAGOON PUDDLE 7 letters CHANNEL 8 letters FOUNTAIN

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

T

here were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child. At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant her desire.

These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world.

One day the woman was standing by this window and looking down into the garden, when she saw a bed which was planted with the most beautiful rampion - rapunzel, and it looked so fresh and green that she longed for it, and had the greatest desire to eat some. This desire increased every day, and as she knew that she could not get any of it, she quite pined away, and began to look pale and miserable. Then her husband was alarmed, and asked, what ails you, dear wife. Ah, she replied, if I can’t eat some of the rampion, which is in the garden behind our house, I shall die.

The man, who loved her, thought, sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of the rampion yourself, let it cost what it will.

At twilight, he clambered down over the wall into the garden of the enchantress, hastily clutched a handful of rampion, and took it to his wife. She at once made herself a salad of it, and ate it greedily. It tasted so good to her - so very good, that the next day she longed for it three times as much as before. If he was to have any rest, her husband must once more descend into the garden. In the gloom of evening, therefore, he let himself down again. But when he had clambered down the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the enchantress standing before him.

How can you dare, said she with angry look, descend into my garden and steal my rampion like a thief. You shall suffer for it.

Ah, answered he, let mercy take the place of justice, I only made up my mind to do it out of necessity. My wife saw your rampion from the window, and felt such a longing for it that she would have died if she had not got some to eat. Then the enchantress allowed her anger to be softened, and said to him, if the case be as you say, I will allow you to take away with you as much rampion as you will, only I make one condition, you must give me the child which your wife will bring into the world. It shall be well treated, and I will care for it like a mother.

The man in his terror consented to everything, and when the woman was brought to bed, the enchantress appeared at once, gave the child the name of rapunzel, and took it away with her. Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a tower, which lay in a forest, and had neither stairs nor door, but quite at the top was a little window. When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself beneath it and cried, rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair to me.

Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine

Rapunzel

as spun gold, and when she heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then the hair fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it. After a year or two, it came to pass that the king’s son rode through the forest and passed by the tower.

Then he heard a song, which was so charming that he stood still and listened.

This was rapunzel, who in her solitude passed her time in letting her sweet voice resound. The king’s son wanted to climb up to her, and looked for the door of the tower, but none was to be found. He rode home, but the singing had so deeply touched his heart, that every day he went out into the forest and listened to it.

Once when he was thus standing behind a tree, he saw that an enchantress came there, and he heard how she cried, rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair. Then

rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the enchantress climbed up to her. If that is the ladder by which one mounts, I too will try my fortune, said he, and the next day when it began to grow dark, he went to the tower and cried, rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair. Immediately the hair fell down and the king’s son climbed up.

At first rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man, such as her eyes had never yet beheld, came to her. But the king’s son began to talk to her quite like a friend, and told her that his heart had been so stirred that it had let him have no rest, and he had been forced to see her. Then rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him for her husband, and she saw that he was young and handsome, she thought, he will love me more than old dame gothel does. And she said yes, and laid her hand in his. She said, I will willingly go away with you, but I do not know how

to get down.

Bring with you a skein of silk every time that you come, and I will weave a ladder with it, and when that is ready I will descend, and you will take me on your horse. They agreed that until that time he should come to her every evening, for the old woman came by day. The enchantress remarked nothing of this, until once rapunzel said to her, tell me, dame gothel, how it happens that you are so much heavier for me to draw up than the young king’s son he is with me in a moment. Ah. You wicked child, cried the enchantress.

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

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

Rapunzel is lost to you. You will never see her again. The king’s son was beside himself with pain, and in his despair he leapt down from the tower. He escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell pierced his eyes. Then he wandered quite blind about the forest, ate nothing but roots and berries, and did naught but lament and weep over the loss of his dearest wife. Thus he roamed about in misery for some years, and at length came to the desert where rapunzel, with the twins to which she had given birth, a boy and a girl, lived in wretchedness.

He heard a voice, and it seemed so familiar to him that he went towards it, and when he approached, rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck and wept. Two of her tears wetted his eyes and they grew clear again, and he could see with them as before. He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and contented. (www.familymanagement.com)

Comic

C R O S S W O R D

5 4 9

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS 1. A knockout declared by the referee who judges one boxer unable to continue.

4. Report or maintain.

10. Any of various coarse shrubby plants of the genus Iva with small greenish flowers.

13. A reproach for some lapse or misdeed.

14. An unwholesome atmosphere.

15. The act of slowing down or falling behind.

16. Resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy.

18. Wild ox of the Malay Archipelago.

20. A member of a Caddo people formerly living in north central Texas.

23. (Old Testament) Cain and Abel were the first children of Adam and Eve born after the Fall of Man. 24. Bony flesh of herring-like fish usually caught during their migration to fresh water for spawning.

26. A unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries.

27. The taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth.

30. Third son of Elizabeth II (born in 1964).

32. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

34. State in northeastern India.

38. Capital and largest city of Iraq.

40. A pilgrimage to Mecca.

42. A federation of North American industrial unions that merged with the American Federation of Labor in 1955.

43. (Old Testament) The second patriarch.

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

46. An independent group of closely related Chadic languages spoken in the area between the Biu-Mandara and East Chadic languages.

49. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

50. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

53. Being one hundred more than three hundred.

56. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

59. A city in northern India.

61. Psychoactive substance present in marijuana.

62. Involving the entire earth.

64. (informal) Of the highest quality.

65. Headdress that protects the head from bad weather.

66. A city is east central Sweden north northwest of Stockholm.

67. The cry made by sheep.

DOWN 1. (South African) A journey by ox wagon (especially an organized migration by a group of settlers).

2. Bushy plant of Old World salt marshes and sea beaches having prickly leaves.

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

4. Type genus of the Amiidae.

5. act between parties with a view to reconciling differences.

6. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

7. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

8. A metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram.

9. Take in solid food.

10. (anatomy) Of or relating to the ilium.

11. (Norse mythology) Race of ancient gods sometimes in conflict with the Aesir.

12. A yellow pungent volatile oil (trade name Agene) formerly used for bleaching

and aging flour.

17. The dialect of Albanian spoken in northern Albania and Yugoslavia.

19. A large number or amount.

21. The sound made by corvine birds.

22. A federal agency established to regulate the release of new foods and healthrelated products.

25. A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood.

28. By bad luck.

29. Kamarupan languages spoken in northeastern India and western Burma.

31. A Hindu prince or king in India.

33. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

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

36. Aromatic bulb used as seasoning.

37. Extinct flightless bird of New Zealand.

39. Fallow deer.

41. (zoology) Lacking a tail or taillike appendage.

42. Take in solid food.

45. A small cake leavened with yeast.

47. The skin that covers the top of the head.

48. A farewell remark.

51. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

52. Consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offence.

54. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

55. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth and mother of Cronus and the Titans in ancient mythology.

57. Sexually transmitted urethritis (usually caused by chlamydia).

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

60. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

63. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

Yesterday’s Solution

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Ancient

villain-hitting ritual thrives in Hong Kong

quatting at a makeshift shrine with joss sticks burning beside her, Granny Leung starts bashing a manlike paper cut-out with a pair of sandals.”I beat you little people, I’m sending you away!” chants the 76-yearold woman, one of the last practitioners in Hong Kong of the ancient Chinese ritual of “da siu yan”, or “beating the petty little people”. Granny Leung performs her mysterious incantations in the bustling shopping district of Causeway Bay. And business is booming. For as little as HK$50 ($6), Leung claims she can curse her customers’ enemies and reverse their bad luck by burning paper offerings and hitting paper figures with shoes.

Believers say the ritual can help to drive away evil spirits in general, or a

S

An elderly woman performs a ritual beneath a bridge in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong on July 30, 2011. — AFP photos

“This is better and this is more effective,” she explains. Leung says a steady stream of visitors seek her service every day. “I have been doing this for the past eight years,” she says on a recent Saturday afternoon, sitting on a plastic stool and burning some paper offerings in a red metal canister. She is among a small group of elderly women who work near the gloomy “Goose Neck Bridge” in Causeway Bay. The women congregate there because they say evil spirits linger in dark places.”I just beat the petty person in general for my clients’ peace of mind. I don’t curse or beat someone specifically. If I do that, there will be no end to this cursing and retaliation,” she says.

Leung, who used to collect cardspecific nemesis such as a hated neighbor, a business competitor or a love rival. Ada Mak, a 50-year-old businesswoman, travels from the outskirts of Hong Kong to see Leung every weekend. She believes the ritual can protect her from negative gossip, lawsuits and financial loss. “I always feel at ease after I see Granny Leung,” says Mak, adding that she usually asks the old woman to curse a general villain rather than a specific target. “If you curse someone specifically, you’re only targeting that certain person. Cursing generally can help you beat whoever is trying to harm you, including those that you might not be aware of, in the whole Asia region.

board for a living, attributes her powers to a “gift” from God. Half a dozen people line up and wait patiently for hours for Leung’s services. Among them are four Taiwanese tourists, a foreign domestic helper and an eight-year-old girl. “My daughter complains she has been bullied by her friends in school, she’s very upset,” says the girl’s mother Mandy Wong. “It’s our first time here, she asked me to take her here. She said she’ll feel better after the ritual,” Wong adds, as her bespectacled daughter sits on a stool quietly watching Leung. “I hope she’s happy after this. There is no harm to take her here if it helps to make her feel better,” the mother says, in between praises for Leung’s feisty beating of the “petty people”-her daughter’s schoolmates.

Each bout takes about 30 minutes, depending on how tough the villains are and how many times Leung needs to beat them until they are gone.

Another stage of the ritual involves feeding pig lard to paper tigers, which represent malignant beings, so they are full and will not bother people. “I don’t think this is superstition,” says Hong Kong Heritage Museum curator Chau Hing-wah, who reckons the popularity of rituals like “da siu yan” is growing. “In Western countries people may choose to go to church. In Hong Kong, they go to da siu yan. It’s just a way of letting go of stress, which is fun and interesting at the same time. “It’s not dying, actually it’s getting more popular.”—AFP

Lifestyle G O S S I P

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

US album sales

rise for first time since 2004

Singer Michael Starr and musician Satchel of Steel Panther perform at Irving Plaza on January 4, 2012 in New York City. —AFP

File photo shows Adele performing at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. —AP album sales rose more than 3 percent last year for the first gain since 2004 - a sign that rising digital sales are finally stemming the decade-long decline of compact discs. The uptick to 458 million album sales was helped by the hugely popular sophomore album “21” from British singer Adele, which sold 5.8 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Huge interest in Adele also led to the sales of 856,000 copies of “19,” her debut album from 2008. Michael Buble’s “Christmas,” which was released in late October, racked up 2.5 million album sales.

Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” sold 2.1 million, boosted by a massive sale at Amazon.com earlier in the year for a heavily discounted 99 cents.

Digital album sales rose nearly 20 percent to 103 million, while CDs fell nearly 6 percent to 225 million. The rest of the total is made up largely of digital single tracks, where 10 tracks are counted as one album.

Digital singles sales rose nearly 9 percent to 1.27 billion. The digital sales gains are likely here to stay, said Dave Bakula, senior vice president of analytics at Nielsen. He noted more consumers are using high-end mobile devices, and Google Inc. has launched its online music store, giving it a way to sell music to users of smartphones on its Android platform.

“It shows there’s still a lot of growth potential in digital,” he said. “That’s something I don’t see falling down.” Sales of older albums rose nearly 9 percent to 151 million, thanks to heavy discounting, including a Father’s Day promotion at some big box retailers and iTunes that touted Journey’s greatest hits and the work of other older rock bands. The Nielsen tally does not include growing subscriptions to all-you-can listen music plans, which have been rising thanks in part to the entry of Swedish service Spotify to the US market in July. —AP

US

Bollywood looks east to tap Chinese market ndia’s Bollywood film industry is eyeing its Asian rival China as a potential market, after a successful run of “3 Idiots”, the coming-ofage comedy starring Aamir Khan. The 2009 film, about a group of struggling students at one of India’s elite universities, opened in China in October and takings have so far topped 160 million rupees ($2.9 million), according to producers Vinod Chopra Films.

“The Chinese audience identified with the societal and parental pressures on today’s generation of young students seeking success,” said Vinod Chopra, who helped to adapt Chetan Bhagat’s novel “Five Point Someone” for the big screen.

The writer-producer-director said he was already receiving enquiries from China for his next film “Ferrari Ki Sawaari” (A Ride in a Ferrari), which is due for release at the end of April. He and other industry figures said he hoped the success of “3 Idiots” would see more Hindi-language films released in China, where only a handful of foreign movies are allowed to be shown each year. “This has demonstrated that universal themes will cross cultural and linguistic boundaries,” Chopra added in emailed comments to AFP. Indian films were popular in China in the 1940s and 1950s but ties between New Delhi and Beijing became frosty, not least because of India’s granting of asylum to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. The two countries also fought a war in 1962 over disputed border territory. The first Hindi-language film to be shot on location in China-”Chandni Chowk to China”-was released in India in 2009 and was hailed as a breakthrough, although panned by critics and audiences. The action comedy about a lowly Indian chef in New Delhi who is mistaken for the reincarnation of a fabled Chinese warrior starred Akshay Kumar and “Kill Bill” actor Gordon Liu. Before “3 Idiots”, only the 2010 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “My Name Is Khan” has recently

I

been shown in China. Meenakshi Shedde, a Mumbai-based film critic and film festival consultant, said Bollywood had largely ignored the potential of China and other Asian countries in favor of courting the Indian diaspora in the West. But she said that Indian film-makers and studios were now looking east. “I’m 100 percent sure of it. It’s just a matter of time... We have a one-billion-strong population and the whole world is looking at us. But we’ve never looked at these markets in Asia.” she added.

“China, which also has a one-billion-plus population, is the biggest market. But we’ve never crossed-over consciously. The market is too big to be ignored.” Hollywood studios have been making inroads into Indian cinema in recent years, forging joint ventures with local

partners for pre- and post-production work.

Some Chinese film-makers have also started to realize the need to win new audiences and have adapted movies to draw in crowds from nontraditional markets like India.Jackie Chan’s “The Myth”, for example, was shot on location in India and co-starred Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat, while Peter Chan’s musical drama romance “Perhaps Love” used Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan. Shedde noted that both “Chandni Chowk” and “My Name Is Khan” were produced or distributed by US studios (Warner Bros and Fox), which could provide the key to unlocking the Chinese market for Bollywood in the future.”It’s Hollywood opening doors for Bollywood in China. We’re riding on Hollywood’s coattails,” she added. —AFP

This December 4, 2009 file photograph shows Bollywood actors R Madhawan, Amir Khan and Shravan Joshi as they launch the Hindi film ‘3 idiots’ T-shirt collection in association with a clothing brand in Mumbai. — AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Remya gets an image makeover

By Sajeev K Peter

R

emya Nambeesan has got an image makeover. A ‘brilliant’ move on the part of the actress, the image overhaul has really paid off.

A few critical roles she played in Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil language movies in the recent past have helped Remya catapult herself into stardom.

Actress, classical dancer, television presenter and playback singer, Remya is a versatile artist. Over the last 15 years, she has acted in more than 25 films in four south Indian languages.

“No, the so-called image makeover was not deliberate,” says Remya in an interview with Kuwait Times yesterday.

“After the Malayalam film ‘Anachandam,’ in which I played a dance teacher, I made some wrong decisions. I admit that I did not choose right roles. But when I went to the Tamil film industry, I found out that it was much more professional,” Remya said, explaining why she went for a transformation. Her friends in the Tamil and Telugu industries motivated her to tone up her body and start workouts.

“But you see, it is not just about a physical transformation alone. The Tamil industry really got me surprised.

The strain they take to maintain their body fitness, to develop the characters they play and the professionalism and sincerity they demonstrate during their work and everything, really astonished me. You can see this dedication in every artist, from the light boy to the director,” she added.

Remya has acted in four Telugu movies. ‘Andamaina Manasulo’ and ‘Sarai Veerraju’ were good films though not very successful at the box-office.

But the third one, a Ramoji Rao banner movie ‘Nuvvila’ was a big hit. The fourth film ‘Salamat,’ a film based on Telugu people living in Malaysia, has just been completed.

South Indian film actress Remya Nambeesan poses during the interview.

— Photo by Sajeev K Peter

“I am not interested in doing any more stereotype roles. I wanted to shed the image of that timid village girl. And I really wanted to do variety roles. When I look back one day, I should feel happy that I have done something.”

Of the five Tamil films Remya acted in, ‘Kullanari Koottam,’ a romantic comedy, brought her a lot of accolades.

Remya made her debut in 2000 with ‘Sayahnam’ in which she played the role of a child. Later, she assayed minor roles in films including ‘Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka’ (2001), ‘Sthithi’ (2002), ‘Gramophone’ (2003) and ‘Perumazhakkalam’ (2004).

“I am not interested in doing any more stereotype roles. I wanted to shed the image of that timid village girl. And I really wanted to do variety roles. When

I look back one day, I should feel happy that I have done something. Today, the industry has realized the fact that I can do all kinds of characters. So, when I think about my strategic shift, I feel that it was a brilliant move,” she claimed.

Back in the Malayalam industry, ‘Traffic’ was Remya’s green signal.

“Though it was a minor role, the character proved to be the twist to the plot.

And I was well appreciated for my role in the movie,” she quips. ‘Chaappa Kurish’, Remya’s second Malayalam film in 2011, has been quite rewarding, in

which she played a very distinct role.

Remya said there are a few films in the pipeline such as Amal Neerad movie and Saji Surendran’s ‘Husbands in Goa’, a sequel to ‘Happy Husbands’.

“I don’t have vaulting ambitions. As a film actress, I want to do some good roles. I believe in myself and am ready to take up challenges,” a confidentlooking Remya concluded. Remya Nambeesan arrived in Kuwait to perform during NSS Kuwait’s ‘Mannam Jayanti’ celebration today evening at Marina Hall, Touristic Park, Abbassiya.

Aretha Franklin talks of her dream wedding, fiance N

In this May 17, 2011 file photo, singer Aretha Franklin appears at a taping of ‘Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular,’ in Chicago. — AP

ow that the Queen of Soul has found her king, she’s focusing on the key details of her upcoming wedding, including the place, the entertainment and, most important, the dress. “You know I am very hands-on. There is no way in the world anyone else could do my wedding other than myself, along with whomever I select to do various things,” she told The Associated Press. Franklin announced to the AP in a statement earlier this week that she was engaged to longtime friend Willie Wilkerson.

In a phone interview Wednesday night, a jovial Franklin said Wilkerson’s proposal wasn’t entirely unexpected.

“We were ... just kind of talking along those lines, and then it got very serious,” she said. “I just said, ‘Is that a proposal?’ and he said, ‘Yes.’ And that’s how that happened; we

just kind of talked into it.” Now Franklin is starting to plan the wedding, including talking to designers Donna Karan and Vera Wang about her dress. She’s also scouting locations for the ceremony, which she estimates will include about 250 people. While she considered Miami Beach for a June or July wedding, she’s now leaning toward “the exclusive Hamptons” in New York, where friends have a house with a private beach. And who would perform at the wedding of one of music’s top legends? Franklin said she hasn’t asked anyone but has her preferences.

“I would love to have Smokey (Robinson) sing, my dearest, oldest friend,” she said, adding gospel singer Karen Clark and Stevie Wonder to her list. Franklin has two previous marriages. When asked why she was ready to try a third time at age 69, she said: “I like

being married. It’s an institution that I like. So momentarily I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be married.” Franklin also said she’d like to have someone to lean on. “I need taking care of a little more, I think. Let someone else be strong,” she said. Wilkerson was a longtime friend before their relationship became romantic, which is proof, she said, that “sometimes what you’re looking for is already there.”

Franklin said she was in a relationship with a celebrity before she and Wilkerson got serious. “We had an intimate affair. (He was) one of America’s late-night talk-show hosts,” she said without elaborating. Franklin said the end of that relationship had a silver lining. “At this point I’m thrilled it didn’t (work), and what I was looking for was already here,” she said. — AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Titanic items to be sold 100 years after sinking I

tems as small as a hairpin and as big as a chunk of the Titanic’s hull are among 5,000 artifacts from the world’s most famous shipwreck that are to be auctioned in April, close to the 100th anniversary of the disaster. Nearly a century after the April 15, 1912, sinking of the ocean liner that hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic, a New York City auction is being readied by Guernsey’s Auctioneers & Brokers. That auction house has garnered headlines in the past by selling off such historical curiosities as prized Beatles photos, famous jewels of the late Princess Diana, beloved Jerry Garcia guitars and a police motorcycle used in the Texas motorcade when John F. Kennedy was slain. But nothing as titanic as the so-called Titanic collection.

On April 11, all of the salvaged items are to be sold as one lot in what Guernsey’s President Arlan Ettinger describes as the most significant auction ever handled by that house. “Who on this planet doesn’t know the story of the Titanic and isn’t fascinated by it?” he asked. “Could Hollywood have scripted a more tragic or goosebump-raising story than what actually happened on that ship?” “It is as poignant to my 12-year-old son as it is to me and generations before me. There’s no end to the fascination about it.”

The auction will be conducted 100 years plus a day after the Titanic set sail from Southampton, England, embarking on the ill-fated maiden voyage that had New York as its destination. The collection was appraised in 2007 at $189 million, including some intellectual property alongside the myriad items plucked by remote controlled probes from the pitch-black depths, some 2 and 1/2 miles below the ocean’s surface.

Those artifacts include the massive hull section called “The Big Piece” as well as personal belongings of passengers and crew, such as a mesh purse and eyeglasses. A bronze cherub that once adorned the Grand Staircase is also among the collection, as are fine china, table settings, bottles and ship fittings - even the stand upon which the ship’s wheel stood.

By court order, the items cannot be sold individually and must go to a buyer who

agrees to properly maintain the collection and make it available for occasional public viewing. The sale is subject to court approval. Ettinger and officials with RMS Titanic Inc., which salvaged the artifacts from the Titanic wreck, spoke to The Associated Press in advance of a media preview yesterday in New York. The AP first reported on the auction Dec. 29, based on financial filings by RMS Titanic. The planned sale also could include a trove of

“We are opening the door of opportunity for the future of the Titanic,” said Brian Wainger, a spokesman for Atlanta-based Premier Exhibitions Inc., of which RMS Titanic is a division. But the clock is ticking on thousands of additional artifacts embedded in a 3-by-5-mile section of ocean floor around the wreck, an area subject to a century of extreme ocean conditions such as cold temperatures and treacherous currents.

This April 2, 2010 image provided by RMS Titanic, Inc, shows the bow of the RMS Titanic on the ocean floor during an expeditions to the site of the tragedy. —AP archaeological data and visuals of the wreck, as well as the only detailed map of the vast ocean floor where all the artifacts were scattered after the Titanic’s sinking.

The Titanic’s sinking claimed the lives of more than 1,500 of the 2,228 passengers and crew. An international team led by oceanographer Robert Ballard located the wreckage in 1985, about 400 miles off Newfoundland, Canada. The research materials could be a road map to future salvage expeditions because of the new information they provide on the wreck site.

“I think it’s fair to say that we have only touched the surface,” Wainger said. The deteriorating hulk of the Titanic is off limits to salvage. The auction is subject to approval by a federal judge in Virginia whose jurisdiction for years has given oversight to legal issues governing the salvage of the Titanic. The Titanic treasures were amassed during seven risky and expensive trips to the wreck. US District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith, who has overseen the case from her Norfolk courtroom, has called the Titanic an “international

treasure.” She has approved covenants and conditions that the company previously worked out with the federal government, including a prohibition against selling the collection piecemeal.

The court conditions also require subsequent owners to make the artifacts available “to present and future generations for public display and exhibition, historical review, scientific and scholarly research, and educational purposes.” Wainger and Ettinger declined to speculate on who might bid on the collection. “You hate to be in the position of being a fortune teller or clairvoyant,” Ettinger said. “I, for one, would be very surprised if there wasn’t international interest.” Wainger said, “Any individual can fall in love with any of the different artifacts because so many of them are personal. When you read the personal stories you recognize the tragedy.”

Premier Exhibitions has been displaying the Titanic artifacts in exhibitions worldwide. The items were recovered from the shipwreck in expeditions in 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004. RMS Titanic, which has overseen the artifacts for 18 years, said the public company decided to auction the collection in response to shareholders’ wishes that the “company go out and make money.” “It’s better to be in the hands of a private institution that doesn’t have the same shortterm profit obligations that a public company has,” he said. In 2010, RMS Titanic collaborated with some of the world’s leading experts in the most technologically advanced expedition to the Titanic, undertaking the first comprehensive mapping survey of the vessel with 3-D imagery from bow to stern.

The most striking images involved the 3-D tour of the Titanic’s stern, which lies 2,000 feet from the bow. A camera in a remote-controlled submersible vehicle skimmed over the stern, seemingly transporting viewers through scenes of jagged rusticles sprouting from the deck, a length of chain, the captain’s bathtub, and wooden elements that scientists had previously believed had disappeared in the harsh, deep ocean environment. —AP

Barbie to get some Kardashian gal pals?

Deschanel

I

s Barbie cosying up with the Kardashians? Celebrity magazine Us Weekly reported on Wednesday that the world’s most famous doll was getting three high-profile new friends-reality TV stars Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian. Us Weekly quoted an unnamed source as saying that the Kardashian sisters-who found fame in the US show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”will be immortalized as Barbie’s pals in an upcoming limited-edition doll line.

“The dolls will reflect the girls’ measurements and may even come in Kardashian-designed outfits,” the source said. Barbie doll makers Mattel declined to comment, saying they never comment on “product rumors.” But the iconic Barbie herself, whose “careers” over the past 50 years have ranged from U.S. President to computer engineer, said in a cryptic Twitter message on Jan. 1 that she had a new job to look forward to.

“I’m so excited to share my New Year’s resolution with you dolls! I’m going to pursue a dream I’ve always had... to be a Fashion Designer!” Barbie tweeted. Kim Kardashian, who made headlines last year by marrying basketball player Kris Humphries in a lavish TV wedding and filing for divorce 72 days later, has also been dropping hints. “Merry Christmas Barbs @BarbieStyle! Long time no see! What did Ken get you for Christmas? Miss you doll!,” Kardashian tweeted on Christmas Day. “I’m sure we will be seeing lots of each other!Shopping soon!Xo RT @BarbieStyle: Happy Dollidays to you too @KimKardashian! See you in 2012?”—Reuters

files for divorce in LA

Z

File photo shows actress Zooey Deschanel, left, and her husband, musician Ben Gibbard arrive at the premiere of the animated feature film ‘Winnie the Pooh’ at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif. —AP

ooey Deschanel (ZOH’-ee dehshuh-NEHL’) has filed for divorce from her rocker husband of two years The actress filed for divorce in Los Angeles on Dec 27 from Ben Gibbard, citing irreconcilable differences. The former couple announced they had broken up in November.

The 31-year-old actress stars in the Fox sitcom “New Girl” and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance. Gibbard is the lead singer of the rock band Death Cab for Cutie, which released the album “Codes and Keys” in May. Deschanel and Gibbard were married in September 2009 and have no children together. Deschanel’s publicist has said that the couple’s split was “amicable.” —AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Members of the Canadian performance group, Cirque Du Soleil perform Totem at the Royal Albert Hall, London, Wednesday. — AP

Battle of the brushes in Japan

F

rom small children to octogenarians, thousands came together in Tokyo yesterday for a new year’s battle of the brushes in an annual national calligraphy contest. In what has long been a ritual for the start of the year, people all across Japan write down their resolutions and hopes, or good luck characters, using a traditional horse-hair brush and ink made of charcoal.

This year’s contestants brushing their welcome to the Year of the Dragon included children from Fukushima prefecture, which is still struggling with the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years, set off by last year’s massive earthquake and tsunami. “I wasn’t sure if I would be able to write well, but I did better than I thought so I think it’s good,” said Natsumi Yazawa, a 14-year-old from Fukushima who traveled hundreds of kilometres to take part.

Contestants, who ranged from those aged four all the way up to 85, were assigned Chinese characters such as “Spring Wing” and “Year of the Dragon” and given 24 minutes to complete their masterpieces. One of the older participants was Etsuko Saotome, who said she had looked forward to taking part as it gave her energy. “I’ll be 74, and while that’s embarrassing, this gives me a chance to feel youthful again, writing with all of these children,” she said.

The pieces were collected to be reviewed by judges according to rules such as their flow, line strength and angles. The winners will be announced on Jan 22. Calligraphy is a widely practised and revered art in many parts of Asia, with the act of writing Chinese characters believed to sharpen the mind and improve concentration.—Reuters

Single tuna fetches record $736k at Japan auction A

deep-pocketed restaurateur shelled out nearly $750,000 for a tuna at Japan’s Tsukiji fish market yesterday, smashing the record price for a single bluefin. The 269-kilogramme (592-pound) fish-caught off the coast of Japan’s northern Aomori prefecture-stood at an eyepopping 56.49 million yen ($736,500) when the hammer came down in the first auction of the year. The figure dwarfs the previous high of 32.49 million yen paid at last year’s inaugural auction at Tsukiji, a huge working market that features on many Tokyo tourist itineraries. Yesterday’s winning bidder was Kiyoshi Kimura, president of the company that runs the popular Sushi-Zanmai chain. At around 210,000 yen per kilogram, a single slice of sushi could cost as much as 5,000 yen, but the firm plans to sell it at a more regular price of up to 418 yen, local media reported.

“The flesh is colored in magnificent red and the quality of fat is very good,” Kimura said. “It is very delicious. The taste is unbeatable.” A Hong Kong sushi restaurant owner bought the previous year’s record tuna, and Kimura added: “I wanted to win the best tuna so that Japanese customers, not overseas, can enjoy it.”

Bluefin is usually the most expensive fish available at Tsukiji. Emiko Misumi, a 44-year-old woman who tasted a slice, said: “This tuna is so fatty and very delicious.” “It was sweet even without sugar or sake. It was a very delicate sweet taste,” said another female customer Noriko Nakai, 63.

Decades of overfishing have seen global tuna stocks crash, leading some Western nations to call for a ban on catching endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna. Japan consumes three-quarters of the global catch of bluefin, a highly prized sushi ingredient known in Japan as “kuro maguro” (black

tuna) and dubbed by sushi connoisseurs the “black diamond” because of its scarcity.

“You know, good things like this are appreciated in the whole world,” said 22-year-old male customer Hirotaka Higurashi when asked about the overfishing issue. “There is nothing we can do about it.”—AFP

President of Sushi restaurant chain Sushi-Zanmai, Kiyoshi Kimura , slices up a 269kg bluefin tuna to serve his customers at his main restaurant near Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market yesterday. —AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Isaac and Olivia Yang sit next to a wax figure of Tom Hanks as film character Forrest Gump .

Emma Novak of Winnipeg, Canada, poses alongside a wax figure of President Obama in a mock Oval Office.

A heated wax museum war takes shape in Hollywood

D

issing Angelina Jolie normally isn’t the best way to get ahead in this town.

But tough times call for tough tactics in the war of the Hollywood wax museums.

Madame Tussauds, which considers itself the ne plus ultra of wax artistry-with the $25 ticket price to match-is trying to best it’s cheaper competitor, the Hollywood Wax Museum, with a new marketing blitz stressing the defects in its rival’s paraffin starlets, singers and comics. In a wax version of a cola taste test, Madame Tussauds plans to let visitors decide whose figures most closely resemble their glamorous living counterparts. Madame Tussauds has begun placing a celebrity replica in its lobby alongside a life-size cut-out photo of the same figure snapped at the Hollywood Wax Museum. First up was Jolie.

The message: Our Angie is hot. Theirs is not. Madame Tussauds plans to rotate the figures every few days. It’s also putting up posters in its lobby, citing negative online reviews of the Hollywood Wax Museum next to positive reviews for Madame Tussauds. “I personally think we are better than the Hollywood Wax Museum,” said Colin Thomas, general manager of Madame Tussauds, which opened its $60-million attraction in a prime location next to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in 2009.

Tej Sundher, whose grandfather opened the Hollywood Wax Museum a block away in 1965, says he isn’t fazed by Madame Tussauds’ sniping. He said his tickets, priced at $15.95, offer visitors good value for their money. And while he admits his museum doesn’t have the cachet of his internationally famous rival, he said his wax figures can hold their own.”I’ll compare my Hugh Hefner with their Hugh Hefner any day,” he said, pointing to his museum’s wax depiction of the Playboy founder dressed in a satin bathrobe and stretched out on a bed.

The two museums are in the same business but their origins couldn’t be more different. Madame Tussauds is named for the famed French wax artiste who made busts for a show that traveled through Europe in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Those shows included famous figures of the age, including the writer Voltaire, the philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau and Benjamin Franklin.

Merlin Entertainments Group, based in England, now owns the Madame Tussauds franchise and operates 13 attractions worldwide, including in London, Berlin and

Shanghai. Wax luminaries such as Voltaire and Rousseau have given way to young stars such as Justin Timberlake and Beyonce.

Hollywood Wax Museum has more humble roots. Sundher’s grandfather, Spoony Singh, a former saw mill operator and amusement park creator from Canada, opened his attraction with an emphasis on celebrity rather than wax artistry. Sundher and his three uncles now operate the museum, several other attractions and two local storage facilities. He portrays the battle of the Hollywood Boulevard wax museums as a “current-day David and Goliath story.”

“We are more kitschy but we embrace that,” he said. But he rejects his rival’s assertion that his figures are cheap knockoffs compared with those at Madame Tussauds. Over the last six years, Sundher said, his company has made significant investments-he wouldn’t say how much-to upgrade the museum. He said that since 2005, every wax figure, except for the facsimile of Charlie Chaplin, has been replaced. The museum has been renovated to let guests pose for photos next to the figures, and he plans to add 20 new figures by November.

Thomas of Madame Tussauds said figures there, created by a team of professionals in London, are clearly superior. But he said surveys have shown that attraction is losing customers who assume the two museums are either the same or very similar. “This is about our brand,” Thomas said. “We don’t want people being confused.” Online reviews of the two attractions seem to favor Madame Tussauds. On the online consumer rating site Yelp.com, Madame Tussauds’ Hollywood location currently boasts four stars compared with 2.5 for the Hollywood Wax Museum.

One Yelp reviewer said that the Lucille Ball figure in the Hollywood Wax Museum “looks like a Meth addict,” adding that Cameron Diaz was “missing fingers” and the “wig was sliding off” the head of Mike Myers, who was dressed as film character Austin Powers. But at the Hollywood Wax Museum this week, Shaorong Young, a tourist from Albuquerque, said he and his wife and two children were impressed by the wax replicas.

“They look very real to me,” Young said as he snapped photos of a wax Hulk Hogan, standing in a fighting ring with Sylvester Stallone from the “Rocky” movies and Jack Black from the movie “Nacho Libre.” “This is worth the money.”

Wax museums: The ows of wax A star such as Jim Carrey doesn’t come around every day, but wax sculptors say they can reproduce him in about six months, down to his brown eyes and signature, toothy grin. The celebrity replicas featured at the Hollywood Wax Museum and at Madame Tussauds are crafted using some similar techniques.

Research: Both wax museums collect photos, death masks or other renditions of the celebrity. Whenever possible, Madame

Hair and skin color: The wax heads are removed from the molds so that hair, eyelashes, whiskers and eyebrows can be plugged in, one strand at a time — a process that can take as long as five weeks. Oil-based paint is applied for the skin color.

Eyes and teeth: At the sitting, Madame Tussauds’ artists compare the celebrity’s eyes with stock glass eyes and use watercolors to match variations in the iris and sclera colors.

Teeth are porcelain or dental acrylic and colored to match.

A wax figure of Angelina Jolie, right, at Madame Tussauds is posed next to a photograph of Jolie as she is seen in wax at the Hollywood Wax Museum. — MCT photos Tussauds invites the celebrities for a sitting to have more than 250 measurements taken.

The Hollywood Wax Museum rarely gets a celebrity to pose for a sitting, relying more heavily on close-up photos.

Clay sculpture: Professional sculptors make a clay bust of the celebrity based on the photos and, when possible, the measurements. This can take 10 to 12 weeks.

Molds: Molds are made from the clay sculptures.

Wax: Hot wax is poured into the molds and left to cool and harden.

Clothing: Madame Tussauds asks celebrities to donate the clothes that will be worn by the wax figures. The Hollywood Wax Museum hand-makes the costumes.

Cost: Madame Tussauds estimates each figure to cost up to $300,000 each. The Hollywood Wax Museum declined to discuss the cost to produce its figures.-MCT

Stars

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Aries (March 21-April 19) Before going home this afternoon, you and a co-worker may get into a discussion about how one finds unusual activities to enjoy over the holidays or over the time away from work. Utilizing the internet in successful ways and finding new theaters and trends that amuse is a conversation that could go on for a long time, particularly if you live in an area where there are a group of cities within driving distance. If each of you creates an idea list that will surprise everyone—a few pictures would also be helpful. Who knows, you might even work together to publish a list for the other employees. Your imagination is unusually heightened. Sudden decisions on the home front this evening are easy to make when everybody votes.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You could be slowed or delayed today. This slowing down will help you to think through previous plans and expectations for success. You take a serious attitude to just about all aspects of your life. This is an excellent time to get many things accomplished. The practical use of your time and energy will most certainly pay off in successful ways. Mental endeavors are favored as is communication with co-workers and clients. You truly appreciate people and you work easily at being everyone’s friend. This is a time when you should experience some important decision-making regarding a love relationship. Your desire for understanding is strong. If you are already involved with a love relationship, there is a special bonding at this time.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Originality means a lot to you. One promise you can make to yourself this year is to become as original as possible. No following the lead here. Positive outcomes are a part of this promise you can make to yourself. You have the mental concentration and discipline to work out the final details of a past project, if only on paper. This may mean that poem, music or short story, or sewing, knitting, cooking or sanding the hull of a boat. There are new sources of income available to you—this is a good time to do a little research before you commit. Your ability to search the Web is unique and there is little that hides from your eyes, making it a great place to start your research. A friend is attentive to you this evening.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You could feel that you are stuck in a rut and everyone is conspiring to keep you there. Slow down there . . . where is that coming from? Take another look! It just could be that your end of last year and the beginning of this year have come crashing together. Give yourself time to adapt to these new energies . . . and mark my word . . . these are new energies. Only you will be able to make these energies positive or negative.

You have the power my friend and the stars are working with you as you will be given new opportunities this year that you did not think you could handle in the past. Start an achievement diary because before the year is half over you will find some real accomplishments to celebrate. If you have misgivings about work, look further.

Leo (July 23-August 22) For another month or so you may spend a great deal of time looking to change your lifestyle, reorganizing and putting into practice the next steps to making more money, changing residence, having more fame or some other gain in your life. Achievements that win you recognition are yours for the making. The secret is that if you are not in your own business you will be able to make a business double its financial intake in some way. This could be in your good sales talk or it could be in the way that you handle other people in management. It may just be time to consider a business class so that you will learn all the secrets to good business. Keep up the good work—you influence others. This evening is an excellent time to spend with the family.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You could be most persuasive with others and powerful in speech and communication. The situation is a natural for selfexpression and lends itself to your particular ideas and thoughts. Some of the answers you find when you solve problrems could improve things in the future. There is a possibility that your work will come under scrutiny when you return to the work force this week but you can definitely take some time to show higher-ups your accomplishments and learn from the weak areas.

Your willingness to learn, whether you believe you need to or not, will be the turning point in your path to success. Now you need an open mind with which to listen and learn. You could be asked to speak for your company— don’t be afraid—go for it.

COUNTRY CODES Libra (September 23-October 22) This is a busy day. You may spend a great deal of time, effort and worry closing out old projects, balancing commitments and handling interruptions. You are able to make some good choices regarding future scheduling and you have a way of finding the answer to whatever questions come your way. Obviously, coolness and patience during this time period is the key to a successful day. There is a positive use for any tenacity or single-mindedness that you may have, such as in braking down barriers that previously were insurmountable. Also, you may want to consciously transition from work to home so that you do not dominate the family setting. A book on tape or your own special music may be just what is needed for the ride home.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) What a day to charge your batteries with a two-way flow of ideas and information! You are eager for everyone to hear your point of view and just as eager to hear theirs. This is a prime day for reports to be given and making decisions. Everyone is acknowledged and the time spent in working through suggestions and ideas is productive. After work today you may decide rest and a time of quiet will renew yourself for another busy day. Ideas of how you might create a new area for a hobby may occur to you this evening and you may set about to measure and check just how you could have that happen. A little desk, a floor lamp and a couple of chairs with a few plants to separate the space from the family space just may be the answer.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) There are many challenges this morning but they seem to magically disappear by mid-afternoon. You may have trouble concentrating on other people’s needs and this is not the usual for you. Never fear . . . your routine returns to normal next week. Pay attention to your activities over the next few days and work to create an awareness of balance—work, play, rest, grooming, creative vents, exercise and recreation. For a break in your activities, plan things that are educational or artistic. Learn or teach another person something technical or creative. Pictures of the last holiday are just sitting around waiting on you to place them where others can enjoy them. Your art in photography is not lost. You may become aware of a new way of displaying the pictures.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You are extremely communicative today and if anyone wants a better understanding of how some piece of equipment works or why some method is undertaken, you have the explanation. You are also good about saying you do not know something so that you don’t have to guess at every little thing that comes up. This is a most favorable time to exchange ideas and seek new ventures upon which to capitalize. You won’t be making any big decisions with a new financial idea but as you share the information with your friends you may find some insight that would confirm your own thinking. In the workplace, you try to complete the projects you are given in a timely manner; however, today you may decide to get into a little organizing after all the holidays.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This marks a time when many projects come to fruition, especially large ones. Anything held back because of some problem will be freed up for the next step. There is some anticipation for new work to begin. Stopping on the way home this evening to pick up some necessary items, you may share a compliment or two with another customer.

Your courteous mannerisms are examples for others who may be too busy to stop and share a kindness. Something electric is in the air and your charisma shines! There is talk of a family member moving back or coming back to the city where he or she grew up. Engaging in heartfelt discussions with loved ones is a good idea during this time. These bonding moments are ideal for building on relationships.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Situations may occur now that could drain away your energy, making it a difficult time to initiate new projects. You are also prone to be deluded by another person, so watch out! On the positive side, it is a good day to just reflect or help others. You are a pushover. This afternoon, ego, energy and self-assertiveness could be better. If an issue is brewing where you would benefit from taking a stand, consider the response of your words and think through your actions. Save this for another day and you will have better results. You may be inclined to overindulge—so avoid the smorgasbord table and watch the calories. Be wary about taking things to the extreme. This may also mean that you must ease up on trying to find a logical reason for every event.

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African Republic 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

A

y

e niv rsar n

W h a t ’s O n

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Upcoming events Aware Center Arabic lessons The AWARE Management is glad to inform you that Winter 1 Arabic language courses will be on until January 12th, 2012. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed and courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to teachers, travelers & those working in the private business sector. Arabic classes at the AWARE Center are unique because students are provided with the chance to practice their Arabic through various social activities that aim at bringing Arabs and Westerners together.

AWARE Arabic courses highlight: Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics l Better prepare you for speaking, reading and writing Arabic l Combine language learning with cultural insights l Taught in multi-nationality group settings l Provide opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs.

For more information or registration, call 25335260/80 ext 105/104/0 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw. l

Kuwait Town Malayalee Christian Congregation (KTMCC) celebrated its 60th anniversary at National Evangelical Church (NECK) on January 4. Fr Immanuel Ghareeb gave the inaugural address.

CINEMAGIC SCHEDULE Saturday, January 7th at 7:30pm DON’T LOOK BACK Documentary covering Bob Dylan’s 1965 tour of England, which includes appearances by Joan Baez and Donovan.

Thursday, January 12th at 7:30pm THE DINNER GAME Each week, Pierre and his friends organize what is called as “un dÓner de cons”. Everyone brings the dumbest guy he could find as a guest. Pierre thinks his champ -FranÁois Pignon- will steal the show.

Saturday, January 14th at 7:30pm THE GREAT DICTATOR In Chaplin’s satire on Nazi Germany, dictator Adenoid Hynkel has a double... a poor Jewish barber... who one day is mistaken for Hynkel.

Thursday, January 19th at 7:30pm THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED Should Tom (Duris) make like his thuggish father or pursue his dream of becoming a pianist?

Saturday, January 21st at 7:30pm THRONE OF BLOOD A ruthlessly ambitious lord, egged

on by his wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become Emperor.

Thursday, January 26th at 7:30pm GREASE Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. But when they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?

Saturday, January 28th at 7:30pm AKIRA A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psionic psychopath that only two kids and a group of psionics can stop.

Cinemagic Kuwait, is organizing these events as part of its efforts to contribute to the development of an internationally competitive Kuwaiti audio-visual production industry, partly by bringing the filmmakers and audiences together and by Increasing the public’s interest in - and appreciation for - the art of film-making. Cinemagic movies are screened in the old Salmiya, on the roof on top of Alghanim Electronics and LG. Entrance is free of charge and includes refreshments, popcorn and much more.

Carnatic lovers rejoice!

K

uwait Carnatic Music Forum proudly announces Saint Satguru Thyagaraja Aaradhana 2012 on 12th and 13th January at Indian Community School, senior branch Salmiyah. The two days program will feature famous musicians from India and around Kuwait.

The inaugural day 12th January Time : 6.30pm Vocal : Innissai Banu Shri Trichy S Ganesan.

Violin : Karunagapilly S Balamurali Mrudangam : Perunna G Harikumar Ghatom : Kottyam B Unnikrishnan 13th January: The program will start in the morning 9.00 am. The day long program will have Sangeethaarchana by students and devotees around Kuwait. The objective of the program is to provide a platform for the local artists to perform their skills to the local enthusiastic public.

The program will have a grand finale with Ghanaraga Pancharatna Keerathan Aapapanam by eminent musicians around Kuwait. The Pancharatna Aalapanam will be led by Trichy S Ganesan. Ganesan is a leading Carnatic vocalist from South India working with All India Radio Madhurai as a staff artist. He is also conferred with many awards. He has 35 years of experience as a performing artist.

Kottayam B Unnikrishnan is a leading Ghatom artist from Kerala. He is an assistant professor in mrudangam with Swathi Thirunal Music College, Trivandrum. He has many concerts to his credits in India and abroad with top most leading artist from Carnatic music world.

Get ready get set - RunQ8 Registrations are now open for RunQ8, the annual 10km charity race to be held on January 21, 2012. Organized by the Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute (FSRI) and Agility, the race route will run from Marina Crescent in Salmiya along the Gulf Road up to the Third Ring Road and back. The race is aimed at supporting health issues affecting our community and raising awareness around them. In its second year, RunQ8 is promoting road traffic safety. 2011-2021 has been named the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety with a goal to stabilize and then reduce global road traffic fatalities by 2021. In Kuwait, traffic accidents are the third leading cause of mortality and a large number of people and their families are affected by the debilitating effects of injuries caused by road accidents. Last year, the race raised over KWD 50,000 for the Kuwait University’s Community Eye Health Care Initiative that supports Vision 2020, a joint initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). RunQ8 invites all members of the community to join in this initiative and help support road traffic safety in Kuwait. To register contact the FSRI office 25720338 or visit the race websitewww.Runq8.org for more details.

There are also pre-race articles and videos produced by FSRI’s specialized sports trainers, physiotherapists, nutritionists and psychologists to help get you ready for the race. Please see our website www.runQ8.org and our Facebook page for updates on our running and walking clinic, race events, and other initiatives.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

A

y

e niv rsar n

W h a t ’s O n

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

India Education Exhibition opens today

I

ndia Education Exhibition 2012, an exposition of leading educational institutions from India, will open to the public today at 10.30am at the Ramada Hotel Kuwait, in Riggae.

Satish C Mehta, the Indian Ambassador, will inaugurate the two-day exhibition, which will be open on both days from 10.30am to 8.30pm.

More than 15 leading exhibitors from different states of India, and representing over 150 institutions, will be on hand to provide information and guidance on more than 300 educational courses.

The exhibition provides a wonderful chance for students to get a better understanding of the remarkable educational opportunities available in India, and to avail of the immense potential that an Indian education now offers. The profile of the participating institutes include International Schools / Universities / Deemed Universities / Engineering Colleges / Medical Colleges / MBA & Management / B -Schools / Distance Education / Pharmacy & Nursing / Bio Informatics / Information Technology / Colleges offering Higher education in Arts & Science / Hotel Management & Catering Technology / Post Graduation & Research / Diploma Studies/

International Schools /Unique and specialized programs. In addition the exhibition offers free educational counseling / registration and admissions from school education to research programs.

Among the exhibitors at the show are Peeves Public School from Nilambur, Kerala, SRM University and Hindusthan University from Chennai, SONA College of Engineering from Salem, Nehru Group of Institutions from Coimbatore, CMR Group of Institutions, Acharya Institutes, MVJ College of Engineering and Jain International Residential School from Bangalore, Ramdeo Baba KN Engineering College and Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences from Nagpur, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology and Vishwashanti Gurukul from Pune and K J Somaiya College of Engineering from Mumbai.

The India Education Exhibition 2012 is being organized by Indus Fairs & Events (India) Pvt. Ltd in association with Response Events and Exhibitions, Kuwait.

New office-bearers of KALA Kuwait

K

Vinod (President), P R Babu (Vice President) Saji Thomas Mathew (General Secretary), Vinnu Kalleli (Jt Secretary) Sudarsanan (Jt Secretary), Vinod John (Treasurer), Dileep Naderi (SecretaryArts), Saleem Raj (Secretary-Literature) Johnson George (Sports), Bineesh K Babu

(Media & Public Relations) and Mohammed Ali, NR Rajeesh, Sajeev Abraham, N Ranjith, J Saji, Sarathchandra Babu, R Naganadhan, Sajitha Scaria and Charlette Albert Central committee members.

NSS Kuwait ‘Mannam Jayanthi’ today

N

air Service Society (NSS)- Kuwait, an affiliate of NSS Kerala and a leading Indian socio-cultural organization in Kuwait, is celebrating Mannam Jayanthi today (Jan 6) from 6pm at Marina Hall, Touristic Park, Abbassiya.

The celebration is held to mark the 135th birth anniversary of Bharath Kesari Mannathu Padmanabhan, a prominent social reformer, freedom fighter and founder leader of NSS. Indian Ambassador Satish C Mehta will inaugurate the function. Dr C V Ananda Bose, IAS, and head of the prestigious Supreme Court committee on Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, will be the guest of honor who will deliver the keynote address at the event. A leading advocate and member of the Board of Directors of NSS Kerala, N V Ayyappan

Pillai, will preside over the function.

Leading South Indian film actress Remya Nambeesan will present her spellbinding classical dance numbers during the cultural programs on the occasion.

Renowned pianist and composer Stephen Devassy and his band along with playback singer Nikhil Raj, will lead a musical fusion.

Admission to the event is restricted to invitees only. For more details, contact: Riggae/Farwaniya - 97601637 / 99570668; Abbasiya / Hasawi -94067350/97909965; Abu Halifa/Mahboula 94067350/99865708; Salmiya/Hawally/Kuwait City 65595479/99698168 and Fahaheel/Mangaf/ Ahmadi 66120051/99597046.

TV Listings FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Green 10:30 11:25 12:20 12:45 14:35 15:05 16:55 17:20 18:15 19:10 20:05 21:00 21:55 22:50 23:45

03:35 How Sharks Hunt 04:30 Shark Feeding Frenzy 05:25 Dogs 101 06:20 Animal Cops Phoenix 07:10 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 09:15 Breed All About It 09:40 Talk To The Animals 10:10 Pandamonium 11:05 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 11:30 Monkey Life 12:00 Crocodile Hunter 12:55 Dogs 101 13:50 Elephants: The Twilight Of The Giants 14:45 Running With Wolves 15:40 Ocean Odyssey 16:35 Feeding Off Nature’s Giant 17:30 Swarm Chasers 18:25 Bondi Vet 18:50 Bondi Vet 19:20 Animal Kingdom 19:45 Animal Kingdom 20:15 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 21:10 Dogs 101 22:05 Shark Attack Survivors 23:00 Wildest India 23:55 Whale Wars

03:10 The Large Family 03:20 Penelope K, By The Way 03:35 Buzz & Tell 03:40 Tweenies 04:00 Charlie and Lola 04:10 The Tale of Jack Frost 04:40 The Large Family 04:50 Penelope K, By The Way 05:05 Buzz & Tell 05:10 Tweenies 05:30 Charlie and Lola 05:40 Balamory 06:00 The Large Family 06:10 Penelope K, By The Way 06:25 Buzz & Tell 06:30 Buzz & Tell 06:35 Tweenies 06:55 Charlie and Lola 07:05 Balamory 07:25 Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost 07:55 Jackanory Junior 08:10 Last Of The Summer Wine 08:45 Doctor Who 09:35 The Weakest Link 10:20 Casualty 11:10 Elephant Diaries 12:00 The Weakest Link 12:45 The Weakest Link 13:35 Doctors 15:35 Doctors 16:05 Doctor Who 16:50 Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost 17:20 Last Of The Summer Wine 17:50 Coast 18:50 Elephant Diaries 19:40 Gracie!

21:00 Sherlock Holmes 22:40 As Time Goes By

03:00 13:55 14:45 15:35 16:30 17:15 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 20:50 21:10 22:00 22:55 23:50

03:05 03:30 03:55 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35

Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Celebrity Fantasy Homes Celebrity Fantasy Homes Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA Antiques Roadshow Masterchef Masterchef Masterchef

King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Duck Dodgers

Marley Africa Road Trip Coal How Stuff’s Made Cash Cab Us Cash Cab Us Cake Boss Cake Boss Mythbusters Coal Deadliest Catch Gold Rush: Alaska Mythbusters Curiosity Igenius Norway Massacre

03:10 Things That Move 06:15 Things That Move 06:40 The Tech Show 07:10 What’s That About?

08:00 Race To Mars 08:55 Head Rush 08:58 Sci-Fi Science 09:25 Weird Connections 09:55 Smash Lab 10:45 Prototype This 11:35 How Stuff’s Made 15:20 How Stuff’s Made 15:45 Head Rush 15:48 Sci-Fi Science 16:15 Weird Connections 16:45 Bang Goes The Theory 17:10 The Gadget Show 17:35 The Gadget Show 18:00 Wallace & Gromit’s Invention 18:25 Wallace & Gromit’s Invention 18:50 Race To Mars 19:40 Punkin Chunkin 2010 20:30 Robocar 21:20 Mighty Ships 22:10 Wallace & Gromit’s Invention 22:35 Wallace & Gromit’s Invention 23:00 Punkin Chunkin 2010 23:50 Robocar

MAXIMUM RISK ON OSN ACTION HD 07:00 07:15 07:40 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:00 11:06 23:24 23:30

The Garfield Show The Addams Family Popeye Paddington Bear Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm Puppy In My Pocket Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch Yogi’s Treasure Hunt Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo

03:10 Best Ed 03:35 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Generator Rex 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 05:40 Chowder 05:55 Powerpuff Girls 06:30 Ed, Edd n Eddy 06:55 I Am Weasel 07:20 Squirrel Boy 07:45 Cow & Chicken 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:25 Casper’s Scare School 08:55 Angelo Rules 09:05 Eliot Kid 09:30 Chowder 09:55 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 10:20 Adventure Time 10:45 The Amazing World Of Gumball 14:00 Firebreather 15:15 Best Ed

15:40 Chowder 16:05 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 16:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 16:55 Cow & Chicken 17:20 Adventure Time 17:45 Codename: Kids Next Door 18:10 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 18:35 Generator Rex 19:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 19:25 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 19:50 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 20:15 Adventure Time 20:40 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 21:05 Chowder 21:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:55 Cow & Chicken 22:20 Best Ed 22:45 I Am Weasel 23:00 Firebreather

03:00 03:30 04:00 04:15 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:15 09:30 10:00 10:15 10:30 11:00

World Report World Report This Week CNN Marketplace Europe CNN Marketplace Africa African Voices CNN Presents CNN Newsroom The CNN Freedom Project Inside Africa World Sport Road To Durban World Report CNN Marketplace Middle East Talk Asia World Report CNN Marketplace Europe Ireport For CNN World Sport

11:30 Aiming For Gold 12:00 African Voices 12:30 The Best Of Backstory 13:00 World Report 13:30 News Special 14:00 CNN Presents 15:00 World Report 15:30 The Gateway 15:45 Future Cities 16:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps 17:00 State Of The Union With Candy Crowley 18:00 International Desk 18:30 Inside Africa 19:00 Global Exchange 19:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 19:30 Global Exchange 19:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 20:00 World Sport 20:30 Open Court 21:00 International Desk 21:30 African Voices 22:00 International Desk 22:30 Road To Durban 23:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps

03:00 03:25 03:55 04:20 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:05 06:35 07:00 Junior 07:50 08:45 09:10 09:40

How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made How Stuff’s Made American Chopper: Senior vs Wheeler Dealers Carfellas South Beach Classics Extreme Fishing With Robson

World Of World Of

World Of World Of

03:10 STITCH 03:35 KIM POSSIBLE 04:25 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 05:15 STITCH 06:00 PHINEAS AND FERB 06:25 SHAKE IT UP 06:45 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 07:05 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 07:10 FISH HOOKS 07:30 SO RANDOM 08:00 SHAKE IT UP 08:25 PHINEAS AND FERB 08:50 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 09:15 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 09:40 FISH HOOKS 10:05 JESSIE 10:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place The Movie 11:50 HAVE A LAUGH 12:00 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 12:50 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 13:40 A.N.T. FARM 14:00 A.N.T. FARM 14:25 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 14:50 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 15:15 FISH HOOKS 15:55 PHINEAS AND FERB 16:30 PHINEAS AND FERB 16:45 MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE 17:10 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 18:20 A.N.T. FARM 18:45 A.N.T. FARM 19:10 JESSIE 19:30 PHINEAS & FERB: ACROSS THE SECOND DIMEN 20:50 HAVE A LAUGH 21:00 HAVE A LAUGH 21:05 SHAKE IT UP 21:25 SHAKE IT UP 21:50 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 22:15 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 22:40 HANNAH MONTANA 23:05 A.N.T. FARM 23:30 SHAKE IT UP 23:55 SHAKE IT UP

03:00 03:15 03:25 03:50 04:05

JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HIGGLYTOWN HEROES

04:20 04:40 04:55 05:10 05:25 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:50 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:15 08:40 08:55 09:20 09:30 09:45 10:00 10:10 10:25 10:45 POOH 10:50 11:15 11:45 12:10 12:30 12:40 13:05 13:30 13:45 14:00 14:15 14:25 14:35 14:50 15:05 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:20 16:35 16:50 17:05 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:35 19:00 19:15 19:30 19:45 20:00 POOH 20:05 20:30 20:35 20:50 21:05 21:20 21:30 POOH 21:33 21:40 21:55 22:20 22:35 22:50 23:15 23:25 23:40 23:55

JO JO’S CIRCUS SPECIAL AGENT OSO SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HIGGLYTOWN HEROES JO JO’S CIRCUS JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HANDY MANNY SPECIAL AGENT OSO MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE TIMMY TIME LITTLE EINSTEINS THE HIVE JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES JUNGLE JUNCTION HANDY MANNY MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE LazyTown ART ATTACK IMAGINATION MOVERS THE HIVE LazyTown MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE HANDY MANNY JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES THE HIVE TIMMY TIME SPECIAL AGENT OSO HANDY MANNY THE HIVE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE HANDY MANNY JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES JUNGLE JUNCTION HANDY MANNY LazyTown ART ATTACK IMAGINATION MOVERS LITTLE EINSTEINS JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES HANDY MANNY HANDY MANNY JUNGLE JUNCTION MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE ANIMATED STORIES HANDY MANNY JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES THE HIVE MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE A POEM IS...

JUNGLE JUNCTION MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES SPECIAL AGENT OSO LITTLE EINSTEINS TIMMY TIME HANDY MANNY JUNGLE JUNCTION MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

06:00 Fishy Frisky Business 06:10 Doomed 06:35 Phineas And Ferb’s Quantum Boogaloo 07:00 Hide And Seek/That Sinking Feeling 07:20 Rescue Dog 07:25 REKKIT RABBIT 07:50 Something Fishy In Owl Lake 08:05 Things That Make You Go Boom / Kyle Be Back 08:30 Kart To Kart/Kyle 2.0 09:00 KICKIN IT 09:30 You’vE Been Brad’d!/Sleepover 09:55 KICKIN IT 10:20 KICK BUTTOWSKI 10:40 Polar Trappers 10:45 KICKIN IT 11:10 Hand In Hand/Luigi Vendetta 11:35 KICKIN IT 12:00 POKEMON MOVIE: ARCEUS AND THE JEWEL OF LIFE (CEMA) 13:35 Frame Story / And... Action!

14:00 PAIR OF KINGS 14:25 Lizard Whisperer/ Robot Rodeo 14:50 Money Bags 15:10 Double Dribble 15:15 REKKIT RABBIT 15:40 ZEKE & LUTHER 16:05 ZEKE & LUTHER 16:30 Mow Money/Love Stinks 16:55 Interview With A Platypus/Tip Of The Day

TV Listings FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

17:15 On Ice 17:20 Rank Of Awesome/ A Very Buttowski Mother’s Day 17:45 Something About Fiona/Tickled Pink 18:10 Mellowbrook Drift/ Gift Of Wacky 18:35 Flea Brains/Menace The Dennis 19:00 Trash Talking/Over The Radar 19:25 Morning Rush / A Fistful Of Ice Cream 19:50 Nuff Said/Rhymes With Coop 20:15 Braking The Grade /Abandon Friendship!

20:40 Bringin’ The Heat/The Three Arrghs 21:05 Down The Drain/9 To 5 To Oblivion 21:30 Photography 21:55 Greece Lightning / Leave The Busting To Us 22:20 Crack That Whip / The Best Lazy Day Ever

03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50

Ghost Lab A Haunting A Haunting On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift FBI Files Real Emergency Calls Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Nightmare Next Door I Faked My Own Death

03:15 04:10 05:05 05:30 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 09:45 10:40 15:00 15:30 16:25 16:55 17:25 19:25 21:25 22:25 23:25 23:55

E! Investigates Sexiest Then And Now Wildest TV Show Moments THS Behind The Scenes E! News Extreme Close-Up Keeping Up With The Kardashians Kourtney & Kim Take New York Kourtney & Kim Take New York Keeping Up With The Kardashians Keeping Up With The Kardashians Behind The Scenes Keeping Up With The Kardashians Keeping Up With The Kardashians Kourtney & Kim Take New York E! News The Soup Chelsea Lately

03:00 03:30 03:30 04:00 04:30 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 09:30 10:00 10:30 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 13:30 14:00 14:30

Going Bush Bob Ballard Specials Going Bush Don’t Tell My Mother Britain’s Underworld Destination Extreme Don’t Tell My Mother Fight Science Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy Blowdown Word of Mouth Food School Which Way To Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Killer Dragons Going Bush Dogtown Going Bush Don’t Tell My Mother Destination Extreme Eye of The Leopard Don’t Tell My Mother Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy Britain’s Underworld Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet Rescue Ink Exploring The Vine Dogtown

14:30 Weird & Wonderful Hotels 15:00 Bondi Rescue 15:30 Banged Up Abroad 15:30 Which Way To 16:30 Banged Up Abroad 16:30 Inside 17:30 Destination Extreme 17:30 Dogtown 18:00 Travel Madness 18:30 Apocalypse: The Second World War 18:30 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 19:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 19:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 19:30 Quest For The Megafish of The Amazon 20:00 Exploring The Vine 20:30 Inside 20:30 Weird & Wonderful Hotels 21:00 Bondi Rescue 21:30 Ancient Megastructures 21:30 Banged Up Abroad 22:30 Banged Up Abroad 22:30 Taboo 23:30 Destination Extreme 23:30 Naked Science

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 15:45 18:00 20:00 22:00

03:15 05:00 06:45 09:00 11:00 13:00

Kalifornia-18 You Got Served-PG15 Phone Booth-PG15 Rocky IV-PG15 The Warlords-PG15 Phone Booth-PG15 The Karate Kid I-PG15 The Warlords-PG15 Maximum Risk-18 Madso’s War-PG15

Love The Beast-PG The Lizzie McGuire Movie-PG The Great Debaters-PG15 The Eclipse-PG15 My Dog Tulip-PG15 The Social Network-PG15

15:15 PG15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Desperate Hours: An Amber Alert16 To Life-PG15 The Losers-PG15 Prom-PG15 Jackass 3.5-R

03:00 03:30 04:30 07:00 08:30 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

Raising Hope 2 Broke Girls The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Raising Hope 30 Rock Hot In Cleveland The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Two And A Half Men Will And Grace Melissa And Joey Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 2 Broke Girls Hot In Cleveland 30 Rock The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Happy Endings Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Friends Friends Modern Family Parks And Recreation Mad Love Curb Your Enthusiasm The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Saturday Night Live The Cleveland Show Mad Love

03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30

Breakout Kings White Collar The View Good Morning America The Cape Emmerdale Coronation Street

09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Persons Unknown Breakout Kings The Cape C.S.I. Miami Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) White Collar

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 21:00 22:00 23:00

C.S.I. Miami Breakout Kings The Chicago Code Drop Dead Diva Modern Family Coronation Street Kojak Top Gear (UK) Breakout Kings C.S.I. Miami Modern Family Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Kojak Drop Dead Diva Modern Family Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Law & Order: Los Angeles Body Of Proof Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) The Chicago Code

03:15 05:15 07:00 09:00

Kalifornia-18 Wrong Turn At Tahoe-18 Tracker-PG15 Batman: Under The Red Hood-PG

11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Raising Cain-PG15 Altitude-PG15 Batman: Under The Red Hood-PG Rocky-PG15 Blood And Bone-18 Madso’s War-PG15 Dead Snow-PG15

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Charlie & Boots-PG15 Indian Summer-PG15 Cats & Dogs-PG All’s Faire In Love-PG 12 Men Of Christmas-PG15 One Fine Day-PG15 The Open Road-PG15 Dance Flick-18 Rag Tale-18 How High-18

03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:15 15:30 17:15 19:00 21:00 23:00

Dick Tracy-PG15 Fireflies In The Garden-PG15 Shipwrecked-PG Leaving Normal-PG15 The Blind Side-PG15 Lost In Space-PG15 Return To Rajapur-PG15 Moon Over Parador-PG15 Adieu Gary-PG15 Chelsea On The Rocks-18 Shampoo-18

03:00 05:00 06:30 09:00 11:15 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Catch That Kid-PG Freestyle (2010)-PG15 Iron Man 2-PG15 Glorious 39-PG15 My Sassy Girl-PG15 Mystery Men-PG15 The Green Hornet-PG15 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World-18 Defendor-PG15 Kick-Ass-18 Super-18

04:00 Pocahontas & The Spider WomanPG 06:00 Mars Needs Moms-PG 08:15 Tom Tom & Nana-FAM 10:00 Barbie: Princess Charm SchoolPG15 12:00 The Amazing Zorro-FAM 14:00 Pocahontas & The Spider WomanPG 16:00 Dork Hunters And The Pirates Of Tortuga Island-PG15 18:00 Barbie: Princess Charm SchoolPG15 20:00 Gold Diggers: The Secret Of Bear Mountain-PG 22:00 The Amazing Zorro-FAM

03:45 The Bounty Hunter-PG15 06:00 Saved!-PG15 08:00 Remember Me-PG15 10:00 Citizen Jane-PG 12:00 The Bounty Hunter-PG15 14:00 How To Go Out On A Date In Queens-PG15 16:00 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 17:30 City Of Life-PG15 20:00 Sundays At Tiffany’s-PG15 22:00 Animal Kingdom-PG15

05:00 WWE SmackDown 07:00 WWE Vintage Collection 08:00 WWE Bottom Line 09:00 RWC Tournament Highlights 11:00 Live Cricket Twenty20 14:00 WWE Smack Down 16:00 UFC 141 19:00 Cricket Twenty20 22:00 Aquabikes 22:30 Live PDC World Darts Championship

THE LOSERS ON OSN CINEMA

04:30 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 14:00 17:00 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:00

Scottish Premier League ICC Cricket World Trans World Sport Scottish Premier League Highlights World Hockey European Senior Tour Highlights ICC Cricket World Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live Cricket Twenty20 PDC World Darts Championship PDC World Darts Championship ICC Cricket World Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Scottish Premier League Highlights

22:30 Live PDC Championship

World

Darts

04:30 06:30 07:00 10:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 20:00 22:00 22:30 23:30

Scottish Premier League ICC Cricket World PDC World Darts Championship PDC World Darts Championship World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters US Bass Fishing Cricket International Twenty20 Live Pro 12 Celtic League ICC Cricket World Trans World Sport Pro 12 Celtic League

05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE Vintage Collection WWE Bottom Line WWE Smackdown WWE Experience WWE This Week Powerboats WWE This Week WWE Experience WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed UFC 141

03:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Cities Of The Underworld Angels And Demons Decoded Nostradamus Effect Decoding The Past Ancient Monster Hunters Cities Of The Underworld Angels And Demons Decoded Nostradamus Effect Decoding The Past Ancient Monster Hunters Cities Of The Underworld Angels And Demons Decoded Nostradamus Effect Decoding The Past American Pickers American Pickers American Pickers American Pickers

03:25 04:20 05:15 06:10 06:35 07:05 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 10:55 11:50 12:20 12:50 13:20 13:50 14:15 14:45 17:35 18:30 20:25 21:20 21:45 22:15 23:10

How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Married Away Homes With Style Area Clean House Big Boutique Big Boutique Videofashion Daily Top 10 Homes With Style Open House Open House Videofashion News Videofashion News Elements Of Style Elements Of Style Clean House Clean House Clean House: New York Clean House: New York Fashion Police Elements Of Style Clean House: New York Jerseylicious

09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:30 18:30 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00

Safari Stopovers Secrets of Bangkok Third Class Traveller Cruise 1st Cruise 1st Globe Trekker Globe Trekker Essential Cruise 1st Cruise 1st Wild Camping Luxury Train Journeys in India Globe Trekker Cruise 1st Cruise 1st Megalopolis Essential Cruise 1st Cruise 1st Australia’s Great Wildlife Islands

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Information

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines LMU JZR PIA JZR JZR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD RJA GFA KAC THY JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA RBG JZR RKM MEA IYE MSR MSR JZR KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL OMA QTR RJA KAC KAC JZR KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA JZR RBG ABY JZR

Flt 1109 185 205 267 539 620 772 853 138 370 612 67 305 642 211 544 770 555 529 416 157 206 53 352 302 332 676 344 855 125 132 301 55 619 213 3555 165 310 404 825 623 610 201 672 219 618 57 982 645 140 640 788 284 257 546 134 561 213 303 857 215 510 269 3557 127 125

Arrival Flights on Friday 6/1/2012 Route ALEXANDRIA DUBAI LAHORE BEIRUT CAIRO ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN CAIRO DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN CAIRO ISTANBUL ALEXANDRIA ASSIUT JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR LONDON ISLAMABAD DUBAI COCHIN MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI CHENNAI DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI LAR BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI RAS ALKHAIMAH BEIRUT SANAA SOHAG CAIRO DAMASCUS DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA AMMAN JEDDAH DHAKA BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA SOHAG DEIREZZOR ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH BEIRUT SOHAG SHARJAH BAHRAIN

Time 0:01 0:20 0:25 0:45 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:40 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 4:40 4:50 6:00 6:20 6:25 6:40 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 10:45 11:20 11:45 11:55 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:00 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45

MLR ALK JZR FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC AIC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI KAC SVA MSR DHX GRF FCX MEA GFA QTR JZR KAC UAE SAI JZR UAL PIA DLH Airlines UAL LMU AXB BBC AIC DLH PIA KAC ETH THY GRF FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR THY JZR GFA RJA FDB KAC BAW KAC JZR KAC JZR UAE ABY KAC ETD FDB

403 227 177 63 542 744 787 674 166 975 102 774 562 61 572 786 506 618 372 81 304 402 217 136 135 502 859 441 239 981 215 636

COLOMBO/DUBAI COLOMBO/DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO DAMMAM RIYADH DUBAI PARIS/ROME CHENNAI/GOA NEW YORK/LONDON RIYADH AMMAN DUBAI MUMBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAGHDAD RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN BEIRUT DUBAI LAHORE AMMAN BAHRAIN KARACHI FRANKFURT Departure Flights on Friday 6/1/2012 Flt Route 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 1110 ALEXANDRIA 390 MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE 44 DHAKA 982 AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/CHENNAI 637 FRANKFURT 206 LAHORE 283 DHAKA 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 94 DUBAI/KANDAHAR 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 771 ISTANBUL 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 54 DUBAI 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 671 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 787 JEDDAH 560 SOHAG 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 117 NEW YORK 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI

17:55 18:00 18:15 18:40 18:50 18:55 19:05 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:35 20:45 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:30 23:50 Time 0:45 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:05 1:20 1:25 2:40 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:55 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:10 8:25 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:00 9:25 9:30 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05

QTR KAC KAC GFA IRA JZR IRA JZR RBG KAC KAC RKM MEA IYE MSR JZR MSR GFA JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC OMA UAL RJA JZR KAC KAC QTR KAC JZR ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA RBG ABY SVA JZR MLR JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC JAI MSR SVA DHX DHX MEA GFA QTR KAC JZR KAC FCX UAE JZR SAI KAC

133 617 177 214 618 212 618 268 3558 541 103 311 405 825 624 176 611 220 124 58 561 673 785 646 982 641 786 501 773 141 743 238 304 538 135 858 216 3556 128 511 266 404 134 228 64 184 361 62 343 351 571 619 507 373 373 403 218 137 301 554 205 102 860 502 442 411

DOHA DOHA FRANKFURT/GENEVA BAHRAIN LAR DEIREZZOR LAR BEIRUT SOHAG CAIRO LONDON RAS ALKHAIMAH BEIRUT DOHA/SANAA SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT BAHRAIN AMMAN RIYADH BEIRUT RIYADH DOHA DAMMAM AMMAN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH RIYADH BEIRUT DUBAI/COLOMBO BAHRAIN DUBAI/COLOMBO DUBAI DUBAI COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI COCHIN MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA ISLAMABAD DUBAI DUBAI LUXOR LAHORE BANGKOK/MANILA

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

10:10 10:25 10:35 10:40 10:50 10:50 10:50 11:25 11:25 12:00 12:30 12:50 12:55 13:05 13:30 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:20 15:35 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:45 18:55 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:20 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:45 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:35 23:50 23:55

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available, Gnadeer Clinic, Bahrain street, Salmiya, near big jamiya.

Contact: 66792392, 66047295, 60625120. (C 3807) 4-1-2012 Sharing accommodation available for a single person in a fully furnished C-A/C building, in Farwaniya near Burger King with kitchen & parking facilities, if interested please contact: 99038601. (C 3803) 1-1-2012

FOR SALE Used furniture for immediate sale, Salmiya, wardrobe, bed (queen size without mattress) with 2 side drawers, TV table and computer table. Please contact 66589044. (C 3810) 5-1-2012 For sale Sony TV 21”, two wall fan, 8’ Dish for TV, small table. Contact: 66625253.

(C 3805) 3-1-2012

TUITION Mathematics teacher, Intermediate and secondary Exams models, Easy method, Exams from past years with solutions. 97301901 English teacher (3) years experience, looking for a job and ready to start with all educational stages. 55963993 Mathematics teacher for Universities, Institutions, Foreign Schools, Administrative, American, English, Australian, Bahrain, Electric and Gulf Sciences, Algbra Prel, Mathematics, intermediate, gmat, sat college, math98, 110 pre calculus geometry. 97619261 Senior Biology teacher for secondary stage. Biology for University students and foreign schools, sciences of intermediate stage and 10th grade physics.

A Syrian Arabic language

teacher. Masters in methods of teaching and follow up of 10th grade and 11th grade students. 97934291 A Syrian Arabic Language teacher. Masters, for secondary, intermediate, religious institution, universities, and establishment of the elementary stage using the Aleppo method “the alphabet then the word”. 50513599 Islamic education teacher for elementary and intermediate stages. Experienced in Kuwait curricula. Easy explanation, and summary of the subject, training for exams. 66292985

Islam on 02-6-2003 in the State of Kuwait and I have changed my name as AHMED. (C 3813) 5-1-2012

Syrian Arabic language teacher for elementary and intermediate stages.

Experienced in following learning difficulties, and those weak in reading and writing.

97264100

I, Pottantevida Latheef, holder of Indian Passport No: G3954651 hereby change my name to ABDUL LATHEEF MOIDEEN. (C 3806) 4-1-2012

Female senior Mathematics teacher with more that 30 years experience in Kuwait, to teach secondary, intermediate and elementary stages.

Religious and applied, communications and navigation institutions, special courses and secretariat institution.

97926737 Computer teacher for secondary and intermediate. Practical on laptop, power point projects, front page, visual basic data, universities and applied institutions. 50603063

CHANGE OF NAME I, Pokala Eswara Reddy, Passport No: E1090304, hereby declare that with my free consent I have embraced Islam on 22-5-2006 in the state of Kuwait and I have changed my name as MUHAMMED ISLAM. (C 3811) I, Modem Ramanjaneyulu, Passport No: J5550040, hereby declare that with my free consent I have embraced Islam on 26-7-2010 in the State of Kuwait and I have changed my name as SUHAIL. (C 3812) I, Balla Yedu Kondalu, Passport No: E2221790, hereby declare that with my free consent I have embraced

I, Orsu Vijaya Laxmi, holder of Indian Passport No. F1883273 hereby change my name to ORUCHU VIJAYAMMA. (C 3804) 1-1-2012

SITUATION VACANT Required cook for house, good experience, all kinds of food, professional cook, good salary + good accommodation + Air ticket, full time & part time. Contact: 23901053 / 55828597.

(C 3802) 28-12-2011

LOST It is notified for information that my original certificate of secondary school exam year 2001 roll no. 6101726 pass out from CBSE, Delhi has been actually lost. Saima Niamatullah.

Mobile: 96566495067.

(C 3808) It is notified for information that my original certificate of Sr Sec exam year 2003 roll 620116 pass out from CBSE Delhi has been lost. Saima Niamatuallah.

Mobile 96566495067. (C 3809) 5-1-2012

FOR RENT A park in Wafra animal pens, very clean, over an area of 2500m, very large fenced yard in front (5) rooms, saloons, separate diwaniyas and swimming pool, fountain, children games tent.

94426116 For rent in Farwaniya, basement 700m, car parking.

66920123 Flat in Maidan Hawally, one room, living room, bathroom, super deluxe finished kitchen, outstanding location. Rent KD 195. Foreigners and expatriates only. Central satellite, C-A/C and boiler.

66980123 A floor in Dasman, 300m, outstanding location, on main street can be sued by lawyer, consultations, clinics,

No: 15320

health club, saloon, workshop, training center.

66980123 For rent in Salmiya, an apartment 3 rooms + 2 baths + saloon + swimming pool + DSL + Gym + Security + children games + other features.

Rent start from KD 475.

Foreigners and expats only.

66297171 For rent in Salmiya, an apartment 3 rooms + 3 baths +

Saloon + Kitchen + Satellite.

Outstanding location.

Foreigners and expatriates only, no brokers. 66060299 For rent, basements in Jabriya and Hawally, good location, plastic floors, C-A/C, serious only call: 66980123 For rent or investment, complete floors with a basement in Salmiya, good location, licensed for clinics, no brokers. 66060299

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Kuznetsova cements her title credentials Top seed Lisicki out with injury AUCKLAND: Former world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova cemented her Auckland Classic title credentials with an effortless 6-4 6-3 victory over Italy’s Sara Errani in the quarter-finals yesterday. The 26-year-old Russian, who looked out of touch 12 months ago when her second round loss extended a year-long dip in form, has returned to Auckland in fine shape and appears intent on exorcising those demons.

The world number 19 dispatched Alison Riske in 75 minutes then destroyed American teenager Christina McHale, who is tipped as a potential top-10 player and had beaten her twice last year, to make the last eight without being stretched. The 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open champi-

France topple Spain to reach Hopman finals PERTH: France kept alive their hopes for a first victory at the Hopman Cup, advancing to the final after beating Spain 2-0 at the mixed teams tournament in Western Australia yesterday. The French pairing of Marion Bartoli and Richard Gasquet, seeded second in the event, were too good for the other unbeaten team in Group B, Spanish duo Anabel Medina Garrigues and Fernando Verdasco. The ninthranked Bartoli continued her impressive early season form ahead of the Australian Open to put the French on track for Saturday’s final when she beat Medina Garrigues in the women’s singles in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

Richard Gasquet, 19th in the world, then cruised past former world number seven Fernando Verdasco, now ranked 24th, by the same scoreline in the men’s singles to put the French into the final.

The dead mixed doubles rubber was not played. France’s only previous appearance in the Hopman Cup final was in 1998, when Mary Pierce and Cedric Pioline were beaten 2-1 by the Slovak Republic’s Karina Habsudova and Karol Kucera. Bartoli was excited to have the chance to be the first French team to win the Hopman Cup. “It is the first time we have played together so we couldn’t have asked for more,” she said. “We want the diamond balls that’s for sure”, she added, referring to the unique diamond-encrusted tennis balls the winners receive. “I am sure we have a shot no matter who we play against.”

France’s opponent will be decided by Friday’s Group A ties, with the top-seeded Czech Republic pairing of Petra Kvitova and Tomas Berydch looking the most likely to go through. “We won’t be favorites, but we are confident and we are enjoying playing together,” Richard Gasquet said, who had put in a solid performance to defeat Verdasco in 78 minutes. Gasquet broke Verdasco in the third and seventh games on his way to the first set, and with Verdasco’s trademark forehand missing its mark, Gasquet broke again for a 2-1 lead in the second set. The Spaniard was able to stave off four match points, but yet another forehand error, this time dumping the ball into the net, finished the match. — AFP

on had been expected to be pushed hard by the fleet-footed Italian but the Russian overpowered her opponent with blistering groundstrokes off both flanks to set up a semi-final against Zheng Jie. “It was not the best performance from me this week today but still I didn’t have my best day and I went out in two sets so that was good,” the third seed said in a courtside interview.

Kuznetsova’s potential march to the title was also made easier when top seed Sabine Lisicki was forced out of the tournament with an abdominal injury suffered during her quarter-final against fellow German Angelique Kerber. Lisicki, who has struggled with her timing in a series of mixed performances throughout the week,

sought medical attention for the injury after she lost the first set 6-4 and continued to have treatment between games.

IMPRESSIVE PENNETTA The world number 15 lasted until the eighth game of the second set, when she was trailling 4-3, before deciding she could not carry on. Kerber will meet fourth seed Flavia Pennetta in the semi-finals after the Italian easily accounted for Russia’s Elena Vesnina in the first match on Thursday, romping to a 6-2 6-1 victory in 68 minutes. The 29-year-old Pennetta never appeared ruffled in the match, making few errors and putting the Russian under constant pressure, clinching victory when her backhand return of serve down the

line left Vesnina flatfooted.

“I think today was perfect, I didn’t make a lot of mistakes, my serve was working good and I’m really proud of the match,” said Pennetta, who on present form represents Kuznetsova’s biggest challenge for the title. “It was a tough matchup, she is a very good player but I played really good.” China’s Zheng also seemed to waste little effort in overcoming Lucie Hradecka 6-2 6-3 in an hour. “I think the match was amazing for me because it’s a new year and this is the first tournament and I’m in the semi-finals, I’m very happy,” Zheng said. “I have played Lucie a few times before and I knew she played aggressively, so I wanted to move her around a lot and it was a good (performance).”— Reuters

Impressive Clijsters rides on in Brisbane Kanepi sends second seed packing

BRISBANE: Kim Clijsters of Belgium hits a backhand return on the way to winning her quarter-final match against Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic at the Brisbane International tennis tournament yesterday. — AFP

BRISBANE: Kim Clijsters avoided following US Open champion Sam Stosur out of the Brisbane International tournament when she beat Iveta Benesova 6-3 6-2 yesterday to advance to the semi-finals. Benesova had beaten top seed Stosur in the second round on Wednesday and was targeting the Australian Open champion in their quarter-final to achieve a special double of beating grand slam champions on successive days. The 28-yearold Belgian refused to let that happen by racing to a 5-1 lead in the first set and then, after tightening up a little to allow the Czech to narrow the gap, serving out 6-3. Clisjters made short work of the second set, with Benesova holding her first service game before the four-times grand slam champion raced through winning the next five games to again have a 5-1 lead.

Bensova finally held her serve again in the seventh game but it only delayed the inevitable and Clijsters served out in just under 80 minutes. Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi earlier provided the upset of the quarter-finals when she beat second seed and world number 10 Andrea Petkovic 6-1 7-6. The hard-hitting Kanepi had been cruising to victory but needed five match points to seal the win as her German opponent offered some late resistance.

Petkovic had been hampered by a back injury throughout the match but was able to increase the pressure when the 26-yearold was serving for the match at 5-4 and eventually forced a tiebreak.

Despite having an opportunity to finish off the match on three further occasions, Kanepi finally managed to seal the win 9-7 in the tie-break after one hour, 40 minutes to set up a semi-final against Francesca Schiavone. Third seed Schiavone had earlier ground down former world number one Jelena Jankovic 5-7 7-6 6-3 in a drawn-out quarter-final that lasted almost three hours as both players squandered numerous match point opportunities.

Jankovic wasted two match points in the second set while 2010 French Open champion Schiavone also squandered two match points of her own in the third.

Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova had a walkover into the semifinals after Serena Williams withdrew on Wednesday with an ankle injury that she sustained in her second round victory over Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski. In the men’s draw, second seed Gilles Simon started sluggishly but managed to overcome Santiago Giraldo 7-6 6-4 in the quarter-finals. Simon, who beat American Ryan Sweeting and Australia’s James Duckworth in the first two rounds, is building nicely for the Australian Open later this month in Melbourne, something the Frenchman was pleased with. “I’ve already played three good matches so it’s good preparation for Melbourne,” Simon said. “I’m feeling good, I’m moving better and better everyday.” — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

W Virginia crush Clemson 70-33

MONTREAL: Montreal Canadiens’ Lars Eller rolls over Winnipeg Jets goalie Chris Mason during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012. — AP

Canucks open gap on Wild Bruins overcome Devils to rise in East VANCOUVER: Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo produced a shutout in his 700th NHL game, leading the Canucks to a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday that opened a five-point gap between the Northwest Division’s top teams.

Luongo earned his second shutout of the season - both against the Wild and the 57th in his NHL career as the Canucks (25-13-3) moved to the top of the league standings with 53 points.

Luongo wasn’t severely tested but was good when he had to be. Top-line forwards Daniel Sedin and Alex Burrows had goals, and Manny Malhotra scored into an empty net in the final minute. Vancouver has one more point than Western Conferencerival Chicago, and the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers. The Wild (21-14-6), who led the Northwest before a rash of injuries in December, have lost ten straight in Vancouver.

BRUINS 6, DEVILS 1 In Newark, New Jersey, Patrice Bergeron scored twice as Boston routed New Jersey and moved within a point of the Eastern Conference lead.

Tim Thomas made 30 saves as the defending Stanley Cup champions got back on track after their seven-game winning streak was snapped Saturday against Dallas. Gregory Campbell got Boston even at 1-1 in the first period, and Nathan Horton scored his fifth power-play goal of the season to give the Bruins the lead. David Krejci and Shawn Thornton added goals in the third. David Clarkson put the Devils on top early with his team-leading 14th

goal, but it wasn’t enough to keep New Jersey from its heaviest loss for more than a month.

CANADIENS 7, JETS 3 In Montreal, Lars Eller had four goals and an assist as Montreal bounced back from a poor road trip by trouncing Winnipeg. Travis Moen had three assists while Josh Gorges, Tomas Kaberle and Michael Cammalleri also scored for the Canadiens, who improved to 6-7-6 at home. Tim Stapleton, Blake Wheeler and Andrew Ladd scored for the Jets,

who had won three straight going in.

SHARKS 3, DUCKS 1 In Anaheim, Brad Winchester and Benn Ferriero scored 27 seconds apart in the second period as San Jose beat Anaheim for the first time in four tries this season. Joe Pavelski also scored for the Sharks, who were inexplicably mastered in their first three meetings with the woebegone Ducks, who sit 29th in the NHL standings. Corey Perry scored for the Ducks, who have lost the first three games of their six-game homestand. — AP

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Wednesday. Montreal 7, Winnipeg 3; Boston 6, New Jersey 1; Vancouver 3, Minnesota 0; San Jose 3, Anaheim 1.

American League Eastern Division

W

LOTL GF GA PTS

NY Rangers 24 9 4 110 79 Philadelphia22 11 4 125 109 Pittsburgh 21 13 4 121 100 New Jersey 21 16 2 106 114 NY Islanders14 17 6 88 116 Northeast Division Boston 25 10 1 129 69 Ottawa 20 15 5 123 135 Toronto 19 15 5 125 128 Buffalo 18 17 4 104 115 Montreal 15 18 7 106 113 Southeast Division Florida 20 12 7 103 107 Washington 21 15 2 114 110 Winnipeg 19 15 5 107 114 Tampa Bay 17 18 3 107 129 Carolina 13 21 7 106 139

52 48 46 44 34 51 45 43 40 37 47 44 43 37 33

Western Conference Central Division Chicago 24 11 4 128 111 52 Detroit 25 13 1 128 88 51 St. Louis 22 12 5 99 86 49 Nashville 21 14 4 105 108 46 Columbus 10 23 5 93 128 25 Northwest Division Vancouver 25 13 3 134 99 53 Minnesota 21 14 6 95 98 48 Colorado 22 18 1 110 116 45 Calgary 18 18 5 100 114 41 Edmonton 16 20 3 107 111 35 Pacific Division San Jose 21 11 4 105 86 46 Los Angeles 19 14 7 87 92 45 Dallas 21 16 1 104 112 43 Phoenix 19 17 4 103 107 42 Anaheim 10 22 6 88 127 26 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

MIAMI: West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith tied the record for any college football bowl game with six touchdown passes as the Mountaineers routed Clemson 70-33 in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday.

Smith’s effort was just one of several records to fall on a chilly Florida night, with the Mountaineers setting a new mark for the highest scoring half in a bowl game by leading 49-20 at halftime.

West Virginia piled on five touchdowns in the second quarter, including three in the final 2:29. One of them came when safety Darwin Cook had a comic coming together with the Orange Bowl mascot Obie.

That came when Cook made the pivotal play by returning a fumble 99 yards for a touchdown to break the game open. “I always envisioned making great plays,” Cook said. “If you think it will happen, it will happen.” Tavon Austin also tied a record for any bowl game with four touchdown receptions.

Smith completed 31 of 42 pass attempts, and had 401 yards passing to break Tom Brady’s Orange Bowl record. Smith also ran for a score, helping West Virginia break the bowl record for points, which was established just six nights earlier when Baylor beat Washington 67-56 in the Alamo Bowl. “Never could we imagine we’d put up 70 points,” Smith said. The Mountaineers (10-3) won in their first Orange Bowl appearance and improved to 3-0 in Bowl Championship Series games. “The guys wanted to come in and make a statement, and the only way you can do that is if you play well on all three sides of the ball,” coach Dana Holgorsen said.

Clemson (10-4) lost playing in its first major bowl in 30 years. “We’re a better team than we played tonight,” coach Dabo Swinney said. “Just too many mistakes. But we’ll be back.” Smith and Austin combined on scoring passes of 8, 27, 3 and 37 yards, and Shawne Alston scored on two short runs for West Virginia, which totaled 589 yards and 31 first downs.

Smith was chosen the game’s outstanding player.

Clemson couldn’t keep up, although Andre Ellington did score the game’s first points on a 68 yard run.

First-team All-Americans Sammy Watkins and Dwayne Allen combined for only seven catches for 87 yards.

Amid the flurry of points, it was a defender who came up with the key moment. Clemson was on the verge of taking the lead in the second quarter when Ellington ran up the middle and disappeared into a heap at the 1-yard line. A teammate signaled touchdown, but the ball had come loose and Cook grabbed it, then took off with no-one between him and the end zone. “I saw the ball come loose,” he said. “I grabbed it. I didn’t hear a whistle, so I ran.” After Cook crossed the goal line, he gleefully leaped on mascot Obie, a smiling orange, and they both tumbled to the turf. Obie rose unhurt and resumed her duties. Cook and Obie met on the field after the game and shared a hug. “I didn’t know you were a girl,” he told the mascot. “I apologize.”

That potential 14-point swing seemed to take the wind out of the Tigers, who had moved the ball almost at will to that point. “It was a pretty big moment,” Swinney said. “They hadn’t really stopped us. That was huge. Then it snowballed quickly.” The Tigers’ hopes of a comeback were doomed when quarterback Tajh Boyd committed subsequent turnovers on consecutive plays. After Smith ran 7 yards for a 35-20 lead, Pat Miller intercepted Boyd’s pass. Smith flipped a 1 yard touchdown pass to Austin and, on the next play, a call was overturned, with the replay official determining Boyd had lost a fumble.

Alston then ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 4 seconds left in the half. Defensive woes were nothing new for the Tigers, who won their first Atlantic Coast Conference title in 20 years but gave up at least 30 points in six regular-season games. Clemson kept pace for a while, leading 17-14 after one period. It was the highest-scoring first quarter and first half in Orange Bowl history. — AP

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

LeBron fires Heat; Pacers thrashed MIAMI: Miami’s LeBron James had 33 points and 13 assists as the Heat made light of the absence of Dwayne Wade by crushing the Indiana Pacers 118-83 in the NBA on Wednesday. Chris Bosh added 22 points as the Heat turned up the defensive intensity without their star guard. Wade sat out with a sore left foot, and his status for yesterday’s game at Atlanta is uncertain. Wade, a six-time AllStar, injured his foot in the second quarter at Charlotte on Dec 28. He missed the first 10 minutes of the third period but played regular minutes the rest of the game and in the two that followed. Roy Hibbert had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead Indiana.

BULLS 99, PISTONS 83 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Richard Hamilton scored 14 points in his return to The Palace as Chicago shut down Detroit.

Hamilton started after missing the previous two games with a sore groin. He received a warm welcome from Detroit fans, appreciative of the nine years he gave the Pistons before being waived prior to this season. Derrick Rose had 17 points and 10 assists for the Bulls, who had five players in double figures as they won their 12th in a row over Detroit. Greg Monroe had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, while guard Rodney Stuckey sat out the second half with a groin strain.

before sitting out most of the fourth quarter as Los Angeles cruised to an easy win over Houston. Chris Paul added 20 points and 10 assists plus three steals for the Clippers, extending his streak to 14 consecutive games with at least one. Kyle Lowry had 17 points and five assists for the Rockets, who had held the Clippers under 100 points in 14 of the previous 15 meetings, but could not do so again.

SPURS 101, WARRIORS 95 In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored San Antonio’s final six points to lead the Spurs past Golden State. The Spurs were playing their first game without leading scorer Manu Ginobili, who will have surgery on his broken left hand and is expected to be

out at least two months. The Warriors, meanwhile, lost Stephen Curry to a sprained ankle in the third quarter.Monta Ellis scored 38 points on 15-of-30 shooting to lead Golden State. The Warriors led 75 70 entering the fourth quarter but Parker scored 10 points in the period. The Spurs have won 27 straight games at home against the Warriors, last losing in 1996-97.

CELTICS 89, NETS 70 In Boston, Paul Pierce scored nine of his 24 points during a game-breaking, third-quarter run that helped Boston overcome New Jersey. Avery Bradley hit his first career 3-pointer for the Celtics, who have won four straight since dropping all three on a season-opening road trip.

Boston broke it open with an 18-3 run to close the third quarter.

MarShon Brooks’ 17 points in his first career start led the Nets, who have lost six straight since a season-opening win at Washington.

New Jersey was without injured trio Deron Williams, Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez and lost Damion James to a foot injury in the second quarter.

RAPTORS 92, CAVALIERS 77 In Toronto, Andrea Bargnani scored 31 points to lift Toronto to a comfortable win over Cleveland.

DeMar DeRozan added 25 points for the Raptors, who took the lead late in the first quarter and held it the rest of the way for their second victory of the season over the Cavaliers. Antawn Jamison led Cleveland with 19 points.

76ERS 101, HORNETS 93 In New Orleans, Jrue Holiday scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, leading Philadelphia over New Orleans.

Holiday, who was 3 for 9 from the field after three quarters, drained three 3-pointers and five of six shots the rest of the way. The 76ers trailed 73-67 at the end of the third, but Holiday scored 10 points as Philadelphia took the lead and pulled away. Evan Turner added 21 points for the 76ers, who won for the third time during a franchise-record five-game road trip to start the season. Eric Gordon led New Orleans with 22 points after missing four consecutive games with a bruised knee.

GRIZZLIES 90, TIMBERWOLVES 86 In Minneapolis, Rudy Gay had 19 points and eight rebounds, lifting Memphis over Minnesota in its first game since learning Zach Randolph would be out for six to eight weeks. OJ Mayo scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Kevin Love had 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Timberwolves, becoming the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975 to record 20 points and 12 rebounds in each of his team’s first six games.

BOBCATS 118, KNICKS 110 In New York, Boris Diaw rebounded from a dreadful game a night earlier with a season-high 27 points as Charlotte snapped a four-game losing skid with victory over New York. Gerald Henderson added 24 for the Bobcats, who capped a three-game road trip by winning for the first time since their season opener. The return from injury of Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert put the Knicks’ offense back on track but they simply couldn’t guard Charlotte. Stoudemire had 25 points and 12 rebounds after missing two games with a sprained ankle. Shumpert scored 18 off the bench.

MAVERICKS 98, SUNS 89 In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 points in his 1,000th NBA game to lead Dallas over Phoenix. Jason Terry had 18 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, to help the defending NBA champions string together consecutive wins for the first time this season. Steve Nash had 15 points and 12 assists for the Suns.

CLIPPERS 117, ROCKETS 89 In Los Angeles, Blake Griffin had 22 points and nine assists

MAGIC 103, WIZARDS 85 In Orlando, Dwight Howard had 28 points and 20 rebounds as Orlando overran winless Washington. Ryan Anderson added 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Magice, who had four players in double figures while beating the Wizards for the seventh straight time. The Wizards got 17 points from Nick Young, but shot poorly all night and trailed by as many as 28 in falling to 0-6 for the first time in franchise history. They remain the NBA’s only winless team.

MINNEAPOLIS: Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Tolliver topples over Memphis Grizzlies’ O J Mayo in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012. — AP

NUGGETS 110, KINGS 83 In Denver, Al Harrington scored 15 points as Denver won its third straight, downing Sacramento.

Rudy Fernandez had 12 points to go with eight assists for the Nuggets, who have won their past six meetings with the Kings in Denver. Playing the second of three games in three days, the Kings played from behind most of the night and lost guard Tyreke Evans for the last two quarters after he became ill.

The Kings, who remained winless in three road games this season, got 26 points from DeMarcus Cousins who was playing his second game since returning from a one-game team suspension for demanding a trade. Cousins denied making the demand. — AP

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Australia close in on victory SCORECARD SYDNEY: Scorecard at the close on the third day of the second Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday: India 1st innings 191 (M.S. Dhoni 57 not out, S. Tendulkar 41; J. Pattinson 4-43) Australia 1st innings (overnight 482 for 4) D. Warner c Tendulkar b Zaheer Khan 8 E. Cowan lbw b Zaheer Khan 16 S. Marsh c Laxman b Zaheer Khan 0 R. Ponting c Tendulkar b Sharma 134 M. Clarke not out 329 M. Hussey not out 150 Extras (b2, lb13, w4, nb3) 22 Total (for 4 wkts declared; 163 overs) 659 Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Warner), 2-8 (Marsh), 3-37 (Cowan), 4325 (Ponting) Bowling: Zaheer Khan 31-4-122-3, Yadav 242-123-0 (2w), Sharma 33-2-144-1 (1nb, 1w), Ashwin 44-5157-0 (1w), Sehwag 23-1-75-0 (2nb), Kohli 8-0-23-0.

India 2nd innings G. Gambhir not out 68 V. Sehwag c Warner b Hilfenhaus 4 R. Dravid b Hilfenhaus 29 S. Tendulkar not out 8 Extras (lb3, w1, nb1) 5 Total (for 2 wkts; 41 overs) 114 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Sehwag), 2-100 (Dravid) Bowling: Pattinson 12-1-40-0 (1nb, 1w), Hilfenhaus 16-6-372, Siddle 11-7-23-0, Lyon 2-0-11-0.

Peterhansel wins stage and takes overall lead CHILECITO: Nine-time champion Stephane Peterhansel moved into first place in the Dakar Rally with a commanding victory in Wednesday’s fourth stage. The Frenchman, racing in a Mini, won the 326-kilometer special stage from San Juan to Chilecito in northwestern Argentina, a tricky drive featuring dried riverbeds, by more than five minutes. The pre-race favorite, Peterhansel rose from fifth, and nearly three minutes behind, to first, and 5:41 up on the field. “We just stayed out of trouble to avoid getting lost or having flat tires,” Peterhansel said.

He has won six times on motorbikes, and three in cars, and the stage win was his 58th. In motorbikes, defending champion Marc Coma of Spain won to cut 2:02 off the overall lead of his KTM teammate Cyril Despres of France. Peterhansel benefited from the bad luck of defending champ Nasser Al-Attiyah, who led through the first two checkpoints and less than 40 kilometers from the end until his Hummer got stuck in mud. It took the Qatari 13 minutes to get himself out and he ended up 30 minutes behind the overall leader. “The race is not over yet and we will try to do our best over the next 10 days,” Al-Attiyah said. “I am starting to get the feel of my car.” Teammate Robby Gordon of the US, who started the day second overall, suffered a series of flat tires, slipping him to 16:23 behind Peterhansel. Orlando Terranova of Argentina was second in the stage in a Toyota, followed by Giniel De Villiers of South Africa, also in a Toyota. De Villiers moved to second overall, with Mini driver Joan Roma of Spain third. Coma’s fast pace netted him the stage win, and reduced Despres’ overall lead to 8:10 in the two-man race for the title. “I focused on navigation to avoid making any mistakes,” Despres said. “I am quite happy to only lose two minutes.” Their nearest rival, Helder Rodrigues of Portugal in third, was 26:48 back. Organizers did not report any major accidents on the fourth stage. Three people have died over the first few days of the rally, considered one of the most dangerous events in motor sports. Argentine bike rider Jorge Martinez Boero died in a crash in Sunday’s first stage. On the same day, the pilot of an ultralight plane and his son died when the aircraft went down while following the race. The race begins in Argentina, passes through Chile, and finishes on Jan. 15 in Peru’s capital Lima.—AP

SYDNEY: Australia captain Michael Clarke completed a triple century and then saw his bowlers take two prize India wickets on day three of the second test as the hosts closed in on a 20 series lead. Ben Hilfenhaus removed Virender Sehwag and then captured Rahul Dravid just before stumps yesterday to leave India at 114-2, still trailing Australia by 354 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground. At the close of play Gautam Gambhir was 68 not out and Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on 8, with their partnership representing India’s best hope of staving off defeat with two days to play. Both had narrow escapes in the overs leading up to stumps. Clarke’s 329 was the fourth-highest score by an Australian in tests - behind Matthew Hayden (380), Mark Taylor (334 not out) and Sir Donald Bradman (334) - and the best score at the SCG in its 100 test history. The innings total of 659-4 also equaled Australia’s highest score at the ground.

Mike Hussey finished on 150 not out, as he and Clarke combined for a record 334-run partnership against India before Clarke made a surprising declaration at drinks in the middle session, the midpoint of the match.

Clarke said he was more concerned about pushing for victory than chasing milestones, including Brian Lara’s test record of 400 and Matthew Hayden’s Australian high of 380, set in 2003. “It’s about putting the team first.

That’s why we play you know, that’s what I love most about this game, is seeing this team win,” Clarke said.

“I’ve been like that as a player and I’ll be no different as a captain.

“If it was best for the team to continue batting then I would have continued to bat. But I thought it was best for the team to pull out and try and get a couple of wickets tonight and fortunately that’s what happened.”

Clarke hit a four through mid wicket off Ishant Sharma to bring up his 300 in 431 balls with 37 fours and one six.

Clarke ran and punched the air in joy as he celebrated in front of a crowd of 31,644. Before lunch Clarke had passed Don Bradman’s score of 270, to hold the best score by an Australian captain on home soil and England’s Reginald ‘Tip’ Foster’s mark of 287 in 1903 as the highest SCG score.

If not for the declaration, Lara’s mark of 400 might also have gone, as India’s bowling attack again failed to make any inroads into a dominant Australia batting lineup and captured just one wicket - Ricky Ponting for 134 - in nearly five sessions. Clarke’s epic innings overshadowed Hussey’s excellent performance in reaching his second highest test score. He was the more aggressive batsman yesterday, frequently advancing from his crease to hit down the ground. Hussey’s 150 came off 252 balls, with 16 fours and one six and was his first century since the tour of Sri Lanka in September 2011. “I don’t really mind,” Hussey said of having to share his moment with Clarke. “I said to Pup (Clarke) out in

SYDNEY: India’s Gautam Gambhir (left) cuts a ball in front of Australia’s Michael Clarke on the third day in their cricket test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, yesterday. — AP

the middle I was honored and privileged to be out there to witness and be a part of that.”

“It was a fantastic innings and one that I’ll remember for a long time and I’m sure Pup will as well and one that put our team into a very strong position in the test match.” Australia carried its momentum into the field, as Hilfenhaus struck early in India’s second innings to remove Sehwag for four, brilliantly caught by Dave Warner at gully. Gambhir and Dravid, however, dug in and moved India’s 2nd innings to 100 without further loss, before Hilfenhaus struck in the first over after the final drinks break, cutting a ball between Dravid’s bat and pad to hit the top of off stump. It was the sixth time Dravid has been bowled in his past eight test innings.

Tendulkar was lucky to survive until stumps, as he edged a ball narrowly past his leg stump. The ‘Little Master’ will resume Friday in his quest to score his 100th international century, having been stuck on 99 since March 2011. Coming into this match, he averaged an astonishing 221 at the SCG, but could only manage 41 in the first innings here. Dravid hoped Tendulkar can reach that milestone tomorrow, mostly because India is in dire need of a big score. “Every situation is set up for Sachin,” he said.

“From a team perspective I hope it happens tomorrow. That will mean we’re scored a few runs. “We need some inspiration, because we haven’t performed these last few days.”

Gambhir, who has struggled on

tour with scores of 3, 13 and 0, played several flush cover drives in an entertaining 68, including scoring his first fifty this series off just 54 balls. James Pattinson had a vigorous appeal for LBW turned down when Gambhir was on 61. Replays showed umpire Marias Erasmus made a good decision, as Gambhir nicked the ball onto his pads.

Pattinson should have had Gambhir in the second last over the day, but wicketkeeper Brad Haddin inexplicably dropped a simple chance. Captain Clarke said removing the Indian batsman from a placid pitch shaped as a difficult task for his bowlers. “There’s not much there for the bowlers, there’s no real swing, no reverse swing and not much spin to be honest,” Clarke said.

“We’re going to have to bowl a lot of overs, we’re going to have to be very accurate and we’re going to have to hang on to our chances over the next two days to win this test match, because India are a very good batting team as we’ve seen for a long time now and the wicket is pretty flat. “But I’m confident, no doubt, that we’re in a great position to win this test match.” India’s woes were compounded by news that, India’s Virat Kohli was fined 50 percent of his match fee for making an obscene gesture to jeering and taunting fans on day two.

In a hearing before play, Kohli admitted raising a middle finger to the fans, and match referee Ranjan Madugalle found him guilty of a level two offense of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct.— AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Sports

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Coyle praises Cahill as Chelsea lie in wait LIVERPOOL: Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle hailed Gary Cahill’s “tremendous mental character and desire” after the Chelsea target scored the winner in the 2-1 come from behind win away to Everton. But Coyle said he’d no idea if Wednesday’s match was Cahill’s last for Bolton, even though Wanderers have agreed a fee for the defender with Premier League rivals Chelsea.

“I was asked after the Wolves game as well whether it would be his last game for Bolton, and I can’t answer that,” said Coyle. “All I can tell you is what I know.

Gary’s representative has had one meeting with Chelsea and, as with any negoti-

ations, you have an opening gambit and then they obviously have to go back and speak to Mr (Roman) Abramovich (Chelsea’s owner). “I am led to believe that he has been away, so I think that is where we are. “If Mr Abramovich sanctions whatever he wants to sanction, then they will take it from there.”

Victory moved Bolton up to 18th, a point shy of safety, and Coyle was delighted by Cahill’s professionalism. “It can’t be easy when it is a club of Chelsea’s stature and a fee has been agreed,” Coyle said. “To be fair to them, I think they have respected the fact that we had a huge game and have not then

had further dialogue - we expect that they will possibly in the next few days.

“But while that continues, Gary shows tremendous mental character and desire for Bolton Wanderers.” Everton took the lead in bizarre fashion when goalkeeper Tim Howard, assisted by the strong winds blowing round Goodison Park, beat Bolton counterpart with a clearance from his own penalty area in the 63rd minute.

But four minutes later David Ngog equalized and then Cahill, again named as Bolton captain, powered home the winner 12 minutes from time. Coyle absolved Bogdan, in for the injured

Jussi Jasskelainen, of blame for Everton’s opener, saying: “It was certainly one of the most freakish goals I’ve ever seen in football. “It would have been easy to feel sorry for ourselves, but I thought the players showed real belief and they scored two magnificent goals,” he added. “I don’t think anyone can deny that we were worthy of the three points.” Everton manager David Moyes agreed with his fellow Scot. “We didn’t deserve to be in front and Bolton deserved to win the game,” he said. “I’ve got no qualms with the result. You can’t perform like that and expect to win.”— AFP

Gerrard can inspire Liverpool Cup run

Manchester United’s manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson not panicking despite Newcastle rout NEWCASTLE: Sir Alex Ferguson insisted it’s not time to panic despite admitting Manchester United had handed the Premier League title initiative back to Manchester City. A stunned Ferguson saw his side suffer a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Newcastle, condemning them to back-to-back league losses for the first time in 10 months to remain in second, three points adrift of Roberto Mancini’s leaders, while holding the same advantage over Tottenham Hotspur, in third.

The Manchester rivals meet in the FA Cup this weekend, but Ferguson’s thoughts remain on his attempts to stretch City’s 44year wait for the English top flight crown, and the Scot said: “Of course it is advantage City. We had our opportunity, they played last night and won, so it’s advantage to them. “The one plus for me is we had two or three players back, and maybe that can make the difference. It’s not a time to panic, we have the patience and experience to cope.”

Ferguson insists his defending champions’ title know-how will help them in the long-run this season, and he added: “Losing a game down the years, you don’t want it to happen, but it does, and you see that with some of the results lately. But we’ll take the show on the road, particularly in March and April.” Phil Jones’ embarrassing injury-time own goal completed United’s misery, after stunning goals in each half from Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye set Newcastle on the way to a first home win in two months to cement their hold on seventh place. Wayne Rooney failed to shine on his return after a one-game suspension and hefty fine for flouting a club curfew over Christmas, as United were shut out for the first time this season. — AFP

LIVERPOOL: Jay Spearing believes Steven Gerrard can inspire Liverpool to cup success as Kenny Dalglish’s side look to move on from the race row controversy which has engulfed the five-times champions of Europe. Liverpool have been criticized for issuing a strongly-worded statement defending Luis Suarez, who has been suspended for eight games for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

The Uruguay international striker will serve the second-leg of his ban when Oldham Athletic-who play in English football’s third-tier-visit Anfield for Friday’s FA Cup third round tie. But the match is expected to see Gerrard, who has been building up his match fitness with several appearances as a substitute after an ankle infection, make his first start for three months. Liverpool’s inspirational captain made a 33-minute appearance during Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at leaders Manchester City - Gerrard’s third straight appearance from the bench.

And Spearing is confident his fellow midfielder can inspire the team in Suarez’s absence as Liverpool’s season reaches a crossroads. Liverpool, looking to secure major silverware for the first time in six years, return to City on January 11 in the semi-final first leg of the League Cup, the return leg taking place at Anfield on January 25. “We have Steven Gerrard back now and he is a massive influence on the team and we will go into the two games with confidence,” said Spearing. “Before we can think about that though we have to get ready for our next game which is the FA Cup against Oldham.”

Dalglish is expected to give several players who have not featured recently in the first team a run out against lower league opposition. They include long-serving defender Jamie Carragher while Brazilian goalkeeper Doni could make his first senior start for the club since joining from Roma last summer. Teenager Jonjo Shelvey, back from a loan spell with Championship club Blackpool, and right-back Martin Kelly are also in contention. Oldham were in the Premier League the last time they visited Anfield 19 years ago but they return to Merseyside 14th in League One. They are managed by Paul Dickov, the former Manchester City striker, and their team includes ex-Newcastle and Blackburn

striker Shefki Kuqi - as well as a couple of lifelong Liverpool fans. Oldham defender Zander Diamond, 26, has visited Anfield once before - when he paid to go on a tour of the famous venue. “It’s not often you get the chance to play against your boyhood heroes,” said former Aberdeen player Diamond. “When I walked out on the ground tour it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as Anfield is steeped in history.

“It is great for our lads to go out and pit their own ability against these players who carry large transfer fees and earn an x-

amount of money. “We are under no illusions as to the task we face. “But I go into every game wanting to win and we will go to Anfield full of confidence. “You cannot go there thinking you are already beaten otherwise you will get turned over. “It is a big occasion and the players have to express themselves, and you never know what happens in cup games as they are one offs. “We will go there with no fear and there is no pressure on us. “We want to enjoy the occasion and, if we get a positive result, that would be great and it would be massive for the club.”— AFP

Manchester clash set to ignite Cup third round LONDON: A white-hot Premier League title race is put on the back-burner this weekend as holders Manchester City and Manchester United slug it out for bragging rights, rather than points, when they meet on Sunday in the pick of the FA Cup third round ties. Retribution will be firmly on United manager Alex Ferguson’s mind with the fierce rivals meeting almost three months after City inflicted a stunning 6-1 league defeat on their neighbors at Old Trafford. The clash at City’s Etihad stadium (1300) is also a repeat of last season’s semi-final which City won 1-0 before securing their first major trophy for 35 years by beating Stoke City in the final.

A hectic holiday program saw both sides stutter to surprise defeats, United losing twice in five days to strugglers Blackburn at home and then at Newcastle United on Wednesday. City were sunk by a late goal at Sunderland but their midweek 3-0 win over Liverpool helped them preserve a threepoint lead at the top of the league. City’s six-goal salvo on Oct 23, United’s worst home defeat since 1955, put them five points clear at the top and was described

by Ferguson as his “worst ever day”.

African Footballer of the Year and Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure will play his last game for City before leaving for the African Nations Cup which gets underway later this month.

Mancini said the midfielder, who scored and set up another goal in the win over Liverpool on Tuesday, was “irreplaceable”. “I have tried to find another Yaya in my squad but there isn’t another Yaya,” Mancini said. “He will be a big loss and it will be difficult because he is such an important player for us and we have so many games.” The third round draw produced just one other all-Premier League clash with Newcastle United hosting Blackburn, but there are plenty of other interesting ties. Ten-times winners Arsenal host Championship (second division) Leeds United on Monday (1945) in a repeat of the 1972 final while Chelsea welcome Portsmouth to Stamford Bridge on Sunday (1500) in a repeat of the 2010 final which the Londoners won 1-0.

There are also some spicy local derbies in prospect, none more so than at St Andrews where Birmingham City, relegated from the Premier League last season, host Wolverhampton Wanderers (tomorrow 1230). The minnows also get their moment in the spotlight with minor league Tamworth, who play one level below the Football League, savoring a bumper payday when they take on Everton (tomorrow 1500). The magic of the FA Cup has not been lost on Tamworth who will be cheered on at Goodison Park by over 4,000 fans who will travel up from Staffordshire. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 6 2012

Barcelona trounce Osasuna 4-0 Barca on course to meet arch rival Real MADRID: Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas each scored twice as Barcelona thrilled the Nou Camp with a crushing 4-0 win over Osasuna in their King’s Cup last 16 first leg on Wednesday. The Spanish, European and world champions completely dominated their La Liga rivals, victory made all the sweeter when talisman Messi came off the bench to add two goals to first-half strikes from the former Arsenal captain. Barca had said Messi would miss the game with flu but the Argentine World Player of the Year was able to replace Pedro for the final half hour against an outclassed Osasuna. Fabregas, who was at Barca’s youth school with Messi before moving to London, put the home side ahead in the 13th minute.

He doubled their lead five minutes later with a fine piece of close control and a sublime chip over goalkeeper Asier Riesgo. The 24-year-old Fabregas has been in blistering form since returning to the Catalan capital in the close season and thriving in the more advanced role he has been given by coach Pep Guardiola. Messi netted a rare header from a Fabregas cross 20 minutes from time before picking up a pass from the influential Xavi in added time and curling a shot into the corner of the net. “I didn’t vomit and there was no fever, I just had a stomach ache, nothing more,” Messi said in a television interview. “That’s why I couldn’t take part in this morning’s training but later on I recovered enough to be able to play.”

UPPER HAND Barring upsets in next week’s second legs, Barca face a quarter-final clash with bitter rivals Real Madrid, who beat them 1-0 in last year’s final.

Jose Mourinho’s side came back from two goals down to win their last 16 first leg against Malaga 3-2 on Tuesday. Real Sociedad, King’s Cup winners in 1987, took the upper hand against Real Mallorca when they beat the 2003 champions 2-0 at their Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian earlier on Wednesday. There were surprise results in Tuesday’s other three games. Third-tier Mirandes took a 2-0 lead over visiting Racing Santander, while another Segunda B side, Albacete, drew 0-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao. Second-division Alcorcon, who eliminated Real Zaragoza at the last 32 stage, snatched a 2-1 win at home to Levante. Valencia host 2010 winners Sevilla and Espanyol play at second-division Cordoba in yestrday’s remaining two first legs.—Reuters

Ancelotti ready for Cup bow with PSG

BARCELONA: Barcelona’s forward Pedro Rodriguez (left) vies with Osasuna’s goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez during the Spanish Cup football match FC Barcelona vs Osasuna on January 4, 2012 at Camp Nou stadium. — AFP

PARIS: He may be the best-paid coach in French football history, but Carlo Ancelotti will make his competitive bow with Paris Saint-Germain against humble fifth-tier side Saint-Colomban Locmine in the French Cup round of 64 on Sunday. Confirmed as the successor to the sacked Antoine Kombouare last week, Ancelotti oversaw his first game as PSG coach in a 1-0 loss to his former club AC Milan in a mid-season friendly in Dubai on Wednesday.

As Locmine’s tiny Pigeon Blanc stadium can only accommodate 450 spectators, Sunday’s game will take place at Stade du Moustoir, the home of PSG’s Ligue 1 rivals Lorient. “For the first time in our history that we’re taking on a Ligue 1 club, we’ve hit the jackpot,” said Locmine coach Didier Noblet, whose club have never gone beyond this stage of the competition. “We were all dreaming about it. Now, the dream is to beat them.”

Valenciennes are the first Ligue 1 side in action at the weekend, as they visit second-tier Le Mans on Friday evening. Only two of the last-64 ties feature two sides from the top flight, with Saint-Etienne hosting Bordeaux and Nancy visiting Rennes on Saturday.

One of the most eagerly awaited matches pits Paris-based National (third-tier) outfit Red Star against Ligue 1 giants Marseille. Due to the interest in the match, it will take place at Stade de France in Saint-Denis and a crowd of 35,000 is expected to attend. Cup holders Lille begin their defense of the trophy on Saturday when they tackle sixth division minnows Chantilly.— AFP

Barcelona seek away form lift across city MADRID: Barcelona have been imperious at their Nou Camp stadium this season but will be keen to improve their patchy away form when they take on city rivals Espanyol on Sunday as La Liga swings back into action after the winter break. Pep Guardiola’s side, chasing a fourth straight domestic league title, are three points behind leaders Real Madrid after 16 games despite humbling their rivals 3-1 in the capital last month. While Barca are unbeaten at home, where they have won eight and drawn one and scored 39 goals without reply, they have won only three of their seven away games, netting 11 and conceding eight, and suffered a surprise 1-0 reverse at Getafe in November, their only defeat of the campaign.

Guardiola told a news conference after Wednesday’s 4-0 King’s Cup home win over Osasuna he expected a “diffi-

cult and physically tough” challenge in the Catalan derby at Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat arena (2030 GMT). Barca have won only two of their last five away games against their neighbors, although they inflicted a 5-1 drubbing on Mauricio Pochettino’s team when they visited last season. “Espanyol have been doing things very well for many years now,” Guardiola said. “They have an excellent coach, they can count on the aggression of young players and they can play good football. “What we have to do is recuperate well because it’s a vital game for the future of our league challenge.”

MOURINHO ROCKET Real Madrid have question marks over the fitness of winger Angel Di Maria and defender Sergio Ramos ahead of their game at home to promoted Granada on

Saturday (1900). Both missed Tuesday’s comeback Cup win over Malaga through injury and the absence of Ramos, who has switched from right back into central defense this season, was particularly obvious as the home side conceded twice from corners to fall two goals behind by halftime.

A verbal rocket from Coach Jose Mourinho at the break and the introduction of Karim Benzema lifted the players, however, and the France striker sealed a 3-2 win with a well-taken goal. Valencia have done well to keep pace with the big two during the first half of the season and are four points behind Barca in third ahead of Sunday’s game at struggling Villarreal (1700). Valencia’s less illustrious city rivals Levante, this year’s surprise package, are four points further back in fourth and host Real Mallorca on Saturday (1700). Hopes are high at

Atletico Madrid that new coach Diego Simeone will help the capital’s second club find the consistency that will secure them a berth in European competition next season.

Argentine Simeone, a former Atletico player known for his tough tackling and commitment, replaced the sacked Gregorio Manzano last month and makes his debut at ambitious Qatarowned Malaga on Saturday (2100). An erratic campaign has left Atletico in 10th place and they have lost seven of their 16 games and conceded four more goals than they have scored. “We are all very pleased with the new coach and we are working very intensely and very hard,” midfielder Juanfran told a news conference on Wednesday. “He was a great professional as a player and as a coach you see the same characteristics,” he added.— Reuters

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012

Australia close in on victory

Page 61

www.kuwaittimes.net

Barca crush Osasuna 4-0 Page 63

BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Argentinean forward Lionel Messi (top) celebrates with Barcelona’s Brazilian defender Daniel Alves after scoring a goal during the Spanish Cup football match FC Barcelona vs Osasuna on January 4, 2012. — AFP