9 Dec 2011

All women football league inspires passion

12

Baldwin apologizes to passengers, not airline

47

FR EE

7

Yemenis protest regime loyalists in new cabinet

www.kuwaittimes.net

Max 18º Min 04º

NO: 15293- Friday, December 9, 2011

Syrians launch civil disobedience

DAMASCUS: A pro-Syrian regime protester waves a Syrian flag as he stands in front of portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad, during a protest against sanctions, in Damascus, Syria, in this file photo. Speaking to ABC’s Barbara Walters in a rare interview that aired Wednesday President Bashar Assad maintained he did not give a command “to kill or be brutal.” — AP

Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Local Spotlight

Female diwaniyas

Off the Record

Light up with glee, this is Kuwait

By Sajeev K Peter

By Muna Al-Fuzai

sajeev@kuwaittimes.net

muna@kuwaittimes.net

T

he diwaniya serves as an ideal platform for social communication and networking in Kuwait.

Traditionally, it has always been dominated by men. Only in recent years has the diwaniya reached out to a larger segment of Kuwaiti society, hugely impacting people’s lives, way of thinking, decisions and choices.

It is no longer exclusive to men from the same neighborhood who get together for coffee and socializing. Covering a vast array of topics from weather, sport and politics, the diwaniya has been instrumental in influencing public opinion, shaping thoughts and ideas. As part of social transformation, more women are now welcomed to be part of such gatherings .

Most are intellectual, highly educated and seek change. They also usher in new societal trends by beginning their own version of diwaniyas in which mostly women participate. Surprisingly, the maledominated society has accepted such a move. In fact, when women were granted the right to vote, diwaniyas functioned as social conduits that helped familiarize candidates.

Today, when we are at the threshold of another election season, women do not fully exploit its potential to promote themselves, their agenda and objectives. Women who gather there exchange good food or clothes or the inevitable gossip session.

I think women lack political awareness. I can’t really blame them when they joined the race in which men have been proving their mettle for more than fifty years! I hope more ladies will consider opening their diwaniyas this time to help popularize this traditional gathering.

Follow me at twitter @ munaalfuzai

M

any people are of the opinion that most of the cabs plying on Kuwait roads are untidy and unkempt, making commuting a nauseating experience. And if the driver is a chain smoker, the experience will be even more traumatic, they argue. To a certain extent they may be true though a generalized view may not be accurate. I would look at their case from the point of view of a neuroeconomist by analyzing that these anomalies are just reflections of their cross-cultural upbringing. Whenever I commute in a cab, I try to open up a conversation with the driver in order to instill a sense of fraternity in him. And the topics could be anything from geopolitics to socio-cultural issues. Many drivers respond positively to my overture, though I must admit that on certain occasions I have been cold-shouldered.

I continued the practice of engaging the driver into a talk until I met with a most disappointing experience the other day. The moment I stepped into that taxi, I realized that I got into a wrong vehicle. The stench of tobacco inside the car was so overpowering that I thought I would throw up. Cigarette butts were strewn everywhere and ash was on the soiled seat where I was supposed to sit. I dusted off the ash with my hand and sat down, obviously displeased with the driver who was busy puffing away to glory.

The cabbie turned to me with a broad smile, showing his nicotine-stained dentures and asked, “bhai saab, you don’t mind my smoking, eh?”

I didn’t tell him I did. Instead, I sat tight devouring the odor in the car. I could not hide my irritation for long so I

In my view

The tram experience

By Lisa Conrad

lisa@kuwaittimes.net

I

KUWAIT: Former MP Dr Maasouma Al-Mubarak’s office in Parliament is full of boxes. Former MPs are vacating their offices following the dissolution of the National Assembly. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

decided to give him a piece of my mind. I told him there was a thing called passive smoking that meant breathing in other people’s tobacco smoke from cigarettes or cigars.

And it was not a good thing to smoke when you have a non-smoker as a passenger with you.

The driver turned and looked at me as if he was seeing an alien from another planet. “Are you new to Kuwait?, “ he asked. I was puzzled and I asked him, “No... why?” Now it was his turn to give me a sermon. “In Kuwait, we have every right to smoke. Have you ever gone to a government office in Kuwait, bhai saab?, he asked. “People are free to smoke anywhere they want,” he told me, with a tinge of sarcasm as if I had infringed upon his fundamental right. I gave up talking to him because it made no sense to me nor to him.

Many countries have either banned or restricted smoking in public and workplaces. The rationale behind smokefree laws is based on the fact that smoking is optional and breathing is not. Smoking bans are enacted to protect people from the effects of second-hand smoke that include a heightened risk of cardiac disease, cancer, respiratory ailments etc. Now, don’t conclude that I am an anti-tobacco crusader. I talk about it because the issue affects you whether you are a smoker or not.

Unfortunately, there is no effective governmental measure or any healthcare intervention in Kuwait to curb smoking in public places. I don’t know where people are not free to light up, but I have seen people smoke almost everywhere in the country. So light up with glee, this is Kuwait!

f you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you go to YouTube and enter the search ‘My tram experience’.

What you’ll find is a horrific, racist rant being made by a woman named Emma West, as she holds her toddler on her lap, against a black Brit. Not only does her tirade attack the black community in the UK, “You’re not English, you’re black!” it basically attacks anyone residing in the country who is not of English ancestry. Seemingly inebriated, she continues to blame these ‘foreigners’ on the struggles facing the UK today.

Different parts of the short video are shocking in their own way; the racism, the innocent child sitting on her lap, and the unashamed public aggression are all deplorable.

What’s worse is that this is just one case caught on camera, so it may well be the tip of the iceberg. However, the woman was identified and arrested for her tirade. Racism, prejudice and stereotyping are widespread and, realistically, it’s unlikely that they will ever be fully eradicated. The question is not how to change people’s minds, it’s how to prevent others receiving unfair, unequal treatment and verbal or physical attack.

Some of the most mixed, globalised countries in the world therefore implement laws and regulations to prevent such incidents, and to ensure consequences should

they take place. It seems strange, therefore, that in a country like Kuwait where expatriates make up two-thirds of the population, they have no, or at best, very little, power when they face prejudice. What’s worse is that the most extreme expressions of racism, where the perpetrator genuinely believes that their victim is subhuman based on their ethnic background are not uncommon either. Horror stories of methods used to ‘punish’ maids include burning, puncturing her hands and feet with nails, slapping, stabbing, punching, starving, and withholding pay.

The question on my mind after seeing ‘My tram experience’ and reading the crime sections day after day here in Kuwait, is if it’s ever really possible to develop out of racism and prejudice. The beating and killing of minorities used to be commonplace in the West, and then it slowly developed to just beating, not killing. Now beating slowly phased out too, and left verbal harassment. As much as the authorities try, they can’t quite stamp that one out. Words are somewhat fleeting, and unless there’s someone filming, it’s pretty hard to catch people out.

Physical attack, however, is clearly visible yet many turn a blind eye. Hearing about something is never the same as seeing it take place, and I’m quite sure that the majority who watch ‘My tram experience’ will feel completely sickened by it. Imagine, for just a second, if instead you witnessed a domestic worker being attacked with a hot iron for burning a dress. Neither attack is acceptable, but it puts things into perspective. One racist rant has been viewed by millions and sparked outrage both in the UK and internationally, yet the murder of a maid in broad daylight in Hawally came and passed without much importance. Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Satire Wire Conspiracy Theories

Recognizable

You are driving Saudi women mad!

By Sawsan Kazak

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

S

itting at the airport lounge last week, I was waiting for my plane when a waiter at the lounge came up to me and said, ‘Miss Sawsan Kazak?’ I am really bad with faces and names, and remembering people I have met before.

Okay, it’s safe to say that I have an overall bad memory. After having eliminated the possibility of a previous meeting, my first thought was ‘ah man, did I just miss my flight?

Great, now I have to book another flight, probably pay double and try to get my suitcase back before it goes on its own journey.’

Before I could get up and start physically panicking, he proceeded to inform me how he knew my full name: “You work for the Kuwait Times right? I read your articles all the time. I recognized you from your picture.” My first reaction was relief

By Badrya Darwish

for the fact that I was still going to make my flight, then I was a little shy and impressed. Shy because I don’t really know what to say in these situations, and impressed because this person’s detective skills were superb. The picture in the paper is a few years old and I no longer look exactly like that, so he has a good eye for detail.

It’s always nice to hear that other people read my stories. It is also a little strange. Seeing that my own friends and family don’t read my work, I am always shocked when others inform me that they do. I know it sounds strange to think that I write articles for the newspaper and don’t realize that others are going to read it. It really doesn’t cross my mind at the time. When I am writing my articles in the office, I have no idea who will see the paper

the next day and read it.

Being recognized is always exciting, especially if the person actually likes your work. It has happened to me a few times, and it’s always fascinating to be able to put a face on the readership of our newspaper. I promised I would give this perceptive young man a shout out in my next article, but staying true to my forgetful self, I forgot his name. Sorry for that, but I hope you know who you are. The only problem with being recognized is that I become more self-conscious about my writing as it forces me to realize that these aren’t just words on a document, but they will eventually reach an audience. But if I think like that, I will never get anything written.

Just kiddin’, seriously

Making the instant connection

By Sahar Moussa

sahar@kuwaittimes.net

S

he: “ I don’t understand men these days. They really confuse me because they are not very honest and direct. Even if they are, they simply don’t know how to make the right moves.”

He : “ I don’t really know what a woman wants from me when I meet her. Women are complicated creatures and I feel I have to put the pieces together in a puzzle!”

Puzzles, riddles are the words that men and women use to describe each other. I have a friend who met someone she was attracted to and felt that he was besotted with her.

However, both of them didn’t know how to approach the problem and kept wondering about how to express each other’s feelings.

Here are some tips and signs to help identify both if the other sex is interested in you: If he asks about your BBM pin or Facebook account, it means that he is really interested in you and is acting like a gentleman because he wants to take things really slow. If he asks for your phone number directly, he would come across as being a ‘pursuer.’ If the woman does not hesitate in responding positively, it means that you have won her attention. If she says that she doesn’t have a mobile phone number, you’re clearly not the one!

If he sends messages regularly on BBM and checks on you in a very friendly manner, he wants to show that he really cares and is interested in knowing more about you.

He will ‘test waters’ if you welcome his messages.

Sometimes, the man will be cautious and send very short

messages. This is usually a positive sign which shows that the man is thinking about how not to make any mistakes and maintain a healthy relationship.

If the woman answers straight away, it is an indication that she is committed. If her answers are friendly and conservative, she is seriously interested in the man . But if she takes her time to answer, it’s a warning - she is either playing hard to get or is seeing someone.

A tip for men: Women use status messages to send out hidden messages. So, pay attention to them because it’s aimed at you most of the time. So if she writes that she is sick, it means that she seeks your attention.

A tip for women: Men actually change pictures to seek your attention, and try to show that they really care after reading your status messages.

Another way to figure out if you have a good chance with the object of your affection is to look out for the use of lot of smileys while chatting on the internet. Women are very expressive by nature and use their hands and gestures if they are interested or excited about something.

I would like to add one more thing, frequent instant messaging is a thrilling and exciting prospect during the heady days of a new relationship. If both men and women feel the tension while waiting for each other’s messages, it means that the attraction exists for sure. If the woman shows her friends the messages that the man has been sending her and tries to brain storm and seek every one’s advice, this woman means business! Usually, men seek solutions only from one person. If he does, then it means that the chase is on. Therefore, for both men and women, this stage of communication is the most stimulating period of the relationship before it moves on to the next level.

So, good luck.

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

T

he driving issue in Saudi Arabia, funnily, is turning into a hilarious soap opera. Here is why.

Believe it or not, Kamal Subhi, a religious scholar has provided a report to the Shura Council campaigning against women driving. The gentleman is trying to convince the Shura Council to influence King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to rethink women’s driving rights.

Women activists have been rallying for this right for many years. They have tried in many different ways. Many took to the streets and steered the wheels risking to be punished. One activist posted a video of herself driving online appealing other women to join. She was briefly detained and later released after she had promised not to make the same attempt to drive again. There are many other stories of bold women sitting behind the wheel. They even wrote petitions to the government. It seems like lately they have managed to convince the government to give them that right.

Imagine guys, the justification of Subhi for not allowing women to drive, is that if women are given the right to drive he is afraid that females in Saudi Arabia will get more freedom and will go out and about independently. This, he says, will lead to premarital sex. He means that women will lose their virginity before marriage because they will be free to drive and mingle with the opposite sex. Just imagine!

If women are not driving and want to do something, there are 101 ways to do what is on their mind. Is only logistics the problem? So, they cannot take taxi or go with a driver or lie and still mingle with men and do what they want? These kind of things are actually going. This happens in every country. Many women are breaking tradition without the knowledge of their family. They don’t need to be driving to be able to meet their boyfriends or have relationships.

This news reminded me of an old story which took place in Kuwait. A university student who came from a conservative family used to bring her mubarqaa girlfriend (a woman wearing a full veil) to study with her in the house. After many months, the family discovered that the mubarqaa classmate was the boyfriend of the girl who was having a relationship with their daughter under their roof!

So, this is a simple example and answer to our friend who thinks that only driving will spoil the values of the women and societies. There are thousands of other ways which can affect our values and traditions. Driving is not one of them. Please, wake up Mr Subhi! You are driving many Saudi women mad with your cynical ideas and thoughts.

Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

in my view

By Priyanka Saligram

Nod nod nod

priyankasaligram@kuwaittimes.net

R

ight up there with the case of the Bermuda Triangle, Area 51, the Loch Ness Monster, crop circles and several other world famous mysteries is another one which nobody has been able to crack: The Indian Head Wobble.

The Indian Head Wobble, Head Bobble, Head Shake or Great Indian Nod was India’s way of avenging the British invasion. It was created as a secret code or language which only Indians, especially South Indians, could understand and use to communicate silently with each other - and mainly to frustrate the invaders and have them spend the next few hundred years pulling their hair out, wondering just what the hell it exactly signified. “So, is that a yes or a no, for heaven’s sake?”

At least, that’s what I’d like to think. Most of the Indians back home do it and the ones abroad who used to do it back home, laugh their heads off and vehemently deny ever doing it. Then they go back to India and do it without realizing it.

The commonly understood nod of approval all over the world is a gesture that involves moving your head up and down, meaning to say “Yes, I agree”. To say “No, I don’t”, it’s from left to right which is also fair enough.

And then comes the Great Indian Nod which is a motion somewhere in-between the up-and-down nod and the sideways head shake. This looks akin to getting water out of your ears after a swim by bending your head to your left and then to your right, and then again to your left. There are different facial expressions which accompany the silence. It’s like you let your head do the talking - without opening your mouth.

Even the Da Vinci Code was finally cracked in the end but the Indian nod has gone on to baffle many a Westerner and Arab alike. The complexity lies in its simplicity. Before you

dismiss it with an ‘I know that it just means a yes,’ you should know that the speed variations could very well mean that it’s a resounding ‘No!’ Allow me to explain the types; partially thanks to observance, mainly thanks to practice.

The quick ‘yes’ nod: This is the most commonly seen nod.

A fast shake of the head to the left and right repeated a couple of times means that the deal is sealed. You can see a flash of a quick smile accompanying it to show that there’s absolute approval, understanding and endorsement of whatever’s being heard, sort of like an “I agree, mate! And we’re on the same page here.” Eye contact may not be one of the visible features here. Note: It would be a good idea to remember that spondylitis patients are better off just saying “Yes” than trying the nod. It would save them the insult after the injury.

The quick ‘no’ nod: This is a rare signal and the only way you’ll understand that the person is saying ‘No’ is by reading negative facial expression like a frown or dipping eyebrows.

It’s easy to think that it’s a ‘Yes’ with the head bobbing but reading between the forehead lines will reveal that it’s a ‘No’ or ‘Sorry, but that’s not happening’.

The reluctant nod: This nod starts out in the normal Western ‘No’ variation from left to right but depending on how well they’re convinced, this slowly rolls into an Indian nod. The bushy eyebrows come together, the eyes get a Chinese squint and the lips are pursed and the thought between the ears is ‘Say whatever you want, I’m not really listening and I’m definitely not convinced (but I will also not stop nodding right now).’ While you get the distinct feeling that nobody’s buying your idea, the nod deceptively makes you believe that all parties are in agreement. After the head rolling stops, you know that it’s time for heads to roll.

Mother of the Great Indian Nod: The leisurely symphony

version where you ‘slooowly’ rock your head from side to side, with a Mona Lisa smile plastered on your face is the most comical of the lot. Usually it looks like the person is spaced out or is more likely listening to Carnatic music playing in his head and enjoying it while you sit there and try and figure out if it’s an approval or otherwise. Sometimes it can also look like they’re using their head to form a figure of eight in the air. (There’s a good chance you’re attempting one right now as you read this).

This particular motion is not just a sign of acceptance and amicability; it also shows friendship, affection and spaniel-like trust. Or complete empathy like when you tell your friend “I’m definitely flunking today’s exam! The questions were horrible and you know how much that lecturer likes me!” and the listener has a faraway look in his eyes and rolls his head at an unhurried pace thinking “Hmm... yeah, she loves you enough to kill you. I feel for you dude.”

Reading about this eighth wonder of the world in tour guides before traveling to India doesn’t do enough to prepare you for the first one, or the last one that you will encounter. Apart from being puzzling at first and amusing thereafter, it’s also very contagious and you could find yourself unconsciously nodding sideways to glory. When my friends and I get together, nobody notices that everyone after a while is nodding along in deep thought - until someone points it out and cracks up at the obvious hilarity.

Another friend studying at a university in the US told me of an Indian music concert which was held on campus. Her American classmate who reviewed the show for the college newspaper wrote that the music was very good “but the Indian students didn’t seem to like it too much because I saw them constantly shaking their heads.”

Expanding and competing KUWAIT: With the highly competitive Kuwaiti telecoms market becoming increasingly saturated, the country’s three mobile operators are jostling for position. Central to all of their strategies is a greater focus on mobile data services.

Earlier this month, the third entrant to the market, Viva, which is owned by the Saudi Arabia-based STC Group and has been active in Kuwait since 2008, announced the launch of data roaming bundles for GCC countries.

The service, called “GCC Roaming Surf-On”, will allow postpaid customers with smartphones to access a range of internet services throughout the region. Prices for the package range from a daily rate of KD1 for 5 Mb of data to a monthly rate of KD10 for 50 Mb. The move follows the announcement in May that the operator is focusing on the development of its fiber optic network in anticipation of the roll out of 4G services.

Viva’s push for greater capacity and competitiveness on mobile data services comes at a time when the volume-driven voice market is beginning to look like it is reaching saturation point. There were 4.8m subscribers as of June 2011, equating to a year-on-year increase of 13.9%, according to Global Investment House, a Kuwaiti asset management company.

While this growth rate is not at its peak, it is still well above countries within the region

such as Qatar and the UAE, which recorded rises of 5.6% and 4.7%, respectively, for the same time period, according to the company.

Within the Kuwaiti market, however, slowing growth is beginning to put greater pressure on the operators to maintain their market share and revenue base. Zain, for example, which is publicly listed and was the first operator to enter Kuwait, saw moderate subscriber and revenue erosion in the12 months to June 2011.

The operator’s subscriber market share fell from 44.8% in the second quarter of 2010 to 42.1% a year later. The biggest beneficiary has been Viva, which has increased its market share from 15.6% to 17.9% in the same time period, while the third operator, Wataniya, has maintained its share around the 40% level. Zain also witnessed a decline in revenues of 1.8% to KD345m in 2010, according to Global Investment House.

The past 12 months have been particularly difficult for the company, with its share price falling 38% in 2011 to KD0.93 in early November. This drop has been attributed to a lack of clarity over the company’s wider strategy and its inability to raise liquidity by selling off a $12bn controlling stake to the UAE’s Etisalat, or find a buyer for its Saudi operations, which are valued at $950m.

However, it is not all bad news for the

region’s first mobile operator or for the Kuwaiti market as a whole. Zain added 133,000 new subscribers, the highest share in the market, while its subscriber base grew by a further 17% in the third quarter of the year, bucking the trend from the second quarter of the year.

Perhaps more importantly, revenue inched up by 1.1%, while the operator has also been able to retain its impressive average revenue per user (ARPU) levels at $51, amongst the highest in the region, according to research firm Business Monitor International.

The challenge now will be to prevent further subscriber erosion while maintaining its high ARPU levels. A third-quarter 2011 Kuwait Telecommunications report by Business Monitor International notes, “In future, we expect mobile operators to focus on revenue growth using higher value services. This will largely depend on the roll-out of mobile data networks and the migration of subscribers onto postpaid contracts.”

There is certainly much scope for growth.

In the region as a whole, data services accounted for only 13% of mobile revenues in the second quarter of 2011, according to Informa Telecoms & Media, a UK-based research and consulting company. The firm also estimates that smartphone usage will grow rapidly in many markets within the

region, while long-term evolution (LTE) subscriptions, often considered as a future fourth generation technology, will increase from 1.94m at the end of 2013 to 15m by the end of 2016.

“We are tracking an extraordinary surge in broadband data consumption here in the Middle East and around the world, and we are expecting a 10-fold increase in mobile data traffic by 2016,” Anders Lindblad, the president of the Middle East and North Africa for Ericsson said in November.

With a high GDP per capita of $41,365, and a fairly concentrated market of 2.7m people, according to the World Bank, Kuwait is certainly positioned to bolster its data services penetration levels. According to a 2010 report by consulting and research firm Frost & Sullivan, data revenues accounted for 9% of overall revenues in Kuwait, below the levels in the UAE (12%), Qatar (10%), Saudi Arabia (9.8%) and Egypt (9.5%).

However, the country has a high postpaid segment by regional standards, reaching 27.5% in early 2010. This suggests operators should be well placed to offer bundled packages and value-added services to this segment. As such, Viva’s move into bundled data services across the GCC may represent another step towards greater competition and penetration of mobile data services in the Kuwaiti market. — Oxford Business Group

Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

In the bathroom about to

Things you can keep to yourself There has been a recent abuse of technology, an ‘overkill’ of information being posted and shared

By Sawsan Kazak

W

ith all the advancements made in technology, it has become really easy to transmit ideas, thoughts, share songs, post movies, update statuses and chat instantaneously. Most phones these days keep their users continuously connected to the internet, giving them access to social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and phone chat options like BBM and WhatsApp. These advancements do provide us with continual connection and accessibility to others, not to mention a constant live audience.

People really have been using these techniques to stay in touch with friends and family, posting pictures and relevant statuses as well as interesting thoughts.

There has been a recent abuse of these technologies, an ‘overkill’ of information being posted and shared. There are some things that should remain sacred, private or just plain ‘to yourself.’

Sleeping habits Sleeping habits, for instance, are part of those aspects in your life that should be kept classified. Unless you are severely suffering with chronic insomnia or have narcolepsy and are informing people of your ongoing suffering, there isn’t a real need to post every time you go to bed, wakeup, take a nap, or are a little sleepy. If you are posting it to inform others to not disturb you in this time of sleep, just turn off your phone. Doesn’t that sound like a better

solution? Out of the hundreds of people that will see the post ‘I’m tired, I think it’s nap time soon!’ only a few could actually use this information.

Eating If you are eating something that is exceptionally good and need to share this with the world, it is understandable that you would post a picture of your fabulous steak with a caption reading ‘This is one tender cut of meat.’ But just posting every time you sit down at the table for a plain bowl of breakfast cereal, a boring sandwich for lunch or an uneventful dinner, is another situation where the posting has become ‘overkill of info.’ Biting into an apple, opening a bag of chips or just grocery shopping are not events that need to be remembered in history.

Digestion tracking Having posted what was ingested every moment of the day, some people think it is then logical to update others on the aftermath of the intake. Posts like: ‘OMG, that taco is really not sitting well’ or ‘three days and still no output,’ are facts that should not find themselves in a public medium. Diarrhea, indigestion, mild heartburn or constipations are statuses that should be posted only privately to your doctor. Unless you are asking others for a home remedy or moral support, you should be keeping the information about your innards inwards. On the same topic, other bodily functions should also be kept

to a need-to-know-basis, as a loud burp or annoyingly loud sneeze (among other functions) doesn’t really add to people’s life and again are not occasions that need to be bookmarked.

Awkwardness Posting that you have seen certain people or participated in certain activities is sometimes interesting. However, there are posts that make other people uncomfortable. Posting ‘Just saw Bob and he needs to shower... Smellyyy’ or ‘Britney is really looking hot these days, I’m all over that,’ can make people uncomfortable, especially that person being mentioned in the post. Maybe thinking about posting some of your activities privately, only to the people that are directly related to the event is somewhat smarter and more socially comfortable.

If you wouldn’t say it live Some people are shy, but very outgoing and daring when it comes to their virtual-life. These usually demure and reserved people will post the most outrageous and shocking quotes or statements. Let’s not forget that the internet is written in ink and cannot be erased, so it is better to be cautious when it comes to the over-the-top information you are putting out there.

Randomness Something that might sound smart

and witty in your head, doesn’t always translate that way on the Net. Writing weird quotes on your statuses can confuse some of your friends and family members as they are not with you at the time of your ‘genius realization.’ Also other people are not inside your mind and don’t really know where you come from. Some statements can be misunderstood. Saying things like ‘life is a struggle and I can’t take it anymore!’ or ‘I need you to shut up and get out of my life,’ are things that might puzzle some of your contacts and get them a little worried about your state of mind.

The excitement is gone With this continuous access to the Net at all times, the excitement of actually connecting and opening you e-mail or Facebook is gone. Before, you would have to be in a certain location to be able to open your mail and see if you have been sent something. Now, you receive it instantaneously in your sleep, while you are in the bathroom or in a meeting at work. There is nothing sacred anymore, it’s all about instant gratification. I guess that’s just technology and the advancement of it in our lives. I do think one thing should remain, and that is the consistency of our personalities.

Your virtual persona should match up to your real life one and should not be conflicting. And a little consideration should be given to the potential recipients on the other end.

Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Girls at play All-women football league inspires passion

By Nawara Fattahova

W

omen’s football is not a rage here in Kuwait, although there are some places like schools, universities or the Girl’s Club where women can play. The relatively new Kuwait Women’s Football League was formed to inspire passion for the game in women.

It was founded by two Kuwaiti women Farah and Haya in fall 2010. Currently, there are seven teams playing with the League, with each team comprising 11 players. “It is an informal social gathering for women interested in football. It is not an official league and no men are allowed into the field when the girls play. The girls will always try to find people to play with. We decided to form this league so that a set day can be arranged for

everyone to play,” Farah, one of the founders told Kuwait Times.

Interested women can join the League and they will be placed in a team or she can be a seven-a-side team with four subs. “The matches take place at the goal field in the American Creativity Academy (ACA) located in Hawally on the pitches next to Fourth Ring Road,” she added.

Young women, above the age of 13, belonging to any nationality can join in. “Each team is free to choose members belonging to different age groups. Each team has to pay KD 300 for the whole team every season. It’s a non-profit payment, we only aim to cover the rent of the field, cost of uniforms, balls, and other equipment,” Farah pointed out.

“The team members pay their share of fees. If the participant is a new entrant, then

the League finds a team for her to join, and the fee is divided accordingly. There are no age groups or levels. Everyone plays together no matter what age they are. Friends form a team. I find a team who doesn’t have enough individual players,” she added.

Normal rules of football are used except the offside because the pitch isn’t that large.

“The judges are not official referees or professionals but they know the rules, and they have previously judged matches in schools.

The matches are 45 minutes long, divided into 20 minute halves and a five minute break at halftime. If a game is stopped due to weather conditions, then it will be postponed and played on another day with the same amount of time left,” stressed Farah.

The League’s third season is going on at present. “We started playing in October 2010

All-women team during a match.

for three months, and again in March 2011.

This is the third season and we hope to keep going. Games are played every Wednesday between 6 to 9 pm on two pitches. This season will end at the end of January 2012. In March, students will play in university leagues so they may be busy. We haven’t decided on when the new season will begin,” noted Farah.

The League welcomes more new teams to join. “There is a deadline for registration in each season, I can’t add a new team during the season. They can join during the next season. We haven’t decided on when to begin. It will be announced on our website,” she concluded.

For more information visit the website: www.k-wfl.com

Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Adapting abroad Living without luxury post-Kuwait

By Lisa Conrad

and an hour or more during rush hour when I finished. Commuting in your car isn’t bad, but getting onto a packed train and then a packed underground train is awful,” said English expat, Jonathan. He added, “I could never go back to that. I live so much better here, there are more restrictions but I can afford to travel more often, so it balances out. I never had the time to socialize before, now I meet friends for dinner or brunch at least three times a week.”

Taylor, an American expat living in Kuwait for three years, found her lifestyle here to be an improvement, and wouldn’t exchange it to return to the US yet, “I love the States, but living there is tough at the moment.

I do miss it a lot but I’m just not willing to struggle anymore. I want to live here, save here, and then return to the States to retire once I’m comfortable.” Visits, she added, are fun but she still misses the laid-back lifestyle of Kuwait, “I hate that everything seems like a rush, you have to be dead on time and time is allotted for each activity. It’s too rigid.”

T

he question most expats ask when they arrive in Kuwait is how they will adapt to a country so different to what they’re used to. What many fail to realize, however, is that it’s extremely easy to become accustomed to the lifestyle in Kuwait, which can make leaving difficult. The clear skies, tax-free salaries and luxury with which many live here can be pretty tough to give up; even if you’re sure you’d rather be elsewhere. Pet peeves associated with the decline of luxurious living that students (both Kuwaiti and long-term Kuwait residents) studying abroad lamented included having to pump their own petrol, having to pack their own groceries, having to clean, receiving impolite service, having to collect their bags at the airport and not being able to drive everywhere/having to use public transport.

The luxury “I really found it hard to get used to the idea that I’ll be cleaning a bathroom,” said 21-year-old Laura.

Laura, an English expat born and raised in Kuwait, went to Liverpool to study her Bachelors degree. “I wasn’t used to it, we had people helping us at home all the time and I’d never had to clean a bathroom.

I’d occasionally do small things like make myself a sandwich, but never that kind of cleaning,” she added.

Laura revealed that her entire family had completely adapted to the lifestyle many enjoy in Kuwait, including having cleaners, cooks and drivers at home. “There was such a culture shock when I went, even though I’m English. There’s such a difference between visiting somewhere and living there, and I got used to life here. I miss the ease of everything and the long brunches and how people aren’t as stressed and depressed all the time.”

Bader, a Kuwaiti student studying in Leeds, also found it difficult to adjust, “I rented an apartment when I came to University. It’s a very comfortable, nice apartment of course but it’s not the same when you have to clean and do grocery shopping.”

He added, however, that it’s an experience he doesn’t regret, “Had I not studied abroad, I never would have appreciated how much we have back home. Now when I go back, I realize how lucky we are to have certain things, and how hard it is to manage everything plus cleaning and grocery shopping and cooking.” Laura agreed, adding “I find some things very difficult about

“Had I not studied abroad, I never would have appreciated how much we have back home. Now when I go back, I realize how lucky we are to have certain things, and how hard it is to manage everything plus cleaning and grocery shopping and cooking.”

Kuwait, but in the long term, it’s a better lifestyle. It’s fine to travel and enjoy the stuff you’re missing, but day-to-day, I’m used to things here now. I like to be able to order whatever meal I want whenever I want it and have it at my door quickly.”

Indian expat, Rujuta, said that she actually enjoys a more luxurious lifestyle in India, but she still misses

certain things about Kuwait when she leaves, “We have maids at home in India, but not here, so we actually live more luxuriously there. But still, I really miss the wide, spacious roads. That’s something very missable.”

The lifestyle If you head to choose any popu-

lar brunch spot on a weekday, you’ll see that it’s actually busier than on the weekend. The lifestyle is certainly more laidback here than many are used to and those enjoying less stress at work, more flexible timetables and better benefits were happy to sing the praises of having more down time, “I used to spend an hour commuting into central London,

The weather “I couldn’t wait to leave Kuwait to study in the UK, I thought I loved the rain and the cool weather,” said 22-year-old medical student, Ahmed. “I’d been to England before, and I loved it. But waking up to grey skies became really, really depressing and I started craving the sun here. In Kuwait you travel in summer when the heat gets too much, but here it’s cold most of the time.”

Jaber, who has been in England for five years studying Architecture, agreed, “You don’t want to be outside if it’s raining and freezing. It’s the same when you don’t want to go out in Kuwait when it’s 55 degrees Celsius outside,” he said.

“The difference is that when it’s cold, it looks miserable outside most of the time. When it’s blaringly hot, it’s as undesirable to go out as when it’s too cold, but at least you’re looking out at a sunny, blue sky.” Strangely, the much bemoaned weather is actually something many miss once they leave Kuwait, “You can never underestimate the effect of a bright, blue sky on your mood,” Taylor added.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Local

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Khorafi says goodbye to assembly employees Former MPs to skip tribal primaries

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Former National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi yesterday sent a letter of thanks to employees of the Assembly General Secretariat amid rising speculations that he would not contest the forthcoming elections.

The veteran politician declined a few days ago to answer a question on whether he will bid for re-election to the next assembly, just saying he will announce whether he will run or not later.

But sources and some reports indicated that head of the Kuwaiti Engineers Society Adel Al-Khorafi, from the same family as the speaker, plans to run for the first time from the second constituency, from where the speaker normally runs, signalling that the elder Khorafi will not run again.

Khorafi, in his mid-70s, joined the National Assembly for the first time in 1975 and in 1985 was appointed minister of finance and economy and continued a member of the Cabinet even after the assembly was dissolved in 1986. In 1996, he won a seat in the assembly and challenged the then speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun for the speaker post and lost by just one vote, starting his rivalry with one of the most experienced Kuwaiti politicians.

In 1999, he was unanimously elected as speaker of the assembly for the first time and continued since then. Opposition MPs have repeatedly accused him of siding with the government in almost all controversial issues.

In another development, five former opposition MPs from the fourth constituency said in a joint statement yesterday that they have decided not to take part in tribal primary elections as the campaign against all forms of primaries intensi-

fied. Former MPs Hussein Mazyed, Mubarak AlWaalan and Mohammad Hayef from the Mutairi tribe and Ali Al-Deqbasi and Shuaib Al-Muwaizri from the Rasheedi tribe, said their decision is in line with the orders of HH the Amir to respect the law and after the constitutional court last week confirmed that such elections were illegal and a breach of the law.

All those former lawmakers had won their seats in the 2009 elections through tribal primaries. Former MPs Mussallam Al-Barrak and Daifallah Buramia did not go through primaries in the previous elections and do not plan to run this

time. Several other former MPs like Khaled AlTahous had already announced their boycott of the tribal primaries.

The opposition bloc meanwhile held a meeting yesterday in order to approve what was described as a roadmap for their coordination in the forthcoming elections expected to take place next month. Based on initial indications, the majority of members in the dissolved assembly plan to bid for re-election although not all of them have announced their final decision.

In another development, a group of lawyers have formed a committee that plans to file law-

KUWAIT: The National Assembly building on Wednesday. The former Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi has bid goodbye to National Assembly secretariat staff amid speculation that he will not run for another term in the upcoming elections. — Yasser Al-Zayyat

Tenth KRCS aircraft heads to Somalia KUWAIT: The tenth Kuwaiti rescue airplane took off to Somalia from Abduallah Al-Mubarak Air Base yesterday loaded with two ambulances and food. This aid is offered to the Somali people facing harsh living conditions due to the drought that hit various areas in the country.

In addition to this aircraft, four more ships

suits against former MPs suspected of having received illegal deposits into their bank accounts believed to be political bribes. Lawyer Duwaim Al-Muwaizri said that after dissolving the National Assembly, the suspected former MPs can now be questioned by the public prosecution without the need to lift their immunity because they have lost it. Muwaizri did not provide a timeframe for their planned actions. The new move comes as the public prosecutor plans to summon the suspected former MPs to question them about the source of the money, especially if it is internal or external.

loaded with food reached Somalia, Chairman of the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society (KRCS) Barjas AlBarjas said. This aid is offered to the suffering Somalis upon the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

KRCS was keen to offer aid to the Somali people since the beginning of the drought crisis. — KUNA

US troops to arrive in Kuwait

By A Saleh KUWAIT: US troops that withdraw from Iraq will arrive in Kuwait. Iraqi Defence Ministry Spokesman Maj General Mohammad Al-Askari said that (9,000) soldiers will move out of Iraq by the end of the month as per an agreement signed between Iraq and United States in 2008. Al-

Askari said that troops’ withdrawal is going on according to plans prepared by higher committees that are tasked with supervising it. US President Barak Obama had announced that the American forces stationed in Iraq would return to United States before the holidays, adding that the US would support Iraq in its rebuilding process.

Kuwait condemns Kabul terror attacks

KUWAIT: The tenth Kuwaiti rescue airplane for Somalia being loaded from Abduallah AlMubarak Air Base yesterday. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid AlHamad Al-Sabah yesterday renewed Kuwait’s condemnation of terrorist attacks that hit the Afghan capital Kabul. Voicing Kuwait’s rejection of terrorism in all its shapes, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid called on the international community to cooperate in order to combat this dangerous phenomenon.

Kuwait’s top diplomat sent a cable to

his Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul, in which he expressed the Gulf country’s strong condemnation to the latest terrorist attacks that targeted innocent people in the religious shrines last Tuesday and resulted in dozens of fatalities.

The cable was also enclosed with heartfelt condolences to families of the victims and the injured, as well as the support of Kuwait to Afghanistan to bring security and stability to the country. — KUNA

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Local

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

UNDP to observe Anti-Corruption Day today in Kuwait KUWAIT: The United Nations Development Program in Kuwait will commemorate the International Anti-Corruption Day on the 9th of December 2011. Corruption is a serious crime that can undermine social and economic development in all societies. No country, region or community is immune.

This year UNODC and UNDP have developed a joint global campaign, focusing on how corruption hinders efforts to achieve the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals and impacts education, health, justice, democracy, prosperity and development. The problem of corruption remains an obstacle to development and threatens state stability.

The United Nations Development Program strives to better the situation in many countries across the world. In our pursuit to end corruption this year, UNDP Kuwait has managed to propose and sign a project on good governance with the State Audit Bureau of Kuwait. The project will help optimize SAB s auditing role and control over all state organs.

Moreover, It will improve the performance of the various governmental agencies through better governance and transparency in service provision and rationed spending.

UNDP is the UN S global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.

KUWAIT: Kuwait National Guard (KNG), the police, and army held a joint exercise yesterday, dubbed Najem (star) of Suhail 1, at the Khadthma camp. The exercise is aimed at boosting cooperation amongst the involved parties to better the security measures in Kuwait. Authorities from the involved sides called for more similar exercises in the future as a measure to protect the country from any threats. — KUNA

expat’s wife missing

Al-Arabi visit to Kuwait crucial: Al-Ghunaim CAIRO: Kuwait’s permanent delegate to the Arab League Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim stressed yesterday the importance of Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al-Arabi’s visit to Kuwait next Sunday.

Ambassador Al-Ghunaim said that the two-day visit comes in the framework of deepening consultation between Kuwait and the Arab League on various issues, especially on ways of boosting and developing Joint Arab Action.

He added that this is Al-Arabi’s first official visit to Kuwait since taking up his new post as Secretary General of the League, succeeding former Secretary General Amr Moussa.

The Secretary General is looking forward to benefit from wisdom and expertise of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the mechanism of handling and dealing with political and regional circumstances that the area is going through, Al-Ghunaim said, noting that HH the Amir is due to receive the Secretary General next Monday.

He added that Al-Arabi will conduct, during his visit, series of official talks with Kuwaiti senior officials on the latest development of the Arab situation, as well as efforts in finding an Arab solution to the current Syrian crisis. Also, Ambassador Al-Ghunaim stressed Kuwait’s keenness in developing and boosting the Arab action throughout the League and its various institutions, noting that Kuwait is the most, among other Arab countries, committed to the Arab League’s resolutions. —KUNA

Mobile phone stolen from hospital

KUWAIT: A 38-year-old Syrian reported to Hawally police that his 22-year- old wife was missing. He told police that he couldn’t find her upon returning home from his work place, and that her mobile phone had been switched off. Relatives and friends were also unaware of her whereabouts.

Mobile phone stolen A patient admitted to Amiri hospital filed a complaint with police stating that he had lost his expensive phone while asleep. When the patient sensed that a stranger had entered his room, he woke up and checked his belongings. He caught a glimpse of the stranger, but failed to confront him. The patient informed hospital authorities about the incident.

Suspected thief A citizen who withdrew KD 8,000 from an Islamic bank in Salmiya had an

eerie feeling that he was being followed.

The citizen headed to his mother’s home, with his wife driving right behind him. When he parked his car in front of the house, the suspect began walking towards it, and his wife alerted him, asking him to return to the car. He caught the suspect who appeared to be a young, healthy man. Police were informed of the incident and the man was arrested. - Al-Watan Juvenile delinquents caught Sabah Al-Salem police arrested five juvenile delinquents, including one youngster from the ruling family following a heated dispute that took place in Sabah Al-Salem. One of the youngster claimed that the ‘sheikh’ stole his fourwheel-drive vehicle. The fight took place between two groups, and a passerby told police about the incident. The accused denied stealing the car.

Detectives are investigating the case.

Kuwaiti fund backs WHO disease control programs

KUWAIT: The African Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) is one of the most successful programs in the history of the World Health Organization (WHO), Operations Director at Kuwait Fund of the Arab Economic Development (KFAED) Fawzi Al-Hunaif said yesterday.

Al-Hunaif, who is also the head of the organizing committee of the 17th meeting of APOC, said that KFAED is hugely contributing in controlling Onchocerciasis, also Known as river blindness, in Africa. The success of this program comes as a result of the ongoing and constructive cooperation amongst the concerned governmental bodies and organizations. Al-Hunaif noted that Kuwait will host the APOC’s 17th meeting, which will be held next week for four days, under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. “Holding such event expresses Kuwait’s interest in supporting health and prevention programs in many African countries,” KFAED

official said. This year’s meeting will witness the participation of more than 150 international personalities, 20 financial institutes, 30 African countries represented by Ministries of Health, 15 non-governmental development organizations and representatives from World Health organization and World Bank. APOC consists of two programs. The first includes 11 African countries and the second encompasses 19 African countries. It is funded by Kuwait, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Luxemburg, Holland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the US and the UK. It is also financed by African Development Bank, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the OPEC Fund, World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank. Onchocerciasis, or “river blindness”, is a parasitic disease. It is a major cause of blindness in many African countries. About half a million people are blind or visually impaired due to the disease. —KUNA

Robbery attempt foiled A masked former policeman, wielding a weapon, entered a money exchange office in Fahaheel. They asked employees to place available cash in a bag he was carrying.

His plans were foiled when an Asian female employee slid under a table and pressed the security button, alerting police. Ahmadi police arrived at the scene in no time. Upon noticing that the employees failed to act upon his orders, he took the opportunity to flee the scene. He was caught shortly.

ATM card stolen A female citizen filed a case with police stating that a thief withdrew KD 1,000 from her bank account using her missing ATM card.

She told Fahaheel police that her handbag was stolen, and included several cards. An investigation has been launched into the case.

Kuwaiti physician achieves honor KUWAIT: A scientific recognition for a Kuwaiti physician who was nominated to the German and European Board for Otolaryngology (ENT) for a period of six months. Dr. Mutlaq Khaled AlSayhan said yesterday in a statement to Kuwait News Agency that he achieved the recognition of the German and European board after an intensive training program in German hospitals that refines medical talents. Al-Sayhan dedicated his achievement to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his Dr. Mutlaq Khaled Alown family, praising the efforts of Sayhan the Ministry of Health in emitting to complete his studies in Germany, to return and serve in the field of his specialization in Al-Sabah and Zain hospitals. — KUNA

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Putin slams Clinton for encouraging protesters

13

Obama campaign: Middle class at stake

15

American sentenced to prison for Thai royal insult

18

HOMS: In this image from amateur video made available by the Ugarit News group on Wednesday the coffins of three protesters are carried during a march in Homs, Syria. —AP

Syrians launch civil disobedience campaign UN estimates 4,000 have died since March DAMASCUS: Syrian activists yesterday launched a campaign of civil disobedience to pile pressure on President Bashar al-Assad, after he drew a stinging rebuke from the US for denying he ordered a deadly crackdown.

Local human rights groups said more than 100 people have been killed in Syria since the weekend, and the UN estimates at least 4,000 have died since March when anti-regime protests erupted.

But in a rare interview with Western media, President Assad questioned the UN toll and denied ordering the killing of protesters, saying only a “crazy person” would do so.

Washington said Assad’s remarks showed he was disconnected from reality or himself “crazy,” as he comes under mounting global pressure, with Arab nations and Turkey joining the West in pursuing sanctions against his regime.

Despite the rhetoric, activists said there was no let-up in the crackdown with forces loyal to Assad yesterday killing at least seven civilians, including a woman, in an assault on the restive central city of Homs. Forces used

sniper fire and “arbitrary” shelling in three neighborhoods of the city, a main hub for dissent that has been besieged for more than two months, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Local Coordination Committees activist network reported separately that Assad’s forces used bombs and “heavy and indiscriminate gunfire” in Damascus and northwestern Idlib province.

State news agency SANA said, meanwhile, that “an armed terrorist group targeted in a sabotage operation the pipeline of Tal alShor, west of Homs.” The LCC, which organises anti-regime protests on the ground in Syria, appealed for citizens to mobilise for a “dignity strike ... which will lead to the sudden death of this tyrant regime.” The campaign would “snowball... and grow each day of the revolution to reach every home and anyone who wants to live delighted and dignified in his/her country,” said an LCC statement received in Nicosia.

It urged citizens to begin the action on Sunday-the first day of the working week in

Syria-starting with sit-ins at work, and the closure of shops and universities, before the shutdown of transportation networks and a general public sector strike. “The Syrian revolution is... a renaissance against slavery; a scream at the face of humiliation started from the first day as demonstrators cried ‘Syrians are not to be humiliated.’ “The echo of this scream will not vanish till it reaches all ears,” said the English-language statement, adding the strike was “the first step in an overall civil disobedience” campaign which will overthrow the regime.

In his interview, Assad denied he ordered the killing of thousands of protesters and brushed aside charges that Syrian forces tortured to death a 13-year-old boy, whom rights groups say was shot, burned and castrated in April. “Every ‘brute reaction’ was by an individual, not by an institution, that’s what you have to know,” Assad told US television network ABC News. “There is a difference between having a policy to crack down and between having some mistakes committed by some officials. There is a big difference.”

Assad said he was not responsible for the nine months of bloodshed, declaring: “No government in the world kills its people, unless it’s led by a crazy person.” “There was no command to kill or be brutal,” Assad told ABC. Assad said security forces belonged to “the government” and not him personally. “I don’t own them. I’m president. I don’t own the country. So they are not my forces,” he said. Assad’s family has ruled Syria with an iron fist for four decades. Assad’s brother, Lieutenant Colonel Maher al-Assad, heads the army’s Fourth Division, which oversees the capital as well as the elite Republican Guard.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner dared Assad to back up his assertions by letting in international observers and media, saying there was a “clear campaign against peaceful protesters.” “It either says that he’s completely lost any power that he had within Syria, that he’s simply a tool or that he’s completely disconnected with reality,” Toner told reporters Wednesday.”It’s either disconnection, disregard or, as he said, crazy. I don’t know,” Toner said.— AFP

International FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Jerusalem orders closure of ramp to Al-Aqsa compound JERUSALEM: Jerusalem’s city council has ordered the closure within a week of a wooden access ramp to the sensitive AlAqsa mosque compound in the Old City, saying the structure is “a threat to public safety.” The order was outlined in a letter from city engineer Shlomo Eshkol given on Wednesday evening to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation which is responsible for the upkeep of the Mughrabi ramp.

“It is my intention to issue an order for the immediate closure of the structure and not to allow any use of it,” he wrote, giving them “seven days from the date of this notice to outline any reservations” before the order takes effect. The wooden structure has been at the centre of a complex row between the city council and the Jewish and Muslim groups which respectively oversee the Western Wall plaza and the Al-Aqsa mosque compound next to it.

The city says the ramp poses a fire hazard and could collapse onto the women’s prayer section by the Western Wall.

But Muslim leaders fear the demolition could have a destabilising effect on the mosque compound and accuses Israel of failing to coordinate the renovation with the Waqf, which oversees Islamic heritage sites. The ramp leads from the plaza by the Western Wall, the most sacred site at which Jews can pray, up to the adjoining compound, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, which houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.

Speaking to AFP, Jerusalem Waqf head Azzam al-Khatib said the organisation was ready to undertake the work itself if Israel would agree. “We can, and are willing to restore (the ramp) to the condition it was before or better, within days, if Israel allows it,” he said. “We are sure that there are some extremists who are trying to stir up trouble inside the mosque and the city.” When the closure order goes into force next Wednesday evening, barring any last-minute appeals by the Foundation, only the security forces will be allowed to use it “in urgent circumstances,” the letter said. In a statement to AFP, the Western Wall Foundation said its head, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, was “studying the order and taking legal advice regarding how to act.

“Obviously any decision will take into account safety considerations for those going up the bridge and those praying at the Wall,” it said. There are 15 gates leading into the AlAqsa mosque compound, 10 of which are in use. The Mughrabi Gate is the only access for non-Muslims to enter the site, meaning its closure will prevent tourists from visiting until a replacement structure is built.

In a statement, the city council said the instability of the ramp, which is used daily by hundreds of visitors and security personnel, had been of “great concern” to them for some time. “The unstable condition of the ramp and its danger of flammability could exact a high price upon human life. The ramp could collapse upon the Western Wall plaza, injuring the women who pray next to it and possibly causing serious damage to the Western Wall or Temple Mount.”

The city council had on October 23 given the Western Wall Foundation 30 days to dismantle the ramp and rebuild a permanent replacement in a move which sparked anger in Jordan, which is the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. But the Foundation made no move to comply with the order, and on November 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed the demolition over fears it could spark a wave of anti-Israel protests across the Arab and Islamic world. “I did indeed decide to delay the construction of the new bridge. The situation in the region is sensitive, therefore I decided that the time is not right to go ahead with it,” he told a parliamentary committee, denying reports it was due to pressure from Egypt and Jordan. Jordan’s powerful Islamists were quick to respond yesterday. “Israel is disregarding all Arab and international warnings,” said Hamzeh Mansur, head of the opposition Islamic Action Front party, accusing Israel of pursing a “policy of judaising the Holy Land.”

The plaza which houses the mosque complex is venerated

by Jews as the Temple Mount, the site where King Herod’s temple once stood before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. It is the holiest site in Judaism, but Jews are forbidden to worship there. The current ramp was erected in 2004 as a temporary measure after the collapse of a previous walkway, and is used by non-Muslim visitors to the historic site as well as by Israeli security forces wanting to enter the plaza.— AFP

Egypt’s rulers: Parliament won’t be representative

Council to be appointed to check influence of extremists CAIRO: Egypt’s military rulers say that the next parliament will not be representative enough to independently oversee the drafting of a constitution, and that they will appoint a council to check the influence of religious extremists on the process. The Wednesday announcement followed a surprisingly strong showing by Islamist groups who took the overwhelming majority in the first round of parliamentary elections. The outcome caused concern among the liberals who drove Egypt’s uprising and the military, which took power from ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.

“We are in the early stages of democracy,” said Gen. Mukhtar Mulla, a member of the ruling military council. “The parliament is not representing all sectors of society.”

In theory, the new parliament will be entrusted with forming a 100-member constituent assembly to write the new constitution. But Mulla said the new council will coordinate with parliament and the Cabinet to ensure the assembly is representative of all religions, professions, and political parties.

The new constitution will determine the nature of Egypt’s post-Mubarak political system. Liberal groups and the military- a secular institution that has traditionally controlled access of Islamists to its ranks - are concerned that religious extremists will exert too much influence

and could try to enshrine strict Islamic law, or Shariah, as the only guiding principle for state policies. Voters chose both parties and individuals in the complex electoral system. The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic fundamentalist group that was the best known and organized party, and the more radical Al-Nour party - ultraconservative Islamists known as Salafis - took about 60 percent of the vote for parties together, according to official results.

Late Wednesday, the electoral commission released results for 48 individual seats decided in the first round. The Brotherhood won 30, Al-Nour won six and the third-place liberal Egyptian Bloc took six. The rest went to smaller parties. The vote -which is being held in three stages was the freest and fairest in Egypt’s modern history. The final two rounds are not expected to alter the Islamists’ dominance.

The result was a devastating blow for the mostly secular and liberal youth who drove the uprising. And though they have been highly critical of the military’s rule and recently staged a new wave of protests demanding the generals hand power to a civilian authority, the ground has shifted with elections. Some liberals may find solace in the military’s attempt to protect the constitution from overzealous Islamist tendencies. “Many of the liberal forces, which were before against interference of the military, will not object when-

ever there are attempts (by Islamists) to alter basic civic rights,” said Ammar Ali Hassan, a political analyst.

But the battle over the constitution could deepen an already polarized Egyptian society as the military reasserts its grip on power. Speaking to a small group of mostly American reporters, Mulla made clear that the ruling military council, as the executive, will maintain ultimate authority over the functioning of the new parliament and government. Asked whether the new council is an attempt to limit the influence of the hard-line Salafis, who want to impose strict Islamic law on Egypt, Mulla said: “Absolutely. ... The Egyptian people won’t allow this to happen.” “There will be standards agreed upon by all the Egyptian people,” Mulla said. “This is not out of mistrust of the parliament. What we are seeing is free and fair elections ... but it certainly doesn’t represent all sectors of society.” He said he did not think anyone would object to the need for a representative constituent assembly. But a previous attempt by the ruling military to interfere caused a backlash from both Islamists and liberals alike.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has previously floated the idea that it would name 80 of the 100 members of the constituent assembly and tried to enshrine in the constitution a political role for itself in the future.— AP

Yemenis protest regime loyalists in new cabinet SANAA: Tens of thousands of Yemenis marched in the streets of the Yemeni capital yesterday, chanting “no partnership with murderers,” in reference to former regime loyalists that have been appointed to the newly formed unity government. Yemen’s Prime-Minister designate Mohammed Basindawa announced the new government Wednesday, with half the cabinet posts entrusted to members of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s ruling party, and the other half to the opposition.

“Basindawa, they cannot be trusted,” chanted the protesters as they marched through the streets of Sanaa, whole swaths of which have been devastated by months of fighting between antigovernment and pro-Saleh forces. “No partnership with the murderers,” they yelled. The protesters, thousands of whom camped out in Change Squarethe epicentre of the pro-democracy movement that has rocked the country since January-have endured the brunt of a brutal government crackdown on dissent.

Hundreds of Yemenis have been killed and thousands more wounded in more than 11 months of demonstrations that continue despite a Gulf-sponsored power transfer deal to ensure Saleh’s ouster. The protesters, most of them youth activists, have also expressed dismay with the formal opposition for signing the Gulf Cooperation Council plan which prom-

SANAA: Defected army soldiers stand guard as protesters march demanding the prosecution of Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa, Yemen yesterday.—AP ises Saleh immunity from prosecution for alleged crimes committed against Yemenis since the uprising.

The new government will be formally sworn in on Saturday, according to a statement from the official news agency SABA, and will carry out its duties for a period of three months, after which early elections will be held and Vice

President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi is expected to take over the presidency.

Until then, Saleh remains honorary president, and despite the formation of a committee to restructure the country’s military forces as stipulated by the transition plan, most units are still under the command of Saleh’s sons and nephews.— AFP

International FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

UK lifts ban on female submariners LONDON: Women will be allowed to serve on submarines for the first time in Britain’s history, the country’s defense secretary announced yesterday, after research showed there were no health reasons to support the ban. A small number of female officers who have volunteered will begin training next year and start serving on Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines in late 2013, Philip Hammond said.

The decision comes on the heels of an 18-month review conducted by the Royal Navy looking at the health, social and technical issues of allowing women to serve on submarines. While women have been allowed on board Royal Navy ships since 1990, they weren’t eligible to be submariners because of concerns that higher levels of carbon dioxide in submarine atmosphere risked their health.

But the Ministry of Defense said recent research showed those risks were unfounded and “that there were no medical reasons for excluding women.” The defense secretary stressed that the armed forces must adapt rather than clinging to the past.”We will value our history and tradition but we will not be slaves to them,” Hammond said in a keynote speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London.

The change means the submarine service will be able to draw on the “the widest range of talent and skills” to recruit, Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Charles Montgomery said. “And it will give our women the same opportunities as men to enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career in the Submarine Service,” he added in a statement.

The US Navy announced a similar policy move last year, and the first female submarine officers are slated to report to their submarines at the end of this year. Outside of existing officers, the first new class of British female submariners will be recruited and trained from 2014 on. In addition to the Vanguard-class submarines, the Astute class will also take females on board starting in 2016 after necessary on-board accommodation modifications have been made, the defense ministry said. It said over nine percent of Royal Navy personnel are female and that women have been on board Navy ships since 1990.— AP

Army denies using chemical weapons against Kurd rebels ANKARA: The Turkish military denied yesterday it was using chemical weapons in its fight against the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and said it did not even possess such arms. “There have been no chemical weapons or ammunition registered in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces,” said the General Staff, which presides over the armed forces, according to the Anatolia news agency.

“The fight against the separatist terrorist organization continues in compliance with national and universal rules of law,” it added. The military was responding to claims published in some media at home and abroad that the army was using chemical weapons in its operations against Kurdish rebels. The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) also accused the army several times of using such weapons. The claims are “baseless, biased and aimed at slandering the Turkish armed forces,” the General Staff said. Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and much of the international community, the PKK took up arms for Kurdish independence in southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed some 45,000 lives.—AFP

BRUSSELS: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (C) attends a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council as European foreign ministers gather amid concerns that Russia plans countermeasures to NATO’s own ballistic missile defense system, in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday.—AFP

Putin slams Clinton for encouraging protesters Russian prez warns of wider crackdown on dissent MOSCOW: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin strongly criticized US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday, accusing her of encouraging and funding Russians protesting election fraud, and warned of a wider Russian crackdown on dissent. By describing Russia’s parliamentary election as rigged, Putin said Clinton “gave a signal” to his opponents. “They heard this signal and with the support of the US State Department began their active work,” Putin said in televised remarks. He said the United States is spending “hundreds of millions” of dollars to influence Russian politics with the aim of weakening a rival nuclear power. Putin’s tough words show the deep cracks in US -Russian ties despite President Barack Obama’s efforts to “reset” relations with the Kremlin. Ahead of the election, Putin threatened to deploy missiles to target the US missile shield in Europe if Washington failed to assuage Moscow’s concerns about its plans. Clinton has repeatedly criticized Sunday’s parliamentary vote in Russia, saying “Russian voters deserve a full investigation of electoral fraud and manipulation.”

Russian protesters have taken to the streets in Moscow and St. Petersburg for three straight nights despite a heavy police presence, outraged over observers’ reports of widespread ballot box stuffing and manipulations of the vote count. This week has seen some of the biggest and most sustained protests Russia has faced in years, and police have detained hundreds of protesters.

Thousands were expected to join protests in Moscow and other cities on Saturday. Putin’s United Russia party barely held onto its majority in parliament, with official results giving it about

50 percent of the vote, down from 64 percent four years ago. But the fraud allegations indicate that support for United Russia was even lower than that, and Russians appear to be growing weary of Putin and his party after nearly 12 years in office.

Putin was president from 2000 until 2008, when he moved into the prime minister’s office to abide by a constitutional limit on two consecutive terms.

He intends to reclaim the presidency after an election in March that would give him at least six more years in power. Putin’s return to the Kremlin still seems assured, but he clearly has been shaken by the outburst of public anger and it is not yet clear how much of a challenge it will pose to his power.

Moscow has already put about 50,000 police and 2,000 paramilitary troops on the streets, backed by water cannon. Putin warned that the government might take an even harder line against those who try to influence Russia’s political process on behalf of a foreign government. He accused the US State Department of spending “hundreds of millions” of dollars in Russia and his government has to “work out ways to protect our sovereignty from outside interference.”

“We are the largest nuclear power,” Putin said, addressing supporters during a televised meeting. “And our partners have certain concerns and shake us so that we don’t forget who is the master of this planet, so that we remain obedient and feel that they have leverage to influence us within our own country.”

He said “especially unacceptable is the infusion of foreign money into the electoral process.” Clinton reached out to Russia yesterday. “I think it’s impor-

tant to recognize that we value our relations with Russia,” she said at a NATO meeting in Brussels, where she also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “We have invested a great deal of effort on working together ... and we have made progress.” Clinton defended her criticism of the elections, saying she was expressing concerns the US thought were well-founded.

Russia’s only independent election monitoring group, which is supported by grants from the United States and European governments, has come under heavy official pressure in recent weeks. The Golos website documenting violations was hacked and the group was fined the equivalent of $1,000 after prosecutors accused it of violating election law.

Also yesterday, Russia’s top election official urged prosecutors to study photographs and video clips circulating on social networking sites that purport to show election fraud, and signaled that those who posted the materials could be punished. If the images show genuine violations, they will be investigated, Central Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov said. But if evidence is found that the photographs and videos were “provocations” or faked, those who created, commissioned or sponsored them will be held to account, he said.

Opposition groups have called for a mass protest near the Kremlin on Saturday. More than 28,000 people have now signed up to a Facebook page on the protest. A map circulating on the Internet shows protests planned for Saturday in more than 75 cities around Russia, while a page on LiveJournal lists more planned anti-vote fraud protests in 15 countries around the world. — AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

International

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Sudan shuffle expands opposition in government Move aimed at bolstering Bashir’s support KHARTOUM: Sudan’s ruling party announced yesterday the formation of a new Cabinet which includes a dozen opposition parties. The move appeared to be aimed at bolstering the support of President Omar AlBashir’s government in the wake of economic hardships and border conflicts with South Sudan, which declared independence in July.

The shuffle gave ministerial posts to 14 different parties, said Deputy Chairman of the ruling National Congress Party Nafie Ali Nafie told reporters. The key interior, defense, and oil portfolios remain in the hands of ruling party members. Among the parties brought into the government was the traditionally pro-Egyptian

Democratic Unionist Party, which has been one of Sudan’s major opposition movements since the country became independent in 1956.

Coalitions of former rebels such as the Justice and Liberation Movement from the western region of Darfur, and the Beja Congress of the east, also received portfolios. Absent from the lineup were allies of Bashir’s estranged former Islamic mentor Hassan Turabi. Bashir, who took powe r i n a 1 9 8 9 co up , has f r equent ly brought opposition and rebel movements - or one of the many splinter groups from these movements - into his governments.

The latest move however does appear to be a significant attempt to

broaden his support base as Sudan faces the economic and political consequences of the secession of the oilrich south, which declared itself the independent country of South Sudan in July. South Sudan controls about 75 percent of the oil held by the formerly united country. But the two countries have yet to agree on key issues like oil exports and the division of revenue from sales of the roughly 500,000 barrels per day of crude they produce.

Sudan has also clashed with rebel groups and ethnic communities loyal to the south in border areas in recent months, and international rights groups have accused Khartoum of indiscriminate violence. The government denies the allegations.—AP

BULAWAYO: Oppah Muchinguri, leader of tZanu PF’s women’s league, addresses women as they wait for Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to officially open the official opening of the Zanu PF Congress in Bulawayo yesterday.—AP

Zimbabwe’s famed ‘hanging tree’ falls HARARE: Zimbabwe’s famed colonialera “Hanging Tree” crashed into the street after being struck by a workers’ truck during highway repairs, city authorities said yesterday. Mbuya Nehanda and other icons of the first uprising against white settlers were said to have been hanged from the tree in 1898. Witnesses said the 200-year-old Msasa tree, declared a historic site and national monument, fell Wednesday and some workers fled, believing it a sacred omen of “bad things to come.”

Crowds gathered at the felled tree yesterday to take pieces of it and a n’anga, known in the West as a witchdoctor, performed rites over the trunk and branches.

The indigenous African tree, or brachystegia speciformis, was commemorated on a Zimbabwe postage stamp in 1996 and political rallies have often been held there. Historians, however, have cast doubt it was ever used for hangings. Mbuya Nehanda, or the ancestral grandmother of the nation, was a tribal spirit medium believed to have had immense powers. She is upheld by highly superstitious

Zimbabweans as the country’s greatest symbol of black resistance to colonial rule. Since independence from British rule, Nehanda has been revered with statues erected in the parliament house and main government buildings, and streets have been named after her in all of Zimbabwe’s cities and towns.

Colonial records show she was executed for the 1897 killing of administrator Henry Pollard, known for his brutality toward blacks.

Zimbabwe historian Rob Burrett told The Associated Press yesterday that records indicated she was actually hanged on gallows at a prison where the main Harare Central Police Station stands today. But a myth built up before independence and persisted that the colonial court presided over by “Hanging Judge” John Watermeyer sent Nehanda and those he condemned to death to the distinctive tree, Burrett said. At that time the tree was on the outskirts of the small colonial settlement that became Harare.

“It is a great urban myth that has grown over time. The Zimbabwean nationalist version has been superim-

posed on earlier white stories,” he said.

Successive city authorities resisted calls for the tree - seen as a traffic hazard - to be removed from a central island in the boulevard leading past the colonial style Harare Sports Club and the State House used as offices by President Robert Mugabe.

Burrett said the tree was scarred at the base by traffic accidents and became diseased and rotten. “But it is really sad it has now gone,” he said.

Harare city council said in a statement yesterday the tree came down as workers were repaving the boulevard and a vehicle bumped into the base.

Bystanders yesterday said the fall of the tree came on the day the ailing Mugabe, 87, planted a tree in a ceremony marking a national tree planting and reforestation campaign on Wednesday.

It also coincided with Mugabe’s party convention in the second city of Bulawayo, its last major gathering before crucial elections proposed next year to end the country’s fragile coalition government. “It’s got to be a sign something big is going to happen,” said street vendor Mathias Vinyu.—AP

Evidence shows tabloid spied on Murdoch critic LONDON: Newly disclosed evidence in Britain’s tabloid phone hacking scandal confirmed Wednesday that an outspoken critic of Rupert Murdoch was put under surveillance by his now defunct tabloid the News of The World.

Lawmaker Tom Watson, who has led efforts to expose the extent of malpractice in Britain’s newspaper industry, was followed for five days in 2009 by private investigator Derek Webb, a former police officer.

Law firm Linklaters, which represents the management and standards committee of Murdoch’s News Corp., said in a letter sent to Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport committee - which is investigating phone hacking - that three employees of the tabloid were responsible for commissioning Webb to spy on the Labour Party legislator.

“We do not think it appropriate to name the individuals involved given the ongoing police investigations,” Linklaters said in its letter. Lawyer Mark Lewis, who was also spied on by the newspaper, had previously said that he had seen evidence that Watson, a former government minister, had been under surveillance. The admission “is no longer surprising, though I am intrigued to know the names of the three executives who commissioned the covert surveillance,” Watson told The Associated Press in a text message.

Linklaters also acknowledged that internal inquiries showed that the ex-chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, had authorized a settlement in 2010 with celebrity publicist Max Clifford over the hacking of his phone.

“Mrs. Brooks was authorized to conclude this agreement by virtue of her position as chief executive of News International. The MSC (News Corp Management and Standards Committee) has seen no information to suggest that this agreement was discussed by the boards of News Group Newspapers, News International or News Corporation,” the letter said.

Watson said that disclosure threw up more questions over the extent to which the tabloid’s executives were aware of malpractice. “Was she aware that others were involved in wrongdoing and if so, why didn’t she immediately act,” he told the AP. Brooks, a former News of The World editor, was arrested by police in July and later released on bail. Parliament’s culture committee had asked Linklaters whether all 11 of its members, including Watson, had been put under surveillance.

News Corp. had “no information yet to suggest that any other member of the committee (or their family or friends) was under surveillance,” the law firm said in the letter, dated Dec 1. In another letter, Neville Thurlbeck, a former chief reporter at the News of The World - who was arrested on suspicion of phone hacking and later released - told the committee he had repeatedly offered executives what he says is evidence that several members of staff were aware of the use of hacking at the tabloid.

For many months, executives maintained that phone hacking was the work of a single rogue reporter. Thurlbeck insists that claim was false, and that he had urged two key executives to review his contradictory evidence to before they appeared before lawmakers and laid the blame on a lone employee. “They were in possession of all this knowledge and they failed to disclose it to the committee,” he wrote in his letter to the panel dated Nov. 29. Only two people have been jailed for phone hacking, both in 2007 - News of the World reporter Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator convicted over hacking into the voicemail messages of royal staff while working for the tabloid.

The release of the documents came as British police arrested an 18th suspect in their investigation, named by media including Sky News - which is 39 percent owned by Murdoch’s News Corp. - as Mulcaire. London’s Metropolitan Police said a 41-year-old man was held Wednesday on suspicion of conspiring to intercept voice mail messages and pervert the course of justice. It declined to release the man’s name.

Mulcaire’s lawyer, Sarah Webb, declined to comment.

Police said later the man had been released on police bail until late March, pending further investigations. “It would be inappropriate to discuss any further details at this time,” police said in a statement. —AP

International FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Gingrich surge unnerves some Republican MPs WASHINGTON: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s stunning surge toward the top of the Republican presidential field has unnerved some Republicans in Congress who remember too well the tumult of nearly two decades ago. “I’d rather have steady,” said Rep. Steve LaTourette of Ohio, who just this week made it known that he was backing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney instead of the resurgent Gingrich, the man who led the 1994 “revolution” in which LaTourette was first elected.

Personally, LaTourette said, he has a “hangover” from the days of Gingrich’s speakership, when “everything always seemed to be on fire.” In interviews this week, more than a dozen Republican members of the House and Senate wouldn’t say - when given repeated chances - that they are confident that Gingrich has the discipline and stamina to outlast Romney and, down the road, face President Barack Obama in a grueling general election.

Gingrich has had trouble marshaling support from Congress’ mass of political insiders. The 1994 “revolutionaries” who turned Democrats out of power for the first time in 40 years as well as more senior lawmakers waver on the question of whether Gingrich would be good for the GOP and the country given his rocky past.

Sen Pat Roberts of Kansas, who credited Gingrich with helping push through a transformative farm bill, is among those unsure whether Gingrich-as-nominee would be helpful. “It depends on what he does,” said Roberts, who has not committed to a candidate for the party’s nomination. For his part, Gingrich told CNN late Wednesday: “I wish everybody had loved me. But I’d rather be effective representing the American people than be popular inside Washington.” “My job was to drive through change on a scale that Washington wasn’t comfortable with, and you know, if you’re a genuine outsider, forcing change, you’re going to leave some bruised feelings,” he added. “I don’t apologize for that. I think I probably learned some more. I think I’ll probably be more effective this time.”

Gingrich’s Capitol Hill days were volatile to say the least. He was at the helm during two government shutdowns. He had a snit over a back-seat assignment on Air Force One and displayed a management style that his allies said shifted wildly and eroded morale among his backers. There also was the book deal that led to a $300,000 fine from the House ethics committee and enough chaos to inspire his own lieutenants to plot Gingrich’s overthrow.

And who could forget Gingrich’s illicit affair with a House aide now his wife, Callista - while advocating for President Bill Clinton’s impeachment after a sexual impropriety of his own?

Now a presidential candidate, Gingrich, at 68, claims he’s matured. But his unpredictability remains a concern to some, and he’s clearly aware of the political jitters his campaign’s newfound viability gives to those who know him best. He reached out last week to Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolinian who won a House seat in the 1994 election and became disillusioned enough four years later to huddle with Gingrich’s leadership team and consider mutiny.

Gingrich called Graham and the two had an hour-long conversation. “He certainly doesn’t hold grudges, because the coup (meeting) was held in my office,” said Graham, who has not endorsed anyone in his state’s important early primary. —AP

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addresses the 2012 Republican Presidential Candidates Forum hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition on Wednesday in Washington. —AP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speak in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Wednesday.—AP

Obama campaign theme set: Middle class at stake OSAWATOMIE: Declaring the American middle class in jeopardy, President Barack Obama on Tuesday outlined a populist economic vision that will drive his re-election bid, insisting the United States must reclaim its standing as a country in which everyone can prosper if provided “a fair shot and a fair share.” While never making an overt plea for a second term, Obama’s offered his most comprehensive lines of attack against the candidates seeking to take his job, only a month before Republican voters begin choosing a presidential nominee. He also sought to inject some of the long-overshadowed hope that energized his 2008 campaign, saying: “I believe America is on its way up.”

In small-town Osawatomie, in a high school gym where patriotic bunting lined the bleachers, Obama presented himself as the one fighting for shared sacrifice and success against those who would gut government and let people fend for themselves. He did so knowing the nation is riven over the question of whether economic opportunity for all is evaporating.

“Throughout the country, it’s sparked protests and political movements, from the tea party to the people who’ve been occupying the streets of New York and other cities,” Obama said. “This is the defining issue of our time,” he said in echoing President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous speech here in 1910. “This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class and all those who are fighting to get into the middle class,” Obama said. “At stake is whether this will be a country where working people can earn enough to raise a family, build a modest savings, own a home and secure their retirement.”

For Obama, saddled with a weak national economic recovery, the speech was a chance to break away from Washington’s incremental battles and his own small-scale executive actions. He offered a sweeping indictment of eco-

nomic inequality and unleashed his own brand of prairie populism. He spoke for nearly an hour to a supportive audience, reselling his ideas under the framework of “building a nation where we’re all better off.” Billed as an important address that would put today’s economic debates in context, Obama’s speech seemed a bit like two packaged into one.

The first was that of the campaigner, full of loft and reclamation of American values. The second was the governing Obama, who recited his familiar jobs agenda, his feud with Congress over extending a Social Security tax cut, even his fight to get his consumer watchdog confirmed. Obama tied himself to Roosevelt, the president and reformer who came to this town in eastern Kansas and called for a “square deal” for regular Americans. Roosevelt said then the fight for progress was a conflict “between the men who possess more than they have earned and the men who have earned more than they possess.”

It is a theme Obama is embracing in a mounting fight for re-election against Republicans who, regardless of the nominee, will attack his stewardship of the economy. One of the leading contenders for the GOP nomination, Mitt Romney, ridiculed Obama for comparing himself to Roosevelt. Obama “said that he is like Teddy Roosevelt,” Romney said at a campaign event in Paradise Valley, Ariz. “And I thought, ‘In what way is he like Teddy Roosevelt?’ Teddy Roosevelt of course founded the Bull Moose Party. One of those words applies.” Kirsten Kukowski, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said, “Maybe instead of trying to be like other presidents, Obama should try being president.”

Obama took aim at the Republicans, saying they would only return the same structures that led to America’s economic downturn. “Their philosophy is simple: We

are better off when everyone is left to fend for themselves and play by their own rules,” Obama said. “I’m here to say they are wrong.” The president conceded that the country is in the midst of a consuming re-examination on his watch, prompting national movements against both government spending and an economy that many feel disproportionately favors the elite. Obama went on the offensive about income inequality, saying it distorts democracy and derails the American dream.

Responding to those who want to cut taxes and regulation in the belief success will trickle down, Obama said: “Here’s the problem: It doesn’t work. It’s never worked.” Obama noted that Theodore Roosevelt was called a “radical, a socialist, even a communist” for putting forth ideas in his last campaign such as an eight-hour work day, a minimum wage for women, unemployment insurance and a progressive income tax.

Left unsaid: Roosevelt’s Bull Moose campaign in 1912 failed to return him to the White House. Obama attempted to sum up the pain and peril for a society where the middle class is struggling. But he also called for individual responsibility. “In the end,” he said, “rebuilding this economy based on fair play, a fair shot and a fair share will require all of us to see the stake we have in each other’s success.”

Obama also challenged the big banks that took bailouts from American taxpayers, pointing to “a deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street.” He said banks that were bailed out had an obligation to work to close that trust deficit and should be doing more to help remedy past mortgage abuses and assist middleclass taxpayers. Feller contributed from Washington. Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Kasie Hunt contributed to this report.— AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

International

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

5 jailed in boy’s killing: Venezuelan authorities CARACAS: Authorities are investigating five people in the beating death of a 5-year-old boy that sparked violent protests in the victim’s hometown, the country’s top prosecutor said Wednesday. Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz said the suspects, including the boy’s mother, face charges of murder, sexual abuse and abusive treatment. Anger over the case sparked violence in Guanare, a town about 340 miles (550 kilometers) southwest of Caracas, this week.

Venezuelan news reports said about 30 people were detained in the violence, which broke out a few days after the boy’s death Dec. 1.

Riot police and troops patrolled the streets Wednesday while the suspects were arraigned, the Venezuelan television channel Globovision reported. “A mob of ruffians used acts of violence to try to undermine a judicial process related to the unfortunate incident,” Portuguesa state Gov. Wilmar Castro Soteldo said, speaking during an interview broadcast Tuesday on state television.

Castro Soteldo said National Guard soldiers were called in to quell the unrest. Four women and a man were jailed as suspects in the boy’s killing, Ortega said in a statement. The attorney general said arraignment proceedings for the suspects began Tuesday and continued Wednesday. Authorities say some of the suspects took the boy to a medical clinic and reported he had fallen from a motorcycle. He later died.

Prosecutors said in a statement that an autopsy found bruises and other injuries on the boy’s body as well as scars showing a history of physical abuse. It said the autopsy also found “signs of sexual abuse.” On Monday and Tuesday, troops used tear gas to chase off angry people who gathered in Guanare awaiting results of initial court proceedings, the newspaper El Universal reported. A house where the boy was allegedly abused was vandalized by a mob, as were other buildings, the newspaper said. The boy’s mother lives in another part of Venezuela, and two of the women arrested at the clinic were in charge of taking care of him, authorities said. Another suspect was accused of physically abusing the boy previously.—AP

Peru guerrilla leader pledges no more attacks LIMA: One of two remaining leaders of the Shining Path guerrilla group in Peru said his troops will cease attacks and is calling for a truce to start peace negotiations with the government. Known as Comrade Artemio, Jose Flores Hala told journalists in his jungle hideout that he “isn’t going to deny” that the government won. Flores, however, couldn’t speak for another Shining Path leader, known only as Comrade Jose, who has not declared a truce.

Flores is based in the Huallaga Valley in central Peru, a center of coca production, while Comrade Jose is in the Apurimac-Ene river valley in the country’s southeast, where coca production is also rampant. Flores said his roughly 150 guerrillas wouldn’t demobilize without a “process of frank and real negotiations.” But, eh told reporters, “We have no intention to brandish arms of war in armed struggle.”

The Shining Path has shrunk since its 1980s heyday when it controlled large swaths of the Peruvian countryside. Troops captured leader Abimael Guzman in 1992 and his successor Comrade Feliciano in 1999. The group has since split into the two factions.— AP

Neighbors familiar with worker accused in killing Slain girl last seen leaving playground

GOERGIA: Murder suspect Ryan Brunn, 20, of Canton, Ga., is escorted into the Cherokee County jail in Canton, Ga, after he was arrested Wednesday. Brunn is charged with the murder of 7-year-old Jorelys Rivera who went missing last Friday. —AP CANTON: Those who live in a north Georgia apartment complex where a 7year-old girl was abducted and brutally killed saw their maintenance man on a golf cart headed to calls. They saw him in the parking lot, discussing the child’s disappearance. They saw him as “nice.”

Investigators see 20-year-old Ryan Brunn as their suspect in the killing of Jorelys Rivera, who was abducted from a playground and dumped into a trash bin. Brunn, who also lived at the complex, was scheduled to make his first court appearance yesterday after being arrested on suspicion of murder and making false statements to authorities.

The slain girl was last seen Friday evening leaving the playground to walk back home to get drinks for her friends. Authorities said they believe she was taken to an empty apartment, where she was sexually assaulted, stabbed and beaten to death. Her body was found Monday. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan said Brunn, who has no known criminal record, had keys to the empty apartment and the trash compactor bin where Rivera’s body was left.

“We are confident that Brunn is the killer and that is why he is in custody,” Keenan said, declining to detail what evidence investigators have against him. It was not clear whether Brunn had a defense attorney. Steven Brunn, 26, said his younger brother is not violent and has no criminal record. He told The Associated Press that “the real person may still be out there” plotting another attack. “I don’t know where this all is coming from,” Steven Brunn said. “They said it’s innocent until

proven guilty, but they already done proved him guilty.”

Investigators were tight-lipped on exactly what evidence they believe links Ryan Brunn to the killing.

According to a warrant obtained by The Associated Press, Brunn was arrested on suspicion of murder and making false statements to authorities.

The warrant said he “did unlawfully and with malice aforethought cause the death of Jorelys Rivera by hitting her on the head with a blunt object.”

No other details are contained in the document.

In an interview with Atlanta’s WSBTV, Jorelys’ mother, Jocelyn Rivera, said through a translator that Brunn “is an animal” who “killed my little angel.”

She said she wants Brunn to be sentenced to death if he is convicted. Blue Ridge District Attorney Garry Moss said he had not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty. Brunn, wearing a blue hooded sweat shirt and jeans, was arrested at the complex and taken in handcuffs to a sheriff’s patrol car surrounded by a handful of armed officers. Keenan said investigators focused on Brunn after being tipped off and had been watching him since Tuesday night. Keenan said the investigation will continue for several months. “This is a mammoth case,” Keenan said at a news conference in Canton. “We believe that this horrendous crime was planned and calculated, and we’ve recovered a lot of evidence.” About 65 local, state and federal investigators worked the case and conducted several hundred interviews.

“Our goal was to make an arrest for

what has happened to this sweet, innocent little girl,” Canton Police Chief Jeff Lance said. When Rivera’s body was found, it shook the community where neighbors say they all knew each other and a makeshift memorial took root at the playground. Steven Brunn, a tattoo artist from Dahlonega, said he last saw his younger brother two months ago.

The family is originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., he said, adding that Ryan Brunn and his siblings moved to Georgia with his mother several years ago.

Ryan Brunn lived in Dahlonega until a month ago when he moved to Canton to take the maintenance job.

Ryan Brunn also previously lived in Dumfries, Va. No one answered a knock on the door of a relative’s home there Wednesday. Nancy Hudgins, 57, who lives near the trash bin where Jorelys body was found, said she talked with Brunn on Monday as police searched apartments. She said he told her he was nervous about allowing officers into his apartment because he had beer bottles and is not of legal drinking age.

“He was just kind of scared about them going in,” she said. Another neighbor, Bernadette Merrill, 58, said she was particularly distressed that Jorelys had been found in a trash bin.

“When it first happened, I didn’t get any sleep,” she said. “I just don’t see a child being thrown away like that.”

River Ridge Management Co., which runs the apartment complex, said all employees and residents must pass background checks before being hired or moving in. The company said Brunn cleared those checks.— AP

International FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Pakistan prez has more medical tests in Dubai Allies deny frenzied resignation rumors

NEW DELHI: In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 photo, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, right, and Tibetan Buddhism’s third most important leader Ugyen Thinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa, pray with other Buddhist leaders at an all faith prayer meeting at the Gandhi Memorial in New Delh, India. —AP

India police charge Tibet holy man in money probe DHARMSALA: Indian authorities have filed charges against Tibetan Buddhism’s third most important leader following an investigation into $1.35 million in cash discovered at his headquarters in northern India, police said yesterday. The money was found last January during a police raid on the Karmapa’s monastery. It was in nearly two dozen currencies, and the Karmapa’s aides said it had been donated by his followers, who came from all over the world.

But the amount of cash, which included a large sum of Chinese yuan, concerned police, who said the sums were too large to be merely from donations. The raid on the Gyuto Monastery was unprecedented and particularly surprising since the Karmapa, Ugyen Thinley Dorje, is revered by Tibetans and Buddhists. India has gone to great lengths to provide asylum to Buddhist leaders who have fled Tibet, including the Dalai Lama.

The Karmapa, 26, is seen as one of the Dalai Lama’s potential successors as the leader of Tibetan Buddhism. On Wednesday, police filed charges against the Karmapa and three of his followers in a local court at the end of the investigation, said Sumedha Diwedi, a superintendent of police. The court will soon examine the evidence submitted by the police and decide whether the Karmapa and his followers should be tried on the charges.

There was no immediate comment by the Karmapa’s office. While the Karmapa was charged with conspiracy and knowledge of undeclared money, the three followers face the additional charges of cheating and forgery of documents. If convicted, the Karmapa faces up to two years in prison, and his followers up to 10 years. Diwedi said police have also sought the permission of the federal government to prosecute the Karmapa and the followers for allegedly violating India’s foreign currency laws in collecting the donations. The Karmapa left Tibet in 2000. Since then, he has been living at the monastery in Sidhbari, just outside Dharmsala, which has been the headquarters of the self-declared Tibetan government-in exile since the Dalai Lama fled the Himalayan region in 1959. — AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s beleaguered president was expected to undergo further tests in a Dubai hospital yesterday after suffering a minor heart attack that forced allies to deny frenzied resignation rumors. Asif Ali Zardari was spending a second day at the American Hospital while facing a major scandal over to what extent he was involved in attempts to seek US help to limit the power of Pakistan’s military.

The deeply unpopular 56-year-old president has a long-standing heart condition and his admittance to hospital sparked fevered speculation in the media and on microblogging site Twitter that he may step down. As a figurehead president in a country where power is deemed to lie with the military, he is away as Pakistan battles perhaps its worst crisis in US relations after NATO air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is responsible for the day to day running of the fragile civilian coalition government, which is understood to have tense relations with the military, which effectively controls foreign policy. “President Zardari’s condition is stable, he is fine, he is OK,” presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar told AFP yesterday. Aides have so far been unable to say when he will return home, after one member of the cabinet initially said he would go back to Islamabad yesterday. “It depends on the doctors, when he will be discharged. They will tell after receiving results of some more tests,” Babar added. Zardari has a long-standing heart condition and previously had been fitted with stents. He reportedly suffered a minor heart attack six years ago. An article published on the website of the US magazine Foreign Policy sparked fevered speculation Wednesday that Zardari was on his way out, forcing both Pakistan’s presidency and the US State Department to dismiss the rumours.

“Our belief is that it’s completely health-related,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.

Babar said the reports were “speculative, imaginary and untrue”. The Foreign Policy article quoted an unnamed former US government official as saying Zardari was “incoherent” when he spoke to President Barack Obama by telephone over the weekend and that he was feeling under increased pressure.

“The noose was getting tighter-it was only a matter of time,” the former official said, in what Foreign Policy called “growing expectation inside the US government that Zardari may be on the way out”. Mustafa Khokhar, an adviser to the prime minister on human rights, told AFP that Zardari suffered a “minor heart attack” and underwent an angioplasty. Zardari took office after the centre-left Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won general elections in February 2008, three months after his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was

assassinated. If he remains in office until 2013 when his mandate ends and elections are held it would be the first democratic transition of power in Pakistan, where the military has staged four coups and ruled for more than half the country’s existence. Although Zardari has survived numerous crises and calls for his resignation, he is under huge pressure over a memo allegedly written by close aide Husain Haqqani asking for American assistance in curbing the powerful military.

The memo sent in May to the then US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, sought help over fears of a military coup following the secret US raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 2. Mansoor Ijaz, an American businessman, accused Haqqani of crafting the memo with Zardari’s support.

Haqqani denied involvement, but was forced to resign last month and Zardari is now due to address a joint session of parliament. — AFP

ISLAMABAD: Angry Pakistanis beat a burning symbolic effigy of NATO during an anti NATO rally in Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday. Hundreds of Pakistanis from different groups rallied in the capital Islamabad to condemn NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani troops. —AP

Afghan-Pakistan war of words on shrine bomb KABUL: Afghanistan and Pakistan were locked in a war of words yesterday over a shrine bombing that killed at least 55 people in Kabul and which the Afghan government blamed on a Pakistani terror group. Islamabad called for an end to the “blame game” after Kabul demanded action against the group, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, whose purported claim of responsibility for Tuesday’s attack has not been confirmed independently.

“It is high time to get out of the blame game as such and to move forward in the spirit of cooperation,” said foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit. “Publicly accusing Pakistan of unfounded events and things do create problems at some stage, he told reporters. “We would like to have a relationship that is free of recrimination and blame game,” Basit added. Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are tense, and frequently spiral into mutual accusations over the violence plaguing both their countries.

Kabul said yesterday that it was up to Pakistan to investigate without waiting any longer after Pakistan called for hard evidence to support claims that Jhangvi was responsi-

ble. “It’s up to Pakistan to take action and find out where and how the contact was made by Lashkar-i-Jhangvi from inside Pakistan. They shouldn’t wait for us to provide them with evidence,” Aimal Faizi, Karzai’s spokesman, told AFP. Faizi said an Afghan investigation was under way but it is thought officials do not currently have evidence of the group’s involvement. Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, an outlawed militant group which has links to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, has been blamed for killing thousands of Shiites and whipping up sectarian hatred in Pakistan.

It also has reported links to Pakistani intelligence. But there has been no confirmation of a purported claim of responsibility for the Kabul attacks from Lashkar-i-Jhangvi splinter group al-Alami. Karzai’s Western-backed administration accuses Pakistan of supporting the Taleban and associated militant groups that are waging a 10-year insurgency. Officials and experts fear that Tuesday’s attack may have been designed to whip up sectarian conflict in Afghanistan, which has not previously suffered the scale of such violence experienced in Iraq and Pakistan. —AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

International

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

China court rejects Apple lawsuit over iPad name BEIJING: A court in southern China has rejected a claim by Apple Inc. that a Hong Kong-headquartered tech company has violated its iPad trademark, in the latest development in a case that could affect the US company’s financial prospects in the country. Apple’s Beijing-based spokeswoman Carolyn Wu declined to comment yesterday on the decision by the Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in the southern city of

Shenzhen. The court said on its website that it dismissed a lawsuit Monday by Apple against Shenzhen Proview Technology over the ownership of the iPad trademark. The company is a subsidiary of LCD screen maker Proview International Holdings Ltd, headquartered in Hong Kong. The court ruled that the Shenzhen company is not bound by a 2009 agreement that its Taiwanese affiliate, Proview Taipei, made with

Apple to transfer the trademarks to the Cupertino, California-based company for 35,000 pounds ($54,700).

Proview in Taiwan had registered the trademark in various countries as early as 2000, while Proview in Shenzhen registered the trademark in China in 2001. According to the Shenzhen court decision, Apple says its trademark transfer agreement with Proview’s Taiwanese company should also apply to the Shenzhen

American sentenced to prison for Thai royal insult MAN SENTENCED TO TWO AND A HALF YEAR BANGKOK: A court in Thailand sentenced a US citizen to two and a half years in prison yesterday for defaming the country’s royal family by translating excerpts of a locally banned biography of the king and posting them online. The verdict is the latest so-called lese majeste punishment handed down in the Southeast Asian kingdom, which has come under increasing pressure at home and abroad to reform harsh legislation that critics say is an affront to freedom of expression.

The 55-year-old Thai-born American, Joe Gordon, stood calmly with his ankles shackled in an orange prison uniform as the sentence was read out at a Bangkok criminal court. Judge Tawan Rodcharoen said the punishment, initially set at five years, was reduced because Gordon pleaded guilty in October. Defense lawyer Arnon Nampa said Gordon would not appeal, but would apply for a royal pardon. The sentence was relatively light compared to other recent cases. In November, 61-year-old Amphon Tangnoppakul was sentenced to 20 years in jail for sending four text messages deemed offensive to the queen.

Gordon posted links to the banned biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej several years ago while living in the US state of Colorado, and his case has raised questions about the applicability of Thai law to acts committed by foreigners outside Thailand. Speaking after the verdict, Gordon said, “I am an American citizen, and what happened was in America.” He also said he had no expectation of being let off easy. “This is just the system in Thailand,” he said. Speaking later in Thai, he added: “In Thailand, they put people in prison even if they don’t have proof.”

Gordon had lived in the US for about 30 years. He was detained in late May during a visit to his native country to seek treatment for arthritis and high blood pressure. After being repeatedly denied bail, he pleaded guilty in October in hopes of obtaining a lenient sentence.

Thailand’s lese majeste laws are the

Joe Gordon harshest in the world. They mandate that people found guilty of defaming the monarchy - including the king, the queen and the heir to the throne - face three to 15 years behind bars. The nation’s 2007 Computer Crimes Act also contains provisions that have enabled prosecutors to increase lese majeste sentences. The US Embassy’s consul general, Elizabeth Pratt, told reporters in Bangkok after the ruling that Washington considered Gordon’s punishment “severe because he has been sentenced for his right to freedom of

expression.” Opponents of the laws say that while the royal family should be protected from defamation, lese majeste laws have often been abused to punish political rivals. That is especially true since the nation suffered a 2006 military coup. Asked if he would stay in Thailand after serving his time, Gordon said: “I would like to stay and see some positive Thailand. I want to see the real, amazing Thailand, not the messy Thailand.” Many had hoped that the administration of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, which has some prominent supporters who have been accused of lese majeste, would reform the laws. The issue remains highly sensitive, however, and Yingluck’s government has been as aggressive in pursuing the cases as its predecessors.

Last weekend, New York-based Human Rights Watch urged authorities to amend the laws, saying the penalties being meted out were “shocking.” The rise of the Internet in recent years has given Thai authorities many more targets to pursue. Last month, Information Minister Anudith Nakornthap said Facebook users who “share” or “like” content that insults the Thai monarchy are committing a crime.

Anudith said Thai authorities asked Facebook to remove 86,000 pages between August and November because of alleged lese majeste content. Gordon, a former car salesman, is accused of having translated excerpts from the unauthorized biography “The King Never Smiles,” published by Yale University Press, into the Thai language and publishing them in a blog. He also provided links to the translation to other two Web forums, prosecutors say. — AP

company, but the court rejected that, saying that the Shenzhen company was not involved in those negotiations.

Proview Shenzhen has been mired in financial problems and will seek to claim 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) in compensation from Apple for copyright infringement following the court ruling, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The US company has the right to appeal the verdict. — AP

Mekong countries delay decision over Laos dam PHNOM PENH: Energy-starved Laos failed to win approval from Southeast Asian neighbors yesterday for a proposed hydropower dam on the Mekong River that faces fierce opposition from conservationists. Ministers from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos postponed a decision on the Xayaburi dam after meeting in the Cambodian city of Siem Reap, saying more research was needed into the likely effects of the $3.8 billion project.

“There is a need for further study on the sustainable development and management of the Mekong River including impact from mainstream hydropower development projects,” they said in a statement. The four member states of the intergovernmental Mekong River Commission have an agreement to cooperate on the sustainable development of the waterway. Their announcement, which is not legally binding, added that the ministers agreed in principle to approach Japan and other development partners to support such studies.

Laos is one of the poorest nations in the world and sees hydropower as vital to its potential future as the “battery of Southeast Asia”, selling electricity to its more industrialised neighbours Vietnam and Thailand. But activists warn that the vast 1,260 megawatt dam in Laos, the first of 11 planned for the mainstream lower Mekong, could spell disaster for the roughly 60 million people who depend on the waterway.

Thailand, which has agreed to purchase some 95 percent of the electricity generated by the dam, had already indicated that it would not oppose the project at yesterday’s meeting. But Vietnam and Cambodia, wary of the dam’s impact on their farming and fishing industries, expressed strong concern ahead of the talks and called for further studies to be carried out before it is allowed to go ahead. Last week, Laos indicated it should get the green light, as “this dam will not impact countries in the lower Mekong River basin”, deputy minister of energy and mines Viraphon Viravong told the official Vientiane Times. — AFP

South Korea tightens social media monitoring SEOUL: South Korea has tightened monitoring of popular social networking sites to curb illicit content including an upsurge in North Korean propaganda, officials said yesterday. The Korea Communications Standards Commission said an eight-member team was launched on Wednesday to examine Facebook and Twitter posts and smartphone applications.

Users will be asked to delete “harmful or illegal” content relating to pornography, gambling, drug abuse, false information, and defamation which are all criminal offenses in South Korea, it said. “Postings and sites that praise North Korea or glorify its leaders are also the target of our work as they increased rapidly this year,” team leader Han Myeong-

Ho told AFP. “North Korea has stepped up its propaganda drive through social networking sites,” he added. If the users refuse to take down the material, the commission will order internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to offending accounts and sites, Han told AFP. Criminal charges could be laid in serious cases, he said, but added that “most individuals and site operators voluntarily take out postings when they are asked by authorities to do so.”

The South’s clampdown has triggered an outcry from liberal groups which have accused the government of trying to gag the private exchange of opinion through social networking sites. — AFP

PHNOM PEHN: Cambodian boys swim in the Mekong river on the outskirts of Phnom Penh yesterday.

Energy-starved Laos sought the green light from Southeast Asian neighbors for a proposed hydropower dam on the Mekong River that faces fierce opposition from conservationists. —AFP

Business FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Boeing workers approve 4-year contract extension

Australian jobless rate rises to 5.3% PAGE 21 PAGE 23

FRANKFURT: Activists of Frankfurt Occupy movement offer to change their makeshift “occupy global currency” against euros during a demonstration in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday. The ECB lowered their key interest rate to one percent. — AP

ECB cuts rate to revive economy Dampens hopes for bigger bond buys

FRANKFURT: European Central Bank head Mario Draghi dampened market expectations for large-scale government bond purchases, saying the bank had no understanding with governments to take that step if politicians agreed on new rules to curb the government debt that underlies the continent’s crisis.

Asked if there was such an understanding, Draghi said simply “no to your first question” at the news conference following the rate decision.

He said he was “surprised” at the meaning markets gave to remarks he made last week that were widely interpreted to open the way for such an implicit deal. Instead, the bank cut interest rates yesterday to help revive the slowing European economy, and added new credit for banks struggling in the continent’s debt crisis.

It cut its benchmark refinancing rate by a quarter percentage point to 1 percent and announced its longest-term loans to banks would now be three years instead of 13 months.

It also eased collateral requirements for banks to

borrow, allowing banks to put up loans to companies in return for credit.

And it cut the required reserves banks must keep on account with the ECB from 2 percent of assets to 1 percent of assets, which should free up money for lending and restocking hard pressed bank’s financial buffers against losses.

Still, stocks and the euro fell heavily on Draghi’s remarks, which lowered expectations that the central bank is preparing to take much more aggressive action as the eurozone economy slides toward recession because of the debt crisis. The meeting took place with markets still trying to assess how much Draghi, a former head of the Italian central bank, will continue the policies familiar under his predecessor, JeanClaude Trichet. Trichet was regarded by some as overly rigid in interpreting the bank’s antiinflation mandate enshrined in the European Union treaty and too slow to cut rates, or too quick to raise them, as the bank did twice earlier this year. Draghi handed markets a rate cut and

more bank support but no big bond buys, at least for now. On Dec. 1, Draghi urged European leaders to agree on “a fiscal compact” that would prevent eurozone governments from piling up too much debt and punish violators. He then said: “Other elements might follow, but the sequencing matters.”

Markets seized on that to mean that the central bank was ready to get more aggressive in fighting the debt crisis if it liked the results of a European Union summit which began yesterday in Brussels. Yet Draghi again underlined the need for a fiscal compact, and sketched in more of what he wanted to see in one. That suggested that the bank is still watching the outcome closely, whatever it intends to do afterward to support anti-crisis efforts.

Draghi called a fiscal deal “the most important precondition for restoring the normal functioning of financial markets,” Draghi said. He said it had three pillars: budget cuts by governments, rules against debt enforced at the EU lev-

el, and a credible financial backstop. The EU has such a bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Facility, but it is required as too small to effectively backstop larger countries such as Italy and Spain. Officials are looking at ways to increase its lending power, so far without much success.

Draghi appeared to dismiss one option that has been raised: the ECB lending to the International Monetary Fund. Draghi said the ECB is not a member of the IMF and is forbidden by the EU treaty from lending to goverments.

“One cannot channel money in a way to circumvent treaty provisions,” Draghi said. “If the IMF were to use this money exclusively to buy bonds in the euro area, we think it’s not compatible with the treaty.” The crisis has been marked by rising bond market interest rates for countries perceived to carry so much debt they might not be able to pay it all off. Those higher rates in turn stress their finances and make default more likely in a vicious circle. —AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Fed aims to hone message in policy overhaul WASHINGTON: The Federal Reserve’s top policy makers are likely to weigh a bold new set of tools to manage the US economy when they meet next week, part of what could be its broadest communications overhaul in two decades. Members of the Federal Open Market Committee will gather in Washington on Tuesday, when they are expected to mull proposals that would see the Fed set much clearer objectives and better outline tactics to achieve them.

Measures under consideration include setting a formal inflation target for the first time in Fed history, as well as issuing clearer guidance about future interest rate policy and FOMC members’ prescriptions for the economy.

Far from being a small tweaks, former Fed officials say this could be the most significant shift in the way the Fed deals with the public since 1994, when it agreed to announce interest rate actions. “I think it is very important,” said Marvin Goodfriend, an economist who was present at the 1994 meeting and who regularly attended meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee until 2005. “I don’t want to jump the gun,” said Goodfriend, “but if the Fed announces a formal commitment to an inflation objective of two percent... I think that will be a milestone. That will bring to the Fed the best of central bank experience.”

While the Fed has long had a presumed inflation target, an explicit goal could lock price expectations in place for years to come and offer markets more certainty at a time when turbulence has haunted investors.

“Policy works not just on what the central bank does at the moment, but on what the public expects it to be doing over the next year or two,” said Goodfriend.

Supporters say a formal inflation target would provide an anchor for businesses aiming to make sound investment decisions.

But the Fed faces a delicate balancing act between providing more clarity and signaling a policy shift that would upset the bank’s ideological balance. Throughout the economic crisis Fed policymakers have been at odds over how much emphasis to place on each plank of its dual mandate-fostering employment and creating price stability.

With unemployment at 8.6 percent and short-term prices stable, policy “doves” have called for decades of inflation-centered policy to be eased in favor of potentially inflationary stimulus. Discussions about setting an inflation target at the last Fed laid out that divide plainly.

“Many participants pointed to the merits of specifying an explicit longer-run inflation goal, but it was noted that such a step could be misperceived as placing greater weight on price stability than on

maximum employment.” “Some suggested that a numerical inflation goal would need to be set forth within a context that clearly underscored the committee’s commitment to fostering both parts of its dual mandate.” According to Goodfriend, that debate will likely see any shift in policy delayed until the New Year, even if the details are ironed out next week.

Peter Ireland, a former Federal Reserve economist, said adopting an inflation target would put the Fed in line with most other central banks and provide a firmer platform to pursue stimulus policies. “The Fed has very much been lagging behind and this is very much an attempt to catch up in that regard,” said Ireland.

Since taking over the reins of the Fed in 2006, Bernanke has inched the once notoriously closed bank toward more openness, holding regular press conferences for the first time and giving more interviews. But even clearer goals and tactics are unlikely to end the guessing game that proceeds every Fed meeting.

“I think there will always be some drama associated with central bank meetings,” said Goodfriend. At next week’s meeting the Fed is also expected to keep interest rates at all-time lows, as the US recovery continues to labor under high unemployment and headwinds from Europe’s debt crisis. — AFP

Wholesalers boost inventories since May Job market improving modestly

TOKYO: A shopper walks by a sales counter of Olympus Corp.’s cameras and other products at a store in Tokyo yesterday. The Japanese camera and medical equipment maker vowed Wednesday to go after erring executives involved in an elaborate scheme to hide $1.5 billion of investment losses in one of Japan’s biggest corporate scandals. — AP

Dubai not to restructure debt, refinance a possibility DUBAI: The government of Dubai has quashed reports that it plans to restructure billions of dollars of maturing debt next year, but said that “refinancing” part of the debt was a “possibility.” “Reports about a plan by Dubai to restructure part of debt maturing in 2012 on government-related companies are untrue,” head of the higher committee for financial policies Sheikh Ahmad bin Saeed al-Maktoum said in a statement released late on Wednesday.

Sheikh Ahmad however said that the Dubai government may look into “refinancing” part of the government companies’ debt maturing next year “if it becomes necessary.”

He described refinancing as “ordinary” and said it “greatly differs from restructuring.” Restructuring of debt is normally carried out in distress situations unlike refinancing. The Dubai government is fully ready to support its companies in all phases and

through a number of options, Sheikh Ahmad said without elaborating.

Experts and Moody’s Investors Service have estimated that maturing debt on Dubai’s government-related entities next year at about $14 billion.

Dubai sent jitters throughout global markets in November 2009, when it said it needed to freeze payments on some $26 billion of debt owed by its largest group, Dubai World.

But the conglomerate succeeded in reaching an agreement with lenders to restructure $14.7 billion of debt. The debt on Dubai’s government-related entities is estimated at $100 billion.

Economists have been bullish about growth prospects for Dubai’s economy after it had contracted about 2.4 percent in 2009 following several years of rapid economic growth.

The economy grew by a mere 0.5 percent in 2010, according to the IMF, which expects it to expand by nearly three percent this year. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Wholesale companies increased their stockpiles of autos, paper, and other goods in October by the most in five months, a sign they expect consumer demand to rise. The Commerce Department said yesterday that wholesale inventories grew 1.6 percent, the most since May. Rising stockpiles of nondurable goods, such as paper and petroleum, drove the increase.

September’s figure was also revised to show that inventories were unchanged, up from last month’s estimate of a 0.1 percent decline.

Sales at the wholesale level increased 0.9 percent, after a 0.3 percent increase in September. When companies build up their inventories, it usually signals that they expect more sales. And the extra factory production needed to increase stockpiles boosts economic output. Overall inventories shrank in the JulySeptember quarter, shaving more than 1.5 percentage points off economic growth. Companies likely cut back their stockpiles out of concern over future economic growth.

Companies are now rebuilding their stockpiles as the economy is showing signs of improvement. In addition to the wholesale gains, manufacturers increased their inventories 0.9 percent in October, the government said on Monday. Ellen Zentner, an economist at Nomura Securities, said the report “confirms the big rebound in inventory building that we expected to take place this quarter.” That could add as much as 1.5 percentage points to growth in the October-December period, she said.

Rising inventories are a big reason economists expect growth will improve in the fourth quarter. Most expect the economy to expand by an

annual rate of about 3 percent, up from 2 percent in the July-September quarter. Over the past two years, companies have rebuilt their inventories after cutting them to the bone in the recession. That restocking is a big reason the manufacturing sector has been one of the strongest industries in the recovery.

Still, wholesale inventories are lean, compared to sales. That suggests companies are keeping inventories roughly in line with sales. If inventories grow much faster than sales for an extended period, it can force companies to cut back orders.

In October, the ratio of inventories to sales was 1.16, up slightly from September’s 1.15. That means it would take 1.16 months to exhaust the current level of stockpiles. That’s close to the record low of 1.13 hit in March.

There are some signs that the economy and job market are improving modestly. The unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent in November, the government said last week, down from 9 percent the previous month.

That’s the lowest rate in two and a half years.

Still, about half the decline stemmed from a drop in the size of the work force. Manufacturing firms are boosting output, a survey last week showed, and retailers have reported a strong start to the holiday shopping season. But the economy is still vulnerable to a shock from overseas. European leaders are struggling to contain a two-year old debt crisis and the 17 nations that use the euro are likely already in recession, economists say. That could slow US exports and drag on US growth next year. — AP

PORTLAND: Jenni Weber and her son Jacob, 7, of Portland, shop at a Costco store in Portland, Ore. Costco Wholesale Corp. said yesterday, its fiscal first-quarter profit rose 2.6 percent as shoppers spent more on gasoline and the company benefited from currency exchange rates. — AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Business

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Consumers borrow more as economy improves WASHINGTON: Americans stepped up their borrowing in October to buy cars and attend college, and they also charged a little more to their credit cards. The second straight monthly gain in overall borrowing suggests consumers are growing more confident in the economy ahead of the crucial holiday buying season.

Total consumer borrowing rose by $7.6 billion, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday.

September and October’s gains reversed a steep drop in borrowing from August, when it fell by the most in 16 months. The October increase reflected a 5.3 percent increase in borrowing in the category that includes car and student loans, much of it federally funded. The category that covers credit card purchases rose 0.6 percent, which matched September’s gain after a revision.

Borrowing has increased in 11 of the past 12 months. But credit card use has increased only six times in the past two years. It declined in both July and August, when many Americans were worried about the economy and more cautious about taking on high-interest debt. That may be changing. The economy grew at an annual rate of 2.5 percent in the JulySeptember period, nearly three times the growth rate in the first six months of the year. Most economists expect similar growth in the final three months of the year. Consumers are spending more freely and their confidence is on the rise again. In November, the unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent, the lowest point in two and a half years. The economy has generated 100,000 or more jobs five months in a row - the first time

that has happened since April 2006.

Still, economists worry that the spending gains may be temporary because wages are barely keeping pace with inflation. Some caution that borrowing may be rising because people are earning less. “Many Americans had to break out the plastic in the past couple of months since disposable income, adjusted for inflation, was in negative territory for each month in the third quarter,” said Chris Christopher, senior economist at IHS Global Insight.

Without more jobs and higher pay, consumers may be forced to cut back on spending. That would slow growth. Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of economic activity. Economists also fear Europe’s debt crisis will lead the continent into a recession, which would also hamper U.S. growth. And if Congress doesn’t

extend the Social Security tax cut and emergency unemployment benefits by the end of this month, $165 billion in potential spending could be sucked out of the economy next year.

Households began borrowing less and saving more when the country fell into a recession and unemployment surged. While economists believe Americans will gradually increase borrowing in coming months, they do not expect consumers to load up on debt the way they did during the housing boom.

Americans felt wealthier then and were more willing to take on added debt because of the soaring value of their homes. The Federal Reserve’s borrowing report covers auto loans, student loans and credit cards. It excludes mortgages, home equity loans and other loans tied to real estate. — AP

Bank of England freezes record-low interest rate British inflation remains stubbornly high

SEATTLE: Mark Blondin, center, Machinists Union national aerospace coordinator is surrounded by Boeing machinists congratulating him after the announcement that the union voted in favor of a new contract Wednesday in Seattle. — AP

Boeing workers approve 4-year contract extension SEATTLE: Applause and cheers rang out after Unionized Boeing Machinists voted overwhelmingly to approve a four-year contract extension - a deal that grants the company labor peace and likely ends a federal complaint that had become a hot topic for Republican presidential candidates.

Boeing promised that if workers approved the pact, the company would build the new version of the popular 737 in the Puget Sound region, while the Machinists said they’d drop their allegations that Boeing opened a nonunion assembly plant in South Carolina in retaliation for previous strike.

“This contract signifies jobs throughout the Northwest, throughout the region,” said the union’s aerospace coordinator, Mark Blondin. “The message of this contract is ... Boeing is acknowledging we have the deepest pool of skilled aerospace workers in the country.” Dozens union members sounded their approval with cheers Wednesday night as Tom Wroblewski, president of Machinists District Lodge 751, announced that 74 percent of voting members chose to approve the deal.

The union represents 28,000 workers in Washington, Oregon and

Kansas. Machinists went on strike in 2005 and 2008. The latter strike helped delay delivery of Boeing’s first 787, costing the company dearly.

“This contract will help secure a better future for our employees, our customers, our communities and our company,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “It reflects an effort on the part of the company and the union to find a better way to work together and achieve common ground.”

The deal guarantees Chicagobased Boeing a stretch of labor peace at a time when it badly needs it.

Competition with European rival Airbus is tight, and looming budget cuts at the Defense Department are likely to cut into the company’s defense business. In a lawsuit filed this year, the National Labor Relations Board claimed Boeing violated labor laws by opening the South Carolina line. The case became a political issue, with Republican presidential candidates using it to bash the Obama administration. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and the state’s congressional delegation said the NLRB lawsuit threatened thousands of jobs and millions of dollars invested in the new Boeing facility in Charleston. — AP

LONDON: The Bank of England voted yesterday to hold its key interest rate at a record low 0.50 percent, where it has stood for almost three years, amid turmoil for Britain’s economy and the eurozone. “The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5 percent,” the BoE said in a statement after a twoday meeting.

“The Committee also voted to continue with its programme of asset purchases totalling £275 billion (323 billion euros, $432 billion) financed by the issuance of central bank reserves” to help boost lending

by British banks.

Its announcement came shortly before the European Central Bank cut its own interest rate by a quarter point to 1.00 percent as the eurozone teeters on the brink of a new recession and as EU leaders looked to save the euro.

Although not a member of the eurozone, Britain, a member of the European Union, is a key trading partner of the single-currency area. The BoE’s main interest rate has stood at 0.50 percent since March 2009, when the bank also began injecting £200 billion into the economy under the policy known as quantitative easing (QE). The Bank of England decided in October to increase the amount by £75 billion, as Britain’s economy struggles to recover from recession. QE is a process whereby central banks create new cash that is used to

purchase assets such as government and corporate bonds in the hope of giving a boost to lending and economic growth.

However, some analysts argue that quantitative easingalso widely known as printing money-stokes inflationary pressures. It is the technique being pressed upon the European Central Bank to stop the eurozone debt crisis from worsening. Economists said the British central bank would want to see inflation subside before pumping more cash into the economy-and await the outcome of this week’s crucial EU summit on trying to avert a eurozone breakup.

“The committee seems to think that there is merit in holding on a bit to check that inflation has peaked, to assess the impact of the asset purchases so far and to see what comes out of this week’s meeting of eurozone leaders,” said Capital Economics analyst Vicky Redwood. Despite recent falls, British inflation remains stubbornly high, driven largely by high energy costs. Official 12month inflation fell to a rate of 5.0 percent in October from a three-year high of 5.2 percent in September. The BoE’s key remit is to keep annual inflation close to a 2.0-percent target.

The British economy, which clawed its way out of a vicious recession in the third quarter of 2009, is currently buckling under the pressure of the eurozone debt drama, state austerity measures and high inflation.

The government has forecast the British economy to grow by

just 0.7 percent next year, sharply down from an official estimate of 2.5 percent given in March, and blamed the impact of the eurozone debacle.

British finance minister George Osborne, delivering more austerity measures last week, warned that the economy will enter a double-dip downturn if the eurozone slumps back into recession.

“Given the ongoing crisis in the eurozone and significant chance of recession there, it is likely to be a major challenge for the UK economy to avoid recession,” said economist Charles Davis at the Centre for Economics and Business Research consultancy.

“The UK recovery is strongly reliant on export growth as domestic demand remains weak due to falling household real incomes, cuts in public spending and private sector uncertainty holding back investment activity. “With 50 percent of UK goods exports heading to the eurozone, it would be incredibly hard for the UK to avoid a hit to real economic activity as output contracts on the continent,” he added. The BoE added yesterday that it expected its current QE stimulus programme to take another two months to complete, adding that the scale of the asset purchases would be kept under review. Analysts said they expected the BoE to provide more stimulus early in 2012. “We expect the Bank of England to do all it can to stimulate the economy in the new year,” Davis said. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Greek banks resist state control in bailout ATHENS: Greek banks need state aid to get through the losses of a planned writedown of the country’s sovereign debt but the lenders are pressing the government not to take over management at the same time. Under a second debt rescue agreed in October with the EU and IMF, private creditors agreed to write-down 50 percent of their holdings of government bonds, effectively cutting Greek’s debt burden by 100 billion euros.

The accord also made available 30 billion euros to help the Greek banks cope with the resulting losses on their holdings of Greek government bonds, put at around 50 billion euros, and which they could not cover themselves.

The aim of the 30 billion euros lifeline is to keep the banks alive and lending so that the Greek economy, mired in recession since 2008, is not deprived of essential credit to drive new business. Complicating

their position is the fact that they are already short on their provisions for bad loans, put at 12.8 percent of total lending according to June figures, meaning that they need even more fresh capital.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said recently that the Greek banks needed at least 40 billion euros to keep them afloat. If the controversial bond write-down goes through, the banks would inevitably end up under control of the Greek government which in turn is now under the watch of the EU and International Monetary Fund as it pushes through tough austerity measures to stabilise the public finances.

“It is a question of principle,” Venizelos said, adding that in practice the banks “will remain private ... and operate according to the rules of the private sector.” The banks, however, see the situation very differently, fearing that their existing shareholders will have their holdings badly diluted as the

government in effect buys up their ordinary shares in return for funding.

To avoid that, they want the government to take preference shares, whose terms could be varied to limit their voting rights or the total stake they represent. The recapitalisation of the banks “ought in principle be open to private investors, which does not mean that the state cannot take part but it is necessary that the conditions be clear and do not harm the private sector,” said one Greek banker who asked not to be named.

The banks “invested hugely in (Greek) government bonds because at the time, they were the most reliable assets ... they did not invest in toxic assets,” the banker said, referring to the disastrous US mortgage investments whose failure sparked the global financial crisis in 2008.

“Nobody has any confidence in the government to manage the banks. Its record

on that count is disastrous,” said Miranda Xafa of IJ Partners, an investment advice group. Greek banks are also reluctant to cede control to the government given that many are closely held by some of the country’s most important family business groups who have interests across the economy. For example, the Latsis family, the richest in Greece, holds 44.6 percent of Eurobank while Yannis Kostopoulos holds 10 percent of Alpha Bank, its partner in a merger to be completed later this year.

Some analysts think however that the banks have had their own way too long, abusing their advantages in Greece to their own benefit and so government intervention might prove a good thing in the long run. “These bankers are (also) businessmen who have their money in bank shares,” said Stilianos Padelidakis at Primexis, an Frenchbased accounting firm, charging that they play an active political role. —AFP

Asian shares slip on Europe summit fears Gold trading at $1,738.50 an ounce MUMBAI: An Indian woman walks past cars parked by the roadside in Mumbai, India, yesterday. Car sales in India will likely be almost flat this fiscal year, despite a 7 percent rise in sales last month, an industry group said yesterday. — AP

India car sales likely flat for this year MUMBAI: Car sales in India will likely be almost flat this fiscal year, despite a 7 percent rise in sales in November, an industry group said yesterday. Car sales growth for the fiscal year will miss its 2 to 4 percent target, said Sugato Sen, senior director at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

It is a dramatic U-turn for the world’s second fastest growing auto market, as rising costs and high interest rates pull the dream of car ownership just out of reach for tens of thousands of aspiring Indians. Indians bought 171,131 cars in November - the first rise in five months, but not enough to make up for prolonged sluggishness that has driven car sales down 3.5 percent for the April to November period, according to SIAM. Last fiscal year, car sales grew an unsustainable 29.5 percent, according to SIAM. The group initially pegged sales growth this fiscal year, which ends in March, at 16 to 18 percent. Now, even 2 to 4 percent growth for cars and 4 to 6 percent growth for passenger vehicles - which include sport utility vehicles and vans look unattainable.

“It is very difficult to reach 2 to 4 and 4 to 6 percent unless there is some miracle,” Sen said. Worst affected are sales of small, budget cars that form the backbone of India’s hyper-price sensitive market. “Repeated increases in interest rates and inflation and the fuel price hikes, these have created a lot of concern in the minds of potential customers,” Sen said. “The smaller lower-end cars have been impacted more. That segment is more sensitive to economic distress.” Despite weakening demand, rising raw material costs and the plunging value of the rupee - which makes crucial imported components costlier - have forced some carmakers to raise prices. Car sales at market leader Maruti Suzuki, whose production was also impacted by a prolonged strike, fell 18.7 percent to 505,148 vehicles for the April to November period, according to SIAM data. Ford’s car sales fell 6.1 percent, to 58,620 vehicles during the same period, while car sales at Tata Motors fell 9.8 percent to 147,350. —AP

HONG KONG: Asian markets slipped yesterday on fears that a summit to save the eurozone might fail to deliver a knockout blow to the region’s two-year sovereign debt crisis.

As leaders of the European Union prepare for the crucial two-day talks. Standard & Poor’s turned up the pressure on them to agree a plan by putting the EU itself on watch for a possible downgrade.

Tokyo shed 0.66 percent, or 57.59 points, to end at 8,664.58, Sydney lost 0.27 percent, or 11.8 points, to 4,280.7 and Seoul was 0.37 percent lower, dipping 7.03 points to 1,912.39. Hong Kong fell 0.69 percent, or 132.77 points, to 19,107.81 while Shanghai gave up 0.12 percent, or 2.91 points, to close at 2,329.82.

The losses come after most markets rose over the past week on hopes that after several failed attempts, Europe’s leaders would finally resolve a crisis that threatens to tear the currency union apart and lead to another global downturn. “To date, markets have been giving both events (European Central Bank and EU meetings) the benefit of the doubt, hoping that policymakers will deliver something to address the current crisis,” said Khoon Goh, senior strategist at ANZ Bank in Wellington.

“One gets the feeling that the market has gotten itself into an uncomfortable place in pinning so much hope on a deal being reached at the EU leaders summit,” he told Dow Jones Newswires. The ECB will hold its policy meeting, where it is expected to cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points for the second straight month to 1.0 percent.

The upbeat sentiment earlier this weekafter France and Germany thrashed out a plan for tighter fiscal unity-has given way to trepidation as big differences emerged between EU leaders. The biggest obstacles according to officials and diplomats are Germany’s refusal to embark on anything short of treaty change-which some say is unnecessary-while Britain refuses to budge on its opposition to tax reform unless it secures protection for the City of London

finance centre.

However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are willing to push for tighter fiscal laws for just the 17 euro members if countries such as Britain are not willing to join in. The leaders must also agree on a firewall package to protect other nations from the same fate as Greece, Ireland and Portugal-who have needed bailouts-and prevent their debt troubles spreading. Ahead of the summit, ratings agency S&P warned the EU itself was on watch for a downgrade of its AAA status, citing its dependence on its 27 member states for its budget needs. The move comes after Monday’s decision by S&P to put 15 of the 17 eurozone countries on negative watch.

On currency markets, the euro eased to $1.3423 and 104.18 yen in early Asian trade from $1.3413 and 104.15 yen in New York late Wednesday. The dollar was at 77.59 yen compared with 77.65 yen. The Australian dollar lost ground on news the country’s unemployment rate rose to a higher-thanexpected 5.3 percent in November from 5.2 percent in October.

The Aussie was fetching US$1.0262, from

$1.0281 just ahead of the employment report. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in January, rose 16 cents to $100.65 a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for January delivery gained 47 cents to $110.00. Gold was trading at $1,738.50 an ounce at 0840 GMT, from $1,728.60 late Wednesday.

In other markets: Taipei fell 0.71 percent, or 50.10 points, to 6,982.90. Leading smartphone maker HTC lost 3.15 percent to Tw$414.5 while design house MediaTek was 2.47 percent lower at Tw$257.0.

Manila was flat, edging down 2.28 points to 4,312.89. Lepanto Consolidated Mining fell 2.3 percent to 1.70 pesos, Philippine Long Distance Telephone shed 1.2 percent to 2,450 pesos and property developer Ayala Land was down 2.3 percent at 15.64 pesos.

Wellington closed 0.40 percent, or 13.10 points, lower at 3,269.95. Westpac fell 0.7 percent to NZ$28.30, Fletcher Building fell 2.06 percent to NZ$6.18 and Telecom was up 2.5 percent at NZ$2.08. — AFP

KATUNAYAKE: An aircraft technician walks near an engine turbine of a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A320 in Katunayake yesterday. National carrier SriLankan Airlines is spending $15 million to refurbish aircraft with flatbed seats. The state-run airline has 19 Airbus aircraft and two floatplanes. — AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Singapore property price to drop after new tax SINGAPORE: Singapore property prices, which have soared to record highs this year, will likely drop in the coming months after the government imposed a large new tax on property purchases by foreigners, analysts said yesterday.

Foreigners and companies must pay an additional stamp duty of 10 percent of the value of residential property purchases, the government said in a statement.

Permanent residents who buy a second property and citizens who buy a third or more properties will pay an extra 3 percent. The measures take effect today.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the government is seeking to cool demand now to avoid a major price crash in the future. The new taxes are the first to discriminate according to the residency status of the buyer. Foreigners,

who account for more than a quarter of the city-state’s 5.2 million population, made about 18 percent of property purchases in the third quarter and account for a third of purchases in the luxury market.

Analysts said real estate prices could pull back sharply, especially those of luxury condominiums and houses favored by foreigners. Most Singaporeans live in government subsidized housing. “This is severe and is likely to have a significant and negative impact on the residential property market,” said Wendy Koh, an analyst with Citigroup in Singapore. “We expect a significant decline in volume in the short term and believe this is likely to be the catalyst for price cuts in the prime districts.”

Singapore property prices have risen for nine straight quarters. They are 13 per-

cent above the previous peak in 1996 and 70 percent higher than in 2006.

Singapore’s low corporate and income tax rates, safe and clean streets and political stability have attracted foreign companies and workers - and caused real estate costs to soar.

Measures implemented during the last two years to ease demand - such as raising the seller’s stamp duty and boosting mandatory down payments for mortgages - have succeeded in slowing the price surge. Prices rose 1.3 percent in the July-to-September period after rising 2 percent in the previous quarter.

Singapore is anticipating its economic growth will slow next year as global demand for its exports wanes. Last month, the government forecast gross domestic product will grow as little as 1 percent in

2012 from 5 percent growth this year and a 15 percent expansion in 2010. “Due to the various cooling measures and the economic downturn, the risks for property market prices are tilted to the downside,” said Wei Ho Leong, an analyst with Barclays Capital in Singapore. “However, we don’t think a crash is likely. We think a gradual downward correction is more probable.”

The government said it would sell land in the first half of next year that could yield 14,100 private housing units to add to the 41,000 units currently under construction.

“Investment flows into our property market are now larger than before, and unlikely to recede as long as interest rates remain low,” Tharman said. “The additional buyer’s stamp duty should help cool investment demand.” — AP

TEPCO shares fall on nationalisation report TOKYO: Shares in Tokyo Electric Power tumbled yesterday after a report said the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant’s operator would be effectively nationalised following a massive government share purchase.

TEPCO shares plunged as much as 16.7 percent in early Tokyo trade after the Mainichi daily said the government was planning to buy at least 1.0 trillion yen ($12.9 billion) worth of the firm’s new shares next year.

The company’s beleaguered stock clawed back some of its earlier losses by the close, finishing 11.27 percent lower at 244 yen. The share purchase-which would be made through a government-backed body set up to help pay nuclear compensation costs-was aimed at putting the embattled company under temporary state control, the Mainichi said, as it undergoes a massive restructuring.

The report did not say what percentage of TEPCO shares the government would own after the sale, but added that Tokyo would move to replace company chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata and most of its senior executives. A government spokesman rejected the share purchase report Wednesday, saying “at this point, Tokyo Electric has not requested public funding.” “Under current legislation, TEPCO must first request public funding before the government provides it,” he added.

Responding to the Mainichi story, TEPCO said “nothing has been decided.” “In the first place, we will push ahead with cost cuts through rationalisation of operations as well as procuring funds,” it said in a statement without elaborating. The reported share purchase would be separate from some 900 billion yen the government has already agreed to give TEPCO to help it compensate those affected by the March 11 quake and tsunami, which badly damaged the utility’s Fukushima nuclear plant.

The company is also expecting to receive an additional 120 billion yen under a Japanese law related to nuclear accident compensation, meaning that in total it will receive more than 1.0 trillion yen. A government panel has estimated claims from victims affected by the world’s worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl could reach 4.5 trillion yen by 2013.

Dealers said worries about the new shares diluting existing shareholders’ investment weighed on TEPCO’s stock, which has lost about about 90 percent of its value since the disaster. “Concerns over share supply-demand balance are dragging the stock down,” an official at a Japanese securities firm told Dow Jones Newswires.The government would seek shareholder approval to boost a ceiling on the issuance of new TEPCO shares at a meeting in June, the Mainichi said.

The company currently has 1.6 billion shares outstanding with the current limit set at 1.8 billion. In a separate report Thursday, Kyodo news cited unnamed sources as saying TEPCO could receive another 3 trillion yen in funds over four years to help the firm avoid bankruptcy, including public funds and bank loans for capital investment and “other purposes.” — AFP

SYDNEY: Keith Hazelwood (L) has his shoes polished by Brian (R), who is both unemployed and homeless, in Sydney yesterday. Australia’s unemployment rate unexpectedly rose to 5.3 percent in November, data showed yesterday, with the number of people in work falling as businesses cut costs. — AFP

Australian jobless rate rises to 5.3% ‘We have strong investment pipeline to create jobs’ SYDNEY: Australia’s unemployment rate unexpectedly rose to 5.3 percent in November, data showed yesterday, with the number of people in work falling as businesses cut costs. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the economy saw 6,300 jobs lost in the month, driven by a decrease in full-time employment, against economists’ expectations for 10,000 new positions.

It compares with a 5.2 percent jobless rate in October. The Australian dollar dipped on the report from around 102.85 US cents, but recovered to be trading at 102.70 US cents late in the day. AMP Capital Investors chief economist Shane Oliver said the jobless figures showed the labour market was softening. “The economy outside mining has been quite weak so companies have

had to start laying people off to get their costs under control,” he said. “Until recently it was the one strong patch of the economy outside mining, but quite clearly the jobs market is giving way as well.” Australia’s economy grew 1.0 percent in the three months to September, according to data Wednesday, but activity was muted or declining in all but the nation’s mining-driven states. In a bid to stimulate spending, the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates for the second time in as many months on Tuesday with a 25-basis-point reduction to 4.25 percent.

Treasurer Wayne Swan said he was not worried by the uptick. “Well, we have a very low level of unemployment in Australia, a very low level compared to other countries. We’ve got a five in

front of our level of unemployment; most other countries have double that rate,” he said.

“We have a very strong investment pipeline to create jobs in the future.” But Macquarie Group senior economist Brian Redican said he did not expect employment to recover any time soon with the eurozone debt crisis weighing on sentiment, and tipped another interest rate cut in February.

“These kind of (jobs) numbers (and) the possibility of a very low inflation rate in the fourth quarter would certainly all be consistent with the Reserve Bank trimming rates once again,” he said. In a recent economic outlook, Canberra said unemployment in mid-2012 was expected to be 5.5 percent, compared with a previous forecast of 4.75 percent. — AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Thailand eyes migrant influx for flood recovery BANGKOK: Thailand is considering accepting tens of thousands of foreign workers from Myanmar and other countries as factories reopen following a devastating flood crisis, an official said yesterday.

An estimated 120,000 workers-both legal and illegal-returned home to Myanmar because of the months-long disaster, a senior official at the Thai labour ministry, Anourak Tossarat, told AFP. “We may be able to import workers from Myanmar either by land or air. The important thing is that they must come to Thailand legally,” he said. “My plan is to

make Thailand free of illegal migrant workers and stop human trafficking.”

Migrant communities were hit hard by the floods that swept across much of central and northern Thailand from July-leaving more than 600 people dead, damaging millions of homes and inundating hundreds of factories. Most of the workers who fled the kingdom have not returned and many flood-stricken production plants have yet to resume operations, so the scheme is not expected to be implemented before early 2012, he said.

Usually migrants enter Thailand by

land-often illegally-and the idea of allowing them in by air was raised by the Thai government during a recent visit by Myanmar’s deputy labour minister.

Anourak said the Myanmar side had “responded positively” to the idea but pointed out that by law its workers who travel overseas on a passport must pay a 10-percent income tax and the cost of flying is quite high. He said the two countries were discussing who would pay for the flights. “Normally, the workers are responsible for all expenses. But maybe the employers could help.” Migrant workers,

who typically hold low-paid menial jobs, are a key driver of the Thai economy. The kingdom usually has a migrant workforce of up to about two million people, mostly from poorer neighbours Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. “But we’re not limiting it to only these three countries. It could be any other country like Bangladesh or Nepal. If they enter Thailand legally, they can work in Thailand legally,” Anourak said.

Activists say that workers travelling overland are vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, including extortion by immigration officials and police. — AFP

JAL announces routes for new Boeing 787 TOKYO: Japan Airlines Co. on yesterday announced routes for the Boeing 787 planes it expects to start receiving next year. The company said it will use the new aircraft for several international destinations it currently serves with “medium-sized demand and a high percentage of business travelers.” The routes announced by President Masaru Onishi are Narita International Airport to New Delhi, Narita to Moscow, and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Beijing.

The airline previously announced that it would use the 787 on a new nonstop Narita to Boston route beginning April 22. The flight will be the first direct connection between Boston and Asia, it said. The 787 relies heavily on lightweight carbon composites and promises to be 20 percent more fuel-efficient than comparable aircraft.

Boeing also says the 787 is a major upgrade for travelers. It was designed with larger windows, bigger overhead bin space and improved lighting. The jet was also designed to provide air pressure and humidity levels that more closely resemble those on the ground, a feature intended to ease jet lag.

The airline, known as JAL, said the in-flight entertainment system for its 787s will include electronic manga, or Japanese comics. The carrier is collaborating with major publisher Shogakukan Inc. and eBook Initiative Japan Co. on the service.

The comics will initially be available only in Japanese, JAL said. But it plans to add English versions in the future.

Rival All Nippon Airways Co. was the 787’s first customer, and its inaugural commercial flight came in October after a delay of more than three years.

JAL has ordered 35 787s, according to Boeing. Japan’s flagship carrier is a member of the oneworld alliance and has a close partnership with American Airlines, whose parent company AMR Corp. recently filed for bankruptcy protection. JAL itself has been restructuring since filing for bankruptcy protection last year. The company reported net profit of 97.4 billion yen ($1.25 billion) for the AprilSeptember half year. — AP

SEPANG: AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes, left, poses with Tune Group founder Kamarudin Meranun during AirAsia’s 10th anniversary celebrations at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang, Malaysia, yesterday. — AP

BEIJING: Steel rebar lies on the side of the road after being unloaded at a luxury apartments and commercial property construction site in Beijing yesterday. Global demand for steel is set to increase in 2011-2012 thanks to China and emerging markets, the OECD said in a recent report, but warned rising prices and climate concerns could derail that trend. — AFP

China expected to grow 8.9% in 2012 China agency downgrades France’s credit rating BEIJING: China will further relax credit restrictions next year as the world’s second largest economy slows and exports decline due to woes in Europe and the United States, a state-run think tank said yesterday.

Gross domestic product is expected to expand 8.9 percent next year, according to forecasts by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) published in the China Daily newspaper. That compares with an expected growth rate of 9.2 percent this year and follows the blistering 10.3 percent recorded in 2010, CASS said. CASS deputy head Li Yang said he expected Beijing to announce more credit relaxation next year to counter the domestic slowdown and crises in key export markets. “Monetary policy may be slightly loosened in the first half of next year, and the reserve requirement ratio for commercial banks will be further reduced,” Li was quoted saying.

China last week cut the amount of money banks must keep in reserve for the first time in three years as it seeks to boost lend-

ing and spur activity to counter alarming signs of a domestic slowdown and the US and eurozone troubles. Leading Chinese officials have painted a gloomy picture for the country’s exports, warning that the eurozone debt crisis and sluggish recovery in the United States threatened the Asian economy. CASS said China’s exports would likely grow 17.3 percent next year compared with a forecast increase of 20.4 percent in 2011 as European and American consumers cut back on spending. The country’s consumer price index, a key gauge of inflation, is expected to slow to 4.6 percent next year from a forecast 5.5 percent this year, after punching above six percent this year due to soaring food and housing costs.

Growth in fixed-asset investment-a key measure of government spending on infrastructure-is expected to slow to 22.8 percent in 2012 from 24.5 percent this year, CASS added. Meanwhile, Chinese rating agency Dagong said yesterday it had cut its

sovereign credit rating for France as the deepening eurozone debt crisis hurts economic growth and threatens Paris’s solvency. The cut to Europe’s second biggest economy came as the region’s leaders prepare for a summit in Brussels that many hope will see them agree on a plan to save the euro from collapse.

Dagong, which has little influence outside China, cut France’s local and foreign currency sovereign credit rating to “A+” from “AA-” with a negative outlook, adding that a further downgrade was possible.

“We believe that the economic slowdown is worse than expected and the economy will remain sluggish over the medium term,” Dagong said in a statement. External risks to France’s financial system and the rising cost of financing for the government and institutions “undermine the solvency of the French government”, it added. It is the second European country in as many days to see its credit rating reduced by the controversial Chinese firm.—AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Business

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Battered Europe looks to Brazil As global crisis deepens, Brazil remains a rare bright spot The prospect of Brazilian aid to Europe suggests that developed nations are producing financial crisis and political paralysis while emerging markets are widely seen as sources of uplift and stability.

Jorge Jose Hilario looks to buy a unit at the Reserve Part apartments in Rio de Janeiro. “There are warning signs on the horizon,” Hilario said. The visit by IMF head Christine Lagarde to Brazil last week was the latest sign that as Europe’s financial crisis deepens, Brazil remains a rare bright spot in the battered global economy.

T

he visit by International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde to Brazil last week was the latest sign that while Europe’s financial crisis deepens, Brazil remains a rare bright spot in the battered global economy.

Lagarde, who was examining possible Brazilian participation in a financial bailout package for Europe, lauded the country’s economic management and said that “as the balance of economic power shifts, emerging economies are a key part of the solution to the global problems.”

The prospect of Brazilian aid to Europe — which officials say would come only through the IMF and in coordination with the other emerging economic powers — offers the latest indication that the financial world as Americans have known it has been turned on its head. Developed nations are producing financial crisis and political paralysis while emerging markets are widely seen as sources of uplift and stability.

However, Brazil isn’t immune from the crisis, as an influx of capital from investors looking for safe harbor has driven up prices and cooled industrial production. Experts say that Brazil has too much on its plate to be able to rescue European economies right now, and some say that offering a bailout would be counterproductive.

“This Western idea that you can just bamboozle emerging markets into giving money away is a massive conceit,” said Jerome Booth, the head of research at London-based Ashmore Investment

Management. “This is a time when global markets should be moving currencies from those of developed countries to those of emerging markets.”

Certainly, one can’t blame the West for looking to Brazil. Over the past month, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s upgraded Brazil’s sovereign debt rating for long-term foreign currency to BBB, and the country issued $1 billion of new debt to international investors at low interest rates.

Elsewhere, there are signs of newfound confidence and an appetite for risk-taking.

Two weekends ago, more than 200 young Brazilians attended Startup Weekend at a Sao Paulo university, where they developed business plans for new Internet companies.

“Brazil might be oversold here and there, but its overall strength is pretty positive,” said Dave McClure, an American investor who attended the event and has funded at least three Brazilian companies through 500 Startups, the business incubator he runs in Mountain View, Calif.

“It easily has 20 years of growth ahead of it.” Over the last two decades, Brazil has posted robust economic growth, stabilized inflation, reduced its debt and accumulated hefty reserves. Its middle class has expanded, poverty has dropped and Brazilian expatriates are returning home. In an indicator particularly important to this soccermad nation, Brazilian soccer star Neymar recently rejected offers from top teams in Europe and decided to remain at home to continue playing with the Brazilian club

Santos. Brazilian tourists to the United States — who’ve grown by double digits for the last five years — ranked fifth last year in terms of money spent, ahead of visitors from France, Germany and China.

US businesses are cashing in on Brazilians’ growing consumption. Paccar, a truck manufacturer based in Bellevue, Wash., is building a $200 million factory in the southern city of Ponta Grossa. Contours Express, an operator of women’s fitness chains based in Nicholasville, Kentucky, has locations in 18 Brazilian states.

General Electric expects to invest $550 million in Brazil through 2013, while Boeing signed an agreement in October with Embraer and the Sao Paulo State Research Association to develop bio-fuels for airplanes. Brazil’s leftist leaders might be tempted to rejoice in the reversal of fortune, after enduring decades of lectures from wealthy nations about responsible fiscal management. However, they’re deeply concerned about how the US and European economic troubles will affect Brazil’s still-incomplete transformation.

One major concern here is the flip side of too much growth: an excessive influx of capital that’s driving up Brazil’s currency, increasing the costs of basic goods. This is compounded when advanced economies are foundering, because investors can obtain capital at all-time low interest rates in the United States and pump it into Brazil, where rates remain high.

Amid the skyrocketing costs, industrial

production has dipped; it’s often cheaper to import products, particularly from China, than to make them here. This has affected everyone from aluminum and steel producers here to Brazilian bikini makers, whose exports have fallen precipitously.

A bad sign for Brazil, which depends heavily on exporting commodities such as iron, soybeans and crude oil, was when the mining giant Vale scaled down its investment plans as iron ore’s price dropped.

Brazil is also likely to face greater competition from China in foreign markets, particularly in Latin America and Africa, two regions where Brazil is seeking growth.

Brazil’s trade minister, Fernando Pimentel, visited Africa recently for the second time in as many months.

Tatiana Prazeres, Brazil’s foreign trade secretary, told McClatchy Newspapers in an interview: “We are watching very carefully the EU and US economies, not just for their markets but their impact on China. And not just the impact on China’s growth rate but the role it could play in third-party markets.” Brazil’s economy also faces numerous systemic challenges: high taxes, often impenetrable bureaucracy and poor competitiveness. Rubens Ricupero, a retired Brazilian diplomat and economist, faults the government as not doing enough to tackle these problems.

“The government is very reluctant to do what it should be doing. Brazilian industry is not benefiting from the boom in consumption,” he said. — MCT

y

A

e niv rsar n

Years

opinion

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Pakistan, Russia and the threat to the Afghan war

By George Friedman

D

ays after the Pakistanis closed their borders to the passage of fuel and supplies for the NATOled war effort in Afghanistan, for very different reasons the Russians threatened to close the alternative Russiacontrolled Northern Distribution Network (NDN). The dual threats are significant even if they don’t materialize. If both routes are cut, supplying Western forces operating in Afghanistan becomes impossible.

Simply raising the possibility of cutting supply lines forces NATO and the United States to recalculate their position in Afghanistan.

The possibility of insufficient lines of supply puts NATO’s current course in Afghanistan in even more jeopardy.

It also could make Western troops more vulnerable by possibly requiring significant alterations to operations in a supply-constrained scenario. While the supply lines in Pakistan most likely will reopen eventually and the NDN likely will remain open, the gap between likely and certain is vast.

The Pakistani Outpost Attack The Pakistani decision to close the border crossings at Torkham near the Khyber Pass and Chaman followed a US attack on a Pakistani position inside Pakistan’s tribal areas near the Afghan border that killed some two-dozen Pakistani soldiers. The Pakistanis have been increasingly opposed to US operations inside Pakistani territory. This most recent incident took an unprecedented toll, and triggered an extreme response. The precise circumstances of the attack are unclear, with details few, contradictory and disputed. The Pakistanis have insisted it was an unprovoked attack and a violation of their sovereign territory. In response, Islamabad closed the border to NATO; ordered the United States out of Shamsi air base in Balochistan, used by the CIA; and is reviewing military and intelligence cooperation with the United States and NATO. The proximate reason for the reaction is obvious; the ultimate reason for the suspension also is relatively simple.

The Pakistani government believes NATO, and the United States in particular, will fail to bring the war in Afghanistan to a successful conclusion.

It follows that the United States and other NATO countries at some point will withdraw.

Some in Afghanistan have claimed that the United States has been defeated, but that is not the case. The United States may have failed to win the war, but it has not been defeated in the sense of being compelled to leave by superior force. It could remain there indefinitely, particular as the American public is not overly hostile to the war and is not generating substantial pressure to end operations. Nevertheless, if

the war cannot be brought to some sort of conclusion, at some point Washington’s calculations or public pressure, or both, will shift and the United States and its allies will leave Afghanistan.

Given that eventual outcome, Pakistan must prepare to deal with the consequences. It has no qualms about the Taleban running Afghanistan and it certainly does not intend to continue to prosecute the United States’ war against the Taleban once its forces depart. To do so would intensify Taleban attacks on the Pakistani state, and could trigger an even more

But the United States, while not leaving Afghanistan, has lost its appetite for a wider war and lacks the resources for one. It is therefore in Pakistan’s interest to reduce its collaboration with the United States in preparation for what it sees as the inevitable outcome. This will strengthen Pakistan’s relations with the Afghan Taleban and minimize the threat of internal Pakistani conflict.

Despite apologies by US and NATO commanders, the Nov 26 incident provided the Pakistanis the opportunity and in their mind the necessity - of an exceptional response. The suspension

States to expend considerable political capital to arrange the alternative NDN. The NDN Alternative and BMD This alternative depends on Russia.

It transits Russian territory and airspace and much of the former Soviet sphere, stretching as far as the Baltic Sea - at great additional expense compared to the Pakistani supply route. This alternative is viable, as it would allow sufficient supplies to flow to support NATO operations. Indeed, over recent months it has become the primary line of supply, and reliance upon it is set to expand. At present, 48 percent of

Afghanistan-bound trucks carrying supplies for NATO forces parked as authorities close border at Torkham border post in Pakistan Nov 27, 2011. —AP intense civil war in Pakistan. The Pakistanis have no interest in such an outcome even were the United States to remain in Afghanistan forever.

Instead, given that a US victory is implausible and its withdrawal inevitable and that Pakistan’s western border is with Afghanistan, Islamabad will have to live with - and possibly manage - the consequences of the reemergence of a Taleban-dominated government.

Under these circumstances, it makes little sense for Pakistan to collaborate excessively with the United States, as this increases Pakistan’s domestic dangers and imperils its relationship with the Taleban. Pakistan was prepared to cooperate with the United States and NATO while the United States was in an aggressive and unpredictable phase. The Pakistanis could not risk more aggressive US attacks on Pakistani territory at that point, and feared a US-Indian entente.

of the supply line without any commitment to reopening it and the closure of the US air base from which unmanned aerial vehicle operations were carried out (though Pakistani airspace reportedly remains open to operations) was useful to Pakistan. It allowed Islamabad to reposition itself as hostile to the United States because of American actions. It also allowed Islamabad to appear less proAmerican, a powerful domestic political issue.

Pakistan has closed supply lines as a punitive measure before. Torkham was closed for 10 straight days in October 2010 in response to a US airstrike that killed several Pakistani soldiers, and trucks at the southern Chaman crossing were “administratively delayed,” according to the Pakistanis. This time, however, Pakistan is signaling that matters are more serious. Uncertainty over these supply lines is what drove the United

NATO supplies still go through Pakistan; 52 percent of NATO supplies come through NDN (non-lethal); 60 percent of all fuel comes through the NDN; and by the end of the year, the objective is for 75 percent of all nonlethal supplies to transit the NDN. Separating the United States yields a different breakdown: Only 30 percent of US supplies traverse Pakistan; 30 percent of US supplies come in by air (some of it linked to the KarakoramTorkham route, probably including the bulk of lethal weapons); and 40 percent of US supplies come in from the NDN land route.

Therefore, Dmitri Rogozin’s threat that Russia might suspend these supply lines threatens the viability of all Western operations in Afghanistan.

Rogozin, the Russian envoy to NATO, has been known to make extreme statements. But when he makes those statements, he makes them with the full knowledge and authorization of

the Russian leadership. Though he is used to making statements that the leadership might want to back away from, it is not unusual for him to signal new directions in Russian policy. This means the US and NATO militaries responsible for sustaining operations in Afghanistan cannot afford to dismiss the threat. No matter how small the probability, it places more than 100,000 US and allied troops in a vulnerable position.

For the Russians, the issue is the development and deployment of US ballistic missile defenses in Europe.

The Russians oppose the deployment, arguing it represents a threat to the Russian nuclear deterrent and therefore threatens the nuclear balance.

This was certainly the reason the Soviets opposed the initial Strategic Defense Initiative in the 1980s.

Carrying it forward to the 2010s, however, and the reasoning appears faulty. First, there is no nuclear balance at the moment, as there is no political foundation for nuclear war.

Second, the US-European BMD scheme is not designed to stop a massive launch of nuclear missiles such as the Russians could execute, but only the threat posed by a very small number of missiles such as might be launched from Iran. Finally, it is not clear that the system would work very well, though it has certainly proven far more capable than the turn-of-thecentury predecessor systems.

Nevertheless, the Russians vehemently opposed the system, threatening to deploy Iskander short-range ballistic missiles and even tactical nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad and other locations in response. The Russian concern is obviously real, but it is difficult to believe it is the nuclear balance they are concerned about.

Rather, it is the geopolitical implications of placing BMD infrastructure in Central Europe.

Opposition to a Second Containment Elements of the weapons, particularly radars and interceptors, are being deployed around the periphery of Russia - in Poland, Romania, Turkey and Israel. From the Russian point of view, the deployment of radars and other systems is a precursor to the deployment of other military capabilities. They are extremely valuable installations that must be protected.

Troops therefore will be deployed along with air defenses, and so on. In other words, the deployment of the BMD infrastructure itself may have no practical impact on the Russians, but the indirect consequences would be to set the stage for more expansive military deployments. The Russians must assume this could entail a return to containment, the principle employed by the United States during the Cold War to limit Soviet power. — Stratfor

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011 www.kuwaittimes.net

Actress Jessica Biel attends the premiere of "New Year's Eve" at Ziegfeld Theatre on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011 in New York. —AP

Te c h n o l o g y FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Gaming notebooks provide plenty of power for not much money

L

aptops come in all sizes and with any number of specialties these days - so why not also as a gaming machine? For a long time, the sense has been that you need a PC if you want to let a game really show its mettle.

But now laptops are starting to crowd into the market, and not the part focused on simple games for people with time to kill. “Even in the e-sports realm, we’re starting to see more and more notebooks,” said Olaf Wolters, head of the German Federal Association of Interactive Entertainment Software (BIU). As a bonus, laptops are easier to transport than PCs. But that mobility can come with a price, especially with higher-end merchandise. A notebook set up to support 3D games costs about 500 euros (662 dollars) more than a similarly outfitted PC, explains Marco Albert of the German computer magazine PC Games Hardware. “You have to invest at least 1,500 euros for a proper gaming notebook,” he says.

And anyone who wants to see every detail in high resolution might end up paying 2,000 extra euros. With that kind of investment, there’s almost no price/performance improvement over a desktop. “Desktop PCs are only edged out at the absolute top end of the market,” explains Albert.

Whereas standard notebooks are continuously seeing advances in battery life, gaming notebooks can’t survive

long without a power cord. “You can only play properly with battery power for about an hour,” said Albert. Of course, modern laptops can shut down unnecessary components to save energy. But if you want lush 3D graphics, rich sound and an internet connection for online gaming, there’s really nothing that can be forsaken. And even then, most gaming notebooks can only run for about two hours on battery power, even if they’re just being used for web surfing or office work.

The fact that the notebooks are portable also isn’t as big a plus as some might think, notes Kirstin Wohlfahrt of Stiftung Warentest, a German consumer goods tester.

“Really expensive notebooks for gamers often have 17 or even 18-inch displays,” she notes. That means they have some heft to them, usually 3.5 to 4 kilograms. “You’re not going to just lug a heavy device like that everywhere.”

Most players can get by without the most expensive or newest laptop, says Wohlfahrt. “Our tests show that notebooks from the middle range are absolutely adequate for simple and somewhat older games.” That means devices in the 750-euro range, with high-quality processors and 4-8 gigabytes of working memory. The difference between one of these and a gaming notebook is usually no more than a graphics card and the size of the display.

Albert agrees: “The graphics card is the bottleneck when

it comes to game performance.” It takes the best chips to get the best pictures. The real question is how long graphics advances can keep up with the growing demands of the games themselves. PC gamers are used to regularly upgrading their machine so that they can take advantage of the newest advances. “The push to upgrade isn’t as bad as before,” says Albert. “But it is definitely still there.”

But those kind of upgrades are a lot more difficult with a notebook. A layperson might be able to swap out a hard drive or some working memory, but other components, like the graphics card, are significantly trickier, or even impossible to swap out. Even if you manage the swap, it might lead to a device overheating. Beyond that, notebook owners invalidate their warranties if they open them up. Thus, PCs remain the real deal for gamers who demand the latest technology and the best graphics, says Wolters. But if you can make do without some graphics resolution or details, then you might be OK with a gaming laptop. “The notebook as a gaming platform is always a kind of compromise,” he concludes. — dpa

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Relationships

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

A life without fear

D

ave Cawdrey was all about the rails. The boyish member of Faction Denim’s skateboard team tore it up on the half-pipe, but it was his skill scraping the board along railings that made him semi-famous among Seattle-area skateboarders in the late 1990s.

In a photo in Transworld Skateboarding magazine, Dave, swathed in a gray T-shirt and camouflage shorts, is crouched, arms outstretched.

He’s grinding atop a railing along a fountain, like a skate-punk superhero about to take flight.

Rails now keep Dave, 32, from falling out of the hospital bed that sits in the living room of his North Bend home. He can’t move his arms or legs, let alone pull an ollie. He breathes only with the aid of a ventilator. He weighs about 112 pounds. The former pro skateboarder suffers from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a fatal, progressive degeneration of the nerves and muscles, for which there is no known cause or cure.

He was just 25 when he and his girlfriend, Kori, learned he would die young. Dave and Kori had to decide: What kind of life did they want to live? He was forced to leave skateboarding, but skateboarding never left him. Dave chose to live his life the way he skated, with finesse, not fear, no matter what’s in the way. Kori was right there with him. They married quickly and had two children - even though Dave would not live to see them grow up. A finite fatherhood, they figured, was better than none at all. Now - in his last days - Dave lacks the strength to hold his young sons. Kori, 28, considers how their boys will handle it when Dave’s no longer around. “I always knew that they would have to deal with the death of their father. I just took it for granted that it would all be worth it,” she said.

A frightening discovery It took months of doctor visits and tests before Dave was diagnosed in November 2000 with ALS. Those three letters meant little to Dave or Kori. The doctor didn’t really explain ALS, so they went home and Googled it. What they read scared both of them. They cried and talked all that day. That evening, Dave proposed at his parents’ house, with his family nearby. His parents asked him what he wanted to do, and where he might want to travel, Kori remembers.

But what Dave wanted was a family, and he didn’t have time to wait. He couldn’t wait to start living. “A lot of people have time to build more of a foundation,” Kori said. “We were kind of different from the start.” The couple plunged into wedding plans. On Jan. 13, 2001, roughly a year after they’d first met, the couple - Kori in her grandmother’s wedding dress - were married at Seattle’s Stimson-Green Mansion. They honeymooned in Hawaii. In August, they welcomed Keone, a red-haired son.

No longer able to work, Dave became a stay-at-home dad, sharing responsibilities with Kori, who finished her undergraduate degree in sociology at UW online. Since then, she has worked part-time jobs for her in-laws, and at Keone’s preschool. In between night feedings and

Life of a skateboarder Dave has trouble talking now: Kori reads his lips, although Dave can barely move them. When Kori tells the story of her life, it is also the story of his. They met in early 2000 through mutual friends. Dave worked as a journeyman carpenter, which allowed him to take winter months off to snowboard. Kori was a student at the University of Washington. One of their first dates was a showing of a promotional video in which Dave skated wearing sponsors’ skateboarding clothes.

“He was so different from my other boyfriends,” she remembers.

“He just had that kind of magnetic personality that everybody kind of followed and liked to be around.” He got boxes of swag, like shoes from Etnies, but since skateboarding is a low-profile sport, there was little money or fame. Kori was nonetheless impressed, not just with Dave’s talent, but also with his spontaneity, his passion for living. He didn’t skate because it was cool; he did it because he loved it.

When she had a fight with her sister, who was also her roommate, Kori went to stay with Dave at the house he rented. She never left.

Lately she’s taken out pictures of them enjoying the outdoors during their first days together in 2000. Dave would tease her about the car camping they did. For him, “it wasn’t camping unless you hiked six miles in,” she said.

He was always figuring out a way to make things work, like when he drove his three-wheel ATV on top of Kori’s old Nissan Maxima to take camping with them. “That three-wheeler was big as the car,” she said with a laugh, and remembers the looks they got as they drove to the campsite. Dave thought it was funny, and everyone was amused as he used the three-wheeler to ferry friends’ gear. That was pure Dave. “He was just crazy,” Kori said. “If he wanted to do something, he’d just do it.” She treasures the photos showing him climbing a tree or stripping down to his boxers to swim in a river. “We had that whole summer of fun.”

changing diapers, Dave restored his project car, a 1969 VW bug, so Keone could one day drive it. ALS weakened his hands first, so he worked slowly, until he no longer had the dexterity to restore the car.

Finally, he couldn’t hold the tools. A friend finished it for him.

Something felt wrong Casually or in competition, Dave was known for “grinding” the board over rails, curbs, any edge - using the board instead of the wheels. He would practice the same tricks over and over, pushing each one further, until he got it right. In hindsight, Kori sees the warning signs more clearly. Like the time she and Dave and her sister and her boyfriend were walking to the store. Kori gave Dave a playful push. “And he fell down; I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t even push him so hard.’” And when Kori went to watch Dave skate at a competition at the naval base at Sand Point in March 2000, he was unusually nervous and shaky the first time on the board.

He came back to Kori and told her something felt wrong, but he wanted to continue. Kori had a bad feeling. He fell hard on his tailbone while trying to grind a rail. Still, he got back up and got on his board. “Everybody was waiting to see him,” Kori said. The younger, less-capable skaters had shown up to see what Dave could do, and he wanted to show them. Falling wasn’t that unusual for a skateboarder.

He blamed it on an earlier knee injury. “You kind of excuse things in your mind when something’s not right,” Kori said.

Son becomes dad’s caretaker As his son became more mobile, Dave became less so. As his son developed his physical abilities, Dave watched his own deteriorate.

Keone grew to become his father’s caretaker. From the age of 3, he fed his father bite by bite, and helped him in the bathroom. He also watched his videos, mimicking the skateboarding moves on the carpet and becoming a prodigy at the skate park. Kori remembers one day when father and son were looking at their hands, which seemed to surprise them, though for different reasons. Keone was just discovering his physical self, while Dave was noticing what he’d lost.

“Everything Keone was learning was being taken away from Dave.” Kori gave birth to their second son, Elijah, just 18 months after Keone was born. Dave was too weak to hold the baby, so Kori would set him on Dave’s chest. Just as he’d done for Keone, Dave set out to fix up an old 914, “the poor man’s Porsche,” and scoured eBay for parts, while local members of a car club he’d joined online did the physical work. Pretty soon, Dave stopped going to the skateboard shop where he used to hang out.

It was too hard, Kori said, and many of his friends didn’t know how

to relate to him, although one would come over with a “guy flick” and usher Kori out of the room. Together in the glow of a Hollywood blockbuster, the men would sit, watch and not talk. Distracting himself with the Internet or movies was one way Dave coped with his illness, and soothed the anger that flared up. For Kori, the constant motion of caretaking was a balm.

“I think I just distract myself a lot because I just keep moving and moving,” she said. In April 2003, when Elijah was just 1 month old, Dave got his wheelchair. It took months of wrangling for Kori to get Medicare to pay for the $10,000 electric wheelchair, but Dave didn’t want to get into it. He knew he would never get out. Dave struggled to walk. It was only after he fell so hard he knocked out most of his teeth that Dave finally began to use the wheelchair. Keone and Elijah climbed aboard and went everywhere with their father. Friends from the car club raised $18,000 for a van with a lift so Kori wouldn’t have to assemble and dismantle the 50-pound wheelchair ramp every time they took a trip. They went everywhere together. It was always the four of them, Kori said, a team. At walks to benefit ALS, Dave was glad to help raise awareness about the disease, but “he’d see people who couldn’t talk,” Kori said. “That was always really hard for him.”

Elijah Cawdrey, 3 (left) hugs his dad, Dave, at their home in North Bend, Washington. — MCT A financial toll The Cawdreys’ financial health suffered, too. In five years they moved to five different rented homes, relying heavily on Dave’s parents to pay the bills. In August, Kori’s sister, Kasi Beverly, moved from Missouri with her four children, who range in age from 2 to 9, to help out. They all live together in a modest house cluttered with coats and coloring books. A dog named Hawk, after skateboarder Tony Hawk, roams in and out of the house. With six kids attending two schools, colds spread fast and often. Last spring the whole family caught a cold, but it hit Dave the hardest. He ended up in the emergency room with pneumonia.

After two weeks in intensive care, he had a tracheotomy, a turning point for many ALS patients. Once on a ventilator, they rarely come off it. “He didn’t want to be stuck in a bed for years,” Kori said. “He thought he’d be more like Christopher Reeve,” the actor who remained highly visible after he was paralyzed by a head injury. Dave wasn’t Superman. When he came home from the hospital in June, he could no longer talk. He opted for hospice care and refused to be quarantined from the kids if they were sick.

Doctors told him he had a matter of months to live, and he wanted to live them.

Raising the children, now 3 and 5, taught Kori to care for Dave, “physically, completely.” But at first, the machines and the protocols used for hospice were overwhelming. — MCT

Fo o d FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Cooking with

k

u n t o m c o il C

By Sawsan Kazak

C

reamy, velvety and delicious, coconut milk is an ingredient that adds taste and texture to any dish it’s used in. Many cultures capitalize on coconut milk’s thick texture to add creaminess to a dish and its mild flavor to mellow out spices.

Some countries use coconut milk as a savory ingredient while other sweeten it up and use it as a component to desserts. And another great aspect to this ingredient is its availability all year long; enjoy the following recipes and taste the goodness that is coconut milk. sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

Pineapple coconut 2 - 1 inch rounds of pineapple (cored and cut into chunks) 1/2 cup of coconut milk 1/2 cup of milk 2 tablespoons of honey Put all of the ingredients in the blender and process until smooth

Facts about coconut milk

C

oconut milk is the water that comes from the grated meat of a coconut. The colour and rich taste of the milk can be attributed to the high oil content. In many parts of the world, the term coconut milk is also used to refer to coconut water, the naturally occurring liquid found inside the hollow coconut.

Coconut milk has a long-standing cultural association with health in the Ayurveda tradition. This natural drink is usually recommended for maintaining electrolyte balance and can also be used in case of dehydration. Some recent studies have suggested that coconut milk has hyperlipidemic balancing qualities, antimicrobial properties in the gastrointestinal tract or by topical application, and it has been used as a home remedy for healing mouth ulcers.

Manufacturers of canned coconut milk typically combine thin and thick milk, with the addition of water as a filler.

Depending on the brand and age of the milk itself, a thicker, more paste-like consistency floats to the top of the can, and is sometimes separated and used in recipes that require coconut cream rather than coconut milk. Shaking the can prior to opening will even it out to a creamy thickness. Some brands sold in Western countries add thickening agents to prevent the milk from separating inside the can, since the separation tends to be misinterpreted as an indicator of spoilage by people unfamiliar with coconut milk.

Once opened, cans of coconut milk must be refrigerated and are usually only good for a few days. If not, the milk can sour and spoil easily.

Fresh coconut milk has a consistency and mildly sweet

taste similar to cow’s milk, and if properly prepared, should have no coconut odour or at most a very faint one. It may be consumed raw by itself, or used as a milk substitute in tea, coffee, and even baking by vegans or people allergic to animal milk. It can also be mixed with fruit to make a yoghurt substitute. —Wikipedia

Fo o d FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Thai fish fillets and shrimp in coconut milk 2 long green chilies 2 small red chilies 400 g firm white fish fillets 300 g peeled prawns or 300 g shrimp 2 stems lemongrass 2 coriander, roots 4 kaffir lime leaves 2 cm fresh ginger, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 spring onions, white part only, finely sliced 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup coconut cream 1 tablespoon fish sauce salt 2 -3 tablespoons lime juice

Brazilian chicken with coconut milk I

1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground coriander 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley

H

(coconut rice dessert)

Bibingka

eat a wok, or large pan, until hot, add whole chilies and roast until just beginning to brown all over.

Remove the chilies from the wok, cool and slice.

Cut the fish into 5 cm pieces. Bruise the lemongrass and coriander roots by crushing them with the flat side of a knife. Add lemongrass, coriander roots, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, garlic, onions, sugar and coconut milk to wok. 5Stir to combine, bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for two minutes. Add the fish pieces and prawns/shrimp, and simmer gently for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the fish is tender. Stir in the coconut cream. Stir through the chopped chilies, fish sauce, salt and lime juice, to taste. Serve on steamed white rice.

2 1/2 lbs mochi rice 1 can frozen, coconut milk, thawed 1 lb pkg dark brown sugar 1 can condensed milk

R

inse rice and cook in rice cooker. In a saucepan, combine coconut milk and 1 1/4 cups of the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Preheat electric oven to 350 degrees. Put cooked rice into a large bowl. Stir remainder and remaining brown sugar evenly into the hot rice. Put into pan. Pour condensed milk on top and spread. Bake for 15 minutes, cut into small pieces.

n a medium bowl, mix the cumin, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and coriander. Place the chicken in the bowl, season with salt and pepper, and rub on all sides with the spice mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet. Cook 10 to 15 minutes on each side, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet. Cook and stir the onion, ginger, jalapeno peppers, and garlic 5 minutes, or until tender. Mix in the tomatoes and continue cooking 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk. Serve over the chicken. Garnish with the parsley.

Eggplant with coconut milk 4 young eggplants 1 onion 1/2 cup coconut milk 1 tbsp vinegar 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp black pepper

R

oast eggplant in the oven. Peel the eggplant and chop it finely. Slice onion crosswise. Mix eggplant and onion. Then add coconut milk and vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper.

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 © 2011, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.the99.org

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

color me

Spot the difference

maze

connect the dots

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

C h i l d re n

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

alfa-search

number-search

Can you find the hidden numbers? They may be horizontal or vertical Can you find the hidden words? Each word ends with the letter A. The words may be horizontal or vertical.Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal or vertical.

ANACONDA, AREA, ARENA, BANANA, COBRA, DATA, DIPLOMA, DRAMA, FAUNA, FLORA, HYENA, IDEA, IGUANA, LAVA, LLA-

MA, MARINA, MEDIA, OPERA, PANDA, PASTA, PLAZA, SAUNA, SIESTA, SODA, SOFA, STAMINA, TRIVIA, TUBA, TUNA, ZEBRA.

03838, 09223, 10383, 14398, 18384, 26782, 26983, 27365,27883, 33589, 34785, 68966, 75976, 81621, 85766, 91479.

word fit

sudoku

solution

Can you fit all the words correctly into the grid? Two letters have already been entered.

3 letter words BUS NAP PAL WEB 4 letter words CLAW SALT SWIM WOOD

5 letter words BREAK NOISE NOTES OCEAN SKILL 7 letter words BANANAS MISTAKE SKATING

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Books

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Celebrity memoirs lose star power at the tills T

he stars are out in the window of Foyles flagship store on London’s Charing Cross Road, with Joanna Lumley and Alan Partridge twinkling beneath the ribbons and wrapping paper in the Christmas display. Among the festive paper chains within, meanwhile, Miranda Hart, James Corden and Jane Lynch grin on the Film and Drama shelves, while Dannii Minogue and Sue Johnston lurk at the bottom of Actor Biography. But despite the unmistakable signs of Santa’s coming on the shop floor, in his office behind the scenes at Foyles, Jonathan Ruppin can see the writing on the wall for celebrity autobiography.

“Celebrity memoir is a fad which is fading fast,” he says. “In terms of raw sales, they still make up a huge proportion of what’s sold at Christmas, but the significant celebrity book this year isn’t a conventional autobiography at all. It’s the Alan Partridge, which spoofs the whole of celebrity culture.”

The imagined life story of Steve Coogan’s most popular comic character is an unlikely harbinger of doom, but with Christmas under a month away, celebrity memoirs are selling 60% less than in 2010, with sales since the end of September in the arts autobiography sector - the category tracked by Nielsen BookScan which

corresponds most closely to the celebrity memoir genre - down £11m compared with a similar period last year. Booksellers talk bravely of a late Christmas, but these dizzying falls come after three years of steady decline, with arts autobiography losing £8.2m - or 16% - in 2010 from its peak of £51.5m in 2008 and biography and autobiography as a whole slumping by £30m between 2006 and 2010 - a 20% fall. The books trade as a whole has been buffeted by recession, but celebrity memoir has fallen faster than the rest, its market share slipping from 2.25% to 1.99% since 2008.

This rapid contraction brings to a close a bold chapter in publishing history: years of prodigious growth saw sales treble in arts autobiography between 2001 and 2008. But the story is older than that. For Weidenfeld and Nicholson’s Alan Samson, who has published memoirs from stars such as Julie Walters, Helen Mirren and Keith Richards, the phenomenon goes back to the breathless reporting from the trials of Highwaymen in the 18th century.

“We’ve always had celebrity biography,” he says, “but what we haven’t had is this deluge”. He traces the modern rise of the genre back to 1999 and Geri Halliwell’s “extremely well put

together” memoir, If Only, and reckons the boom was fuelled by the sheer number of celebrities created since the launch of Channel 4 in 1982 and the proliferation of media outlets that followed. “When I was a young editor starting out, there weren’t 50 celebrities in the country,” he says.

Christmases in a row you can buy someone a celebrity autobiography without looking like you’re not really putting much effort into it,” he says.

Despite the large numbers of copies shifted - though often at large discounts - Ruppin is not lamenting their decline, saying that he’s “never

Do the memoirs of a pretend celebrity, Alan Partridge, bring the curtain down on what was once a blockbuster genre?

Ruppin agrees, pinning the transformation of the celebrity memoir at the end of the 1990s to the dawn of reality TV. “The book trade hadn’t really reacted to the world of celebrity like TV and the papers,” he says. “Publishers were a bit late to the party.” There had always been an ambition to produce books which would have an extended shelf-life, he continues, but now “there’s an acceptance that there’ll only be a brief window when the public will be interested in buying them”.

The flip-side for Samson, is that this increase in quantity has come along with an increase in quality. “A really good celebrity book today is much better than it used to be - better written, better structured and much more honest,” he says. “Showbiz memoirs used to be just a bunch of anecdotes strung together which gave nothing much away, but now they really tell the story of a life.”

Along with the usual skills of any editor, the successful publisher must deal with “issues of tact and diplomacy”, says Samson, but the crucial element in a successful memoir is timing.

“Like every other publisher in town I have my wishlist of seven or eight stars who have not yet written their memoirs, but in my view it is as much about timing as it is about throwing money at their agents. They have to want to do it.”

For Ruppin the fact that only a handful of genuine stars have yet to put pen to paper is only partly to blame for the recent decline in sales, with the genre’s rise at the beginning of the century leading to “buyer fatigue”.

“There’s a limit to how many

seen any evidence they bring in new readers”. He was working on the tills in 2004 when Foyles experimented with a half-price discount on Katie Price’s autobiography Being Jordan. “I never saw a single customer who bought a copy of that book buy anything else,” he says. “They’d come into the shop, pick it up, buy it and then leave without looking at any other book.”

But Samson is dismissive of those who suggest that celebrity memoirs are books for people who don’t read.

“As long as people are talking about books, going to bookshops, ordering them online, does that matter?” he says. Books like Keith Richard’s memoir, Life, written with James Fox, sometimes come together perfectly, he continues, and while “books like Keith’s continue to be a sales phenomenon, publishers will continue to publish the much-maligned genre called celebrity books”.

According to Samson, the future for celebrity memoir is to shift the focus back on to A-list stars - people like Richards, Judi Dench and Julie Walters - rather than people who appear fleetingly on reality shows.

“People want strong narratives stories where it’s someone who has lived a real life, someone who has overcome obstacles and found success.

People will always want to read those.”—Guardian

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Books

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Bossypants

By Tina Fey

B

efore Liz Lemon, before “Weekend Update,” before “Sarah Palin,” Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV. She has seen both these dreams come true. At last, Tina Fey’s story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon - from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo

By Betty White

Steve Jobs

M

any of us know that Betty White has numerous Emmys (seven, to be exact) and that she is the oldest person to have ever hosted Saturday Night Live, but who among us would guess that this lifelong animal lover served as the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Commissioner for eight years? In Betty and Her Friends, America’s most beloved 89year-old sexpot shares humorous, enduring stories about her buddies at the zoos.

P.S. The color photographs of gorillas, giraffes, and baby animals perfectly fit the tone of White’s tribute to our unconditionally loving fellow creatures.

By Walter Isaacson

B

ased on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years-as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues-Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.

Seriously... I’m Kidding

By Ellen DeGeneres

I

’ve experienced a whole lot the last few years and I have a lot to share. So I hope that you’ll take a moment to sit back, relax and enjoy the words I’ve put together for you in this book. I think you’ll find I’ve left no stone unturned, no door unopened, no window unbroken, no rug unvacuumed, no ivories untickled. What I’m saying is, let us begin, shall we?

Lady Gaga

By Lady Gaga, Terry Richardson (Photographer)

I

n this book of original, behind-the-scenes photographs, acclaimed photographer Terry Richardson follows superstar Lady Gaga during one year of her life, from Lollapalooza through the final show of her Monster Ball tour. During the time period he followed Gaga, Richardson took over 100,000 images and attended more than 30 Monster Ball dates around the world. From the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards to the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal rally in Portland, Maine, to the Thierry Mugler show at Maxime, Paris, Richardson captures Lady Gaga as you’ve never seen her before. A year-long global odyssey- -all access, nothing off limits-this is the book Lady Gaga fans have been waiting for.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Style

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

T

Trendy boots for this winter

o always stay in a rushing stream of fashion one needs to know the trends. Taking into account the fact shoes are no less important than garments it is essential to know the shoe trends for the upcoming season - Fall/ Winter 2010/ 2011.

sport but the fact they look gorgeous is undeniable. That is why if you feel you can walk on super tiny heels this shoe trend is everything

you might.

Chunky heels Although stilettos look glam-

orous chunky heels are much more comfortable. And plenty of women prefer being safe and comfy rather than sexy and scared of falling

Fur boots Winter is cold in majority of countries around the globe, so fur boots will certainly become a hit.

No girl will ever refuse to wear stylish boots like Chanel or Lanvin’s.

down. So, chunky heel is one more shoe trend for Fall/ Winter 2010/ 2011 season.

Wedges The popularity of wedges has already faded but their practicality still makes designers pay attention to such kind of shoes. If you are a fan of this shoe trend, go ahead and purchase one more pair of pretty wedges.

Thigh-high boots Thigh-high boots were a hugefootwear trend last season. We have seen celebrities and ordinary girls wearing these everywhere.

And luckily such boots are going to be still hot for Fall/ Winter 2010/ 2011, too.

Laced-up boots Laces are getting very popular.

So, laced-up boots trend comes as no surprise to us in Fall/ Winter 2010/ 2011. Such footwear is very comfy and looks great, but taking it off can be a problem.

High heel + High platform This shoe trend isn’t for girls who love looking womanly. But it does look chic and intriguing.

Shoes with buckles ‘The more buckles the better’ sounds the slogan for Fall/ Winter 2010/ 2011 season. Buckles look interesting and provide great support and fixation for the foot.

However, they bring the same problem as laces - it takes time to pull them off.

Combination of colors To brighten up our footwear designers have chosen the technique of combining colors. Yellow goes together with brown, red is mixed with pink. More variables are possible. Just look at Balenciaga shoes! (www.millionlooks.com)

Stiletto shoes Stilettos aren’t always easy to

Ways to flatter your fig (No matter what your body type)

I

’ll be honest with you...I’m the least fashionable person that you’ll ever meet. Dressing up to me means putting on some wedges with my jeans instead of putting on a dress! I think part of the reason I’m not a fan is because it’s hard to find clothes that look as flattering to me as they do on the mannequins when I go shopping.

If, like me, you’re tired of wearing clothing that don’t seem to “fit” or flatter your figure, then you’re in luck. I ran across some information from the experts at Talbots who put together a guide called “Fit Your Figure.” With the information provided below, you will be more able to understand the types of clothing that will work best for you, based on your body shape.

If you have: Slim shoulders & upper body with fuller hips & thighs ● Decorate your neckline with special details like a brightly colored or interesting necklace to draw attention to the right spot. Remember that shorter necklaces (like a choker) or a patterned scarf will lead eyes upward. ● Wear tops and sweaters that bright colored to take the focus off of your hips. ● Slim yourself down instantly by wearing a tunic-style top over wide-leg pants. It’s comfortable and a very slimming look.

If you have: Broad shoulders with a full waist & hips ● You want to create a waistline, which is easier than it sounds! Look for clothes that create a waistline and elongate your appearance. Vertical,

straight pieces work better than flowing, billowy pieces; just make sure that tops are fluid and drape nicely instead cling to your body. And dressing in a monochromatic style creates a great vertical line. ● Look for cardigans and shirts with front closures to create long, lean lines. ● V-necklines visually narrow the upper body, so definitely stick with this style of sweaters and shirts.

If you have: Broad shoulders & upper body with slimmer hips & legs ● Emphasize those legs! A long collared shirt over a fitted tee will slim your middle and even out your body’s proportions. ● By making a tapered jacket your go-to item, wearing it will create a leaner-looking waist. . . . instantly slimming. ● If you love wearing patterns or bold colors, wear them on your bottom half where they will be more flattering.

If you have: Broad shoulders & hips with a slim waist ● You have what is referred to as an hourglass figure. Accentuate your neckline and keep the bottom portion of your body understated. ● Show off your waistline! Remember to work with what you’ve got. Wide belts or belts with dramatic details will help draw the eye in. ● Pleated pants and skirts are a no-no. Try wearing flat-fronts to visually slim your lower half. (www.smartmomstyle.com)

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Style

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

How to properly exfoliate your skin

Rushing away the dead skin cells leaves your skin softer, smoother and less clogged, leading to fewer wrinkles, moister skin and a healthier appearance over time

W

hen you exfoliate your skin, you more effectively get rid of the dead skin cells than you can with a sponge or washcloth. Brushing away the dead skin cells leaves your skin softer, smoother and less clogged, leading to fewer wrinkles, moister skin and a healthier appearance over time. However, you should be able to notice a glow even after the first time you’ve exfoliated. Just be aware that some skin types are more sensitive to the process than others, and you shouldn’t need to perform the process daily. One to two times per week is ideal.

Tools you’ll need In order to exfoliate your skin, you’ll need the following: ● A loofah, exfoliating gloves or a body brush for body; exfoliating gloves or a facial brush for face ● A pumice stone ● An exfoliating cleanser for body and another for the face ● A moisture-rich lotion or cream, particularly one with hydroxy acids, for the body and another for the face Brush the skin Exfoliation is easiest during or right after a shower or bath. However, before you get your skin wet, you should prep your skin for exfoli-

ation by rubbing the loofah, exfoliating gloves or body brush across the dry skin on your body, beginning with your feet and moving upwards. Likewise, run the facial brush or exfoliating gloves across the dry skin on your face. This will remove the dry, dead skin cells that are already loose.

Wet the skin The next step for exfoliation is getting the skin wet and washing away makeup, sunscreen, perfumes, creams and lotions. You should exfoliate your body skin in the shower (to make it easier to rinse once you’re done), but you may perform facial skin exfoliation after washing your face at a sink.

Do not use the loofah or brush made for the body on your face, which requires a gentler brush or scrub. Likewise, choose a different exfoliating cleanser for your face, which should be more gently formulated so as not to cause skin irritations on the face. Be careful to avoid the area around the eyes and lips when exfoliating the face. After you’ve finished exfoliating, your skin may be tender.

This is normal. However, you should not be bleeding or overly red. If you are, be careful not to repeat the amount of pressure you gave your skin in the future and treat the areas with antibiotic ointment.

Pumice the bottom of your feet Use the pumice stone on the soles of your feet to soften tough patches of skin and calluses. Gently work the stone in circular motions. Do not press too hard.

Proper rinsing Rinse your skin of the cleanser with warm water, followed by cold water. The cold water should be fairly cold, but not so cold as to make you feel overly uncomfortable. This will help close your pores. Keep a towel on hand so you can quickly warm up.

Exfoliating the skin When exfoliating, avoid skin with wounds, irritations or sunburn. Apply the exfoliating cleanser to your loofah, gloves or brush and rub the skin in circular motions, beginning with your feet and working up. Be gentle around sensitive areas of your skin, such as the bikini line.

Apply lotion or cream Your skin will be tender and dry after you exfoliate, so it’s important that you replenish lost moisture by applying moisturizer liberally. The moisturizer you use on your face should be differently formulated for your individual skin type. (www.3fatchicks.com)

Invigorating coffee scrub 3 T Coffee grounds (organic-caffeinated) 1 T Salt (optional) To Make: Brew a fresh pot of coffee. Enjoy a cup, if you like. Put grounds (and salt) in a small bowl. Use grounds within 20 minutes of brewing before oxidation occurs.

To Use: Scrub mixture over entire body while in the shower. Rinse. Tone.

Moisturize.

Health FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Do you know when to stop eating?

I

asked my son, when he was about 6, how he knew when to stop eating. He said, “My tummy tells me, because, I can’t actually see in there.” I have raised him on as much healthy food as he will eat and let him have some sweets as well. I have allowed him to dictate when he is done with his meals and how much dessert he will have. He is 11 now and normal-weighted, and in touch with his sense of hunger and satiety.

I grew up during a time when adults told you to eat all your food if you wanted dessert. All your food was often what was put on your plate by an adult. Not only were we being taught to disregard our body’s “full” meters, but also that the reward for overeating was more high-calorie, yummy food. Not the best message to grow up with.

Our tummies may have been telling us to stop, but our parents were telling us it was good to keep going.

If you override your natural “full” meter often enough, it tends to go into a coma. It can take years of normal eating to revive it too. Not only does the “full” meter go to sleep, but you can get used to that overstuffed, almost drugged, feeling you get from overeating. It is amazing what the human body can get used to and then begin to crave.

If you have ever smoked cigarettes, you understand this concept. That first inhalation should have been enough to stop all of us from taking the second. It hurt, it made us cough, we felt light-headed, even nauseous.

It was truly disgusting. How that disgusting first drag could turn into a two-pack-a-day habit is amazing to me.

When it comes to food and health, we know that we should eat only when we are hungry. Eat only until we are 80 percent full, not too full. Make sure our diets consist mainly of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. Get some exercise. The end.

If we could all do that, obesity would be a nonissue.

We would all be at a healthy weight. We wouldn’t all be

skinny, as we do vary in our body types, but we certainly wouldn’t be morbidly obese either. The problem for many of us is that we don’t know when we are full until we are stuffed and/or we keep eating even though we know we are full. Couple that with the high-fat, highcalorie foods that many of us have become accustomed to eating, and the obesity problem we have today is no wonder.

So if you acknowledge that your full meter is broken, how do you know when to stop eating?

The answer to this question is that you don’t. You need something outside yourself to help you with that, and that is where keeping food records and counting calories comes in. I know, you don’t want to hear that, but it is the truth. Maybe one day there will be a pill, or magic, but until then, this is the best we’ve got. When you weigh 300 pounds and have gotten used to eating 3,000 calories a day, you will be hungry on 2,500 calories a day. Even though 2,500 calories is a binge day for most women, you will be hungry on that because of what you are used to. It is best to lower your calories slowly so as not to experience too big of a backlash.

Keeping food records and counting calories will also keep you awake to what you are putting in your mouth and how much. Many of us are asleep at the wheel when it comes to what and how much we are eating. If you want to change your weight, you have to pay attention.

So, once your “full” meter is broken, can it ever be repaired?

The good news is that, yes, it can, but it might take a very, very long time. I was heavy for years and lost a significant amount of weight 18 years ago and have kept it off since. After 16 years of maintaining my weight loss, I noticed that my “full” meter had been restored. I now know when I am 80 percent full and am

happy to stop eating then because that means I get to eat more soon. If I do overeat now and get too full, I hate it. I can’t stand the feeling and can’t wait until it passes. This motivates me not to do it again. It’s almost like if you don’t smoke for years and years and then take a drag, it feels like the first drag all over again. (I don’t recommend trying that, by the way.)

If you want to lose weight, repair your full meter, or just get more in touch with your hunger and satiety, and try writing down what you are eating for a week.

You will be amazed at what you learn about yourself.

During the weight loss phase, I recommend keeping food records the entire time you are losing and then for enough time following the weight loss to be able to maintain it without the records. It works! (www.alternet.org)

We all come with internal “full” meters. But many Americans have been conditioned to ignore theirs.

Health FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

What causes bad breath B

ad breath, or halitosis, can be a major problem, especially when you’re about to snuggle with your sweetie or whisper a joke to your friend. The good news is that bad breath can often be prevented with some simple steps.

Bad breath is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grow in the mouth. When you don’t brush and floss regularly, bacteria accumulate on the bits of food left in your mouth and between your teeth. The sulfur compounds released by these bacteria make your breath smell.

Certain foods, especially ones like garlic and onions that contain pungent oils, can contribute to bad breath because the oils are carried to your lungs and out through your mouth. Smoking is also a major cause of bad

breath.

There are lots of myths about taking care of bad breath. Here are three things you may have heard about bad breath that are not true: Myth #1: Mouthwash will make bad breath go away.

Mouthwash only gets rid of bad breath temporarily. If you do use mouthwash, look for an antiseptic (kills the germs that cause bad breath) and plaque-reducing one with a seal from the American Dental Association (ADA). When you’re deciding which dental products to toss into your shopping cart, it’s always a good idea to look for those that are accepted by the ADA. Also, ask your dentist for recommendations.

Myth #2: As long as you brush your teeth,

you shouldn’t have bad breath.

The truth is that most people only brush their teeth for 30 to 45 seconds, which just doesn’t cut it. To sufficiently clean all the surfaces of your teeth, you should brush for at least 2 minutes at least twice a day.

Remember to brush your tongue, too - bacteria love to hang out there. It’s equally important to floss because brushing alone won’t remove harmful plaque and food particles that become stuck between your teeth and gums.

Myth #3: If you breathe into your hand, you’ll know when you have bad breath.

Wrong! When you breathe, you don’t use your throat the same way you do when you talk. When you talk, you tend to bring out the odors from the back of your mouth (where

bad breath originates), which simply breathing doesn’t do. Also, because we tend to get used to our own smells, it’s hard for a person to tell if he or she has bad breath.

If you’re concerned about bad breath, make sure you’re taking care of your teeth and mouth properly. Some sugar-free gums and mints can temporarily mask odors, too.

If you brush and floss properly and visit your dentist for regular cleanings, but your bad breath persists, you may have a medical problem like sinusitis or gum disease. Call your doctor or dentist if you suspect a problem. They can figure out if something else is behind your bad breath and help you take care of it. (www.kidshealth.org)

Brain foods that help you concentrate Ginseng, fish, berries, or caffeine?

Listen to the buzz about foods and dietary supplements and you’ll believe they can do everything from sharpen focus and concentration, to enhance memory, attention span, and brain function.

But do they really work? There’s no denying that as we age chronologically, our body ages right along with us. The good news is that you can increase your chances of maintaining a healthy brain-if you add “smart” foods and beverages to your diet.

Caffeine can make you more alert There’s no magic bullet to boost IQ or make you smarter-but certain substances, like caffeine, can energize and help you focus and concentrate. Found in coffee, chocolate, energy drinks, and some medications, caffeine gives you that unmistakable wake-up buzzthough the effects are short term. And more is often less: Overdo it on caffeine and it can make you jittery and uncomfortable.

Sugar can enhance alertness Sugar is your brain’s preferred fuel sourcenot table sugar, but glucose, which your body metabolizes from the sugars and carbohydrates you eat. That’s why a glass of something sweet to drink can offer a short-term

boost to memory, thinking processes, and mental ability.

Consume too much, however, and memory can be impaired-along with the rest of you.

Go easy on the sugar so it can enhance memory, without packing on the pounds.

Eat breakfast to fuel your brain Tempted to skip breakfast? Studies have found that eating breakfast may improve short-term memory and attention. Students who eat breakfast tend to perform significantly better than those who don’t. Foods at the top of researchers’ brain fuel list include highfiber whole grains, dairy, and fruits. Just don’t overeat; researchers also found high-calorie breakfasts appear to hinder concentration.

Fish really is brain food A protein source associated with a great brain boost is fish-rich in omega 3 fatty acids, essential for brain function and development.

These healthy fats have amazing brain power: higher dietary omega 3 fatty acids are linked to lower dementia and stroke risks; slower mental decline; and may play a vital role in enhancing memory, especially as we get older.

For brain and heart health, eat two servings of fish weekly.

Add a daily dose of nuts and chocolate Nuts and seeds are good sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, which is associated with less cognitive decline as you age. Dark chocolate also has other powerful antioxidant properties. And it contains natural stimulants like caffeine, which can enhance focus and concentration.

Enjoy up to an ounce a day of nuts and dark chocolate to provide all the benefits you need without excess calories, fat, or sugar.

Add avocados and whole grains Every organ in the body depends on blood flow, especially the heart and brain. Eating a diet high in whole grains and fruits like avocados can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and lower bad cholesterol. This reduces your risk of plaque buildup and enhances blood flow, offering a simple, tasty way to fire up brain cells.

Whole grains, like popcorn and whole wheat, also contribute dietary fiber and vitamin E. Though avocados have fat, it’s the good-for-you, monounsaturated fat that contributes to healthy blood flow. (www.webmd.com)

A

y

e niv rsar n

Spotlight

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Scottish National Portrait Gallery reopens T he Big Man, just up from the coal mine, looks fit to burst with mirth. The Newhaven fishwife, in her striped skirt, presents a triumphantly empty basket. In the factory, the 19th-century cloth weavers pause from their labors before the camera’s protracted gaze, but the child in the Glasgow slum cannot keep so still. He leaves a trace of himself, a little shivering ghost peeping out from a doorway in Close, No 46, Saltmarket.

The overlooked, the forgotten, the marginal and the nameless: these people of Scotland’s past (and present) now take their place for the first time in the newly remade Scottish National Portrait Gallery. It is a radical change, and strikingly democratic. It may also be the most significant of all the many alterations made since 2009 to that wallflower of a museum in Queen Street.

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery has never been fully loved, at least not compared to the National Gallery, the Museum of Scotland or the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art I and II. The world’s first purpose-built portrait gallery - funded by the Scotsman’s proprietor when the government wouldn’t stump up the funds opened in 1889, a huge neo-gothic edifice of red sandstone that more resembles an ecclesiastical building than a museum.

Inside, it could seem sepulchrally dark, the great hall mainly notable for its austere brickwork, the upper floors disorientating with their false ceilings and mysteriously blocked-off doors. The carpets (such as they were) tended to trip you up. It always felt a bit heavy on the Scottish lairds, a bit light on the moderns and it did not contain what is surely the nation’s most famous portrait, Henry Raeburn’s The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, which seemed to say it all.

Some of the portraits were enthralling, and the temporary shows could be excellent but the SNPG came to stand, in certain quarters, for superlative cheese scones.

Growing up in Edinburgh, I remember hearing it acidly referred to as the overflow tearoom to Jenners. But in the past two years the building has been completely remodelled, floors and walls rearranged, small galleries created, large galleries beautifully brightened with LED systems and the plentiful daylight now entering through the new roof. The Museum of Antiquities has moved out, opening up 60% more space. And its excellent library has been brought wholesale from the top floor to the centre of the building, filled with wonderful sculptures and strange curiosities, including the death masks of Voltaire and grave robbers Burke and Hare. The library is now open to the public. And that is as symbolic as the 2,000 gold stars that now twinkle in the once-dour great hall. It turns out that they were always there in the background, but just needed some attention. The museum has opened up, brought its portraits its people - out of the shadows.

So it now shows, for instance, not just the textbook Mary, Queen of Scots but images of her confidantes, husbands, advisers and detractors, notably her nemesis John Knox, to present a more intimate sense of her life. It gives you not just the 18th-century painter Allan Ramsay, in selfportrait, but his father, wives and many

friends (including the philosopher David Hume, off-duty in a velvet cap to keep his bald head warm) so that his milieu, as well as the evolution of his style, emerges.

And nearby you will find Rousseau, painted by Ramsay for Hume when the Scot brought the Frenchman to Britain to escape persecution in 1765. And Bonnie

as images. You read of John Campbell, cashier to the ultra-loyalist Royal Bank of Scotland, who brazenly cashed £6,000 for the Jacobites in 1749. You learn how the Enlightenment philosopher Adam Ferguson influenced Karl Marx, how the geologist John Hutton proved in the late 1700s that the Earth must be more than

1589-1644) studied with a decorative painter in Aberdeen. The SNPG has a fragment of the Libyan Sibyl he painted for a Burntisland house, later home to Mary Somerville, 19th-century scientist.

Jamesone’s portraits are hardly Van Dyck, not surprising given the isolation of these early painters. But his self-portrait leaning forward, alert and highly attentive

After a dramatic £17.6m overhaul, Scotland’s National Portrait Gallery is a bright and democratic delight

Prince Charlie, escaping Scotland for the continent, sketched by Ozias Humphrey in 1776 as a dropsical old drunk in whose bloated face you can nonetheless see traces of the Young Pretender.

Connections and cross-connections develop everywhere. Here is the humble likeness of James Wilson, the Lanarkshire weaver who found fame as one of the Radical Martyrs, hanged for protesting against unemployment in 1820; and the grandiloquent portrait of the hanging judge. Here are the fishwives of Hill and Adamson’s famous calotypes near an oil portrait of the Scottish suffragette who would bring their successors to protest in London.

Portrait pantheons rely on words as well

6,000 years old, as popularly believed.

Sometimes the wall texts make too much of the biography, downplaying the picture for the person. Nothing is made of the stunning little still life of rocks and fossils in Raeburn’s painting of Hutton, for example, or the amazingly free brushwork in David Wilkie’s self-portrait.

The SNPG should not be so timid about its paintings. From Nicholas Hilliard’s devastatingly subtle James VI and I to Wyndham Lewis’s hieratic Naomi Mitchison, scowling impatiently, the museum is full of great works of art.

On the other hand, the new inclusivity allows for some real revelations. The room devoted to Scotland’s first portrait painter fills the imagination. George Jamesone (c

as if dwelling on your every syllable - is a little wonder.

The new photography gallery introduces the 19th century as never before: schoolboys, crofters, salmon poachers, ladies in long skirts scaling Salisbury Crags. Thomas Annan’s Saltmarket series is the first slum record and there are other deservedly famous images, most breathtakingly AG Buckham’s aerial view of Edinburgh Castle as a sceptred Camelot ringed with silver clouds.

Indeed landscapes have a heavy presence, as if the SNPG regarded them as a form of portraiture by other means. That may be true of Graham Fagen’s affecting video Missing, which searches wastelands for lost children. But it is arguable and distorts the display. Anyone looking for Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Rennie Mackintosh or JM Barrie may be dismayed to find them hidden in a side-room of the cafe.

It is not that the curators regard these paintings as upscale decor: I imagine they believe more visitors will look at them here than ever before. For this is a museum of and for the people, Scotland’s family album, from the last crofters on St Kilda’s to the latest immigrants. Everyone should feel some connection with the thousands of faces on show.

You can argue with the cast list all you like: Gerard Butler but not John Logie Baird? The 20th century is particularly bizarre, but a museum can only work with what it has. I wish this one had portraits by Robert Colquhoun, James Cowie or Joan Eardley (to name only three) and the great film works, say, of John Grierson and Margaret Tait. But now that the gallery is so beautifully renewed perhaps more loans and donations will follow, and even without them the experience is rich, deep and enlightening: just as you would expect from Scotland. —Guardian

A

y

e niv rsar n

Arts

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

A look at Catherine Story pathos to Story’s rough-edged, pared-down work that seems to have as much to do with her interest in Chaplin’s gifts as with the processes it takes to create art.

Why we like her: For Pylon, Story’s first show after graduating from the Royal Academy Schools in 2009. Fed by personal passions ranging from William Faulkner’s writing to what she’d found in the Grand Canyon, these strange paintings of solid but mysterious shapes left a lasting impression.

Dream destination: Story’s travels in the States have taken her from Monument Valley to Faulkner’s Mississippi home. She’s never been to Los Angeles though, preferring to leave the inspiration for her latest work in the realms of the imagination.

Where can I see her? Angeles is at Carl Freedman Gallery, London, until 14 January 2012. —Guardian

I

n their different ways, Picasso and Chaplin were great game-changers of the 20th-century’s formative years.

Cubism’s premiere genius and early cinema’s king of comedy first came face-to-face at a dinner in 1952. With no patience for translators, they chose to converse through mime instead.

It’s easy to see why this anecdote is a particular favourite with British artist Catherine Story: her recent works improvise their own conversation between cubism and Hollywood. Her paintings and sculptures are small, awkward things, showing amorphous cubist forms in the reduced palette of silent movies’ sepia tints. Frescoes are painted in plaster and sculptures crafted from wood and cement - humble materials of the kind favoured by pioneering set-builders. Even the plinths have a jerry-rigged feel, made from found bits of wood and left backless. They call to mind the silver screen’s shallow, propped-up street

scenery, magically transformed into settings for lush fantasy when filtered through a camera. These are dreamy, shape-shifting hybrids of art and entertainment.

In her current show, Angeles, the blocky geometries of the paintings Angeles and Star suggest antique film cameras, but if you look at them the other way they become cartoonish Donald Ducks. Similarly, Storyboard (I) and Limelight tease out the funny side in Picasso’s Still Life With Apples, first as a little painting on plaster and then as a 3D concrete version. With apples like bug eyes, a dish that becomes a banana nose, and a jug with a droopy lip and a cute pot-belly, Story’s creation Limelight has more than a passing resemblance to a Muppet.

Perhaps a comedian friend of the artist’s put it best when he described Limelight as what it feels like to get up on stage: “your belly button falls out all the time and you have to keep putting it back in”. There’s a deep comic

Comics

C R O S S W O R D

5 2 2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS

1. Anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the function of the thyroid gland.

4. (heraldry) The official symbols of a family, state, etc..

10. A beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water.

13. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

14. Expose to fresh air, as of old clothing.

15. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material.

16. (computer science) The smallest discrete component of an image or picture on a CRT screen (usually a colored dot).

17. Any of a group of heavenly spirits under the god Anu. 18. Little known Kamarupan languages.

19. Singing jazz.

21. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

23. Sandwich filled with slices of bacon and tomato with lettuce.

24. A pilgrimage to Mecca.

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

29. Small genus of Eurasian herbs.

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

34. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

37. A medicinal drug used to evoke vomiting (especially in cases of drug overdose or poisoning).

38. Any of various units of capacity.

39. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

40. Tropical Asian starlings.

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

44. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells.

46. A number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge.

47. The cry made by sheep.

48. Indian religious leader who founded Sikhism (1469-1538).

51. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances.

52. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

55. Large sweet juicy hybrid between tangerine and grapefruit having a thick wrinkled skin.

58. A state-chartered savings bank owned by its depositors and managed by a board of trustees.

61. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

63. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

64. A very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk.

65. Swiss mathematician (1707-1783).

67. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research.

68. An Asian river between China and Russia.

69. At full speed.

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

DOWN 1. (military) Signal to turn the lights out.

2. A detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work.

3. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld.

4. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan.

5. A human limb.

6. An elaborate song for solo voice.

7. The capital of Croatia.

8. Of or relating to near the ear.

9. A colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube.

10. Relating to or characteristic of a tribe.

11. A British peer ranking below a Marquess and above a Viscount.

12. A nearly horizontal passage from the surface into a mine.

20. A case or sheath especially a pollen sac or moss capsule.

22. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

25. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

26. German mathematician (1804-1851).

28. A high-crowned black cap (usually made of felt or sheepskin) worn by men in Turkey and Iran and the Caucasus.

30. The capital of Western Samoa.

31. Of a quality, as in.

33. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

35. An amino acid that is found in the central nervous system.

36. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms or from fermented molasses.

42. Any substance that can be used as food.

43. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

45. Genus of beetles whose grubs feed mainly on roots of plants.

46. A British peer ranking below a Marquess and above a Viscount.

49. A heavy wooden pole (such as the trunk of a young fir) tossed as a test of strength (in the Highlands of Scotland).

50. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

53. The biblical name for ancient Syria.

54. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

56. Offering fun and gaiety.

57. 100 lwei equal 1 kwanza.

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

60. A small cake leavened with yeast.

62. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring on the sea or ships.

66. A radioactive gaseous element formed by the disintegration of radium.

Yesterday’s Solution

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Lifestyle

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Tourists take photographs of the sunset in the ‘Avenue of the Baobabs’, a famous natural reserve in western Madagascar. — AFP photos

M

ajestic trees line the dusty road known as the Avenue of the Baobabs, their large trunks crowned with clawing branches that reach 20 meters (70 feet) high. These giants seem immortal but the trees-national symbols of Madagascar are only alive thanks to a last-minute rescue operation that kept them from drowning. “A sugar mill diverted water to the site, and the local people used this water to grow rice. The baobabs were in the middle of the rice fields and their trunks stood in water all year,” said Anselme Tilahimena, of the environmental organization Fanamby.

Mired in the rice paddies, the trees rotted from the inside. Their trunks weakened, about two baobabs were blown down every year in cyclones. The baobabs’ fate began to brighten in 2007, when a 320-hectare (790acre) area outside the west coast town of Morondava was declared a protected area, home to 313 baobabs which Fanamby cares for. Since then, authorities stopped the dumping of water in the area. The rice paddies dried up, replaced by marshes covered with purplepink hyacinths.

Children paddle around happily while their mothers throw nets in the water to catch small fish. Around 250 people live in the area. “Since 2007 we have developed alternative agricultural activities in dry farming, like

Tourists take photographs in the ‘Avenue of the Baobabs’, a famous natural reserve in western Madagascar, near Morondava.

peanuts or market gardens” with green vegetables, Tilahimena said. But farmers in this country long dogged by poverty find it difficult to change. Runoff from the sugar mill fertilized the land, which produced abundant rice harvests. “It’s important to protect the baobabs, but you don’t earn as much with peanuts,” said 56-year-old farmer Vontana, known by one name, who used to plant rice around the base of the trees.

“I am going to grow rice again if they build a canal.”

Construction is underway on a seven-kilometer (fourmile) canal that will allow farmers to replant paddies without endangering the baobabs, by irrigating 187 hectares outside the protected zone.”We’ve understood that it’s the only solution, to find other land to grow rice.

Market farming has given good results here, but it’s difficult to change people’s practices. That’s a long-term job,” said Tilahimena. Fanamby has also taught residents to make crafts, which they sell to the 6,000 tourists who travel every year to photograph the striking baobabs-some hundreds of years old.

The trees are a testament to dense tropical forests that once blanketed Madagascar, which has suffered severe deforestation, and subsequent desertification and depletion of water resources. A wood-and-raffia stall at the entrance to the park sells fresh drinks and miniature baobabs sculpted out of rosewood. The profits go to the sculptors and site management. Father-ofthree Mahotoeky Randrianirina works the counter several times a week, when he is not working in his maize and sweet potato fields. “I am good at sculpture now.

Thanks to that, I earned a lot more and could build a house and buy goats with the money,” the smiling 28-

A man touches a rotting baobab tree surrounded by reeds and stagnant water. year-old said. Randrianirina counts on tourism development to improve his family’s lives, but the stall is the only building on the site. To ensure the avenue’s future, Fanamby and the villagers’ association are now planting new baobabs across the protected area.—AFP

(From left) Joseph, 29, and Mahotoeky Randrianirina, 28, both farmers and sculptors, sit inside a handicraft shop where they sell miniature baobabs carved out of rosewood to tourists, in the ‘Avenue of the Baobabs’.

People walk along the ‘Avenue of the Baobabs’, a famous natural reserve in western Madagascar, near Morondava, on November 7, 2011.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Lifestyle

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Review

J

In this film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Jean Dujardin portrays George Valentin, left, and Berenice Bejo portrays Peppy Miller in a scene from ‘The Artist.’ — AP

An ode to silents, the mute ‘Artist’ sings

T

he best validation for the nostalgia of “The Artist” is the film itself.

A silent movie in tribute to silent movies, “The Artist” puts its money where its mouth is, so to speak. Or not to, rather. Michel Hazanavicius’ blackand-white, near-wordless film is a loving, irresistibly charming ode to a longago movie era that not only summons the dormant conventions of silent moviemaking, but makes them dance again.

The film opens with old-style titles and the first bursts of Ludovic Bource’s spirited, nimble score, which (as in most silents) plays a starring role throughout.

The camera pulls back on a man being electrocuted by captors. “I won’t talk,” he says - or so reads a title card. “I won’t say a word.”

It’s the first of many puns, but it’s also Hazanavicius’ promise, too. To make a silent film nowadays, he is suggesting, is to subject oneself to torment.

But the French filmmaker’s boldness already has been much rewarded: The film was feted at the Cannes Film Festival, snapped up by Harvey Weinstein and is now considered a favorite horse in the Oscar race.

The opening scene is merely a fiction within “The Artist.” The man is silent film star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a kind of Douglas Fairbanks, swashbuckling matinee idol, and this is the premiere of his latest hit: “A Russian Affair.” The year is 1927, and the packed auditorium greets the movie with a standing ovation and raucous cheers that we can only infer.

The grinning, mustachioed Valentin glides across the stage in a tuxedo, basking in the adulation. A born entertainer, he casually and eagerly keeps the audience in his thrall, pantomiming tricks with his faithful sidekick, on screen and off, his Jack Russell terrier.

The dog (Uggie) deserves credit here. Obviously raised on “The Awful Truth” and “The Thin Man,” he puts shame to the digital Snowy of the com-

ing “The Adventures of Tintin.” The good times are soon to end, however: The Talkies are coming. When sound movies arrive, Valentin finds himself squeezed out of the business that so recently championed him. (The particular reason for Valentin’s inadaptability is revealed later.)

Kinograph Studios head Al Zimmer (John Goodman, robbed of his booming voice but not of his character-filled face) is quickly transitioning to talkies and a new bevy of stars. Among them is Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), an upstart whose rise Valentin aided.

Valentin’s fall is greased not just by irrelevancy but by the stock market crash and ego, (he self-finances an extravagant, belated silent film). Nearly destitute, he has little left besides his dog and his loyal chauffer (James Cromwell).

Miller, always quietly enamored with Valentin, ascends to stardom. Her “Beauty Spot,” released on the same day as Valentin’s “Tears of Love,” draws lines around the block. That their paths will finally align is of little surprise in Hazanavicius’ smart if predictable script.

Naturally, the image is the supreme element in a silent film (and a talkie, too, but that’s another story). But “The Artist” is disappointingly staid visually. Though it’s remarkably true in style and production (design by Laurence Bennett), it doesn’t bear the visual flair that perhaps it should.

Instead, “The Artist” is propelled by its performances, particularly Dujardin’s.

He has an exquisite elegance, and builds a whole movie with only his gestures. It’s impossible to imagine “The Artist” without him, the wellspring of its charm.—AP

odie Foster’s estranged father was found guilty Wednesday of a property scam in which he touted his relation to his famous daughter to lure customers to part with money.

Lucius Fisher Foster III, 89, faces more up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced yesterday, after a jury took three hours to convict him. Judge Gregory A. Dohi remanded him in custody, saying he would face jail. He was found guilty on 21 counts of grand theft and nine of contracting without a license after allegedly cheating nearly two dozen investors out of more than $100,000.

Foster, who is estranged from his daughter, offered to build homes for 20 alleged victims in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles, after contacting them through his own property website or referrals from realtors. He “told at least half the victims that he is Jodie’s father as part of the scam to build up trust,” Deputy City Attorney Don Cocek told the court during the trial. Each alleged victim gave Foster a deposit of $5,000 and received a contract for their home to be build, “but no house was ever built,” said the prosecutor.

Foster said he wanted to be sentenced as soon as possible so that he could get out of jail and pay back the victims. “We’re going to get it (the money) back to them,” Foster said. “If it takes two or three years out of my life ... I’m an old man, I want to be alive when I get out,” he said. He remains estranged from his famous daughter. “If you had a bad guy in your family, wouldn’t you draw walls around him?” he said before the verdict was announced. A publicist for Jodie Foster, star of

F

or the 20th consecutive year, Hollywood’s most powerful women came together to break bread and celebrate their achievements in entertainment. Jane Fonda and the late filmmaker Laura Ziskin were honored at the breakfast ceremony Wednesday at the Beverly Hills Hotel, held by the Hollywood Reporter in concert with its annual Power 100 ranking of the entertainment industry’s most powerful women. “This list matters,” said Janice Min, the magazine’s editorial director.

“Acknowledging the achievements of women in a town where only 16 percent of all powerful, behind-the-scenes jobs are held by them - and that number is declining - is important.”

Chelsea Handler, who ranked 97th on the list, welcomed guests including Nancy Grace (ranked 86th) and reality star Bethenny Frankel (No 100 on the list), along with actresses Kate Bosworth and Emmy Rossum and the ubiquitous Kim Kardashian. Actress Kirsten Dunst and Sony Pictures co-chairman Amy Pascal (No 2 on the Power 100 list) presented a tribute to “Spider-Man” producer and Stand Up To Cancer founder Ziskin, who helped raise more than $180 million for cancer research before succumbing to the disease in June.

Former Paramount Pictures chief Sherry Lansing lauded her friend Fonda for her pioneering work in film, fitness, philanthropy and activism, presenting the 73year-old actress with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award. Lansing said she idolized Fonda and credited the actress with teaching her to have faith in her ideas and stand up for herself. Lansing shared a story

File photo shows US actress Jodie Foster on the red carpet before the screening of ‘Melancholia’ presented in competition at the 64th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. — AFP “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Panic Room” and “Contact,” did not immediately respond to a request for comment.—AFP

from early in her career when she worked with Fonda on “The China Syndrome.”

Executives wanted to change the film’s title, and rather than argue, Lansing dutifully passed word along to Fonda.

“She said to me, ‘Are you a corporate tool?’” Lansing recalled as the audience exploded in laughter. That exchange, Lansing said, taught her to “never let the numbers or the research cause me to go against my instincts ... that my instincts and my passion were more valuable than anything else.” —AP

Actress Jane Fonda, recipient of the 2011 Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, gestures to Lansing on the red carpet. — AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Lifestyle

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Review

A

lec Baldwin issued an apology to fellow passengers on an American Airlines flight that was delayed by his refusal to stop playing a cellphone game - but stopped short of apologizing to the airline or the flight attendant he later mocked on Twitter. The “30 Rock” actor’s note, posted Wednesday to the Huffington Post, instead lamented the state of modern air travel. Baldwin noted the financial struggles of airlines, saying the result is that air travel has devolved into an inelegant experience, akin to riding a Greyhound bus. Baldwin said the level of service on US carriers has deteriorated. “Filthy planes, barely edible meals, cuts in jet service to less-traveled locations,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin writes that increased security

Actor Alec Baldwin speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. — AP on commercial airplanes after the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks has resulted in a “paramilitary” aura around air travel.

“September 11th was a horrific day in the airline industry, yet in the wake of that event, I believe carriers and airports have used that as an excuse to make the air travel experience as inelegant as possi-

ble,” Baldwin writes. Baldwin’s letter is the latest volley in a dustup with American Airlines, with the airline taking to social media Wednesday to maintain it was following federal regulations when it booted an “extremely vocal customer” from a flight for refusing to shut off his cellphone.

The airline, which earlier cited passenger privacy in declining to discuss the matter, said on its Facebook page it decided “to provide the actual facts of the matter” after Baldwin stated publicly he had gotten kicked off the flight. The company never cited the “30 Rock” TV star by name. Baldwin took to Twitter after Tuesday’s incident at Los Angeles International Airport, saying he was asked to leave a New York-bound plane after a “flight attendant on American reamed me out” for playing a game on his cellphone. Baldwin said he was playing “Words With Friends” while the plane sat at a gate. American said on Facebook Wednesday that Federal Aviation Administration regulations require that cellphones and other electronic devices be turned off as soon as the airliner’s door has been closed. The company said Baldwin refused to comply.

“The passenger ultimately stood up (with the seat belt light still on for departure) and took his phone into the plane’s lavatory,” American Airlines said. “He slammed the lavatory door so hard, the cockpit crew heard it and became alarmed, even with the cockpit door closed and locked. They immediately contacted the cabin crew to check on the situation.” The airline added that Baldwin was “extremely rude” to the flight crew, calling people “inappropriate names” and using offensive language.

Baldwin’s spokesman, Matthew Hiltzik, said Wednesday it was the flight attendant who acted inappropriately. He said other people on the plane were violating the regulation and that Baldwin was singled out.—AP

C

ourt records show musicians Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz have finalized their divorce and are keeping the exact terms of their breakup confidential. Records show a judge finalized the couple’s divorce Nov 22. The pair entered into a 103- page settlement agreement, but the document will only be filed if the couple has a dispute about it later on.

The filings do not detail custody arrangements for the couple’s 3-year-old son, Bronx.

The finalized judgment was first reported Wednesday by celebrity news website TMZ.com.

Simpson is the sister of singer Jessica Simpson.

She has released three albums and appeared in a reboot of the TV series “Melrose Place.”

Wentz’s band, Fall Out Boy, has been on hiatus since 2010. The 32-year-old is currently a member of the band Black Cards.—AP

File photo shows singer Ashlee Simpson and rocker Pete Wentz arriving at Myst night club in Scottsdale, Ariz. — AP

In this image released by 20th Century Fox, from left, Landry Bender, Kevin Hernandez, Max Records and Jonah Hill are shown in a scene from ‘The Sitter.’ — AP

J

onah Hill, world’s worst babysitter. Must have sounded like such movie magic that the makers of “The Sitter” grabbed the first three brats they found on the street, shoved them in a minivan with Hill and started filming. As broad, dumb comedy goes, it’s not a bad idea to cast Hill as a chubby slacker roped into a hellish night tending to a high-maintenance brood. Yet other than Hill’s admirable work ethic trying to squeeze laughs out of this dismally underdeveloped scenario, “The Sitter” has nothing going for it. Not even its fleeting length. Take away the opening and closing credits, and you’re left with not much more than an hour of actual movie. But it feels much, much longer, watching “The Sitter” slog along from one rotten gag to the next.

The movie’s also a serious racial offender, parading a gang of black actors around as hoods stealing cars, talking jive or looking for a fight.

Director David Gordon Green - who started as an indie-film prodigy with such small, smart dramas as “George Washington” and “All the Real Girls” before going Hollywood with the 2008 hit “Pineapple Express” - delivers his second bad, raunchy comedy of the year, after last spring’s “Your Highness.” He’s single-handedly jeopardizing the goodwill R-rated comedy has gained in Hollywood from such dirtier-minded hits as “Bridesmaids,” “Bad Teacher” and others in the Judd Apatow mold.

Apatow protege Hill, who leaped from a bit part in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” to stardom in “Superbad,” plays Noah Griffith, an idler kicked out of college, living with his divorced mom and whiling away his time watching TV. His mother guilts him into taking a babysitting job for family friends, and from there, the merry mayhem is supposed to take off. It’s all just muck from then on, except for an occasional throwaway line that’s worth a

chuckle. Screenwriters Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka’s verbal jokes are mostly mindless, though, and “The Sitter” really fails in the physical comedy department with an assault of mean, humorless sight gags.

The filmmakers try to sneak in tender, nurturing moments with each of the three kids: 13-year old social outcast Slater (Max Records of “Where the Wild Things Are”); little sister Blithe (Landry Bender), a junior party girl whose painted-whore makeup is not hilarious, as the filmmakers apparently believed, but simply creepy; and their adopted Hispanic brother, Rodrigo (Kevin Hernandez), a destructive monster with an arsenal of cherry bombs. Bender is shrilly annoying, Hernandez is obnoxiously annoying, while Records is merely annoying. The same goes for Ari Graynor as Noah’s sort-of girlfriend, whose promise of sex sends him out cruising Manhattan in search of cocaine, taking the kids along in their parents’ minivan. (How did tubby loser Noah hook up with a hottie like Graynor? Who really cares?).

“The Sitter” bumbles along in an awkward collection of episodes as Noah encounters obstacle after witless obstacle, weirdo after dreary weirdo. Saddest among his new acquaintances is Sam Rockwell as a psychotic drug dealer. Rockwell is pals with Green, putting in a fine performance in the director’s 2007 drama “Snow Angels.” Friends deserve better than what Rockwell gets in “The Sitter.” Hill is no funnier here than his co-stars, yet he’s clearly trying to make “The Sitter” work. His earnestness almost makes you believe in Noah, if not in the mess of miserable action swirling around him.—AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Lifestyle

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

A

T

hey come in pain and in prayer, seeking cures and a cup of sand from a tiny adobe church called Chimayo.

For two centuries, Hispanic and Native American pilgrims have sought help from El Santuario de Chimayo (pronounced CHEE’-mah-YOH’), located in a mountain hamlet in northern New Mexico. They clutch pictures of sick loved ones, hobble weakly on crutches, and bring stories of hopeless conditions. They leave small slips of paper asking for mercy and miracles, promise to give up drinking and show more compassion, and they light candles in front of images of saints and La Virgen de Guadalupe, patron of the Americas.

Before they leave, they visit a room in the shrine that houses “el pocito,” which means the little well, a small pit of holy adobe-colored dirt which some say possesses the power to cure. Just one touch, say those who believe, and cancer might go into remission, an injured knee might heal, and leukemia might be held off long enough to witness a child’s birth. Along the wall hang crutches that are no longer needed, material proof from those who say they’ve been helped.

“People discover that there’s something special here when they come with an open heart and mind,” said Rev Jim Suntum, a priest at Chimayo. “There’s a kind of peace that’s available here that you can’t find anywhere else.”

File photos show religious statues on the ground of El Santuario de Chimayo outside of Espanola, NM For two centuries, Hispanic and Native American pilgrims have sought help from El Santuario de Chimayo, a National Historic Landmark. — AP photos Chimayo is a National Historic Landmark, described in the landmark citation as a “well preserved, unrestored example of a small adobe church, notable for its original decorations, including numerous superb religious paintings.” Some 200,000 people are estimated to visit each year, and Suntum says many of those visits occurring during Easter Week. The Archdiocese of Santa Fe says Chimayo has been called the “Lourdes of America.”

The history of el pocito goes back 200 years, when legend holds that a friar, performing penances, saw a strange light streaming from a hillside near the Santa Cruz River. The friar began to dig to find the source of the light, and soon uncovered a crucifix. The crucifix was taken to a nearby church several times, but according to the story, it kept mysteriously returning to the place where it was found.

A chapel was built there in 1813, and followers have been returning to pray at el pocito ever since. They take so many cups of dirt to spread over foreheads, hearts and knees, that Chimayo officials must refill the pit periodically with replacement sand that’s been blessed. Visitors can purchase small containers of sand for $3 to take to a sick relative, or even order the sand from the shrine’s website.

Suntum said Chimayo officials typically refill el pocito with fresh, blessed desert dirt every day. During the crowded week of Easter when the shrine can see as many as 100,000 visitors, Suntum said officials have to refill the hole every hour.

The hallway outside el pocito is covered with photos of the sick on one side and soldiers and police officers on the other. Many pictures have notes attached, like one that asks God to protect a Marine from the Navajo Nation who is serving in Iraq. Another note asks the Guadalupe virgin to “hold off my cancer until I can see my daughter graduate from college. After that, I’m yours.”

On a recent Sunday, an elderly woman walked into the hallway staring at the photos of sick children and infant shoes left as offerings. She knelt by the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe, placed her head in her arms and wept so loudly it seemed to shake the flickering candles. Her husband quietly patted her back.

Next door to the Chimayo chapel is another shrine called Santo Nino de Atocha, built in 1856. Here parents of sick children, especially infants, leave toys, clothing, photos and notes seeking miracles in curing autism and other rare conditions.

One note told the story of a boy named Anthony who had meningitis. His parents were told by doctors he would not “walk, talk or go to school.” They prayed to Santo Nino de Atocha, and the husband promised “that he would never drink alcohol again.”

“You heard our prayers and our son made a full recovery to a healthy, happy baby,” wrote the mother, who signed the note as Rosemary and included photos of her son as a baby and a few years later, wearing a baseball uniform.

But the sites are not just for the faithful; they attract tourists as well. Jenny Hwa, 33, of Winston-Salem, NC, stopped at the site in July during a cross-country trip with a friend. Not knowing the history, Hwa did not have “a lot of expectations” until she saw people around el pocito.—AP

ustralian scientists yesterday hailed the discovery of a pair of insect-like eyes belonging to a freakish prehistoric super-predator which trawled the seas more than 500 million years ago. Measuring three centimeters (1.2 inches) across and with a whopping 16,000 individual lenses the fossilized eyes, from a huge shellfishtype creature called anomalocaris, were found in rocks on Australia’s Kangaroo Island. Anomalocaris could grow up to one meter long and were considered the “great white shark” of the Cambrian era, topping the ancient marine food chain, according to lead researcher John Paterson.

Modern-day houseflies have about 3,000 lenses in their eyes, while dragonflies have about 30,000 — the only creature known to have more lenses than anomalocaris. Paterson said the discovery showed that anomalocaris had lived in well-lit, clear waters and had developed sophisticated vision extremely rapidly, likely triggering an evolutionary “arms race” among other creatures.

Spines, poison glands and other defense mechanisms had probably erupted among creatures eager to escape detection by its huge eyes, which protruded from the side of its head on stalks.

“When you look at the animal itself it’s quite an alien-looking beast,” Paterson, from the University of New England, told AFP. The fact that anomalocaris had been found to have compound eyes also confirmed it was an ancestor of modern arthopods, which include insects and shellfish, said Paterson, whose study was published in Nature.

When the specimen was originally trapped in seafloor mud about 500 million years ago Australia, then part of the Gondwana supercontinent, was in tropical waters straddling the equator, Paterson said.

The fossil had been pushed from the sea floor at about the same speed human fingernails grow and eventually ended up on Kangaroo Island-now a hotbed of Cambrian artefacts-off Adelaide in South Australia. Though specimens had been found before in Canada and China, the Australian deposit was the first place an intact eye had been discovered, due to the unique shale rock it was trapped in, which had once been “zero oxygen” mud. “Within the mud or within the sediment there’s essentially no oxygen to allow for microbes to start to break down soft tissues,” Paterson said.

“What we’ve seen in the Emu Bay shale at Kangaroo Island is a much better picture of what was living there at the time than you would otherwise get in a conventional fossil deposit.” — AFP

Photo by the journal Nature shows a drawing made by Katrina Kenny of the University of Adelaide showing the fearsome meter-long super predator Anomalocaris. — AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

The finishing touches are put to a wax figure of US singer Lady Gaga wearing a dress made from cling film designed by Adnan Bayatt in a Christmas grotto at Madame Tussauds in Blackpool, north-west England, yesterday . Lady Gaga’s figure got a new bespoke dress made entirely from clingfilm for her role as snow queen in her own grotto at Madame Tussauds.—AFP

Y

ou see it all the time. Women dressed up, out for a nice dinner at a fancy place or attending a black-tie fundraiser, swaddling their expensive cocktail frocks in pastel pashmina wraps that are just all wrong. A wrap breaks up the lines of a structured dress, and it isn’t really warm enough for the chilly evenings of fall and winter. Though this is far from the most serious fashion offense, the look and silhouette come off as dated.

A pashmina is more passable with a long, flowing, boho-chic kind of dress when attending an island wedding or as a layer over a light dress as the sun is setting at the beach. When wearing a cocktail dress, especially in these colder months leading up to the holidays, go for structured, sexy and classic.

For an example, think about Kate Moss, who wore a tailored black tux jacket with three-quarter-length

Go with this midnight velvet blazer from Topshop.

sleeves over her strapless black velvet dress when she arrived at a recent event (via helicopter). Chances are it was a chilly ride in the chopper and she needed something to keep her warm until she hit the red carpet. The combo looked chic and unfussy with a touch of masculine tailoring to temper the sexiness of the dress. This formula is a no-fail way to add a practical and stylish layer to an evening ensemble.

A tux-style jacket is versatile enough to throw on over a fancy dress, and you can get extra mileage out of it by wearing it with slim black cigarette pants and simple black heels. Traditional black is the best investment because it’s the easiest to wear with a black or dark-colored dress. Or try an ivory jacket with a black lapel ($108 at Express) to draw a nice contrast and add drama to a simple black dress.

For a pop of holiday color, an emerald green charmeuse fitted blazer is festive and eye-catching ($229 at Talbots). It pairs well with black, gold, ivory or even certain shades of smoky gray. Balance out the strong color with bold accessories that might have subtle hints of a similar shade of green. A velvet tux jacket takes the cover-up into fancier territory. A midnight blue version ($150 at Topshop) feels rich and a little less expected.

If the tux look is too tailored or buttoned up for your taste, a cropped jacket with sequins or faux fur detail is an option. Express carries a sequined motostyle jacket ($128) in a shrunken fit, and it can be left open over a dress. (Stick with a nonmetallic colored dress if you wear a sequined jacket). Another metallic option, but with a more elegant appeal, is a gold jacket from Lanvin ($3,280 at Net-a-porter.com). If that’s too pricey for your budget, look for something similar at a lower cost in vintage boutiques.

A cropped sequined jacket by Michael Michael Kors ($195 at Net-a-porter.com) strikes a nice balance among the pieces mentioned here. It’s a great length, and it’s neither too fitted nor too boxy. A smattering of sequins keeps it dressy-looking, and the dark hue pairs well with a variety of dresses and prints.

There’s no need to shiver as you wait in the valet line after an evening event. Ditch the pashmina and go for something that pulls your look together and also keeps you warm.—MCT

This sequin moto jacket from Express features an asymmetrical zip and cropped cut. —MCT photos

This one-button look from Express is tux-inspired.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Lifestyle

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

A

A Cirque Du Soleil artist performs a rehearsal of ‘Varekai’ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday. — AP

World’s oldest dog dies in Japan

A

country used to celebrating the lives of the world’s oldest people was this week marking the passing of another notable centenarian, when the planet’s oldest dog died in Japan. Pusuke, a male cross breed, breathed his last on Monday afternoon, at the ripe old age of 26 years and nine months, making him the equivalent of more than 120 in human years, reports said. The animal suddenly refused to eat and appeared to be having difficulty breathing after many years of good health, owner Yumiko Shinohara said, according to Kyodo News.

The canine died in the early afternoon, watched by his owner. “He had been with me for 26 years, and he was like my child,” Shinohara, 42, told the Yomiuri Shimbun. “I just want to thank him for living for so long.” Pusuke was recognized a year ago by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest living dog. Japanese people have one of the longest life expectancies on the planet, something attributed in part to a healthy traditional diet and active lifestyle. In September the government announced that 37 out of every 100,000 people in the country are now more than 100 years old, a total of more than 47,700, with 87 percent of them women.—AFP

This photo taken in December, 2010 and received yesterday shows 42-year-old housewife Yumiko Shinohara holding a male cross breed dog called Pusuke in her arms in the city of Sakura, Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo. — AFP

A visitor takes pictures of the work titled ‘Rome 312’ at the asisi Panometer in Dresden, eastern Germany, during a preview yesterday. According to the organizers, the circular painting, based on the historical panorama by Josef Buehlmann and Alexander Wagner from the year 1889, is an original-size photorealistic simulation of the legendary metropolis. The 360 degrees panorama ‘ROME 312’ shows the ancient city with over a million inhabitants in the year 312 AD, after Emperor Constantine’s victory over his opponent Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge on the River Tiber. The work is presented to visitors from tomorrow to September 2, 2012. — AFP

rtists pore over their computers-drawing up work experience and not sketches-in a rigorous “boot camp” inspired by Nelson Mandela that combines practical business sense with talent. The five students are in a six-week residency in the isolated hills of Qunu at the Nelson Mandela Museum, overlooking the icon’s childhood home where he has been living for the last four months. The program is part of the museum’s outreach efforts and aims to give the artists, who are from the impoverished Eastern Cape, the business savvy they need for success while making better art.

Outreach all too often means “running into a disadvantaged area with a bag full of sandwiches and crayons and pencils and the kids have a sarmie (sandwich) and they scribble on a piece of paper and that is the end of your outreach,” said University of Pretoria lecturer Peter Binsbergen. He and other visiting mentors wanted this program to be different-and effective. It aims not only to make the five artists more visually literate but also to teach them skills like drawing up a press release and how to work with a gallery. “This is the first program in the country where money is invested in students to perform, and they are put in residence,” said Binsbergen.

He likened it to a “Big Brother house”-the television show where a group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the world and constantly filmed”where they are grilled and drilled 24 hours a day. They eat, think, sleep art. They are almost ...destroyed and bought back from the ground up.” Since the program began last year, one participant has been named runnerup prize in an emerging artists competition. Another finalist is in the current crop.

Surrounded by idyllic rural views, the sessions start in the morning and run to late at night with a gloves-off approach. In one workroom, the students’ sketches are displayed on opposite walls while their colleagues and lecturers pull their concepts apart. “It’s tough but you have to accept it because it’s the way of growing, it’s the way of learning,” said Monwabisi Ngcai, 30.

Make or break The incubator project was developed by professional artist and consultant Churchill Madikida. “I was born in the area, I grew up in this area and I struggled to gain access to art facilities or art institutions,” he told AFP. “I already knew the challenges that were facing artists from this area.” Nelson Mandela Museum project coordinator Bongiwe Qotoyi said the workshops were in line with the icon’s values. “It is about developing an individual, instilling the leadership skills, so that at the end of the day this individual is able to plough back to the community.”

The tranquility of the location, which plunges into isolation once the museum closes for the day, and the presence of 93-year-old Mandela a few hundred meters away are extra sources of inspiration. “When I was in university I only learned how to paint,” said participant Asanda Kupa.

“It’s no longer for me now a matter of practicing and doing artworks. It’s a matter of how I put my artworks conceptually and let them tell stories. I can say now I’m able to understand art better than when I was at school.

“I think that the six weeks that an artist will spend here will be better than the three years or four years that they will spend in a university. I’m absolutely positive about that. It’s so powerful.” Binsbergen says while better technical skills are being sought, the key aim of the “boot camp” is sustainability once the artists leave. “What these guys realize faster than university students is this is the real deal, this is make or break, if I don’t pull finger, I’m going to starve,” he said. “The level of maturity we’re dealing here with is awesome. They’re literally like sponges.” — AFP

Stars

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Aries (March 21-April 19)

You are at your very best when it comes to dealing and working with others. You know just what to do and can act without haste.

You are called upon to make use of your natural abilities and commonsense. If you are in business to bring in a healthy quantity of fish, you will automatically know just where to sink the net or the lines in order to bring in the best catch. There is much beauty around you and in your life at this time and you find ways to show others your appreciation.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

There can be schemes and subtleties involved in today’s communication, especially in the workplace. While this tendency will pass, you must get both sides of all stories before making decisions involving others. Your name and reputation are spreading to higher-ups and your ability to solve problems is impressive. Your objective, as usual, is to get things accomplished. You can produce impressive writing results. You find ideas counting for much more than merely personal concerns, and you have a lot of respect for those that rise above difficulties.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

If you have been procrastinating on making a date with someone special, applying for the right job or in some way making yourself known you can set all your worries aside. You will appear more charming and refined than usual. You may find this a time when your career takes a turn and that could require some careful thought and good judgment on your part. Good energies and good luck appear on the horizon.

You have the ability to demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the need of others just now and that puts you in a positive place so that you can communicate well with those around you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Stick with what you know best right now—this may not be the best time for breaking away from the old routine. You may be the person that others come to for guidance in their lives. You have a lot of talent in knowing people and helping them to choose the right path for their career, expertise, education and talents. It would not be surprising to find yourself working as a psychiatrist, counselor or consultant.

Later, after work, you may decide to get out and about socially.

Chatting among friends or family will help to keep you in the know, so to speak. A philosophical subject grabs your interest tonight.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Taking risks and daring to be a little on the unconventional side attracts your attention; careful. You will prosper through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. For example, some of those wild ideas of yours could be set down on paper and made into a play or film. Your life may move toward a kind of spiritual wanderlust just now, as you yearn to expand your horizons and reach for the very best that you can be. New and interesting involvement in some new directions could find you dabbling in such things as politics, law, education and religion, metaphysical or philosophical studies.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) An easy manner will make conversations and interactions go well. You may find yourself more talkative than usual. A dialogue with an older person may take place, someone you respect and from which you enjoy getting important feedback. Some areas of your investments or your budget can be adjusted to get the best results and you gain in a new understanding of business. This afternoon you may be feeling a bit nostalgic and domestic and can be expressive in the kitchen or through helping friends or relatives with their needs. Your time tonight with loved ones is sweet. A parent, probably a father, may be in a position to grant you a favor, if your approach is with patience. Make note of some future gift ideas this evening.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

You are in the mood to work and to accomplish whatever job is at hand today. Talking about your career concerns with a partner will help you to see things in a larger scope and give the two of you ideas on how to strengthen your professional standing. A smart idea for an advertisement slogan will gain you recognition as well. You do not have to worry over a success that could end soon as you are a valued employee. Later today is good to spend with loved ones and family. Things may be a bit detached or rather cool on the personal level so be patient. This is a good time to strengthen relationships.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You seem to have lots of vitality and interest in communication skills at this time. Your problem-solving abilities will be able to reach out and touch someone today. You are open to expansive feelings and triggers for new opportunities. Your mental outlook, communications with others and urges to rush in and take care of any difficulties, may be slowed by delays—patience is important. You will also find romantic situations have slowed. Lovers, children and other people, or things that are dear to your heart, are emphasized at this time. The evening is a great time for you to shop.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You have all the energy you need to assert yourself in the pursuit of your professional success. There are many opportunities to show your self-discipline and your ability to carry through on responsibilities. It is important to keep up with current events at this time. Successful meetings with out-of-town business partners may depend on the information you have about their part of the world. Health care options fascinate you this afternoon. There are all sorts of news about spiritual healing, miracle vitamins and alternative therapies. Your contacts with family and friends are most pleasant and you may find there is a mutual interest in the alternative therapies. You enjoy turning to your friends and family in search of social pleasantries. Life is good.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You may find yourself wishing you could speak up against what someone is saying. You will do well by staying silent, however, as this could just be a test—patience. What is required now is presence of mind and real patience, in order to avoid a flare-up. You are good at keeping your feelings under control.

As you work with the truth of whatever subject has your attention just now, you will accomplish what you set out to achieve. If you allow your creative and intuitive nature to surface this evening, you could find many nice things evolving as a result. New answers to old problems, inventive ideas and the like are possible. A cultural event involving friends and associates is quite enlightening. You will learn about some unusual customs.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) The needs of a sensual nature are but one of the issues emphasized in your life now. You will instinctively want to be more powerful and in control. Perhaps in saying the right thing you could be directed toward some new and interesting experiences in healing and investing—or in the fascinating mysteries of the field of research. There may be a sense of others trying to cut you off or someone may try to make it difficult for you to express yourself. Your ideas and thoughts may not meet with the support that you feel they need; patience. There could be a lack of depth and feeling; however, this day can be lived gently; enjoy the positive results that are bound to happen through your efforts. You teach others through your own actions.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Allowing your head to be in the clouds, being unrealistic and in a kind of funk, could certainly keep you from performing your more established duties. Take your allotted breaks and make sure you receive the important nutrients for your body. This will enable you to perform your duties and help return you to your physical well-being. The difficulties that arise now will offer you the best opportunities to grow wiser; listen and learn. There are opportunities for discovery this afternoon. You are able to distinguish between reality and illusion.

Your sixth sense or psychic abilities are energized at this time. There is a close bond deepening between you and an older person in your family. This could be a time you will look back on with pride and joy.

COUNTRY CODES Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African Republic 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Upcoming events Entertaining events Al-Kout and The British Playhouse join hands in bringing fun, entertaining and educational events to the community. Please join them for lots of fun filled activities. All activities are FREE of charge! Events will include: Face painting, Henna, Characters Clown, Balloon arch Balloon art, gifts for children’s competitions for kids (best drawing, etc).

Interactive activities will include: Coloring corner, story telling corner, play dough corner, arts and crafts corner, bricks blocks, board games and puzzles corner on Thursday December 8th, Saturday December 17th, & Thursday December 29th at Al-Kout Mall, Fahaheel-Kuwait From 5pm - 9pm. For more info: 9441-1783.

Christmas bell rings The region is getting ready to welcome the spring of Christmas tide as the sweet bells ring the evergreen cadence of the celebration. Men’s Voice and Choral Society - Kuwait, the renowned Christian musicale in Kuwait since 2001 always launch the beginning of the Christmas Carols in Kuwait. This group who were able to put up an incredible Christmas Concert in the form of a 23 ft Living Christmas tree last year is now all set to present their 11th Annual Christmas Music Concert “Celtic Christmas” for all the music lovers of the region on Wednesday 7th, December 2011 at 7.OOpm at Hall of Faith, National Evangelical Church (NECK), KuwaitThis musicale of Men s Voice and Choral Society is led by Choir Master Sam C Abraham, and Frederick Nirmal on the keyboard. They will bring the harmony of western classics, hymns and the melodies of Malayalam songs. Every music lover is cordially invited to this musical concert. For more details contact: 94064465/66044819 or visit: www.mensvoicekuwait.org or www.facebook.com/mensvoicekuwait United Indian School basketball team won the CBSE Kuwait cluster tournament. UIS boys and girls teams are leaving Kuwait tomorrow Saturday for the CBSE national basketball tournament to be held in Chennai-India.

Cinemagic hosts a month of movies THE ICE STORM Tom, December 10th at 7:30pm 1973, suburban Connecticut: middle class families experimenting with casual sex, drink, etc., find their lives out of control.

THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON Thursday, December 22nd at 7:30pm Daniel Johnston, manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist is revealed in this portrait of madness, creativity and love.

THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY DRINKER Thursday, December 15th at 7:30pm This is an enchanting, mesmeric fable. It tells the story of an alcoholic who strives for redemption, but is cheated out of attaining it again and again - either by drink or friends or any of the myriad pleasures life throws at us. And yet somehow miraculously - the drinker’s soul remainsintact; his final mission frustrated, temporarily foresaken but never entirely forgotten.

RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE Saturday, December 24th at 7:30pm In the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains, 486 metres deep, lies the closest ever guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up! This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.

12 ANGRY MEN Saturday, December 17th at 7:30pm A dissenting juror in a murder trial slowly manages to convince the others that the case is not as obviously clear as it seemed in court.

Open doors at the embassy of Peru

T

he embassy of Peru holds every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday “Welcome Kuwait Open Doors Days” from 9 am to 1 pm. Prior appointment is not necessary to all who will come and visit the “Expo Peru Tour, Trade and Investment Room”. The Expo and Investment Room features detailed information on products and tourism sectors of Peru that offer profitable investments as well as answer questions. The Open Doors event will be held in Sharq, Ahmed Al-Jaber Street, Al-Arabiya Tower, Sixth Floor.

BRAZIL Thursday, December 29th at 7:30pm A bureaucrat in a retro-future world tries to correct an administrative error and himself becomes an enemy of the state.

Cinemagic movies are screened in the old Salmiya, on the roof on top of Alghanim Electronics and LG.

La Leche to hold a meeting

L

a Leche will hold a meeting on December 12th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm at the L’Ali Al-Badri Building in Salmiya (Qatar Street, across from the Boulevard construction site, about 500 metres from City Centre. Little Caesar’s Pizza is at the foot of the building).

For directions call Raj Alvis at 6991-342. La Leche League (LLL) is an international, non-profit organization that provides mother-tomother support, encouragement, information and education for women who breastfeed their children. If you are currently breastfeeding your baby or small child, or are pregnant and intend to breastfeed your baby (or are considering it but have questions) and would like to meet up with others mums who breastfeed, then LLL is for you! This meeting is for pregnant women and breastfeeding moms only.

Christmas Carol concert The Ahmadi Music Group will be holding a fantastic Christmas Carol Concert on December 9 and 10 at New English School (NES) from 5pm both days with an adult show at 7:30pm on both days, in which Santa will be making an appearance, and the children can get involved with singing, waving jingle bells, etc. Guaranteed Christmas fun for the whole family!

New Year Hangama The RAK Dance Academy (RDA) Kuwait, is planning to put a charity event as celebration of its New Year Hangama 2012, on 31st December, 2011, from 6 pm onwards, at Carmel School Khaitan. All participants are well known artists from Kuwait. The main purpose of this celebration is to collect donations and raise money for supporting handicapped children in India. contributions from you. Your attendance is your donation. Please join for an evening for a good cause. Call 99692266, 65925730 for details.

Auditions for KLT season It’s audition time again for the next show of the KLT season, a ‘GLEE-esque’ show choir production - Vocal Rhapsody’s “Love Story”, slated for the stage in February 2012. Vocal Rhapsody’s “Love Story” - is a show choir production with hit songs from artists such as Journey, Queen, Katy Perry and Meatloaf. If you love to sing and perform come out to audition for this ‘GLEE-esque’ production that is guaranteed to be fun, exciting and musically intriguing for all! Auditions are held in Kuwait Little Theater in Ahmadi on Saturday December 3rd from 6pm8pm, Sunday December 4th from 7pm-9pm, and Monday December 5th from 7pm-9pm (you should arrive promptly at the start time on the day you choose to attend and stay until your audition is complete. You only need to attend one audition.)

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Al-Yaal beach clean-up

A

l Yaal, Kuwait’s First Nationwide Marine Conservation Initiative, is organizing a beach clean-up on Sulaibikhat beach tomorrow December 10th from 8.00 am till 11:00 am. Al-Yaal is a sustained, multi-pronged initiative which seeks to mobilize all factions of society to protect Kuwait’s rich marine ecosystem. Through preventive and reactive measures such as cleanup activities, education, advocacy and community ownership, Al Yaal aspires to include volunteer groups, non-profit organizations, companies, government agencies, educational institutions and local media in its efforts to preserve Kuwait’s coastal environment.

Charity bazaar on December 15th

T

here will be a charity bazaar with lots of fresh food, youth games, face painting, games, surprise auction, songs, plants, art shows, Christmas crafts, used goods and lots of other fun activities! The event will be hosted at the Lighthouse Church Kuwait in Kuwait City from 5pm till 11pm.

For more information or if you wish to participate with your goods contact: sally_hosny79@yahoo.com

Premier Goal Academy and Everton

W

FC hold a football festival on Dec 10th

e would like to invite you to the P.G.A. Festival of Football event taking place tomorrow December 10th at the Shaab Park P.G.A. Centre under the patronage of the British Ambassador, Frank Baker. The schedule is as follows: All participating players aged three to 11 years and coaches should arrive at 08:30.

Matches will be played from 09:00-12:00 for 3 to 11 years of age. At 12:00 all players, from three to 17 years, will assemble in their teams and there will be a Freestyle

Football Display.

Presentations by the British Ambassador will take place between 12:30-1:15. All individual players from every age group will receive a medal from the ambassador.

From 1:30-4:30 further matches will take place for 12 to 17 years of age. Teams will be participating from the Premier GOAL Academy/Everton F.C, LFK - French School, the Russian Embassy School, Hawally Pakistan School, Canadian Bilingual School, American School, Indian School and other invited Academies and

Adopt a pet

Reeba the DSH cat Reeba is a sweet one-year old Domestic Short Haired cat.

This little girl is friendly, responsive and independent; she likes to lounge on a couch if she wouldn’t come to you for attention. Reeba would do great in most homes with children over 5.

Caesar the GSD mix Caesar is a handsome one-year old male German Shepherd Mix. This friendly and social dog would love a home with a garden and with another dog to play with.

Caesar loves a good cuddle and his daily long walks. He will do best in a home with children over 12.

To adopt contact K’S PATH at (+965) 6700 1622 or visit the website www.kspath.org

clubs. Some 48 teams will compete consisting of over 500 young players in total.

All games in the 12 to 17 age groups will be completed by 4:30.

Our Winter Camp at Shaab Park will run for five days from Sunday 18 to Thursday, December 22nd, from 09:30-1:30 daily.

Cost is KD75 including course T-shirt, medal, certificate and sponsors gifts. Places are limited so early registration is advised.

Finally, our third course of this season will commence on Friday 13 January, following the usual days and timings.

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca.

The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait.

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed December 25, 2011 (Sunday) “Christmas Day”. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy.

We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area Block 6 - Street 9 - Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316.

T

Lecture at AUK

he Center for Gulf Studies at the American University in Kuwait (AUK) is going to organise a lecture “When Victory is Not an Option: Islamist Movements in Arab Politics” by Dr Nathan J. Brown, a distinguished scholar and author of several well-received books on Arab politics. During his lecture, Dr Brown will be introducing and talking about his latest book When Victory is Not an Option: Islamist Movements in Arab Politics, which provides an analysis of Islamist movements in Kuwait, Egypt, Palestine, and Jordan on Tuesday, Dec 17 at 10 am. AUK Auditorium Liberal Arts Building. The lecture will be conducted in English but the speaker can handle questions or interviews in Arabic. Dr Brown, who is also a fluent Arabic speaker, received his Ph.D. and M.A. from Princeton University, and was previously a scholar in residence at the Middle East Institute. He is currently a Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University. Dr Brown has recently been a member of the International Advisory Committee on drafting the Palestinian constitution and consultant to the UNDP’s program on governance in the Arab world.

TV Listings FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

00:50 01:45 02:40 03:35 04:30 05:25 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:10 11:05 12:00 12:55 13:20 13:50 14:45 15:40 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:25 19:20 20:15 20:40 21:10 22:05

I’m Alive Animal Cops Phoenix Mutant Planet Animal Kingdom I’m Alive Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Animal Cops Phoenix SSPCA: On The Wildside Monkey Life Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Natural Born Hunters The Really Wild Show Breed All About It Extraordinary Dogs Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Animal Cops Houston Bondi Vet Wildlife SOS World Wild Vet Animal Cops Phoenix Mutant Planet Monkey Life Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Natural Born Hunters The Really Wild Show Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Bad Dog Bondi Vet Breed All About It Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Mutant Planet

00:40 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:15 03:45 04:15 04:40 04:50 05:00 05:15 05:20 05:40 06:00 06:10 06:20 06:35 06:40 07:00 07:10 07:30 07:40 07:50 08:05 08:10 08:30 08:40 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:35 09:40 09:45 09:50 10:10 10:20 10:40 11:10 11:40 12:25 13:25 13:55 14:25 15:20 15:50 16:20 17:20 18:05 18:35 19:05 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:45 22:20 23:05

Married, Single, Other My Family My Family The Weakest Link Big Bear Diary Big Bear Diary Doctors 3rd & Bird Bobinogs Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Tweenies Fimbles 3rd & Bird Bobinogs Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Tweenies Charlie and Lola Fimbles 3rd & Bird Bobinogs Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Tweenies Charlie and Lola Fimbles 3rd & Bird Bobinogs Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Poetry Pie Buzz & Tell Tweenies Charlie and Lola Fimbles My Family My Family The Weakest Link Coast Doctors EastEnders Big Bear Diary My Family My Family Coast The Weakest Link Doctors EastEnders Big Bear Diary Big Bear Diary Coast The Weakest Link Doctors Doctor Who Married, Single, Other

00:25 00:50 01:15 02:05 02:55 03:20 04:10 05:00 05:50 06:15 07:05 07:35

The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook Come Dine With Me What Not To Wear The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook Come Dine With Me What Not To Wear The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook Daily Cooks Challenge Bargain Hunt

15:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 15:40 Ed, Edd n Eddy 16:05 Camp Lazlo 16:30 Chowder 16:55 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 17:25 Cow & Chicken 17:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 18:15 I Am Weasel 18:40 George Of The Jungle 19:05 Codename: Kids Next Door 19:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 19:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Challenge 20:20 Generator Rex 20:45 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 21:10 Sym-Bionic Titan 21:35 Batman And Mr. Freeze: Subzero 22:50 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 23:50 The Secret Saturdays

00:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson 01:00 Backstory 01:30 World Sport 02:00 The Situation Room 03:00 World Report 04:00 Anderson Cooper 360 05:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 06:00 Quest Means Business 06:45 CNN Marketplace Europe 07:00 Erin Burnett Outfront 08:00 World Sport 08:30 Backstory 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Report 11:00 World Sport 11:30 The Best Of Backstory 12:00 World Business Today 12:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 13:00 Backstory 13:30 Talk Asia 14:00 World One 15:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 16:00 News Stream 17:00 World Business Today 18:00 International Desk 19:00 The Brief 19:30 World Sport 20:00 World Report 20:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 21:00 International Desk 21:30 The CNN Freedom Project 22:00 Quest Means Business 22:45 CNN Marketplace Africa 23:00 Piers Morgan Tonight

THE ECLIPSE ON OSN CINEMA 08:20 Daily Cooks Challenge 08:50 Daily Cooks Challenge 10:50 Antiques Roadshow 11:40 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 12:25 Bargain Hunt 13:10 Come Dine With Me 14:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 14:30 Daily Cooks Challenge 15:30 Cash In The Attic USA 15:50 Antiques Roadshow 16:40 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 17:25 Bargain Hunt 18:10 Come Dine With Me 19:00 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey: Christmas 19:55 Rick Stein’s Taste Of Italian Opera 20:50 Come Dine With Me 21:40 Antiques Roadshow 22:30 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 23:15 Bargain Hunt

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 05:45 06:00 06:30 06:45 07:00

BBC World News America Hardtalk BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News America Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday

07:30 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 World Business Report 11:45 Sport Today 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 World Business Report 14:45 Sport Today 15:00 GMT With George Alagiah 15:30 GMT With George Alagiah 16:00 Impact 16:30 Talking Books 17:00 Impact 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World Have Your Say 18:30 World Have Your Say 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 BBC World News 19:40 Weekend World 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 Middle East Business Report 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Have Your Say Extra 22:40 Weekend World 23:00 BBC World News 23:30 Talking Books

00:15 Samurai Jack 00:40 Megas XLR 01:05 Robotboy 01:30 Squirrel Boy 01:55 George Of The Jungle 02:20 Cramp Twins 02:45 Chop Socky Chooks 03:10 Best Ed 03:35 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Generator Rex 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 05:40 Chowder 05:55 Powerpuff Girls 06:30 Ed, Edd n Eddy 06:55 I Am Weasel 07:20 Squirrel Boy 07:45 Cow & Chicken 08:00 Eliot Kid 08:25 Angelo Rules 08:50 Best Ed 09:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 09:40 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 10:05 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 10:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 10:55 Cow & Chicken 11:20 I Am Weasel 11:35 Adventure Time 12:00 Ben 10 12:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 12:50 The Secret Saturdays 13:15 Samurai Jack 13:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 14:05 Codename: Kids Next Door 14:30 Skunk Fu! 14:50 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:45 09:10 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 11:50 12:20 Junior 13:15 14:10 15:05 15:30 16:00 16:25 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 Junior 22:25 22:50 23:20

Danger Coast Dual Survival Overhaulin’ Dirty Jobs Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How Stuff’S Made How It’S Made Dirty Jobs Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ How Stuff’S Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings Ultimate Biker Challenge South Beach Classics American Chopper: Senior vs

00:40 01:05 01:35 02:25

The Gadget Show The Tech Show The Kustomizer Stunt Junkies

Ultimate Survival Dual Survival Danger Coast Cash Cab Us Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings How It’S Made How Stuff’S Made Cash Cab Us American Chopper: Senior vs Carfellas South Beach Classics Desert Car Kings

02:50 03:15 03:40 04:35 05:00 05:25 05:50 06:40 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:10 10:35 11:00 11:25 12:20 12:45 13:15 13:40 14:05 14:55 15:20 15:50 16:40 17:05 18:00 18:50 19:15 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:50

Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Science Of The Movies The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Cool Stuff & How It Works The Kustomizer One Step Beyond Brainiac Scrapheap Challenge Mission Critical: Hubble The Tech Show Weird Connections The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Brainiac Sci-Fi Science Cool Stuff & How It Works Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Mission Critical: Hubble One Step Beyond Stunt Junkies The Kustomizer Weird Connections Scrapheap Challenge Mission Critical: Hubble Sci-Fi Science The Tech Show Futurecar Eco-Tech How The Universe Works The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Futurecar Eco-Tech

00:00 00:25 01:15 02:00 02:50 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:00 06:20 06:45 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:35 09:00 09:15 09:25 09:35 09:50 10:15 10:30 10:50 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:45 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:55 15:20 15:45 16:00 16:10 16:35 17:00 18:15 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:28 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15

Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Emperor’s New School Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Emperor’s New School The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody Cars Toons Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction The Hive Handy Manny Imagination Movers Phineas And Ferb Emperor’s New School Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Friends For Change Games Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Emperor’s New School Fish Hooks Hannah Montana Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place

00:25 00:55 01:25 02:20 03:15 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 14:35 15:30 16:25 16:55

Kendra Style Star E!es E!es 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Extreme Hollywood THS Behind The Scenes E! News Dirty Soap THS E! News Bridalplasty Keeping Up With The Kardashians Giuliana & Bill E!es Behind The Scenes Keeping Up With The Kardashians

TV Listings FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

17:25 17:55 18:55 19:55 20:25 20:55 21:25 22:25 23:25 23:55

Keeping Up With The Kardashians E! News E!es Style Star Style Star Chelsea Lately Giuliana & Bill E! News Chelsea Lately Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:40 00:40 01:30 01:30 02:15 02:15 03:05 03:05 04:40 04:40 05:25 05:25 06:15 06:15 07:10 07:10 08:00 08:00 08:50 08:50 09:40 09:40 10:25 10:25 11:10 11:10 11:35 11:35 11:55 11:55 12:40 12:40 13:25 13:25 14:15 14:15 15:00 15:00 15:25 15:25 15:50 15:50 16:35 16:35 17:20 17:20 18:10 18:10 19:00 19:00 19:45 19:45 20:10 20:10 20:55 20:55 21:20 21:20 22:10 22:10 23:00 23:00 23:50 23:50

Dr G: Medical Examiner Dr G Medical Examiner Ghost Lab Ghost Lab A Haunting A Haunting Fbi’S 10 Most Wanted FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Dr G: Medical Examiner Dr G Medical Examiner Ghost Lab Ghost Lab A Haunting A Haunting Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files FBI Files Forensic Detectives Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Street Patrol Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn On the Case with Paula Zahn Disappeared Disappeared Murder Shift Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Street Patrol Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn On the Case with Paula Zahn Disappeared Disappeared FBI Files FBI Files Forensic Detectives Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn On the Case with Paula Zahn Disappeared Disappeared True CSI True CSI True Crime With Aphrodite Jones True Crime with Aphrodite Jones

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00

Departures Bondi Rescue: Bali Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Travel Madness Deadliest Journeys Deadliest Journeys Dive Detectives On Surfari On Surfari Departures Bondi Rescue: Bali Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Travel Madness Deadliest Journeys Deadliest Journeys Dive Detectives On Surfari On Surfari Departures Geo Sessions Geo Sessions Treks In A Wild World Travel Madness Madventures Madventures Around The World For Free A World Apart The Frankincense Trail Geo Sessions

19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Geo Sessions Treks In A Wild World Travel Madness Madventures Madventures Around The World For Free A World Apart

00:00 02:15 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:15 14:15 16:15 18:00 20:00 22:00

Bram Stoker’s Dracula-18 8 Mile-PG15 Legion-18 Bangkok Adrenaline-PG15 Rocky-PG15 Spiderman 2-PG15 Patriot Games-PG15 Rocky-PG15 Winning Time-PG15 Patriot Games-PG15 Tortured-18 Lake Placid 3-18

01:15 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:15 12:45 15:00 17:15 19:30 21:30 23:30

Girl, Positive-PG15 The Open Road-PG15 The Eclipse-PG15 Shrek Forever After-FAM The Great Debaters-PG15 The Open Road-PG15 Secretariat-PG15 The Green Hornet-PG15 The Great Debaters-PG15 Just Wright-PG15 Brothers-18 Tron: Legacy-PG15

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 04:30 05:30

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Louie Weeds South Park Friends According To Jim The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Seinfeld

06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 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 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

Two And A Half Men Just Shoot Me Late Night With Jimmy Fallon According To Jim Friends Seinfeld Community Wilfred Just Shoot Me The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Two And A Half Men According To Jim Friends Seinfeld Just Shoot Me Wilfred Community The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Outsourced Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Raising Hope The Office Community Hot In Cleveland The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Louie Weeds South Park Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 17:00

The X Factor (US) Look-A-Like Rescue Me Eureka No Ordinary Family Good Morning America Law & Order Emmerdale Look-A-Like The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View The X Factor (US) Look-A-Like No Ordinary Family Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show

18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Tower Prep Glee The X Factor (US) Survivor: South Pacific Damages Law & Order

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Detroit 1-8-7 Rescue Me Century City The X Factor (US) Look-A-Like Eureka Detroit 1-8-7 Tower Prep Law & Order: Los Angeles Eureka The X Factor (US) Look-A-Like Tower Prep The Ellen DeGeneres Show Law & Order: Los Angeles Detroit 1-8-7 Tower Prep The Ellen DeGeneres Show Kojak Glee The X Factor (US) Survivor: South Pacific Damages Century City

01:00 Kiss Of Death-18 03:00 Empire-18 05:00 Paranormal Activity-PG15 07:00 Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time-PG15 09:00 Shanghai Knights-PG15 11:15 Universal Soldier: RegenerationPG15 13:15 Avatar-PG 16:15 Ip Man-PG15 18:30 The Wolfman-18 20:30 Shutter Island-18 23:00 The Devil’s Tomb-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

French Kiss-PG15 Indian Summer-PG15 Molly-PG15 Bandslam-PG15 Straight Talk-PG15 Josie And The Pussycats-PG15 One Fine Day-PG15 Coming & Going-PG15 French Kiss-PG15 My Sassy Girl-PG15 Soul Men-18 Say It Isn’t So-18

01:15 03:30 05:30 07:30 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:15 19:00 21:00 23:00

The Vintner’s Luck-18 Sea Of Love-18 Preacher’s Kid-PG Fantastic Mr. Fox-FAM Glitter-PG15 Unstrung Heroes-PG15 North-PG The China Syndrome-PG Oceans - Into The Deep-PG Searching For Bobby Fischer-PG The Clearing-18 Asylum-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Handsome Harry-18 16 To Life-PG15 Hurricane Season-PG15 School Of Rock-PG15 I Am Number Four-PG15 Like Mike-PG You Again-PG15 Don’t Fade Away-PG15 I Am Number Four-PG15 Nine-PG15 Unstoppable-PG15 Whiteout-18

00:00 Christopher Columbus-PG 02:00 A Venetian Rascal Goes To America-PG15 04:00 Turtle Hero: Part II-FAM 06:00 The Big Green-PG 08:15 The Prince Of Dinosaurs-PG 10:00 Cats & Dogs-PG 12:00 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore-PG 14:00 Tooth Fairy-PG 16:15 My Fair Madeline-FAM 18:00 Cats & Dogs-PG 20:00 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore-PG 22:00 The Prince Of Dinosaurs-PG

01:30 Machete-18 03:45 Legendary-PG15 06:00 Arthur And The Revenge Of Maltazard-PG 08:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 10:00 Another Year-PG15 12:15 Legendary-PG15 14:15 The Chaperone-PG15 16:15 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 18:00 Get Low-PG15 20:00 Unstoppable-PG15 22:00 Youth In Revolt-18

AVATAR ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

09:30 10:00 11:00 16:00 17:00

Powerboats UIM WWE NXT Live PGA European Tour Live Powerboats F1 Test Cricket

02:00 02:30 09:30 10:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:00

ICC Cricket World Live Test Cricket ICC Cricket World Darts Players Championship Trans World Sport ICC Cricket World Live Snooker UK Championship ICC Cricket World Futbol Mundial Trans World Sport European Tour Weekly Live Snooker UK Championship

03:00 07:00 08:00 10:00 11:00 16:00

Snooker UK Championship Golfing World European Challenge Cup Trans World Sports Live European PGA Tour European Challenge Cup

18:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00

Rugby Union Varsity Match Golfing World Asian Tour Golf World Hockey Live Pool Mosconi Cup

03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:30 22:00

WWE NXT UFC 140 Countdown UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection Speedway Le Mans Series Highlights V8 Supercars Extra WWE NXT Live HSBC Sevens World Series Live Pool Mosconi Cup

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 11:55 12:20 12:35 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:20 14:45 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 16:55 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:45 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25 23:55

The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show New Yogi Bear Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals Top Cat New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Jetsons Duck Dodgers Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Tom & Jerry The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dexters Laboratory Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Top Cat Wacky Races Tom & Jerry The Scooby Doo Show Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo Dexters Laboratory

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Deep Wreck Mysteries Deep Sea Salvage Decoding The Past Ax Men Swamp People Deep Wreck Mysteries Deep Sea Salvage Decoding The Past Ax Men Swamp People Deep Wreck Mysteries Deep Sea Salvage Decoding The Past Ax Men Swamp People Deep Wreck Mysteries Deep Sea Salvage Decoding The Past Chasing Mummies Pawn Stars Lost Worlds

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

Information

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines 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 FDB ETD IRA GFA RBG JZR RKM MEA IYE MSR MSR JZR KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL OMA QTR RJA KAC JZR KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA RBG ABY JZR

Flt 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 55 301 619 213 3555 165 310 404 825 623 610 201 672 219 618 57 982 645 140 640 284 257 546 134 561 213 303 857 215 510 3557 127 125

Arrival Flights on Friday 9/12/2011 Route 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 DUBAI ABU DHABI LAR BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI RAS ALKHAIMAH BEIRUT SANAA SOHAG CAIRO DAMASCUS DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA AMMAN DHAKA BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA SOHAG DEIREZZOR ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH SOHAG SHARJAH BAHRAIN

Time 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 9:20 9:35 9:50 9:55 11:05 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 15:00 15:00 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 17:45

JZR FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC AIC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI KAC MLR SVA MSR DHX VOS FCX MEA GFA QTR ALK JZR UAE KAC SAI JZR UAL PIA DLH

177 63 542 787 674 744 975 166 102 774 562 61 572 786 403 506 618 372 81 304 402 217 136 227 135 859 502 441 239 981 215 636

Airlines UAL LMU AXB BBC AIC DLH PIA KAC ETH THY FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR THY JZR GFA RJA JZR FDB KAC BAW KAC JZR JZR UAE ABY KAC

Flt 981 1110 390 44 982 637 206 283 621 773 68 854 371 613 306 139 771 164 212 643 200 54 545 156 671 256 560 856 126 117

DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO RIYADH DUBAI DAMMAM CHENNAI/GOA PARIS/ROME NEW YORK/LONDON RIYADH AMMAN DUBAI MUMBAI JEDDAH COLOMBO/DUBAI JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAGHDAD RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA COLOMBO/DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT LAHORE AMMAN BAHRAIN KARACHI FRANKFURT Departure Flights on Friday 9/12/2011 Route WASHINGTON DC DULLES ALEXANDRIA MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE DHAKA AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/CHENNAI FRANKFURT LAHORE DHAKA ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN CAIRO ABU DHABI DOHA ISTANBUL DUBAI BAHRAIN AMMAN DAMASCUS DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LONDON DUBAI BEIRUT SOHAG DUBAI SHARJAH NEW YORK

18:15 18:40 18:50 19:05 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:30 20:35 20:45 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:45 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 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:55 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:25 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:00 9:30 9:40 9:45 10:00

FDB QTR ETD KAC KAC GFA IRA JZR RBG KAC KAC RKM MEA IYE MSR JZR MSR GFA JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC OMA UAL RJA JZR KAC KAC KAC QTR KAC JZR ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA RBG ABY SVA JZR FDB JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC JAI MLR MSR SVA DHX MEA GFA QTR ALK KAC JZR KAC FCX UAE JZR SAI KAC

56 133 302 617 177 214 618 212 3558 541 103 311 405 825 624 176 611 220 124 58 561 673 785 646 982 641 786 501 501 773 141 743 238 304 538 135 858 216 3556 128 511 134 64 184 361 62 343 351 571 404 619 507 373 403 218 137 228 301 554 205 102 860 502 442 411

DUBAI DOHA ABU DHABI DOHA FRANKFURT/GENEVA BAHRAIN LAR DEIREZZOR SOHAG CAIRO LONDON RAS ALKHAIMAH BEIRUT DOHA/SANAA SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT BAHRAIN AMMAN RIYADH BEIRUT BEIRUT RIYADH DOHA DAMMAM AMMAN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI DUBAI COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI COCHIN MUMBAI DUBAI/COLOMBO ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI/COLOMBO MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA ISLAMABAD DUBAI DUBAI LUXOR LAHORE BANGKOK/MANILA

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

10:05 10:10 10:20 10:25 10:35 10:40 10:50 10:50 11:45 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 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 19:05 19:20 19:55 20:20 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:30 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:35 23:50 23:55

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

SITUATION WANTED Indian Accountant highly experienced in preparing Trial Balance, P&L, Balance Sheet, Budget & Budget controls, Dealing with Banks, all Accounting Procedures, L/Cs, Foreign Purchase, oil field Tenders, knowing Arabic, Accounting Softwares Tally, Al-Sahel, BIS, with Driving License available immediately. Can work as Secretary also.

Contact: 97669236 / 24315927. (C 3758) 5-12-2011

FOR SALE Samsung automatic washing machine 6.5 kilo, plus dryer whirlpool KD 70/- both of them. Contact: 90029751.

6-12-2011 32” Sony LCD TV in excellent condition KD 90/-. Contact: 99598324.

(C 3757) Furniture for sale, Shaab Sea side, Spectacular direct sea view, very close to the Canadian Embassy - 3 bedrooms flat. Wood flooring and wall paper in the living room. Contact: 60027061 / 97310272. (C 3761) Mitsubishi Jeep, Nativa, model 2010, white color, 6

cylinder engine alloy rim, registration till 20-04-2013, excellent condition (installment possible), cash price KD 3,550. Contact: 99105286.

(C 3762) 5-12-2011 SITUATION VACANT Looking for immediate employment Pakistani/ Indian/Bangladeshi cook who is ready to work on part time or full time basis and can cook for a small Pakistani family. Contact: 24828124. (C 3763) 6-12-2011 English speaking female lady Indian / Sri Lankan full time live-in housemaid is required in Salmiya for an Indian family. Contact: 25635450 / 99838117.

(C 3760) 5-12-2011

CHANGE OF NAME I, Luis De Almeida, have changed my mother’s name from Francisquina Marques to Carmina Marques and father’s name from Antonio Xavier Almeida to Antonio Xavier de Almeida for the purpose of my Passport No. J3505800. (C 3765) I, Luis De Almedia, r/o H.No. 539, Dona Paula, IIhas, Goa, change my name from Luis Almeida to Luis De Almeida for the purpose of my Passport No. J3505800. (C 3766) 8-12-2011 I, Habibulla Ismail Mithu, holder of Indian Passport No. Z 026492, hereby change my name Mitha Habibullah Ismail to Lunawada (pms) 389230.

(C 3764) 6-12-2011

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available in Abbasiya near Integrated Indian School, High Land Super Market building, Keralite family.

Contact: 99379252.

(C 3759) 5-11-2011

MATRIMONIAL Bride wanted for Hindu Nair (M.S, USA), Rohini, 28, 5’7”, E&E Eng. (Kuwait). Prefer educated, traditional yet modern pleasant girl from well to do cultured family. Contact Email: dpakvnair@gmail.com (C 3754)

A

y

e niv rsar n

Sports

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Giroux’s goal lifts Flyers

BUFFALO: Claude Giroux scored 2:27 into overtime as the Philadelphia Flyers overcame a three-goal, first-period deficit to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 in the NHL on Wednesday. Matt Read, Scott Hartnell, Jaromir Jagr and Maxime Talbot scored goals for the Flyers on 10 shots bridging the first and second periods to help the team win its third straight game. Philadelphia also won on an overtime shot by Giroux after climbing out of a three-goal hole at Anaheim yesterday. Zack Kassian had a goal and an assist, and Ville Leino, Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford also scored for the Sabres, who have lost three of four.

Hurricanes 5, Oilers 3 In Edmonton, Alberta, Carolina coach Kirk Muller earned his first win behind the Hurricanes bench as his club ended a seven-game losing

Capitals 5, Senators 3 In Ottawa, Alex Ovechkin scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift Washington past the Senators. Ottawa led 2-1 going into the final period, but Nicklas Backstrom scored on a power play 9:45 into the third and Ovechkin and Troy Brouwer scored goals in a 15-second span to put the Capitals in front for good. Tomas Vokoun made 31 saves for Washington, which has won two of its last three games.

streak with a victory over Edmonton. The Hurricanes got goals from Jeff Skinner, Jamie McBain, Patrick Dwyer, Chad LaRose and Tuomo Ruutu to win their first game in five tries under

CROSBY TO MISS 2 GAMES Pittsburgh Penguins captain

OTTAWA: Craig Anderson #41 of the Ottawa Senators defends the net against Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington during an NHL game at Scotiabank Place on December 7, 2011 in Ottawa. — AFP

Field hockey: Pakistan down South Korea 6-2 AUCKLAND: Pakistan thumped South Korea 6-2 to post their first win of the Champions Trophy yesterday, while Germany scored a last-gasp winner against Great Britain. Pakistan came from behind to snap a three-game losing streak at the last major men’s tournament before the London Olympics, with captain Muhammad Imran and Abdul Khan both notching a brace.

Imran proved the inspiration for a Pakistan fightback after Lee NamYong’s seventh minute goal gave Korea the lead, with the skipper converting a penalty corner after 15 minutes to put the Green Shirts on the board. Khan followed up with a field goal one minute later and from there Pakistan looked assured, holding their nerve when Korea equalized and sealing the win with a four-goal burst in the final 10 minutes.

Imran said Pakistan, making their first appearance at the tournament since 2007, had finally put together a consistent performance after patchy displays in the opening rounds, including a 6-1 loss to defending champions Australia. “For the whole match we played very well,” he said.

Manager Khawaja Junaid was pleased with the way his team bounced back from the confidence-sapping loss to the Kookaburras. He said that the Green Shirts, whose early losses mean they are out of medal contention in Auckland, still lagged behind the

Muller, a first-time NHL coach.

Muller took over for the fired Paul Maurice on Nov 28.

world’s top teams but the gap was closing. “I think that was the turning point for our team,” he said. “We played with organizational structure and discipline. We made less emotional mistakes, less (emphasis on) individual play. I think that’s the way to improve. “It’s still a long way to the Olympics and, taking a realistic approach, we know we’re still behind the top teams, but we’re working hard.” The win keeps alive Pakistan’s hopes of securing fifth place in the eight-nation event, which would guarantee a spot at next year’s competition in Argentina. In the other Pool D match Germany overcame Britain 2-1, thanks to a last-minute penalty conversion from captain Jan-Marco Montag.

Britain, looking to restore some pride after an 8-1 mauling from Spain on Tuesday, began nervously, conceding a goal to Martin Zwicker after four minutes. Glenn Kirkham put Britain on level terms mid-way through the first half and the German defense came under intense pressure after the break. But Germany finished stronger and were awarded two penalty corners in the final minute, the second of which Montag flicked into the net over the top of British keeper James Fair. In Pool C, which will determine the top four placings, Australia played the Netherlands yesterday and Spain face hosts New Zealand. — AFP

Sidney Crosby will miss the National Hockey League team’s next two games after a collision with teammate Chris Kunitz in a 31 loss to Boston on Monday. Both players were slow to rise from the ice after the third-period incident and while Crosby returned to the game and called the incident “nothing major”, he did not skate on Tuesday in a team workout.

Penguins general manager Ray Shero said that Crosby was not “feeling 100 percent” but added that after a visit with his medical team, Crosby showed no recurrence of concussion-like symptoms that sidelined him from January until late last month. Crosby, 24, scored two goals in a 5-0 Pittsburgh home victory over the New York Islanders on November 21 in his first game since January 5, a 320-day gap that saw him battle symptoms including migraine headaches. In eight games since returning from his absence, Crosby has recorded 12 points. Crosby scored the golden goal for Canada in over-time of the final against the United States at last year’s Vancouver Winter Olympics. The Penguins lead the NHL’s Eastern Conference with 36 points after 18 victories in 28 games. — Agencies

Figure skating World’s elite battle in Grand Prix Final QUEBEC CITY: Reigning world champion Patrick Chan and Japanese 2010 world champions Daisuke Takahashi and Mao Asada are among 36 top figure skating stars who will compete in this week’s ISU Grand Prix Final.

Six men, women, pairs and ice dance couples who recorded the best results in worldwide Grand Prix events over the past two months will meet in Quebec City for $272,000 in prize money. Chan took gold to Takahashi’s bronze at Skate Canada in October, but the Japanese skater owns the season’s highest total score from his winning effort at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo.

Chan, with three quadruple toe-loops planned in his Grand Prix title defense, has been excited to see the number and variety of four-revolution jumps attempted by so many competitors this season.

“At worlds last year, people saw that they needed to do something different,” Chan said.

“That’s amazing and exactly what I wanted. It motivated me to think about what (other) jumps I might want to put a quad on.” Others to watch in the men’s field include reigning world junior champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and Javier Fernandez, the first Spaniard to qualify for the final.

Hanyu edged Fernandez by .03 points at the Moscow Grand Prix. Fernandez, 10th at the worlds last April, has mastered two different quadruple jumps and made great strides since moving to train with Canadian legend Brian Orser.

The women’s event features two-time world champion Asada, who has been clawing her

way back to contender status following a disappointing 2010-11 campaign when she slumped to sixth globally following a coaching change and jump technique overhaul. Asada, the only woman to consistently attempt triple Axels, and her teammate and fellow Grand Prix finalist Akiko Suzuki posted the highest total scores among the women on the fall circuit.

But Russian Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, 14, will be commanding lots of attention after posting two wins in her rookie senior season to become a serious challenge to the veterans, including American Alissa Czisny, the reigning Grand Prix Final champion. Tuktamisheva, the 2011 world junior silver medalist, grabbed gold ahead of Suzuki at Skate Canada and won again in Paris over Czisny.

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, three-time world pair champions from Germany, will be challenged in their Grand Prix title defence by two Russian teams-Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov and Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov. The three couples each won twice on the fall circuit. The ice dance event will pit Canada’s 2010 Olympic and world champions, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, against 2011 titleholders Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States. The dance duos, who train together in Michigan, are the class of the field, Davis and White won the Final a year ago when Virtue was sidelined following surgery to both legs.

“All of our training throughout the fall and the Grand Prix series is all to peak at the Grand Prix Final and I think we’re right on track,” Virtue said. — AFP

Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Esperance say Tunisia revolt inspired team TOYOTA: African champions Esperance say the uprising in their home country Tunisia which ousted the nation’s longtime dictator and sparked the Arab Spring inspired the team to continental glory. Esperance face Asia’s finest, Al Sadd of Qatar, on Sunday at the Club World Cup in Japan, with a semi-final spot and a glamour tie against the mighty Barcelona of Spain up for grabs.

It is all a far cry from the tumult which ousted Zine el Abidine Ben Ali from power in January and saw football in Tunisia thrown into disarray. Politics in the country remains in a state of flux.

“The events at home really stimulated our team and we believe that the players felt greatly liberated after what happened,” said Esperance coach Nabil Maaloul, who told his men to put any thoughts of Barcelona out of their minds. Esperance, who hail from the Tunisian capital Tunis, won their third title of an enormously successful season when they narrowly saw off Wydad Casablanca from Morocco to win the African Champions League last month. Defender Khalil Chammam said: “One positive thing from the revolution was that, although we suffered a lot, those changes and the suffering made us strongermentally and physically.”

Should Esperance, the most decorated team in Tunisian football, beat Al Sadd and face European champions Barcelona, it would be a fitting end to a turbulent year, said midfielder Khaled Mouelhi. “The revolution gave us the chance to prepare very well. The league stopped for two or three months, which gave us more time together as a team. We used that time well,” he said. Banana Yaya, the full-back from Cameroon, said the popular overthrow of Ben Ali had been “great motivation”. “We felt a great sense of liberation,” he said. “It was not easy to cope during the revolution but afterwards we tried our very best to win the African Champions League.”— AFP

Barca aim for more glory at Club WCup TOYOTA: With a star-studded squad that captured the European title in dominating fashion, Barcelona star Lionel Messi thinks his team has a duty to win the 2011 Club World Cup. Barcelona is returning to the tournament two years after Messi led the Spanish giants to the title in the United Arab Emirates, scoring the winning goal in the 2-1 win over Argentina’s Estudiantes. “We’re under an obligation to win,” Messi told FIFA.com. “The Club World Cup is a highly prestigious tournament, and we want to win it.”

The tournament kicked off yesterday in Japan, with J-League champion Kashiwa Reysol meeting Oceania champion Auckland City in a playoff. The winner advances to a second-round match against CONCACAF champion Monterrey of Mexico. Champions

League winner Barcelona and South American champion Santos are the seeded teams and don’t enter the tournament until the semifinal stage begins Dec 15. Santos, winner of the Copa Libertadores, is hoping to end the fouryear winning streak of European clubs.

Internacional was the last South American team to claim the title back in 2006, when it beat Barcelona in the final to give Brazilian clubs back-to-back titles following Sao Paulo’s victory in ‘05. The Club World Cup is back in Japan for the first time since 2008 after two editions in the UAE, and that gives a Japanese club a chance - albeit of sliver of one - of capturing the crown. With a 3-1 victory over Urawa Reds on Saturday, Kashiwa became the first team in the 19-year history of the JLeague to win the championship in its

first season following promotion. A win over semiprofessional Auckland is conceivable for Kashiwa, but then come the continental champions - starting with Monterrey.

African champions Esperance Sportive De Tunis meet Asian Champions League winners Al Sadd in the second of the two “quarterfinals.”

Esperance beat Wydad Casablanca 1-0 last month to win African Champions League for the second time. Al Sadd also booked its place in the tournament last month when the Qatari club upset South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the Asian Champions League final. Al Sadd and Esperance can draw motivation from last year’s tournament, when TP Mazembe Engelbert became the first African team to make the final.— AP

Kashiwa send Kiwis packing TOYOTA: Kashiwa Reysol will play Monterrey of Mexico in the next round of the Club World Cup after the Japanese champions outclassed part-timers Auckland City 2-0 yesterday in front of a sparse crowd. The New Zealanders were under pressure from the off against the side representing the host nation, but managed to hold firm until late in the first-half, when a quick-fire double ended the game as a contest. Kashiwa, who only claimed the JLeague title at the weekend, will take on the Mexicans, the CONCACAF champions, on Sunday, again at the impressive 36,000 Toyota Stadium, which had rows of empty seats yesterday.

The Japanese side will expect a far sterner test than that offered by amateurs Auckland City, who were representing Oceania at the annual tournament of continental champions. The plucky Kiwi side provided the shock of the Club World Cup of 2009, unexpectedly winning two games. But there was to be no fairytale this time. Kashiwa, who made history by winning the J-League after only being promoted the season before, continued their hot streak and might have been ahead within just five minutes, but Tatsuya Masushima’s snap shot was blocked on the line.

Englishman Adam Dickinson offered a muscular outlet in attack for an Auckland side made up of office workers, students and even a former backpacker, but his team were encamped in their own half for much of the first period.

And just when it looked like they might hang on for halftime, Junya Tanaka turned neatly in the box and fired the ball past an exposed Jacob Spoonley in the Auckland goal.

That was on 37 minutes and just three minutes later the JLeague winners made it 2-0 when Masato Kudo fired in from close range after the ball had rebounded off the post.

The visitors made more of a game of it in the second-half, forcing Takanori Sugeno into a flying one-handed save late on.— AFP

Coach Cho Kwang-rae

South Korea coach sacked SEOUL: South Korea coach Cho KwangRae has been sacked after a shock defeat to Lebanon left the 2002 semifinalists at risk of crashing out of World Cup qualifying, officials said yesterday.

Cho said he was “flabbergasted” at the move, which comes with his team still top of Group B on goal difference and needing only to avoid defeat in their last game to be sure of reaching the final round. The head of the Korean Football Association (KFA) technical committee, Hwangbo Kwan, said Cho’s dismissal came after broadcasters and sponsors voiced concerns about the side’s performances.

KFA chief Cho Chung-Yun said Cho, who had faced widespread calls for his resignation, was not the man to steer South Korea to the 2104 tournament in Brazil. “We’ve come to the conclusion

that it would be difficult for South Korea to reach the World Cup finals with the current coach. We’ve decided to fire him,” KFA president Cho told Yonhap news agency. “As to his replacement, we’ll pick up whoever is experienced enough and capable of overcoming this crisis.”

Kwan told journalists yesterday that television companies and their advertising buyers began raising questions about coach Cho’s ability following a shock 3-0 defeat to Japan in August.

Cho received a further setback when his team suffered a stunning 2-1 defeat to underdogs Lebanon in the third round of regional World Cup qualification last month. “There have been complaints among sponsors and broadcasters about the team’s poor performance,” Kwan said at a press conference.

The coach raged at his “unceremonious” dumping and said it was not formally discussed by the KFA’s technical committee.

He was told of the decision by the committee’s chairman at a Seoul hotel on Wednesday. “I’m not a community football team coach. I’m flabbergasted at being fired this way,” Cho said. “This incident is not only concerned with my fortune but the future of Korean football.

Whoever comes to and leaves the post, legitimate procedures must be followed,” Cho said. After their defeat in Beirut, South Korea top Group B on goal difference, level on 10 points with Lebanon and ahead of third-placed Kuwait on eight, with the top two teams reaching the final qualifying round. Asia’s thirdranked team host Kuwait in their last group game on February 29.- AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Sports

Years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Bayern waiting on flu-hit stars for Stuttgart BERLIN: Bayern Munich are hoping several of their flu-struck stars will be able to leave their sick beds on Sunday to play at VfB Stuttgart to try and keep the Bavarian giants top of the German league.

Forwards Mario Gomez and Thomas Mueller are both struggling, with Gomez, the league’s top scorer, the greatest concern with a heavy cough, while Dutch winger Arjen Robben and Germany midfielder Toni Kroos are also sick. Bayern are the Bundesliga’s leaders, but only three points separates the top four clubs and

Munich need to win at mid-table Stuttgart to stay top.

“The stars are in bed,” admitted coach Jupp Heynckes. “We have to wait and see whether Mario Gomez and Thomas Mueller can play against Stuttgart on Sunday. “The doctor has some major concerns.” Bayern lost 2-0 at Manchester City on Wednesday, but still qualify for the Champions League’s knock-out phase and both Robben and Kroos missed the trip to England with flu. “Both are taking antibiotics, because they can already see

how serious this is,” said Heynckes.

Heynckes dismissed any claims he sent a ‘B’ team to Manchester, which included only four first team players, with Manuel Neuer, captain Philipp Lahm and France star Franck Ribery on the bench.

Heynckes defended his selection in Manchester with an eye on Sunday. “I gave it a lot of thought before the game,” said Heynckes. “One thing was that a few players were ill, another was that several players have not been used, even when we have won by heavy mar-

gins in the league. “They have kept themselves in top shape and trained hard, that is not always easy to do.”

Fringe players like defender Diego Contento and striker Nils Petersen started in Manchester, while veteran goalkeeper Jorg Butt, 37, made a rare Champions League appearance. “It was perhaps Jorg’s last opportunity to play internationally again,” said Heynckes, who insisted with seven internationals on the pitch, it was not Bayern’s reserve team.— AFP

Conte is the key behind Juventus’ turnaround ROME: Anyone looking for a snapshot of Juventus’ early season success should look no further than Antonio Conte’s leaping, fist-pumping celebrations on the touchline. The Juventus coach is transmitting the same intensity, desire and spirit to the squad that he once showed in 12 years as a key midfielder with the club. As Pavel Nedved, another former Juventus midfielder, described it after last weekend’s 2-0 win over Cesena, “Conte deserves the compliments for the way in which he’s given this squad a soul.”

Having finished seventh last season, Juventus holds a twopoint lead in the Italian league over AC Milan and Udinese heading into Monday’s match at Roma. Roma, meanwhile, is in full crisis after getting three players sent off in a 3-0 loss at Fiorentina that resulted in calls for the sacking of manager Luis Enrique. Also this weekend, Milan visits Bologna, Udinese hosts Chievo Verona and fourth-place Lazio visits last-place Lecce. Many commentators were expecting Milan to stay in front of Juve for the first time this season after the Rossoneri’s 2-0 win at Genoa last Friday. But Juventus showed its resolve against Cesena two days later.

After Claudio Marchisio finally broke a 0-0 deadlock and gave Juve the lead in the 72nd minute, Conte went into his usual routine - running around wildly with his arms flailing, jumping up and down and slapping the transparent plexiglass barrier behind the bench repeatedly with both of his hands. The celebrations are a product of the new order and poise that Conte has instilled in Juve’s players. Players like midfielder Marchisio, who is tied with forward Alessandro Matri as the club’s unlikely leading scorer with six goals. Or defender Giorgio Chiellini, Italy’s top center back, who has been moved over to left back in an audacious positional switch. And unlike previous managers Claudio Ranieri, Ciro Ferrara, Alberto Zaccheroni and Luigi Del Neri, Conte has had the nerve to use Juventus’ 37-year-old captain Alessandro Del Piero almost exclusively in a bench role - even though he was once a teammate of Del Piero’s, and preceded him as captain.

Before returning to Juventus, Conte proved himself as a manager with smaller clubs Arezzo, Bari, Atalanta and Siena - leading both Bari and Siena up to the top division. “He experiences the matches nearly like the players do,” observed Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi. “He understands football and he’s given them solidity.”

Conte will be without Mirko Vucinic against Roma after the forward was ruled out for three weeks with a right thigh muscle tear, while Del Piero was expected to return from a cut to his left temple in Thursday’s Italian Cup match with Bologna. Roma will be without the three players sent off against Fiorentina - defender Juan, midfielder Fernando Gago, and forward Bojan Krcic. Krcic was widely criticized for throwing his jersey to the ground after getting sent off for a handball that left Roma with eight men and set up a penalty for Fiorentina’s third goal. Roma forward Pablo Osvaldo is set to return after serving a one-game ban for striking teammate Erik Lamela across the face after a 2-0 loss to Udinese two weeks ago. Luis Enrique held a meeting with the squad Tuesday to see if he has the support to continue. “We’ve got to continue as we are, although we’ve got to continue improving and working to find this identity we’re looking for,” De Rossi said. “It’s difficult to outline our goals right now or say where we’ll finish at the end of the year because everything is new here. —AP

ZAGREB: Lyon’s players celebrate after their group D Championship league football match against Dinamo in Zagreb, on December 7, 2011. Lyon won 7-1.— AFP

Lyon goal spree under scrutiny PARIS: France’s betting watchdog said yesterday it was investigating Lyon’s shock 7-1 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb, which included the fastest ever hat-trick in Europe’s premier football competition. A spokesman for ARJEL said that the organization was “currently carrying out checks” on the match in Zagreb on Wednesday night which gave the French side a surprise ticket to the last 16 of the tournament at the expense of Ajax Amsterdam.

The outcome has met with raised eyebrows by the Dutch team while newspapers cried foul. “In line with any unusual activity in sporting competition ARJEL are in the process of checking if there was any abnormal activity on the level of certain bets which could have been detrimental to punters,” said the ARJEL spokesman.

The result of the investigation should be known later in the day, the spokesman added. It was a remarkable rescue for Lyon who went into their final Group D game three points behind Ajax and needing to make up a goal difference of seven if they were to reach the knockout rounds.

French international striker Bafetimbi Gomis was the star of the show, scoring four goals, including the fastest ever Champions League hat-trick.

But a number of the goals were down

to glaring defensive and goalkeeping errors. Real Madrid and Lyon qualified for the last sixteen. Ajax took third place in the group and will play in the Europa League. After the match Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas admitted that their chances of advancing had been “minute” and hailed the incredible feat of his team.

Ajax coach Frank de Boer said: “I don’t want to talk too much about the Lyon result. I can only say it was striking. But if there were strange things going on you have to prove it.” “None of us expected Lyon to win 1-7. When I was told the score I thought it was a joke,” admitted Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen.

Dinamo had taken the lead in the 40th minute through Fatos Beqiraj but Lyon were level just before half-time through Gomis. Three minutes after the interval, Maxime Gonalons made it 2-1. Gomis then completed his hat-trick to beat Blackburn Rovers’ Mike Newell’s record from 1995 for the quickest triple. He added his third in the 52nd minute, while his fourth of the evening came in the 70th minute to make 6-1, six minutes after Lisandro Lopez had hit Lyon’s fifth. Briand netted the seventh of the night in the 75th minute to complete the rout and put Lyon into the last 16 for the ninth consecutive season.

Madrid-based sports daily AS said

Lyon’s victory was “under a cloud of suspicion” pointing out that the French team scored six times in a half-hour spell and adding that there had been “a strange gesture of complicity”. Dinamo sacked manager Krunoslav Jurcic within an hour of the game as the team finished without a point after conceding 22 goals over six matches. A 7-1 victory is one of the largest winning margins since the creation of the Champions League. In an away game only Marseille had previously achieved such a result-winning 7-0 at Slovak side Zilina in 2010. Manchester United scored five away goals in the Champions League match at Danish club Brondby on their way to the title in 1998-99. European football has been hit by a number of corruption scandals in recent years, including in Italy where Juventus were stripped of their Seria A league title French giants Marseille won the Champions League in 1993 but the gloss was later knocked off that achievement when it emerged their president Bernard Tapie had bribed Valenciennes into throwing a league game, giving them more time to concentrate on the final against AC Milan.

Marseille were stripped of the French title that season and barred from defending their European crown the following year.— AFP

Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Rooney three-match ban reduced to two NYON: England striker Wayne Rooney’s ban for Euro 2012 has been reduced from three matches to two following his appeal to UEFA yesterday. Rooney will now be available for England’s third Group D game, against joint hosts Ukraine, but will miss the first two fixtures against France and Sweden for kicking out at Miodrag Dzudovic in the final qualifier in Montenegro in October. A ban for the third match has been suspended for four years and the 26-year-old has also agreed to do some coaching in the community, European football governing body confirmed.

Rooney travelled to Nyon for the appeal

after Manchester United’s shock Champions League exit at FC Basel on Wednesday night, along with England manager Fabio Capello. England managing director Adrian Bevington said on Twitter: “Fair hearing at UEFA. Important Wayne Rooney and Fabio Capello in attendance. Available for Ukraine game at Euros.” Rooney himself had described his action as “stupid” and Dzudovic sent a statement to UEFA on the Manchester United striker’s behalf. Rooney’s absence for the France and Sweden games will nevertheless be a blow for England as he has scored 28 goals in 73 selections for the national side.— AFP

Utd’s Fergie faced with another rebuilding job BASEL: Just as in 2005, when Manchester United were last dispatched from the Champions League before Christmas, Sir Alex Ferguson will face calls to overhaul his team. Six years ago to the day, in December of that year, Benfica were the harbingers of United’s doom and Lisbon’s fabled Estadio da Luz the setting. The scoreline was the same on Wednesday evening-a 2-1 defeat-but the lowly opposition, Basel, and the unhallowed venue, the raucous St Jakob-Park, made the disappointment even harder to swallow.

Six years ago, the United team that fell at the first hurdle contained, in Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, the genesis of the side that would return United to the summit of the European game in the years that followed. Rooney remains from that team, but there are no clear-cut indications that his present-day team-mates will be able to rise to the challenge in the same way that United did when they last went out in the group phase. Former United captain Roy Keane was the first to sound the alarm on Wednesday evening.

“I think it reflects what United have done, in truth,” he told ITV with trademark frankness. “They haven’t scored enough goals and they haven’t beaten Basel or Benfica. “People have talked about the young players-you’ve had (Phil) Jones, (Chris) Smalling, (Ashley) Young coming in, everybody building them up, but they’ve got a lot to do. “It’s a reality check for some. I’d be getting hold of some of those lads, saying ‘You’d better buck up your ideas’. United got what they deserved tonight.” Keane’s remarks drew a withering response from his former mentor Ferguson, who subtly suggested that the Irishman’s own managerial shortcomings did not put him in an ideal place to comment.

Nevertheless, as United’s players sloped back to the team bus at St JakobPark, ignoring waiting media, they will have been steeling themselves for the

backlash that inevitably accompanies each misstep made by their club. Critics will be quick to point to the absence of a creative central midfielder in United’s ranks, and Ferguson could have been forgiven for casting an envious eye at Basel’s bustling Xherdan Shaqiri as he made raid after raid into United territory on Wednesday. United’s fans had hoped for a major signing in that position over the summer, with deals mooted for both Tottenham’s Luka Modric and Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder, but neither came to fruition.

Instead, the Old Trafford faithful formed a quick attachment to 22-year-old Tom Cleverley, promoted to the first team after loan spells at Leicester, Watford and Wigan, only to disappear from the side due to injury. In Cleverley’s absence, Rooney is the only player capable of driving United forward in the centre of the pitch, but he is also their most capable marksman and-as Wednesday’s performance demonstrated-he cannot do both at once. Compounding matters for Ferguson is the fact that “noisy neighbors” Manchester City are already five points clear in the Premier League and seemingly impregnable to slip-ups on the domestic front.

Ferguson could not hide his dismay at the thought of the Europa League booby prize, and United’s fans could soon come to regret the snide chants of “Thursday nights on Channel Five” with which they once assailed their rivals at Liverpool. The Scot will be mindful of the fact that United have never won the competition, however, and when the dust settles, he may see the appeal in marking his 26th year at the club with a brand new piece of silverware. Few defeats can have left Ferguson feeling quite so hollow, but as the young stars of the side that lost in Lisbon were to prove, it is never a good idea to write off either him or his team too hastily.— AFP

NYON: Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney leaves the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, yesterday after appealing against his three-match ban which excludes him from England’s 2012 European Championship groupstage matches.— AP

Mancini says Euro exits won’t change EPL race MANCHESTER: Roberto Mancini has insisted the English Premier League title race will not be altered by Manchester City and Manchester United slipping into the Europa League. City beat Bayern Munich 2-0 here on Wednesday but could only finish third in Champions League Group A, due to Napoli’s 2-0 win at Villarreal.

United, who had reached three of the last four Champions League finals, were also eliminated after a 2-1 loss in Basel. City currently have a five-point lead over United at the top of the Premier League ahead of Monday’s trip to Chelsea. But Mancini maintained the domestic title race will be unaffected by the two Manchester clubs having to play in the Europa League, although the scheduling of the second-tier tournament could have an impact on domestic matters.

“I think that for the Premier League it changes nothing because both teams are in the Europa League,” said Mancini.

“The difference is that the Europa League is harder because we play Thursday and we won’t have a lot of time to recover for the games but this will be the only difference,” the Italian added. Mancini has always put City’s problems in their first Champions League campaign down to a lack of experience. But despite having a League Cup semi-final, as well as the FA Cup and the Premier League to play for, he maintains City will give everything in the Europa League. “I think that for Manchester City it’s an important trophy because we need to win more trophies if it’s possible.”

“At the moment I can understand that the Europa League is not as important as the Champions League but for us it will be important and if we can go to the final it would be good for

Manchester City. “It’s my opinion that we need to improve as a squad to play better in the Champions League. “It was our first time in the Champions League, we got the worst group and it was difficult and with 10 points it’s very strange that we didn’t go through but that’s it.”

City won their final Group A match thanks to goals from David Silva and Yaya Toure either side of half-time.

But Napoli finally made their breakthrough in the second half at Villarreal to ensure City had to settle for third place. Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, whose side were already through to the knockout phase, made seven changes to the team that beat Werder Bremen 41 at the weekend. He insisted that was due to a flu virus and is not expecting many of those players to return for the game against Stuttgart at the weekend.

“Due to the illness of a number of players I was forced to make changes,” Heynckes explained. “Toni Kroos and Arjen Robben are on antibiotics so we are not sure. “Daniel van Buyten has gastric flu and with Thomas Muller and Mario Gomez there are signs of flu.”

Heynckes, who said his side will not fear any of the other 15 teams left in the Champions League, added City had paid the price for a lack of experience.

“We were in a very difficult group and we’ve won it. That means we’ll play away first and my team has performed excellently in the group stage. “With the team and squad I have, I am confident that we can beat anyone. “It takes a team years to develop at this level. City had a lot of new players in a short space of time but Roberto Mancini is slowly getting it together in terms of forming a good team. “But in football today it takes time to develop. Good progress is being made but it will take experience and time.”— AFP

Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Buoyant Pakistan gear for Bangladesh Tests CHITTAGONG: Pakistan will begin their first Test series in Bangladesh for almost a decade in Chittagong today determined to extend their 100 percent winning record against the hosts. The tourists, who beat Sri Lanka in all formats of the game in the United Arab Emirates last month, have already asserted their supremacy over Bangladesh by making a 3-0 clean sweep of the one-day series. Pakistan played their lone Test series in Bangladesh in January 2002, winning both matches in Dhaka and Chittagong by an innings under the captaincy of Waqar Younis. Pakistan have won all of their six Tests against Bangladesh since

2001, the closest match being in Multan in 2003 when they triumphed by one wicket following Inzamam-ul-Haq’s match-winning unbeaten century.

The tourists, now led by reliable batsman Misbah-ul-Haq, were not seriously tested in the one-dayers against the hosts after putting in impressive performances with both bat and ball.

But senior Pakistani batsman Younis Khan said Thursday he expected a tough fight from Bangladesh in the Tests.

“When we play Tests we expect a Test-level competition,” he said. “They struggled in the limited-overs matches, but Test cricket is a different ball game.

“If they stick to their goals, they will give us tough competition. It will not be easy for us since Bangladesh are playing in home conditions.”

Bangladesh strengthened their brittle batting by including former captain and middle-order batsman Mohammad Ashraful in the 15-man squad. Ashraful, with 2,418 runs in 56 Tests, will look to justify his recall after being dropped for the home series against the West Indies in October-November. “During the onedayers, our fielders and bowlers did a good job, so it’s time our batsmen put up a good performance,” said Bangladesh’s top-order batsman Shahriar Nafees. “The focus now is on

the Test series. We want to come back strongly and play our best cricket.”

Bangladesh will rely on their spin attack led by Shakib Al Hasan and Elias Sunny to keep pressure on the Pakistani batting line-up at the traditionally spin-friendly venue in Chittagong. Shakib is the key allrounder in the side with 1,421 runs and 89 wickets in 24 Tests, while Sunny made an impressive seven-wicket Test debut at this venue against the West Indies two months ago. Bangladesh will seek to improve their dismal run since gaining Test status in 2000, losing 61 of their 71 matches, winning just three with seven drawn.— AFP

Spin wizard Warne still got the magic MELBOURNE: Spin king Shane Warne has still “got it” according to an awestruck teammate who faced him in a nets session ahead of his return to competitive cricket, a report said yesterday.

Warne, 42, ended his stellar playing career at the Indian Premier League in May, but announced a return to the game for the Melbourne Stars in Australia’s Big Bash Twenty20 tournament, which starts on December 16.

Despite months out of the game, Melbourne teammate Alex Keath said the legendary leg-spinner could still impart his trademark flippers and wrong ‘uns with deadly accuracy. “He was still very accurate and he’s certainly still got it,” The Melbourne Age quoted batsman Keath as saying.

“The control is just on a whole different level; to rip the ball that hard and land them in the right areas, not many bowlers even come close. He is on a different planet in terms of his control and his variations as well.” Rated one of five cricketers of the 20th century by Wisden, Warne took 708 Test wickets in a colorful career as notable for his controversies and romances-including with actress Liz Hurley-as his spin exploits. The Australian, who quit one-day cricket in 2005 and Tests two years later, spent four seasons with IPL franchise the Rajasthan Royals and retired after helping them this year to six wins from 14 games.

Confirming his comeback for the Melbourne team in November, Warne said he still had confidence in his abilities. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think I could be pulling my weight, being able to go out there and change the course of a game,” Warne told reporters. “It has got nothing to do with money. If it was something to do with money, I would be still playing in the IPL.” He said part of his desire to return was that he wanted his three children to be able to see him at work and it was an “added bonus” his fiancee Hurley would be there too. Several overseas players have signed up with the eight franchises that will contest the Big Bash, including South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Collingwood of England, and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi.— AFP

WROCLAW: This picture 2011 shows an aerial view of the municipal stadium in Wroclaw, that was built for the UEFA Euro 2012 to be held in Poland and Ukraine from June 8, 2012 to July 1, 2012. — AFP

Euro 2012 host eyes long-term benefits

WROCLAW: Just six months before kick-off in Euro 2012, Poland is already looking far beyond the tournament as it eyes the long-term benefits of hosting the football showcase. As home fans cross their fingers that Poland will clear the group stage, organizers have their gaze locked firmly on the off-pitch impact on this nation of 38 million.

“This is a fantastic chance,” Wojciech Folejowski, operations director at organizing body PL.2012, told an economic-focused football conference in the southwestern city of Wroclaw.

The quadrennial, 16-nation European championships traditionally draw hundreds of thousands of fans and a huge global television audience. “It will be crucial for our image,” said Folejowski, who is supervising a vast array of projects, from stadiums and highways to airports and hotels. Euro 2012 kicks off next June 8 when Poland face Greece in Warsaw, and ends on July 1 with the final in Kiev, capital of co-host Ukraine.

Other matches in Group A, which also involves Russia and the Czech Republic, will take place in Wroclaw.

“We’ve got 183 days until the first whistle,” Juliusz Gluski of Euro 2012 Polska, the local arm of European football’s governing body UEFA, said Wednesday. “The next few months are going to be a time of intensive work.” In 2007, UEFA caught pundits out by picking Poland and

Ukraine as hosts over favorites Italy, opting to test the water behind the former Iron Curtain for the first time. The communist era may lie two decades in the past, but Poland and, to a greater extent, Ukraine have faced massive infrastructure challenges and have been bedeviled by doubters.

Warsaw city hall’s Marta Brzegowa said the “Barcelona effect” was high in Poland’s mind. The term is used by economists who see the 1992 Olympics host as an example of the fruits of profile-raising via sport. With most fans unlikely to have been to the region before, making the right impression is crucial to longer-term tourism revenues. “We’re pushing to the final hurdle,” said Brzegowa, reeling off projects including a shakeup of urban transport. Wroclaw counterpart Hanna Domagala underlined: “The matches are only the start.”

Poland’s other Euro 2012 cities are Gdansk on the Baltic and Poznan in the west. They will host Group C, made up of reigning champions Spain, plus Italy, Ireland and Croatia. Over the border, Group D comprises Ukraine, Sweden, France and England, while Group B involves Holland, Denmark, Germany and Portugal. Some Poles bemoan the fact that most Western fan-magnet teams-and higher-spending supporters-will be in Ukraine. Using spending and fan-number aver-

ages, the newspaper Fakt estimated that supporter outlays in Poland could be 800 million zloty (179 million euros, $240 million), half Ukraine’s tally.

But Folejowski noted Poland will have two quarter-finals and one semi-final, likely to feature the heavyweights. “The Dutch, Germans or Swedes could end up here anyway,” he said. Euro 2012 means far more than image-burnishing or fans’ wallets, however. “It’s sped up infrastructure projects by three to five years,” PL.2012 boss Marcin Herra recently said. Euro 2012-related investment in Poland is 90 billion zloty. Ninety percent is public money, with around half of that from the European Union - 2004 entrant Poland can tap funds to help poorer members catch up.

Officials underline that most projects are not sport-related-less than five percent of spending is on stadiums-and that the lion’s share is for transport which needed an overhaul to spur the economy. Productivity gains should add 2.0 percent to Poland’s gross domestic product over 2008-2020, analysts estimate, underlining that modest growth is still growth. Poland has been the only member of the 27-nation EU to keep growing during the economic crisis, and there are suggestions that Euro 2012-linked projects may have acted as a stimulus program in all but name.—AFP

Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

India win series after Sehwag’s record 219 SCOREBOARD INDORE: Full scoreboard of the fourth one-day international between India and the West Indies at the Holkar stadium in Indore yesterday: India: G. Gambhir run out67 V. Sehwag c sub (Martin) b Pollard 219 S. Raina run out 55 R. Jadeja c Rampaul b Russell 10 Rohit Sharma b Roach 27 V. Kohli not out 23 P. Patel not out 3 Extras: (lb1, w13) 14 Total (for five wickets, 50 overs) 418 Fall of wickets: 1-176 (Gambhir), 2-316 (Raina), 3-341 (Jadeja), 4-376 (Sehwag), 5-393 (Rohit Sharma).

Bowling: Roach 10-0-88-1, Rampaul 9-0-66-0 (w6), Russell 7-0-63-1 (w2), Narine 6-0-46-0 (w2), Sammy 3-0-30-0 (w1), Pollard 7-0-65-1 (w2), Samuels 8-0-59-0.

West Indies: L. Simmons c Patel b Jadeja 36 K. Powell run out 7 M. Samuels b Rahul Sharma 33 D. Hyatt b Rahul Sharma 11 D. Ramdin c Rohit Sharma b Raina 96 K. Pollard b Rahul Sharma 3 A. Russell st Patel b Raina 29 D. Sammy c Mithun b Ashwin 2 R. Rampaul c sub (Tiwary) b Jadeja 10 K. Roach c and b Jadeja 7 S. Narine not out 27 Extras: (lb2, w2) 4 Total (all out, 49.2 overs) 265 Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Powell), 2-63 (Simmons), 3-81 (Samuels), 4-90 (Hyatt), 5-100 (Pollard), 6-140 (Russell), 7145 (Sammy), 8-168 (Rampaul), 9-201 (Roach), 10-265 (Ramdin).

Bowling: Vinay 4-0-34-0, Ashwin 10-0-59-1 (w1), Jadeja 102-34-3, Mithun 4-0-37-0 (w1), Rahul Sharma 10-0-43-3, Raina 6.2-0-17-2, Rohit Sharma 5-0-39-0.

India won by 153 runs, take 3-1 lead in five-match series

INDORE: Indian players celebrate after their win in the fourth one-day international cricket match against West Indies at The Holkar Stadium in Indore yesterday. India won by 153 runs. —AFP INDORE: Virender Sehwag smashed the highest score in one-day cricket yesterday as India flattened the West Indies by 153 runs to take a decisive 3-1 lead in the five-match series. Sehwag hammered a scintillating 219 off 149 balls to lift India to their best one-day total of 418-5, before the West Indies were bowled out for 265 in the fourth international. Debutant leg-spinner Rahul Sharma picked up three wickets in his first three overs as the tourists were outplayed despite a defiant 96 from wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. Ramdin put on 64 for the last wicket with Sunil Narine (27 not out) before he was caught in the deep attempting to score his maiden one-day century.

Sehwag plundered 25 boundaries and seven sixes during his 149-ball blitz, joining compatriot Sachin Tendulkar as the only batsmen in history to score

double-centuries in the 50-over format.

Sehwag moved past Tendulkar’s 200 not out-against South Africa in Gwalior last year-in the 44th over when, on 197, he cut Andre Russell to the point fence. He was finally dismissed in the 47th over when he was caught in the deep off Kieron Pollard and was clapped off the field by the entire West Indies team and some 30,000 jubilant home fans.

Sehwag’s blistering knock helped India surpass their previous highest oneday total of 414-7 against Sri Lanka in Rajkot in 2009. It was Sehwag’s 15th three-figure knock in one-day cricket and the first since making 175 against Bangladesh in the opening match of the World Cup in Dhaka in February this year. Sehwag, who is captaining India in the series in the absence of the rested Mahendra Singh Dhoni, had managed just 46 runs in the previous three match-

es. But he found the right conditions on the run-laden pitch at the Holkar stadium in Indore to strike form ahead of the Test series in Australia starting later this month.

Sehwag, who was dropped on 170 by West Indies captain Darren Sammy in the covers, put on 176 for the first wicket with Gautam Gambhir (67) and 140 for the second with Suresh Raina (55).

Left-hander Gambhir, who had scored 16 runs in the series, broke the shackles to hit 11 boundaries in his run-a-ball innings during the rollicking opening stand.

The West Indies suffered a blow before the start when star batsman Darren Bravo was ruled out of the mustwin game due to a hamstring strain.

Bravo was replaced by Kieran Powell.

The final match will be played in Chennai on Sunday.—AFP

‘Old man’ Sehwag surpasses mentor INDORE: Sachin Tendulkar stepped on a plane yesterday as the proud owner the highest individual score in 50-over cricket but will land on Australian soil to find that he has been robbed of the record by his one-time protege Virender Sehwag. Sehwag has come a long way since his early days when he was called a “Tendulkar-clone” and the 33-year-old struck a blazing 219 against West Indies to surpass his mentor in his 240th one-day international.

Tendulkar, who hit 200 not out against South Africa in Gwalior in February 2010, was among the first batch of Indian cricketers to leave for the team’s Australia tour. Sehwag fiercely cut an Andre Russell delivery for the most memorable of the 25 fours he hit yesterday as Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium went into a delirium. One of the few batsmen considered capable of hitting 200 in one-dayers, Sehwag punched air before hugging batting partner Rohit Sharma. He then took

the helmet off to acknowledge the cheers from the hollering fans.

One male supporter even managed to sprint on to the ground with a bouquet and tried to present it to a bemused Sehwag before being escorted out.

“Everybody was expecting me to score a double hundred and I think I lived (up to the) expectation,” a visibly tired Sehwag said at the innings break, happy to have made the most of the perfect batting conditions.

“Whenever I wanted to hit a ball, I hit into the gaps and it went for four. Whenever I wanted to hit a six, I just tried to hit it with a straight bat,” said the opener with perhaps the most uncomplicated batting philosophy.

“I was telling myself and Gautam Gambhir that if we batted with a little patience, we could score a big one here.” Fortune also favored the brave opener in his pursuit of the milestone. Sehwag survived a run-out chance when he was on 20 and could have been dis-

missed on 170 as well but his opposite number Darren Sammy, running from extra cover, dropped an easy catch off Ravi Rampaul. “When Sammy dropped my catch, I thought God is with me and God is telling me ‘just bat until 45th-46th over and you will achieve your 200’,” said Sehwag, one of the most devastating batsman in contemporary cricket.

Sehwag took 41 balls to reach his half-century and needed 28 more to score his 15th ODI century. His 150 came off 112 balls and by the time Kieron Pollard ended his 149-ball batting pyrotechnics studded with seven sixes, Sehwag had entered the record book after a breath-taking knock that left him drained.

Sehwag scored his previous highest ODI score of 175 against Bangladesh in the Feb 19 World Cup match in Dhaka. “I’m very tired because I’m a 33-year-old. I’m an old man and my back and glutes are tight,” Sehwag said.—Reuters

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Lyon goal spree under scrutiny Page 60

www.kuwaittimes.net

India win series afte Sehwag’s record 219 INDORE: Indian batsman Virender Sehwag celebrates after scoring a double century (200 runs) during the fourth one-day international cricket match between India and West Indies at The Holkar Stadium yesterday. — AFP

Page 63