13 Feb 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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20 7Arab League 8 19 wants UN peacekeepers in Syria Sudanese observer chief quits • Zawahiri backs Syria revolt

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CAIRO: The Arab League called yesterday for the UN Security Council to create a joint peacekeeping force for Syria, the latest effort by the regional group to end the 11-month old crisis that has killed more than 5,000 people. The new effort is spelled out in a draft resolution obtained by AP and expected to be adopted by League foreign ministers meeting in Cairo. However, Syria is unlikely to accept a joint UN-Arab League peacekeeping force.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal conveyed the League’s frustration with Syria by telling delegates it was no longer appropriate for the league to stand by and watch the bloodshed in Syria. “Until when will we remain spectators?” he said. “It is a disgrace for us as Muslims and Arabs to accept” the bloodshed in Syria, he said. The Arab League has been at the forefront of regional efforts to end 11 months of bloodshed in Syria.

Continued on Page 13

conspiracy theories

We will always love you!

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

‘Visit-to-work’ back on track

L

ess than two years ago, America and the rest of the world lost Michael Jackson, one of the world’s stars. Yesterday the US lost beautiful singer Whitney Houston. I will never forget Whitney and the way she was shining in the movie ‘The Bodyguard’ with her famous costar Kevin Costner. I will never forget her song ‘I Will Always Love You’.

These tunes are still ringing in my head.

Whitney was more special than other singers with her melodic voice, especially in her primetime when she first started her singing career and the climb to fame. What helped Whitney was her attractive sexy looks that added to her legacy. Her destiny was weirdly similar to the destiny of many others. Whitney allegedly died by drowning in her bathtub. Till the editorial deadline of the newspaper, the reason for her death was surrounded in mystery. Did she drown because of an overdose?

Was she drunk or was it death from natural causes?

Only time will tell.

What amazes me is why all these famous stars whether actresses, singers, dancers and sometimes sportsmen - start their careers, make a lot of money, become celebrities, and then start declining due to their unhealthy lifestyles. Many become addicts.

Could it be because they accumulate sudden wealth which they are not ready for? Or is it too much fame and attention from crowds that become destructive to their lives?

Let’s not forget that most of them come from humble backgrounds. They are neither Harvard nor Yale graduates. They are not from aristocratic families either. They don’t come from rich backgrounds.

They are not even from the middle class. Some 90 percent started from scratch. Could it be one of these reasons that make them start boozing, sniffing or leading wild lifestyles?

Could it be the stressful nature of their work?

What we see is their shiny pictures onstage, impeccable outfits and smiles. But we never know what actually goes on in the background or backstage; we don’t know the pressure they get from producers, music companies, publicists and paparazzi.

Their lives are monitored under a microscope.

Maybe sometimes this leads them to the edge.

I don’t know. Sometimes wrong things happen to known celebrities. Their life is hardly ever as shiny as the one portrayed in magazines. I don’t envy them, to be honest. The whole world does. We don’t know how many have done it and enjoyed a happy family life till the end. Whatever the reasons for her death, Whitney will remain an icon in the music world and her songs will challenge the music landscape. May God bless your soul, Whitney. We will always love you!

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour is now transferring commercial visit visas to work permits after a suspension of six months. The move aims to ease a shortage of specialized workers in the labour market by hiring such workers who are already present in the country, as recruiting those from outside the country involves a lot of paperwork and is a time-consuming process.

Mourners carry the body of a Syrian rebel yesterday after he was killed in fighting the day before in Idlib, Syria. (Inset right) A picture taken on Feb 2, 2012 shows Sudanese Gen Mohammed Al-Dabi, head of the Arab League observer mission in Syria, who resigned yesterday. (Inset left) A video grab shows Al-Qaeda’s chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri making an announcement. — AFP

Whitney Houston, 48, dies on Grammys eve

LOS ANGELES: This Feb 23, 2000 file photo shows US singer Whitney Houston holding her Grammy award for Best Female Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance for ‘It’s Not Right but It’s Okay’ at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center. Pop legend and actress Houston was found dead on Saturday in a Beverly Hills hotel. — AFP (See Pages 38-39)

LOS ANGELES: Whitney Houston, whose soaring voice lifted her to the top of the pop music world but whose personal decline was fueled by years of drug use, died on Saturday afternoon in a Beverly Hills hotel room. She was 48. The pop superstar died on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles at the same hotel where her mentor, record mogul Clive Davis, was holding an annual pre-event party featuring scores of music industry celebrities.

A dramatic scene unfolded at the Beverly Hilton hotel as guests arriving for the party expressed shock at her death, while reporters swarmed the hotel, fans gathered outside to light candles in her memory and helicopters hovered overhead. Beverly Hills police said they were called to the Beverly Hilton at around 3:43 pm PST, and fire department personnel who were already at the location responded immediately. Houston was in her fourth-floor room but was unresponsive to CPR, and she was pronounced dead at 3:55 pm.

“She has been positively identified by friends and family (who) were with her at the hotel, and next of kin have already been notified,” Lieutenant Mark Rosen told reporters. Police said there were no obvious signs of criminal intent. Los Angeles County coroners removed Continued on Page 13

Bahrain king dismisses oppn as disunited Iran speaker warns Gulf

SANABIS, Bahrain: Riot police react to Molotov cocktails thrown by anti-government protesters on the edge of the capital Manama yesterday as protesters made attempts to head towards an area nearby that had served as the main hub for last spring’s pro-democracy uprising. — AP

MAMAMA: Bahrain’s King Hamad dismissed the country’s opposition movement as disunited and said the threat of Iran had compelled him to call in foreign troops to crush last year’s uprising. “In a sense there is no ‘opposition’ in Bahrain, as the phrase implies one unified block with the same views,” the king said extracts from an interview with Der Spiegel. “Such a phrase is not in our constitution, unlike say the United Kingdom.

We only have people with different views and that’s okay,” he said in the article to be published today.

Bahrainis took to the streets last February, inspired

by Arab world uprisings, and the government imposed martial law, stamping out the unrest with the help of Saudi troops in March. Demonstrations began again after the emergency law was lifted in June and are escalating before the anniversary of the 2011 protests.

Mainly Shiite opposition parties are demanding Bahrain’s elected parliament to have the power to form Continued on Page 13

New interior minister seen in new Cabinet

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The process of forming the new Cabinet by Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah is not going smoothly due to the rejection of most MPs to join, but the government is expected to be announced either late today or tomorrow. Almost all political groupings, especially Islamists who made an impressive show in the parliamentary elections, have refused offers by the prime minister to join the new Cabinet, thus limiting his choices.

But sources familiar with the efforts believe that MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, a leading opposition figure, may make history by becoming the first person to be appointed interior minister from outside the ruling family. The move could not be independently confirmed.

It is also expected that the current defense and interior minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah will most likely be appointed as first deputy premier and defense minister following reports that the post was going to be Continued on Page 13

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

LOCAL

Muwaizri likely to accept invitation to become minister PM may announce new Cabinet today KUWAIT: Kuwait’s prime minister is expected to announce the new Cabinet today (Monday) so that the swearing-in ceremony can be held tomorrow, ahead of the Parliament’s inaugural session on Wednesday.

His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlSabah wasted no time in holding discussions to find best ways to overcome obstacles created by different opinions voiced by the ruling family, as well as decision of the recent election winners to decline invitations to join the Cabinet.

It has been reported that the Popular Action Bloc (PAB), Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) and the Islamic Salafist Assembly opted against allowing members to accept a ministerial post. As per the country’s laws, Kuwait’s Cabinet must include at least one elected parliament member during formation. According to sources, the prime minister may consider resigning from prime minister’s post if no MP accepts an offer to join the Cabinet. MP Dr Mohammad Al-

Kandari said on Saturday that the ICM is reconsidering its decision to not join the Cabinet. The same statement can be made simultaneously, with reports hinting that this dilemma has been resolved with MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri likely to accept an invitation to become a minister. Al-Muwaizri did not comment on the subject when contacted, AlQabas reported. Meanwhile, the National Islamic Alliance nominated Dr Fadhel Safar to represent it in the next Cabinet, announced MP Ahmad Lari on Sunday. Safar has been Kuwait’s Minister of Public Works and State Minister of Municipality Affairs since May 2008. In other news, Islamist lawmakers plan to amend Article 79 of the Constitution which lays down that that no law may be promulgated unless it has been passed by the National Assembly and sanctioned by the Amir. The MPs reportedly want to add the clause “and is in line with Sharia law” to the article. “In addition, no regulations can be passed unless they comply with Sharia regu-

lations. Article 79 allows the modification of existing laws that are not in conformity with the Sharia Law,” said sources. This is the second proposal to follow the announcement to amend Article 2, rendering Sharia law as the only source of legislation. Al-Qabas.

Reporters yesterday said that MP Dr Faisal Al-Mislem hosted a meeting at his dewaniya yesterday for “conservative lawmakers. “ This is so that signatories would sign a “code of honor” to commit to an agenda of political and social reform. “ The agenda adopts efforts to enforce anticorruption and wealth disclosure regulations, as well as establishing a Kuwaiti human rights commission,” said ICM member MP Osama Al-Shaheen.

Meanwhile, Al-Mislem told Al-Rai that the agenda provides a roadmap “that can save Kuwait if the Cabinet adopts it,” further explaining that it helps eliminate corruption from government work and introduces adjustments that improve citizens’ living conditions, reported Al-Rai.

Syria’s aid block move immoral: Al-Tabtabaei KUWAIT: Syrian authorities gravely violated human rights when they barred Kuwaiti envoys carrying relief to Syrian people from entering the countr y, said MP Dr Waleed AlTabtabaei .

“It is an immoral act that prevented food and medicine from reaching Syrian citizens desperate for aid,” AlTabtabaei told Al-Rai on Monday, adding “there should be military intervention from the international community to save Syrian people.”

Al-Tabtabae, along with fellow Islamist MPs Adel Al-Dhamkhy, Jamaan Al-Harbash and Mohammad Hayef left to Jordan on Sunday leading a team carrying food and medication aid collected from Kuwaiti donors.

Syrian border officials at Al-Ramtha Dara border refused to allow any trail-

er truck to enter the country, reported Al-Rai. The relief aid was then distributed to Syrian refugees living in Jordan near the border, Al-Tabtabaei said. “The Gulf Cooperation Council. the Arab League and the international community should intervene so that aid can reach Syrian citizens,” he stressed. Meanwhile, Hayef said that the ban “in addition to blatant human rights violations doubles the responsibility of the Arab League and international community to act quickly to stop the murder and starvation of Syrian people.” Al-Dhamkhy described the act as “a blockade imposed on people subjected to annihilation,” while Al-Harbash appealed to border authorities to allow the aid to reach “people inside who need them more desperately than those living outside.”

Growth in representation in Arabian Travel Market

KUWAIT: As students returned to school yesterday, the general secondary students staged new protests outside the Education Ministry offices to protest against low scores and grades they got for the recent examination which they believe was unfair. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

US, Russian envoys weigh-in on Syrian ambassadors’ expulsion KUWAIT: American ambassador to Kuwait, Matthew Tueller, said the Syrian regime is not serious when it comes to implementing the Arab initiative. He described the decision of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to expel Syrian ambassadors as a “sovereign decision”.

“We acknowledge the fact that terrible events are taking place in Syria, yet we believe in the Arab League’s ability to find the best solution for the Syrian crisis,” Ambassador Tueller said. “We hope to help our allies reach that goal”.

Ambassador Tueller denied the

notion that the GCC states received an OK from Washington before deciding to banish Syrian ambassadors, saying that America is holding discussions with “allies in the region regarding the concerning situation in Syria”.

Russia’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Alexander Kinshchak, argued that the decision to expel Syrian ambassadors “does not contribute towards achieving the Arab initiative”. He said Moscow vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to condemn the violence in Syria “because it was unbalanced [as]

Russia looks to avoid using the Security Council to protect schemes for overthrowing the Syrian regime”.

Asked to comment on the angry public reactions in Arab countries at the decision by his country at the Security Council, Ambassador Kinshchak preferred to call the reactions “different assessments and opinions”.

“What is happening in Syria is violence that multiple parties share the blame for... Russia rejected the Security Council resolution because it blames the Syrian government as

being solely responsible for the violence”, he explained.

Ambassador Kinshchak mentioned the recent visit of Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, to Damascus saying “the entire people of Syria came out to welcome the Russian delegation”. “Why not believe the Syrian people, instead of only believing what Al-Jazeera TV broadcasts?” he wondered. “It’s all part of a media war which is why we always insist on the need to send Arab observers to Syria and report back what they witness”. —Al-Rai

DUBAI: The number of Kuwaiti agencies which applied to participate in 18th session of the Arabian Travel Market, to k ick off late April, has surged by 118 percent compared with 17th session, the organizer revealed yesterday.

Data also showed that the number of Kuwaitis who registered to visit the exhibition for mak ing deals with exhibitors rose by 105 percent.

Commenting on this growth, Chief of the Reed Travel Exhibition, the organizer of the annual travel exhibition, Mark Walsh unveiled that the Kuwaiti government has ambitious plans to develop tourism sector to attract more tourists and visitors.

“Kuwait launched last year a fiveyear plan for developing tourism sector with a view to increasing the number of tourists as part of the government’s initiative to turn the oil-rich nation into a tourist destination and a potential financial and trade hub in the region,” Walsh said.

Kuwait also plans to double the capacity of Kuwait international airport to 14 million passengers a year, he said.

Walsh suggested that Kuwait should first focus on business and conferences tourism and linking that kind of tourism to the entertainment sector.

He cited a report recently released

by Euro Monitor International showing that Kuwait has received 554,000 visitors in 2010, the majority of them visited Kuwait for business or commercial purposes.

Kuwait is aiming to take this figure up to one million visitors in the coming five years, he said.

The annual Arabian Travel Market is the travel and tourism event unlocking business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals.

Tourism destinations from the Middle East and around the world showcase a diverse range of accommodation options, breathtak ing tourism attractions and new airline routes.

Reflecting the remarkable growth and diversity of the region, this event attracts industr y and government

decision-makers at the very highest level.

With the latest industry news, leading edge products and thought-provoking educational content, ATM is an exhilarating and dynamic business environment delivering growth opportunities for your business.

Almost 24,000 senior travel industry professionals were present (16,636 visitors, 7,348 exhibitors at ATM 2011 at the Dubai International Convention Center.

ATM 2012 is scheduled for 30 April3 M ay at the Dubai I nternational Convention Center. — KUNA

Academic duo attends Uzbek conference KUWAIT: Two Kuwaiti academics attended an international educational conference in Uzbekistan’s capital of Tashkent yesterday.

Kuwait University’s Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof Abdelretha Aseeri, and Head of the Asian Studies Unit at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof.

M ohammad Al-Saleem, will attend the two-day event.

The conference will discuss raising educated generations as the most crucial component for the development of a nation. The conference will also demonstrate Uzbekistan’s current educational policies and achievements.

The Central Asian country has raised an internationally competitive generation, the Uzbek Embassy in Kuwait’s Coordinator Bakhtiyar Irisov said in a statement.

Other issues to be discussed include improving vocational training, the opinions of businessmen on how to improve the local workforce, and making a connection between graduates of higher education and the size of the market. —KUNA

Murderer flees Kuwait

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The killer of the Pakistani man in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh left Kuwait for Pakistan via the United Arab Emirates, the latest information into the case reveals. Criminal detectives said the murderer is a compatriot of the victim. Blood tainted clothes were found in the house of the suspect. No motives for the murder has been determined yet.

All in the family Police have arrested three family members who have committed thefts during the past five years in several areas of Kuwait. Information revealed that a woman, her daughter and son have broken into cars and removed their contents. They have also stolen items from malls. The family has been observed by authorities for almost a month before they searched their

KUWAIT: Three family members who were arrested for committing thefts. home. Stolen items and tools used for previously sentenced to a seven year theft were found there. It was also dis- jail term. The family was sent to the covered that the mother has been concerned authorities.

51,000 back in Kuwait last weekend KUWAIT: More than 51,000 people returned to Kuwait over the weekend from destinations where they spent their spring break, a top official in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said yesterday.

“Exactly 51,056 passengers a r r i ve d a t Ku w a i t I n te r n a t i o n a l Airport during the period from 9 to

11 of February, and 31,644 left the co u n t r y ”, O p e r a t i o n s M a n a g e r Essam Al-Zamel said.

He said 16 flights were added to the 629 flights scheduled for that period, in order to cover the busy travel season.

In addition to people returning from vacations, Al-Zamel said that e x p a t r i a te te a c h e r s wo r k i n g i n

Kuwait government and private Arabic two-term schools returned last weekend after spending the three -week spring break in their respective home countries.

The senior DGCA official asserted that airport staff doubled their efforts to ensure a smooth flow of traffic and provide the best service to passengers.—Al-Qabas

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

local

25 suspects in election camp fire arrested

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Police arrested 25 individuals suspected to be involved in setting fire to MP Mohammad Al-Juwaihel’s election headquarters. The men were interrogated and referred to the Public Prosecution Department. The suspects were identified through photographs, videos and investigations. In other news, Kuwait’s

Group photo of the participants. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

IOM conference focuses on combating organized crime Emphasis on eliminating human trafficking

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: With an emphasis on cooperation to eliminate human trafficking and organized crime, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior is holding a regional training workshop entitled, ‘Combating Transnational Organized Crime’ at the UN House in Mishref between Feb 12 and 16. “ The International Organization for Migration is working hard through its Kuwaiti branch in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, ministries and public institutions, and non-governmental organizations in supporting countries by providing advice, urgent help, executing training programs in different fields. These include the migration of expat labor, human trafficking, human rights, medical evacuation, resettlement, and other humanitarian issues,” said Maj Gen Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Assistant Undersecretary for Learning and Training Affairs, Ministry of Interior during the launching ceremony held yesterday.

The cooperation between the IOM is a prime example of harmony. “Through this cooperation, we succeeded in accomplishing many goals, including reactivating international immigration and human rights laws. Organizing this training course comes at a time when all countries aim to search and study ways of eliminating organized crimes like drug smuggling, money laundering.

This needs the joint efforts and work to combat it, and good preparation and training of institutions and manpower to deal with these crimes.

This is considered an achievement for the IOM and its office in Kuwait,” he added.

Hasan Abdelmoneim, Senior Advisor for North Africa, Middle East and GCC highlighted the IOM’s mission, “We aim to combat all nega-

tive phenomena, and assist in relocating people during disasters and wars. The organizations helps those in need without discriminating against sex, religion or nationality. Based on this, we cooperate with governments of the countries that we are present according to interna-

Colonel Naser Borisli, Director of Coordination and Follow-up Department, Ministry of Interior noted that the success of the security institutions in achieving its goals depend on searching for best ways and principles to train manpower to the desired level. This

(Left) Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (Right) Hasan Abdelmunem tional criteria. The IOM has 146 country members since it was founded in 1951, with 98 observers, and 440 offices around the world where 7300 employees work, who realized 2,900 projects of the value of $1.4 billion,” he noted.

This is the first program that IOM organized in the country in 2012. “Representatives from different GCC countries attended this program. All participants will discuss challenges and exchange experiences related to eliminating human trafficking any place around the world,” he further said.

can be realized by holding regular training courses. The world and regional changes surrounding us have affected the manner in which crimes are committed. Modern means of technology are used to commit crimes such as money laundering, credit card fraud and many others. It is also easier to commit these crimes across borders. So it is necessary to take follow up action and we need modern training. The Ministry of Interior is cooperating with international organizations, especially the UN including the IOM, our basic partner,” he pointed out.

in brief

MEW emergency generators KUWAIT: Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) Assistant Undersecretary, Abdul Wahab Al Turki, announced the readiness of the MEW to face the coming summer challenges. He said preparations on supply are going on in the ministry through a plan to avoid any problems that might affect the distribution net. He told reporters that the MEW has agreed to supply 100 diesel generators, which will provide 1800 KV to emergency services. He said such generators will help the ministry to cover any power cut during the summer.

Education anniversary KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, is to sponsor and attend a ceremony today marking the centennial of regular compulsory education in the State of Kuwait. The ceremony marking the 100th anniversary is to be held at 10 am in the Khaldiya Campus Auditorium of Kuwait University.

Over 7 million for training KUWAIT: The Civil Service Commission has asked the Ministry of Finance to approve an external training budget of KD7,600,090 for the year 2012 to 2013. The CSC stressed the importance of approving this budget to cover the expenses of training employees in 27 government bodies. The CSC referred to its duty to execute the training projects in the state as a whole and its supervision in their execution, as per the decree of its founding as a central planning bureau.

The CSC is concerned with the planning and execution of training programs necessary for the growth of human resources and to improve the ability of government employees, based on a central strategy.

KUWAIT: Municipality officials conducting inspections over the weekend.

15 tons of spoiled food found KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works and State Minister for Municipality Affairs, Dr. Fadhel Safar, lauded the discovery of 15 tons of spoiled food by the Capital Municipality Emergency team. The discovery was made in cooperation with the precautionary discovery team of the Imported Food Department. Minister Safar said all discoveries will be communicated openly to the public, and considered this to be a warning to all those dealing in such products.

The spoilt food discovery was made in Al-Rai area and it will be destroyed. All nec-

MPs defend Mubarak Port from Iraq KUWAIT: Islamist MPs, Abdullateef AlAmairi and Dr. Adel Al-Damkhi, said that Islamic jurisprudence states it is necessary to abide by all agreements and is against oppression, adding that Kuwait did and still does abide by these principles. Their statement was in response to the declaration by Iraqi MP, Alia Nsaif, who called upon Kuwait Islamist MPs who have a majority in the National Assembly to use religious law in the case of Mubarak Port.

MP Al-Amairi said that Islamists have more concern in the interests of their state. “No outsider, with respect to all,

should believe that the interests of Kuwait are beyond what we say in our political work or social activities,” he said.

“We as Islamists are ready to implement Islamic jurisprudence, which does not allow oppression and all the world knows who oppressed the other and who started the fighting,” Al-Amairi said.

MP Al-Damkhi said Islamists are concerned with abiding by the rules of God and to abide by agreements made between the two countries. “We must respect the right of each country to do what they think is suitable for them on their land,” he said.—Al-Anbaa

Kuwait to host regional IAEA meeting

News

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

Ambassador to Iraq Ali Al-Momen returned to Baghdad yesterday after seven months of absence. He said that his return was purely administration-related and does not concern political, social or economic issues between the two countries. He said Iraq’s foreign ministry and council of ministers have helped the embassy ensure the success of its mission.

essary legal measures will be taken and the entire case will go to the public prosecution, he asserted.

Engineer Faleh Al-Shimmari, Director of the Capital Municipality, said inspection campaigns will continue to cover all food stores, supermarkets and warehouses to keep violators in check. Engineer Istiqlal AlMusallam, Director of the Imported Food Department, said nothing is taken for granted when it comes to food safety. She said inspection campaigns will continue and will cover all food stores. Food lists will be checked with quantities imported to make sure nothing is sold until laboratory results are issued, she said.

No ‘foam’ to celebrate national days KUWAIT: Six teams of inspectors will tour around the country during the National Day holidays to detect the use or sale of aerosol sprays. Their use was made illegal by a Cabinet decision passed two years ago, announced a top official in the Environment Public Authority (EPA) recently.

“Around forty inspectors will be divided into six teams that will inspect shops and supermarkets in Salmiya, Jahra, Ahmadi and Fahaheel, to see if aerosol sprays are being sold illegally,” said Industrial Environment Manager and Director Mohammad Al-Enizi .

Moreover, Al-Enizy added that the teams will also visit factories to ensure that the products are not being supplied to the local market. According to Al-Enizy, an individual using aerosol spray foam will be fined KD 50, regardless of age. Meanwhile, hawkers selling them can be fined up to KD 250 while the penalty ranges between KD 300 and KD 500 for shops and markets. — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), in conjunction with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will hold a conference here between Feb 13 and 16, focusing on regional capabilities to deal with nuclear radiation disasters, KISR director of information Dr Nader Al-Awadhi said at a press conference on Saturday.

Representatives from 26 countries, in addition to a large team of IAEA experts will be at the conference as well as specialists on nuclear radiation from Kuwaitís ministries of Health and Interior and from KISR also, alAwadhi said, who underlined the fact that the IAEA was keen on helping Kuwait build the capability to handle with aplomb any nuclear radiation accident.

He said that technical assistance by the IAEA on nuclear radiation issues to Kuwait has been ongoing for some time, through

the convening of meetings, workshops, and training programs.

It is hoped that what have been learned in these meetings and workshops will be thoroughly reviewed at the Feb 13-16 conference, as well as experiences of Asian countries in mapping out fool-proof plans to withstand nuclear radiation threats, said alAwadhi. KISR is the official Kuwaiti conduit with the IAEA from a technical standpoint.

The Kuwaiti institute tracks the work of the IAEA in the region and has been instrumental in activating 15 regional projects undertaken by the IAEA in the Asian continent, in such fields as medicine, environment, energy and others. The upcoming conference will be the second one held in Kuwait on a regional basis. The first such conference was also hosted by Kuwait toward the end of last November. —KUNA

RIHS joins relief efforts in cold-hit Bosnia SARAJEVO: Kuwait-based Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS) has joined relief operations to help survivors of cold weather that hit Bosnia, Herzegovina over the past days. Despite severe weather, the RIHS managed to carry out an airdrop of food and medicine to those trapped by the snow in the eastern parts of the Balkan nation.

“The operation, part of a relief mission carried out by RIHS in Bosnia, was very risky due to the bad weather,” the Kuwaiti relief society representative in Sarajevo Mohammad Ardat said.

Ardat underlined that the RIHS will continue efforts to help those trapped in the remote villages of Bosnia and who survived the spell of bad weather.

“The RIHS has plans to cover the worsthit areas and especially in the eastern regions that have been isolated from the world,” he said.

Bosnian authorities have been sending helicopter deliveries of food and medicine to iced-in Bosnian villagers since Wednesday as Europe’s 15-day-old killer cold snap tightened its frigid grip on the continent.—KUNA

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

In my view

Dangerous cabinet posts

The challenges that lay ahead

By Dr Wael Al-Hasawi

I

really do not blame those who turn down invitations to join the Cabinet, given how much criticism a state official gets from every side.

Officials are not only criticized for every move they make, but criticizers cross all lines with offenses and accusations they make without proof. Social networks have unfortunately helped the situation reach this low level. It is being misused by people who are spreading rumors and insults. Offending a public figure has become the easiest way for a columnist or blogger to reach stardom in Kuwait.

Verbal abuse in Kuwaiti society has reached unacceptable levels.

We see many people taking pride in the number of defamation charges pressed against them for insulting remarks they make in columns and in public statements. It is only a natural process that this verbal abuse will turn into physical abuse, proven evident by fights that take place almost everywhere, from schools to the parliament building itself. Sectarianism and social groups have also become excuses for people to justify a violent approach.

What is more sad is the fact that people in our society are emotionally charged, and easily believe everything they hear. This is abused by individuals looking for ways to gain an advantage against their foes in political, economic and other fields.

Lawmakers in the past Parliament provided prime examples for that when they used extreme criticism of state officials as the best way to gain popularity among voters.

The result of the recent Parliament elections produced names of politically inexperienced people who rose to win the elections after achieving fame through insulting state officials and making baseless accusations. There are no indications today that say this situation will end soon. If anything, chances are this criteria to garner popularity and fame is only going to get worse. After that, I do not blame respectable and experienced individuals when they opt against accepting the responsibility of an official post. It is the safest decision to make in order to maintain their reputation, which many people looking for fame are waiting to attack!

Verbal abuse in Kuwaiti society has reached unacceptable levels. We see many people taking pride in the number of defamation charges pressed against them for insulting remarks they make in columns and in public statements. It is only a natural process that this verbal abuse will turn into physical abuse, proven evident by fights that take place almost everywhere, from schools to the parliament building itself.

Sectarianism and social groups have also become excuses for people to justify a violent approach. Our society today suffers from the fact that the level of morality is deteriorating to dangerous extremes. If no one interferes to stop those who thrive by spreading animosity within society, then we cannot help society to avoid spiraling down to the point of breakdown. —Al-Rai

By Fouad Al-Obaid

fouad@kuwaittimes.net Twitter: @Fouadalobaid

P

arliament is due to convene this week for the inaugural session, what many believe will be a thorough beginning. What has complicated matters is HH the Prime Minister’s inability to secure a member of Parliament who can accept a ministerial portfolio, highlighting the confrontational nature of legislative and executive authorities, and may well make public a once hidden agenda to structurally change the political game in Kuwait.

With a clear majority, and for the first time, the loosely termed ‘opposition’ will have the opportunity to take steer forward the assembly and pass laws regardless of any potential government veto. Such a majority, feared by some in Kuwait will lay tracks for a probable move to attempt a constitutional amendment. Such a plot may very well be the logical reason

kuwait digest

Setting priorities right

By Iqbal Al-Ahmad

A

ccording to news reports, Islamist lawmakers met last week in Kabad to prioritize the issues on their agenda when the Parliament holds its inaugural session. It was their first meeting since making a sweeping election victory following fierce campaigning against corruption and promises to fight such individuals and push the development process forward.

But as voters were expecting Islamist MPs to announce plans on how to fight corruption and push development forward, they announced their decision to amend Article 2 of the Constitution - something they almost never mentioned during election campaigns.

When they headed to ballot boxes, voters had the impression that eliminating corruption such as bribery, in addition to adopting developmental projects and creating more jobs, are issues that need to be given top priority. I don’t think anyone expected that the party which won the majority would come out and announce that the first thing to do is to propose an amendment to Article 2 of the Constitution.

Kuwait today does not need an amendment to be given priority.

Islam is already recognized as the religion of the state. Kuwait has more mosques than hospitals and polyclinics, while Islamic charitable organizations are some of the most active NGOs in the country that work without any hindrance.

Co-education is banned in our high schools and colleges.

Instead, what Kuwait needs most is to see an end to corruption, and to boost patriotism.

Kuwait also needs the enforcement of many draft laws that have been kept in Parliament for years.

These are some of the issues that need to be given priority before the Constitution’s Article 2 is amended. Any person who gives

Kuwait today does not need an amendment to be given priority. Islam is already recognized as the religion of the state. Kuwait has more mosques than hospitals and polyclinics, while Islamic charitable organizations are some of the most active NGOs in the country that work without any hindrance. Co-education is banned in our high schools and colleges.

kuwait digest

By Dr Mubarak Al-Therwa

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We don’t want the death street

Finding the missing truth

By Thaar Al-Rashidi or the first time in many years, we feel optimistic about the upcoming government. All indications are that it is a technocrat government, or at least something close to this title. The name suggests and is expected to be announced tomorrow or within the next two days. It is promising to be far from the extreme political groups, which we used to see in most of the previous governments. In my opinion the coming government, if chosen as announced, will be a real building government and we will see quality change in dealing with all local issues.

Personally, I don’t think that promises raised by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak in his interview with 24 Hours Egyptian magazine, are just promises for political consumption. They are promises he presented as a style for his coming government work. It is as if he is presenting his government program before it is formed. He presented what people want: the most important large ministerial change and the promise to make tangible achievements in a remarkable time. Here it is as if he presented a draft program for his upcoming government through this short advertisement.

But after the government is formed, from which we hope much, the ball will be in the MPs court. We shall see its direction, no but, and the direction of the whole state after the Feb 15 session.

We hope it will be compatible with the prime minister’s direction to go straight forward to growth and achievement — which we require and the country requires. — Al-Anbaa

for the opposition’s decision to decline joining a government they have already coined ‘temporary’.

The gathering that took place two nights ago at Iradah Square - a venue that has become accustomed to gatherings of various political sort - a largely Shiite minority in the country has voiced their grievances very publically and have upped a confrontational mode with the Sunni majority in the country by asking the government to strip the citizenship of a writer who criticized their ‘religious authority.’ In an unprecedented move and amidst regional polarization, the dangers of open sectarian struggle is very dangerous, it brings the nation one step closer to internal rift, and yet it is one that might happen regardless of political intervention.

The greatest danger facing Kuwait, one that we are not very much aware of is our inability to foster a true sense of belonging amid an ever growing division between society based on sectarian and tribal lines. Regardless of all ‘national music’ that is being aired on public channels, the reality on the ground is that tension between different socio-religious elements within society is mounting. If people start feeling that the government will not be able to apply the law equally on all and if the government is not able to create a proper civil state, we may very well face turbulent times ahead.

The blame today does not clearly lie on one hand.

The government has failed in its effort to integrate the different segments of society into a cohesive society. Sectarian and tribal favoritism is taking its toll, as much as in perception. If people believe that being associated with the state will lead them nowhere they will be drawn to tribes or religious institutions. If they feel a growing danger that the government will not be able to protect them, they may resort to arming themselves and take matters in their own hand as we have witnessed last week. I hope that the government headed by HH the PM will be aware of the challenges that lay ahead. I pray that we will come to see the beginning on a new era of earnest work.

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

New hopes for quality change

top priority to Kuwait’s good will understand that.

Kuwait does not need constitutional changes as much as it needs to see changes in the way its parliamentarians prioritize work. I do not understand how a parliamentary bloc decides to go ahead with such a significant step without consulting the public, especially when the subject affects all aspects of people’s lives.

Unfortunately, there are citizens who do not fully comprehend how their lives can change if Article 2 is amended to make Sharia Law the only source of legislation instead of being the main one. Some people believe - based on opinions I heard on TV - that it only means more strict regulations on organizing parties and the mixing of people belonging to both genders.

This is more worrying than the amendment decision itself, because it seems not everyone realizes that if the Parliament passes the proposal, almost all laws that handle aspects of their lives are going to change - even laws that don’t necessarily need adjustments.

I hope the adjustment would instead hit behavior of MPs so that they give top priority to developing our country and give its people reasons to stay optimistic. I hope a sense of security, coexistence, mutual respect and patriotism can be integrated to our society before such constitutional amendments that Kuwait does not need are made. — Al-Qabas

The greatest danger facing Kuwait, one that we are not very much aware of is our inability to foster a true sense of belonging amid an ever growing division between society based on sectarian and tribal lines.

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oters are like all other people whose ideologies are formed as per their educational and personal values accumulated over the years. Voters’ minds carry mental images of persons, social groups, religions and civilizations composed of items perceived through the media, press or any other source of information. With time, these mental images pile up to form the ideologies and beliefs of their holder.

But is the information, upon which our ideologies are based and formed, always true? Is the world around us truly the way we see it, or is it only the way our minds tell is how to see it? Should we take everything that we perceive and learn as the truth only because we accept it to be that way? If we believe in the truth of all aspects, upon which our perspective regarding a certain topic is formed, then why do people have different opinions when it comes to the same topic? Could it be that something you believe is true might actually not be, or at least not entirely?

You probably are wondering now what I’m trying to get to by

saying all of this. I mentioned this because we live our lives in sequential phases. The mental images you have in your twenties are different than those you have in your fifties. Many people usually think and look at things differently in their forties than they do in their thirties or twenties. Some call it the process of maturity, others call it changes in culture and civilization through the passage of time.

Let’s start over; right from talking about voters and their ideologies. These ideologies are based on the basis of tribal, religious, and sectarian backgrounds, or could be in line with a voter’s national belief, or what best serves the interest of their family, political group, or even business interest.

For example, a man with a religious way of life usually votes for a religious candidate simply because in his mind a politician with a religious approach is the best to serve his interest. Meanwhile, a tribal person tends to vote for a tribesman, perceived to be the best to meet the interests and ambitions of the tribe. Likewise, people usually vote for candidates of the same sectarian group. And

so on. What happens afterwards?

True colors of politicians appear as soon as they start practicing political work. Ideas that people had of those they voted for start to change when they see them fail to commit to the duties they elected them for.

Sharing common backgrounds, sectarian groups or interests shapes the mental image of a voter as to who is the best candidate to vote for. Suddenly, these images start to shatter when people see politicians act differently than the way they thought they would when they headed to ballot boxes.

People then start realizing that what they thought was true, what they thought was the best to serve their interest, is actually fake.

Are people satisfied today about results of the Parliamentary elections? Have citizens elected those who can truly serve the public good, or those their minds told them to do so? The best way for one to avoid this kind of dilemma is to vote solely on the basis of national interests. Other interests are connected to mental images, which are subject to change with time. — Al-Rai

By Mubarak Al-Otaibi

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here are streets in Kuwait that have popular nicknames and their official government names are not known. For instance, Love Street has a different official name, Police Station Road in Fahaheel, along with many other names such as Coop Street, Industrial area roundabout, and even Death Street!

In fact, the street did not get its name out of the blue, but thanks to the many accidents that killed many motorists. The much-talked about accident prone zone is regularly used by oil companies in Wafra, farm owners, stables and picnickers, and truckers.

Where is the Ministry of Public Works and its minister? Have they set limits at the Sixth Ring Road towards Kuwait City. Does this mean that the rest of the country does not belong to the ministry? Where is the Interior Ministry, its traffic department and regulations? Where are those who are responsible for development? People are fed-up with seeing you relaying pavements all the time! Is this the only job you undertake?

Adding to what has been said about those frequenting that road are plot owners in Sabah AlAhmad who have built homes there, while nothing has been done to repair this road. There is also a traffic light at the junction where one has to wait for a very long time thanks to the never-ending traffic snarl. We, as MPs from the fifth constituency, should bring this issue to the fore because all Kuwaitis are suffering from problems here. We should approach the Ministry of Public Works and demand that they construct an alternate route through which trucks can ply. It is already an open secret that Mina Abdallah Bridge leads to the scrap area. — Al-Watan

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

local

Kuwait highways ‘venue’ for illegal car races Racers, spectators maimed

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Since about six or seven years ago there has been no race track in Kuwait, after the official one that was on the Sixth Ring Road in South Surra area was removed due to the construction of houses there. Youths used to race on the streets. Illegal races on different highways became more popular and frequent. Unfortunately, many of these races had dramatic results.

Many young people were injured and some even died during these races. Not only were participating drivers or co-drivers victims of accidents caused during these races, but spectators were victims as well and died while watching.

Ahmad, 23 years old, is one of the participants in these races.

He has a cousin who was seriously injured while racing in Sabhan area a few years ago.

“My cousin, Khalid, is in a wheelchair now and cannot walk as a result of having a car accident while racing. I also know other friends who were injured during these races, although not as seriously. Last month my other cousin lost his new and expensive car, a Corvette. He could also have lost his life if he didn’t jump out of the vehicle before it burnt while racing in Sabhan,” he told

Kuwait Times. Ahmad has been racing there for six years, since he was only 17 years old.

“I had my first car, a Chevrolet Camaro, when I didn’t have driving license yet, and I was participating there. Later I bought my Ford Mustang, which I used to race with. And thank God I never had an accident. Sometimes I

Airpor t Road, King Fahad Highway (Msharbak), and Sabhan,” he added.

Many of the races are held for money. “In case the competitors are friends or know each other they may race for money. I think that this caused many conflicts and fights. I even witnessed fights where guns were used and

KUWAIT: An illegal car race in progress. only go to watch. Unfortunately we don’t have another place to race at, as the official racing track was closed up when it became a residential area.

They considered this activity very noisy and bothering the residents. So we only have the streets to practice our hobby.

There are different places for these illegal races including the

CAIRO: Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah attending the Arab meeting yesterday.

Arab states discuss Syrian National Council CAIRO: Arab states could decide to recognize the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC), a Kuwaiti official said yesterday, as Arab Gulf states understand the need for a position that corresponds with the probable United Nations referral of the Syrian issue to the General Assembly.

“The Gulf Cooperation Council aims to ensure the need and importance to put an end to the bloodshed in Syria and halt the suffering of its people,” Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, Khaled Al-Jarallah, said. He had attended a meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council ministers on the matter, ahead of a broader Arab meeting due on the same day. The Arab League initiative called on Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad, to step down and stop his fierce crackdown on protesters in the country.

The Arab proposal was rejected at the Security Council, after being vetoed by both Russia and China in a session last week. “Since the last Arab League Council meeting, crucial issues and developments have emerged that call for a renewed meeting and discussion between Arab states,” Al-Jarallah added.

These issues include the withdrawal of the Arab observer mission that was operating in Syria and the Security Council’s Russian-Chinese veto against the Arab proposal. The official described their decision as “disappointing and regretful.” The Arab League could also decide to recognize the opposition Syrian National Council in a further meeting Al-Jarallah is due to attend.

The Kuwaiti official confirmed that contact is currently open with the SNC, and that the Arab League’s ministerial council will discuss whether or not to recognize and support the opposition group.

Al-Jarallah also suggested that Arab states will discuss the formation of a joint Arab-UN peacekeeping mission tasked with Syria. —KUNA

Sheikh Ali expresses censure of abusive article KUWAIT: The Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs, Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah, expressed censure yesterday over a recent article published in the media which included mockery and abuse. The article caused tension and compromises the sanctity of the social fabric in the State of Kuwait, and instigates division among different groups of society.

“The Amiri Diwan viewed with utmost censure an article recently published by a writer who employed mockery, verbal abuse, and attempt to harm the social fabric through spreading chaos, instigating tribal dispute, and seeding division among the different groups of our society. This, we believe, is in violation of the teachings of Islam and the Kuwaiti values and ethics which both stress on interaction and solidarity and forgiveness,” a statement read.

“The language and style of the said article also constitutes a violation of law and of freedom of opinion and abuse of the latter,” it continued. “As we express utmost displeasure and censure of the article’s abuse of people’s beliefs, dignity, customs and legacies, we stress that the concerned authorities will take all legal measures due to hold accountable all those who break the law and abuse our country and countrymen”. — KUNA

people were shot,” said Ahmad.

Hamad, a 25-year-old car racing fan, expressed his passion for racing saying “Despite many accidents and injuries that I witnessed due to street racing, I still love this hobby.

I have attended these races since 1997, when I was only 11 years old. I used to go with my cousins who were racing there.

For about five years there were no accidents, as there were judges at the start and at the finishing line. They were professional judges from the race track to referee the race. They received KD 700 for their work, which was paid by the looser. Later these races were held without judges, which made it more dangerous,” he stated.

There are different techniques for racing. “Some drivers choose to start from zero speed, while others go on speed 40 and then increase it after the judge’s signal. The first judge checks if both racers started correctly, while the second judge controls the end of the race and their arrival. They measure distance by the street lights, which differ from one place to another. For instance, in Sabhan one light equals 10 meters,” he explained.

According to the participants policemen sometimes encourage the racers, but in most cases they arrest the competitors and even the spectators. “Sometimes police close the road to let us race. In most cases they follow the participants, arrest them, and confiscate their cars. Once I was arrested just because I was watching the race, and I spent one day in jail along with other spectators of the race,” Ahmad pointed out.

Deadline for NA candidates to remove all fixtures, centers KUWAIT: The deadline for all 2012 National Assembly candidates to remove their fixtures, tents, and campaign centers was yesterday.

Kuwait Municipality Director, General Ahmad Al-Subih, said municipality teams will begin today to remove all fixtures, signposts, and centers without prior notice, and will implement the regulations announced recently in this regard in full. The removal, as announced, will be at the expense of the candidates concerned and in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior.

Al-Subih urged Municipal Council candidates in the Fourth Constituency

to consult with municipal authorities concerning their signs and candidacy activities. The requests for posters and announcement permits should be presented with all required documentation, to avoid their removal.

The fourth municipal constituency of Hawally includes Hawally, Maidan Hawally, Nuqra, Bayan, Mishref, Adailiya, Surra, Jabriya, Khaldiya, Qurtuba and Yarmouk.

To guarantee equal opportunity and smooth elections, no announcement or poster is allowed to be placed anywhere before the required permit is actually provided. — KUNA

Five more candidates for Municipal Council polls KUWAIT: Five candidates registered yesterday for by-elections in the Municipal Council’s fourth constituency.

The Department of Electoral Affairs explained that with the addition of the new candidates, the total number running for the upcoming by-elections is 21 so far. Candidacy applications for the targeted constituency will be open until

February 16. A position was left vacant due to former member Shaya Al-Shaya winning a seat in the National Assembly.

The Municipal Council fourth constituency by-elections, due on March 6th, cover the areas of Hawalli, Maidan Hawalli, Nuqra, Bayan, Mishref, Adailiya, Surra, Jabriya, Khaldiya, Qortuba, and Yarmouk. — KUNA

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Kuwait’s hiring expectancy in three months ‘slightly lower’ majority of jobs in private sector

Child care facility hails visit by Kuwaiti artist DUBAI: Direc tor of R ashid Pediatric Therapy Centre in Dubai Mariam Othman praised a visit by Kuwaiti actor and training staff member at Kuwait ’s Higher Institute for Theatrical Arts Khalid Amin.

The director of the facility said this humane gesture of accepting the invitation stands testimony to Kuwaitis’ eagerness to support Gulf and Arab initiatives in all fields.

This visit brought joy to the children at the center, all special needs children, due to his experience and ability for smooth and warm interaction. Some of the children, she noted, insisted on sitting right by the guest’s side throughout the visit.

Khalid Amin for his part said, “Within the core of every artist’s message is to help support groups in need of special attention within his community ... I urge all artists, especially actors, to pay visits to and support such centers and lend them all forms of aid.” The artist stressed the importance of the timing of his visit. “With the summer break, much of the training and effort put into the care for these children wears off, and this has negative impact on their therapy.

“ Through my own experience and interac tion with people with special needs, I also noticed how vital the role of the family and the community in the process of helping these children, through providing moral support and cheerful interactions, alongside the more structured efforts of specialized care centers.”

The actor added he has a special bond with one person in particular who suffers from Down Syndrome. “Through special care, and great support by his family, he managed to show great and continuing improvement. He now tells me of all his activities over the phone.”

“Our communities need to show more concerted effort and care to people with special needs and their issues. Artists need to put their hands in the hands of decision makers, businessmen, academics and others to integrate these people into society,” the artist stressed. Drama, he noted, can play “a great role in this regard by shedding light on this dossier, as well as by bringing some of these people onboard into production or even performance in front of camera.”— KUNA

KUALA LUMPUR: The Director General of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research Dr Naji Al-Mutairi pictured with the Malaysian dignitaries yesterday.

KISR chief meets with Malaysian advisor KUALA LUMPUR: The Director General of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Dr. Naji Al-Mutairi, met yesterday with the Malaysian Premier’s Science Advisor Professor, Zakri Abd Hamid, to discuss means of bolstering cooperation on scientific research and technology.

Al-Mutairi said the meeting was within the framework of the official program of a tour of Singapore and Malaysia. It aimed at exploring venues for more cooperation in areas of particular interest to Kuwait, including innovation, development and renewable energy.

A meeting was held on Friday with participation of KISR Director’s First Advisor, Dr. Salah Al-Mizidi, KISR Renewable Energy Program Director, Dr. Salem Al-Hajraf, and a host of senior officials in the fields of science and technology in elite Malaysian institutions of research. The result of the discussions

included an agreement to create a joint program as the building bloc for stronger Malaysian-Kuwaiti scientific cooperation.

Al-Mutairi said other meetings with Malaysian officials touched on studies related to petroleum and refineries, and the feasibility of cooperation in this area. This follows a decision at KISR to consider cooperation in this field with leading experts and specialized institutions in Asia. The program included field visits to the University of Malaya, which is a public research university, Smart Technology Complex and the National University of Malaysia, among other research facilities.

The KISR Chairman said a delegation of senior Malaysian officials will visit Kuwait in April. A joint workshop will be held later in October, the themes for which are still to be decided. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The latest Job Index survey conducted

by Bayt.com, jobsite, and YouGov, a research and consulting organization, has shown that Kuwait’s hiring expectancy in the coming months is slightly lower than it was in the fourth quarter of 2011. Most jobs in the coming three months will be for junior executives in the private sector, with a preference for computer science, commerce and business management qualifications across the region.

Of the 49% of companies in Kuwait that are ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ hiring in the next three months, the majority (56%) will be looking to hire less than five people, while18% will look for 6-10 new employees. In a year’s time, the figures are slightly more positive with 63% of companies ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ hiring.

Across the region, the majority of survey respondents (31%) equally prefer candidates with the following experience: strong computer skills, and the ability to manage a team with a prior experience in a managerial role. Sales and marketing experience followed next (26%).

Meanwhile, in terms of skill sets, the ability to communicate effectively in both English and Arabic is considered to be the most important

skill in a job-seeker, according to 51% of respondents. Other skills that employers look for are the ability to be a flexible, helpful and cooperative team player (45%), overall personality and demeanor (43%), and trustworthiness (42%). In Kuwait specifically, computer skills is the most desirable experience that a candidate can have according to 35% of respondents, followed jointly by sales, marketing and managerial experience (27%), and mid-level experience (23%). On the other hand, the three most desirable skills for Kuwait employers are good communication capabilities in English and Arabic (65%); the ability to be flexible team player (47%) and good personal grooming (40%).

Meanwhile, the top five academic qualifications that are most sought-after by Kuwait employers are commerce (24%),computer science (23%),engineering (21%),administrative(19%) and business management qualifications (16%). Employers are mostly looking for junior executives, executives, coordinators and senior executives.

“Employment trends are relatively similar across the region, with roughly a quarter of MENA companies expecting or considering hir-

ing new employees in the coming months, and in a year’s time,” said Suhail Masri, vice president of sales, Bayt.com. “Bayt.com specializes in bringing employers together with their ideal candidates. Likewise, it provides essential information for job-seekers to properly arm themselves with the tools required to make a difference in today’s competitive market.”

“It seems that there are fewer people considering either an industry change or international relocation at present, which would suggest that employees are, in general, satisfied with their current situations,” said Sundip Chahal, CEO of YouGov. “Hiring expectancy figures for the next three months and in the next year across are leaning towards the positive, with the private sector’s multinational companies hiring the most during this time.”

Data for the Bayt.com Job Index January 2012 HR survey was collected online from Jan 2 to 24, 2012. Results are reported on a base of 9,238 respondents. Countries that participated are UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Pakistan.

Imposter detained in Sabah Al-Salem area KUWAIT: Police arrested a military serviceman along with an accomplice who brutally attacked a driver in Sabah Al-Salem area.

The victim was driving along in the area when someone who identified himself as a police investigator asked him to halt. The Egyptian man noticed that the badge he wore showed that it belonged to the Ministry of Defense instead of the Ministry of Interior and refused to cooperate. The suspect and his partner then dragged the victim out of his car and physically assaulted him.

They escaped after severing his finger with a knife. The victim was hospitalized shortly after the incident was reported. Police identified and arrested the imposter based on information the victim provided. The suspect eventually admitted to committing the act and divulged information on his accomplice who was arrested as well.

‘Entertainer’ snubbed An Arab woman was arrested in Al-Mangaf for being under the influence of alcohol. They also learnt that her residence permit had expired. Patrol officers’ suspicions were raised when they saw a skimpily-clad woman walking in an unsteady manner along the street.

Despite being drunk, the woman explained to officers that she was going to her apartment on foot after being asked to leave from a party where she “entertained guests by dancing.” She added that the event’s hosts did not pay her as promised. Police launched an investigation into the case.

Missing daughter found Police reunited a divorcee with her father who had lodged a complaint with police stating that she was missing from his Sabah AlSalem home. The woman, who has been living with her family following her divorce, has switched off her cell phone. Being her legal guardian, her father reported the incident after failing to contact or find his daughter.

Eventually, police located the woman through GPS by tracing her cell phone, and was found smoking shisha (hookah) at a Salmiya cafe.

During interrogation, she explained that she stayed at a female friend’s apartment.

Good Samaritan rewarded A ‘Good Samaritan’ received a KD 500 in reward after he returned a purse containing valuable items to a woman who lost it during a shopping trip. Police reached a mall in Salmiya to verify if the handbag that security personnel received from a passerby was genuine. A few hours later, a female citizen reached the police station to report a missing purse, and found it there. She found all contents- including private family pictures remained intact. According to a security source, she rewarded the bedoon (stateless) man with KD 500.

Cab driver attacked Investigations are ongoing into a case filed by a taxi driver stating that he was physically assaulted by a male driver over a traffic dispute in Maidan Hawally. In his statement to

officers, the cab driver said that a man asked him to halt mid-way following a traffic dispute. Following this, the driver reportedly grabbed a steel rod and smashed the taxi’s window, before tackling the driver to the ground. The suspect escaped with the cab’s keys afterwards, the taxi driver said.

Grocery store theft A search is ongoing for a burglar who rammed his vehicle into a baqala (small grocery store) in Al-Shuwaikh while it remained closed. The shopkeeper went to the area after a neighbor informed him that a car had crashed into the front door of his shop. The thief stole multiple items and fled the scene.

Items worth an estimated total of KD 2,470 were stolen from the shop.

Illicit relationship Jahra police launched an investigation into a case in which a domestic worker claimed that she was impregnated by her employer’s teenage son. The housemaid’s sponsor was shocked to learn that medical staff in Jahra Hospital told him about her pregnancy. The woman was taken to the hospital after she complained of severe abdominal pain. Upon being questioned, the woman told her employer that she has been in an illegal relationship with his 17-year-old son. The enraged man reportedly tried to assault her but was restrained by police. The domestic worker was taken into custody.

— Al-Watan, Al-Rai, Al-Anbaa

Jordan, Kuwait media forum kicks off AMMAN: Activities of the Kuwaiti-Jordanian Media Forum began on Sunday with a discussion of the role of the media in Arab political developments. It explored ways to promote media cooperation between the two countries which serve the interests of both peoples. Envoy of Jordan’s Prime Minister, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Rakan Al-Majali, stressed importance of the role of media in strengthening bridges to serve the common interests of both countries and peoples.

He praised the cooperation of his country with Kuwait, saying that both peoples have many things in common. He said Jordan is a gateway for security and stability in the

region. He added that Kuwait managed to overcome the bitter experience of the invasion to return as a beacon of culture and demonstrate a pioneering experience of Arab democracy.

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan, Dr Hamad Al-Duaij, said that the Forum reflects a form of brotherly cooperation between Kuwait and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which has deepened and developed thanks to the care and attention given by both countries’ leaderships topped by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Majesty King Abdullah II. He stressed the importance of increasing

the flow of investment into Jordan, as it contributes significantly to the development of the Jordanian economy and at the same time benefits the owners of these investments.

They currently stand at nearly USD 10 billion, which are the first among Arab counterparts.

Faisal Al-Qinaie, treasurer of Kuwait Journalists Association, stressed the importance of the Forum in deepening the ties of friendship, love and brotherhood between the institutions of civil society. He said they play a significant role in the translation of the orientation and aspirations of the political leadership in both countries to achieve convergence and cooperation, especially in the field of media. —KUNA

Armenian-Kuwaiti ties will continue to expand

YEREVAN: Kuwaiti Ambassador Bassam Mohammed Al-Qabandi pictured with Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

YEREVAN: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met the Kuwaiti Ambassador Bassam Mohammed Al-Qabandi on Friday and discussed the progress of bilateral ties between the two countries.

A statement by the Kuwait embassy yesterday noted that Sargsyan congratulated AlQabandi on his recent appointment as the first ambassador of Kuwait to Armenia.

He said that this step will further develop relations between the two countries on all levels. “The Armenian-Kuwaiti relations rose to a new level after the opening of the Embassy of Armenia in Kuwait two year ago,” said the Armenian prime minister.

On his part, Al-Qabandi conveyed the greetings of his HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, and during the meeting both sides stressed the need to promote economic and trade relations to live up to the level of political relations between the two countries.

The two sides also discussed the development of frameworks for economic and trade relations and tourism as well as investment opportunities in Armenia and the need to involve public and private sector in the establishment of development projects between the two countries.

At the end of the meeting, Al-Qabandi presented to Sargsyan a commemorative gift and wished him and the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people further progress and prosperity. The Third Secretary of the Kuwait embassy in Armenia, Khalid Walid al Zeer, also attended the meeting.— KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait’s three-day exhibition on traditional artifacts held at the 360 mall, concluded yesterday. It is sponsoring a cultural campaign which runs from Feb 5 to May 5. Public Relations and Advertisement Manager Sheikha Nouf Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah and her assistant Amani Al-Waraa were present among CBK staff who welcomed large crowds that visited the exhibition.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Murdoch flying into Sun storm in Britain Page 9

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney delivers remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Marriott Wardman Park. — AFP

Maine man Romney gets political boost Santorum plans aggressive strategy WASHINGTON: Republican front-runner Mitt Romney is moving on from a narrow victory in the Maine caucuses to raising money for his already well-financed campaign and to the more difficult task of convincing Republican voters he is conservative enough to be the party standardbearer against President Barack Obama. The slim three-percentage-point win Saturday in Maine over Texas congressman Ron Paul offered little more than a symbolic boost to Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and ultra-wealthy businessman. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a prominent voice among some conservatives, said Romney has work to do to convince Republican voters he’s moved beyond his “pretty moderate past ... even in some cases a liberal past.”

“I am not convinced, and I do not think the majority of GOP (Republican) and independent voters are convinced,” Palin said on Fox News Sunday. Despite his showing in Maine, Paul is so far not a serious challenger to Romney in the way that the other two candidates - Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, and Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator - are. Obama is vulnerable in his bid for a second term in the White House in November’s election because of his handling of the economic downturn spawned by the near collapse of the US financial system in the final months of the presidency of George W. Bush.

That disadvantage with voters seems, however, to be easing with increasing but tentative signs of a slight acceleration of the economic rebound. Romney won in Maine, the lightly populated US state in the extreme northeast corner of the country, after three humbling defeats earlier last week to Santorum. He overcame Paul by 39 percent to 36 percent. Santorum and Gingrich, who didn’t actively campaign in Maine, won 18 percent and 6 percent, respectively. Romney now begins to regroup from the battering he took from Santorum last Tuesday in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri. There won’t be another nominating contest until Arizona and Michigan hold primaries at the end of the month, and the next Republican debate is 10 days away.

Santorum said yesterday he could do “exceptionally well” in Michigan, where Romney’s father was governor and the candidate was born. “We’re going to spend a lot of time in Michigan and Arizona, and those are up next.

And that’s where we’ve really been focusing on,” Santorum told ABC’s “This Week.” He suggested that a strong showing in those contests would make the presidential contest “a two-man race,” dismissing Gingrich and Paul.

Santorum shrugged off his third-place finish Saturday in the caucuses in Maine, where he didn’t actively compete. He described Romney’s recent criticism - Romney is painting Santorum as a longtime Washington insider who pursued home-state projects - as “desperate.”

“You reach a point where desperate people do desperate things,” said Santorum, a former representative and senator from Pennsylvania. Santorum’s campaign saw a surge in donations after last week’s victories - $3 million over three days - but is unlikely to catch Romney in the money race. Santorum reported just $279,000 in the bank at the end of December, compared with $19.9 million for Romney. Gingrich had $2.1 million, but is still carrying substantial debt, while Paul reported $1.9 million.

Romney’s relative success in Maine - combined with his victory in the presidential straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference in Washington hours earlier - may help further expand his financial advantage, despite some lingering skepticism among some conservatives. The narrative coming out of Maine will likely reverberate in the political echo chamber for weeks until the next contests on Feb. 28. Romney hopes it will be more positive than it has been over the past week, arguably his worst of the year.

Paul gave Maine considerable attention in recent weeks. The libertarian-minded Texas congressman has

scored a handful of top three finishes in other early-voting states, but his strategy is based on winning some of the smaller caucus contests where his passionate base of support can have an oversized impact. On what has become a hot-button conservative issue, after three weeks of controversy that pitted the nation’s Catholic bishops against the White House, Obama revised his policy Friday on a key health care issue. Instead of requiring religious-affiliated institutions to cover contraception, the policy would now allow their employees to get free contraception directly from health insurance companies.

White House chief of staff Jack Lew defended the decision yesterday, noting that there is no longer room for compromise. “This is our plan,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” The focus on social issues plays well for Santorum, who has long been considered a staunch cultural conservative. Those credentials helped fuel his success last week. Romney’s team is preparing an aggressive push against Santorum in Michigan, where Romney is a household name - and where his advisers had hoped for an easy victory. Romney’s father, George, not only served as governor in the state but was chairmain of nowdefunct American Motor Corp. before mounting a failed bid for president in 1968. Romney leads the overall race for delegates, with 123. Santorum has 72, Gingrich has 32 and Paul has 19. It takes 1,144 delegates to win the nomination. —AP

Southern separatists set fire to Yemen protest camp Page 8

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US general discusses crackdown with Egypt CAIRO: The United States’ top general discussed an Egyptian crackdown on Western-funded pro-democracy groups with the head of the country’s ruling military council, as another two foreigners were arrested on charges of fomenting discontent on the first anniversary of Hosni Mubarak’s ouster. The meeting Saturday between Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey and Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi took place as relations between the two allies have reached their lowest level in decades. Egypt, which regularly blames anti-military protests on foreign meddling, has referred 16 American civil society employees to trial on charges of using State Depar tment funds to finance unrest in Egypt. Among those referred to trial is Sam LaHood, the head of the Egypt office of the Washington based International Republican Institute and the son of US Transpor tation Secretary Ray LaHood. And in an indication that authorities will continue to push the line that foreigners are stirring up trouble, Egyptian police said they

had arrested an Australian journalist and an American student whom they say residents accused of trying to bribe people to join a strike aimed at pressuring military rulers to transfer power to civilian rule.

The new arrests follow warnings from both the White House and Congress that the United States could cut an annual $1.5 billion aid package to Egypt over the crackdown on the civil society groups. Dempsey discussed a range of issues with Egyptian generals “including the issue involving US NGOs”, according to his spokesman Col Dave Lapan who declined to give more details about the private discussions.

Egypt ’s state news agency said Dempsey and the ruling generals discussed “the depth of the strategic relationship between Washington and Cairo,” but a Pentagon official had said prior to the general’s visit that he would talk with Egypt’s leaders about “choices and consequences.” Egypt’s generals have responded defiantly to both the Americans and to their domestic oppo-

sition, issuing a statement Friday evening saying the country was facing great threats. “ We face conspiracies hatched against the homeland, whose goal is to undermine the institutions of the Egyptian state and whose aim is to topple the state itself so that chaos reigns and destruction spreads,” it said.

Activists say the conspiracy warnings seek to undermine their campaign aimed at pushing the generals to relinquish power. Saturday’s arrests will likely be used to reinforce the generals’ narrative that the strike and other protests against their handling of the postMubarak transition are the work of “foreign hands.”A security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to release the information, identified the two arrested as a US student enrolled at the American University in Cairo and an Australian journalist.

He said that their Egyptian guide was also detained in Mahalla Al-Kobra - a northern industrial city that has seen

violent worker strikes in the past - after residents told police the three were handing out money to people in order to encourage them to participate in the strike. The security official said the three would be interrogated by the state prosecutor. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. The official did not identify the three, but a woman identified as Aliya Alwi wrote on her Twitter account that she and the two others, freelance journalist Austin Mackell and student Derek Ludovici, had been detained and told they would be transferred to a military intelligence office in the Nile Delta city of Tanta.

Their identities could not immediately be confirmed. Rehab Saad, a spokeswoman for AUC, said they could not confirm if she was a student at AUC because the university was closed. It was difficult to fully gauge the success of the calls for a general strike in Egypt.

Activists say that they intend it to be a rolling strike that will grow over time, and the first day - Saturday - is a week-

end day in Egypt. A statement signed by 40 groups said that the strike aimed to push Tantawi and the other members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces who took over from Mubarak on Feb. 11, 2011, to give up power.

Egyptian activists accuse the generals of using repressive tactics similar to those of the Mubarak regime to silence dissent. “We are on the verge of another struggle, to overthrow another tyrant,” said Ahmed Hewary, a member of the Revolution Continues coalition.

Student councils and professors at 11 universities, among them Cairo University and the American University in Cairo, announced that they would cancel classes for three days to take part in the strike. Hundreds of students protested inside several universities across the country, carrying photos of some of the nearly 100 protesters killed in clashes with security forces since Mubarak’s resignation. But outside the universities and a handful of factories, there were few reports of adherence to the strike.—AP

Southern separatists set fire to Yemen protest camp Yemen’s Qaeda executes two members for ‘spying’

TEHRAN: In this photo provided by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) greets Hamas Prime Minister of Gaza Ismail Haniyeh yesterday. — AP

Iran urges Hamas to keep fighting against Israel TEHRAN: Iran’s leaders urged the Hamas prime minister of Gaza to continue the Islamic militant group’s resistance against Israel and promised support, state T V reported yesterday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh that Iran would always stand by the Palestinian “resistance” against Israel and warned him against “compromisers.”

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his part said it was Iran’s “duty” to stand by the Palestinians.

The hardline remarks come as Iran watches with concern attempts by Hamas to move closer to wealthy Gulf Arab states.

Widened support for Hamas in the Arab world may come with demands that the Islamist movements moderate and not embarrass its new patrons. Israel and Iran consider each other archenemies. Israel has not ruled out a strike against Iran’s nuclear program, which it says is aimed at developing weapons technology. Iran denies this and says the program is for peaceful purposes.

Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, was quoted as telling Haniyeh that people expect Palestinian resistance to continue. “People do not expect anything except endurance from Palestine’s resistance,” Khamenei was quoted as saying. He said the movement “should be watchful about influence of compromising elements ... since the outbreak of sickness is gradual.”

Khamenei said the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat lost his popularity because he distanced himself from resistance.

“Resistance attracts people, and it is a big resource that should be protected,” he said.

The Supreme Leader said Iran would

always “stand by the people of Palestine and the resistance movement.” Khamenei on Feb 3 affirmed that Iran had provided support to Hamas - a well-known policy, but one that Iranian leaders rarely state explicitly. Haniyeh, for his part, was quoted as saying that Iran was a “strategic reserve” for the Palestinians, and that Hamas would continue a strategy consisting of the “liberation of all the Palestinian lands, the pursuit of resistance and the rejection of peace talks.”

Haniyeh also met Ahmadinejad yesterday. The president was quoted as saying that support for Palestine was a task for all Muslims. “As its duty, the Iranian nation has stood next to the oppressed nation of Palestine.” The remarks come as Hamas’ top leader in exile, Khaled Mashaal, leads what appears to have been a political shift. He has pursued reconciliation with his Western-backed rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a longtime proponent of negotiations with Israel, and has argued that non-violent protests are an important tool in resisting Israeli occupation.

Haniyeh arrived in Iran on Friday for a three -day visit. The visit was seen an attempt by the Palestinian militant movement to avoid snubbing Iran, the group’s longtime patron, even as it cultivates ties with the wealthy Gulf. Some in Hamas want to be part of the broader Islamist political rise triggered by last year’s Arab Spring uprisings. For this, Hamas needs new friends among Gulf states at odds with Iran.

But others in the movement may wish to maintain the relationship with Tehran, which helped Hamas when it had few friends in the Arab world. —AP

Saif Gaddafi to be moved to Tripoli TRIPOLI: Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, son and one -time heir apparent of toppled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, will be moved to a Tripoli prison within two months and then face trial, the chairman of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) said yesterday. Three months after his capture in Libya’s Sahara desert dressed as a Bedouin tribesman, Saif AlIslam remains at a secret location in the northwestern town of Zintan, reflecting a wider problem of powerful local militias and a weak central government in the North African country.

In an interview with Reuters, Mustafa Abdul Jalil said authorities were completing the construction of a prison in central Tripoli, begun under the late Muammar Gaddafi, to which Saif Al-Islam would be moved. “At this moment he is being interrogated and his trial will begin as soon as the prison facility is ready,” Abdul Jalil said. “I can’t give an exact timeframe in terms of weeks or months for this but it will not be more than two months.”

Zintan commanders say they have

kept Saif Al-Islam in their remote mountain town, rather than hand him over to the NTC in Tripoli, to spare him the fate of his father. The older Gaddafi was killed by his captors shortly after being seized in October, his decomposing body put on public display in a Misrata meat locker before given an inglorious secret burial in the Libyan desert.

Saif Al-Islam, a fluent English speaker educated at the London School of Economics, was seen as the Westernfriendly acceptable face of Libya before transforming from liberal reformer to a key figure in his father’s fight against rebels seeking his overthrow. He now faces trial in Tripoli on charges of murder and rape and could face the death penalty if convicted. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has also indicted him for crimes against humanity but Libya says he will be tried in his home country.

“By God’s will, Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi will receive a fair trial and also all those who are accused in this regard,” Abdul Jalil said.— Reuters

ADEN: Southern separatists in Yemen set fire to a tent camp housing anti-government protesters in the port city of Aden, witnesses said on yesterday, in opposition to an election this month to replace outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Southern separatists joined protesters calling for Saleh to leave last year, but the two sides have since grown apar t. The separatists want to revive a southern socialist state that was united with the north in 1990. They fear the Feb 21 election will not serve their goal.

Anti-Saleh demonstrators broadly back the vote as a step towards ending his 33-year rule.

Witnesses said hundreds of separatists marched through Aden, in southern Yemen, late on Saturday, setting fire to tents in the camp of about 100 protesters. About 10 people were injured. Weakened by months of protests, the Yemeni government has lost control of whole chunks of the country.

Saudi Arabia and the United States are keen for the election to go ahead, fearing protracted instability in Yemen is giving AlQaeda’s Yemen-based wing room to expand their foothold there, near oil shipping routes through the Red Sea. But Northern Shi’ite rebels have said they too will boycott the vote, in which acting leader Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi is the sole candidate to fill Saleh’s position.

Saleh is in the United States receiving medical treatment for injuries inflicted during an assassination attempt on him, but has said he will return home before

SANAA: An anti-government protester with the word “We are coming” painted on his chest, shouts slogans during a march in solidarity with the people of Syria yesterday. — AFP the vote, shedding doubt on his commitment to leave office in line with a Gulf-brokered plan to end a year of political upheaval.

The Southern separatists accuse northerners of monopolizing power and usurping their resources.

Three separatist groups issued a statement denouncing the tent camp attack as a northern ploy to weaken the southern campaign for independence. “We ask all sides not to be dragged into a colonialist plot aimed at turning the struggle of our people against the (northern) coloniser into a south-south struggle,” they said in a statement. Saleh’s forces crushed a southern attempt to

break away in 1994.

In another development, AlQaeda’s Yemen branch, strongly active in the south of the impoverished nation, executed two of its members yesterday accusing them of spying on its operations, witnesses said. The pair were accused of planting tracking devices in the vehicles of fellow Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants and of providing Yemeni authorities, and the Saudi and US intelligence services, with information. They were publicly shot dead in front of dozens of residents after the accusations against them were read out, the witnesses said.

The first, identified only by his

surname, Yafii, was executed in Jaar, in Abyan province, while Ramzi Al-Ariqi, was shot dead in Azzan, in neighboring Shabwa.

AQAP loyalists control large swathes of both provinces after taking advantage of a decline in central government authority during the anti- government protests that swept the country last year. Meanwhile, an army officer was shot dead yesterday in an ambush in Al-Malah, in the southern province of Lahij, a military official said. Colonel Ahmed Naji was killed by gunmen while he was traveling from the Al-Anad air base to the cit y of Habilayn, the official said. — Agencies

Turkmenistan votes in presidential election ASHGABAT: Performers in Turkmen national dress eulogised their president at polling stations on yesterday in a one-sided election sure to extend Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov’s rule over the reclusive Central Asian state that holds 4 percent of global gas reserves. Berdymukhamedov, 54, faced seven token candidates who hold no real ambition of dislodging the trained dentist as president of the

ASHGABAT: A woman casts her ballot for the presidential election at a polling station yesterday. — AP

former Soviet republic, which human rights groups rank among the most repressive countries in the world. An avid horseman, Berdymukhamedov’s word is final in a land that borders Iran and Afghanistan. His subjects call him Arkadag - the Patron - and he is prime minister, commander of the armed forces and chairman of the only political party in Turkmenistan. Few citizens recognise anyone on the ballot paper other than the president, whose portrait can be found in parks and offices across the mainly Muslim country of 5.5 million people. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe declined to send observers after concluding that its presence would not “add value”, given limited freedoms and the lack of political competition.

“Berdymukhamedov’s election is a foregone conclusion and there is very little chance of seeing any kind of social protests against the incumbent,” said Lilit Gevorgyan, analyst at IHS Global Insight. Girls with long pigtails emerging from embroidered skullcaps offered voters juice and fresh bread outside polling stations in the showpiece capital Ashgabat, under a dusting of snow unusual for the desert nation.

Outside one polling station in a bread factory, men and women in thick wool hats danced in the freezing air and sang eulogies to Berdymukhamedov: “Long live our Dear Arkadag!” With two hours until polls closed, official turnout among 2.9 million registered voters nationwide was 93 percent. The only uncertainty is whether Berdymukhamedov will exceed the 89 percent of the vote he won in the last presidential election.

After that poll in February 2007, Berdymukhamedov began to disassemble the cult of personality around Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan’s first post-Soviet leader, who died of a heart attack in December 2006. Seeking investment and markets for his gas, Berdymukhamedov has taken steps to bring his country out of the isolation of the Niyazov era, engaging foreign governments and avoiding the more eccentric traits of a predecessor

who banned opera and ballet.

Some analysts say the elections are being choreographed to present an image of democracy to the West, where energy companies are vying for a share of the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves, along with oilfields in the Caspian Sea. Though his absolutist tendencies pale next to those of his predecessor - who named the month of January after his adopted title of Turkmenbashi, or Head of All Turkmen - Berdymukhamedov is acquiring his own cult status. In a lavish ceremony in October, lawmakers bestowed upon him the title “Hero of Turkmenistan”. Berdymukhamedov cast his ballot at polling station No. 11, alongside his son, grandson and father, in whose honour a police unit was named last week.

Reporters who were driven to polling stations in Ashgabat and the nearby town of Abadan were asked politely not to speak to voters, as this would be in violation of electoral law. Mergen, a 34-yearold removals man in Ashgabat, said later that people would be content as long as they had work. “When a person can feed his family, spoil his kids and take them to the seaside, what more could you want?” he said. Residents receive subsidised water and gas, while gasoline costs less than a third of the price in Kazakhstan. But meat prices have risen by 20 percent since the beginning of the year.

Berdymukhamedov’s stated aim of battling corruption will also be a challenge. Only Afghanistan, Myanmar, North Korea and Somalia ranked lower among 183 countries profiled in watchdog Transparency International’s 2011 Corruptions Perception Index.

“I want to open my own business, but it takes too much time, effort and money - and I don’t have the connections,” said 37-year-old Ashgabat resident Gulnara, giving only her first name. The State Information Agency of Turkmenistan called the election “a significant step on the road to further democratisation of modern Turkmen society”. —Reuters

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Murdoch flying into Sun storm in Britain Eight arrested in bribery probe

ISOLA DEL GIGLIO: This file picture shows a view of the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia in Italy. — AFP

Italy mourns 1 month after luxury cruise ship tragedy GIGLIO ISLAND: A month after the Costa Concordia grounded with 4,229 people from 60 countries on board, Italy is remembering the victims of one of the worst disasters on a luxury liner since the Titanic.

Thirty-two people are now believed to have died in the tragedy on the Tuscan island of Giglio, even though the families of 15 still officially missing are clinging to the desperate hope that their loved ones may still be alive. Survivors have meanwhile launched legal action in France, Germany and the United States, while prosecutors in Italy investigate the widely ridiculed captain, Francesco Schettino, nicknamed “Captain Coward” in the press. On the picturesque island itself, residents are increasingly worried that the 2,380 tons of heavy fuel oil in the ship’s tanks which still have to be pumped out could leak and contaminate Europe’s biggest marine sanctuary. “I would feel calmer once there are fewer tons of fuel,” said Franco Gabrielli, the head of Italy’s civil protection agency, who has visited frequently over the past month while also contending with the freezing weather emergency.

There is concern too that plans to remove the 114,500-tonne ship-more than twice the size of the Titanic which sank in 1912 — are dragging on and that its presence could ruin the tourist season vital for the local economy. “Well, yes, it has to be taken away. It’s like having a car in your living room!” said one frustrated local fisherman. A pensioner walking by said: “It’s not nice to look at but it might attract some people who are curious.” The Costa Concordia hit rocks near Giglio on the night of January 13, just hours after setting off on a seven-day Mediterranean cruise and as passengers were settling down to dinnermany of them dressed in elegant evening wear. Passengers were initially told only that there had been a blackout and had to wait nearly an hour for the order to abandon ship, sparking scenes of panic and chaos after several lifeboats failed to deploy because of the ship’s tilt. Dozens of people threw themselves into the sea in the night and were rescued by local residents and fire brigade workers as the ship keeled over just a few meters from a rocky shoreline in front of the island’s tiny harbor.

In the days that followed, mountain rescue teams and divers combed through the ship’s 1,500 cabins and labyrinthine passages-plucking a South Korean couple and cabin service director Manrico Giampedroni alive from the wreck. Italian navy frogmen set off micro-explosives to ease access to the ship, with emergency workers limiting their dives to a maximum of 50 minutes to avoid getting trapped in turbid and furniture-cluttered waters inside the wreck. A

special remembrance mass on Sunday in a Roman basilica will be celebrated by the head of the Catholic Church in Italy, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, and attended by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. There will also be a more modest but emotional service on Monday, February 13 — exactly one month on from the disaster-on Giglio itself, with local bishop Guglielmo Borghetti, to honor victims, survivors and rescuers. Brigitte Litzler came to Giglio from France last week to plead with emergency services to continue the search for her 23year-old daughter Mylene, who is still officially missing along with her boyfriend Michael, 25. “With the parents in front of them, they’ll continue the search,” Brigitte Litzler told AFPTV in an interview.

“I tell myself that I’m on dry land and if it turns out that my child is in there, sinking in the water, trapped... I can’t feel okay,” she said. Schettino-who has admitted responsibility for the impact but has blamed the ship’s faulty equipment-is accused of multiple counts of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship before all passengers were evacuated. The captain, who is living under house arrest in his home on the Amalfi coast in southern Italy, has denied abandoning ship in an interrogation leaked to the Italian press in which he claimed he had fallen onto a lifeboat. The recording of a communication from a coast guard upbraiding Schettino for failing to return to the ship to co-ordinate rescue operations was an Internet hit, particularly the official’s phrase: “Get back on board, for **** sake!”

One month on, the mystery has also deepened over a 25-year-old blonde Moldovan woman on board after leaks from the investigation revealed that she shared Schettino’s cabin and was on the bridge at the time of the impact. The woman reportedly told investigators she was “in love” with Schettino. Survivors and victims’ relatives are meanwhile launching multiple legal suits for damages against the Genoa-based cruise ship operator Costa Crociere, as well as its giant US parent company Carnival Corp. based in Florida. One US lawyer who is planning to file dozens of individual lawsuits against Carnival visited Italy last week and calling for sweeping changes to the international cruise industry, which he said had been overlooked for too long. John Artur Eaves from the US state of Mississippi said there should be better training for crew members, more responsibility for cruise ship operators and a system for tracking ships similar to flight control in aviation. He said: “We have allowed shipping laws to remain in the past... It is time to talk about changing this industry so this accident never happens again.” — AFP

Russian sets self on fire MOSCOW: A Russian woman set herself on fire in front of the government building yesterday and was hospitalized with serious burns, news reports cited police sources as saying. The woman approached the Moscow White House, which is the formal seat of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the government, and poured petrol over herself before lighting a match, news agencies said.

The lifenews.ru website identified the woman as Vera Smolina, a 53-year-old resident of the central Samara region, although Interfax said she was a resident of the Ural Mountains city of Nizhny Tagil.”She made no demands before attempting self-immolation,” a security source told Interfax. “She was not carrying any posters, so we do not know why she did this.”

Russia has been hit by protests against Putin since disputed December parliamentary elections in which the ruling party won a narrow majority despite allegations of fraud. Putin is the overwhelming favourite to win a third term as president in March 4 elections after heading the Kremlin in 2000-2008. He has agreed to swap jobs with incumbent President Dmitry Medvedev. — AFP

LONDON: Rupert Murdoch will fly to London this week in a bid to quell the crisis threatening The Sun after eight staff at his flagship British tabloid were arrested over bribery allegations, sources said yesterday. The Australianborn media baron has, according to his pointman in Britain, given a “personal assurance” that The Sun will not face the same fate as the News of the World, which he closed in July amid a scandal over phone hacking. But the new storm over alleged payments by Sun journalists to police and public officials in exchange for information has sparked fears that it may be too late to save Britain’s biggest selling newspaper.

The US-based Murdoch will come to London “later in the week”, a person familiar with the matter told AFP. The person said Murdoch’s visit had already been planned before the arrests happened. Another source close to the matter said he would meet with journalists at The Sun, Britain’s biggest selling newspaper.

News International, the British newspaper arm of his global News Corporation empire, would not comment on the trip. Murdoch himself has not made any comment despite being an avid user of the social networking website Twitter.

The Sun journalists arrested on Saturday were deputy editor Geoff Webster, picture editor John Edwards, chief reporter John Kay, chief foreign correspondent Nick Parker and reporter John Sturgis. A Ministry of Defense official, a member of the armed forces and a policeman were also arrested over allegations that journalists paid officials for information. All eight were later released on

bail. In an email to staff on Saturday, News International chief executive Tom Mockridge said that Murdoch would stand by The Sun in the hour of its “greatest challenge”.

“You should know that I have had a personal assurance today from Rupert Murdoch about his total commitment to continue to own and publish The Sun newspaper,” Mockridge said. A News International spokeswoman said: “The statement sets out News Corporation and Rupert’s position and support for News International and The Sun.” The arrests on Saturday were part of a widening Scotland Yard probe into alleged corrupt payments, and come a fortnight after another four current and former Sun journalists were arrested over similar allegations.

British media reported that many journalists at The Sun were furious over the so-called “witch-hunt”, and at the fact that News Corp. had handed over the information to police that led to the arrests. US-based News Corp. set up the Management and Standards Committee, an independent committee, last year to investigate wrongdoing at Murdoch’s British papers. Commentators said News Corp would be keen to stop its operations in the United States and other countries from being contaminated by the problems at the The Sun and the News of the World. The Observerthe weekly sister paper of the Guardian which led investigations into hacking-said there were fears in News Corp that the British bribery allegations could trigger an investigation by US authorities under legislation prohibiting corrupt payments to foreign officials. —AP

LONDON: Michelle Stanistreet, General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists, (NUJ) (right) arrives to testify at the final day of the first phase of the Leveson Inquiry. — AP

France’s far-right leader attempts image change PARIS: Marine Le Pen has purged the old guard from her father’s extremeright National Front party and is reaching out to Jews, maligned under his leadership, in her bid to be the next president of France. Daughter may be more dangerous than dad, many contend, as she sugarcoats an old antiimmigrant message and vies for a real slice of power. Polls suggest a couple of million people may vote for the far-right leader in April - and that momentum, the party hopes, could translate into seats in parliament in June legislative elections. President Nicolas Sarkozy is trying to woo these voters into his conservative camp with themes like French identity that mimic Le Pen’s.

Marine Le Pen, 43, a divorced mother of three, took over the leadership of the party last year, replacing the charismatic Jean-Marie Le Pen, now 83.

He used his oratory skills to denounce the “decadence” of French society, promote his anti-immigration “French first” agenda and attempt to cast doubt upon the Holocaust. She has concocted a name for her clean-up operation to trade the stigma of anti-Semitism for respectability: “de-demonize” the party.

An official support group that includes blacks, Jews and North African Muslims was set up to help chase the demons away. Gilbert Collard, a prominent lawyer who became a National Front trophy when he joined Le Pen’s team, said that displays of xenophobia, racism or anti-Semitism will be reason for exclusion from the party. But experts say the party remains racist at heart.

“I think there is a strategy of dissimulation,” said far-right expert Sylvain Crepon, of the University of Paris. “She has understood that the National Front will never reach power alone,” he said. The only way to get access is via alliances “so she breaks into the sanitized zone” of respectable politics. “I think, effectively, that it’s more dangerous,” he said. And even if her chances are slim in the two-round presidential elections in April and May, Le Pen has

NANTERRE: In this file photo, French far right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen attends a party meeting. — AP set her political sights high. Her party hopes that a strong presidential showing will allow the National Front to gain a parliamentary presence for the first time since 1986 - and have a say in setting the national agenda.

“Jean-Marie Le Pen didn’t want to be a minister, didn’t want to be president. That wasn’t his objective, so fundamentally he really wasn’t dangerous,” said sociologist Erwan Lecoeur, who studies the extreme right. “Today, it’s the reverse. Marine Le Pen threatens the political system since she says she wants to run things and seems able to do so.” —AP

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Police strike ends in Brazil’s city RIO DE JANEIRO: A police strike in a northeastern Brazilian state has ended, though a similar action in Rio de Janeiro continued but was having little effect yesterday just days before Carnival celebrations draw some 800,000 tourists to the city. Police in the northeastern state of Bahia have voted to end their 12-day walkout, during which time the homicide rate doubled to more than 130 in the metropolitan area of Salvador, the state capital.

The strikes have stoked concerns about Brazil’s security forces ahead of Salvador and Rio’s hosting of 2014 soccer World Cup games and Rio’s hosting of the 2016 Olympics. Officer Ivan

Leite, one of the strike leaders in Bahia, told reporters after a union meeting late Saturday when officers voted to end the work stoppage that mounting public pressure to halt the action before Carnival influenced officers’ decision.

“We were being played against society,” Leite said, adding that officers voted to end the strike to end the “suffering” of the population. But authorities said a government decision Friday to halt salary payments to any officers still on strike had more influence on the vote. Alfredo Castro, head of police in Bahia state, said that more than 3,000 army soldiers who were deployed to

Salvador and smaller cities will continue to patrol until Carnival ends next week to ensure safety and an orderly transition as police return to their posts. Through labor negotiations, officers in Bahia received a 6.5 percent pay raise, rights to some bonus payments and also amnesty against punishment against any striking officers as long as they did not commit any crimes during the stoppage. Authorities had accused some officers of causing panic by encouraging looting and of using police cruisers while on strike, which they labeled as theft of public property. Officials are seeking the arrest of about a dozen officers, and the head of

the union that called the strike is in custody. They’re accused of fomenting panic by encouraging looting, vandalism, and illegally using government cars during the stoppage.

The pay-increase adds about $350 a month to officers’ paychecks. Monthly salaries for officers in Bahia previously ranged between $1,100 and $1,330, depending on rank and experience.

The police strike in Rio de Janeiro state entered its third day, but there appeared to be little adherence to the action among the 58,000 officers. Rio was calm yesterday and pre-Carnival parties drawing tens of thousands to the streets during the weekend were

carried out with no reports of serious problems.

Rio’s security forces decided to walk out Friday to demand a pay raise, not content with a last-minute legislative approval of a 39 percent hike staggered over this year and the next. The base pay for police starts at about $960 per month in Rio state, it can go to $1,170 for a starting officer willing to participate in available training courses, the department said. There were concerns that the Rio police strike would cripple the city’s Carnival celebrations, which pumps more than $500 million into the city’s economy annually. — AP

Venezuela opposition picks candidate to combat Chavez Henrique Capriles chosen favorite to win

This undated photo shows bulk cash seized during an ICE operation. — AP

US faces tough fight in cash smuggling crackdown WASHINGTON: Jeanette BarrazaGalindo conspicuously left her bags of teddy bears and throw pillows on a bus during an inspection at the TexasMexico border - and professed ignorance about the $277,556 officers found hidden inside. The bags were handed to her at a bus station, gifts to be given to a child upon her return to Mexico, she told investigators.

The crime she pleaded guilty to - bulk cash smuggling - is increasingly drawing the attention and resources of federal authorities responsible for fighting drug trafficking across the border. Federal immigration agents say their investigations have yielded more cash seizures and arrests in the past half-dozen years as criminals, sidestepping scrutiny from banks over electronic transfers, resort to using cash to conceal proceeds from drug trafficking as they move the money south to crime rings in Mexico and elsewhere.

It’s similar to the tactic taken in fighting terrorism: crippling financing networks before the money ends up with leaders of drug cartels and trafficking rings. But the flow is hard to stop.

Officials in the US and Mexico are realizing that criminal enterprises, just like other businesses, can’t operate without a steady cash stream, said David Shirk, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego, which promotes scholarship of border issues.

“We’re shifting our strategy to a more diverse strategy of not just going after bad guys and arresting them, but also going after their guns, going after their money,” he said. It’s illegal to try to smuggle more than $10,000 in undeclared cash across the border. Officials say the crime itself is often connected to other illegal activities including drug trafficking, gambling, and credit card and customs fraud. Money that’s seized is deposited into government forfeiture funds, which can be used for further law enforcement efforts.

The Obama administration has identified targeting bulk cash smuggling as a

prong of its strategy against transnational crime. Congressional panels held hearings on the issue last year. US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported more than $150 million in seized cash and 428 arrests in bulk cash smuggling investigations in fiscal year 2011, up from $7.3 million and 48 in fiscal year 2005. A cash smuggling center in Vermont that’s run by ICE’s homeland security investigations and that opened in 2009 has expanded operations in a sign of heightened emphasis, officials announced in December.

But experts say measuring the impact of the beefed-up focus is tricky. It’s hard to track cash’s origin and destination and investigators can’t always count on help from couriers, who may be more afraid of cooperating than spending a few years in prison. Plus, the amount seized represents a fraction of the total money at stake. Estimates cited by federal authorities suggest at least $18 billion in illicit proceeds is smuggled across the southwestern border each year.

A 2010 report by the Government Accountability Office said staffing and infrastructure at the border were limiting success in detecting large quantities of cash, and also highlighted another problem: the use of prepaid, stored value cards - which may be used to access cash at ATMs and aren’t as stringently regulated as traditional banking. “I call this winning the battle, losing the war.

Sure, $90 million sounds like a lot,” said Bruce Bagley, a University of Miami international studies professor who researches drug trafficking. “ That ’s nothing in comparison to the $19 to $39 billion that’s being returned” into the Mexican economy.

Cash smuggling, a seemingly elementary form of money laundering, has emerged as a seductive medium for criminals as banks have become more sophisticated in spotting suspicious transactions. Cash has built-in advantages, too: It can be transferred without a trace and is instantly available. — AP

Bin Laden told kids to live in peace in the West LONDON: Slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden urged his younger children to go live peacefully in the West and get a university education, his brother-in-law said in an interview published yesterday.

Zakaria Al-Sadah, the brother of bin Laden’s Yemeni fifth wife Amal, told Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper that the Saudi-born extremist believed his children “should not follow him down the road to jihad.”

“He told his own children and grandchildren, ‘Go to Europe and America and get a good education,’” Al-Sadah told the Sunday Times. Al-Sadah said bin Laden told them: “You have to study, live in peace and don’t do what I am doing or what I have done.” Bin Laden was killed in a commando raid in May 2011 by US Navy SEALS at a house in the garrison town of Abbottabad, northwest Pakistan, where he had been living for several years.

Al-Sadah said that in November he had seen his sister for the first time since she was shot in the knee during the raid, and had since been allowed to have a

number of meetings with her in the presence of guards. He said the three wives and nine children who were in the compound-some are bin Laden’s children and others are his grandchildren-have been held for months in a three-room flat in Islamabad.

They are guarded by Pakistan’s InterServices Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, he said. The Sunday Times published what it said was the first photograph to show some of the young children from the compound: two sons and a daughter, and two grandsons and a granddaughter. The children were still traumatized after seeing the raid in which bin Laden died, Al-Sadah said.

“These children have seen their father killed and they need a caring environment, not a prison-whatever you think of their father and what he has done,” he said. A Pakistani commission investigating the raid said in October that it had lifted travel restrictions on Bin Laden’s family and Al-Sadah flew to Islamabad in November to take Amal and her children home. — AFP

CARACAS: Venezuelans voted yesterday in an opposition primary expected to name a young state governor to challenge Hugo Chavez later this year at a close presidential election in South America’s biggest oil exporter. With each of Venezuela’s 18 million registered voters able to take part, all eyes were on turnout as the clearest test yet of the opposition’s strength and chances of ending 13 years of Chavez’s socialist “revolution”. The reaction of yesterday’s losers will show if the fledgling Democratic Unity coalition is ready to rally behind the winner and mount a dynamic campaign for the Oct 7 election that could chip away at the president’s still-dominant popularity.

Miranda state governor Henrique Capriles, 39, is the frontrunner with a lead of as many as 20 percentage points over another governor, Pablo Perez, and three other candidates. “I aim to be a president who talks much less, who doesn’t invade Venezuelans’ personal lives so much,” Capriles said in a pointed reference to Chavez’s longwinded speeches, which local media are often obliged to run live. “The real game begins on Feb 13,” he added, relishing the chance of a showdown with Chavez.

Capriles hails Brazil’s market-friendly but socially-conscious policy model as his inspiration and has said he would take a “no shocks” approach to dismantling Chavez’s statist economic policies such as currency controls. He might move faster to end controversial friendships with anti-U.S. figures such as the leaders of Iran, Cuba and Belarus.

Risk of trouble Across Caracas, pro-opposition districts were plastered with posters above young volunteers handing out fliers, while Chavez strongholds were almost devoid of any opposition propaganda. Results from the voting were expected late yesterday. If Capriles is anointed as Chavez’s official challenger, supporters in the OPEC nation will hope his opposition colleagues quickly, and convincingly, endorse him for the uphill battle ahead.

Peru’s conservative Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa praised the coalition this week for transcending the divided, mediocre opposition of Venezuela’s past and avoiding “cannibalism” during the primary - in contrast to the US Republican race going on to the north. “Who says there can’t be a Venezuelan spring?” he wrote.

Polls put Chavez well in the lead for October, but that could change if the opposition runs an appealing and inclusive campaign. Some experts warn that political violence could undermine the outcome - whoever wins the general election. Venezuela has

CARACAS: A Venezuelan citizen checks the electoral roll at a polling station yesterday. —AP largely avoided political bloodshed despite the deep polarization of Chavez’s rule and a volatile mix of police corruption, the presence of organized criminal gangs, impunity and millions of guns in civilian hands. The opposition has accused the defense minister of planning to reject any opposition win on Oct 7, further fueling mistrust and threatening to break what the International Crisis Group think tank called a “fragile equilibrium”.

‘Are we a colony?’

At stake is control of the biggest crude reserves in the world and state oil company PDVSA, which despite declining output still sends more than three quarters of a million barrels a day to the United States and about half a million to China. Chavez has nationalized almost all Venezuela’s oil industry over the years, kicking out US majors and putting PDVSA in charge of multibillion dollar projects. The opposition deny government allegations they plan to privatize the company.

Man to face Alabama trial in wife’s death BIRMINGHAM: A dream honeymoon to scuba dive on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef turned into a terrible nightmare, and the horror is about to play out years later in a courtroom in Alabama. An Alabama man who already served prison time in Australia after pleading guilty to a reduced charged in the death of his bride goes to trial today, accused of murdering her for insurance money. Tina Thomas Watson drowned during a scuba dive on the reef just days after her wedding in October 2003. Gabe Watson is charged with capital murder - which normally is a death-penalty offense in Alabama - but faces life in prison without parole if convicted because of a deal the state made years ago with Australian officials to guarantee his return to the US Jury selection and legal wrangling could take several days; officials said the trial could last a month.

Tina Watson’s father said the family has endured eight years of delays and disappointments getting to the trial date. “It’s been a traumatic, excruciating ordeal,” said Tommy Thomas, of suburban Helena. Watson, 34, and Tina met in college. They wed and went to Australia to dive - a trip prosecutors claim Watson meticulously planned so he could kill the 26-year-old woman and make it appear like an accident.

Watson is accused of killing Tina Watson by turning off her air supply and bear-hugging her as she drowned while diving on a shipwreck in 2003.

Don Valeska, an assistant state attorney general handling the case, argues Watson killed the woman believing he could collect on a modest life insurance

Energy minister and PDVSA boss Rafael Ramirez said this week that the opposition had a hidden agenda for the oil industry.

“They don’t want to say much because what they’re proposing is a retreat from everything that we’ve done ... to the detriment of our sov-

policy. Originally charged with murder in Australia, Watson avoided a jury trial there by pleading to a charge of manslaughter and serving 18 months for not doing enough to save his wife.

He was an experienced diver; she was a novice. The defense will argue during the trial that Tina Watson’s death was an unintended, horrible mishap. One of Watson’s lawyers said the man - who is free on bond and has remarried - was anxious to get the trial started.

“He’s nervous. He’s ready to get this trial behind him so he can be a free person,” defense lawyer Joseph Basgier said after a hearing last month. The state has subpoenaed people from as far away as Australia and California to testify about what happened that day on a dive boat called the Spoilsport, but it’s unclear how many will take the stand. — AP

In this undated photo, Gabe Watson (left) and his wife, Tina, pose on their engagement. — AP

ereignty and people,” he told state TV. As well as turnout, Venezuela watchers will keep a close eye on any signs of a surprise surge by Perez, and several close-run opposition mayoral races: surprises there could undermine faith in pollsters who have had Capriles in the lead for months.

Chavez is sure to try to steal the show. His apparently robust recovery continues after cancer surgery last year and he is making ever longer TV appearances, including a record speech last month of nearly 10 hours.

Yesterday, the 57-year-old was due in northcentral Aragua state to celebrate the 198th anniversary of the “Batalla de La Victoria” (“Battle of Victory”) there against Spanish forces.

“Any candidate from the ranks of the Venezuelan right is the candidate of dependency, of anti-independence,” he slammed his foes this week, denouncing them as US puppets and sell-outs. “The first, vital issue is: are we free, or are we a colony?” — Reuters

Questions raised over gun boy used in school WALPOLE: A teen who shot himself in the face in a crowded elementary school cafeteria in southwestern New Hampshire had residents Saturday asking how he got a gun into school and expressing concern for his classmates. The 14-year-old, identified by a relative and fellow students as Hunter Mack, was hospitalized after shooting himself around 11 a.m. Friday at Walpole Elementary, officials said. Police locked down the school for several hours, but no one else was injured. He might have been upset about a “relationship issue” with a girl, Cheshire County Attorney Peter Heed told The Associated Press.

“It clearly involved a relationship issue; I think that is fair to say,” Heed said. The boy was in serious condition in intensive care Friday. Hospital officials would not confirm he had been taken there and family members did not return messages seeking an update on his condition Saturday. Heed said investigators will interview students, staff and teachers to try to determine how the boy got the gun and how he got it into school. He declined to say what type of gun the boy used. The shooting “appears to be self-inflicted, and now the focus is on what happened, why it happened, how he got the gun,” Heed said.

The shooting alarmed residents. On Saturday, people milled through the heart of downtown Walpole, a town of about 3,000 several miles from the Vermont state line. “There was a pall over this town yesterday,” said Max Imhoff, who lives in Walpole. “Everybody was just walking around with long faces.”

Meredith O’Neil, 24, a French teacher in nearby Saxton’s River, said she happened to be driving by the school shortly after the shooting. She described seeing police cars and parents, mouths covered in disbelief.

When she learned what happened, one of her first thoughts, she said, was of the students who witnessed the shooting and how they will process what they saw.

“It’s a hard realization thinking about the fragility of life,” she said. “... It’s so hard to understand what happened and why it happened.” Mack had been passing notes during the week saying he was depressed, but it wasn’t clear why, Nick Phillips, an eighth-grader in Mack’s homeroom, has said. Susan Parry of Claremont said she hoped some good could come out of the shooting. “We need to teach children that when your friends are talking about suicide to tell a trusted adult,” she said. — AP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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

Charges against president ‘motivated’, says Pak PM ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, in an interview broadcast on Saturday, said corruption charges against Pakistan’s president were “politically motivated” and that the president had immunity as head of state. In the wide-ranging interview with Al-Jazeera television, he also criticized US drone attacks on militants near the Afghan border as counterproductive and said Pakistan never authorized them.

Pa k i s t an, he said, b acked any Afghan-led peace plan to establish peace in the neighboring country and in no way supported Taleban insurgents. Gilani’s statements were aired on the eve of a hearing at

which the premier faces indictment for contempt of cour t over his refusal to request the reopening of corruption cases against his party boss, President Asif Ali Zardari. “ Th ere h ad been a lot of cases against him, and they were all politically motivated,” Gilani said, referring to Zardari.

“He has got immunity. And he has not got immunity only in Pakistan, he has transnational immunity, even all over the world.” Asked if he would rather resign for the sake of the president, Gilani said if convicted of contempt, he would automatically lose office, so there was no need for him to quit. “There’s no need to step

down,” he said. “If I’m convicted, then I’m not supposed to be a member of the parliament.”

I n the inter view, Gilani said authorities in Islamabad gave no approval for US drone strikes. “I want to inform you that we did not allow or give permission to fly drones from Pak istan,” he said. “Number two, drones are counterproductive.

And we had discussed thoroughly with the US administration that we at times make a lot of efforts to very successfully isolate militants from the local tribes.”

Drone attacks generated negative reaction, he said, with tribesmen in areas bordering Afghanistan. “Then

the local tribes and the militants, they get united again,” he said. “They make our jobs extremely difficult.

Then there is less political space for us.” Gilani also said he had “good relations” with the military “at the moment”. That was a reference to tensions pitting the civilian government against the militar y over a memo sent to the Pentagon seeking US help in preventing a feared military coup after the US commando raid in Pakistan that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

As ke d a b out t he f ut ure of Afghanistan, Gilani said Pakistan woul d s up p or t a ny Afgha n-l e d peace initiative and did not back the

Afghan Taleban to take over. “We are not supporting them. It’s not our job. Why should we support them?”

Gilani also said that regional rivals I ndia and Pak istan-which have fought three wars and countless skirmishes since their partition in 1947 — could not afford more conflict and were ready to discuss the issues that have long hampered the normalization of relations. “ We have agreed to discuss all our core issues, including the issue of Kashmir,” he said, referring to the region claimed in full and ruled in part by the two neighbors. Kashmir was at the heart of two of the three Pakistan-India wars. — Reuters

New president of Maldives expands cabinet amid crisis Ex-Maldives prez rejects US compromise call

KABUL: This file photo shows young Afghan girls and women enjoying a concert by the “Afghan Elvis”, singer Farhad Darya, a United Nations goodwill ambassador during a concert for young women at Amani high school. — AFP

Afghanistan women fear Taleban return KABUL: As tentative steps are made towards peace talks between the United States and Taleban insurgents, Afghan women are worried about a possible return of the hardline Islamists to the capital Kabul. When the Taleban were in power from 1996 to 2001, when they were overthrown by a US-led invasion, women were subjected to particularly brutal repression.

They were whipped in the street by the thugs of the religious police if they wore anything other than the all-enveloping blue or white burqa.

Girls were not allowed to go to school and women were not allowed to work. Fear reigned in the capital, with women accused of adultery among those regularly executed in public at a sports stadium after Friday prayers. Now, with the Taleban preparing to open an office in the Gulf state of Qatar ahead of possible negotiations with Washington, Afghan women want their voices heard.

“We fear the Taleban return to power,” said Shukria Barakzai, a legislator from Kabul in the lower house of parliament.

“There should be no deal between the Afghan government and the Taleban.”

Barakzai said she objected to the USbacked idea of a Taleban office in Qatar, saying any talks should be held within Afghanistan and women should have a place at the negotiating table.

“We are also part of this land and they cannot ignore us,” she told AFP. “Today is not Afghanistan of 1996, this is 2012 Afghanistan.” Under the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai girls are in school and women work. The number of girls in education has risen from 5,000 when the Taleban were ousted in 2001 to 2.5 million, according to a

spokesman for the education ministry and a report by a coalition of 16 aid groups last year.

And nearly 70 women are, like Barakzai, members of the 249-seat lower house of parliament. Women did not want to lose the freedoms they had gained since the overthrow of the Taleban, said northeastern Kunduz province lawmaker Fatema Aziz. “I fear that these peace talks with the Taleban may sacrifice the past 10 years of achievement the government had in every aspect.”

Apart from education, the right to work and freedom from the burqa, the legislators also pointed to greater freedom of expression, which has seen rapid growth in print, television and radio outlets. The chairwoman of the Afghan Women’s Network, Afifa Azim, said she was not against peace talks in principle, although women were worried. “The Taleban should also accept Afghanistan’s constitution and they should observe Afghan women’s rights,” she said. “We want to be at the negotiating table as a pressure force-we want to raise our women’s voice.” Since their overthrow, the Taleban have waged a 10-year insurgency against Karzai’s government, which is supported in Afghanistan by 130,000 NATO troops. Civilians have borne the brunt of the war, with a record 3,021 killed in 2011, according to a UN report this month. The vast majority of the deaths were blamed on the insurgents, who kill indiscriminately with roadside bombs and suicide attacks. NATO forces will end combat missions in 2014, handing over responsibility to Afghan security forces, and not only the women but most modern Afghans are jittery about the prospect of a Taleban return. — AFP

Britain nurses wounds after snubs by India LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron is facing growing calls to cut huge aid handouts to India after a series of perceived snubs from the former jewel in the crown of London’s colonial empire.

Britain was stunned this month when New Delhi announced a big contract to buy French warplanes instead of the UK-backed Eurofighter Typhoon, despite intense efforts by the British government to boost trade.

Angry lawmakers then stepped up pressure on Cameron to axe the more than £1-billion ($1.6-billion, 1.2-billion euro) aid budget for India after reports that the Indian finance minister described the handouts as “a peanut”. Cameron-who led a huge business delegation to India soon after taking office in 2010 — has pledged to press New Delhi to reverse its decision on the warplanes. “I’m very disappointed by what has happened in India, but Eurofighter is not out of the contest and we need to re-engage as hard as we can,” Cameron told parliament this week when questioned about the deal. The fighter jets setback was particularly bruising as it came during a war of words between France and Britain over the strength of their economies.

Downing Street meanwhile insisted that its aid commitments to India would remain unchanged despite the furore. “The government has always been very clear about sticking to its aid commitments and the fact that it would not balance the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world,” a spokesman said. But the handouts to Asia’s third-largest economy have sparked anger at home, where austerity measures are biting as Britain tries to curb a record budget deficit. Cameron’s

Conservative-led coalition government has committed £280 million aid a year for five years until 2015 for the impoverished Indian states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. Stoked by the jet debacle, the issue flared up last weekend when British media republished quotes from 2010 by Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee dismissing the aid. “It is a peanut in our total development (expenditure),” the Sunday Telegraph quoted Mukherjee as telling parliament. Conservative lawmaker Philip Davies said Britain should not be paying aid when India was spending billions of pounds on defense and on its space program. “In those circumstances, it would be unacceptable to give them aid even if they were begging us for it. Given that they don’t even want it, it would be even more extraordinary if it were to be allowed to continue,” he said.

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said the comments were “out of date”, and that claims of corruption involving aid did not involve British funds.

“Our completely revamped program is in India’s and Britain’s national interest. It is one part of a much wider relationship between our two countries,” he said.

The trade side of that relationship is one that Britain has been very keen to promote.

In 2010, bilateral trade grew 20 percent to £13 billion and Britain says it wants to double that by 2015. India is also Britain’s largest non-European export partner. India is increasing investment in Britain, with Indian-run companies such as the car maker Tata-which took over the Jaguar Land Rover luxury car brand in 2008 — and steel group Arcelor Mittal investing in Britain.—AFP

MALE: The Maldives’ new president yesterday expanded his cabinet amid a political stalemate with expresident Mohamed Nasheed, who since leaving office last week in what he calls a coup has vowed to stage street protests unless new elections are held. The new cabinet members are almost all veterans of the government of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the Maldives for 30 years until Nasheed beat him at a historic election in 2008. Nasheed, the Maldives’ first democratically elected president, says he was ousted in a coup carried out on Tuesday by mutinying police and military officers, who forced him to step down.

New President Mohamed Waheed Hussain Manik says his predecessor resigned voluntarily, and that his assuming of power after previously serving as vice-president is constitutional. Tempers appeared to have cooled on Male, the capital of the 1,200-island archipelago nation best known as one of the world’s top get-away-from-it-all beach holiday destinations. Nasheed late on Saturday spoke to several thousand supporters in Male, and the rally dispersed without violence or a visible security force presence.

Diplomats from the United States, Britain, India, United Nations and Commonwealth are in the Maldives pressing for an independent inquiry after Nasheed quit on Tuesday and the next day, rallied supporters for protests that ended in violence. So far, Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has refused to recognise the new government. On Friday, Nasheed threatened mass street protests unless his successor stepped aside and handed power to the parliament speaker until new elections are held in two months.

Waheed has called for a national unity government, and on Saturday said he was open to an independent probe into the circumstances around Nasheed’s exit. He has ruled out presidential elections before they are due in October 2013.

Notable among Waheed’s appointments yesterday was Aishath Azima Shakooru, who returns as attorney general after serving in that position under the Gayoom administration. She has never lost a case.

Shakooru was the defence attorney in a spate of cases brought by Nasheed’s government against former Gayoom allies involving multimillion dollar corruption scandals.

She also defended Chief Criminal

MALE: In this photo, Maldives President Mohammed Waheed Hassan (right) hands over the appointment papers to new Attorney General Azima Shukoor during a swearing in ceremony at the President’s Office yesterday. — AP Court Justice Adbulla Mohamed, whose arrest by the military at Nasheed’s order on Jan 16 set off three weeks of opposition-led protests that culminated in the security forces’ mutiny. Nasheed said the chief justice, like 200 other criminal court judges, had been illegally sworn in for a life term and was illegally blocking the graft cases.

The judge after his release from military detention issued an arrest warrant against Nasheed, who remains free.

The details of the arrest warrant remain shrouded in mystery. In the meanwhile, ousted Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed yesterday rejected a US call for compromise and dismissed proposals for a unity government to end political unrest in the Indian Ocean nation. Nasheed, who insists he was removed in a coup, told supporters overnight in the capital Male that he would press for snap elections instead of recommending his party consider a coalition with his former deputy who succeeded him.

“We want an election and we will campaign for it,” Nasheed told large, cheering crowds, who later dispersed peacefully. Nasheed said his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) did not accept the new government as legitimate. He also repeated his calls for an independent investiga-

tion into the alleged coup that toppled him and he accused the police and military of carrying out arrests of MDP supporters and those linked to his administration. His remarks came after US assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs Robert Blake spoke out against snap polls and asked both sides to make “compromises.”

The United States is backing calls from the new president, Mohamed Waheed, for a national unity government to be formed. Legislator Eva Abdulla, from Nasheed’s MDP, said they were maintaining their stance that there should be an investigation into what they call a coup and that there should be elections immediately.

“He (Nasheed) is sticking to his position,” Abdulla told AFP. Blake had said it was too early to hold an election and he wanted Maldivian institutions such as the police, the judiciary and the elections commission strengthened before the next vote due in November 2013.

“I don’t think anyone believes that elections can be properly held right now,” Blake told reporters on Saturday at the end of a 12-hour visit for talks with Waheed, Nasheed and other figures. The new president has ruled out elections before his term ends in 2013. Nasheed, who claims a military-backed coup forced him to

step down last Tuesday, has insisted snap polls were crucial to end the political crisis. “In a situation like this everyone must compromise,” Blake said. “In the days ahead, everyone should look for ways to bridge the differences.” Blake blamed both Nasheed’s MDP party and the police under the new president for violence that swept across the nation of 330,000 Sunni Muslims on Wednesday.

“I expressed concern about reports of violence and destruction of property by some MDP supporters, and violence by police in Male, Addu, and Thinadhoo,” Blake said. At least 35 people were wounded in a police crackdown in Male on Wednesday while 18 police stations were set ablaze by MDP supporters in the southern islands. The MDP said police continued to arrest their supporters. The nine-member Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) which deals with serious violations of the Commonwealth’s political values was to hold an emergency telephone conference yesterday over the Maldives turmoil. The new government is not carrying out a warrant issued for Nasheed’s arrest, following international pressure and fears such a move could spark more street protests and violence. It has also agreed to probe coup charges.— Agencies

Pakistani man fights for 40-foot shark KARACHI: Qasim Khan waged the unlikeliest of battles with Pakistani authorities Thursday over the right to charge hundreds of curious visitors the equivalent of 22 cents each to see a roughly 40-foot whale shark he bought from a fisherman. Khan is in the business of buying fish, albeit usually much smaller ones, and jumped at the chance on Tuesday to pay about $2,200 for the 20-ton behemoth, which was discovered dead in the Arabian Sea off the southern Pakistani city of Karachi.

Business was brisk Wednesday, as several thousand people paid to see the brown and

white-spotted shark, which Khan set up under a cloth tent next to the harbor. People crowded around to put their hands on the massive fish, and families snapped their picture with it - ignoring the pungent smell as it began to rot. But police cracked down Thursday, saying fishery authorities had decided people should be allowed to see the shark for free. Khan resisted and hid his prize attraction under the giant piece of green cloth he had previously used as a tent.

The move sparked a comic game of cat and mouse between Khan and the police. They

KARACHI: People look at a carcass of whale shark in Pakistan. — AP

would order him to remove the cover, which he would do briefly before replacing it. Then the cycle would start over again. “We are told to protect and facilitate the people to see this rare fish, but this man is not allowing this,” said police inspector Mohammad Aslam at the scene. Khan countered by saying he paid 200,000 rupees for it. “To recover my cost I am charging just 20 rupees per ticket, but the forsaken fishery authorities have deprived me of this fortune,” he said.

The altercation angered some of the hundreds of people who crowded around the fish.

“We came here to see the fish after the media hype, but to our dismay they are not allowing us to see it,” said a young businessman, Sohail Shah. One local newspaper had trumpeted the discovery with a headline that read “All is ‘whale:’ ‘Moby Dick’ comes to town ahead of Karachi Literature Festival.” Whale sharks, which are believed to grow up to 65 feet (20 meters) in length, are the largest fish in the sea and primarily feed on plankton, squid and small fish. They are found in tropical and warm temperate seas, and are harmless to humans.

Some people who turned up in Karachi were upset to see people climbing all over the shark. “This is sheer disrespect for animals,” said 20-year-old nursing student Usman Zada.

But nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of 9-year-old Fizza Umar, who came with her father. “It was so huge!” Umar said. “I wish I could take it home.” Ashraf Daniel, a pastor of an Anglican church, was also delighted by the visit because he felt it reinforced his religious faith.— AP

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Teenaged Tibetan nun sets self ablaze in China Soldiers seal off nunnery BEIJING: An 18-year-old Tibetan nun has set herself on fire in western China in the latest such protest against Beijing’s handling of the vast ethnic Tibetan regions it rules, an overseas activist group said yesterday. Free Tibet said in a statement that the nun set herself ablaze Saturday and was believed to have survived. The young woman, identified as Tenzin Choezin, was a nun at the Mamae Nunnery in Sichuan province’s Aba prefecture, the statement said.

It said Choezin shouted slogans of protest against the Chinese government before setting herself on fire at a junction close to the nunnery. “Soldiers and police came immediately and took her away,” the statement said. “Soldiers then surrounded the nunnery and sealed it off.” As many as 18 monks, nuns and ordinary Tibetans have set themselves on fire over the past year, and Free Tibet says at least 12 died from their injuries.

Activist groups say the selfimmolations are a protest against China’s policies and a call for the return of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans’ spiritual leader who fled from the Himalayan region to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

Government and police officials reached by telephone in Aba said they knew nothing about any selfimmolation and hung up. There was no number publicly listed for the nunnery.

A statement by two Tibetan

monks exiled in India, Losang Yeshe and Kanyag Tsering, distributed by the London-based

The Mamae nunnery has a history of showing fierce loyalty to the Dalai Lama. In October, a 20-year-

SICHUAN: This undated handout photo shows Tenzin Choezin, or Choedron, a member of a Buddhist nunnery in Aba prefecture in China’s Sichuan province. —AFP International Campaign for Tibet said Choezin was the eldest of four children and a good student.

old nun from the same monastery died after setting herself on fire and a group of nuns at

Mamae staged a protest march in 2008, carrying a portrait of the Dalai Lama, which led to mass detentions and prison terms for some of the nuns, the ICT statement said.

The Chinese government has condemned the self-immolations and says an upsurge in violence in Tibetan areas, including some deadly clashes between Tibetan protesters and security forces, are being instigated by forces outside the country wanting to separate Tibet from China. China has vilified the Dalai Lama for more than a decade, accusing him of a campaign to split the Himalayan region from the rest of China. The Dalai Lama says he is only seeking increased autonomy for Tibet.

The last few months have been the region’s most violent period since 2008, when deadly rioting in Tibet’s capital, Lhasa, spread to Tibetan areas in adjoining provinces. China responded by flooding the area with troops and closing Tibetan regions entirely to foreigners for about a year.

Western reporters trying to visit that part of Sichuan in the last several weeks have been turned away by security forces. China says Tibet has been under its rule for centuries, but many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for most of that time. Anger over cultural and religious restrictions is deepened by a sense that Tibetans have been marginalized economically by an influx of migrants from elsewhere in China. —AP

Chinese village gives democracy a shot SHANGHAI: A Chinese village which staged an extraordinary rebellion against authorities last year has taken a key step in a process to freely elect its own governing committee, residents said yesterday. Thousands of residents of Wukan in the southern province of Guangdong voted Saturday for more than 100 representatives who will put forward candidates for a seven-member village committee to be elected in March, they said. The move followed protests by the village last December when they faced off with authorities for more than a week in an uproar over land grabs.

The demonstrations prompted a drawnout stand-off with police and officials, but the Guangdong provincial government eventually capitulated and sought to pacify the villagers as their case made headlines.

The rare concessions included pledges to support free village polls. Wukan residents said their former leaders had never before allowed these polls to go ahead in an open fashion, and instead selected members of the village committee behind closed doors.

Saturday’s election of village representatives was reported by the official Xinhua news agenc y, showing the exercise in democracy is taking place with the blessing of authorities. “The village representatives will suggest a list of candidates and all villagers have the right to vote for the village committee,” Yang Yinqiao, who is helping oversee the process, told AFP. China-a one-party state where top leaders are not elected by the people does allow rural residents across the country to vote for committees to represent them in what are known as “village elections”. Hong Ruiqing, one of the 107 newly elected village representatives, said the job included communicating with people. “We work with the people to get tasks done,” she told AFP. Observers say the representatives also function as ombudsmen, fielding complaints from residents. Village committees, which aim to give people a say in government, are still ultimately beholden to the ruling communist party. But one of the revolt leaders, Lin Zuluan, was named village party chief in

January, replacing the businessman who had been Wukan’s leader for 42 years and who was accused of stealing village land and selling it to developers.

The villagers’ anger boiled over following years of complaints after detained community leader Xue Jinbo died in police custody in December due to an alleged beating. The daughter of the late Xue Jinbo was among those elected as village representatives. “I did this only so that I will have a chance to finish the thing that my father did not finish,” Xue Jianwan said on her microblog.

A top official last year said that the Wukan protests, which attracted worldwide media attention, resulted from a failure by local leaders to address the complaints of villagers. Zhu Mingguo, deputy Communist Party secretary for Guangdong, also warned of further unrest in China if such problems were not handled correctly. China lays great emphasis on the need for stability and social harmony, and analysts say its paramount concern is to be seen to be able to manage unrest. —AFP

South Koreans released in Egypt

TOKYO: Accompanied by Empress Michiko (right), Japanese Emperor Akihito leaves the University of Tokyo Hospital yesterday. —AFP

Japan emperor to have bypass surgery TOKYO: Japan’s Emperor Akihito, 78, will undergo heart bypass surgery this week after tests showed the narrowing of his arteries has worsened, the palace said yesterday. The operation, scheduled for Saturday, will be performed “to maintain and to improve his majesty’s daily life. We have decided to ask his majesty to have a coronar y ar ter y bypass surgery,” a palace spokesman said. The announcement came shortly after Akihito was discharged from the University of Tokyo Hospital, where he underwent a catheter angiogram on Saturday.

The test showed that the narrowing of his arteries has progressed, compared with an examination he underwent a year ago, the spokesman said. Doctors have reached “a conclusion that a new action has to be taken” to stop the trend, he said. The operation will be performed by physicians from the University of Tokyo and private Juntendo University,

the spokesman said. Akihito, wearing a gray suit and a striped tie, walked out of the university hospital yesterday, accompanied by Empress Michiko, as his physicians stood in line at the entrance.The surgery comes amid increasing concerns about Akihito’s health. The latest angiogram was arranged after periodic electrocardiograms showed restricted blood flow to his heart. In November, the emperor spent 19 days in hospital suffering mild pneumonia. Akihito, who ascended the throne in 1989 following the death of his father Hirohito, underwent surgery for prostate cancer in 2003.

The emperor ’s second son Prince Akishino in November suggested there should be a discussion about setting a retirement age for the titular head of state. Despite being stripped of much of its mystique and its quasi-divine status in the aftermath of World War II, the Japanese throne is held in deep respect by much of the public. —AFP

SEOUL: Three South Koreans released by armed Bedouin in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula after a day-long seizure said they were unharmed and would continue a religious trip, a report said yesterday. The three South Koreans, two men and a female tour guide, were kidnapped on Friday along with an Egyptian guide while returning from the historic monastery of St Catherine. Earlier reports had said the tourists were all women. They were part of a group of 31 tourists visiting Christian pilgrimage sites, Seoul’s foreign ministry said. The four were pulled out of a bus during a rest stop and held captive at an unidentified location by the Bedouin, who demanded the release of a fellow tribesman held by the authorities. “The captives were released at around 8:35 pm (Saturday) and safely arrived at the Catherine Plaza Hotel where fellow travellers were waiting,” an official from Seoul’s foreign ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity. It was not immediately clear whether the Bedouin’s demand was met. Lee Min-Sung, a Seoul church pastor and one of the freed South Koreans, told Yonhap news agency that they were “well treated” by the kidnappers who offered ample food and blankets during the 29-hour captivity. “We were not assaulted.

They treated us nicely,” the 53-year-old was quoted as saying, adding that all the captives were in good health. The four would continue the 10-day trip to visit other sites in Israel and Jordan before returning to Seoul on Friday, Yonhap said. The kidnapping came after the brief abduction of two American women and their Egyptian guide by armed Bedouin, and a separate seizure of 19 Egyptian policemen following a shoot-out with police earlier this month. The sparsely populated Sinai has some of Egypt’s most lucrative tourist spots, as well as being home to a mostly poor and disaffected Bedouin population. —AFP

NAYPYIDAW: This file picture shows Myanmar soldiers taking part in a military parade marking the country’s 65th Armed Forces Day at a parade ground. —AFP

Myanmar MPs attempt first budget in ages NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar’s fledgling parliament is slaving over its first budget, a daunting task for the inexperienced body in a country where the army has long been used to dipping into state coffers at will. It has been almost a year since Myanmar, after decades of military rule, embarked on a political transition with a new nominally civilian government. For the novice lawmakers in the nation’s twinchamber parliament-dominated by soldiers and former military personnel-that means once impenetrable dossiers are now open to fierce debate.

“We have a broad framework but it is very complex,” said Aung Tun Thet, an adviser to the United Nations in Yangon, referring to the draft budget prepared by President Thein Sein’s government in December. During the long era of successive juntas, the budget was prepared by the government alone. “There was no assessment, no discussion, no dialogue.

Now for the first time in many, many years, we have a chance to discuss the budget and its priorities,” Aung Tun Thet told AFP. “It’s a very refreshing step forward,” he added. “It’s a demonstration of the checks and balances between the legislative and the executive.” Although the army-backed ruling party holds an overwhelming majority, lawmakers have embraced their new-found power-debating laws, voting and shuttling bills between the two chambers. Some of the spending plans will surely please the West. According to the Ministry of Planning and Development, the plan is to double the education budget and spend four times as much on health as in the last fiscal year.

It would be a welcome change.

Myanmar has a record of committing just $7 per year per person to healthcare, a mere 1.8 percent of the total budget, one of the lowest health spending rates in the world according to a 2009 UN report. But the government is also seeking to spend 15.33 percent of the budget on the armed forces. “We cannot agree on what they asked for,” an opposition lower house member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the military spending request, accusing the government of comparing Myanmar with neighboring countries “that are developed whereas we are not”.

“We cannot talk about it openly now as it’s a sensitive matter to discuss,” he told AFP. If the draft budget is approved, the army’s slice would officially rise 50 percent

to $2.35 billion compared to the previous year. But debates are made even more difficult because the earlier budgets were never published, de facto considered as state secrets. Aye Maung, an upper house representative and chairman of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP), one of Myanmar’s ethnic-based political parties, said he was ready to approve the request for more military spending.

“We can accept it. But we don’t know whether this number is realistic or not as we don’t know the previous budget.” In 2009, defense intelligence organization Jane’s Sentinel estimated the army budget to be around $1.5 billion. “It is unlikely that even Myanmar’s military government can accurately calculate the full cost of the country’s armed forces,” it added in its annual report. Experts concur that the army helped itself to the country’s funds for nearly half a century, notably profiting from a wide portion of the oil revenues.

Several of the highest-ranking officers belonging to the former junta, which relinquished power last March, consequently had their assets frozen under Western sanctions. But cheerleaders of Myanmar’s recent reform efforts promise the army will not be given free reign in this year’s budget. Toe Naing Mann, son of former junta number-three turned lower house speaker Shwe Mann, is one of them. “The chief of the army does not want to participate in politics,” he said about General Min Aung Hlain, who is one year into his new job. He said the military budget was quite high relative to Gross Domestic Product, but still rather low in real terms.

“Now, we can proceed with a revolution of military affairs,” he said. “We have to reduce armed forces, from quantity to quality.” The money discussions are expected to last a few more weeks. The result will be the first budget debated in parliament since the first post-colonial military coup in 1962. The discussion “provides a historic opportunity to redefine national spending priorities and bring fiscal transparency,” said Meral Karasulu, who headed an International Monetary Fund mission to Myanmar last month. She welcomed the apparent willingness to boost health and education, and the prediction of a “moderate” fiscal deficit of about 4.6 percent of GDP, slightly down from last year. “A prudent fiscal policy is essential to maintain macroeconomic stability,” she said. —AFP

BEIJING: A man takes pictures of his partner posing with a giant teddy bear on a bench, a setup for visitors to photograph outside a shopping mall ahead of Valentine’s Day yesterday. —AP

Myanmar president vows end to ethnic conflict YANGON: Myanmar’s president pledged to seek “lasting peace” with armed rebels and issued a plea for the nation’s support yesterday, as ethnic unrest continues to mar reforms. Thein Sein, a former general who came to power last year when outright military rule ended, has launched efforts to end decades of ethnic conflict as part a raft of landmark reforms in recent months. Myanmar’s quasi-civilian regime has reached tentative peace deals with several rebel groups including in eastern Karen and Shan states, but fighting in Kachin which borders China in the north has created uncertainty over the progress of reconciliation efforts.

“Participation of the entire national people is sorely needed to bring internal armed conflicts to an end and build lasting peace, and in nation-building endeavors,” Thein Sein said in a message carried

by state media. The address for Union Day, which marks the signing of a historic agreement with the country’s disparate ethnic minority groups in 1947, said the government was “determined to keep on promoting democracy peacefully”.

He said people would be “overjoyed” to see democratic elections and “equal participation in state affairs”, reiterating a vow to focus on good governance and improve the rule of law. The regime has won cautious applause-and a slight lifting of Western sanctions-for reforms including the release of political prisoners. Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is now campaigning to enter parliament in April 1 by-elections, a development which will likely bestow legitimacy on a parliament that came into being after controversial November 2010 polls.

An end to ethnic conflicts is a key demand of the international community, and the United States called for Myanmar to address “serious human rights abuses” in Kachin earlier this month. In December, Thein Sein issued an order for the military to cease attacks against guerrillas from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), but the move failed to stop unrest.

One of Myanmar ’s most prominent rebel groups, the Karen National Union (KNU), has warned its peace deal was fragile because continuing fighting in other ethnic areas was eroding trust in the government. Myanmar’s junta often invoked the prospect of civil war, which has wracked arts of the country since its independence in 1948, as an excuse for its near half century grip on power. —AFP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

NEWS Whitney Houston, 48, dies on Grammys eve Continued from Page 1

SPAIN: Children play on the Esca River frozen by cold weather in Burgui, northern Spain, yesterday. A cold spell has reached Europe with temperatures plummeting far below zero. — AP

Malaysia deports Saudi who insulted Prophet KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia yesterday deported a young Saudi journalist wanted in his home country over a Twitter post about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), defying pleas from human rights group who said he faced execution. Hamza Kashgari, who was detained in Malaysia on Thursday after fleeing Saudi Arabia, has now left the country, national police spokesman Ramli Yoosuf said. “He was deported to Saudi Arabia,” Ramli told AFP. A government official said Kashgari was escorted back to his home country by Saudi officials. “He has been deported. He was picked up

by Saudi officials at the airport,” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Kashgari fled to Muslim-majority Malaysia after making comments on the microblogging site deemed insulting to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which triggered outrage and death threats. Insulting the prophet is considered blasphemous in Islam and is a crime punishable by execution in Saudi Arabia.

Kashgari’s detention sparked outrage from human rights groups,

with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch urging Malaysia not to send him back to face severe punishment and possibly a death sentence.

Malaysian rights activist Fadiah Nadwa Fikri condemned the move, saying that a court order to prevent Kashgari’s deportation was secured yesterday but that immigration authorities advised he had already been deported. “It is a blatant violation of the law and human rights,” she said. Fadiah said Kashgari’s mother and brother had arrived in Malaysia to seek his release and were distraught at the news of his repatriation. “ They are very distressed. They broke down in tears.

They fear for his safety,” she said, adding that they will also return to Saudi Arabia.

Fadiah said Kashgari had been intending to travel to New Zealand where he planned to seek asylum.

He flew to Malaysia via Jordan and was in transit when he was detained. “He flew to Malaysia because there was no visa requirement,” she said. Malaysia and Saudi Arabia do not have a formal extradi-

tion treaty but have close ties as fellow Muslim countries. The home ministry defended its stance earlier yesterday. “Malaysia has a longstanding arrangement by which individuals wanted by one country are extradited when detained by the other, and (Kashgari) will be repatriated under this arrangement,” it said in a statement. “The nature of the charges against the individual in this case are a matter for the Saudi Arabian authorities.”

Human Rights Watch senior Middle East researcher Christoph Wilcke had said Saturday that Malaysia should not be “complicit in sealing Kashgari’s fate by sending him back”, where he would be unlikely to face a fair trial. Kashgari’s controversial tweet sparked tens of thousands of responses, according to an online service that tracks Twitter postings in the Arab world.

Kashgari apologised but a committee of top clerics branded him an “infidel” and demanded he be tried in an Islamic court, while a Saudi Facebook page calling for his execution has attracted thousands of followers. — AFP

Arab League wants UN peacekeepers in Syria Continued from Page 1 The group put forward a plan that President Bashar Assad agreed to in December, then sent in monitors to check whether the Syrian regime was complying. But when it became clear that Assad’s regime was flouting the terms of the agreement and killings went on, the League pulled the observers out last month.

The draft resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire in Syria and demands regime forces lift the siege on neighborhoods and villages and pull troops and their heavy weapons back to their barracks. It urges Syrian opposition groups to unite ahead of a Feb 24 meeting in Tunisia of the “Friends of Syria” group, which includes the United States, its European allies and Arab nations working to end the uprising against Assad’s authoritarian rule.

The creation of the group came after last weekend’s veto at the UN by Russia and China of a Western and Arab draft resolution that would have pressured Assad to step down. That resolution also would have demanded that Assad halt the crackdown on dissent and implement the Arab League peace plan that calls for him to hand over power to his vice president and allow creation of a unity government to clear the way for elections.

The League also wants to provide the opposition groups with political and material support. It calls for a halt to all diplomatic contacts with Syria and for referring officials responsible for crimes against the Syrian people to international criminal tribunals. It urges a tightening of trade sanctions previously adopted by the League but not been fully implemented. The group meeting in Cairo was also considering a proposal to expel Syrian ambassadors from Arab capitals. The League officials said the group would also call on Syrian opposition groups to close ranks and unite under one umbrella, a move that they said would place more pressure on the Assad regime.

Washington piled more pressure on Syria. President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff Jacob Lew said it was only a matter of time before Assad’s regime collapsed. “The brutality of the Assad regime is unacceptable and has to end,” he told “Fox News Sunday.” The US is pursuing “all avenues that we can” and that “there is no question that this regime will come to an end. The only question is when,” he said.

Late Saturday, Al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri threw the terror network’s support behind Syrian rebels trying to topple Assad, raising fears that Islamist extremists are exploiting the uprising that began peacefully but is quickly transforming into an armed insurgency. The regime has long blamed terrorists for the revolt, and AlQaeda’s endorsement creates new difficulties for Western and Arab states trying to figure out a way to help force Assad out of power.

In the eight-minute video, entitled “Onwards, Lions of Syria” and posted on an Islamist website, the Egyptianborn Zawahiri urged Muslims in Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan to come to the aid of Syrian rebels confronting Assad’s “pernicious, cancerous regime that suffocates the free people in Syria”. “Wounded Syria still bleeds day after day, while the butcher, son of the butcher Bashar bin Hafez (Hafez al-Assad), is not deterred to stop,” Zawahiri, wearing his white turban and seated against a green curtain, said. “But the resistance of our people in Syria despite all the pain, sacrifice and bloodshed escalates and grows,” he added.

Zawahiri took command of Al-Qaeda after Osama bin

Laden was killed by US special forces in a raid in Pakistan last May. A Muslim should help “his brothers in Syria with all that he can, with his life, money, opinion, as well as information”, Zawahiri said. “Our people in Syria, don’t rely on the West or the United States or Arab governments and Turkey,” he said in what is believed to be his second such message to Syrian protesters. “You know better what they are planning against you. Our people in Syria, don’t depend on the Arab League and its corrupt governments supporting it. (They) had deals, mutual understanding and sharing with this regime for decades.

Depend on Allah alone and then on your sacrifices, resistance and steadfastness,” he added.

“If we want freedom, we must be liberated from this regime. If we want justice, we must retaliate against this regime,” Zawahiri said. “Continue your revolt and anger, don’t accept anything else apart from independent, respectful governments.” In July, Zawahiri urged Syrian protesters to direct their movement also against Washington and Israel, denouncing the United States as insincere in showing solidarity with them.

“The time has come for a decisive action to stop the bloodshed suffered by the Syrian people since the start of last year,” Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby told the Arab foreign ministers. “We must move quickly in all directions ... to end the cycle of violence in Syria.” Foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain - are also proposing the expulsion of Syrian ambassadors from all Arab League nations during the meeting in Cairo. The GCC ministers also proposed that Arab nations withdraw their ambassadors from Damascus, according to the officials.

The six nations, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have been campaigning for a tougher stand against Assad’s regime and may offer formal recognition of the National Syrian Council, the largest of Syria’s opposition groups, at yesterday’s meeting. Assad’s regime has pursued a harsh crackdown against the uprising since it began last March. The UN estimates that 5,400 people have been killed since March, but that figure is from January, when the world body stopped counting because the chaos in Syria has made it all but impossible to check the figures. Hundreds are reported to have been killed since.

Arab League officials said the Elaraby has accepted the resignation of Gen Mohammed Ahmed Al-Dabi, the head of the Syrian observer mission, and nominated former Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul-Illah Al-Khatib as the new envoy. A decision on Al-Khatib’s nomination would be made later in the day by Arab foreign ministers meeting in the Egyptian capital. There was no word on the reasons behind Al-Dabi’s resignation, but the Sudanese general was harshly criticized for his management of the monitors mission, which was perceived by the Syrian opposition and many protesters to have provided a cover for the regime’s continued crackdown.

Al-Dabi was also criticized for being a longtime aide of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, himself indicted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity in Sudan’s western Darfur region, where a revolt against the Khartoum government began in 2003 but has petered out about five years later. “The new mission must be totally different from the previous one,” Elaraby told the foreign ministers as he proposed a joint Arab League-UN mission to Syria. “The previous experience has shown that there can be no restoration of security without a political vision.” — Agencies

Houston’s body from the hotel after midnight through a backdoor to avoid the crush of media set up to cover her shocking death. Typically, coroners conduct an autopsy within a day or two, at which point they might release some preliminary information about the death. If drugs or alcohol are involved, however, an official cause of death would not be released until after toxicology tests, which could take six to eight weeks.

Tributes poured in from around the world for a singer whose remarkable vocal power and range produced some of the most memorable music of her generation, including her signature hit, “I Will Always Love You”. “I don’t have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends,” Davis told a somber crowd at his gala dinner and party just hours after Houston’s death. “I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years.”

Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, which runs the Grammys, told the audience at Davis’s party that Jennifer Hudson would sing a tribute to Houston at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards. “We will do something appropriate tomorrow, and nothing could be more appropriate than having Jennifer Hudson sing on stage for Whitney,” Portnow said. “In our community, we celebrate things ... let’s celebrate Whitney Houston.”

But The Los Angeles Times reported that days before her death, Houston behaved erratically during an appearance Thursday at a rehearsal for a Grammy awards party. Though she greeted people with a warm smile, she appeared disheveled, with mismatched clothes and dripping-wet hair, the paper said. According to the report, the singer flailed her hands frenetically as she spoke, skipped around the ballroom in a childlike fashion and wandered aimlessly about the lobby.

Outside the hotel in the wealthy enclave of Beverly Hills, a phalanx of hotel security personnel guarded the perimeter to prevent reporters and fans from entering.

Some of Houston’s admirers gathered on the sidewalk, lighting candles and singing her songs. Over the course of a 30-year career in which she established herself as one of the most-admired and influential singers of her time, Houston won six Grammys, 30 Billboard awards and 22 American Music Awards. She released seven studio albums and sold some 170 million CDs, singles and videos. The soundtrack for a hit movie in which she starred, “The Boydguard,” was among the best-selling soundtracks in movie history.

Her 1985 debut, “Whitney Houston,” became the bestselling debut album by a female act at that time, and spawned several hits including “How Will I Know.” Her second studio CD, 1987’s “Whitney,” became the first album by a female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. She crossed over from music success to TV and movies, appearing in “The Bodyguard” (1992), as well as “Waiting to Exhale” (1995) and “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996).

Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1963, Houston was inspired to perform as a child by soul singers in her family, including mother Cissy Houston and cousins Dionne Warwick and the late Dee Dee Warwick. Her godmother was Aretha Franklin. “I just can’t talk about it now,” Franklin said in a statement. “It’s so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn’t believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy, her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby (Brown).”

By the early 1990s, Houston reigned as the queen of pop, but her critical and commercial success on stage was accompanied by an increasingly troubled personal life. In 1992 she married singer Bobby Brown, who had a bad-boy reputation, and their tumultuous 14 years together were marred by drug abuse and domestic violence. In 2000, she and Brown were stopped at an airport in Hawaii and security guards discovered marijuana in their luggage. In a 2002 TV interview, she admitted using marijuana, cocaine, alcohol and prescription drugs.

The pair also starred in a reality TV series, “Being Bobby Brown”, which painted an often unflattering portrait of the couple. The last 10 years of Houston’s life were dominated by drug use, rumors of relapses and trips to rehab. She launched a comeback tour in 2009, and in April 2010 she called media reports she was using drugs again “ridiculous”. In May 2011, Houston enrolled in a drug and alcohol rehab program.

Despite her personal troubles, Houston commanded great affection among her music industry colleagues, and emotional tributes flooded the media in the hours after news broke of her death. “I am absolutely heartbroken at the news of Whitney’s passing,” legendary music producer Quincy Jones said in a statement. “... I always regretted not having had the opportunity to work with her. She was a true original and a talent beyond compare.

I will miss her terribly.” Barbra Streisand said in a statement: “She had everything, beauty, a magnificent voice.

How sad her gifts could not bring her the same happiness they brought us.” Pop star Rihanna posted on Twitter “No words, just tears.” — Agencies

New interior minister seen in new Cabinet Continued from Page 1 offered for the first time ever to a personality from outside the family.

Oil, public works and commerce ministers were tipped to be retained in the new Cabinet. The prime minister-designate has already met with representatives of almost all political groups, most of whom rejected offers to take part, preferring to support the new Cabinet from outside as long as it envisages reforms.

Local observers believe that the rejection of political groups to be represented in the Cabinet is because of their fear that the National Assembly will not survive for a ling time. The formation of the new Cabinet is mandatory before the first session of the new parliament scheduled to be held on Wednesday.

The Salaf Islamic Alliance, the Islamic Constitutional Movement, or Muslim Brotherhood, and the Popular Action Bloc which together have at least 13 MPs in addition to the support of around 20 others, have informed the prime minister

that they will support the new government as long as it implements reforms. Members of the Salaf Alliance yesterday denied that the group has changed its earlier decision and accepted to be represented in the Cabinet, according to Salaf MPs Abdullatif Al-Ameeri and Mohammad Al-Kandari. Leading Salaf MP Khaled Al-Sultan even criticized the “way the prime minister was forming his Cabinet”, saying the mechanism is wrong.

More than 20 MPs meanwhile decided at a meeting at Faisal AlMislem’s residence that several draft laws on fighting corruption and the independence of the judiciary will be accorded priority. Mislem said after the meeting the MPs agreed to submit legislation on fighting corruption, wealth disclosure and preventing clashes of interests. The lawmakers also agreed to file a draft law to provide greater independence to the judiciary and another allowing the Audit Bureau to refer directly to the public prosecution all corruption suspicions. He also said that the MPs agreed to submit a

draft law to establish a bank that will oversee the implementation of the development plan. Mislem said that the parliamentary Reform and Development Bloc was due to meet with the prime minister yesterday night over the new Cabinet.

The liberal Democratic Forum and National Democratic Alliance meanwhile strongly criticized Islamist MPs and those of the Popular Action Bloc over plans to amend the second article of the constitution to make sharia law as the only source of legislation. In a joint statement, the two groups said the plan threatens the existence of Kuwait as a civil state by transforming it into a religious state. The statement criticized the Popular Bloc for approving the plan in order to secure the votes of Islamist MPs for the bloc’s leader MP Ahmad AlSaadoun who will contest the post of Assembly speaker. Former MP Mohammad Al-Abduljader, a leading member of the Democratic Forum, distanced himself from the statement and praised Saadoun as a national Kuwaiti figure.

Bahrain king dismisses oppn as disunited Continued from Page 1 governments. Shiites complain of political and economic marginalisation by an entrenched elite who do not want to share power. The government denies this and says it is open to reforms.

The United States and Saudi Arabia see Bahrain, host to the US Fifth Fleet, as a key ally in their conflict with Iran over its nuclear energy program and extended regional influence. Washington says the government should enter a new dialogue with the opposition.

Assistant US Secretary of State Michael Posner visited Manama last week and said the country must do more to heal the rifts left by the unrest. Activists are ramping up protests with official opposition party marches, rallies licenced by the government and unofficial marches led by activists and rights figures in Manama. Youths from the majority Shiite community clash nightly with police in villages.

The king said the protesters’ refrain “Down with Hamad”, sounded by trumpets and car horns and chanted at rallies, was simply a case of bad manners and no reason to imprison people. But he said chants in favour of Iran’s Supreme Ruler Ali Khamenei were a concern, echoing the government’s charge that Iran helped foment the uprising which, it says, had Shiite sectarian motives. Pro-Khamenei chants have not been heard at opposition rallies. “It’s just a case of manners. But when they shout ‘Down with the king and up with Khamenei’ that’s a problem for national unity,” he said.

Some Shiites in Bahrain look to Khamenei as their spiritual guide, while analysts say more have Iraqi cleric Ali al-Sistani as their “source of emulation”. Government supporters often acccuse the leading Shiite opposition party Wefaq of links to Khamenei, charges the group strongly denies. One man said police had briefly detained his 13-year-old son last week for sounding antiHamad slogans with a trumpet at an opposition rally.

The king, whose Al-Khalifa family dominates government, said he brought in emergency law to protect women and expatriates, some of whom were attacked.

“Also our women were very scared and it is the duty of a gentleman to protect women, so I had to protect them,” he said.

Thirty-five people died by the time martial law ended, including protesters, police, Shiite detainees and foreigners. Influential Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim accused police last month of attacking women, calling on protesters to respond to any violations of women’s

honour. The king told Der Spiegel he had called in Gulf Cooperation Council military help, mainly in the form of Saudi troops, to protect Bahrain’s “strategic installations...in case Iran would be more aggressive”. Following the unrest, the government instituted reforms giving the elected chamber more powers of scrutiny over ministers and budgets.

Separately, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani warned Iran will not forgive Gulf Arab nations if they continue backing US “plots” against Tehran, local media reported yesterday. “We recommend to some of the countries in the region who were siding with (Iraq dictator) Saddam (Hussein) and now are siding with the US plots against the Iranian nation to give it up,” he was quoted as saying. “Iran will not forgive them again. There will be consequences in the region if new plots against our nation are carried out,” Larijani said.

Larijani was referring to the generous financial aid and political support provided by Gulf Arab states, namely Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, to the Iraqi regime during the 1980-1988 war against Iran. His comments come at a time when the United States and the European Union have imposed new sanctions on Iran’s central bank and oil exports in January over its controversial nuclear program.

Tehran has called on Saudi Arabia to reconsider a vow to make up for any shortfall in Iran’s oil exports due to these new sanctions, saying Riyadh’s pledge to intervene on the market was unfriendly. Long-strained ties between Shiite-dominated Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia deteriorated after Saudi-led troops intervened in Sunni-ruled Bahrain in March help the government there crush Shiite-led pro-democracy protests. The relations worsened late last year following US allegations that a foiled plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington had been hatched in Tehran.

In addition, the Gulf Cooperation Council comprising of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have called on Iran to “stop interfering in the internal affairs” of their nations. The worsening ties continued after the six Gulf monarchies ordered their envoys home from Syria and expelled Damascus’s ambassadors, joining mounting pressure on Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad over the killings of civilians.

Tehran has been Damascus main regional ally since the 1979 Islamic revolution and has been supportive of Assad’s regime in the 11 month uprising that has seen more than 6,000 people killed, according to human rights groups. — Agencies

14

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Issues

Obama pitches middle while GOP eyes base

By Charles Babington he past week’s dustup over contraception underscored President Barack Obama’s early advantage in one important area: working to attract independent voters without alienating his Democratic base. His Republican rivals, meanwhile, are forced to keep emphasizing their conservative credentials to attract the rightleaning activists who dominate primaries and caucuses.

It’s a dynamic that usually plays out when a president seeks re-election without a primary challenger, and a nomination fight wages on the opposite side.

While Obama already is in general-election mode with the luxury of wooing voters who don’t ascribe to a political party, the eventual Republican nominee is moving to the right and likely will have to edge back toward the center once nominated. The farther he must go to the fringe to win the nod, however, the tougher his task. The difference was clear Friday, at events two miles apart in Washington.

At the White House, Obama made a carefully calibrated concession to Catholics angered by his decision to require religious-affiliated employers - including Catholic hospitals and colleges - to cover birth control in their health insurance plans. The president tweaked the rule Friday. He said insurance companies would provide contraceptive benefits directly to employees, technically leaving employers out of the transaction. White House and Obama campaign officials were relieved by the initial reaction. Key women’s groups such as Planned Parenthood, which privately had urged no changes, praised the move. More importantly, so did the influential Catholic Health Association of the United States, whose criticism of the original rule spelled trouble for Obama’s team.

At the same time across town, three of the four GOP presidential candidates appeared separately at the Conservative Political Action Conference, a major annual gathering of activists on the political right. Each tried to out-do the other in proclaiming conservative fealty.

Former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen Rick Santorum criticized Obama’s contraception policy. And they painted themselves as conservative crusaders on a range of issues.

Romney drew snickers by saying he was a “severely conservative governor”. Gingrich said the Obama administration “is waging war on religion”. Santorum, who built much of his national profile by fighting legalized abortion, said Obama is “telling the Catholic Church that they are forced to pay for things that are against their basic tenets and teachings”. “It’s not about contraception,” he said. “It’s about economic liberty. It’s about freedom of speech. It’s about freedom of religion.”

Democrats hope independent voters will see it differently. Americans, including Catholics, overwhelmingly embrace birth control. Obama’s goal was to reframe his policy as a matter of equal access to preventive health care, not a quarrel about religious or economic rights. “I think the president ended up looking like the responsible person in the room,” said Lanae Erickson of the Democratic-leaning group Third Way, which has studied independent voting trends. “The Republican primary candidates went way out on a limb and will alienate themselves with independent voters,” she said.

The CPAC speeches were standard fare for such conservative gatherings, and they may not matter much in November. But Democrats will try to use the remarks to portray the eventual GOP nominee as out of touch with middle America. For now, they’re focusing mainly on Romney, who won Saturday’s straw poll at CPAC and the Maine GOP caucuses. “Mitt Romney and the rest may think that catering to the tea party set and Rush Limbaugh is the only way to win the nomination, but the eventual nominee is going to pay a huge price for that approach with swing voters in the fall,” said Brad Woodhouse, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee.”

Campaign strategists endlessly debate the right balance between pursuing independents versus firing up the party base. Karl Rove broke new ground in 2004 by placing considerably more emphasis on the Republican base, which propelled then-President George W. Bush to a second term. Obama’s 2008 victory, however, was built on the more traditional formula of focusing extensively on independent voters while doing as much as possible to keep his party’s liberal activists energized.

Since then, Obama has struggled to dampen their disappointment.— AP

T

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Sarkozy too sullied a sell for 2012?

By Catherine Bremer n Feb 2007, a fiery Nicolas Sarkozy had millions convinced that he - a go-getter abandoned as an infant by his Hungarian father - would break with the past, end chronic unemployment and restore a sense of pride to France. His lustre began fading within hours of his May 6 election win, as he celebrated with corporate chiefs and pop stars at a gaudy nightspot and set a presidential tone many French people soon felt was showy, impulsive and even vulgar.

Now rated France’s most unpopular president, he trails Socialist Francois Hollande in opinion polls for an April-May election at a critical moment for Europe. Sarkozy will struggle to recover in time for a vote whose outcome may well influence economic reform in France and across the euro area.

Aides say when he launches his campaign in the next few days Sarkozy will apologise for failing to keep pledges derailed by the debt crisis but insist he is the best person to revive the French economy. He will champion reforms to boost competitiveness and slim the welfare state.

That may not be enough to overcome a visceral dislike of Sarkozy among many voters, even in his own conservative camp, an issue that weighs on him, members of his inner circle say. Painstaking efforts to project a calmer, more presidential manner have so far failed to convince the public. Three years have passed since the most striking episodes - his penchant for flashy watches and yachts, his public wooing of model Carla Bruni, an attempt to give his student son a public job and his telling a man in a crowd to “Get lost, jerk”.

He has worked to diminish an early impression of being impatient, pushy, fidgety and brusque. But the passion with which many French people vilify him is extraordinary and suggests the magic he worked in 2007, filling auditoriums with thunderous applause, may not work again. “He knows he is disliked and he suffers internally from this personal rejection,” one of Sarkozy’s advisers said on condition of anonymity. “Of course we talk about it with him but it’s very awkward and it will be hard to overcome it in the campaign. The French don’t want some kind of sentimental circus.”

While his hands-on style of governing won Sarkozy plaudits during the 2008 financial crisis and last year’s Libyan uprising, his micromanaging of ministries and a manner moulded more on British prime ministers than his aloof predecessors has become a handicap, aides say. Interior Minister Claude Gueant, one of Sarkozy’s most loyal aides over the years and an architect of his 2007 campaign, acknowledged the problem on television in early February. “It’s true that in 2007 people felt an affectionate impulse towards Nicolas Sarkozy. Over the course of time an affection deficit has been created,” Gueant said.

A redoubtable campaigner who is at his best in a crisis, Sarkozy will strive in a rapidfire nine-week campaign to keep the focus on his credibility as a leader, people in his inner circle say, and shrug off misgivings over his character. That tactic was behind his effort in January to woo back the Paris press pack, which he has mostly kept at arm’s length, opening up in an informal three-hour chat to reporters on a trip to French Guiana where he conceded he could lose the election. “He knows this election is different but believes he can win if he is the most credible candidate,” said Eric Raoult, Mayor of Paris suburb Le Raincy and a friend of Sarkozy for some 30 years. “People can say they are disappointed with him or can’t stand him on a personal level, but he’s still the one they want at the controls.”

I

Where Did it All Go Wrong?

Sarkozy came to power vowing to achieve full employment by the end of his term and

raise purchasing power, summed up in the slogan “work more to earn more”. He promised a break with the stagnation of Jacques Chirac’s latter years. He pushed through a widely praised higher education reform in 2009 that gave universities more autonomy and in late 2010 he saw off street protests to raise the retirement age by two years to 62.

He cut taxes on hours worked above the 35hour week, to encourage more work, and tweaked income tax bands, generally in favour of the wealthy.

But, fearing social unrest, he balked at deeper structural reforms, leaving untouched the welfare state and a rigid labour market that has made French firms increasingly uncompetitive and contributed to a record 70 billion euro trade deficit in 2011. Sarkozy was lauded for showing leadership during the 2008 financial crisis. He was criticised for allowing the public deficit to swell - due partly to tax cuts worth some €15 billion a year.

That left public finances so vulnerable that Standard & Poor’s downgraded France’s AAA credit rating for the first time last month - a

When Sarkozy took office the economy was growing at a 2.1 percent clip and unemployment was 8 percent. On his watch, as crisis battered the world economy, growth has dwindled to zero and the jobless rate is at a 12-year high of 9.3 percent. Despite a reduction in civil service headcount, public spending has risen to 57 percent of gross domestic product, second only to Demark in the EU, from 53 percent in 2006. The public debt and deficit have swollen to 85 percent and 5.5 percent of GDP from 64 percent and 2.3 percent respectively. “He was elected as the candidate of purchasing power so he favoured consumption over investment, ignored the trade gap, and put France on a Greek-style path,” said economist Jacques Delpla.

“Whoever wins the election, growth will stay weak.”

The Non-Presidential President Aside from the poor economic figures, Sarkozy’s biggest barrier to re-election may be his personal style, a major reason behind his 68 percent disapproval rating. Novelist

President Nicolas Sarkozy visits a nuclear power plant in Fessenheim, eastern France, in this Feb 9, 2012 photo. — AFP blow Sarkozy said in advance could be “the death of me”.

France’s state auditor warned this month that as things stand it would take 10 years to reach budgetary equilibrium. “It was an absolutely huge mistake to think he could solve the crisis by increasing the public debt,” said economist Jacques Attali, who has worked for left-wing governments but also advised Sarkozy when he reached out to centrists and some Socialists early in his term.

Sarkozy recently announced a blitz of measures to lower labour costs by reducing payroll charges on companies and raising sales tax instead, saying France faces a crisis unless it boosts competitiveness. “The fact he is rushing these reforms through now, at the peak of the euro zone crisis, means he cannot use the 2008 crisis as an excuse for not doing them earlier,” said Attali. “He cannot possibly say he has done the best he could.”

Yasmina Reza, who accompanied his 2007 campaign and wrote a character study, noted a childlike restlessness, a habit of bolting down meals and snacking all day, an inability to be alone and an obsession with asking: “Did you see me? Was I OK?”. She picked out how he differed from the French presidential norm: he’s boastful, sentimental, tactile, sharp-tongued and has a short attention span. He dislikes train journeys and prefers the city to the countryside, looking famously ill-at-ease astride a stocky white stallion for a rural campaign photoshoot.

Sarkozy raised eyebrows with his party at Fouquet’s, on the Champs Elysees, with corporate millionaires and rock star Johnny Hallyday - a tax exile resident in Switzerland and a gaudy victory cake with a “Tricolore” Arc de Triomphe on top. Soon afterwards, his leaked text messages revealed a soap-opera private life as his second wife Cecilia left,

causing him visible pain, and he began a whirlwind romance with Bruni. Paparazzi had a field day as he whisked the striking-looking singer to Disneyland Paris - a huge taste fauxpas for some French - and to Jordan and Egypt.

Within a year of his election, two-thirds of respondents in polls had a negative opinion of him, a record at that stage.Left-wing intellectuals sniffed that the “bling bling” Sarkozy had “pulverised” the presidential institution.

“People wanted energy, but they didn’t necessarily want Ray-Bans and Rolexes,” explains Socialist lawmaker Christian Paul. Bruni, ironically, has used her influence to tone down Sarkozy’s manner. She also honed his dress sense. His efforts to appear more presidential were clear when the birth of their first child last year was kept well out of the public eye.

The Italian-born first lady has steered him towards classic literature and films. Sarkozy keeps in shape with daily jogging but now avoids the suntan he sported early on.

Already a teetotaller, he now eats healthily and shuns junk food.

“There is not the same arrogance, or the uncouth outbursts, that fed my sketches at the start,” Le Monde cartoonist Plantu told Reuters. He has drawn countless caricatures of a crazed or demonic-looking Sarkozy, often with flies circling his head. “The packaging has changed, even if he’s the same on the inside, and he doesn’t merit the same thrashing. I don’t think we can be so certain he will lose the election,” Plantu said. But it may be too late to change Sarkozy’s image.

The Shape of the Campaign Raised in an upmarket Parisian suburb, Sarkozy differs from most politicians of his rank by not having a rural support base. He has rented a no-frills 1960s office building near the UMP’s headquarters in the low-key 15th arrondissement of Paris to run his campaign, and has re-hired Emmanuelle Mignon, a former adviser, to steer the program. Aides say he wants to run things mostly himself, although he has succumbed to party pressure to announce his candidacy in midFebruary, earlier than he had planned, and likely in the wake of a successful Greek bailout deal.

“This will be an election where just when everything seemed lost, it will rise again from the ashes,” Sarkozy told aides at a recent meeting, amid mutterings of low-morale in his camp. “When I get into the campaign, you will not be disappointed.”

He set the stage this week with an interview with conservative-leaning Le Figaro magazine in which he pledged to overhaul the education system and make the jobless work for their benefits. He also sounded a tough note on immigration, saying he would tighten procedures for asylum seekers and for foreigners accessing housing and benefits.

Sarkozy laid his campaign track in a New Year address that set the way for a sudden rush of activity to cut company payroll taxes, create a financial transactions tax and loosen the 35-hour week law - a new focus on export markets over domestic spending that opponents say is too late to be convincing. While he has crisscrossed France since then to be photographed with overalled workers, his UMP party has pushed through legislation outlawing genocide denial, seen aimed at courting the votes of half a million ethnic Armenians in France. He has enlisted the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is highly rated in France and plans to join him at political meetings ahead of the election as head of her conservative Christian Democrat (CDU) party.

His task now is to get his personal message right. “He won’t be able to recreate the magic of 2007,” said Alain Minc, an economist and long-time adviser to Sarkozy. “But he can say that he can get France out of this crisis whereas Hollande would have us crashing into the wall two years from now.” — Reuters

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

sp orts Huefner bags luge title ALTENBERG: Olympic champion Tatjana Huefner of Germany won the luge title for the fourth time at the world championships yesterday, when Germany also claimed gold in the team relay event.

Tatiana Ivanova set a new track record with her first run, but the 28year-old Huefner overtook the Russian with the fastest second run for a combined time of 1 minute 44.482 seconds.

Ivanova was happy to settle for silver after finishing 0.101 seconds back. “After I suffered a broken finger I never reckoned on such a result,” Ivanova said. “I gritted my teeth at the start.”

Olympic bronze medalist Natalie Geisenberger of Germany was third, 0.403 seconds behind. Huefner equaled the records of four-time world champions Margit Schumann of East Germany and compatriot Sylke Otto.

“It feels great to be mentioned in the same breath as those great lugers,” Huefner said. “I absolutely wanted to attack in the second run, not to defeat Ivanova but for the title.” — AP

Boston 4, Nashville 3 (SO); Florida 3, New Jersey 1; NY Islanders 2, Los Angeles 1 (OT); NY Rangers 5, Philadelphia 2; Pittsburgh 8, Winnipeg 5; Edmonton 4, Ottawa 3 (OT); Tampa Bay 2, Buffalo 1; Montreal 5, Toronto 0; St. Louis 3, Colorado 2 (OT); Columbus 3, Minnesota 1; Phoenix 3, Chicago 0; Calgary 3, Vancouver 2 (SO). (SO denotes shootout, OT overtime)

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

Detroit St. Louis Nashville Chicago Columbus Vancouver Calgary Colorado Minnesota Edmonton San Jose Los Angeles Phoenix Dallas Anaheim

ARKANSAS: World silver medallist Silas Kiplagat ran the fastest indoor mile in three years as he edged Kenyan compatriot Caleb Ndiku at the USA Track and Field Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Saturday.

Kiplagat sprinted home to nip Ndiku by three-hundredths of a second, clocking three minutes, 52.63 seconds on the fast University of Arkansas track.

“It was a very fast race all around,” Kiplagat told reporters after the first six finishers dipped under the year’s previous fastest mile. “I’m definitely happy with where I am at with still plenty of time to improve before this summer,” said the 22-year-old Olympic hopeful. Former world long jump champion Tianna Madison defeated Jamaican Olympic 200 metres gold medallist Veronica Campbell-

Brown to win the featured women’s 60 metres as three other season’s best for 2012 were set at the meeting. American Madison, the 2005 world outdoor long jump champion, raced to a lifetime best of 7.02 seconds for a six-hundredths of a second win over Campbell-Brown.

Former world 200 metres champion Allyson Felix finished fourth in 7.11.

Madison also had the fastest time in the preliminaries, a then-world leading 7.05 seconds. World champion Kirani James of Grenada showed he is ready for a run at Olympic gold with a season-leading 45.19 seconds in the 400 metres, and Jamaican Commonwealth Games 100 metres gold medallist Lerone Clarke ran the year’s fastest 60 metres as he finished in 6.52 seconds to beat former Olympic champion Justin Gatlin. — Reuters

Hantuchova clinches Pattaya Open PATTAYA: Slovakia’s third-seeded Daniela Hantuchova successfully defended her Pattaya Open title yesterday, beating fourth seed Russian Maria Kirilenko in a marathon three hour 14-minute battle.

The three sets victory 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-3 was Hantuchova’s fifth career title, and means the world number 20 is now unbeaten in 10 matches at the Thai resort, where her victory this year brings her $37,000.

“It feels great,” said Hantuchova. “I thought it was an incredible match. Maria was playing really well and we were fighting for every single point. “Even though I lost the first set very closely I just kept going and didn’t really look back and always just tried to focus on the next point. That was the key.”

Her Russian opponent and world number 26 Kirilenko was playing in her 10th career final, and hoping to win her first title since she beat Samantha Stosur in Seoul in 2008.

In a match contested largely from the baseline, Hantuchova struggled at first to find her rhythm and dropped her serve with a double-fault in the opening game. — AFP

Rangers shoot down Flyers

NHL results/standings

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF 35 13 5 150 31 17 7 179 31 19 5 171 31 20 4 154 23 23 8 130 Northeast Division 34 17 2 184 28 22 8 169 28 22 6 171 23 24 9 149 24 25 6 136 Southeast Division 26 17 11 137 28 21 5 151 26 25 6 139 24 24 6 153 20 25 11 142 Western Conference Central Division 37 17 2 178 33 14 7 136 32 18 6 158 29 20 7 174 16 33 6 128 Northwest Division 34 15 6 178 26 22 8 134 28 25 4 146 25 22 8 125 22 28 5 147 Pacific Division 30 16 6 153 26 19 11 120 27 21 8 148 28 23 3 143 21 24 9 139

Kiplagat wins speedy mile

GA PTS 108 75 165 69 146 67 155 66 155 54 120 181 166 149 158

70 64 62 55 54

151 152 161 181 172

63 61 58 54 51

132 111 148 171 180

76 73 70 65 38

138 151 159 144 165

74 60 60 58 49

124 122 144 153 160

66 63 62 59 51

PHILADELPHIA: Ryan Callahan scored three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 for their seventh straight win over the Flyers in the NHL on Saturday.

Marian Gaborik and Artem Anisimov also had goals for the Eastern Conference-leading Rangers, who broke out of their power-play funk and improved to 5-0 against the Flyers this season.

It was a rare display on special teams for New York, which had a season-high three goals on the power play.

The Rangers increased their lead to six points over the Flyers in the Atlantic Division and have two games in hand.

The Rangers entered with the fourth-worst, powerplay unit in the NHL, converting just 13.4 percent of their chances.

Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds had Philadelphia’s goals. The Flyers have lost four of five, and are losing their hold on fourth place in the East. Henrik Lundqvist had 31 saves in the victory.

Latvala triumphs in Sweden SWEDEN: Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala overcame a late puncture to win the Rally of Sweden yesterday and make amends for crashing out of the Monte Carlo season-opener on the first day.

The Finn beat compatriot and former team mate Mikko Hirvonen, now with Citroen, by 16.6 seconds while eight-times world champion Sebastien Loeb finished a distant sixth. Loeb, winner in Monte Carlo, saw his hopes vanish when he hit a snow bank on the opening day but retained the championship lead by winning the power stage. Latvala still had to overcome a late scare when he hit a rock and punctured a front tyre on the 22nd stage, a setback that slashed his lead from more than half a minute to eight seconds. “It is amazing.

Four years ago I won this rally and now I got it again,” Latvala, who was able to reassert himself and rebuild his lead while Hirvonen struggled on worn tyres, told the wrc.com website. “ The first time I won this rally I became the youngest ever winner of a world championship rally and beat my hero Henri Toivonen’s record.

It’s fantastic to win it again,” added the Finn.

Norway’s Petter Solberg, Latvala’s team mate, hit the same rock on the same 22nd stage and lost third place to compatriot Mads Ostberg, also in a Ford. “We got a lot of pressure after Monte and I felt the pressure coming to this event. This has taken a lot of pressure out of the coming events,” said Latvala. “I think we’re really going to challenge Citroen. We’re working very hard.” —Reuters

Lightning 2, Sabres 1 At Buffalo, New York, Steven Stamkos had a goal and assist, and the resurgent Tampa Bay beat Buffalo for their seventh win in 10 games.

goals to give the NHL-worst Blue Jackets their second win this week against the Wild. Devin Setoguchi had a goal for the second straight game for Minnesota.

Blues 3, Avalanche 2 At St Louis, Carlo Colaiacovo scored 3:18 into overtime to give St. Louis a win over Colorado. David Perron added two goals and an assist as the Blues won for the fourth time in five games. Colaiacovo tipped in a shot from Patrik Berglund to win it for the the Blues.

St. Louis has earned at least one point in a franchiserecord 18 straight games overall to be one of the best

Panthers 3, Devils 1 At Newark, New Jersey, Scott Clemmensen stopped 27 shots against his former team as Florida beat New Jersey.

Sean Bergenheim, Kris Versteeg and Mikael Samuelsson scored for the Panthers, who have won four of six. Florida stretched its Southeast Division-lead over Washington to two points with just its second road win in 12 games.

Steve Bernier scored for the Devils and Martin Brodeur made 18 saves. Bernier and Bergenheim traded goals in the first period. It was Bernier’s first goal since February 2011.

Bruins 4, Predators 3 At Boston, Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron scored shootout goals to lift Boston over Nashville. Boston forced overtime when Milan Lucic scored a power-play goal with 67 seconds left in regulation after goalie Tim Thomas was pulled for an extra skater.

Daniel Paille and Bergeron also scored for the Bruins.

Thomas stopped 19 shots in regulation, and then turned aside Sergei Kostitsyn and Martin Erat in the shootout.

Mike Fisher, Shea Weber and Patric Hornqvist scored for Nashville, which lost for the fourth time in five games. Pekka Rinne, who had won 20 of 24 games, made 38 saves through overtime.

Penguins 8, Jets 5 At Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin added to his NHL-leading point total, scoring a goal and dishing out four assists as Pittsburgh rolled past Winnipeg.

Kris Letang scored twice and had an assist for the Penguins. Richard Park notched his 100th career NHL goal, and Jordan Staal scored in his first game after missing more than a month with a left knee injury. The Penguins won their fifth straight home game.

Islanders 2, Kings 1 At Uniondale, New York, Mark Streit’s goal 1:36 into overtime lifted the New York Islanders over Los Angeles.

The Islanders captain split the Kings defense and beat goalie Jonathan Quick with a backhander for this fifth goal this season. Matt Moulson and Andrew MacDonald earned assists.

Evgeni Nabokov made 34 saves to earn the win. In his last three starts against the Kings - all wins Nabokov has stopped 103 of 106 shots.

SWEDEN: Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala and his co-driver Miika Anttila advance towards victory with their Ford Fiesta RS during the 21st and last stage of the World Rally Championships. —AP

by beating Ottawa.

Magnus Paajarvi scored his first goal of the season and assisted on Shawn Horcoff’s tally 42 seconds into the third. Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, and Jason Spezza had two assists. Daniel Alfredsson and Milan Michalek also scored for the Senators, who have lost eight of nine.

Oilers 4, Senators 3 At Ottawa, Taylor Hall scored 17 seconds into overtime as Edmonton snapped a two-game losing streak

NEW YORK: Philadelphia Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds (17) and New York Rangers’ Brian Boyle (22) fight in the third period of an NHL hockey game. —AP Mathieu Garon made 26 saves, and Steve Downie also scored during the Lightning’s two-goal second period. Tampa Bay has earned at least a point in a season-high four straight road games.

Jason Pominville scored Buffalo’s lone goal 7:07 into the third period in a game in which the Sabres came out flat while playing for the third time in four nights. The Sabres managed 13 shots through two periods and 27 overall.

Canadiens 5, Maple Leafs 0 At Toronto, Carey Price turned aside 32 shots, as Montreal hammered Toronto 5-0. Erik Cole, Rene Bourque, Max Pacioretty, Lars Eller and Mathieu Darche scored goals for the Canadiens.

It was the third straight loss for the Maple Leafs, who remained in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal has won four in a row and is seven points back of the postseason cutoff. The Maple Leafs suffered their worst loss since being beaten 7-0 by Boston on Nov. 5.

Blue Jackets 3, Wild 1 At St. Paul, Minnesota, RJ Umberger scored two goals, one on a power play with 21 seconds left in the second period to give Columbus victor y over Minnesota.

Defenseman James Wisniewski had an empty-net goal in the final minute and added an assist in his first match back from a 17-game absence because of an ankle injury. Rick Nash assisted on both of Umberger’s

home team in the NHL. Shane O’Brien and Erik Johnson scored for the Avalanche, who ended a two-game winning streak with their sixth loss in eight games.

Coyotes 3, Blackhawks 0 At Glendale, Arizona, Mike Smith stopped 38 shots for his third shutout this season to lead Phoenix over Chicago. Radim Vrbata, Boyd Gordon and Kyle Chipchura scored for the Coyotes, who won their fifth straight to pull within three points of Chicago in the Western Conference standings. Phoenix stands in eighth place in the West, just two points ahead of Colorado, which lost to St. Louis 3-2 in overtime earlier Saturday. The Blackhawks lost their eighth straight overall - its worst run since the 2007-08 season - and 10th in a row on the road. Chicago’s last win came with a 3-1 victory over Florida on Jan. 20.

Flames 3, Canucks 2 At Calgary, Alberta, Jarome Iginla scored the shootout winner and Calgary earned an important two points against Vancouver.

The shootout was tied through two rounds, with Olli Jokinen scoring for Calgary and Alex Burrows replying for Vancouver, which set the stage for Iginla - the Flames’ captain and all-time leading scorer.

Iginla put the Flames ahead when he faked a shot, drew it around Roberto Luongo and jammed it in while he was falling. Miikka Kiprusoff then denied Mason Raymond with a pad stop to clinch the victory. —AP

Adidas brings you less weight, more speed with adizero KUWAIT: This February Adidas launches its latest adizero range, its lightest ever collection of performance footwear and apparel designed to help serious athletes get faster. Using groundbreaking technology to develop lighter materials, Adidas is continuing to set new standards in innovative performance products with the new adizero range.

In an increasingly competitive world of sport the need for speed has never been greater. In response, Adidas has created a range of footwear and matching apparel designed to improve performance and make every athlete better by offering the lightest products in their class whether it’s football, tennis, basketball or general training for your chosen sport.

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With the adizero F50 football boot, the adizero F50 runner 2, the adizero Feather tennis shoe and the adizero Rose 2.5 basketball shoe, Adidas offers the lightest shoes in their class. Once again Adidas continues to push the boundaries of what is believed possible with today’s technology and materials to help athletes be faster for their sport,” says Jad Chouman, Head of Marketing, Adidas Emerging Markets.

In football Adidas has engineered not only the fastest boot on the planet but also the smartest with the incredibly lightweight Adidas adizero F50 as recently unveiled and worn by FIFA’s player of the year and Argentinean superstar, Lionel Messi.

With the introduction of the adiZero F50 runner 2, Adidas aims to make runners from all sports faster.

Whether you are training to get down the sidelines of a football field faster or want to improve your speed on the court, the shoe is light so you can be fast. Some of the fastest athletes in the world such as Yohan Blake and Veronica Campbell Brown are winning gold medals in adizeros and now the adizero F50 Runner 2 brings this lightweight concept to everybody who needs the perfect shoe for training, whatever the sport.

The miCoach compatible adizero F50 Runner 2 incorporates key Adidas technologies and delivers the lightest in footwear without sacrificing an ounce of performance.

Offering stability the new eye-catching lightweight range of performance shoes contain SPRINTWEB, a mesh construction achieved through strong seamlessly bonded TPU material giving the wearer maximum comfort, support and breathability without adding extra weight or compressing the shoe structure or durability.

New SPRINTFRAME platform has also replaced conven-

tion structuring of the shoe with the TORSION(r) SYSTEM allowing independent movement of fore- and rear foot. The new adizero collection powered by miCoach is available at adidas stores in the across the UAE now.

16

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

S P ORT S

Cabrera-Bello wins Dubai Desert Classic DUBAI: Rafael Cabrera-Bello held his nerve against a star-studded field yesterday to win the Dubai Desert Classic, shooting a 4-under 68 to beat Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher by one shot for his second European Tour victory.

Westwood and Gallacher could have forced a playoff in the windy conditions but both players missed their birdie putts on the 18th. That brought a groan from the packed gallery but a broad smile from the No. 119-ranked Spaniard, who got on the phone to share the news of his victory with his parents and girlfriend back home in the Canary Islands.

The win moves Cabrera-Bello whose only other victory came at

Marcel Siem, who also started the final round one shot back, finished three behind in fourth with a 15-under total of 273. George Coetzee (70) of South Africa, Scott Jamieson (71) of Scotland, Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark and US Open Champion Rory McIlroy (71) of Northern Ireland were a further shot back in joint fifth.

Fourth-ranked Martin Kaymer of Germany, two shots off the lead after the third round, struggled to a 1-over 74 and finished in a tie for 13th. Thomas Bjorn of Denmark, also in contention Saturday, finished with a 1-under 71 and a tie for 9th. Cabrera-Bello is the latest lowprofile player to win a European Tour event this year, following the

round started, it seemed everything was set up for a Westwood win.

He started with a one-shot lead over Cabrera-Bello and had 21 European Tour victories under his belt compared to three for the three players in second. He spoke of “knowing how to play with a lead” and felt his putting had steadily improved - noting that he needed only 27 putts on Saturday.

But after making a 35-foot eagle putt from just off the green on the 2nd to go up by two, Westwood’s putting woes re-emerged. He bogeyed the 5th to fall into a tie with Cabrera-Bello and then missed birdie chances on the 9th and 10th holes.

Instead, it was the Spaniard who

DUBAI: Rafael Cabrera-Bello from Spain (left) poses with the trophy alongside Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum after winning the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic. —AP the Austrian Open in 2009 - into the top 60 and onto the elite list of golfers who will play in the Match Play Championship in Arizona that begins Feb. 23.

“It’s been a really, really special week for me,” Cabrera-Bello said as he accepted the trophy. “I played great the entire week. With so many big names up there, I really felt proud of myself. I wanted to fight. I stayed calm and I did everything I read you should do in these situation. It was really amazing.”

lead of England’s Robert Rock who beat Tiger Woods to win the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship last month. The Spaniard said beating such a talented field only confirmed that he can play with anyone.

“Just the fact I was able to be successful today proves to me that I’m working on the right line,” Cabrera-Bello said. “It gives me a lot of confidence that I have proven to myself that I can perform at least one week as good as them. It’s a huge morale booster.” When the

showed just the right touch down the stretch. He made a birdie on 11 for a share of the lead and followed that with a birdie on 12th for the outright lead.

He then made his best shot of the day on 16, after his drive landed on a sandy hillside behind a grove of palm trees. His caddy advised him to play it safe and avoid the trees but he went for the green clearing the trees and landing his 150-yard shot just left of the green.

“I just didn’t go for it to see what

happened,” said Cabrera-Bello, who ran up the hill to follow the shot. “I really believed I could do it. And then when I hit the ball, I said please don’t hit anything else. I don’t want to hear any other noise.”

The Spaniard then chipped to within a few feet and saved par.

Westwood then birdied his 16th to draw even. But rather than let the pressure get to him, Cabrera-Bello birdied the 17th. On 18, he took a conservative approach to the final par 5, just missing a long birdie putt but sinking a two-footer for par for the clubhouse lead. Then he sat back and waited.

Westwood, who just missed an eagle putt on 16, found the greenside rough on the 18th in two shots.

But his 120-foot chip ran well past the hole. He had a 25-foot birdie putt to force the playoff but it came up just short, ending his chances of winning his first tournament of the season.

But Cabrera-Bello’s wait was not yet over. Stephen Gallacher (69), who was a shot back after sinking a 40-foot eagle putt on 13, also had a chance to force a playoff. He needed to sink a 15-footer for birdie but his attempt rolled past.

Westwood didn’t talk to reporters after his round but Gallacher admitted he was “disappointed” not to have forced a playoff.

“Well, struggled a bit off the tee today but I hit a lot of good iron shots and made a few putts at the right time,” Gallacher said. “But I had a chance to sort of get into the playoff on the last so just a wee bit disappointed.”

Still, the 148th-ranked Scotsman was “happy overall” to be playing well, considering he was sidelined for much of 2009 with a debilitating viral infection that he had picked up in Dubai.

McIlroy, who led at the halfway point, also said he could have done better. He three-putted to open with a bogey and then went in the water on the ninth for a double bogey to take himself out of contention. He recovered for four birdies on the back nine including ending with one on the 17th and 18th for a respectable finish.

“It was obviously playing a little tougher out there today with the wind,” McIlroy said of gusts that were forecast to reach 25 miles per hour (40 kph). “It’s the strongest breeze we’ve had all week and it was tough. The greens were a little firmer. It was close to get the ball close to the hole.” —AP

Wi in charge at Pebble Beach PEBBLE BEACH: South Korean Charlie Wi maintained ice-cool composure to retain control of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Saturday’s third round as some of golf ’s biggest names snapped at his heels.

Three ahead of the chasing pack overnight, Wi ground out a threeunder-par 69 at Spyglass Hill, the most difficult of the three venues being used at this week’s pro-am celebrity event.

The Korean, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour, finished at 15-under 199, three strokes in front of American Ken Duke, who fired a five-under 65 on the relatively easy Monterey Peninsula Shore Course.

Lurking a further stroke back at 11 under was the ominous figure of Tiger Woods, who piled up six birdies in eight holes on the way to a five-under 67 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Also in contention at nine under were three -times champion Phil Mickelson, who carded a 70 at Pebble Beach, and twice winner Dustin Johnson, after a 70 at Monterey Peninsula.

Woods, bidding for his first PGA Tour victory in more than two years, knew had to shoot a low round at Pebble Beach on Saturday to stay in touch with the pacesetting Wi. “Charlie was playing well,” 14-times major champion Woods told reporters. “He got off to a quick start, he was like one under through two or three holes, and he kept building on that. “I needed to at least close the gap so I’m within touch tomorrow. I figured I had to shoot a good one today. “I’ve won my share of events, and it feels good,” added Woods, a winner of 71 PGA Tour titles. “That’s the ultimate goal and that’s what we set out to do at the beginning of every event is to win it. That’s the goal tomorrow, as well.”

Wi, who has finished second on the

US circuit four times, delivered a flawless display with three birdies on the tricky Spyglass Hill layout to retain control of the tournament.

As early morning cloud cover gave way to steady drizzle and then afternoon sunshine, the 40-year-old Korean birdied two of his last seven holes to finish at 15 under.

“I definitely caught myself getting ahead (of myself ) today but I was able to get back to what I was doing and I was really happy about that,” said Wi, who has won nine professional titles worldwide.

“I am sure I will be fighting my demons all day tomorrow. It is how I handle myself that is going to be the outcome of the tournament.

“He ( Woods) has won 70-some times and I am trying to get my first, so I have a lot more pressure on me than he does.” Wi, who held a onestroke lead going into the final round of last year’s Colonial Invitational before finishing one behind eventual winner David Toms, believes he is a different and more energised player in 2012. “I know tonight is going to be very exciting and I am sure I won’t sleep as well as if I am in 50th place,” he said. “But that’s what we play for and I am really excited.

“Something has turned over the last couple of months where I really feel comfortable with myself out there.

I enjoy being in the lead, it is a lot more fun than coming from behind.”

Triple major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland briefly moved to three strokes off the lead in the third round before he dropped four shots in his last five holes for a 72 at Spyglass Hill and an eight-under total.

The cut fell at one-under 213 with former major winners David Duval, Trevor Immelman and Mike Weir, and US R yder Cup player R ick ie Fowler, among those failing to advance. —Reuters

CARDIFF: Wales’ Aaron Shingler (top) wins a lineout against Scotland during their Six Nations international rugby union match at the Millennium Stadium. —AP

Wales beat Scotland 27-13 in Six Nations CARDIFF: Leigh Halfpenny scored two tries in a second-half surge as Wales made it two wins out of two in this season’s Six Nations with a 2713 victory over Scotland at the Millennium Stadium here yesterday.

The match was level at 3-3 at half-time but tries from wing Alex Cuthbert and full-back Halfpenny, who crossed twice on his way to a match haul of 22 points, saw Wales pull away.

For Scotland, defeat left them searching for a first win in Cardiff since 2002 and facing another battle to avoid the wooden spoon following last weekend’s 13-7 loss to England.

But new fly-half Greig Laidlaw, in for the retired Dan Parks, did at least score Scotland’s first try in five Tests. Their cause was not helped by being down to 13 men early in the second half after backs Nick de Luca and Rory Lamont were both sin-binned.

“Yellow cards are always crucial in this day and age so everybody has to work on their discipline,” said Wales flanker and man-of-thematch Dan Lydiate. Wales coach Warren Gatland had told his team at half-time “just look after the ball”, Lydiate said.

“Once we go through the phases we know we’re dangerous, but fair play to Scotland they came back into it. “It just shows what a quality team Scotland are to come back at the end there. We were under the cosh and we’re delighted with the win.”

Wales were forced into a late change when captain Sam Warburton withdrew shortly before kick-off with the ‘dead leg’ that had seen him miss the second half of the tournament opening 23-21 win against Ireland in Dublin last weekend.

Scarlets flanker Aaron Shingler was handed his Wales debut in Warburton’s place on the openside, with former skipper Ryan Jones taking over as captain.

Scotland’s request for the Millennium’s retractable roof to be closed, in order to provide ideal conditions for running rugby, was granted.

But in World Cup semi-finalists Wales they were up against one of the best ball-playing sides in the Six Nations. Scotland had the first scoring chance only for Laidlaw’s fifth minute penalty from 40 metres out to drift just wide of the posts.

But Scotland went ahead in the 22nd minute when Wales were penalised on their 22 for handling in the ruck and Laidlaw kicked the visitors into a 3-0 lead before Halfpenny’s longrange penalty tied the match at 3-3.

Scotland though drove towards the Welsh line only for prop Allan Jacobsen to knock-on when in sight of that elusive try.

Wales, with Shingler starring alongside Lydiate, made 97 tackles to Scotland’s 47 in the first half. But Wales, just as England did at Murrayfield, caught Scotland cold with a try shortly after the re-start.

No 8 Toby Faletau made a strong charge that took Wales to within sight of Scotland’s line and eventually, with Laidlaw missing a tackle, the ball was worked right and wing Cuthbert went in for a try.

Halfpenny converted and Wales were 10-3 in front. Scotland’s day got worse when centre de Luca was sin-binned after tackling Jonathan Davies without the ball as his Welsh counterpart chased a kick downfield.

Halfpenny landed the ensuing penalty and, in a matter of minutes, Wales had gone from parity to a 10-point lead. Laidlaw’s second penalty reduced the gap to 13-6 but, with Scotland still a man down, Wales had another try. Jamie Roberts powered away after Wales won quick lineout ball and the centre was hauled down short of the line. The ball though was recycled speedily and Cuthbert sent in Halfpenny for a try.

Rory Lamont was then sin-binned and although Scotland were back to 14 when de Luca returned, they couldn’t stop Halfpenny scoring a second try when he looped round the back of Welsh scrum-half Mike Phillips before adding the extras.

At 27-6, Scotland were in danger of a drubbing. They rallied with teenager Stuart Hogg, on for the injured Max Evans, going desperately close to a debut try only to have his score disallowed by French referee Romain Poite for a knock-on. But Scotland’s try famine eventually ended in the 62nd minute when, after a tap and go penalty, forwards David Denton and Richie Gray charged on before Laidlaw stretched for a score he also converted to make it 27-13 to Wales. —AFP

England hit back to deny Italy NEW YORK: (From left to right) Edward Cheserek, Bernard Lagat and Lawi Lalang react after the men’s 5,000-meter run in the Millrose Games athletics meet at the The Armory. —AP

Lagat sets US 5,000 meters mark at Millrose Games NEW YORK: Bernard Lagat, winner of a record eight Wanamaker Mile races at the Millrose Games, set his sights on a US indoor record over 5,000 meters and came through with flying colors on Saturday in the 105th edition of the track and field meeting.

Lagat held off training partner Lawi Lalang of Kenya to win with a time of 13 minutes 7.15 seconds as he slashed more than four seconds off the mark set by Galen Rupp last February in Birmingham, England.

“I am really pleased that I have achieved what I came here to do,” said the 37-year-old Lagat, a two-time world indoor 3,000 meter champion, and twice an Olympic medalist.

Lalang was within a stride of Lagat to start the last lap, but could not catch his mentor, who trains with him in Arizona.

The Kenyan finished second in 13:08.28 to smash the US collegiate record, also set by Rupp in 2009, by nearly 10 seconds.

Kenya’s Stephen Sambu, like Lalang a student at the University of Arizona, was third in 13:13.74. Women’s world 1,500 meters champion Jenny Simpson overcame a poor result last week in Boston in the 3,000 meters by holding off fellow-American Shannon Rowbury to win the 1,500 with a season-best time of 4:07.27. Simpson led from start to finish and Rowbury, the 2009 world bronze medalist, could not find a late burst to kick past Simpson and finished second in 4:07.66. American Sanya Richards-Ross, whose husband Aaron Ross won a Super Bowl ring last Sunday with the New York Giants, was first on the podium in the women’s 400 meters, clocking a season-best 50.89 seconds to beat compatriot Natasha Hastings, who finished nearly a second behind.

World men’s high jump champion Jesse Williams won his event by clearing 2.32 meters, fellow-American Jenn Suhr, who set a US record last week, won the women’s pole vault by clearing 4.58 meters, and Russian world championship silver medalist Olga Kucherenko won the women’s long jump with a leap of 6.75 meters.

The meeting, the oldest U.S. indoor track and field event, was staged at the 5,000-seat Armory in uptown Manhattan, the first time the Millrose Games has not been held at Madison Square Garden since 1914. —Reuters

ROME: England overcame a half-time deficit to hit back and deny Italy a historic victory at the Stadio Olimpico here on Saturday in a pulsating 19-15 Six Nations victory.

Italy pounced on two England errors to score tries through Tommaso Benvenuti and Giovambattista Venditti, in only his second appearance, to turn around at the break 126 in front.

But a charge-down try from Charlie Hodgson and five out of five successful kicks from Owen Farrell gave the reigning Six Nations champions a hard-fought victory.

“We kept plugging away and upped the tempo in the second half. We didn’t lose our heads and it obviously came good in the end,” said Hodgson.

“We were 15-6 down, to come back and be successful in a place like this against Italy with all their experience shows what (spirit) we have, we’re obviously delighted to get the win.

“We’ve worked hard over the last couple of weeks, with these two victories (after beating Scotland in the first Six Nations weekend). A week off next week and we look forward to the Wales game and see what happens then.”

Italy captain Sergio Parisse could not hide his disappointment after the game, but admitted that they had been a touch fortunate to lead at half-time.

“Obviously we’ve missed a great opportunity but you have to look at the game as a whole,” he said.

“The first half was not exceptional.

Maybe in the first 10 minutes we did something that we had been working on and got the ball behind them.

“We scored a try and then Benvenuti did well to go for the ball and score a try, but it wasn’t a great half, it was just the points that looked good.”

The game kicked off with a bizarre looking pitch as stewards had cleared one half of the ground of snow but not the other.

In freezing conditions scores were always going to be hard to come by and it was no surprise that both sides struggled to create much.

A clever ball inside from Brad Barritt to Phil Dowson saw England break into the Italy 22 but that came to nothing.

Australian-born Luke McLean broke down the left wing for the hosts but after he popped the ball inside to Andrea Masi, the full-back was hauled down.

Italy were matching England despite some poor tactical kicking from Australianborn fly-half Kris Burton. But when the Azzurri tried to run the ball, they capitulated.

Parisse threw away a pass and David Strettle kicked on only to be tripped by Burton, cutting across the England winger.

Farrell knocked over the 40-metre penalty to give England a 3-0 lead after 27 minutes.

Ten minutes later Italy, for whom Leicester prop Martin Castrogiovanni had been forced off with a rib injury, wheeled around a scrum and Farrell scored his second penalty from an identical position. But right on the stroke of half-time England twice committed suicide and Italy scored two tries.

Benvenuti tried a grubber kick near the England line with the ball bouncing up, hitting Ben Foden in the chest and then being spilled backwards and over the try line by Ben Youngs with Venditti able to pounce on the loose ball to score an unconverted try.

Moments later Foden threw away a pass near halfway as he was tackled by Alessandro Zanni and Benvenuti intercepted before streaking away to score under the posts with Chris Ashton unable to catch him.

Six minutes into the second half England captain Chris Robshaw accidentally tripped his Italian counterpart and Burton landed the place kick to give the hosts a nine-point lead.

But then moments later Italy had their own meltdown as Hodgson charged down Masi’s clearance inside the 22 and went over for his second such score in two games.

Farrell scored the extras and soon afterwards knocked over a penalty after Marco Bortolami was penalised for offside giving England a one-point lead. —AFP

17

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

SPORTS

Dhoni takes India home after Gambhir’s heroics

ANDORRA: France’s Tessa Worley celebrates in the finish area after winning an alpine ski, women’s World Cup giant slalom. —AP

Worley wins windy giant slalom ANDORRA: Tessa Worley beat the wind and her opponents to win her second Alpine ski World Cup giant slalom in succession yesterday.

The Frenchwoman, who won three weeks ago in Kranjska Gora, dominated the morning run and clung to first place in the afternoon for a combined time of two minutes 1.80 seconds.

The second leg was shortened by 11 gates because of the violent gusts of wind which had already forced the cancellation of a giant slalom on Friday and hampered Saturday’s slalom.

World champion Tina Maze of Slovenia was second, 0.16 seconds ahead of Germany’s Maria Hoefl-Riesch, who finished 0.75 off the winning pace.

“There were lots of French people here and I really wanted to do well. It was nice skiing,” said Worley, always at ease in difficult conditions. “I just decided not to think about the wind and it paid off.”

Worley’s seventh World Cup victory

allowed her to seize the lead in the discipline’s World Cup, 20 points ahead of Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg, who was eliminated in the first run.

Overall World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn finished eighth, 1.36 behind Worley, and said she had spent a frustrating weekend in Andorra.

“It’s not at all what I had in mind when I came here. I was looking for podiums and the first GS was cancelled, I skied out oft the slalom and finished eighth here.

It’s an obvious disappointment,” she said.

The American, who still leads Maze by 410 points in the World Cup overall standings, said she was already turning her thoughts to Sochi in Russia, where the women will follow the men next weekend.

“I watched the men and I heard they also injected the women’s course to make it icy. It’ll be much harder than we thought,” she said of the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics. —Reuters

ADELAIDE: Gautam Gambhir’s 92 at the top and some smart batting by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the finish helped India chase down a 270-run target against Australia in Adelaide yesterday for their second win in the triangular series.

The visitors, needing 13 runs in the last over, reached the mark with four wickets in hand and two balls to spare, aided by a huge straight six by Dhoni who remained unbeaten on 44 to see India through.

Clint McKay, the most successful bowler for Australia on Sunday with three for 53, made it easier for the Indians by bowling a no-ball in the last over.

Gambhir, who was rested against Sri Lanka in India’s last match, was drafted in for Sachin Tendulkar yesterday as part of India’s rotation policy.

Left-handed Gambhir laid the foundation for India, stitching together two fifty-run stands with fellow opener Virender Sehwag (20) and later with Rohit Sharma (33) for the third wicket.

Suresh Raina (30-ball 38) and Dhoni then added 61 runs for the fifth wicket before Raina fell with India still needing 31 runs for victory.

Ravindra Jadeja also departed soon but Dhoni, known for his calm demeanour on the field, stayed till the end to ensure there were no further hiccups.

Earlier, solid half centuries from David Hussey (72) and debutant Peter Forrest (66) took Australia to 269 for eight after captain Michael Clarke opted to bat after winning the toss.

The hosts, who had won both their earlier matches in the tournament, lost openers Ricky Ponting and David Warner within the first 10 overs.

Clarke was also dismissed trying to boost the run rate after making a brisk 38, which reduced Australia to 81 for three wickets.

Forrest and Hussey then added 98 runs for the fourth wicket to lay a solid foundation and Australia looked set for a

ADELAIDE: India’s MS Dhoni (right) bats against Australia during their One-Day International series cricket match. —AP

Scoreboard Scoreboard from the fourth match of the triangular series between Australia and India at Adelaide yesterday: Australia won the toss and opted to bat.

Australia innings D. Warner run out 18 R. Ponting c Kohli b V. Kumar 6 M. Clarke b Yadav 38 P. Forrest c V. Kumar b Yadav 66 D. Hussey c Sehwag b Zaheer 72 D. Christian run out 39 M. Wade b V. Kumar 16 R. Harris not out 2 C. McKay run out 3 Extras (lb-4, w-4, nb-1) 9 Total (eight wickets; 50 overs) 269 Did not bat: M. Starc, X. Doherty Fall of wickets: 1-14 2-53 3-81 4-179 5-235 6-254 7-265 8-269 Bowling: Zaheer 10-0-46-1, V. Kumar 10-1-58-2 (1nb, 1w), Jadeja 10-0-50-0 (1w), Yadav 10-1-49-2 (1w), Ashwin 8-0-470, Sharma 2-0-15-0.

300-plus score from there.

But India pulled things back with some tight bowling and quick wickets in the last 10 overs to restrict Australia to a

India innings G. Gambhir lbw b McKay 92 V. Sehwag c Hussey b Mckay 20 V. Kohli c Forrest b McKay 18 R. Sharma c Starc b Harris 33 S. Raina b Doherty 38 MS Dhoni not out 44 R. Jadeja c Ponting b Doherty 12 R. Ashwin not out 1 Extras (lb-2, w-9, nb-1) 12 Total (six wickets, 49.4 overs) 270 Did not bat: V. Kumar, Z. Khan, U. Yadav Fall of wickets: 1-52 2-90 3-166 4-178 5-239 6-257 Bowling: Harris 10-0-57-1 (1w), Starc 8-0-49-0 (1w), McKay 9.4-1-53-3 (1nb, 2w), Christian 10-0-45-0, Hussey 3-0-13-0, Doherty 9-0-51-2 (2w) India won by four wickets.

smaller total.

All-rounder Daniel Christian’s run out, one of the three in the innings, in the 48th over also robbed Australia of some vital

momentum in the closing overs.

India play Sri Lanka at the same venue in the fifth match of the triangular series tomorrow. —Reuters

Pakistan to launch more spin at England

SOCHI: Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic slaloms past a pole on his way to win an alpine ski, men’s World Cup super-combined. —AP

World Cup title and an injury for Kostelic SOCHI: Ivica Kostelic scored one of the most frustrating victories of his Alpine skiing career when he won the Sochi super-combined and the specialty’s World Cup but injured his knee in the process yesterday.

Kostelic’s father Ante blamed the injury on the icy Russian course and the many jumps on the Rosa Khutor downhill piste, which will be used for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Defending overall World Cup champion Ivica, whose career has been marred by several knee and back operations, was taken to a local hospital for tests before being flown home in a private jet for treatment.

Despite the problem, Kostelic was a solid 15th after the morning downhill section and destroyed the opposition in the afternoon slalom to win in a combined time of two minutes 50.21 seconds.

It was Kostelic’s fifth World Cup of his career and his second in succession in the super-combined. He also increased his lead

in the race for this season’s overall title to 70 points over Swiss Beat Feuz.

Feuz, the winner of Saturday’s downhill on the Olympic piste, was second in Sunday’s race, 1.16 seconds behind Kostelic.

Third place went to France’s Thomas Mermillod-Blond, 1.77 off the pace. Feuz sympathised with Kostelic, saying: “I sincerely hope his injury is not too bad. It would be a great shame for our fight to end in these circumstances.

“In any case, there was no beating him today; he skied an extraordinary slalom run.” With more speed events than technical races left in the season, Feuz had already looked to be at an advantage over Kostelic in the fight for the overall cup, even before the Croatian’s injury.

American Bode Miller pulled out of the slalom run after only a few gates, suffering from the ankle pains which have troubled him for a couple of seasons.—Reuters

MELBOURNE: Jessica Korda of the United States jumps over the winner’s trophy after she won the Women’s Australian Open golf tournament at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The teenager won her first LPGA Tour title after a six way play-off. —AP

Blake opens season with lifetime best KINGSTON: Jamaican world 100 metres champion Yohan Blake opened his 2012 Olympic season with a lifetime best of 46.49 seconds to finish second in the 400 metres at the Camperdown Classic on Saturday.

The man seen as the major challenger to world record holder Usain Bolt’s sprint titles at the London Games looked sharp as he shaved three tenths of a second off his threeyear-old previous best of 46.80.

He was passed in the last 10 metres by world 4x400 relay bronze medalist Allodin Fothergill who won in 46.28 seconds.

“It’s a wonderful feeling because as

you can see I ran a personal best, so the season is going quite well,” Blake told Reuters. “I am much stronger this year and also much faster, running 46.4 in my first outing is wonderful.

“If I have one more (400m) I think I can go faster,” said the 22-year-old who set lifetime bests of 9.82 and 19.26 seconds at 100 and 200 metres in a breakthrough 2011 season.

Training partner Bolt originally was scheduled to compete in the meeting, but is away on business this week, according to both his agent and his coach.

“Bolt is not injured,” Glen Mills, who coaches both Bolt and Blake, said. “He

trained up to the day before he left the island for his business trip.”

No date has been set for Bolt’s first race of the season. Blake expects to run the 100 or 200 metres at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 5, but is still unsure whether he will attempt the sprint double at the country’s trials for the London Olympics.

“I would love to double, but coach Mills (may have) something else in store for me. I don’t know what his plan is yet, so I’m just waiting on that,” Blake said.

“Everybody wants that gold medal and I think it’s going to be the person

(who performs) on the day,” Blake added on whether he thought he could beat Bolt in London.

“Usain Bolt is my training partner, we encourage each other everyday, we have a wonderful chemistry going on but when we are on the track, it’s all business.”

Blake will run two to three races before Jamaica’s Olympic trials from June 28-July 1 in Kingston, agent Cubie Seegobin said. “We have not decided where we are going to run, were looking at all our options,” Seegobin said.

“When coach Mills decides that he’s ready to run and what event, then we’ll decide.” —Reuters

ABU DHABI: Pakistan will once more depend on spin to maintain their dominance over England when the teams meet in a four-match one-day series starting here from today.

Misbah-ul Haq’s men blanked England 3-0 in the Tests series with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal finishing with 24 wickets, left-armer Abdul Rehman taking 19 and allrounder Mohammad Hafeez five in a spin-dominated series.

Pakistan’s spin repertoire will further be boosted by allrounder Shahid Afridi whose 5-36 helped Pakistan beat Afghanistan in a first-ever one-day between the two countries in Sharjah on Friday.

Even spinning all-rounder Shoaib Malik, controversially included in the squad despite failures in the last six oneday matches, will pose problems for England who were routed 5-0 in India last year.

Pakistan captain Misbah acknowledged Afridi’s heroics as leg-spinner. “Afridi is a match winner,” said Misbah of Afridi whose 338 wickets is now the second highest by a spinner behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (534) in one-day internationals.

“In the last three series in almost all matches Afridi has been outstanding and undoubtedly he is one of the best bowlers in one day cricket,” said Misbah, who has won one-day series against Ireland, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh since taking over in June last year. Misbah, however, seeks improvement in his batting, especially in the top order. “I always say that the main area we need to improve is batting. Against England if we can have batting consistency or if we can set very good targets then we have the bowling to give our opponents a tough time,” said Misbah.

England coach Andy Flower also hoped his batting improves after struggling badly against Pakistan’s spinners. “This will be a really challenging series for us. In our last one-day series in sub-continental conditions, we lost badly to India. The batsmen are lower in confidence after the Tests, so it will be a serious challenge for us,” said Flower.

“I expect better things from the batsmen, and I really expect to see us improve with our knowledge and method of how to combat their spin,” said Flower, adding that Kevin Pietersen will open the batting.

Pietersen had a miserable Test series, managing just 67 runs. “He’s a very, very fine cricketer - very dangerous and someone we’d like to give the option of facing as many balls as possible in the limited-overs game. If he stays in long enough, he will win games for us in that position.”

James Anderson and Stuart Broad-who both missed the India one-day series will be on support for Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach and Steven Finn in pace while Samit Patel and Danny Briggs will assist Graeme Swann in spin. The remaining three matches will be played in Abu Dhabi (February 15) and in Dubai on Feruary 18 and 21. Teams will also play three Twenty20 internationals in Dubai (February 23 and 25) and in Abu Dhabi (February 27). —AFP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

sp orts

Knicks rally to beat Wolves MINNEAPOLIS: Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.

Steve Novak scored 15 points, including the tying 3-pointer with 36 seconds to play and Lin used his quickness to draw a foul and get to the line in the closing seconds. He finished with 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Lin had just five points on 1-for-13 shooting and four turnovers in the second half. Kevin Love had 32 points and 21 rebounds for the Wolves, who missed two chances to win the game in the final 5 seconds.

The Knicks trailed by seven with 6:41 to play and it looked as if a week of hype was finally catching up to Lin. But the Wolves only scored one field goal the rest of the game, and the Knicks hung in.

AUSTRIA: Russia’s doubles tennis player Mikail Youzhny(left) and Nikolay Davydenko (right) celebrate after their world group first round Davis Cup tennis match against Austria’s Oliver Marach and Alexander Peya. Russia won the doubles to reduce their deficit to 2-1.—AP

No Djokovic, no problem as Serbia eye Spain’s title PARIS: Serbia shrugged off the absence of Novak Djokovic to reach the Davis Cup last eight yesterday with the 2010 champions confidently setting their sights on dethroning Spain in November’s final.

Janko Tipsarevic secured an unassailable 3-1 lead over Sweden in the World Group first round tie in Nis with a 6-2, 76 (7/5), 7-5 win over M ichael Ryderstedt.

Victory gave Serbia a quarter-final tie in April against the Czech Republic, but captain Bogdan Obradovic believes that with world number one Djokovic back in the side for that clash, his country can start dreaming of a second title.

“It’s never easy to play matches in which you are the odds-on favorite but the players dealt with the pressure really well against Sweden,” Obradovic told www.daviscup.com.

“With a bit of luck, we will reach this year’s final and hopefully take on Spain because we are confident that we can beat them on home soil.”

Tipsarevic had beaten Filip Prpic in straight sets in Friday’s opening rubber and had then played doubles on Saturday when Sweden had clawed their way back into the tie.

But despite those efforts, he had no problem in disposing of Ryderstedt. “I want to thank my team for standing by me through the thick and thin and this is also the best home crowd we have ever played for,” said Tipsarevic.

“I hope some of these fans will be ale to make the trip with us to the Czech Republic because it will be a very open match.” The United States, the 32-time champions, completed a 5-0 whitewash over Switzerland in Fribourg.

Ryan Harrison beat Michael Lammer 7-6 (7/0), 7-6 (7/4) and John Isner, who condemned Roger Federer to his first

defeat in the tournament in nine years on Friday, saw off Marco Chiudinelli 6-3, 6-4.

The US will face either France or Canada in the last eight. France were 21 ahead of the Canadians in Vancouver after Saturday’s doubles.

Austria made the quar ter-finalswhere they will tackle Spain-for the first time in 17 years with a 3-2 win over two-time champions Russia in Wiener Neustadt.

Jurgen Melzer secured the vital point, beating debutant Alex Bogomolov 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.

“I think it was one-way traffic,” said Melzer. “Giving Austria the chance to play a quarter-final against Spain, that was our goal.”

Spain, playing without Rafael Nadal, who is skipping the tournament this year, had already made sure of their sixth successive appearance in the quarter-finals by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead on Saturday against Kazakhstan in Oviedo.

Yesterday, they completed a 5-0 rout with singles wins for Nicolas Almagro and Marcel Granollers. The Czech Republic wrapped up a 4-1 win over Italy in Ostrava while last year’s runners-up Argentina were also 4-1 winners over Germany in Bamberg.

Argentina will have a home tie against Croatia, who beat Japan 3-2. Ivo Karlovic pulled off his third win of the week to beat Go Soeda and give Croatia victory in Hyogo.

Croatia’s number three, who defeated Japanese number one Kei Nishikori on the first day, notched a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1, 6-4 victory in the last of the best-of-five contest. Earlier in the day, Australian Open quarter-finalist Nishikori evened the tie 2-2 beating Ivan Dodig 7-5, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.—AFP

Preview

Spurs 103, Nets 89 At Newark, New Jersey, Gary Neal scored 18 points and Tim Duncan recorded his ninth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds as San Antonio won its seventh in a row. Tony Parker added 12 points, DeJuan Blair finished with 11, while Daniel Green and Thiago Splitter each had 10 for the Spurs.

San Antonio was bolstered by the return of sixth man Manu Ginobili. The Argentine guard had not played in 22 games after suffering a fractured metacarpal in the Spurs’ 106-96 loss in Minnesota on Jan. 2. Ginobili scored eight points and had four assists in 17 minutes.

Deron Williams scored 27 points to lead the Nets, who have lost six in a row. Kris Humphries added 15, while Jordan Farmar had 12 and Anthony Morrow 11.

who unleashed a barrage of 3-pointers in the second half that helped Orlando erase a 10-point fourth quarter deficit and pull ahead. His ninth 3, and eighth out of nine attempts in the second half, gave Orlando a 94-88 lead with 2:07 to go. Richardson finished 9 for 11 from 3-point range. Drew Gooden scored 21 points and Ersan Ilyasova added 17 for the Bucks.

Mavericks 97, T Blazers 94 At Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 points, Jason Terry added 19, and Dallas held on for a 97-94 doubleovertime victory over Portland.

Shawn Marion had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas, which won its third in a row. LaMarcus Aldridge had 33 points, 15 during a fourth-quarter rally, and Jamal Crawford contributed 19 points for the Trail Blazers. Delonte West hit an 11-footer for Dallas to open the second overtime. West later converted jumpers on consecutive possessions to give Dallas a 93-89 advantage with 2:55 left.

Crawford hit two free throws and Aldridge made a

12-footer with 1:43 remaining in the second extra session to draw Portland even at 93.

Suns 98, Kings 84 At Sacramento, California, Jared Dudley had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, who never trailed in defeating Sacramento.

The victory was the fourth in five games for the Suns, who have won their last three on the road.

Phoenix took a double-digit lead in the second quarter and maintained a comfortable margin for the remainder of the game.

Markieff Morris came off the bench for 18 points, Channing Frye had 17, and Marcin Gortat had 15 points and seven rebounds for Phoenix.

DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points and nine rebounds, and Marcus Thornton made four 3-pointers and had 21 points for the Kings. Tyreke Evans, Sacramento’s leading scorer, shot 1 of 9 and finished with four points while being guarded all game by Grant Hill.—AP

76ers 99, Cavaliers 84 At Cleveland, Jrue Holiday scored 20 points to lead six Philadelphia players in double figures as the 76ers rolled over the short-handed Cleveland.

Philadelphia bounced back from a difficult home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night to break a season-high two-game losing streak.

Cleveland, which lost in overtime to Milwaukee at home on Friday, played without two of its three leading scorers. The team announced before the game that center Anderson Varejao will be sidelined indefinitely because of a broken right wrist sustained Friday.

Rookie point guard Kyrie Irving missed his third straight game with a concussion.

Antawn Jamison led Cleveland with 20 points, while Ramon Sessions - starting in place of Irving scored 19 points and had eight assists.

Clippers 111, Bobcats 86 At Charlotte, North Carolina, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan all had double-doubles after three quarters as the Los Angeles Clippers handed dreadful Charlotte yet another lopsided loss.

Paul toyed with the Bobcats, finishing with 18 points and 14 assists in only 28 minutes. Griffin had 21 points and 10 rebounds and DeAndre Jordan had 11 points with 12 rebounds. Caron Butler added 16 points as the Clippers opened an 84-52 lead after three quarters.

Kemba Walker had 19 points for the Bobcats, who’ve lost a franchise-record 14 straight and are on pace to match a dubious NBA record.

At 3-24, the Bobcats’ winning percentage (.125) equals that of the NBA’s all-time worst franchise, the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers.

Nuggets 113, Pacers 109 At Indianapolis, Ty Lawson scored 27 points to lead Denver over Indiana, ending the Nuggets’ five-game losing streak. Danny Granger scored 26 points for the Pacers, who have lost four of five.

Arron Afflalo had 23 points and five rebounds and Corey Brewer had 19 points and five rebounds in his first game back after missing three straight because of the death of his father. The Nuggets, who jumped to a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter survived a late run by the Pacers.

Magic 99, Bucks 94 At Milwaukee, Jason Richardson scored 28 of his season-high 31 points in the second half and made nine 3-pointers to lead Orlando over Milwaukee.

The Bucks limited Dwight Howard to 11 points and 14 rebounds, but had no defense for Richardson,

SACRAMENTO: Phoenix Suns forward Grant Hill (left) draws a offensive foul against Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game.—AP

NBA results/standings LA Clippers 111, Charlotte 86; Denver 113, Indiana 109; Philadelphia 99, Cleveland 84; NY Knicks 100, Minnesota 98; San Antonio 103, New Jersey 89; Dallas 97, Portland 94 (double overtime); Orlando 99, Milwaukee 94; Phoenix 98, Sacramento 84.

Philadelphia Boston NY Knicks Toronto New Jersey Chicago Indiana Milwaukee Cleveland Detroit Miami Atlanta Orlando Washington Charlotte

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT 19 9 .679 14 12 .538 13 15 .464 9 19 .321 8 21 .276 Central Division 23 6 .793 17 10 .630 12 15 .444 10 16 .385 8 20 .286 Southeast Division 20 7 .741 18 9 .667 17 11 .607 5 22 .185 3 24 .111

GB 4 6 10 11.5

Oklahoma City Denver Portland Utah Minnesota

5 10 11.5 14.5

LA Clippers LA Lakers Phoenix Golden State Sacramento

2 3.5 15 17

San Antonio Dallas Houston Memphis New Orleans

Western Conference Northwest Division 21 6 .778 16 12 .571 15 13 .536 13 12 .520 13 15 .464 Pacific Division 17 8 .680 15 12 .556 12 15 .444 9 14 .391 10 17 .370 Southwest Division 19 9 .679 17 11 .607 16 11 .593 14 13 .519 4 23 .148

5.5 6.5 7 8.5 3 6 7 8 2 2.5 4.5 14.5

Federer top seed in Rotterdam ROTTERDAM: Roger Federer returns to the ATP Rotterdam Open for the first time in seven years, hoping to pick up where he left off since winning the 2005 title.

The Swiss world number three is a good friend of tournament director and 1996 fellow Wimbledon winner Richard Krajicek and has changed his normal February schedule to include the indoor event which begins on Monday at the Ahoy stadium. Both Federer and second seed Tomas Berdych will arrive in the Dutch port city from weekend Davis Cup dates in Europe.

Third seed Juan Martin del Potro will be mak ing his tournament debut after resting since an Australian Open quarter-final loss to the Swiss.

At least half of the 32-man field will come to Rotterdam from Davis Cup ties, with Federer on the losing side with Switzerland, Berdych anchoring the Czech Republic and Viktor Troicki and Marcel Granollers playing for 2010 winner Spain and Davis holder Spain respectively.

Spain’s Feliciano Lopez takes the fourth seeding ahead of Frenchman Richard Gasquet and Alexandr Dolgopolov of the Ukraine.

Berdych is drawn in the first round against Davis teammate Lukas Rosol while Del Potro begins with a fitness advantage against former champion Michael Llodra.

The Frenchman, who lost the Rotterdam final a year ago to JoWilfried Tsonga, will need to recover from a nine -hour time gap after playing Davis Cup in Vancouver at the weekend while Del Potro has been in Europe. “Del Potro is a name that has been on my shortlist for a couple of years,” said Krajicek. “After his US Open victory in 2009, we’ve been in contact every year, this year with a positive result.”

Added Del Potro, winner of nine titles: “For the first time in years I will be playing in Europe in February.

Obviously I look forward to coming to Rotterdam.” He will aim to become the first Argentine since Guillermo Vilas in 1982 to win the Dutch title.

Federer will begin start the first round against an opponent he has not faced since 2008 when he plays Frenchman Nicolas Mahut.

He will be playing in Rotterdam for the seventh time with his 2005 title backed up by a 2003 semi-final and a final 11 years ago.

Berdych is an old hand at the tournament, having competed for six of the last seven editions, with a 2011 quarter-final as his best effort.

The event will be missing the champion of the last two years, Swede Robin Soldering, who is still recovering from the glandular fever which has kept him off court since last July.—AFP

UIS retain Bosconian basketball trophy KUWAIT: United Indian School once again shot into limelight at the Bosconian Inter School Basketball Tournament by winning the overall trophy for the 9th time in a row. This repeated victory added one more feather to the glory in the basketball history of UIS. The tournament was conducted by the Don Bosco past pupils association in U-12, U-14 and U-16 categories for boys and girls.

In the U-12 girls category UIS got satisfied with IVth place. Rayan was the top scorer for UIS in all the matches. The other members of the team are Ruth, Anu, Nitya, Latisha, Rachel, Gloria, Binny, Ruby, Josna, Sandra and Esly.

In the U-12 boy category UIS finished in 3rd position. In this category Sanu and Jeevan performed well. The other members were Melbin, Steve, Juwal, Calvin, Alston, Nikhil, Renil, Rajat, Eugin and Loyd.

In the U-14 girls category UIS lost to DPS by one point in the final.

Rinna and Vanesa were the main scorers for UIS. In U-14 boys category UIS defeated Bhavens by 35-27. The young talents of UIS Kevin, Nevin and Arjun scored the maximum. The other members were Sujin, Joji, Sam, Christopher, Habel, Deen, Kiran, Nikhil and Daril.

In the U-16 girls category UIS team played professional game beating Carmel by 50-23. Captain Roshni controlled the game and scored 23 points with 3 three point shots followed by Rinu scoring 13 points. The other members are Reena, Priya, Ashmiya, Natasha, Sanjna, Shilpa, Sneha, Megna, Ashlin and Reema.

In the fabulous final in the U-16 boys category UIS defeated Carmel by 53-52. UIS promising stars Prince and Emil played the pivotal role in all the matches they played in this tournament. They were well supported by Bibin, Jerin and Leo. The other members are Vishnu, Vinay, Chris, Amit, Abhi. Jawahar and Abhishek.

156 players (13 teams) who represented the UIS proved their might and skill at this tournament. UIS Principal Mrs. Susan Roy congratulated the winning teams and presented special prizes to the top performers of UIS in all the categories. UIS family expresses its gratitude to all for winning the crown for the 9th time in a row.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

S P ORT S

Suarez says sorry, but Liverpool condemn their star LONDON: Luis Suarez has apologised to Patrice Evra for refusing to shake hands with the Manchester United defender, but the Liverpool striker was still subjected to a strong dressing down from his club as the Reds finally tried to bring an end to the simmering race row yesterday.

Suarez said sorry for his failure to acknowledge Evra’s hand during the traditional pre -match greeting at Old Trafford on Saturday as he came face to face with United’s captain for the first time since being given an eight-match ban for racially abusing the Frenchman at Anfield in October.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had branded Suarez a disgrace, while Professional Footballers’ Association chief Gordon Taylor called the Liverpool star’s actions “disrespectful, inappropriate and embarrassing”. Suarez finally showed some contrition in a statement expressing his regret for his actions.

“I have spoken with the manager

(Kenny Dalglish) since the game at Old Trafford and I realise I got things wrong,” Suarez said on Liverpool’s official website.

“I’ve not only let him down, but also the club and what it stands for and I’m sorry. I made a mistake and I regret what happened.

“I should have shaken Patrice Evra’s hand before the game and I want to apologise for my actions. “I would like to put this whole issue behind me and concentrate on playing football.”

But Suarez’s actions and Reds manager Kenny Dalglish’s refusal to publicly condemn his player’s behaviour in the immediate aftermath of the match may well have prompted the club’s American owner John Henry to take control of the situation judging by the sudden outpouring of apologies.

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre led the criticism of Suarez as he revealed the Uruguayan had told them he would shake hands with Evra, only to change

his mind on the pitch.

“We are extremely disappointed Luis Suarez did not shake hands with Patrice Evra before yesterday’s game. The player had told us beforehand that he would, but then chose not to do so,” Ayre said.

“He was wrong to mislead us and wrong not to offer his hand to Patrice Evra. “He has not only let himself down, but also Kenny Dalglish, his team-mates and the club. “It has been made absolutely clear to Luis Suarez that his behavior was not acceptable.

“Luis Suarez has now apologised for his actions which was the right thing to do. However, all of us have a duty to behave in a responsible manner and we hope that he now understands what is expected of anyone representing Liverpool Football Club.”

Suarez’s actions lit the fuse on an always volatile fixture and police and stewards were reportedly called into the tunnel area to calm the situation after Evra tried to confront his rival at half-

time, sparking heated scenes between several players.

Suarez scored in the 80th minute with Liverpool trailing 2-0, but United held on to win and Evra embarked on a wild post-match celebration that saw him appear to taunt the South American by celebrating right next to him.

Dalglish also came in for heavy criticism after reacting angrily to questions about Suarez during a post-match television interview in which he rejected the chance to admit Suarez was out of order.

And, later yesterday, Dalglish apologised for his conduct during the Sky Sports interview. The 60-year-old Scot insisted he was not aware at the time that Suarez had not shaken hands with Evra as he had been assured by the player that a handshake would take place.

“Ian Ayre has made the club’s position absolutely clear and it is right that Luis Suarez has now apologised for what happened at Old Trafford,” Dalglish said.

“To be honest, I was shocked to hear

that the player had not shaken hands having been told earlier in the week that he would do.

“But as Ian said earlier, all of us have a responsibility to represent this club in a fit and proper manner and that applies equally to me as Liverpool manager.

“When I went on TV after yesterday’s game I hadn’t seen what had happened, but I did not conduct myself in a way befitting of a Liverpool manager during that interview and I’d like to apologise for that.” United responded to the Anfield apologies by accepting their rivals’ attempt at damage limitation.

“Manchester United thanks Liverpool for the apologies issued following Saturday ’s game,” a statement on United’s website read.

“Everyone at Old Trafford wants to move on from this. The history of our two great clubs is one of success and rivalry unparalleled in British football.

“That should be the focus in the future of all those who love the clubs.”—AFP

Valencia hit four past Gijon

ITALY: Inter Milan’s Argentine midfielder Esteban Matias Cambiasso (top) challenges for the ball with Novara’s Albanese’s goalkeeper Samir Ujkani during the Serie A football match. —AFP

MADRID: Valencia consolidated third place in La Liga yesterday with an emphatic 4-0 victory over relegation-threatened Sporting Gijon which brought to an end a run of five games without a win.

They are now eight points clear of Levante, who face Real Madrid later, and Espanyol who surprisingly lost 2-0 at home to Zaragoza.

Second-from-bottom Sporting started solidly under coach Inaki Tejada in his second game in charge, but after a cagey opening spell Valencia had the first chance with Aritz Aduriz firing wide.

Then Sofiane Feghouli gave them the opener after 33 minutes with a fine finish from a Jeremy Mathieu cross. Sporting were unable to bounce back and Aduriz missed another excellent opening before the break while, after the restart, Valencia dominated the match as the visitors’ rearguard was unable to cope.

A deflected Feghouli shot off Alberto Botia gave Valencia a two-goal cushion and then in injur y time substitute Jonas Goncalves bagged a double to add gloss to the win.

Later Real Madrid can take a significant step towards winning the league title as victory over Levante would move them 10 points clear following Barcelona’s shock 3-2 defeat at Osasuna on Saturday.

While Barca struggle with just four victories on their travels, Real continue to roll over their opposition, having won 18 of 21 games, scoring 71 goals in the process, eight more than the champions.

Despite Barcelona’s problems, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho feels that the title contest will not be decided imminently.

“February is possibly more difficult for us than Barcelona as we take on Levante, Racing (Santander) who are improving, Rayo (Vallecano), without doubt the surprise package this season, and then Espanyol,” he said.

“Levante are a good side and not just for the fact they have beaten Barcelona but also for where they are in the table. In October and November everyone thought they would run out of steam.”—AFP

SPAIN: Valencia’s French midfielder Sofiane Feghouli celebrates after scoring during the Spanish League football match against Sporting. —AFP

Spanish League results/standings Espanyol 0 Real Zaragoza 2 (Da Silva 55, Carlos 90+4); Rayo Vallecano 2 (Michu 34, Diego Costa 64) Getafe 0; Malaga 3 (Seba 11, Toulalan 55, Rondon 69) Real Mallorca 1 (Pereira 4); Valencia 4 (Feghouli 34, Botia 73og, Jonas 90+1, 90+2) Sporting Gijon 0; Villarreal 3 (Ruben 12, Borja Valero 64, Julio Cesar 74-og) Grenade 1 (Lopez 50) Playing later Real Madrid v Levante Spanish League table ahead of yesterday’s late match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Real Madrid 21 18 1 2 71 19 55 Getafe 22 7 6 9 22 29 27 Barcelona 22 14 6 2 63 16 48 Sevilla 21 6 8 7 22 24 26 Valencia 22 11 7 4 35 22 40 Real Betis 22 8 2 12 25 31 26 Levante 21 9 5 7 27 25 32 Villarreal 22 6 8 8 23 30 26 Espanyol 22 9 5 8 25 26 32 Mallorca 22 6 7 9 19 28 25 Atletico 22 8 7 7 31 27 31 Granada 22 7 4 11 17 31 25 Malaga 22 9 4 9 28 32 31 Sociedad 21 6 6 9 23 30 24 Osasuna 22 7 10 5 26 35 31 Racing 224 1 1 7 18 26 23 Bilbao 22 7 9 6 34 30 30 Gijon 22 5 4 13 20 43 19 Vallecano 22 8 4 10 27 32 28 Zaragoza 22 3 6 13 18 38 15

Rock bottom Novara stun Inter ROME: Inter Milan slumped to a fifth successive game without a win as rock-bottom Novara walked away from the San Siro yesterday with a stunning 1-0 victory.

Andrea Caracciolo scored the only goal of a game in which the hosts never really got out of second gear. Inter have now lost four out of those last five games-including their Italian Cup defeat to Napoli.

Before that they had put seven wins in a row together but Claudio Ranieri’s side have lost their way and remain six points off the final Champions League qualification place. Novara remained bottom despite the win but are at least level on points with Cesena above them and now only four points from safety.

Following last week’s disastrous 4-0 capitulation at Roma, Ranieri shifted things around, playing Diego Milito as a loan frontman with Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder and Argentine Ricardo Alvarez behind him. A slick move on nine minutes saw Alvarez combine with Esteban Cambiasso and set up Sneijder whose curling right-foot effort was saved at full length by away goalkeeper Samir Ujkani.

Inter were labouring to put any sustained pressure on their visitors but dominated the game nonetheless.

A great move down the left between Cristian Chivu and Sneijder saw the

Dutchman’s centre across the face of the goal travel just a yard too far in front of the on-rushing Milito.

Alvarez created another chance for Sneijder on 37 minutes as he picked out his team-mate but the Dutchman’s low shot was saved by Ujkani at his near post.

Santiago Garcia then made a last ditched tackle to deny Andrea Poli as the Inter midfielder was about to pull the trigger, although he was guilty of not taking the chance first time.

Novara stunned their hosts 10 minutes into the second period when Caracciolo created space outside the box and curled a sumptuous left-foot effort around goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

Inter were creating little and Cesar was forced into making an awkward save to push away Michel Morganella’s bouncing volley. Novara’s Ivan Radovanovic was then dismissed for a second yellow card after kicking the ball away.

Inter found some urgency late on and Sneijder ran across the edge of the box before cracking a shot onto the bar, with substitute Giampaolo Pazzini crowded out on the follow-up.

In other games Pablo Barrientos scored a brace as Catania thumped Genoa 4-0 while Atalanta and Lecce played out a 0-0 draw.—AFP

Italian Serie A results/standings Atalanta 0 Lecce 0; Catania 4 (Lodi 7-pen, Barrientos 49, 62, Bergessio 72) Genoa 0; Inter 0 Novara 1 (Caracciolo 56); Parma v Fiorentina - postponed; Bologna v Juventus - postponed.

Playing today Napoli v Chievo, Siena v Roma.

Italian Serie A table yesterday (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): AC Milan Juventus Lazio Udinese Inter Milan Roma Napoli Palermo Cagliari Genoa Fiorentina

23 21 23 23 23 22 22 23 23 22 21

14 12 12 12 11 10 7 9 7 9 7

5 9 6 5 3 5 10 4 9 3 7

4 0 5 6 9 7 5 10 7 10 7

45 33 37 34 34 36 36 33 22 31 23

20 13 24 22 30 26 24 34 24 42 19

47 45 42 41 36 35 31 31 30 30 28

Catania 21 6 9 6 27 Parma 21 7 6 8 27 Chievo 22 7 6 9 19 Atalanta 22 7 9 6 25 Bologna 21 5 7 9 18 Siena 21 4 8 9 21 Lecce 23 4 6 13 22 Cesena 22 4 4 14 15 Novara 23 3 7 13 20 Note: Atalanta deducted six points season for match-fixing

29 27 34 27 28 27 27 24 26 22 22 20 38 18 34 16 42 16 at start of

Guerrero strikes late to give Hamburg win

FRANCE: Paris Saint-Germain’s Nene of Brazil (right) jumps for the ball with Nice’s Fabrice Abriel during their French Division One soccer match.—AP

PSG held by Nice PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain inched a point clear in Ligue 1 yesterday following a 0-0 draw at Nice, after Ludovic Obraniak had netted a 93rd-minute winner for Bordeaux in an extraordinary 5-4 win at his former club Lille.

PSG had been bidding to reclaim top spot from Montpellier and they did so despite a lacklustre performance at the home of the league’s third-bottom side.

Laboured in attack, PSG twice had recourse to thank goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, who produced smart saves to deny Anthony Mounier and Fabrice Abriel in each half.

The visitors’ clearest sight of goal fell to Nene in the 88th minute but he turned into a cul-de-sac after bursting into the Nice box and the opportunity was lost.

PSG now lead Montpellier by a slender point prior to their encounter in Paris next weekend, but reigning champions Lille are 11 points off the pace-with a game in hand-after Obraniak’s late strike placed their title defence in serious jeopardy.

Bordeaux led 4-1 with half an hour to play, but goals from Eden Hazard, Mathieu Debuchy and Nolan Roux drew the home side level, only for Polish international Obraniak to apply a stunning coup de grace in the third minute of added time.

“In my dreams I’d thought that it could happen,” said Obraniak, who left Lille in January in order to improve his chances of winning a call-up for Euro 2012.

“It’s always difficult to play against an old team, and particularly a team where I experienced so many things,

and so much happiness.

“I hope that I was respectful, even though I was going crazy inside.” Like Lille, Bordeaux were knocked out of the French Cup in mid-week, by Lyon, but they have climbed to eighth in the table and are now only six points shy of the Champions League places.

Nicolas Maurice-Belay opened the scoring for Bordeaux in the second minute, pouncing on the rebound after Obraniak’s shot was blocked by Mickael Landreau and scoring courtesy of a deflection off Debuchy.

Obraniak restored Bordeaux’s lead in the 17th minute after David Rozehnal had equalised for Lille and further goals early in the second half from Maurice-Belay and Yoan Gouffran increased the visitors’ advantage to 4-1.

Hazard’s fine 25-yard free-kick rallied Lille and after Debuchy had scored with a volley that he set up with a sublime first touch, Roux converted Benoit Pedretti’s pass in the 90th minute to level the scores.

Lille appeared to have salvaged a point in the most unlikely circumstances but three minutes later, a ball from the right found Obraniak at the back post and he steadied himself before arrowing home a low drive to break the champions’ hearts.

“It’s never been our aim as we don’t have the means,” said coach Rudi Garcia of Lille’s title ambitions. “As we’ve never thought about it, it’s not a big loss. We want to be in the top three.”—AFP

BERLIN: Paolo Guerrero struck late to give Hamburg SV a 1-0 win at Cologne, the only goal in the Bundesliga yesterday.

The Peruvian, perfectly set up by Mladen Petric, dinked the ball over goalkeeper Michael Rensing in the 88th minute for his sixth goal of the season.

Hamburg, who have lost only once in 12 Bundesliga outings since Thorsten Fink was appointed coach, climbed to 10th in the table with 26 points. Cologne are t wo behind in 12th. The goal had been on the cards as Hamburg took control in the last 20 minutes.

Petric volleyed over the bar and almost immediately missed an excellent chance in the 73rd minute after a superb one-two with Guerrero, then Dennis Aogo had a close range effort saved by Rensing.

Augsburg and Nuremberg produced a scrappy goalless draw in their relegation battle, livened up only by a burst of chances at both ends in the closing minutes.

The rest of the match was bogged down in midfield with neither side able to string passes together. Augsburg are 17th in the 18-team standings and in danger of going straight back into the second division while Nuremberg are 14th with 22 points, four clear of Kaiserslautern in the relegation playoff place.—Reuters

Dhoni takes India home after Gambhir’s heroics

Cabrera-Bello wins Dubai Desert Classic

17

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Suarez says sorry, but Liverpool condemn their star

Page 19

LIBREVILLE: Zambia national team players celebrate their victory with their trophy at the end of the African Cup of Nations final football match against Ivory Coast.—AFP

Zambia win Africa Cup of Nations LIBREVILLE: Zambia conjured up a shock when they toppled star-studded Ivory Coast 8-7 in a penalty shoot-out to claim their first ever Africa Cup of Nations title yesterday.

With the sides goalless after extra time Zambia’s Stoppila Sunzu converted the magic spot kick after Arsenal striker Gervinho missed for the Elephants.

The result meant misery for hot favorites Ivory Coast, who failed to claim the title despite not conceding a goal throughout the entire competition until Sunday’s shootout.

It also revived memories for Didier Drogba, who missed a penalty in the second half of normal time, and company of their 2006 penalty shoot out final defeat

to Egypt in Cairo. Zambia, motivated by the memory of the 1993 national team wiped out in a plane crash off the Libreville coast, went into the 2012 climax as outsiders.

But they covered themselves with glory, hassling and harrowing their star-studded rivals all the way to the penalty shootout, and then holding their nerve to prevail in the dramatic, barely watchable denouement.

Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui fielded the same side that saw off Mali 1-0 in the semi-final. His Zambian counterpart, Herve Renard, recalled striker Emmanuel Mayuka, after his starring role in getting the decisive goal in the 1-0 last four defeat over Ghana.

He joined captain Christopher Katongo in spearheading the Chipolopolo’s (Copper Bullets) attack.

Russian-based midfielder Chisamba Lungu came in for Francis Kasonde.

A minute of silence was observed before kick-off in memory of the 74 people killed in the Port Said stadium slaughter in Egypt.

The game was only seconds old when Zambia almost took a shock lead, with keeper Boubacar Barry doing well to save Nathan Sinkala’s close range shot off Katongo’s quick pass from a Rainford Kalaba corner.

Renard was forced into an unscripted change when defender Joseph Musonda limped off in tears on 11 minutes -

Nyambe Mulenga took his place.

A shaky start by Ivory Coast gave Zambia hope of an upset and Kalaba’s 30m freekick wasn’t far away after taking a deflection off Cheik Tiote’s leg.

The Elephants put together their best passage of play approaching the half hour mark, a neat Drogba backheel setting up Yaya Toure only for the Manchester City midfielder’s angled shot to go wide of the far post. A hugely promising first half from Zambia had the Elephants’ defence, marshalled by Kolo Toure, under more pressure than they would have wanted, with Katongo leading from the front.

Zahoui, ressembling a New York cop with black trenchcoat and baseball cap, walked into the dressing rooms at half-

time with a face like thunder. The second half began with a deathly hush descending on the stadium - the final in desperate need of the kiss of life in the guise of a goal. And on 72 minutes one should have come after Ivory Coast were awarded a penalty when Issac Chansa and Mulenga barged into Gervinho.

Drogba stepped up but his woeful attempt went soaring into the night sky, even though he appeared to divert blame to the pitch, glaring at the spot.

This was his second miss from the spot after he had a penalty saved in the quarter-final win over Equatorial Guinea, where he went on to score twice.

One minute later Max Gradel’s shot from the box had Zambia keeper

Albion rout Wolves

City back on top

Wolves 1 Aston Villa 0 West Brom 5 Man City 1

BIRMINGHAM: Manchester City restored their two-point lead at the top of the Premier League after Joleon Lescott secured a gritty 1-0 victory at Aston Villa yesterday.

Manchester United’s win over Liverpool on Saturday had moved them ahead of Roberto Mancini’s side, but City held their nerve in a tense game at Villa Park and made their dominance count midway through the second half thanks to Lescott’s cool finish. That was enough to make it back-to-back league victories for City after their recent setback at Everton.

And they may yet be further boosted by the return of Carlos Tevez after Mancini admitted in the build-up to the match there could be a way back for the Argentina striker despite his fall-out with the Italian over his refusal to warm-up during a Champions League tie at Bayern Munich in September.

Villa, meanwhile, are now seven league matches without a win at home-their worst ever run in the Premier League-leaving Alex McLeish’s side in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.

Vincent Kompany returned from a knee injury to skipper City, who also handed a recall to ex-Villa midfielder James Milner.

McLeish, the subject of protests from around 100 Villa fans calling for him to be sacked before kick-off, made four changes with Charles N’Zogbia and Stephen Ireland, who were both caught up in controversy during and after last weekend’s defeat to Newcastle, among those dropped.

Having hit the goal trail again against

Kennedy Mweene beaten, but it rolled wide of the far post.

In the 95th minute, substitute Felix Katongo crossed from the right for his brother Christopher with only Barry’s toe diverting the goalbound ball off the near post. There was high drama once the penalty shoot out got underway, with Kolo Toure missing the Ivorians seventh penalty, but Zambia’s Kalaba also missing his to leave the sides still inseparable.

Then after Gervinho failed in his attempt it was left to Sunzu, the defender who plays his club football in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to give Zambia a historic first title, and consign Ivory Coast to another wretched defeat.—AFP

LONDON: Aston Villa’s Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne (left) vies with Manchester City’s English goalkeeper Joe Hart (right) during their English Premier League football match.—AFP Fulham last weekend, Sergio Aguero took just in the 18th minute when a Richard Dunne three minutes to be presented with his first header from Stiliyan Petrov’s delivery was chance, the striker chested David Silva’s cush- plucked out of the air by Joe Hart.

Within seconds City had broken down the ioned headed only to fire a snapshot straight at Shay Given. The early evidence suggested set- opposite end yet, having outfoxed Gary pieces represented Villa’s best chance of scoring Gardner, Silva’s tame attempt was easily saved and their only real opportunity of the half came by Given. —AFP

LONDON: West Bromwich Albion striker Peter Odemwingie plunged Wolves into the relegation zone as his hat-trick inspired a 5-1 rout in the ‘Black Country’ derby at Molineux yesterday.

Nigerian star Odemwingie opened the scoring in the first half before Wolves forward Steven equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Jonas Olsson restored the Baggies’ lead after a woeful blunder

by Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and Odemwingie put Albion in total control with the third.

Keith Andrews netted the fourth in the closing stages and Odemwingie completed his treble moments later to seal Albion’s biggest win at Molineux since 1962.

Albion are now eight points clear of the relegation zone, while Wolves slump into the bottom three, below Blackburn on goal difference.

Mick McCarthy’s men were booed off at full-time and several fans vented their anger towards owner Steve Morgan and chief executive Jez Moxey in the directors box in the closing stages. Albion were on top from the start and Hennessey denied winger Jerome Thomas at point blank range.

Hennessey also kept out an effort from Liam Ridgewell, while Odemwingie’s fierce drive was pushed away by the Wales goalkeeper. Hennessey produced his

second top class save of the half to turn over a deflected drive from Paul Scharner after a mistake by Sebastien Bassong.

But it came as no surprise when Odemwingie broke the deadlock after 34 minutes. He was allowed to cut in from the right and his shot took a deflection off Dave Edwards and deceived Hennessey as it trickled under his body and into the net.

Wolves equalised against the run of play in first half stoppage time as Fletcher combined with EbanksBlake before beating Ben Foster with a cool finish.

McCarthy’s team pushed hard early in the second half and Fletcher’s 20 yard drive was deflected just wide with Foster scrambling across his line. But from James

Morrison’s corner, Albion regained the lead through Olsson in the 64th minute. Gareth McAuley’s initial header clipped the outside of a post and then Roger Johnson hoisted his clearance high into the air inside the penalty box. Olsson was first to react to the loose ball but Hennessey should have held his shot which slipped from his grasp and over the line. Johnson came close to equalising when his header was cleared off the line by Fabrice Mulumbu via the underside of the bar. Odemwingie struck for the second time in the 77th minute to shatter Wolves’ hopes of a comeback.

Ridgewell turned a Morrison header back across the box, Olsson back heeled the ball goal-wards and Odemwingie steered home.—AFP

EPL results/standings Aston Villa 0 Manchester City 1 (Lescott 63); Wolves 1 (Fletcher 45) West Brom 5 (Odemwingie 34, 77, 88, Olsson 64, Andrews 85).

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man City 25 19 3 3 64 19 60 Man Utd 25 18 4 3 61 25 58 Tottenham 25 16 5 4 49 25 53 Arsenal 25 13 4 8 48 35 43 Chelsea 25 12 7 6 44 31 43 Newcastle 25 12 6 7 36 36 42 Liverpool 25 10 9 6 29 23 39 Norwich 25 9 8 8 37 41 35 Sunderland 25 9 6 10 34 26 33 Everton 25 9 6 10 26 27 33 Swansea 25 7 9 9 28 32 30 Fulham 25 7 9 9 31 36 30 Stoke 25 8 6 11 24 38 30 West Brom 25 8 5 12 29 35 29 Aston Villa 25 6 10 9 29 34 28 QPR 25 5 6 14 27 44 21 Blackburn 25 5 6 14 37 56 21 Wolves 25 5 6 14 28 49 21 Bolton 25 6 2 17 29 51 20 Wigan 25 4 7 14 23 50 19

Airlines urge UN deal to avert carbon trade war Page 23

Pentagon 2013 budget eyes 7.5% cut in R&D, procurement Page 25

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Kuwait equities rally Page 24

Iraq begins pumping oil to new Gulf terminal Page 22

SINGAPORE: Press members and Boeing officials tour the interior of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner during a press preview in Singapore yesterday. The company’s newest jetliner is here for the Singapore Airshow 2012 as part of their ‘Dream Tour 2011-2012.’ —AP (see page 23)

Greece set to endorse unpopular bailout Europe wants action, not words: Germany ATHENS: Greek lawmakers looked set to endorse a new and deeply unpopular austerity deal yesterday to secure a multi-billion-euro bailout and avert what Prime Minister Lucas Papademos warned would be “economic chaos”.

After days of dire warnings and threats of rebellion, parliament began debating the bill setting out 3.3 billion euros ($4.35 billion) in wage, pension and job cuts as the price of a 130-billion-euro rescue package from the European Union and International Monetary Fund - Greece’s second since 2010.

Greece needs the funds before

March 20 to meet debt repayments of 14.5 billion euros.

But the bill has caused turmoil within the ruling coalition and deepened a social crisis among Greeks already hit by a round of cuts and tax hikes to ease the country’s huge debt burden.

During the debate a Communist Party deputy hurled the pages of the bill on the floor of the chamber and in fiery exchanges with lawmakers, Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos warned them: “If the law is not passed, the country will go bankrupt.”

He said the vote in the 300-seat parliament, which began shortly after

2 pm (1200 GMT ), had to come by midnight “because come Monday morning, banking and financial markets must get the message that Greece can and will survive.”

Euro-zone paymaster Germany ratcheted up the pressure yesterday, saying Europe needed action, not words. Late on Saturday Papademos had warned that failure to back the bill would mean a disorderly default and “set the country on a disastrous adventure”. Greece was nearing “ground zero”, he said in an address to the nation . “It would create conditions of uncontrolled economic chaos and social explosion,” Papademos

Gulf Bank reports net profit KD30.6m in 2011 KUWAIT: Gulf Bank yesterday announced a net profit of KD 30.6 million in 2011, compared to KD 19.1 million in 2010. Earnings per share amounted to 12 fils. The Board of Directors has recommended to the General Assembly a 5% bonus shares to be distributed to the shareholders. As of the end of December 2011, the Bank’s total assets reached KD 4,785.9 million, deposits KD 4,107.3 million, whilst total shareholders’ equity measured up to KD 430.3 million.

Ali Al-Rashaid Al-Bader, Gulf Bank’s Chairman, said: “This year’s results show the application of our customer-centric strategy of providing the best and fastest banking services, the improving conditions in the market where the Bank operates, the relative decline in the statutory and precautionary provisions, in addition to the efforts exerted by the Bank’s various business groups, including consumer banking, corporate, international and investment. The Treasury Group consolidated its market leadership in Foreign Exchange dealing and played a significant role in growing the Bank’s customer deposit base. Customer deposits grew by 4% to KD 4.1 billion whiles the loan book increased by more than 7%.”

“Our focus on the needs of our customers, developing our customer base and delivering returns to our shareholders must continue as we address new opportunities to grow and deliver excellence in corporate and consumer banking services to the Kuwait market, while enhancing the Bank’s reserves and financial capability,” Al-Bader elaborated.

“The year 2011 witnessed the completion of the Bank’s strategic plan, which commenced in 2010, and aimed at building a fortress balance sheet, focusing on our core competencies, fostering the Bank’s management and tech-

Gulf Bank Chairman Ali Al-Rashaid Al-Bader nical abilities, upgrading internal control systems in the area of risk management, and refining the Bank’s marketing plans.

A new expansionary strategy was set for the forthcoming four years - up to 2015, “ Al-Bader continued.

During 2011, Gulf Bank launched its ‘We Promise’ program offering its customers the best and the fastest financial service in Kuwait. Gulf Bank is the first bank in Kuwait that makes explicit guarantees to deliver individual services with exceptional speed and efficiency.

Consequently, the Bank has received excellent customer feedback praising the Bank in meeting the promises made

and maintaining outstanding customer service.

In December, Gulf Bank was the only bank in the region to get an upgrade on both its ratings and outlook from the rating agency, Standard & Poor’s (S&P). Gulf Bank’s long-term credit rating was upgraded from BBB- to BBB, and its outlook was raised from stable to positive. “The upgrade from S&P reflects the strength of our financial performance, the quality of our assets and the effectiveness of our business strategy,” Al-Bader said. Gulf Bank has conducted many social activities throughout the year in serving the community at large, all which fall under the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.

Gulf Bank was recognized for its excellence in 2011 and received many prestigious awards. These awards included: ‘Best Bank in the retail sector’ award from the Arabian Business Magazine, ‘2012 Best Foreign Exchange Bank Provider’ in Kuwait by Global Finance Magazine, ‘ Thought Leadership Excellence’ Award at the MENA CIO’s Summit 2011, the ‘International Excellence in Retail Financial Services’ award from The Asian Banker, the ‘Best Retail Customer Service’, the ‘Best Phone Banking Service’, the ‘Best Corporate Governance’ and ‘Best Employee Training’ awards from the Banker Middle East, the ‘Quality Recognition Award’ from Citibank, Deutsche Bank’s Award for International Payment Performance and the ‘GCC Localization Award’ for seven consecutive years from the GCC Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs.

said. “The country would be drawn into a vortex of recession, instability, unemployment and protracted misery and this would sooner or later lead the country out of the euro,” he said.

The EU and IMF say they have had enough of broken promises and that the funds will be released only with the clear commitment of Greek political leaders that they will implement the reforms whoever wins an election potentially in April.

“The promises from Greece aren’t enough for us anymore,” German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said in an interview published yesterday in Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

German opinion polls show a majority of Germans are willing to help, Schaeuble said, “but it’s important to say that it cannot be a bottomless pit. “That’s why the Greeks have to finally close that pit. And then we can put something in there. At least people are now starting to realize it won’t work with a bottomless pit.” “Greece needs to do its own homework to become competitive - whether that happens in conjunction with a new rescue program or by another route that we actually don’t want to take...”

When asked if that other “route” meant Greece would have to leave the euro-zone, Schaeuble said: “That is

all in the hands of the Greeks themselves. But even in the event (Greece leaves the euro zone), which almost no one assumes will happen, they will still remain part of Europe.”

About 3,500 police officers braced for a protest due to start around 6 p.m. on the main square in front of the assembly, where black-masked protesters hurled petrol bombs on Friday.

The austerity measures include 300 million euros in pension cuts and a 22 percent reduction in the minimum wage from about 750 euros a month.

The bill aims to cut Greece’s bloated state sector workforce by about 150,000 people by 2015. — Reuters

United Industries reports KD1.2m net profit for 2011 KUWAIT: United Industries Company (UIC), a member of Kuwait Projects Company Group (KIPCO), announced yesterday posting KD 1.2 million in net profit for 2011.

According to a press statement by Chairman and CEO of UIC Essa Khalid Al-Essa, the UIC Board of Directors approved yesterday the financial statements of the company for year ended 31 December 2011, and that the company posted net profits of KD 1.2 million compared with net profits of KD 4.04 million for 2010.

Earnings per share for the year stood at 2.46 fils per share, compared with earnings per share of

10.89 fils for 2010, the statement noted.

Al-Essa also highlighted that the decrease in current period’s profit compared to the corresponding period is because there is no sale of any assets during the year as what happened last year which is termed accounting wise as “non-recurring events”.

“Share of income from associates increased by 49% compared to last year results. Sadafco’s total profits during the nine months of 2011 (April-December) is KD 8 million, and the company has 13% increase of the net profit due to increase in sales by 22%.”

In Addition to the increase of QPIC net profits during the 12 months of 2011 to reach KD 18.07 million, due to exceptional results of Equate and therefore better dividend received of KD 14.2 million.

The statement carried on saying that concerning KARO results, which QPIC (Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company) owns 20%, and the other 80% owned equally by PIC and KNPC, the total losses of the company during 2010 is KD 29. 83 million, whereas the company achieved a total profit of KD 11.7 million during 2011. UIC’s assets stood at KD 178 million, same as last year, it concluded. —KUNA

ALAFCO posts KD15m in net profits in Q1 KUWAIT: Aviation Lease and Finance Company (ALAFCO) earned a net profit of KD 15 million for the first quarter that ended December 31, 2011, it was announced yesterday. ALAFCO’s fiscal year started in October 2011.

Chairman and CEO, Ahmad AlZabin announced that ALAFCO has achieved the result with earnings per share of 19 fils, adding that the net profit includes exceptional gains realized through the adjustment of some purchase agreements with aircraft

manufacturers during the period.

During this quarter, ALAFCO announced the lease and delivery of three Airbus A320 aircraft to Vietnambased Vietjet Air for a term of eight years, which is a new addition to the customer base.

He reiterated that ALAFCO had signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase 50 new A320s valued at a total of $ 4.5 billion at list prices during the same period, enhancing the ambitious plan of ALAFCO that aims to

expand the fleet to 100 aircraft by the end of this decade.

Al-Zabin pointed out that the announced results are a testament to the company’s ability to achieve the aspirations of its shareholders. ALAFCO is a Kuwait-based aircraft leasing company.

The company’s owned aircraft portfolio consists of 48 Airbus and Boeing aircraft leased to airlines globally. In addition, ALAFCO also manages another 12 aircraft for investors. — KUNA

22

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

business

Iraq begins pumping oil to new Gulf terminal

Afghans fret flight of hard cash a sign of things to come KABUL: In the crush of people in Kabul’s Shahzada money market, conspiracy theories are a currency as hard as the bundles of cash in the hands of bearded traders trying to divine their future.

And the theory going around - amid the din of shouted exchange rates - is that Afghanistan’s rich are preparing again to shift their money and lives from the country over fears of chaos or civil conflict after foreign troops leave.

“The money will all go out of Afghanistan. It is always like that. As soon as the foreign soldiers leave all the problems come back,” says money changer Hajji Asadullah, gripping bundles of US dollar bills, Gulf currencies and tattered local Afghani notes, all wrapped tightly in rubber bands.

Three years from the end of NATO combat missions and a total transfer to local security, Afghan officials are thinking hard about how to stop the flight of hard currency like dollars, euros or scrip from Gulf countries like the UAE that usually happens when nervousness overtakes their countrymen.

“It is the main topic of conversation now,” says Naseem Akbar, who heads Afghanistan’s Investment Support Agency and whose job is to lure investment, rather than stop it going out.

“The worry is about the country going into crisis, and parallel to that is that from now until 2014 we must work out how to avoid such a calamity.”

A US government audit report last year found it was almost impossible to track where much of the billions of dollars spent on security and development projects in the last decade had gone given the country’s dysfunctional financial tracking system and poor bank oversight. Wealthy Afghans have for years locked their money into safe havens and property elsewhere, with Dubai and its man-made Palm Jumeirah island being favored locations, with an estimated $8 billion stashed away in the Arab emirate.

But Haji Sher Shah Ahmadzai, the millionaire owner of a group of construction companies in Kabul, said property prices at home jumped by 15 percent at the start of last year after foreigners pledged to support Afghanistan well beyond 2014.

Confidence however began leaching away with the September assassination of former president Burhanuddin Rabbani, who headed an Afghan peace council trying to launch talks with the Taleban. It took a further blow as the United States, the Taleban and the Afghan government circle each other over possible peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar, which could eventually see the austere Islamists return to Kabul as a political force. “A flat cost around $220,000 months ago, but now it costs around $140,000 because of the uncertain situation,” Ahmadzai told Reuters in his plush, heavily-guarded office in the upmarket Wazir area of central Kabul.

Hardly any Afghans expect the Taleban to be strong enough to again rule the country by force, but memories of past brutality are enough to worry people about their influence, even as President Hamid Karzai tries to reassure his country. In 2009, ahead of the last

Output capacity to go up by 850,000 bpd FAW, Iraq: Iraq began pumping oil yesterday to the first of five floating terminals in the Gulf in a move that will increase its export capacity by 850,000 barrels per day.

Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki symbolically opened the valve of a pipeline that runs from Iraq’s southern oil fields to the port of Faw, 535 kilometers (332 miles) south of Baghdad, and then on to the terminal. Oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told AFP that the introduction of the terminal is part of a plan to increase Iraq’s production and export capacity, and said that the second of five planned terminals will hopefully be completed this year. The eventual goal is for Iraq to be able to export five million barrels per day of oil from the south alone, he said.

Fayyad Hassan Naima, the director general of the Southern Oil Company, told AFP that “the terminal will be ready for exports in a few days.”

The other four floating terminals are due to be operational by the end of 2013. So far the project has cost $1.5 billion. Iraq currently produces about 2.9 million bpd. Oil sales account for the vast majority of Iraqi government income and around two thirds of gross domestic product. The country exported an average of 2.1 million bpd in 2011, according to Oil Minister Abdelkarim Al-Luaybi. Iraq plans on increasing production and exports this year to 3.4 million bpd and 2.6 million bpd respectively, Luaybi, who was present at yesterday’s ceremony, said recently. Currently about a quarter of Iraqi oil exports come from northern fields and are routed by pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. — AFP

Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki (right) symbolically opens the valve of a new oil export terminal in the Gulf, southern Iraq, yesterday. Iraq has opened the taps at a new oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf in a vital step to bringing revenue for reconstruction after decades of war and international sanctions. —AP

Gulf Air gets $80m loan from Mashreq

Sudan CB dollar supply after $300m gold sale

DUBAI: Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has secured a $80 million loan from a unit of Dubai’s Mashreq Bank to help the ailing airline meet its working capital requirements.

The financing facility will be provided by the Mashreq Bahrain, a unit of the UAE-based lender, the companies said in a joint statement yesterday.

No further details on the nature of the financing or pricing for the loan was provided. The loan deal comes just weeks after the struggling carrier said it would downsize operations and seek cash from government funds to sustain operations. The airline said it could also tap Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat, which has a stake in the carrier.

“The facility is set to assist Gulf Air to meet its mediumterm working capital requirements,” the statement said.

In January, a government delegation briefed parliament and called for a restructuring of the company for “effective operational requirements”, the state news agency reported.

Reports said the government was considering options including dissolving or shrinking the loss-making airline, or selling it and creating a new carrier at a cost of 460 million dinars ($1.22 billion).

Bahrain has been in turmoil since the democracy movement erupted last year, followed by months of violence between riot police and teenagers that has worsened in the past two months.

Gulf Air said last May that it had laid off 200 employees and bookings were down by a quarter following the Arab Spring uprisings in the region. — Reuters

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s central bank is increasing dollar supplies to local banks to stop a slide of the Sudanese pound after it generated more than $300 million from gold sales, a central bank official said yesterday.

The African country is undergoing a severe economic crisis after losing three-quarters of its oil production when South Sudan became independent in July under a 2005 peace deal. Oil is the lifeline of both economies.

Sudan has avoided an Arab spring like Egypt or Tunisia but the economic crisis has sparked small protests against high food price inflation. The pound hit a historic low on the black market last week after losing more than 70 percent of its value since July as the loss of oil has cut off the main source of dollars. “The central bank has sold 6.5 tons of gold since January which has generated more than $300 million,” central bank spokesman Hazem Abdul-Qadir

told Reuters. “Therefore we are increasing dollar supplies to banks and foreign exchange offices,” he said. He gave no figures but said dollar supplies would top the $35 million banks currently get per week from the central bank.

He said Sudan had managed to get some foreign aid but declined to elaborate. Sudanese media have said that Qatar will grant a substantial loan but nothing has been confirmed so far. Sudan is locked in a row with South Sudan over oil payments as the landlocked new nation needs to export its crude through northern facilities. Both sides have failed to agree on a transit fee. South Sudan shut down its entire output last month after Sudan seized southern oil as compensation for what it calls unpaid fees. Sudan hopes rising gold exports will replace oil revenues but experts are skeptical since much of the gold comes from small-scale miners whose output is hard to verify. — Reuters

Afghan election, millions of dollars — much of questionable origin-made its way out of the country in suitcases and even on pallets loaded into aircraft, according to police at Kabul’s main Airport. Former vice president Zia Masood was stopped entering Dubai carrying cash worth $52 million and released without question, according to a cable from the US Embassy in Kabul that appeared later on the whistleblower website Wikileaks.

In 2010 the Afghan government took over Kabul Bank-the country’s biggest commercial bank-after a run on deposits caused by revelations that the bank’s owners had lost millions of dollars they loaned to themselves to purchase property investments. The investment support agency’s Akhbar said that without steps to build confidence political and security gains in the past decade, uncertainty will dry up new investment.

“The short answer is that any sign of uncertainty is a major blow to investment,” he said, calling for a redoubled effort by Karzai’s government to tackle serious corruption and fix woeful infrastructure. Afghanistan is perennially among the world’s most corrupt nations listed by Berlin-based anti-graft body Transparency International.

But growth has defied that reputation, averaging around 9 percent in recent years as war and aid spending worth more than $50 billion fuelled a spending boom in Kabul’s dusty streets, now choked with private cars as well as NATO convoys. At a dealership for luxury Lexus SUVs, salesman Mir Alam said once reliable Afghan ministers had stopped buying in favor of armored vehicles, while private buyers had also dried up.

“It’s because of the Qatar talks. Car prices are not up, but still we haven’t sold any for the past three months,” Alam said. “Afghan businessmen have already left Afghanistan, or they have their money in hand in case they need to escape.” Mohammad Jawid, who sells appliances to the wealthy at the upmarket Kabul City Centre, said sales topping $5,000 a day before September were down to under to $500 now. And the worries are the same for Abdul Haddi’s Sarak Khumar electronic company. “I’ve lost more than 60 percent of my customers. The rich I know are already out of Afghanistan, or just waiting to see what happens,” Haddi said.

WB WARNING The World Bank has warned that growth that hit an unsustainable 21 percent in 2009-10 could collapse in the next few years as aid projects wind down and funds are re-directed into areas like health and education.

The country’s medium-term growth and stubbornly high unemployment would depend on the government’s ability to manage the transfer of security from international to national forces, and ensure political and fiscal sustainability, the bank said. The Afghani currency has slipped following its rise through 201011 on the back of large capital inflows, sliding from 46.2 to the dollar to around 49, making foreign havens and currencies more attractive. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4340000 .3630000 .3020000 .2740000 .2930000 .0040000 .0020000 .0751740 .7323940 .3830000 .0720000 .7179800 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2769000 GB Pound/KD .4362560 Euro .3653700 Swiss francs .3020780 Canadian dollars .2766100 Danish Kroner .0491610 Swedish Kroner .0415630 Australian dlr .2956460 Hong Kong dlr .0357060 Singapore dlr .2195010 Japanese yen .0035650 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0754190 Bahraini dinars .7347750 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0738600 Omani riyals .7195010 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.598 5.337 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

.2805000 .4440000 .3700000 .3090000 .2830000 .3010000 .0070000 .0035000 .0759290 .7397550 .4000000 .0770000 .7251960 .0072000 .0500000 .2790000 .4395650 .3681410 .3043690 .2787070 .0495340 .0418790 .2978880 .0359760 .2211650 .0035920 .0056880 .0024370 .0030880 .0033390 .0759910 .7403480 .3946250 .0744200 .7249580 .0066110

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.500 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.282 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.272 Tunisian Dinar 189.860 Jordanian Dinar 392.670 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.865 Syrian Lier 6.003 Morocco Dirham 33.814 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 370.650 Sterling Pound 431.930 Canadian dollar 268.420 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 300.620 Australian dollar 277.000 US Dollar Buying 277.750 GOLD 315.500 159.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

COUNTRY

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal

SELL CASH

300.800 739.740 3.610 281.400 546.300 45.400 50.600 167.800 48.080 371.500 36.560 5.800 0.032 0.194 0.245 3.680 394.470 0.188 95.690 46.500 4.280 234.300 1.802 49.500 722.500

SELL DRAFT

299.300 739.740 3.309 279.900

222.200 46.152 370.000 36.410 5.610 0.032

10 Tola

75.740 278.100

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

278.050 281.855 440.310 368.060 303.905 736.310 75.680 76.320 74.105 391.395 46.106 2.416 5.616 3.073 3.309 6.570 682.045 3.675 9.095 5.855 3.600 92.280

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

301.34 282.08 308.71 370.25

443.00 3.70 3.550 5.780 2.650 4.250 3.200 76.25 739.74 48.20 394.47 728.00 77.25 74.70

278.100 3.064 5.625 2.435 3.310 6.595 75.820 74.315 739.400 46.068 446.000 3.190 1.550 374.500 284.700 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange

UAE Exchange Center WLL Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro

441.20 3.64 3.302 5.616 2.415 3.525 3.067 75.70 739.73 46.11 395.65 722.76 76.69 74.26

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 440.500 278.100

Sterling Pound US Dollar

Currency

722.320

305.600 4.200 9.230

Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

Currency

394.140 0.187 94.690 3.530 232.800

3.070 6.550 76.520 74.270 222.170 38.370 2.420 440.500

GOLD 1,798.410

Rate for Transfer

Bahrain Exchange Company

3.160 6.830 76.950 74.270 222.170 38.370 2.656 442.500 42.800 307.100 4.200 9.400 198.263 75.840 278.500 1.300

302.00 282.00 309.00 372.00

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

277.450 371.800 442.300 280.800 3.625 5.592 46.020 2.426 3.305 6.543 3.064 738.850 75.550 74.100

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

business

Investors positive despite slow Greece progress NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: The progress on Greece remains slow but the market is quite willing to look through the noise and continue believing that an agreement will be reached.

The European Central Bank failed to calm markets on Thursday as they delivered no rate cut; no additional non-standard measures; and finally did not mention any direct participation in the Greek debt restructuring.

At the same time, although they did not depart from the dovish rhetoric despite tentative signs of improvement in the euro-zone economy and financial markets, the ECB saw some positive signs but clearly remained concerned over the credit crunch in Europe.

Finally, the ECB expanded the collateral terms to include unsecured loan books in seven European countries but mentioned they did not expect the second round of long-term refinancing operations to exceed the size of the first round.

The Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke told the US Senate budget committee this week that there has been a “modest increase” in the long-term normal rate of US unemployment, noting it was a cause of concern to monetary-policy makers. He mentioned that the 8.3% Unemployment rate understated the weakness of the labor market. Bernanke also reiterated the importance of the Fed continues supporting the fragile recovery more than seeking higher inflation as the new target of 2% meant boosting inflation through monetary policies.

Job data The amount of US job openings jumped 8.3% in December to 3.4 million as employers continue to have increases in the number of positions they are looking to fill. The growth as 2011 ended comes as the number of hires fell 2.1% along a similar drop in those

Europe and UK Headlines that Greek political leaders have reached

ing the door open to further rate cuts if necessary, and the next three-year long term refinancing operation (LTRO) is likely to be substantial and around the level of the first one, though Draghi declined to give more information.

Meanwhile in Greece, politicians after having reportedly reached a deal on Thursday have been attempting to put a spin to it that they “had no choice” to protect themselves against the fury of the people

a deal on austerity measures with EU/IMF leaders certainly helped matters this week, although a deal on the PSI still remains in the work. A formal PSI proposal is expected by Wednesday of next week, but there have obviously been significant delays.

The European Central Bank press conference acknowledged signs of better activity in the Euro zone, but Draghi noted that the economic outlook remains subject to substantial downside risks. The ECB is keep-

who still cannot accept why they can’t retire at an early age. Some details about the agreement have started to emerge such as lower pension payments, 15K state job cuts and a 20% reduction in the minimum wage.

German chancellor Angela Merkel said there is no alternative for Greece to implementing needed program reforms but admitted the situation is complicated. She reiterated her position against any notion of Greece leaving the Euro zone given unforeseeable

leaving their job voluntarily or involuntarily. Last year finished with a 16% increase in the number of job openings, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This fact can be seen as a bullish sign for the economy as employment growth has only now started to show signs of picking up.

consequences and repeated Germany’s opposition to a joint euro-zone bond as not the solution to the debt crisis and the latter will take time to resolve.

German data Germany’s exports surprised to the downside in December, falling to their lowest level since April, while imports, also weaker than expected, slipped to 11-month lows. After recovering by 2.6% in November, exports fell back 4.3% in December to 86.7 billion euros, overshooting expectations for a fall of only 1%.

Imports declined 3.9% over the same period, deepening November’s 0.4% contraction.

The Bank of England decided to expand its quantitative easing program by GBP50 billion to a total of GBP325 billion. It also voted to maintain the key policy rate at 0.5%. The monetary policy decision was in line with market expectation. The decision was taken in light of the most recent economic projections, and the key motivation for the extra asset purchases was the weakness in the near-term growth outlook, threatening a fall of inflation to below 2% in the medium term.

The BoE expects a “gradual strengthening of output growth later this year”, which suggests that the BoE might be reluctant to expand its QE program beyond the current asset purchases. Japan’s current account surplus shrank last year to its smallest in 15 years. The current account balance recorded a mere surplus of Y 9.63 trillion in 2011, down 44% from the previous year. According to the ministry of finance, this was the biggest fall on record since 1980.

Kuwait Kuwaiti Dinar at 0.27745 The USDKWD opened at 0.27745 on Sunday morning.

Airlines urge UN deal to avert carbon trade war Emissions row overshadows key China-EU summit

LISBON: Jorge Gonsalves (right), an 85-year-old owner of the Ramos Warehouse, stands while his employee Adolfo Antonio, 55, displays some products in his store in Lisbon. Ramos Warehouse is a store of textile items made in Portugal that exist since 1937 in Fanqueiros Street in Lisbon Downtown.— AFP

French financial transactions tax ineffective: Analysts PARIS: A proposed financial transactions tax that France hopes other European countries will also adopt is likely to be ineffective and difficult to implement, analysts say.

The plan, promoted by President Nicolas Sarkozy as part of efforts to tame the eurozone debt crisis, centers on a 0.1 percent tax on buying shares in firms with a French headquarters and more than one billion euros in capital. The finance ministry estimates the tax, which if passed by parliament would take effect on August 1, will bring in 1.1 billion euros ($1.45 billion) annually to state coffers.

The project will also include a 0.01 tax on naked Credit Default Swaps-a bet that a country will default on its debt-and on highfrequency trading, both features of modern markets which critics say stoke volatility and risk. “Putting such a tax in place, in the run-up to the presidential election, is much more of a political move than an economic one,” said Frederik Ducrozet at Credit Agricole CIB. “In the past, the introduction of such a tax unilaterally in one country has never been proof of its effectiveness,” Ducrozet said.

Sweden adopted a transactions tax in the 1980s but had to reverse course when its banks and bankers simply moved offshore, mostly to the City of London, and the proceeds were much lower than anticipated.

“Paris hopes to raise a billion euros a year but we do not know how the government arrived at that figure. Working that out looks very difficult because transaction volumes can vary a great deal,” said Jean-Louis Mourier at brokers Aurel BGC. Analysts said the restricted basis for the tax, which will cover trades in only the largest firms, also crimps its effectiveness.

“As a matter of fairness, it’s regrettable that many foreign companies operating (in France) will not be included,” said Gilles Moec, chief economist at Deutsche Bank. As for the tax curbing speculative trading activity, that too is open to question. “Speculation is far from being only a French problem and does not only affect stock markets-commodities, currencies and derivative instruments are all even much more involved,” said Renaud Murail at Barclays Bourse.

Likewise, the main high frequency trading houses are all based in the United States while from a legal point of view, it is hard to see how such a transaction tax can be put in place.

“How will the state be able to tax transactions which take place on other financial markets? It is not at all clear on this issue,” said Mourier of Aurel BGC, with many companies listed on overseas bourses.— AFP

SINGAPORE: Global airlines called yesterday for a UN-brokered deal to prevent a row over aviation emissions between China and the European Union spilling into a damaging trade war.

The call by the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) comes amid signs that the EU may be willing to soften a unilateral stance that also risks souring efforts to resolve Europe’s sovereign debt crisis with Chinese support. In an interview, IATA Director General Tony Tyler said airlines had become wedged between conflicting domestic laws after China ordered its airlines not to join the EU’s compulsory marketbased system for regulating airline emissions.

“The Chinese move to prevent its airlines from taking part in the Emissions Trading Scheme is a very bold move and it pushes the Chinese carriers very much into the front line of this particular dispute,” Tyler told Reuters. “This is an intolerable situation which clearly has to be resolved; it cannot go on like this. I very much hope of course that we are not seeing the beginning of a trade war on this issue and eventually wiser counsels will prevail,” he said.

China was an early opponent of the EU’s capand-trade scheme, which has also drawn protests from the United States and India, and the escalating row threatens to hamper efforts to work out an international solution to Europe’s sovereign debt crisis.

By banning its airlines last week from cooperating, China hardened its stance just ahead of a Feb 14 Beijing summit at which the EU will seek Chinese help to ease its debt crisis. The EU says its scheme to charge airlines for emissions on flights into or out of Europe, which took effect on Jan. 1, is needed as part of the fight against global climate change.

It maintains it was driven to act after more than a decade of inaction at the United Nations’ aviation standards agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which has yet to find a global solution to tackling airline emissions. Tyler said ICAO’s chambers were the only forum for resolving the row and he and other airline industry officials noted that the EU had indicated willingness to avoid further isolation.

“The European Commission is now much more open to an ICAO solution,” he said. “I very much hope that the EU and all its member states will work hard with ICAO to come up with a global solution. It is not going to be easy.”

Tyler was speaking on the eve of the Singapore Airshow.

Last week the senior EU civil servant responsible for climate action said Brussels preferred multilateral discussion. “We have been clear that we are willing to review our legislation in the light of agreement on market-based measures being agreed in ICAO,” Jos Delbeke told a conference.

A relative backwater of the United Nations

high oil prices and the economic uncertainty surrounding Europe’s debt crisis. Tyler said airlines faced a tough year in 2012 and warned of further bankruptcies in Europe or elsewhere if the region failed to resolve its credit problems.

The current quarter is traditionally the leanest time for aircraft revenues.

IATA has predicted the global airline industry

SINGAPORE: A Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lighning II fighter jet sits on the tarmac for static display at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore yesterday.—AFP responsible for industry standards, the Montrealbased ICAO has emerged as the potential bulwark against the first serious carbon trade war.

It is widely seen as a challenging task for an agency created to oversee neatly bordered airspace, but which must now try to find an urgently needed formula for tackling aircraft fumes that criss-cross international frontiers.

ICAO has already served as a back-channel for issues deemed too difficult to handle elsewhere, for example providing opportunities for contacts between Washington and Cuba, but has rarely found itself in the diplomatic foreground.

The row comes at a difficult time for airlines as the industry struggles to escape the fallout from

will make a profit of $3.5 billion in 2012, but says this could flip to a loss of $8.3 billion in the event of deep recession in Europe.

Cargo traffic which acts as a barometer for global trade ticked 0.2 percent higher in December, but Tyler said it was too early to tell whether this signalled a turnaround.

The head of a sister organization responsible for Asian carriers said airlines risked being hurt by any trade conflict. “The risk for airlines is that if this does degenerate into tit-for-tat trade war, then airlines will be caught in the crossfire from both sides,” Andrew Herdman, director general of the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines, told Reuters. — Reuters

Boeing’s Dreamliner takes spotlight in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Officials chat next to the Rolls Royce engine of Boeing 787 Dreamliner at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore yesterday. — AFP

SINGAPORE: Boeing’s much-delayed 787 Dreamliner is set to star at the Singapore Airshow this week where companies touting private jets and defense hardware to the Asian market will also be out in force.

The fuel-efficient, lightweight B787, whose first customer is Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA), was flown in over the weekend in preparation for the Tuesday opening of the trade fair. Boeing has been dogged by production delays to its showpiece aircraft and ANA has so far received just five of the mid-sized jets, three years after the first plane was originally scheduled for delivery. It ultimately expects to receive 55 Dreamliners.

Not to be outdone in Singapore, AirbusUS-based Boeing’s European rival will display a large-scale model of its A350 XWB which is still under development and is scheduled to enter into service by 2014.

The A350 XWB is a mid-size long-range plane which its makers tout as using 25 percent less fuel than similar sized aircraft in use today.

With Europe mired in a debt crisis and the US economic recovery still gaining traction, the world’s aircraft makers, major defense contractors and aerospace companies are looking at Asia’s robust markets, analysts say.

Singapore second minister for trade and industry S. Iswaran said Asia will account for 29 percent of global aircraft deliveries by 2026, and 32 percent of world air traffic in 2028. “This will create huge downstream potential in areas like demand for airplane components and services like aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul in the region,” Iswaran said in a recent speech.

But with several airlines having already announced major purchases over the past 18 months, a key area of interest at the airshowheld from February 14-19 — will be the growing market for private jets in a region with expanding ranks of super-rich.

“I’m expecting more focus on the private jet market,” said Shukor Yusof, a Singaporebased aviation analyst at Standard and Poor’s Equity Research.

“I think makers like Bombardier, Gulfstream and Embraer have more to offer in terms of the growing private jet business in mainland China and parts of Southeast Asia,” he told AFP. Shukor said Asian tycoons are increasingly drawn to the convenience of a private jets over commercial flights, especially in a geographically fragmented region. “It’s more than just a status symbol, it’s more for practi-

cality... It’s probably more economical as well,” he said. Shukor said he does not expect major deals to be done by Airbus and Boeing at the airshow, but the two aircraft manufacturers still have a heavy presence as they “continue to engage with their clients.”

Defence companies will also make their presence felt at the biennial show. India recently declared its preference for the Rafale, made by French firm Dassault, over the Eurofighter after an intense bidding process for 126 fighter jets in a contract estimated to be worth $12 billion (nine billion euros).

It is the world’s biggest single defense deal currently in process and underscores the region’s potential as a lucrative defense market. “I think we can describe the picture in the Asia-Pacific market as an arms race,” said Guy Anderson, chief analyst at Jane’s Defense Industry publication. “We have a combination of growing national wealth, emerging national resources and the need to protect growth,” he told AFP. “ The rise of China remains a factor, but there are also numerous lower level regional rivalries... Countries typically seek to achieve parity with their regional peers.”

For the first time, a Land Defense Expo

will be launched in conjunction with the Singapore Airshow, organizers said.

Consultancy Frost and Sullivan estimates the Asia-Pacific market for land defense systems should reach $9.4 billion by 2016, up from $5.4 billion in 2009. The shift by regional armed forces towards weapons centered on high-tech networks, including the use of drones, is among the drivers for military modernization programs, according to analysts. At the same time, natural disaster response is “already filtering into military decision making” and should boost the market for large airlifters such as US firm Lockheed Martin’s C-130 transport plane, added Anderson of Jane’s. For example, disaster response is now enshrined in Indonesia’s Military Essential Force strategy, he said. In Japan, unmanned aerial vehicles loaned by the United States were used to gather thermal images of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant which was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country last year, Anderson noted.

“This trend will not change anytime soon.

We have seen how natural disasters can cripple a people and an economy. Disaster relief equipment will remain front of mind,” Anderson said.— AFP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

business

Kuwait equities rally GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwaiti equities rallied yesterday staging a session of broad-based advance. The prices reached new highs since November 03, 2011. The gains were broad-based with 6 out of the 8 sectors managing to eke out some gains. All major indices posted impressive gains during today’s session. Mid and small cap continue to lift the market. Yesterday’s gains were bolstered by a sizeable 0.99 percent improvement in the Global Non Kuwaiti Index.

Global General Index (GGI) ended the day up by 0.16 percent, at 178.78 point. Market Capitalization was up for the day, reaching KD29.26bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 5,904.3 point, adding 40.3 points (0.69 percent) from its previous close.

Market breadth Market breadth was positive yesterday. The market as a whole housed 60 advancers versus 24 decliners. Volume and value of the shares traded on the exchange increased by 36.16 percent and 44.40 percent respectively. Investment companies accounted for 31.30 percent (179.16mn shares) of the market’s total volume, out of which 40.28mn shares were attributable to International Financial Advisors (IFA). IFA registered an 6.90 percent gain yesterday.

In terms of top gainers, AlSafat Energy Holding Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 9.80 percent to its share value and closing at KD0.056.

On the other hand, share price of Gulf Petroleum Investment retreated by 7.14 percent and closed at KD0.052, making it the biggest decliners in the market for the day in a row.

Sectors Non-Kuwaiti stocks continued their recent form with a 0.99 percent climb. this sector has grown by almost 9.63 percent YTD. The sector’s performance was highlighted by 9.43 percent gain in the equity price of Gulf Finance House.

UAE cement stocks continued their bullish form. Four of 5 cement companies closed on highest level in 2012 so far.

Fujairah Cement I ndustries Company added 106.38 percent in 2012.

Sharjah Cement & Industrial Development Company fol-

lowed, adding 72.73 percent in the same period.

Investment companies were also notable gainers during the day. The sector as a whole, presented through the Global I nvestment I ndex, produced 0.92 percent in gains.

Ekttitab Holding Company and Sokouk Holding Company improved by 9.09 each.

Shares of Abyaar Real Estate Development Company were notable gainers, clocking a 7.58 percent advance. Consequently, the Global Real Estate Index reported a 0.89 percent climb.

Banking sector was down by

0.33 percent. Kuwait Finance House (KFH) was down by 2.35 percent.

In sector related news, Gulf Bank realized a 60.7 percent growth in its 2011 earnings figures compared to 2010, at KD30.62mn. This translates to an EPS of KD0.012. The scrip closed flat at KD0.485.

Oil news The price of OPEC basket of t welve crudes stood at $116.27pb on Thursday, compared with $115.18pb the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

State-led spending aims to turn around S Africa CAPE TOWN: South Africa plans to rally its lagging economy and unemployment crisis by adopting a statedriven building spree to industrialize the nation and shore up private investment.

An ambitious infrastructure push was unveiled by President Jacob Zuma in his annual state address on Thursday that put the economy and mining at the forefront with a $40 billion government utility investment in improving railways and ports.

“China and the whole Asian model is clearly an example for the ANC of how states could intervene successfully in the economy and a central feature of that is infrastructure roll-out,” said independent analyst Nic Borain.

“Read together with trying to leverage investment in the mining sector and making the most of that, I think this is a government trying to use the state to its maximum potential.”

The new state-funded focus for Africa’s biggest economy comes as the ruling African National Congress dismissed the nationalization of mines as an “unmitigated economic disaster for our country and our people”.

The no-nonsense approach, echoed by Zuma, poured cold water on investor-spooking demands from the ANC’s radical Youth League that profits from some of the world’s richest mineral deposits be redirected to poor blacks. Instead, a leaked nationalization report calls for government to coordinate its economic policy-making more tightly and to impose higher taxes and levies on mining.

“We remain committed to the creation of a favorable and globally competitive mining sector, and to promote the industry to attract investment and achieve both industrial growth and much-needed transformation,” affirmed Zuma on Thursday.

The focus is now on laying a solid frame for the economy, which has been further battered by the eurozone crisis, to work more efficiently.

“Job creation is certainly still important but the emphasis is a little bit

more on economic growth, which is correct,” Efficient Group chief economist Dawie Roodt told AFP about Zuma’s speech.

“It is not his job to create jobs, his job is to create an environment in which the private sector can create jobs.” Jobless growth has dogged South Africa’s economy since democracy in 1994 with 40 percent of the population still living in poverty, in one of the world’s most unequal societies, with around a third on a state welfare grant.

Joblessness is at its lowest since 2009 at 23.9 percent, rising to 32.7 when workers who have given up the hope of finding a job are included. “As a developmental state that is located at the centre of a mixed economy, we see our role as being to lead and guide the economy and to intervene in the interest of the poor, given the history of our country,” said Zuma.

“The massive investment in infrastructure must leave more than just power stations, rail lines, dams and roads. It must industrialize the country, generate skills and boost much needed job creation,” he added.

The push also sees a shift from massive social spending used to better the lives of blacks after the injustices of apartheid. “Capital infrastructural investment is taking emphasis now,” said Roodt. “I don’t think social expenditure is going to become less important, but I don’t think that we will see the same sort of increases that we’ve seen in recent years.” The state’s relatively low deficit, and the balance sheets of state owned utilities, allow room to take on more debt, he said.

“But if we do manage it properly, it can result in a virtuous cycle-so this capital infrastructure investment hopefully will boost the economy to such an extent that the whole thing will become self-funding,” said Roodt.

“That is possible ... but government simply does not have the capacity in terms of management to do this, so there must be private sector participation.” — AFP

25

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

business

It’s bailout or chaos, PM Papademos tells Greece ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos has told lawmakers to back a deeply unpopular international financial rescue in a vote or condemn the country to “uncontrolled economic chaos and social explosion”.

He made the statement in a televised address to the nation ahead of the vote on 3.3 billion euros ($4.35 billion) in wage, pension and job cuts the price of a 130-billion-euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

Papademos said parliament had a historic responsibility to back the bill, or face catastrophic consequences if Greece misses a March 20 deadline to service its debt. “A disorderly default would set the country on a disastrous adventure,” he said. “It would create conditions of uncontrolled economic chaos and social explosion.”

“The country would be drawn into a vortex of recession, instability, unemployment and protracted misery and this would sooner or later lead the country out of the euro.” On a day of dire warnings and stormy debate,

leaders of the ruling coalition told uneasy lawmakers on Saturday to support the bill or be dropped from party lists for an election that could come by April.

Athens faces a March 20 deadline to meet debt repayments of 14.5 billion euros. If the rescue package is put in place, its private sector creditors will have to accept a 70 percent reduction in the value of their holdings. The effort to ease Greece’s huge debt burden has brought thousands into the streets in protest, and there are signs of a small rebellion among lawmakers made nervous by the extent of the cuts and by how voters might punish them in the next election.

At least 20 deputies from the two main parties in the Papademos coalition threatened on Saturday to vote ‘No’ - but the bulk of the coalition’s 236 MPs are still all but certain to approve the package.

Six members of his cabinet have resigned. More demonstrations were expected in front of the parliament, after clashes between police and

black-masked protesters on Friday.

The assembly’s finance committee approved the bill on Saturday.

Sunday’s debate in the full 300-seat chamber begins at 1200 GMT, and a vote is expected late in the evening.

The measures include 300 million euros in pension cuts and a 22 percent

reduction in the minimum wage, which currently stands at about 750 euros per month. The bill aims to cut Greece’s bloated state sector workforce by about 150,000 people by 2015.

It also provides for a bond swap to ease Greece’s debt burden by cutting

ATHENS: Protesters carry a banner which reads in Greek ‘’ uprising ‘’ during a protest in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, Greece. — AP

the real value of private investors’ bond holdings by some 70 percent.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the deal had to be approved by Sunday or the country would miss a Feb. 17 deadline to submit the debt swap offer to its private-sector bondholders.

Euro-zone finance ministers also expect Greece to explain by then how 325 million euros ($430 million) out of this year’s total budget cuts-as yet unspecified-will be achieved before it agrees to the bailout. Bailout documents released on Friday left blank the amount of the full rescue package, and Venizelos said Greece might need 15 billion euros more to save the country’s banks, confirming estimates from EU officials.

The EU and IMF have been exasperated by a series of broken promises and weeks of wrangling over the bailout. They say they will not release the aid without clear commitments by the main party leaders that reforms will be implemented, whoever wins the next election. — Reuters

Pentagon 2013 budget eyes 7.5% cut in R&D, procurement Aircraft programs down 12%, ground programs lose 32%

KEMERSVILLE: J.R. Childress searches on the computer for job opportunities at his home in Kernersville, North Carolina. Childress has been laid off twice since late 2009, most recently for 10 months. “Every day is a struggle,” he says. “The struggle is the unknown. You’ve worked your way up the ladder and you get to a point in life and a position in work where you’re comfortable ... then all of a sudden everything goes away. It’s like being thrown into a hole and you’re climbing to get up, but it’s greased. There’s no way of getting out.” — AP

Inside Germany’s export machine COBURG, Germany: From a sprawling plant near the town of Coburg, German firm Kaeser churns out tools for some 100 nations worldwide, one small cog among millions powering Germany’s huge export engine. With German exports topping the trillioneuro (dollar) mark for the first time in 2011, the world’s second biggest exporter after China relies heavily on small and medium-sized firms like Kaeser to keep the motor humming along. Employing some 4,000 people worldwide with a presence in 80 countries, Kaeser makes 70 percent of its 560-million-euro profits abroad.

“Germany is a country without many raw materials but we can sure produce machines,” said boss Thomas Kaeser. “Our domestic market is too small, so we owe our survival to exports,” he told AFP during a tour of the factory. Kaeser’s main product is air compressors, used in industrial plants and public buildings and varying in price between a couple of hundred euros to one million, depending on size.

Considered the “Mercedes” of the air compressor world, Kaeser’s strength lies in its flexibility, its boss said. “We can deliver air compressors made to measure, like a suit. We spend a few days with the client assessing the needs of the factory before providing tools that are tailor-made,” he said.

“Our clients are prepared to pay for our efficiency and reliability. If the compressed air stops flowing, it’s like a power cut, the factory stops working,” added the industry chief. It is this nimbleness that sets German small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) apart, said Sebastian Dullien, a researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

“German firms excel in making high quality niche products. They react quickly to the needs of the client and immediately send technicians to the four corners of the globe if needed,” Dullien told AFP. “The staff of these SMEs is extremely qualified and specialized,” he added. There is another, historical, reason German firms have been able to conquer the export markets of the world, explained Jean-Louis Thieriot, a lawyer specialising in Germany. “Stripped of their colonies, Germans were forced very quickly to find new markets abroad,” he said. They also quickly realised the need to speak English to thrive in the business world, he added. Kaeser, who speaks fluent English and French in addition to his native German, said he did not share the view of Anton Boerner, head of the German Exporters Federation, who has said Germany could survive if the euro collapsed. Married to a Greek woman, he said he was “convinced” of the benefits of the euro, despite the recent turmoil.

“Without the single currency which has removed exchange rate fluctuations, our firms would be less strong,” he stressed. And despite the temptation to shift production abroad to take advantage of lower labor costs, Kaeser has stuck to its home base, with almost half of its global staff based in Germany. “Even if the product would be cheaper, I don’t think it would be the same quality,” he said. Kaeser also places a strong emphasis on training up its 250 interns, despite costing the firm around 25,000 euros a year each, explained Michael Scheler, in charge of training. “We cannot find people on the job market who can be put straight to work unless they have followed this training,” he said. As European economies battle to compete with the rising giants in Asia, Thomas Kaeser is relatively confident his firm can continue to keep its nose in front. “We shouldn’t fear it,” he said. “We should respect it, watch it closely and keep out in front, especially by investing in research.” — AFP

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon’s fiscal 2013 budget plan calls for spending of $178.8 billion to develop and buy new warships, fighter jets and other major weapons, a 7.5 percent drop from the level initially projected for the coming year, according to a detailed budget document obtained by Reuters.

The total acquisition amount, which includes $9.1 billion in war-related funding, is down about 12.2 percent from the level requested in last year’s budget, the document shows. The fiscal 2012 acquisition request included $15.4 billion in war funding.

The fiscal 2013 plan foresees spending of $109.1 billion for procurement and $69.7 billion for research and development, compared with earlier projections of $117.6 billion for procurement and $75.7 billion for R&D. The document shows that the US military is maintaining high levels of spending on most aircraft and ships as it shifts its focus to the Asia Pacific region under a new military strategy announced last month by President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

At the same time, the Pentagon will spend $2 billion less on space programs funding for ground vehicle programs will be far lower as the US military reduces the size of the Army and Marine Corps after 10 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. “It doesn’t look that bad for the Air Force and Navy procurement accounts, but the Army is clearly getting less money,” said Virginia-based defense consultant Jim McAleese.

He said Boeing Co, the No 2 US weapons maker, fared well in the budget

overall, especially given a sharp increase in funding for the KC-46 refueling tanker from $877 million to $1.82 billion, as did Lockheed Martin Corp, the No. 1 supplier.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, the company spun out of Northrop Grumman Corp last year, also did better than expected, with the Navy adding $781.7 billion for initial construction funding of a new aircraft carrier, and $1.6 billion for the refueling of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier.

Truck maker Oshkosh Corp was hit hard by the Army’s downsizing, losing about $600 million in funding for heavy trucks and a continued slowdown in a medium vehicle program. Panetta last month gave highlights of the 2013 budget, his first as defense secretary and the first that takes into account a deficitreducing measure passed by Congress that requires cuts of $487 billion from projected spending over the next decade.

It is also the first Pentagon budget since the Sept 11, 2001, attacks that requests less funding than the year before. Weapons makers like Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co , Northrop Grumman Corp, General Dynamics Corp , Huntington Ingalls Corp and Raytheon Co have been anxiously awaiting details about their programs.

The Pentagon is due to formally release the details on Monday when Obama sends his 2013 budget request to Congress, which must approve the spending plan.

The plan for the 2013 fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, requests $9.17 billion for the Pentagon’s biggest

weapons program, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, down slightly from $9.25 billion requested in fiscal 2012. That includes $2.7 billion for ongoing development of the radar-evading supersonic jet, and $6.15 billion to pay for 29 jets, down from $6.33 billion for 31 jets in 2012.

Panetta announced last month that the Pentagon would slow the ramp-up in production of the new fighter to allow more time for testing and avert costly retrofits.

Overall spending on aircraft programs will drop 12 percent to $47.6 billion in fiscal 2013 from $54.2 billion in the fiscal 2012 budget request, mainly due to a 41 percent drop in funding for the Lockheed-built C-130J transport plane, and a 32 percent cut in funding for the V22 Osprey.

The Pentagon proposed spending $835 million on seven more C-130J airlifters in fiscal 2013, down from $1.43 billion for 12 planes in fiscal 2012.

Funding for the V-22, a tilt-rotor aircraft built by Boeing and Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc, would drop to $1.91 billion for 21 aircraft, from $2.8 billion for 35 planes in fiscal 2012. The plan foresees spending of $1.25 billion for six high-altitude unmanned Global Hawk spy planes built by Northrop Grumman three for NATO and three for the Navy.

Panetta announced last month that the Pentagon was cancelling work on the Air Force’s Block 30 variant.

The plan would increase funding for the AH-64 Apache helicopter built by Boeing by 55 percent, funding 40 remanufactured helicopters and 10 new aircraft. Northrop Grumman and Lockheed

also have a big role in the program.

Funding for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp, would continue a five-year procurement agreement with $1.3 billion for 59 of the twin-engine helicopters.

The Pentagon’s spending plan includes $10.9 billion for ground vehicles, 32 percent less than the $16 billion requested in fiscal 2012. The new request includes $117 million for continued development of a new light tactical vehicle for the Army and Marine Corps and a heavier new Ground Combat Vehicle.

Funding for the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles built by Oshkosh Corp would drop to $58.1 million for 1,534 vehicles from $650 million for 9,336 vehicles funded in fiscal 2012.

Missile defense spending would remain fairly stable at $9.7 billion under the fiscal 2013 request, maintaining work on several air and missile defense capabilities such as the Patriot PAC-3 missile built by Lockheed. It would fund the MEADS joint program with Italy and Germany at $400.9 million, completing development testing.

Shipbuilding programs would get $22.6 billion in the fiscal 2013 request, down from $24 billion in the fiscal 2012 request. That will fund 2 Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines, 2 DDG-51 destroyers, and 4 Littoral Combat Ships.

Space programs would get $8 billion, a drop of 22 percent from the $10 billion requested in fiscal 2012, due to fewer satellites and launches, and the cancellation of Northrop’s Defense Weather Satellite System. — Reuters

Many British bankers arrested in tax probe

George Soros

Merkel taking Europe in wrong direction: Soros BERLIN: American billionaire George Soros slammed German Chancellor Angela Merkel in an interview published yesterday, warning that her policies could lead to a repeat of the Great Depression. “I admire Chancellor Merkel for her leadership. But unfortunately she is taking Europe in the wrong direction,” the financier and philanthropist told the weekly Der Spiegel. Soros warned against addressing the crisis with spending cuts, urging the injection of funds instead.

“Otherwise we will repeat the mistakes that plunged America into the Great Depression in 1929.

That’s what Angela Merkel doesn’t understand,” he said. US President Franklin Roosevelt addressed the crisis in 1933 with his New Deal, inspired by British economist John Keynes, which combined a reform of the banking system with major infrastructure projects. Soros also told Der Spiegel, in remarks published in German on the magazine’s website, that he thought Europe could handle the crisis without the help of the International Monetary Fund.

He said it was a mistake to offer a bailout to Greece tied to high interest rates. “That’s why the country can’t be saved today, and the same thing will happen to Italy if we put this country in the straitjacket of paying harsh interest rates,” Soros said. A Greek default would cause an escalation of the crisis and could lead to a run on Italian and Spanish banks, and “Europe would explode,” he said. — AFP

LONDON: Several British bankers have been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged tax-related criminal offences, the country’s customs and revenue service said yesterday, including some from Royal Bank of Scotland. “As a result of an ongoing HMRC investigation into tax-related criminal offences, HMRC has arrested a number of people, some of whom work for UK banks,” Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) department said in a statement.

“This investigation relates to the

actions of the people arrested in relation to their own financial affairs and is not connected to the business activities of the banks,” it added.

The arrests come as Britain’s top banks are under attack from politicians over paying large salaries and bonuses while the rest of the country suffers in the UK’s faltering economy, and for not lending enough to businesses.

The department did not identify the bankers nor the companies they worked for. The Sunday Telegraph

newspaper said four current and one former member of Royal Bank of Scotland had been arrested as part of the probe.

An RBS spokeswoman told Reuters: “We cannot comment on an ongoing investigation but are fully co-operating with HMRC.” Last month, the chief executive and chairman of RBS, which is 83 percent owned by the British government after a state bailout during the 2008 credit crisis, gave up their million pound bonus packages following public anger. — Reuters

HONG KONG: A pedestrian is silhouetted against a back drop of buildings in a park in Hong Kong yesterday.

Hong Kong’s real estate market is tipped to extend recent falls this year, analysts said recently, as property transactions dived to a five-year low in 2011 after a slew of measures to curb prices. — AFP

26

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

business

Mercedes-Benz Kuwait bags Service Hero award Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co is the best in car sales customer satisfaction in Kuwait KUWAIT: For the second year in a row, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co, authorized general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait has won the first place in ‘Service Hero Customer Satisfaction Award’ for the best New Car buying experience beating out 35 other automotive brands and thereby re-affirming the superior customer experience of Mercedes-Benz buyers from Albisher & Alkazemi Co. Service Hero provided a platform for customers to voice their satisfaction about the quality of services they receive via a three-month voting drive through an online-based survey.

Customers were asked to rank their expected satisfaction level in each dimension before receiving a service and their actual satisfaction level after

experiencing the service.

In a red carpet awards ceremony held on 7 February, 2012 by Service Hero for the winners of the Service Hero awards for 2011, Albisher & Alkazemi Co Mercedes-Benz Kuwait was chosen for the second time by the people of Kuwait as the best in new car buying experience in the country. Michael Ruehle, General Manager along with Ashraf Tamim, Senior Manager for Sales & Operations, at Albisher & Alkazemi Company were on stage to receive the award from the Service Hero Team at the event.

Ruehle said, “It’s a great pleasure and honor to receive this award on behalf of all the dedicated staff and my team. I want to thank all our customers for their continued faith in our company

and our brand, Mercedes-Benz.”

Ruehle continued “Receiving the award for the second time not only confirms that the customers trust the Mercedes-Benz brand and the customer services that we provide but it also doubles our responsibilities towards their expectations and complete satisfaction. In this competitive marketplace, we differentiate ourselves from other brands by offering a superior customer experience to complement the superlative nature of our brand. We at Albisher & Alkazemi Co strive to provide that every day.”

About Service Hero: Service Hero is Kuwait’s first independent annual customer satisfaction index that is based entirely on consumer votes.

Votes were collected online in October 2011

through December 2011. Scores are based on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest score.

They also voted on the likelihood of recommending a brand, overall satisfaction, and how the brand compares to their view of an ideal offering.

Service Hero adheres to ESOMAR principles (the European Society of Opinion and Market Research) and also has established an Advisory Council to ensure fair and empirical results. To learn more, visit www.servicehero.com.

For the second consecutive year, Albisher & Alkazemi Co. Mercedes-Benz Kuwait ranked number 1 in Customer Satisfaction with New Car Sales, not only beating out all other luxury automotive brands but also stood first across all automotive segments in Kuwait.

Hill+Knowlton Strategies named ‘Mideast PR Consultancy of Year’ The Holmes Report

Muneera Al-Mukhaizeem

Burgan Bank launches discount program for BuBa Kids account holders KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday that it launched a unique discount program which has been specifically tailored to its “BuBa” Kids Account holders.

The new program aims at providing an extensive discounts across selective outlets in Kuwait that include Crocs, Nike Stores, The Athlete’s Foot, Cozmo, Goal, Baroue as well as others.

Muneera Al-Mukhaizeem, Chief Retail Banking Officer- General Manager at Burgan Bank said: “ We continue to enhance our customers’ experience by offering more benefits to our “BuBa” Kids Account holders. The account has hailed success since its launch, and the new

rewards program is part of our overall commitment to provide more convenience discounts across a selective number of outlets in Kuwait.”

“The “BuBa Kids Account” provides creative solutions for parents who want to earn more from their savings for their children and at the same time enjoy a wide range of benefits that the account can provide. The “BuBa” Kids account from Burgan Bank is a savings account for children up to 14 years old, with minimum opening balance of KD 10. The children will receive free branded ATM VISA Electron card that can be used in anywhere in Kuwait and around the world.

KUWAIT: Leading PR industry influencer The Holmes Report named Hill+Knowlton Strategies as the Middle East Public Relations Consultancy of the Year.

Hill+Knowlton Strategies, whose first office in the region was founded in Bahrain in 1985, has been a significant player and innovator in the Middle East PR industry for many years and is the longest established international PR consultancy in the region.

With eight offices across the Middle East and several affiliate partners, the firm serves a wide client base across multiple industries as well as both major blue chip Arab domestic clients and foreign multinational companies.

In 2011 Hill+Knowlton weathered the political upheaval in the region as well as the ongoing challenging economic environment, seeing strong growth in several markets as well as continuing to export major business from the Middle East to the company’s global network.

Al Tijari winners of daily draw with Najma Account KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al Najma Account draw on February 12, 2012. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Abdulaziz Ashkanani.

The winners of the Al Najma Daily Draw are:

Gulf Bank, Morad Yousuf Behbahani team up

Mohamad Salem Saleh Al-Masood — KD 7000 Mohammad Jameel Al-Saddah

Priority banking customers to get exclusive discounts KUWAIT: Gulf Bank has teamed up with Morad Yousuf Behbahani to offer the bank’s priority customers further discounts at selected Morad Yousuf Behbahani boutiques across Kuwait.

This latest special offer from Gulf Bank is valid from today the 10th of February to the 14th of February only, and provides the Bank’s High Net Worth (HNW), Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) customers, as well as Platinum and Visa Infinite card holders with an additional 5% discount when shopping at selected Morad Yousuf Behbahani boutiques.

Aly Shalaby, Gulf Bank’s General ManagerConsumer Banking Group said: “Gulf Bank continuously aims to provide its customers with additional promotions to go along with its exceptional services, so we are delighted to join forces with Morad Yousuf Behbahani to provide these great exclusive discounts.

“Our customers have and will always be our main priority and the Gulf Bank team is always looking for new opportunities for special deals and promotions on their behalf. This latest promotion offers great overall discounts for our priority banking customers and we hope that many will be able to take advantage of the great bargains on offer during the promotion period.”

Customers can enjoy the additional Gulf Bank discounts at Morad Yousuf Behbahani’s

— KD 7000 Fathi Saber Mohammed Mahmoud — KD 7000 Badreya Aboud Khalaf — KD 7000 Asia Samar Faraj Al-Slebi

Aly Shalaby, Gulf Bank’s General Manager-Consumer Banking Group Main Marina Mall boutique, Marina Mall Omega boutique, Al-Kout boutique, Laila Gallery boutique, The Avenues Mall Omega boutique and Souk Sharq boutique.

Customers should use Gulf Bank’s Priority Banking ATM card, Visa Infinite or Platinum cards to take advantage of the promotion. To find out more about the Bank’s promotions and offers customers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 55 branches, or contact its Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance. They can also log on to www.e-gulfbank.com, Gulf Bank’s website.

— KD 7000 The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account.

Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organ-

Active in the Turkish market for some time, the acquisition of leading Turkish PR firm Global Tanitim gave the firm an additional presence in this fast-growing market during 2011. Focused on providing top talent to clients, Hill+Knowlton also expanded its digital capabilities, bringing in Rishi Saha as Regional Director, who joined from UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s office, where he was head of digital communications for the UK Government. Dave Robinson, President & CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Australia, Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia (AMEASCA) commented: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition from such a prestigious and influential industry commentator as the Holmes Report. With 27 years in the region we have worked hard to build our business, our reputation and our client base, and this award pays tribute to the enormous effort and commitment of all of our people in the region who commit so much to this firm and its clients every day.”

Dave Robinson

VIVA surprises endless in ‘Win A Car Every Week’ campaign KUWAIT: Entering the fifth month, the “Win a Car Every Week Campaign” launched by the Kuwait Telecommunications Company VIVA has proved to be huge success as the company surprises continue with new five lucky customers winning a luxurious car from VIVA. Bader Al-Ayaar, Tangamani Than, Shaaf Rbeian, Hibbathullah Meera and Mahjoob Abu Alela were the latest winners in the draw that was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and VIVA executives as well and was held at VIVA head office . The prizes of the five lucky winners varied from brand new 2012 BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz C180 as each one expressed their happiness of being one of the winners and said that it was a dream come true.

VIVA is thrilled with the success of the campaign launched for its prepaid customers, as it was evident from the customers response and feedback during the InfoConnect Exhibition that took place recently. VIVA aims to offer them the opportunity to win a luxurious car every week and will continue with the surprises by offering a brand new car every month.

The campaign, launched five months back, will continue for several weeks to enable customers as many opportunities as possible to enter a draw for the chance to win a new car every week, whereby every month will bring with it a joyful surprise to our customers with the chance to win the New 2012 car. VIVA aims to create, design and promote unique campaign offers to provide all of its customers infinite opportunities to participate in exciting promotions to endorse subscribers’ loyalty, as well as provide subscribers and customers instant track of the winners.

This offer is applicable to prepaid customers where they can enter into the draw through two options, the first option is to subscribe with 500 fils per day containing infinite local minutes and local messages on the VIVA network as well as free calls from VIVA to VIVA. For every 500 fils spent, the customers is entitled the 1 chance to enter the draw.

The second option for prepaid customers includes subscribing to the KD 7 and full and unlimited BlackBerry Services subscription,

where customers will gain fifteen points upon subscription. Customers are able to subscribe to both options in order to enter the draw to win a luxurious car, where their points will be accumulated and carried on to the next draw. In addition to the two options, every customer will enter the draw upon purchasing a VIVA prepaid line.

To increase their chances to win a new car every week, prepaid customers can subscribe to the ‘Flavor of the Week’ which will be a ‘special service’ for that week allowing more opportunities to win every week. This week ‘Flavor of the Week’, which will last till Feb 15th, will give prepaid customers 2 more chances upon subscribing to the KD 1 Surf On service where they can get 500 Mb for 5 Days.

To subscribe for the 500 Fils daily service, the costumer has to send a text message with number ‘1’ to ‘535’, or send a text message with number ‘2’ to ‘535’ for the BlackBerry monthly unlimited local service, which will qualify him/her to enter the draw. Customers interested in subscribing to this offer can send the code “GO” via SMS text message to the number ‘535’.

27

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Kaspersky Lab continues rapid growth DUBAI: Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, announces that it successfully achieved significant sales growth in 2011. According to Kaspersky Lab’s management reporting results for 2011, the company’s revenues reached US$612 million, up 14% worldwide and showed growth in all regions.

“2011 has been extremely challenging for the entire IT security industry.

Despite tackling an ever-growing array of complex new threats in difficult market conditions, Kaspersky Lab has successfully achieved significant sales growth. Our global team has worked

really hard to develop many new innovative technologies and to implement them in our latest products. We are proud of the high regard that our work has received worldwide,” commented Eugene Kaspersky, Chairman and CEO of Kaspersky Lab. “We are ready for the new challenges of the upcoming year, further improving technologies and developing our business success worldwide.”

To meet these new challenges, Kaspersky Lab has implemented changes to its organizational structure in late 2011. The management team is geared towards faster decision making while maintaining the flexibility and

innovation of the company as a whole to ensure the best possible working practices and high motivation among Kaspersky Lab employees. The company has also recently announced that it intends to stay private, which will help to remain efficient and flexible in order to be competitive in today’s dynamic global market. Kaspersky Lab will concentrate on differentiation by technological innovation and organic growth, and will continue expanding its global partnership community basing on a localized sales approach. Product strategy continues as the major focus, targeting a comprehensive product portfolio where each product or solution

addresses a specific customer.

Kaspersky Lab’s outstanding technological achievements and new innovative products resulted in new strategic partnerships during 2011, with global brands like Samsung, Sony, Ferrari, and others joining Kaspersky to achieve mutual success.

In January 2012 Kaspersky Lab has officially been named a “Leader” in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms.** That recognition is partly the result of the company launching its new corporate solution: Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8 during 2011, which uses Kaspersky Lab’s latest intelligent hybrid security technolo-

gies, combined with the deepest possible anti-malware protection and a wide range of security tools like Kaspersky Security Center, the matching management console.

“We will continue to focus on our strategy of differentiation through technology and innovation in the next years and concentrate on our core competence, endpoint protection and security”, says Petr Merkulov, Chief Product Officer. “In 2012 Kaspersky Lab will launch a range of new and exciting products in both the consumer and the corporate area which will highlight our user centric and Endpoint Protection Platform approach.”

The next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera Nikon releases D4 digital-SLR camera

VILNIUS: Activists protest in front of the Government palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday. ACTA aims to harmonize international standards on protecting the rights of those who produce music, movies, pharmaceuticals, fashion, and a range of other products that often fall victim to piracy and intellectual property theft, however some Internet users are worried it could lead to online censorship. —AP

Europeans take to the streets to champion Internet freedoms WARSAW: Protesters took to the freezing cold streets of Berlin, Helsinki and many other European cities Saturday to voice anger at an international copyright treaty they fear will lead to censorship and a loss of privacy on the Internet.

The rallies across the continent underline how opposition to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, or ACTA, has spread quickly since a first groundswell of opposition emerged last month in Poland.

“We have the protests in Poland to thank above all for what is happening in Europe and worldwide at the moment,” said Tillmann Mueller-Kuckelberg, an organizer at a protest in Berlin.

“A lot of people in other European countries woke up then, and we hope worldwide that the protests will lead to the ACTA agreement being stopped.”

ACTA has been under negotiation for years and has already been signed by a number of industrialized countries, including the United States, South Korea and Japan. Its drafters say it is needed to harmonize international standards to protect the rights of those who produce music, movies, pharmaceuticals, fashion, and a range of other products that often fall victim to piracy and intellectual property theft.

Several European countries recently signed ACTA but ratification remains in question in some countries as contempt builds toward it, mostly from young people who fear it will lead to censorship online and block their access to information.

The Polish and Czech governments have signed, but put ratification plans on hold, while Germany said Friday that it would delay signing to give time for discussions. ACTA shares some similarities with the hotly debated Stop Online Piracy Act in the US, which was shelved weeks ago by lawmakers after a swell of opposition that included Wikipedia and Google blacking out or partially obscuring their websites for a day in protest.

In Germany, a few thousand people protested in downtown Berlin Saturday, some sticking tape over their mouths or wearing Guy Fawkes masks, which have become a symbol of the Internet activist group Anonymous and now the anti-ACTA movement. They carried placards such as “Stop ACTA,” “Right to Remix” and “ACTA: the rule of law was yesterday.”

Mueller-Kuckelberg, the Berlin organizer, said the movement against the agreement was “a broad civil rights alliance that has

come together out of spontaneous outrage at this project.”

Several thousand people also demonstrated in Munich, while there were also protests of 1,000 people or more in Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Hannover and Augsburg.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry said Friday that the country had held off on signing ACTA after the Justice Ministry voiced concerns. An official signature is needed before the deal can go to Parliament for approval.

The European Parliament is set to debate the legislation early this summer. Rallies also took place in Paris, Vienna and many other cities. “The bad thing about ACTA is the totally undemocratic approach,” said Thomas Lohninger, an Internet activist and moderator at the Vienna event, which drew 2,500 people. “It can’t be that a law is passed in such a way, especially if it affects our Internet freedoms so significantly. It must be stopped.”

In Lithuania, hundreds rallied in front of a government building in Vilnius, some carrying signs that said “Stop ACTA.” “We are deeply concerned about this controversial deal, which most of our society does not know anything about,” said Mantas Kondratavicius, leader of the Vilnius Liberal Youth organization, a rights group.

“There was no public presentation or debates on the principles and possible threats of this act,” Kondratavicius added.

Many critics are angry that ACTA was negotiated by politicians in secret, without involving civic society.

About 5,000 Bulgarians marched in their capital, Sofia, most of them young people and some also wearing Guy Fawkes masks, while rallies also took place in other major Bulgarian cities. “Stop ACTA or we will stop it,” read one poster in Sofia. In the Czech capital, Prague, hundreds rallied at the medieval Old Town Square while a similar crowd gathered in the second largest city, Brno. They waved banners that read: “ACTA stinks,” “ACTA harms you” and “ACTA equals cyber fascism.”

The government has suspended the ratification of the treaty and the protesters welcomed the move but say it is not enough.

Marches also took place in several Polish cities, including Warsaw, Szczecin, Poznan and Gdansk. “Down with the censorship of Big Brother,” said one of the banners in Warsaw. Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Volkmar Kienoel in Berlin, Karel Janicek in Prague, Philipp Jenne in Vienna and Valentina Petrova and Veselin Toshkov in Sofia contributed to this report. —AP

Forensic marking helps link criminals to their crime SYDNEY: The signs are going up outside Australia’s petrol stations, pubs and clubs warning would-be robbers that a hi-tech sentinel is on duty.

Inside the door, up there in that beige box, is wizardry that could provide incontrovertible evidence linking them to the hold-up they might be contemplating.

The signs alert the baddies to a forensic marking system in which a spray can propel a fine mist of water-borne synthetic DNA over a retreating robber. The unique DNA tracer stays on the skin for up to six weeks - it cannot be washed off - and is easily seen under ultraviolet light. If the robber is caught in the act, or apprehended later, the tell-tale marker is almost certain to be there.

“The criminal is forensically linking themselves to the crime scene at the time the crime was occurring and that’s critically important,” said Tania Jolley, managing director of Adelaide-

based DNA Security Solutions. “To find DNA in a public venue isn’t incriminating but it is incriminating that they were present at the time of the crime.”

Jolley’s company is bringing to Australia a technology that has caught on in Europe. “We developed a system that was for the Australian marketplace,” she said. “Ours is the only system in the world that has the capacity to spray up to 15 times.”

The spray is more than 99-per-cent water, non-toxic and gets on skin and clothes probably without the knowledge of the intruder. The spray is activated by a panic button concealed below the counter, by a motion sensor or by a hand-held transponder.

“It’s very rare that you’d have a complete covering (of clothes),” Jolley said. “Even with a balaclava, you’d have an area of skin. And it also marks the things they steal. If they have a gun, it marks the gun.” —dpa

TOKYO: Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera that serves as the new flagship model in Nikon’s lineup of digital-SLR cameras.

Nikon exhibited the D4 at the 2012 International CES, on January 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This electronics exhibition is open to the public.

D4 with AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 23.9 mm) and EXPEED 3, the latest image-processing engine specifically optimized for digital-SLR cameras, making it the next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality that offers superior image quality rich in detail along with excellent high-speed performance. It has an effective pixel count of 16.2million pixels, and offers superior image quality under a broad range of lighting conditions with its image sensor supporting an incredible range of sensitivities from ISO 50 to ISO 204800.

The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor supports the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which is able to recognize human faces even when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. In addition, the Advanced Scene Recognition System offers significant improvements in AF, AE, iTTL flash control, and auto white balance (AWB) control accuracy.

The AF system, featuring 51 focus points, has been improved with faster initiation of autofocusing and the ability to detect and focus on subjects with less lighting. In addition, 11 focus points are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8 are used. All of this means more precise autofocusing when supertelephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with teleconverters (2.0◊). The Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie movie recording function is capable of recording Full-HD movies at 30 fps, and offers three movie recording formats for selection according to recording condi-

tions or creative intent.

What’s more, the D4 records images to memory cards faster with built-in support for highspeed, UDMA 7-compatible CompactFlash memory cards and

rately) is connected to the camera.

The D4 is also equipped with a number of new functions that support a more efficient workflow for professional photographers, including one that allows users to

next-generation, high-speed XQD memory cards. In addition to builtin wired LAN features, the D4 also supports high-speed image transfer via wireless LAN when the new, compact, easy-to-use Wireless Transmitter WT-5 (available sepa-

add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.

Development background In 2007, Nikon released the D3 digital-SLR camera as its flag-

ship model equipped with the new FX-format CMOS image sensor developed by Nikon. With its new image sensor, the D3 established a new level of image quality, speed, and support for high sensitivities. In December of 2008, Nikon released the D3X with an effective pixel count of 24.5-million pixels, which enabled superior imaging performance equal to that possible with medium format cameras. In the following year, the D3S proposed new possibilities in imaging expression with its expanded range of standard sensitivities from ISO 200 to ISO 12800 and a built-in movie recording function. The superior performance of the Nikon D3 was recognized with three of the most prestigious domestic and international awards-Japan’s Camera Grand Prix Camera of the Year and Europe’s Technical Image Press Association’s (TIPA) Best D-SLR Professional and the European Imaging and Sound Association’s (EISA) Professional Camera of the Year.

The D3X and D3S continued the success of the series introduced with the D3, being recognized by the camera industry for their superior performance with a number of awards of their own as well as extreme popularity with professional and advanced amateur photographers alike. In addition, the superior durability and reliability of the cameras has also been recognized by NASA, which ordered several models as-is, with no special modification, that are currently used aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Nikon based development of the flagship D4 on the basic performance achieved with the D3 series, which has led the industry in imaging expression since its release. In addition to this high level of basic per formance, a number of new functions and features were added in response to the needs and demands of professional and advanced amateur photographers, resulting in this next-generation digital-SLR camera that stretches the boundaries of functionality and performance with superior versatility.

Spring cleaning for your computer: Get the gunk - and the germs - out MUNICH: Skin and hair, dust and crumbs, just about everything imaginable ends up getting lodged in your keyboard. It’s unpleasant and not healthy for the computer user. The only solution is regular cleaning. If you don’t take the time, your computer could end up being a contagion zone, to say nothing of becoming gummed up by all the debris. Dust is the biggest threat to a computer’s interior. If it gets inside the casing, it can clog up the cooling system.

“In the best case scenario, that just means the system is louder because the fan has to spin faster to get enough heat out of the housing,” says Christoph Schmidt of the German computer magazine Chip. But, over time, the dust could cause overheating in the processor of the graphics chip - if the cooling system doesn’t work right it can get as hot as a stovetop.

It’s usually only a question of time before dust gets inside a computer. The best defence is cleaning it out of troublespots such as seams or the grates of the vent and cooling system.

“If you want to clean up the inside of a PC, then you have to take off the side panels, usually the one on the left if you’re looking at the PC tower from the front,” says Schmidt, describing the first step. If you’re cleaning up a notebook, then you have to remove the bot-

tom panel, usually situated near the ventilation grates.

Be sure not to violate the warranty by opening up a computer. Rules vary between machines, so be careful. Schmidt offers some pointers. “The warranty responsibilities are usually not lifted by opening up a side panel of a desktop PC, because those are laid out as an open system,” he says. But if elements such as the base panel of a notebook are sealed, then you can’t open them without violating the warranty.

Set all small parts aside for safety after opening up a computer’s housing. “Then vacuum inside the PC housing with a low-powered device and get all the dust fluffs off the base,” advises Schmidt. Next, move on to the cooling system. Hold these components down while vacuuming them, as an added safety measure.

One idea is to use a screwdriver to hold them in place.

No special tools are needed, although you will need a vacuum cleaner with a small nozzle attachment. If there is some especially tough dirt, you might want to use some high pressure spray to push it in the direction of the vacuum.

On the computer’s exterior, dust isn’t the main problem. There you’ve got to be worried about viruses and bacteria. The average key-

board is five times dirtier than a toilet seat and carries about 60 times the number of germs, reports the hygiene blog keepingitkleen.com.

Devices with a lot of edges and grooves that are regularly touched by users are ideal places for germs and bacteria. That means keyboards, mice and power switches. Over time, those areas will gather skin flakes, hair fragments, dust, crumbs, saliva and particulate emitted when sneezing. If a computer - one in an office, for example - is used by multiple persons, then the health risks increase.

“Especially at times of year when viral diseases are more common, like during the winter flu season, then the infection risk climbs in large workrooms or offices with a lot of people traffic,” says Anette Wahl-Wachendorf, vice president of the Association of German Business and Company Doctors. However, the group notes there is no general health risk from germs with standard use of the devices.

Microfibre cloths are good for cleaning the plastic or metal housings of computers and notebooks. Another option is a lint-free paper towel with a little window or surface cleaner, says Schmidt. But avoid using such cleaners on displays, as they can leave behind streaks and could even damage the surface layer. Instead, use special screen cleaners from computer stores with a clean paper towel. —dpa

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Catholic bishops reject compromise on contraception WASHINGTON: US Roman Catholic bishops have voiced opposition to President Barack Obama’s plan to require insurers to provide free birth controldespite earlier indication they might accept the compromise.

“The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services,” the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement.

The government’s decision to guarantee women access to contraceptives

“remains a grave moral concern,” they said. On Friday, Obama said his government would no longer require religious organizations to offer free contraception on employee health plans and decried opponents he said had turned the issue into a “political football.”

But he stuck by the principle that all women should have free access to such services, putting the onus on insurance firms to approach women working for religious employers like Catholic hospitals to offer them birth control.

The fight erupted when the administration decided not to exempt religious

employers from a requirement under its health reform law that work-based insurance plans offer women coverage for contraception.

Officials argued that a woman who worked, for example, as a nurse at a Catholic hospital might not share their employer’s religious opposition to contraception and should have the same rights as female workers elsewhere.

Roman Catholic leaders were outraged-even though houses of worship were exempt-and Republicans used the row to whip up a social issues storm, firing up their conservative political base

in an election year. After the compromise was announced on Friday, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan described it as a “first step in the right direction.” But the later statement from all the bishops said they will continue to object because of Obama’s decision “to retain HHS’s nationwide mandate of insurance coverage of sterilization and contraception.”

“We will continue-with no less vigor, no less sense of urgency-our efforts to correct this problem through the other two branches of government,” the bishops said. However, many other organiza-

tions, including Catholic ones, welcomed the compromise.

The Catholic Health Association said it was “very pleased” with the White House announcement, arguing that the decision “protects the religious liberty and conscience rights of Catholic institutions.”

The American Association of University Women insisted that the decision was “not a compromise on women’s health.” “Instead, it’s an accommodation for people who are truly concerned about religious liberty,” the association said. — AFP

The heroes of India’s quest to wipe out polio ‘Vaccination on wheels’

NEUMUENSTER: An employee of the federal laboratory in Neumuenster, northern Germany, holds a sample from a melt of a sheep which is under examination on the so-called Schmallenberg virus. The new livestock disease causing deformities in animals at birth is spreading rapidly in Germany, with at least five European countries affected to date. — AFP

Job ‘boreout’ can be hazardous to health FRANFURT: Sorting e-mails, moving around stacks of documents, aimlessly going through files-trying to look busy is hard work. So hard, in fact, that it can wear you out and even lead to “boreout,” a syndrome affecting the underchallenged.

“Our society is divided, as it were,” said Wolfgang Merkle, a Frankfurt-based psychotherapist. “Successful people get burnout and attract all the attention. But little notice is taken of people with boreout, although they have almost identical symptoms.”

According to Merkle, boreout symptoms include despondency, a lack of drive, insomnia and an inability to enjoy life.

“At first there’s often a vague sense in the back of your mind that something isn’t right,” he said. Boreout sufferers can also experience physical symptoms such as stomach problems, dizziness, tinnitus, headaches or fatigue. The complaints result, in contrast to burnout cases, from being underchallenged or underworked-not overchallenged or overworked. An underchallenged person is someone with too few-and insufficiently meaningful-tasks. “It’s as if an excellent chess player always has to play Nine Men’s Morris and draughts,” Merkle said. The discrepancy between the person’s abilities and activities, combined with a lack of recognition for his or her efforts, is extremely stressful.

Peter Werder, a Swiss management consultant and co-author of a book on boreout, described a typical chain of events leading to boreout: A job applicant expects, on the basis of the job advertisement and interview, a position as a project supervisor with international experience. “But at the job it turns out that (the new hire) doesn’t supervise the project, but only a subdivision of it, and sometimes has to speak a little English.”

Such a person is both quantitatively and qualitatively underchallenged. This is not a bad thing in the beginning, and the person even enjoys the free time at work and gets used to it. “Still, the person is underchallenged. And the real difficulty is realizing that this is the reason for being tired in the evening,” Werder said.

Employees who always have to do subtasks can also suffer from boreout because in

the long term it is psychologically important to get a sense of achievement by completing things, noted Joerg Feldmann of Germany’s Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Being qualitatively and quantitatively underchallenged go hand in hand, Werder pointed out. “After all, if you’re not quantitatively underchallenged, you don’t have to adopt behavioural strategies” characteristic of boreout, he said, referring to ways of feigning activity to conceal idleness. One way, paradoxically, is the burnout strategy of simulating overwork by being in the office from early in the morning until late in the evening.

It is “absolute nonsense” that boreout sufferers are simply lazy, Werder said. “Someone with boreout wants to work but can’t, and therefore suffers.”

Merkle advises employees who see their office routine drifting toward the boreout zone to do something about it as soon as possible.

Working only part-time could be a solution, Werder suggested, explaining that someone feeling underchallenged could tell the boss that the officially full-time position is actually just an 80-per-cent one. The person would have to take a pay cut but would be busy during office hours and could put the extra time off work to better use.

If fatigue depression has already set in, Merkle said, affected persons should describe their symptoms to their family doctor, who will probably refer them to a specialist in psychosomatic medicine. “It can be cleared up with one or two talks per week,” he said, adding that in some cases even the best therapist can do nothing. “Sometimes only quitting helps.”

Burnout is diagnosed about three times more often than boreout, which Merkle said could be due to the reluctance of many boreout sufferers to seek help. “It’s easier to say, ‘I’m swamped’ than ‘I’m twiddling my thumbs,’” he said.

Werder said he suspected that boreout and burnout occurred with roughly equal frequency, “but boreout hasn’t been researched as much.”— dpa

German employers seek halt in smoking breaks at work BERLIN: An organization of family-owned businesses in Germany has angered labour groups with a call to improve productivity and raise staff health by banning smoking breaks in the workplace. “They should stop for calisthenics, not for a smoke,” said Mario Ohoven, president of the BVMW Federation of Mid-Sized Businesses.

He told a newspaper, Bild, he wanted to “get rid of the fug during work,” adding, “Smoking breaks cost employers money.” A smoker who takes three smoking breaks daily, each five minutes long, costs his employer on average well over 2,000 euros (2,600 dollars) annually in lost work, the BVMW maintains.

“And a lot of them smoke more than three cigarettes a day,” said Ohoven, who says lunch breaks offer sufficient time out for smokers.

Germany’s Cancer Science Council estimated in 2009 that nationally, smoking breaks cost Germany 28 billion euros annually in lost productivity, not counting the health damage from tobacco.

Smoking in offices and factories used to be common, but over the past decade, most employers have gradually banned it. But they allow smokers to go outside every hour or so to smoke in the open air. Some even provide smoking rooms. The most recent official statistics, from 2009, show 74 per cent of adult Germans are non-smokers.

Smoking is legally banned in shops, public transport and most restaurants. Another group of family-owned companies agrees with the BVMW. Ursula Frerichs of the Federation of Mid-Sized Business Entrepreneurs told Bild smoking breaks discriminate against non-smokers who keep working.

“Non-smokers are losing out,” she said, charging that workshops were often idled when the smokers all left at the same time to smoke together. The business groups say many employers in Scandinavian nations have successfully implemented a “smoke-free work time” policy.

Annelie Buntenbach of a national trade union federation, the DGB, denied the economy was hurt by Germany’s smoking minority.

“The idea that it disturbs work or idles factories is ridiculous,” she said, adding that working in life in Germany had become so stressful that people needed more breaks, not fewer.

Kerstin Jerchel, a lawyer at one trade union, Verdi, said outdoor smoking breaks were a good solution to friction between smokers and non-smokers. Under German labour law, employees have a right to leave their desks and machines every so often for refreshment, such as a coffee, but not to smoke. It is up to each employer to set a policy on smoking, the BDA employers’ federation said.—dpa

NEW DELHI: Later this month, India will be removed from a dwindling list of countries where polio is considered endemic, a huge achievement made possible by people like Madara, a 76-year-old street hawker.

At a temporary immunisation camp in a slum in the northern district of Ghaziabad, 23 kilometres (14 miles) from New Delhi, he is busy at work shepherding boisterous children into queues. All around, social workers break open tiny bottles containing a polio vaccine, selecting children from the thronging crowd of toddlers and babies and squirting two drops into their mouths.

Madara, a stick-thin resident from a nearby slum, says he began volunteering to help with the vaccination efforts six years ago when he realised he could use his authority as an elderly figure to encourage participation. “I decided to get involved because I wanted to do something for the future of our children here,” Madara told AFP. Most of the youngsters, whose parents are often rag-pickers or hawkers, live in the nearby tarpaulincovered homes, a cramped zone of shanties where sanitation and awareness about hygiene is poor.

Polio, which can be deadly and also causes deformed limbs, spreads via the fecal matter of victims, making slums particularly highrisk areas. Lured by the offer of bright plastic whistles and paper masks, children were keen to leave their homes, forming a disorderly crowd around the vaccinators as they dispensed the drops to infants and under-fives.

India last reported a fresh polio case more than 12 months ago after monumental efforts by millions of social workers and volunteers who have administered 900 million doses of the vaccine in the last year alone.

If all pending lab tests for the virus return negative as expected, the World Health Organisation will remove India from its list of “polio endemic” countries this month, leaving just Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria in this category. As well as polio camps like this one in Ghaziabad, teams have travelled door-todoor, educating families about the illness and delivering the vaccine. They have put up makeshift booths in crowded public areas such as train stations, bus stands and markets, and in other locations, including construction sites where they can catch migrant workers and their children.

A “vaccination on wheels” service was rolled out across the north Indian state of Bihar in which social workers jumped on trains and vaccinated all the children onboard. In 2008, when floods devastated the state, vaccinators were even sent out in boats. “We had to make a very detailed, dynamic map of the area and send workers in boats to try and get across to stranded families,” Lieven Desomer, head of the polio unit at UN children’s agency UNICEF in India, told AFP. As well as the problems of access, the government and international agencies behind the immunisation drive faced problems of ignorance and prejudice. Vaccinators were attacked, anxious parents would hide

their babies from social workers, and there was particular resistance from the Muslim communities in the north of the country.

“There was a general perception that the vaccine was not clean or safe because it came from the West, and that somehow, taking it would make their women and children infertile,” UNICEF’s Desomer said.

India’s crushing summer heat also caused difficulties because vaccines have to be kept at a low temperature to prevent them expiring. Five years ago, campaigners decided to ensure that vials were only carried in special carriers equipped with ice packs.

Desomer credited “the dogged persistence” of the Indian government for the fall in infections, and said that in 2011 alone, the state contributed 80 percent of the $264 million committed to the fight against polio.

The results of years of innovation, human endeavour, as well as planning and spending, are reflected in the number of infections. In 2009, India accounted for half of all cases in the world, but infections plummeted to 42 in 2010 and none in the last 12 months.

“It is an amazing achievement. I sometimes feel like I have to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming it,” Desomer said, while cautioning against premature celebrations. “We have to remain vigilant and continue immunisations. Complacency at this stage would be a huge mistake,” he said.

India will only be judged to have eradicated the disease if it stays polio-free for another two years. — AFP

Pregnancy tips for would-be parents MUNICH: Couples wanting to conceive a child often get plenty of pregnancy tips.

Not all of them can be taken seriously and some are utter nonsense. But maintaining a healthy diet and getting regular exercise are pieces of advice that certainly cannot hurt. “ There are no evidence-based studies showing that eating cer tain foods can increase a woman’s fertility,” said Werner H a r l f i n g e r, h e a d o f t h e R h i n e l a n d Palatinate branch of the Munich-based Professional Association of Gynaecologists. Never theless, he said, it is impor tant that women wanting to become pregnant be mindful of their diet.

Acco rd i n g to H a r l f i n g e r, women who are ex tremely overweight generally find it much harder to get pregnant. Would-be mothers ought not start a weightloss programme, though, because the body could be deprived of necessary nutrients.

“Being too thin isn’t good either,” Harlfinger sai d. “ The b o dy o f a woman with this kind of f i gure k nows she shouldn’t get pregnant.”

Deficienc y symptoms from being underweight c an af fec t m et ab o lism and prevent ovulation.

As soon as a woman has

decided to conceive, he said, she would do well to begin taking folic acid. If an expectant mother’s body has too little of it, the nervous system of the foetus cannot develop properly.

A woman’s folic acid requirements rise so much during pregnancy that simply eating a healthy diet can hardly supply enough of the B vitamin, said Harlfinger, who recommends that would-be mothers star t tak ing folic acid supplements before conception. This, he said, may make their bodies feel better prepared for pregnancy.

As for men, “they should mainly make sure to get a balanced diet and physical exercise,” said Frank Sommer, a professor in the Department of Men’s Health at the University Medical Centre HamburgEppendorf in Germany.

S ommer ’s s pecial dietary tip is the amino acid arginine. “It’s very important for many processes in the testicles and penis and ca n pos itively affec t the dyna mis m a nd fitnes s of sperm,” he said. Arginine is found in high quantities in grain produc ts, soya beans and nuts.

Zinc a ls o ha s a pos itive

effect, Sommer pointed out. The trace mineral makes sperm hardier, he said. Legumes as well as apples and bananas are high in zinc.

Exercise is very advisable, Sommer said, so long as it is not excessive. “Ruthlessly engaging in aerobic exercises has the opposite effect and tends to impair fer tility ” because an intense workout regimen can upset hormone levels, he warned.

“It goes without saying that smoking and drinking are harmful,” Sommer added. He noted that it took a man three months to produce new sperm, so even men who fully heeded their doctor’s lifestyle advice should not expect immediate results.

Along with the physical prerequisites for conception, the mental preparedness of would-be parents is very important.

“A couple wanting to start a family must be prepared for the matter playing a dominant role” in their lives, particularly if pregnancy is difficult to achieve, said Tewes Wischmann, director of walk-in services at Heidelberg University Hospital’s Institute of Medical Psychology. “Give space to the desire to have children, but limit that space,” Wischmann advised.

Some couples are turned off by having to time the midpoint of the woman’s ovulation cycle. But dampened ardour is usually temporary - and worth it - said Wischmann, who believes that “coitus doesn’t always have to be super romantic.” He recommends making a clear distinction between sex for propagation and sex out of mutual desire, for which time should be found, too. — dpa

Regular overtime increases risk of depression: Study LONDON: Working three to four hours over time daily over an extended period increases the risk of major depression, according to a British study. The findings appeared in the journal PLos ONE, published by the Public Library of Science (PLoS), a non-profit organization with headquarters in San Francisco.

Led by Marianna Vir tanen from University College London and the Helsinki-based Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, the study followed 2,123 civil servants in Britain - 1,626 men and 497 women with an average age of 47 - for periods ranging from 3.8 to 7.2 years. All were considered mentally healthy at the start of the study, and 11 per cent averaged workdays of 11 hours or more.

Sixty-six of the subjects, or 3.1 per cent, developed major depression. Thirty-eight of them were among the 1,105 subjects who worked a standard sevento eight-hour day, and 10 were among the 227 with 11- to 12hour workdays. Other possible factors for their depression were taken into account. The conclusion: People who work a lot of overtime are twice as likely to suffer from major depression than those who do not work overtime.

“Although occasionally working overtime may have benefits for the individual and society, it is important to recognize that working excessive hours is also associated with an increased risk of major depression,” Virtanen said.

The researchers conceded that “plausible explanations” of why long working hours were linked to an increased incidence of depression could not be drawn directly from their study.

But other studies, they said, have given indications that too much time on the job could lead to family conflicts, difficulty unwinding after work and more stress hormones in the blood.

Data used by the researchers come from a study known as Whitehall II, which started in London in 1985 and includes more than 10,000 British civil servants. The subjects are considered to be generally healthier than the national average. The researchers noted, for example, that the civil servants’ rate of major depression — 3.1 per

cent-was lower than the approximately 5 per cent found in studies of Britain’s general populace.

Vir tanen and her fellow researchers said that fur ther studies, targeting blue-collar or private sector workers, were therefore necessary. They also said that some studies on overtime had reached different results on depression rates.

There is often no clear definition of when overtime begins, they said.

In 2010, the authors of the study published a paper saying that overtime could be harmful to the heart. Data from about 6,000 civil servants in London showed that three to four hours of overtime daily increased the risk of coronary heart disease by 60 per cent, they said— dpa

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

H E A LT H

Doctor Lisa helps Moscow’s homeless brave the winter MOSCOW: A vicious frost has Moscow firmly in its icy grip, and people in the Russian capital are struggling to cope with temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius. It has been the hardest winter in decades, and the homeless are among those suffering the most. An estimated 100,000 people live on the streets of Moscow. At least 30 of them have frozen to death this winter.

The homeless seek refuge in hallways, nestle up to heating ducts and scour dustbins in search of nourishment. They cannot count on help from the government, and assistance from private organizations is often their only chance of survival.

Those coming to their aid include Doctor Yelisaveta Glinka who is for the homeless an icon of compassion. On a bitterly cold February morning at number 6 Koshevnitsheskaya Street, hundreds of people are waiting for doctor Lisa, as they call her. At about 5 pm, two vans pull up at the parking lot close to Pavelezker Station. A ripple goes through the crowd of destitute, drug addicts, alcoholics and others in search

of help. Flanked by six assistants, the doctor gets out of one of the vehicles. “First the women, then the disabled, after that the elderly and then the rest,” she says firmly, her voice muffled by her mask. “Many of my clients have tuberculosis,” she explains.

The charity seekers queue up obediently.

With her organization Fair Aid, Glinka has for three years been helping the helpless - people who have been turned away by the authorities and clinics in Moscow. “It may sound funny, but I am doing what I enjoy,” Glinka tells dpa, as she hands out cups of hot cocoa and warm soup. Medicine and clothing are distributed from the second van.

If Glinka is unable to help someone, she organizes appointments for them with officials. Working with public offices is a painfully slow process, said Nikolai, one of the helpers.

“These people are not the ‘detritus of an affluent society’ as many call them,” he says.

The kind of social infrastructure present in many Western European countries is unknown in Russia, “where everyone has to

fend for himself.” The aid organization functions on donations. “I’m so grateful to doctor Lisa,” says Sergei, 43, as he takes a mug of soup from her. Sergei ended up on the street through no fault of his own, the homeless man is at pains to point out.

When he takes off his gloves, the open wounds are there for all to see. “I don’t care whether the stories are true or not,” said Glinka. “Many of them are made up, but that isn’t important. The main thing is that we help.” In the basement offices of Fair Aid, boxes full of clothes are piled high. On the wall hangs a portrait of Sergei Mironov of the centre-left A Just Russia party, who is patron of the organization.

Mironov is standing against Vladimir Putin, the current prime minister, in the presidential election on March 4. Glinka says she does not expect the vote to bring about any fundamental change. In any case, Glinka does not have much time for politics, “especially not during this extreme winter.” The temperature in Moscow is set to fall again at the weekend - down to -32 Celsius.— dpa

America issues guidelines to avoid heparin contamination WASHINGTON: Four years after US drug-maker Baxter International’s blood thinner heparin was contaminated in China, causing dozens of deaths, US regulators issued draft guidelines for safe production.

Heparin, a blood thinner used by millions of patients during kidney dialysis and heart surgery to prevent blood clots, is normally produced from pig intestines. After reports of allergic reactions to heparin began appearing in November 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration found that a substitute synthetic compound called oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS) had caused the toxic reactions.

Chinese officials rejected the FDA’s conclusions, saying the chemical had nothing to do with the allergies and deaths, but the FDA began testing heparin imports for OSCS in 2008 to assure safety of

the drug stocks.

The new guidelines are directed toward companies who use crude heparin to manufacture drugs and medical devices, and aim to “provide additional clarification to questions and inquiries received from industry,” an FDA spokeswoman said.

The regulatory agency “continues to monitor and sample incoming heparin,” she added.

Manufacturers are urged to test the origin of crude heparin to make sure it comes from pigs, test for OSCS in each shipment before using it, and know who handles the crude heparin along each step of the process.

“Substitution of non-porcine sources of crude heparin raises concerns,” said the FDA guidelines, particularly due to the risk of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, infiltrating products.— AFP

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

Announcements Kuwait Improv Fun lovers of Kuwait unite. A get together by people who love to surprise, be surprised and just be about at anything are welcome to Kuwait Improv, a gathering, reminiscent of the famous American TV program Whose Line is it Anyway, informally organized by American School of Kuwait teacher Brad Manker. No histrionic talent required, but a willingness to share. Please contact:mankerb@ask.edu Tulu speaking classes Here’s a great opportunity for parents who always wished their children could learn Tulu. Tulu Koota Kuwait, in its objective towards promoting Tulu language and culture, is pleased to announce the opening of Tutu Speaking Classes “Tulu Siri” at Indian Public School Salmiya @ 11:30 am. For more details kindly contact Ramesh Kidiyoor97204716/99596457,Shalini Vijay - 66502369,Tharendra P. Shettigar - 66757979,Jayalaxmi Karkal - 66958848, Sathyanarayana Salian - 66585077,Vanitha Dias94996459. And our Website: www.tulukootakuwait.org Email: info@tulukootakuwait.org

GM & assistant GM giving awards to staff.

GM & deputy GM

Staff annual function of Kuwait Hyatt Hotel

Palpak 4th AGM Palakkad Pravasi Association of Kuwait (Palpak) is conducting its Fourth Annual General Body Meeting on February 24, Friday at Hiphop Auditorium, Fahaheel from 10 am. The main agenda include as following, annual report on the activities during the year of 2011, the audited accounts report for the year of 2011. All members of Palpak are kindly requested to treat this as an official Invitation and attend the said Annual Genera1 body meeting on time. For more details please contact President P.N.Kumar (99771830) and General Secretary Aravindha Shan (66535989).

T

he management of Kuwait Hyatt Hotel celebrated its annual employee gathering party with their families. The party came after a long year of continuous efforts to provide the hotel guests with high standard of quality service which they were very successful in achieving.

The party started by a word from Mr. Kamal Ballout the General Manager of the hotel who thanked all the staff and expressed his appreciation of the fruitful efforts for the year 2011 and its achievement.

Kamal spoke about the future development and the planned renovation of the hotel rooms and restaurants.

Appreciation letters, gifts and bonuses was distributed to the employees who served over 10 years. At the end of the party everybody had fun in a lively atmosphere and they are looking forward to the next year employee’s annual party.

French concert Don’t miss the 1st concert of 2012 organized by the French Institute in Kuwait featuring talented musicians Smadj (Oud - Electro), Orhan Osman (Bouzouki) & Eric Gaulthier (Clarinet)! Sure to be a fantastic crowd pleaser!

Ne manquez pas le 1er concert de l’annee 2012 organise par l’Institut franÁais du Koweit. avec Smadj (Oud - electro), Orhan Osman (Bouzouki) et Eric Gaulthier (Clarinette)! today, February 13 at the Kuwait Boy Scout Theater from 7:30pm - 9pm.

GLEE-esque show choir This Valentine’s Day step into a musical Love Story performed by Vocal Rhapsody, KLT’s first ever GLEE-esque show choir. Vocal Rhapsody’s “Love Story” - is a show choir production with hit songs from artists such as Journey, Queen, Katy Perry and Meatloaf. It promises to be an exciting evening for all with some classic songs that everyone will enjoy. contact: http://www.theklt.com Sadu weaving workshop This workshop is of four weeks duration, and it will be held twice a week. The morning group sessions are on Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 12pm. The evening group are on Sunday and Tuesday from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. A total of 8 sessions of three hours each. This workshop will be held from January 22nd to February 18th. For more Information kindly contact Sadu House at: info@alsadu.org.kw SaduWeaving@gmail.com 2243-2395 or 9959-7983 Aware center “The AWARE Center cordially invites all those interested to its diwaniya presentation entitled, “Cross-Cultural Marriages,” by Iman Martin on February 14 at 7 pm. In this modern world cross cultural marriages are becoming more and more common. However, as with any marriage it’s not all plain sailing. What are the pros and cons of such marriages? How do societies view them? What are the common issues faced? What does Kuwaiti society feel about such marriages and what’s the Islamic viewpoint?

Are there any benefits for the children from these families? Discussion and Q&A will follow the presentation.

Join us on Feb 14.

AWARE Desert Camp Every year the desert beckons us to go and enjoy it quietness and serenity. Join AWARE for an all-day outdoor experience including: Camel rides, ATV rides, Sports, Hot buffet lunch, Arabian cultural displays.

Families and children welcome on Friday 17th Febuary.

Departure from Aware 9.45 am, return departure 4.30 pm. Registration deadline is Feb. 15. For more info call Aware 25335260/80 or www.aware.com.kw or email : info@aware.com.kw KALA, Kuwait-Medical Camp The preparations are in progress for the KALA Free Medical Camp in association with† Indian Doctors Forum, sheduled to be conducted on 17 February 2012 at Khaitan Cermel School, Kuwait. The camp is all set to start at 8.30 am and to comclude by 3 pm. KALA, Kuwait under the guidence of Indian Doctors Forum and under the auspices of Kuwait Medical Associtaion (KMA) is conducting this event for the benefit of people especially from labor camps. The consultation with the medical experts of IDF will be free and strictly through registration. Registration forms can be availed from any of the KALA, Kuwait units or from the website www.kalaonweb.com Filled application from should be handed over to the nearest KALA units or faxed/ e-mailed on or before February 10. For informations contact: 24317875 (KALA Office), 97124562 & 65806495 (Abbassya), 66180229 & 97234038 (Fahaheel), 99122984 (Salmiya), 66290980 (Farwaniya).

Comedy play Indian Cultural Society proudly presents new concept of comedy play “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi” with Bhagyashree & Akshay Ananad along with Krutika Sharma, Prairna & Navin Agarwal on 17th Feb at 7 pm sharp at Dr Kamil Al Rays auditorium American International School near Police station Maidan Hawally Kuwait. The Chief Guest for the event will be Ambassador of India, Kuwait and the guest of honor will be prominent personalities from Kuwait. For more information log on to ics.kuwait@gmail.com

Celebrate a romantic Valentine’s Day with Kuwait Marriott Hotels

K

uwait Marriott Hotels announces the launch of its exciting Valentine’s Day specials, designed to set the mood this February 14th at JW Marriott Kuwait City hotel and the Courtyard

by Marriott Kuwait hotel.

Guests are invited to enjoy a diverse range of truly romantic packages available at the JW Marriott starting with a lavish upgraded valentine buffet and a delightful array of red-themed desserts at the international La Brasserie Restaurant. Celebrations continue at the popular Terrace Grill steakhouse with a red rose, a memorable five-course lavish Valentine gala meal accompanied by live music entertainment and an intimate candle-lit. The Tuscany-

inspired CafÈ Royal is welcoming its patrons with heart-shaped cakes, impressive pastry assortments and beautiful takeaway items available daily from 11 am to 10:30 pm until 14th February.

Fascinating offers await everyone at the Courtyard by Marriott with a magnificent valentinethemed set menu for dinner created at the renowned Indian restaurant - Soul and Spice. For those seeking a cozy dining experience, guests can also dine at the Atrium restaurant - set in the heart of the hotel’s signature 8-storey high panoramic lobby - which will feature an international upgraded Valentine buffet with red-themed specialties that have been carefully prepared by Marriott’s expert

chefs. Romantic takeaway cakes, gift chocolates, red-themed pastries and charming goodie packs are available until February 14th at the Tiramisu CafÈ and the Atrium Lounge.

George Aoun, Kuwait Marriott Hotels’ General Manager said, “Valentine’s Day is a special occasion that comes once a year to give everyone the opportunity to express how they feel and what better way to do that, except through an intimate dining experience in the midst of a luxuriously enchanting atmosphere. We invite all our visitors to create memorable moments with their friends and loved ones by experiencing these wonderful tailor made offers.”

FWT and Society of Pakistani Doctors hold FWT free medical camp in Kuwait

F

riends Welfare Trust (FWT) and Society of Pakistani Doctors in Kuwait held its 10th FWT free medical camp under the patronage of Kuwait Medical Association on Friday, January 27. A sum of 802 patients visited the camp to discuss their problems.

The important aspect of this camp was that 28% were non Pakistani patients. Among them 121 were Indians, 61 Bangladeshi, 18 Arabs, 15 Afghanis patients visited the camp came from all over Kuwait from Abdalli to Wafra.

At this camp the specialties from every branch of medicine were available to serve the patients. These doctors worked continuously 6 hours to serve the patients.

Investigation facilities were also available including Hepatitis, blood sugar and blood pressure checking.

Most important aspect of this camp was that patient was given the medicines at the camp as prescribed by the doctors.

The blood sugar and blood pressure checkup was mandatory for

every patient visiting the camp.

According to our records, 32 new cases of diabetes and 44 hypertensive patients were diagnosed.

Booklets in Urdu on important and common diseases were also available free of cost at the camp.

Stall of the Friends Hospital (A charity hospital) which is being constructed at Rawalpindi for the poor and needy was also there at the camp to motivate the community.

Ambassador of Pakistan in Kuwait, Iftikhar Aziz also visited the camp.

He appreciated the efforts of Friends Welfare Trust that doing for poor and needy patients in Kuwait and Pakistan.

FWT is Pakistan’s non-governmental, non-political, non-profitable organization serving the poor and needy patients in Kuwait and also in Pakistan since 2005. Its aim and objectives are to provide health awareness and treatment facilities to the poor and underprivileged areas of Pakistan. For more information please visit FWT on www.fwtonline, or email: info@fwtonline.net

Free Arabic language course

I

PC and all its branches is opening free Arabic language course for ladies accessible in beginners and advanced levels. Class will commence on March 2, 2012. Islamic and Quran courses are also presented in different languages. Registration is on! Call the nearest IPC branch: Rawdah: 22512257 / 97290278; Salmiyah: 25733263 / 97533263; Mangaf: 23723002 ext.

124/123; Jahra: 24558830 / 97533948; Khaithan: 24730137.

Francis George former Member of Parliment and General Secretary of Kerala Congress Party along with Abey Varicad, managing partner of Orma Group International presents the gold gifts to the lucky draw winner of Orma Jewellery’s monthly Easy Gold Purchase Scheme.

31

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

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

Employees felicitated at The Regency’s annual gala party

T

he Regency Hotel organized an annual party for its employees and their families aimed at fostering stronger ties among the staff and acknowledging excellence in service.

The party was held at the hotel’s Fattouh ballroom and attended by more than 400 employees and their families.

The event kicked off with a speech by Jamil Al Sanea, the chairman and managing director of the Regency Hotel, expressing gratitude to the staff “for their contributions and efforts to take the level of service many notches higher.”

The chairman dubbed the annual party a gesture from the hotel management to promote stronger bonds between the employees and create a spirit of family, “which will then reflect positively in the overall output. We would also like to use this occasion to express our appreciation for those employees who retired last year after providing us valuable service for a long time.”

For his part, Riaz Mahmoud, the General Manager of The Regency Hotel, stressed the importance of providing

continuous care to the employees for a healthy and beneficial work atmosphere in the hotel. He hailed the Human Resources Department for procuring such an enriching pool of talents and devotion, “thus enabling us to fulfill our mission and objectives in the hospitality industry.”

Before the fun began in full throttle, deserving employees were felicitated.

Mahel Chanaka and Sellamuthu Selvarajah were named the employees of the year, out of the 24 candidates who competed for that honor.

Employees with long service experience too were feted.

The Regency’s employees comprise an interesting mix of nationalities, lending colour and vibrancy to the hotel’s atmosphere. To cater to all their tastes, the party had a folklore show representing the cultures and civilizations of 25 different countries. The party had competitions, family games and gifts galore to throw in to the fun, providing a perfectly enjoyable day for all the attendees, children and adults alike.

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 KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref.

New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturdays to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on the following dates during the month of February 2012.

National Day of Kuwait - Feb 25, - Saturday.

Liberation Day of Kuwait - Feb 26, - Sunday. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy will move its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location from 26 January, 2012. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, e-mail:myankuwait11@gmai1.com nnnnnnn

Sellamuthu Selvarajah (Center)

Mahel Chanaka (Left)

KDA disburses financial assistance to families of deceased members

K

ozhikode District Association, (KDA) Kuwait disbursed financial assistance to the families of late Sadananandan K. and Abbobacker Koya who died in Kuwait while they were members of the Association, in a function held on 3rd February 2012 at United Indian School, Abbasiya.

T.A.Ramesh, Gulf Mart Country Head disbursed funds to the family of Sadanandan while Pancily Varkey, Country Head of UAE Exchange Company disbursed funds to the family of Aboobacker Koya. Financial assistance under the “Karunyam” scheme for treatment of a member’s spouse was also given on the occasion by Ashraf Aydeed, patron of the association. under the Family Benefit Scheme the family of a deceased member is eligible for financial assistance of Rupees 2 lakh as per the terms of the Scheme.

“Karunyam” scheme aims at providing assistance for treatment of severe ailments of family members and other

Kozhikode natives.

Association President E. Rajagopalan presided over the function. Rishi Jacob, General Secretary welcomed the gathering. Malayil Moosakoya, former chief patron, Shabeer Mandoly, Patron, Hameed Keloth former patron and Central Executive Committee member spoke on the occasion. Jayaprakash. P, Joint Treasurer explained the “Karunyam” scheme while Saveesh K, Welfare Secretary gave the details of Family Benefit Scheme. Santhakumar M, Treasurer expressed the vote of thanks.

EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES For emergency, please contact the Consular hotline at 65184433. The Philippine Overseas Labor Office and other attached agencies shall continue to operate and hold office in Jabriya until 15 March 2012. All your passports and other consular concerns will be processed at our new location, except of course labor issues.

Regular working hours of the Embassy shall resume in Faiha. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF RUSSIA Embassy of the Russian Federation invites all the Russian residents in Kuwait to visit the Consulate for registration and updating your database. This information is necessary for prompt notice, assistance and warning in case of emergency. The consulate reception hours: 10:00 - 13:00, Sunday - Wednesday. The Embassy is located in Kuwait City, Daiya, Block 5, Diplomatic campus, Plot 17. Tel: (+965) 22560427, 22560428. Fax: (+965) 22524969, e-mail: rusposkuw@mail.ru, consdepkuw@mail.ru Information also available on the website: www.kuwait.mid.ru nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” (+ 965) 972-79-206. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF VENEZUELA Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , request Venezuelan citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy. This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Venezuelan citizens in cases of emergencies. Registration Information 25324367 or by email: embavenez@gmail.com. From Sunday to Thursday from 8.30am till 2 pm.

Write to us Send to What’s On

Amber Etian, spouse of the Swiss Ambassador to Kuwait, hosted a multinational cuisine cooking lecture at the Advocate for Westerners-Arab Relations center (AWARE) in Al-Surra. The event was attended by students from different nationalities, as well as AWARE President Ibrahim Al-Adasani who expressed gratitude to Etian and lecture supervisor Iman Martin.

upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 Killer Whales 03:35 Wild France 04:30 Into The Dragon’s Lair 05:25 The Animals’ Guide To Survival 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 Dolphin Days 07:10 Animal Cops Houston 08:00 Gorilla School 08:25 Growing Up...

09:15 The Really Wild Show 09:40 Project Puppy 10:10 Dogs vs. Cats 11:05 Daniel And Our Cats 12:00 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 12:55 SSPCA: On The Wildside 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Animal Precinct 14:45 Animal Cops Phoenix 15:40 Daniel And Our Cats 16:30 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 18:00 Talk To The Animals 18:25 Cats 101 19:20 Must Love Cats 20:15 Gorilla School 20:40 Wildlife SOS 21:10 Escape To Chimp Eden 21:35 Dolphin Days 22:05 Earthquake: Panda Rescue 23:00 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 23:55 Karina: Wild On Safari

00:05 Lark Rise to Candleford 01:00 Oliver Twist 04:00 Balamory 04:20 Charlie and Lola 04:30 The Large Family 04:45 Bobinogs 05:00 Buzz & Tell 05:05 Tweenies 05:25 Little Prairie Dogs 05:35 Nina And The Neurons 05:50 Balamory 06:10 Charlie and Lola 06:20 The Large Family 06:30 Bobinogs 06:45 Buzz & Tell 06:50 Tweenies 07:10 Little Prairie Dogs 07:20 Nina And The Neurons 07:35 Last Of The Summer Wine 08:05 As Time Goes By 08:35 The Weakest Link 09:20 Keeping Up Appearances 09:50 Doctors 10:20 Ray Mears’ Northern Wilderness 11:10 Monarch Of The Glen 12:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 12:30 As Time Goes By 13:00 The Weakest Link 13:45 Keeping Up Appearances 14:15 Doctors 14:45 Ray Mears’ Northern Wilderness 15:35 Monarch Of The Glen 16:25 The Weakest Link 17:10 Eastenders 17:40 Doctors 18:10 Holby City 19:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 19:30 Supernova 20:00 Waking The Dead 20:50 As Time Goes By 21:20 Keeping Up Appearances 21:50 New Tricks 22:40 Supernova 23:10 The Weakest Link 23:55 Holby City

00:20 01:05 04:25 06:40 07:25

Cash In The Attic USA Antiques Roadshow Masterchef Cash In The Attic USA Antiques Roadshow

08:15 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 08:45 Indian Food Made Easy 09:10 Masterchef Australia 10:25 Bargain Hunt 11:10 Antiques Roadshow 12:00 Come Dine With Me 12:50 10 Years Younger 13:45 Gok’s Fashion Fix 15:25 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 16:10 Holmes On Homes 17:00 Bargain Hunt 17:45 Antiques Roadshow 18:35 Cash In The Attic USA 19:00 Masterchef 21:15 Indian Food Made Easy 21:40 Gok’s Fashion Fix 23:20 Bargain Hunt

00:00 Wacky Races 00:20 Dastardly And Muttley 00:45 New Yogi Bear Show 01:10 Duck Dodgers 01:35 The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop 02:00 Tom & Jerry Kids 02:25 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 02:50 The Jetsons 03:15 Puppy In My Pocket 03:40 Popeye 04:00 Tom & Jerry 04:25 Looney Tunes 04:50 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 05:15 Droopy: Master Detective 05:40 Wacky Races 06:00 The Flintstones 06:25 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 06:50 Popeye Classics 07:00 The Garfield Show 07:30 Bananas In Pyjamas 07:55 Baby Looney Tunes 08:20 Gerald McBoing Boing 08:45 Jelly Jamm 09:00 Pink Panther And Pals 09:25 Pink Panther And Pals 09:50 Puppy In My Pocket 10:15 The Scooby Doo Show 10:40 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 11:05 The Flintstones 11:25 Duck Dodgers 11:50 Tom & Jerry Kids 12:15 Pink Panther And Pals 12:40 Wacky Races 13:00 Jelly Jamm 13:15 Baby Looney Tunes 13:40 Bananas In Pyjamas 13:55 The Garfield Show 14:45 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 15:10Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 15:35 Looney Tunes 16:00 Puppy In My Pocket 16:50 Pink Panther And Pals 17:40 Tom & Jerry 18:20 The Garfield Show 19:10 The Scooby Doo Show 19:35Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 20:00 Jelly Jamm 20:15 Baby Looney Tunes 20:40 Gerald McBoing Boing 21:05 Bananas In Pyjamas 21:30 Pink Panther And Pals 21:55 Tom & Jerry 22:20 Looney Tunes 22:45 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 23:10 Droopy: Master Detective 23:35 The Flintstones

00:40 Samurai Jack 01:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 02:20 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 03:10 Best Ed 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Adventure Time 04:50 Generator Rex 05:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 05:40 Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy 05:55 I Am Weasel 06:55 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 07:20 Powerpuff Girls 07:45 Angelo Rules 08:00 Casper’s Scare School

08:30 The Amazing World Of Gumball 08:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 09:15 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:40 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 10:05 Angelo Rules 10:30 Chowder 10:55 Adventure Time 11:20 Eliot Kid 11:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:00 Ben 10 12:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 12:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:15 I Am Weasel 13:40 Best Ed 14:05 Cow & Chicken 14:30 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:50 Eliot Kid 15:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 15:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 16:05 Courage The Cowardly Dog 16:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:55 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:10 Adventure Time 17:35 Regular Show 18:00 Cow & Chicken 18:25 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 18:50 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 19:15 Angelo Rules 19:30 Total Drama World Tour 19:55 Hero 108 20:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 20:50 Adventure Time 21:25 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 21:50 Courage 22:25 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 22:50 Cow And Chicken 23:00 Ben 10

00:20 01:10 02:00 02:45 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:00 06:20 06:45 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:10 08:35 09:00 09:25 09:40 09:47 pooh 09:50 10:15 10:40 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:45 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:20 14:30 15:20 15:45 16:10 16:40 17:05 17:30 17:55 18:20 19:10 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:15

replacements fairly odd parents a kind of magic stitch replacements fairly odd parents stitch hannah montana recess timon and pumbaa phineas and ferb good luck charlie fish hooks wizards of waverly place mickey mouse clubhouse jake & the neverland pirates handy manny the hive mini adventures of winnie the recess so random have a laugh hannah montana suite life on deck jake & blake sonny with a chance wizards of waverly place phineas and ferb so random suite life on deck wizards of waverly place have a laugh phineas and ferb my babysitter’s a vampire fish hooks shake it up wizards of waverly place timon and pumbaa good luck charlie fish hooks suite life on deck good luck charlie have a laugh wizards of waverly place hannah montana phineas and ferb shake it up fish hooks recess shake it up wizards of waverly place wizards of waverly place

THE OPEN ROAD ON OSN CINEMA

00:40 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Freddie Flintoff vs The World Mythbusters Gold Rush - Season 2 Specials Swords: Life On The Line How Does It Work?

Cake Boss Border Security Auction Hunters Extreme Engineering Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters Cash Cab Us Border Security Auction Hunters How It’s Made How Does It Work?

Cake Boss Gold Rush Swords: Life On The Line Swamp Loggers

00:40 Sci-Fi Science 02:25 The Tech Show 02:50 Thunder Races 07:10 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 08:00 The Gadget Show 08:50 How Does That Work?

09:15 How Stuff’s Made 09:40 Meteorite Men 10:35 Human Body: Ultimate Machine 11:25 The Kustomizer 12:20 Prototype This 13:15 Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman 14:05 Weird or What?

14:55 How Does That Work?

15:20 How Stuff’s Made 15:50 The Gadget Show 16:40 The Tech Show 17:05 Prototype This 18:00 Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman 18:50 Kings of Construction 19:40 Building the Future 20:30 Mighty Ships 21:20 Prototype This 22:10 The Gadget Show 22:35 The Gadget Show

00:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:05 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 01:30 Good Eats 01:55 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 02:45 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 04:25 Chopped 05:15 Kid In A Candy Store 05:40 Good Eats 06:05 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 06:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 06:50 Food Network Challenge 07:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 08:00 Food Network Challenge 08:50 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 09:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 09:40 Good Eats 10:05 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 10:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 10:55 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 11:20 World Cafe Asia 11:45 30 Minute Meals 12:10 Unwrapped 12:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 13:00 Good Eats 13:25 Guy’s Big Bite 13:50 Aarti Party 14:15 World Cafe Asia 14:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 15:05 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 15:30 Unwrapped 15:55 Paula’s Best Dishes 16:20 Andy Bates Street Feasts 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Guy’s Big Bite 18:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:50 Aarti Party 19:15 Good Eats 19:40 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 20:05 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 20:30 Restaurant: Impossible 21:20 Andy Bates Street Feasts 22:10 Easy Chinese: San Francisco 23:00 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 23:50 Mexican Made Easy

00:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 00:40 Special Agent Oso 00:55 Little Einsteins 01:20 Timmy Time 01:30 Jungle Junction 01:45 Handy Manny 01:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:20 Special Agent Oso 02:50 Jungle Junction 03:15 Little Einsteins 03:40 Higglytown Heroes 04:10 Jo Jo’s Circus 04:30 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Jungle Junction 05:25 Little Einsteins 05:50 Higglytown Heroes 06:20 Jo Jo’s Circus 06:40 Special Agent Oso 07:10 Jungle Junction 07:35 Little Einsteins 08:00 Higglytown Heroes 08:30 Jo Jo’s Circus 08:50 Jungle Junction 09:15 Higglytown Heroes 09:45 Handy Manny 10:00 Special Agent Oso 10:15 Jungle Junction 10:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:10 The Hive 11:20 Handy Manny 11:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 12:05 The Hive 12:15 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 12:20 Mouk (Cema) 12:45 The Hive 12:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:20 Imagination Movers 13:45 Little Einsteins 14:10 Imagination Movers 14:35 Special Agent Oso

14:45 Lazytown 15:10 Handy Manny 15:25 Jungle Junction 15:40 Imagination Movers 16:05 The Hive 16:15 Special Agent Oso 16:25 Little Einsteins 16:50 Lazytown 17:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 17:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:05 Mouk (Cema) 18:20 Handy Manny 18:30 The Hive 18:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:55 Imagination Movers 19:20 Lazytown 19:45 Jungle Junction 20:00 The Hive 20:20 Special Agent Oso 20:30 Jungle Junction 20:45 Handy Manny 20:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:25 The Hive 21:35 Little Einsteins 22:00 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 22:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 101 Dalmatians 22:40 101 Dalmatians 22:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 23:20 The Hive 23:30 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:35 A Poem Is...

23:40 Animated Stories 23:45 Mouk (Cema)

00:00 E!es 01:00 Countdown To The Red Carpet 02:00 Live From The Red Carpet 17:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 18:55 E!es 19:25 Live From The Red Carpet 21:25 Dirty Soap 22:25 Scouted 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:00 00:50 02:05 02:30 03:20 04:10 05:50 07:30 2008 08:30 09:00 09:25 11:55 12:45 13:35 14:25 15:15 16:05 16:55 17:45 18:10 20:40 21:30 22:20 22:45 23:10

Cowboy U The Dudesons Movie Parcour Ed’s Up Gumball 3000: 2008 Dr Danger AMA Motocross 2011 Ride Guide Mountainbike Ride Guide Snow 2008 BMX Masters 2010 Alli Presents Best Of The Streets Dragrace High Extreme Lives: My Right Foot I’ll Do Anything World Combat League Best Of The Streets Dragrace High BMX Masters 2010 Alli Presents I’ll Do Anything Extreme Lives: My Right Foot Ed’s Up Ed’s Up World Combat League

00:40 Couples Who Kill 01:30 I Was Murdered 02:15 The Will: Family Secrets Revealed 03:05 Kidnap And Rescue 03:50 Couples Who Kill 04:40 I Was Murdered 05:25 On The Case With Paula Zahn 06:15 Disappeared 07:10 Mystery ER 08:00 FBI Files 08:50 Forensic Detectives 09:40 Murder Shift 10:25 Mystery Diagnosis 11:10 Real Emergency Calls 11:35 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

11:55 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 12:40 Disappeared 13:25 Murder Shift 14:15 Mystery Diagnosis 15:00 Real Emergency Calls 15:25 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

15:50 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 16:35 Disappeared 17:20 FBI Files 18:10 Forensic Detectives 19:00 Murder Shift 19:45 Real Emergency Calls 20:10 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 20:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

21:20 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 22:10 Disappeared 23:00 I Married A Mobster 23:25 Scorned: Crimes Of Passion

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Travel Madness Earth Tripping Meet The Amish Weird & Wonderful Hotels Bondi Rescue Endurance Traveller Long Way Down Destination Extreme Travel Madness Earth Tripping Meet The Amish Weird & Wonderful Hotels Weird & Wonderful Hotels Bondi Rescue Endurance Traveller Long Way Down Destination Extreme Travel Madness Earth Tripping Banged Up Abroad Banged Up Abroad Naked Lentil Destination Extreme Somewhere In China Long Way Down Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy Banged Up Abroad Banged Up Abroad Naked Lentil Destination Extreme Somewhere In China Long Way Down

LITTLE BIG SOLDIER ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 09:30 12:30 14:30 16:00 18:00 20:00

Circle Of Eight-18 The Eagle-PG15 Four Brothers-18 The Karate Kid III-PG Stonehenge Apocalypse-PG15 Spartacus-PG15 Top Gun-PG15 Stonehenge Apocalypse-PG15 The Morgue-18 Top Gun-PG15 Empire-18

00:45 02:45 05:00 PG15 07:00 PG15 09:00 11:00 12:45 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Fading Of The Cries-18 Tron: Legacy-PG15 The LXD: The Uprising Begins-

01:00 Peter And Vandy-18 03:00 Glitter-PG15 05:00 The Tender Hook-PG15 07:00 My Girlfriend’s BoyfriendPG15 09:00 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.1-PG15 11:30 Napoleon Dynamite-PG 13:00 Flipped-PG 14:30 Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World-PG15 16:30 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.1-PG15 19:00 Shanghai-PG15 21:00 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry-PG15

The LXD: Secrets Of The RaThe Open Road-PG15 Shrek Forever After-FAM Tron: Legacy-PG15 Love N’ Dancing-PG15 The Boys Are Back-PG Gentlemen Broncos-PG15 Going The Distance-18 The Roommate-PG15

03:00 Friends 03:30 Friends 04:00 Dharma And Greg 05:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 06:00 Malcolm In The Middle 08:30 Friends 09:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 12:00 Malcolm In The Middle 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 13:30 Just Shoot Me 14:00 Friends 16:30 How I Met Your Mother 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 Modern Family 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 20:00 Community 20:30 Wilfred 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 Enlightened

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00

Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) Body Of Proof Off The Map Pan Am Good Morning America Eureka Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 08:45 10:45 12:45 15:45 17:45 19:30 21:00 23:00

Sugarhouse-18 Four Brothers-18 The Final-18 Bustin’ Down The Door-PG15 Attack On Leningrad-PG15 Rocky-PG15 The Postman-PG15 Attack On Leningrad-PG15 Little Big Soldier-PG15 Icarus-18 RoboCop 2-PG15 Luster-18

00:00 The Nimbols: Part I-FAM 01:45 The Big Green-PG 04:00 Ramses Of Egypt-PG 06:00 Dork Hunters And The Pirates Of Tortuga Island-PG15 08:00 Ulysses-PG 10:00 The Nutty Professor-FAM 12:00 The Big Green-PG 14:00 Turtle Hero: Part I-FAM 16:15 The Nimbols: Part II-FAM 18:00 The Nutty Professor-FAM 20:00 Nativity!-PG

00:00 02:30 03:30 04:00 06:00 07:00 11:30 12:30 16:00 21:30

ODI Cricket Highlights Trans World Sport ODI Cricket Highlights Super League Futbol Mundial European PGA Tour Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Premier League Darts Live Snooker The Welsh Open ODI Cricket Highlights

01:00 02:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 22:00 23:00

WWE Bottom Line UFC 143 UFC Unleashed WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience Speedway Intercontinental Le Mans Cup V8 Supercars WWE NXT WWE Experience WWE SmackDown UFC 143 Prelims UFC 143 UFC Unleashed UFC The Ultimate Fighter

00:00 Top 14 02:00 ICC Cricket World 02:30 Scottish Premier League 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Top 14 09:00 Scottish Premier League 11:00 World Cup Of Pool 12:00 World Pool Masters 13:00 Bass Fishing 14:00 Top 14 16:00 Scottish Premier League 18:00 ODI Cricket Highlights 18:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 20:00 Trans World Sport 21:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 21:30 Scottish Premier League

00:00 Asian Tour Highlights 05:30 ODI Cricket Highlights 06:00 FIVB Beach Volley Ball 07:00 Golfing World 00:00 Like Mike-PG 08:00 Super League 02:00 Away We Go-PG15 10:00 ODI Cricket Highlights 04:00 Josie And The Pussycats-PG15 10:30 ICC Cricket World 06:00 The Shape Of Things-PG15 11:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 Tom And Huck-PG15 12:00 Futbol Mundial 10:00 16 To Life-PG15 12:00 Nothing Like The Holidays- 12:30 Golfing World 13:30 ODI Cricket Highlights PG15 14:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 14:00 Finding Lenny-PG15 17:00 Super League 16:00 Like Mike-PG 19:00 Golfing World 18:00 Love Hurts-PG15 PGA Tour 20:00 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & 20:00 European Highlights Larry-PG15

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30

UFO Hunters The Universe Mud Men Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens The Universe UFO Hunters The Universe Mud Men Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens The Universe UFO Hunters The Universe Mud Men Pawn Stars Storage Wars

00:05 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:25 02:55 03:50 04:20 05:15 06:10 07:05 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 10:25 10:55 11:50 12:50 13:50 14:15 14:45 15:45 16:40 17:35 18:30 19:25

Glam Fairy Open House Open House Homes With Style Open House Videofashion Daily Videofashion News How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Married Away Clean House Videofashion News Videofashion News Videofashion Daily Open House Open House How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Clean House Dress My Nest Mel B: It’s A Scary World How Do I Look?

Giuliana & Bill Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane Jerseylicious Designer Marathon Tia And Tamera

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Rivers Of The World 02:00 Indian Times 03:00 Essential 03:30 Travel Today 04:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 05:00 Globe Trekker 06:00 Globe Trekker 07:00 Planet Food 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Planet Sports 10:00 Intrepid Journeys 11:00 Planet Food 12:00 Opening Soon 12:30 Wild At Heart 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Travel Today 14:30 Chef Abroad 15:00 Globe Trekker 16:00 The Ethical Hedonist 17:00 Globe Trekker 18:00 Life’s A Trip 18:30 Flavours Of Mexico 19:00 Planet Food 20:00 Globe Trekker 21:00 Essential 21:30 Cruise Today 22:00 Tall Ship Explorers 23:00 Going South

00:45 02:25 04:10 05:50 07:30 08:00 09:35 11:35 13:05 14:55 16:25 17:55 19:20 20:45

Dark Of The Sun A Patch Of Blue-PG The Liquidator-PG Light In The Piazza-PG TCM Presents Under The...-PG Saratoga-PG Little Women-FAM These Wilder Years-PG Travels With My Aunt-PG Ride The High Country-PG Never Let Me Go-FAM Edge Of The City-PG Conspirator-FAM The Prize-PG

Classifieds MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

(C 3859) Airlines QTR KLM PIA JZR JZR JZR THY UAE DHX QTR MSR FDB ETD GFA KAC DHX FAH JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB BAB GFA KAC IRC JZR RKM MEA MSR MSR KAC GFA SYR FDB UAL OMA QTR KNE SVA RJA KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD KAC UAE GFA SVA ABY JZR RBG BAB ALK JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC AIC KAC KAC FDB KAC JAI MSR DHX GRF MEA GFA QTR UAE JZR KLM TAR JZR UAL BBC DLH PIA

Arrival Flights on Monday 13/2/2012 Flt Route 138 DOHA 447 AMSTERDAM 205 LAHORE 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 185 DUBAI 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 370 BAHRAIN 148 DOHA 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 211 BAHRAIN 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 503 LUXOR 555 ALEXANDRIA 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 436 BAHRAIN 213 BAHRAIN 344 CHENNAI 6521 LAMERD 165 DUBAI 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 404 BEIRUT 623 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 341 DAMASCUS 57 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 645 MUSCAT 140 DOHA 745 JEDDAH 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 788 JEDDAH 284 DHAKA 257 BEIRUT 550 SOHAG 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 561 SOHAG 535 CAIRO 303 ABU DHABI 118 NEW YORK 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 3561 ALEXANDRIA 437 BEIRUT 227 COLOMBO 177 DUBAI 63 DUBAI 542 CAIRO 744 DAMMAM 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 975 CHENNAI 104 LONDON 774 RIYADH 61 DUBAI 552 DAMASCUS 572 MUMBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 372 BAHRAIN 81 BAGHDAD 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 445 AMSTERDAM 327 TUNIS 239 AMMAN 981 BAHRAIN 43 DHAKA 636 FRANKFURT 239 SIALKOT

Departure Flights on Monday 132/2/2012 Time 0:20 0:30 0:40 0:45 0:50 1:30 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:00 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:20 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:55 10:35 11:10 11:20 11:45 11:55 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:25 13:45 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:00 15:15 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:25 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:45 17:50 18:05 18:10 18:15 18:40 18:50 18:55 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:45 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:55 22:05 22:35 22:45 23:00 23:45 23:50 23:55

ACCOMMODATION

Airlines

Flt

Route

Time

UAL

981

WASHINGTON DC

0:45

AXB

390

MANGALORE

0:50

AIC

982

AHMEDABAD

1:05

DLH

637

FRANKFURT

1:20 1:40

PIA

206

PESHAWAR

KLM

447

AMSTERDAM

1:45

KAC

283

DHAKA

2:40

THY

773

ISTANBUL

3:15

FDB

68

DUBAI

3:45

UAE

854

DUBAI

3:50

DHX

371

BAHRAIN

3:55

ETD

306

ABU DHABI

4:00

MSR

613

CAIRO

4:00

QTR

139

DOHA

4:40

QTR

149

DOHA

5:40

JZR

164

DUBAI

6:55

GFA

212

BAHRAIN

7:00

FDB

54

DUBAI

8:25

KAC

545

ALEXANDRIA

8:30

BAW

156

LONDON

8:40

KAC

549

SOHAG

8:55 9:00

JZR

256

BEIRUT

KAC

671

DUBAI

9:00

JZR

534

CAIRO

9:15

KAC

787

JEDDAH

9:25

JZR

560

SOHAG

9:30

UAE

856

DUBAI

9:40

ABY

126

SHARJAH

9:45

ETD

302

ABU DHABI

10:00

FDB

56

DUBAI

10:05

QTR

133

DOHA

10:10

BAB

436

BEIRUT

10:25

GFA

214

BAHRAIN

10:40

KAC

165

ROME

11:45

KAC

541

CAIRO

12:00

IRC

6522

LAMERD

12:05

JZR

776

JEDDAH

12:15

KAC

103

LONDON

12:30

RKM

311

RAS ALKHAIMAH

12:50

MEA

405

BEIRUT

12:55

MSR

624

SOHAG

13:30

KAC

785

JEDDAH

13:40

JZR

176

DUBAI

13:50

MSR

611

CAIRO

13:55

GFA

220

BAHRAIN

14:20

FDB

58

DUBAI

14:35

KAC

551

DAMASCUS

14:40

SYR

342

DAMASCUS

14:45

KAC

673

DUBAI

15:05

KNE

746

JEDDAH

15:10

OMA

646

MUSCAT

15:15

UAL

982

BAHRAIN

15:20

RJA

641

AMMAN

15:35

SVA

501

JEDDAH

15:45

KAC

617

DOHA

15:55

KAC

743

DAMMAM

16:15

KAC

773

RIYADH

16:25

QTR

141

DOHA

16:30

JZR

238

AMMAN

17:15

QTR

135

DOHA

17:25

ETD

304

ABU DHABI

17:35

JZR

538

CAIRO

17:40

GRF

82

BAGHDAD

18:00

UAE

858

DUBAI

18:10

GFA

216

BAHRAIN

18:15

ABY

128

SHARJAH

18:25

RBG

3563

ASSIUT

18:30

SVA

511

RIYADH

18:35

BAB

437

BAHRAIN

18:55

JZR

134

BAHRAIN

19:05

ALK

228

DUBAI

19:10

FDB

64

DUBAI

19:20

JZR

184

DUBAI

19:55

KAC

1283

DHAKA

20:15

FDB

62

DUBAI

20:40

KAC

331

TRIVANDRUM

21:00

DHX

171

BAHRAIN

21:00

KAC

351

KOCHI

21:05

JAI

571

MUMBAI

21:10

MSR

619

ALEXANDRIA

21:45

KAC

543

CAIRO

21:55 22:00

DHX

373

BAHRAIN

MEA

403

BEIRUT

22:20

GFA

218

BAHRAIN

22:25

FAH

102

DUBAI

22:30

QTR

137

DOHA

22:35

KAC

301

MUMBAI

22:45

JZR

554

ALEXANDRIA

22:45

UAE

860

DUBAI

22:50

KAC

205

ISLAMABAD

23:00

KLM

445

BAHRAIN

23:05

TAR

327

DUBAI

23:35

JZR

528

ASSIUT

23:35

KAC

411

BANGKOK

23:55

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

To let from March 1, 2012, 1 semi furnished big room with attached toilet from a 3 bed room spacious flat in B’neid Al-Ghar. Ideal for executives. Rent KD 75/- for single occupancy and KD 95/- for double occupancy.

Contact: 60914165. (C 3868) Sharing available for Christian family, C-A/C, room + bathroom, near Learners Academy, Abbassiya. Small family or two bachelors. Contact: 66265733 / 24346514.

(C 3869) 12-2-2012 Sharing accommodation available for decent executive bachelor in Abbasiya near United Indian School.

Separate toilet, bedroom & balcony with coolpex & AC, new building. Contact: 97208351. (C 3866) 9-2-2012 Immediate sharing accommodation available for a decent Indian Christian bachelor or couple near Salmiya Garden. Contact: 66884273 / 25657832.

(C 3862) Sharing accommodation available in C-A/C flat in Abbasiya for two Christian bachelors or couple from 15 Feb. Contact: 65625804.

(C 3863) 8-2-2012

FOR SALE Chevrolet Optra 2009 is on immediate sale for KD 2,350/- as expat leaving Kuwait. Showroom maintained and in excellent condition. Contact: 99754454.

(C 3867) 11-2-2012

SITUATION WANTED Diploma Engineer/ 16 years project sales experience (9 yrs in Kuwait) seeking suitable position from reputed companies. Contact: 55339596/ 99759183. (C 3860) 7-2-2012

SITUATION VACANT Required live-in maid for a small Indian family living in Riggae. Contact: 99694619.

(C 3861) 8-2-2012

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for a Keralite C.S.I. boy (31, 5ft 7”) studied B.Com, presently well employed in own business seeks alliance from God fearing Keralite girl (C.S.I / Martomite) from India or residing in Kuwait. Contact: thjo53@yahoo.com with full details.

(C 3864) Orthodox parents in Kuwait invites proposals for their daughter (26 / 165 fair) B.Tech, B/B and currently working in Kuwait, from a well qualified/ employed Orthodox/ Marthoma boys.

Contact: invitesproposal@yahoo.com (C 3865) 9-2-2012 A proposal comes from a man, an Engineer, 50 years old seeks an Asian woman, decent, working, respectful preferable, who is coming recently to Kuwait. Email: bareer_96@yahoo.com

Orthodox well-settled parents invite proposals for their son, 28, 180cm, fair, MBA (Finance) from a reputed institution, employed in reputed bank in Kuwait from parents of professionally qualified God-fearing girls.

Contact: dr.matt32@gmail.com 7-2-2012 Proposals invited for Keralite Orthodox Christian boy (38, 5 7” whitish), God fearing Computer Engineering diploma working in Kuwait having family visa status seeking alliance from nurses and other professionals. The boy will be coming to Kerala in the middle of March. Contact email: dilkoshy@asianetindia.com (C 3858) 5-2-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Sobhana Kumari, holder of Indian Passport No. F0925460 here by change my name Sara Saad Mubarak Salman. (C 3870) 13-2-2011

MISCELLANEOUS Original guaranteed Palestinian virgin olive oil, large black and green olives for sale. Tel: 66517417 Whole Floor or small villa needed for rent in Shaab, Mansoriya, Nozha, Abdullah Al-Salem or Shamiya. Direct contact with owner. Tel: 9989018-99169016 A camp for rent in Kabed including five tents with all services. Complete privacy + game arcade. Tel: 97177714 Size 36 air pressure gun for sale in addition to a scope, safety lock. Shooting range 350 meters +bag+25 shots.

Price KD 70. Tel: 97790478 A 3700 watt, 2012 model ASTRA generator for sale.

Japanese parts assembled in China with pressure and gas meters. Price KD 85. Tel: 60066891 For rent in Hawalli a one bedroom (4x4m) and a 7x3.5 m reception+ terrace, fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Tunis street, behind Al-Andalus pharmacy. Tel: 99683200 A 2008 white, 1600 CC Nissan Sunny. Price KD 1700. Tel: 99553221 A 2008 dark blue 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with Beige sued interior, low mileage, touch A/C, CD, cruise con-

No: 15358

trol, front and rear sensors for sale. Price KD 6650. Tel: 99275550

TUITION

A 2009 white, 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with 40,000 mileage touch A/C, CD, cruise control, front and rear sensors for sale. Price KD 7850. Tel: 9747750855809093

Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels. Over 10 years experience.

Call 66495951. (C 3817)

A 2009 YUKUN Suburban GMC XL with low mileage and beige sued interior, electric seats, cruise control, super headlights, rear camera, remote recording and rear sensors. Price 8550. Tel: 99301914

Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels. Over 10 years experience.

Call 66495951. (C 3817)

For rent a two storey villa and a basement in Mangaf including 8 rooms, laundry room, yard, parking. Rent value KD 1000. Tel: 97996900 A storey and half for rent in Mangaf including two 3 bedroom apartments with 2 baths, reception, kitchen, driver room each. Tel: 66989887 For rent a ground floor in Qurain comprising of four rooms, large reception, 5 baths, maid room, courtyard, parking. Rent value KD 550. Tel: 66989887 A fully central air-conditioned two room annex in Mangaf with separate exit and shaded car parking for rent to expatriates. Tel: 67753557 For rent in Ashbelia: two apartments with 3 bedrooms, bath, kitchen and maid room each plus a yard in between. Tel: 90001594 A 2005 Mini Cooper for sale. Tel: 99224855 A 2006 Lumina for sale with genuine factory paint.

Price KD 2100. Tel: 69945429 A 2009 Touareg for sale.

Price 6350. Tel: 96670777 Senior English teacher for Pakistani, bilingual schools, T.M.A., Ielts, Toefl, IBT K.S.S., social studies and math. Tel: 99577430 For sale: a 375 square meter house in Omariya, fully rented for KD 600.

Price KD 185,000. Tel: 66815590 Transportation ser vice available. Payment in advanced conditioned for all areas. Tel: 66678633 The smallest and most up to date recording device (2012 model) for sale.

Finger size, voice activated, records up to 600 hrs, made in Japan. Free delivery. Tel: 99773818

Mathematics teacher, Intermediate and secondary Exams models, Easy method, Exams from past years with solutions. 97301901 English teacher (3) years experience, looking for a job and ready to start with all educational stages.

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Experienced in following learning difficulties, and those weak in reading and writing. 97264100 Female senior Mathematics teacher with more that 30 years experience in Kuwait, to teach secondary, intermediate and elementary stages.

Religious and applied, communications and navigation institutions, special courses and secretariat institution.

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Practical on laptop, power point projects, front page, visual basic data, universities and applied institutions.

50603063

34

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 587

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Your productive mind is clear today and you are able to separate the most complex concepts into their essential parts for easier understanding. Your objectivity should make it possible for you to talk about subjects that may have been too difficult before this time. This is a good time to look toward a future career path. Plans made today should work out, no matter how far down the road. Everything points to your taking the initiative on a humanitarian cause. You could feel great support from those around you. This afternoon is the perfect time to look for a new house. You may be able to find a house that you can afford to move into now. You are inventive and original—perhaps you will gain ideas on how to improve your own living environment.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Your imagination soars! Awareness and insight into others’ minds and into spiritual matters are especially strong. Leave any tasks requiring attention to precise detail for another day. Escape the rigors of the daily grind with a good fantasy or romance novel. Do not worry—reality always returns, but today you need a rest. This evening you will have fun finding new ways to make your dreams come true. A display in a store may allow hands-on play. Your attention to high tech equipment may give you thoughts about some rather simple methods that your Grandpa used to communicate with others. Perhaps this evening would be good for study—you have a real appreciation for ideas and thoughts. Include your mate in your ideas.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Any broad thin and limber covering attached at one edge.

5. A holy war by Muslims against unbelievers.

10. Someone who is morally reprehensible.

13. Pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance.

14. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

15. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

16. Russian mathematician (1856-1922).

17. A midnight meeting of witches to practice witchcraft and sorcery.

19. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

20. An abnormally large amount of this fetoprotein in the fetus can signal an abnormality of the neural tube (as spina bifida or anencephaly).

23. (archaic) Very cold.

24. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group.

26. A potent estrogen used in medicine and in feed for livestock and poultry.

28. Before noon.

29. A belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school.

32. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

34. (Scotland) A small loaf or roll of soft bread.

37. Jordan's port.

39. A tricyclic antidepressant (trade names Imavate and Tofranil) used to treat clinical depression.

41. Footwear usually with wooden soles.

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

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

45. An associate degree in nursing.

46. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

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

51. A department of Greece in the central Peloponnese.

58. The cry made by sheep.

59. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

61. Mild yellow Dutch cheese made in balls.

62. Any of various systems of units for measuring electricity and magnetism.

63. A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance.

65. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

66. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

67. (of the more skilled contestants) Selectively arranged in the draw for position a tournament so that they meet each other in later rounds.

68. (Irish) The sea personified.

69. An informal term for a father.

DOWN 1. A federally chartered corporation that purchases mortgages.

2. A person who has lied or who lies repeatedly.

3. A unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries.

4. Large dark brown North American arboreal carnivorous mammal.

5. An island in Indonesia south of Borneo.

6. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

7. A heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element.

8. An associate degree in applied science.

9. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hearing wholly or in part.

10. Alternatively, a member of the family Nymphaeaceae.

11. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.

12. The specified day of the month.

18. An undergarment worn by women to support their breasts.

21. A federal agency established to regulate the release of new foods and health-related products.

22. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

25. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

27. Large ornamental tropical American tree with bipinnate leaves and globose clusters of flowers with crimson stamens and sweetpulp seed pods eaten by cattle.

30. A large round wicker basket (used on farms).

31. The officer below the master on a commercial ship.

33. An informal term for a father.

35. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

36. Having nine hinged bands of bony plates.

38. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

40. Leave voluntarily.

42. All the New World monkeys except marmosets and tamarins.

43. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

48. American Revolutionary patriot.

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

50. Or or relating to or caused by tides.

51. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

52. Avatar of Vishnu.

53. part of the peritoneum attached to the stomach and to the colon and covering the intestines.

54. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

55. Small European freshwater fish with a slender bluish-green body.

56. A long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river.

57. An independent ruler or chieftain (especially in Africa or Arabia).

60. A coenzyme derived from the B vitamin nicotinic acid.

64. A public promotion of some product or service.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) There is a feeling that anything is possible if you set your sights high enough. There is optimism, faith and a tendency to really concentrate on becoming focused and reaching future goals. To you dreamers of impossible dreams, you will see dreams come true today. Do not let your high spirits get too far ahead of the discipline and attention to the details necessary to make any dream a reality. You are learning to make the most of your personal talents and abilities, working within your limitations instead of feeling hemmed in by them. This could mean anything from purchasing a product to painting a picture. Good luck! Do not hesitate to remove yourself from the house this afternoon—get outside and walk. Perhaps a movie will suit your fancy.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

The currents of love—giving and receiving—even the desire to nurture—flow easily today. For the unattached, this could spill over to the desire to form a new relationship, even if it is an unwise decision to do so; careful. Save those intense discussions for another time and just go with the flow. Coming to grips with the past or getting in touch with the mystical and the spiritual are the things that give a sense of satisfaction and completeness. Healing comes from destroying the roots of a disturbance—letting go. You and your loved ones or family may enjoy board games, bird watching, cooking, etc. You may find yourself feeling more private and in a stay-at-home mood this evening. This is a great time to spend with loved ones and family.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You may feel that you are giving more than you are receiving in a love relationship just now. Your significant other may feel the opposite. This can be a very narrow tightrope—talk it over this morning.

Be honest and do not leave anything out for now. The both of you will work this out today. Your physical desire can be very strong, even if you are unattached.

Creative or artistic activities are also stimulated. Power and money are compelling aphrodisiacs. Secrets, taboos and mysteries appeal to a deep instinctive yearning. To you dreamers . . . you just might make those wishes come true. Do not let your high spirits get too far ahead of the discipline and attention it takes to make your dreams a reality.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Even though this may not be a workday, you become more involved in teaching, student-teaching or tutoring. Helping young people seems to be where your energies are just now. The needs and desires of others take precedence over your own. Your time is not all work as many of these interactions with young people include plenty of fun conversations. Do not force matters just now . . . patience is a good thing. There is time later this afternoon to relax with a loved one. Marriage and other close relationships give rise to great expectations as a new cycle gets underway in your life. This is a time to enjoy and appreciate your ties to others and to seek and promote harmony in the interaction between people. Relax to music this evening.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) A fascination with the mysterious may be reawakened within you today. Going beyond just finding a good novel or movie, you may be drawn towards the serious study of some occult subject. The second type of mystery that may attract you today could be the deep-rooted feelings that cement your favorite relationship. Examination and analysis of these could be very strengthening to the union. Once again, there is the danger that some obsessive idea could monopolize your mind. It could be a symbol of some psychological energy that you should try to understand. That’s the third mystery. Keep an open mind today. A strong energy is present this whole month of February to help you improve your finances.

Check it out.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your energy is high! You feel vital; you feel good; you feel a sense of harmony with yourself, the entire world and everybody in it. Others can feel this, so they in turn are drawn to you, making this a successful day for any kind of group endeavor. Perhaps some sort of group sports can be enjoyed in the early afternoon. Best of all, relations with the opposite sex are at a peak. This is a super day to go on a date, be married or to be in love! Close relationships take on a more expressive depth and importance. Feeling cared for and needed is comfortable and that is what you work to achieve. This evening, you and your loved one will have time to talk about each other’s dreams for the future. For example, travel, lifelong wishes, etc.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

Today you would rather switch than fight. You are a pushover when it comes to a sad story. If there is some issue in progress that challenges you to think about your viewpoint, you would be wise to do a little research before making up your mind. Socializing and love interests are favored as well as overindulgence. Watch the calories and avoid the dessert table. You could feel great support from those around you. You feel healthy and natural. The home and family scene is likely to be in something of a change just now—this may mean moving, meeting a new addition to the family, or such. High tech equipment impinges on the domestic environment somehow. This could mean a new software product or a product that makes some chore easier.

You are appreciated today and you feel this from those around you. A young person needs guidance and you may find yourself counseling a group of young people today in order to create an understanding between age groups. You are willing to listen to the disagreements so as to find a happy middle ground. This afternoon a luncheon with friends brings back good memories of years past. Later today you may discover that you have a massive yen for warm cuddles—preferably from your significant other. It is okay if they are not as warm as you would like them to be. You really want a strong emotional contact with your special loved one. Hugs and cuddles help people to grow close and can be a good example to set for any young people around you.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Believe it or not—you are doing all the right things. Now, however, is the time to let up on you—take it easy—do nice things for yourself. Yes, that may be a difficult thing to do just now, but, if you do not let go of the stress you have experienced lately the pressure valve will be released in other ways.

You strive for a balanced life, high standards and like it when others do the same. The right thing to do now is to take care of you the way you take care of others—and . . . laugh a little! You will begin to notice that others are in a better mood and you will probably see the return of your old good nature. Little children or small animals bring much laughter this afternoon, maybe even cheerful tears. Enjoy a bit of chamomile tea before bed.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Indulge your curiosity today—your imagination and creativity are at their best. New ideas are easily understood and bring an interesting and exciting response from people. Make the most of this exciting day.

Someone is watching how you handle things and they may mimic your behavior. It is nice to know that we have the power to influence another person’s life. You are doing much better this year with your budgeting and as you look over your financial situation, you can see improvement. Continue to budget, even after you get those raises and realize a better income. Ideas and technologies that change the way people live may be much of your conversation with friend and family this evening around the dinner table.

A

y

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Years

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE STATE ST TAT TE OF KUWAIT K KUW WAIT A

112

Tel.: T e el.: 161

DIRECTORA DIRECTORATE ATE T GENE GENERAL ERAL OF CIVIL A AVIATION V VIA ATION T DEPARTMENT METEOROLOGICAL DEP D PARTMENT A DAY: DA AY: Y Sunday

WWW .MET.GOV V.KW . W WWW.MET.GOV.KW

12/02/2012

Ministry of Interior

Ext.: 2627 262 27 - 2630

Fax: 24348714

Issue Time Time

07:00

Expected Weather Weather for the Next 24 4 Hours Partly cloudy with moderate to fresh fresh north westerly wind, with h speed of 25 - 45 km/h causing caussing raising dust

BY Y DA DAY: AY:

website: www.moi.gov.kw north westerly wind, with Cold with w moderate freshening at times t w speed of 20 - 40 km/h and an nd some scattered clouds will appear

NIGHT:: BY Y NIGHT

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

No Current Warnings Warnin a gs

WARNING W ARNING A STATION ST TATION T

MAX. EXP EXP. P.

MIN.. REC.

KUWAIT KUW WAIT A CITY

19 °C

12 °C

24812000

KUWAIT AIRPORT KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

18 °C

11 11 °C

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUWAISEEB NUW WAISEEB A

19 °C C

12 °C C

Maternity Hospital

24843100

WAFRA W AFRA A

18 °C

11 11 °C

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

17 °C

07 °C

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDALY ABDAL LY

18 °C

08 °C

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

ALIYAH JAL ALIY YA AH

18 °C

07 °C

Adan Hospital

23940620

FAILAKA F AILAKA A

18 °C

11 11 °C

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

PORT AHMADI POR RT

19 °C

14 °C

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

UMM AL-MARADEM M

18 °C

15 °C

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

WARBA BUBYAN W ARBA A A - BUBY YA AN

19 °C

08 °C

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

Clinics

SFC. CHAR CHART T

12/02/2012 00:00 0 UTC

4 DA DAYS AYS Y FORECAST

4732263

Roudha

22517733

DAY DA AY

DA DATE AT TE

WEA WEATHER ATHER T

Adhaliya

22517144

Monday

13/02

Khaldiya

24848075

Tuesday Tuesday

Keifan

24849807

Wednesday Wednesday e

Shamiya

24848913

Thursday

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Fajr

05:10

MAX. Temp.

MA AX. T emp.

21 °C

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Sunrise S i

06 30 06:30

MIIN. IN Temp.

Temp.

MIN.

14 °C

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Zuhr

12:02

MAX. RH M

48 %

Asr

15:11 15:11

M RH MIN.

19 %

Sunset

17:35

MA AX. W ind MAX. Wind

N 50 km/h

Isha

18:53

TOT TAL AL RAI INF FA ALL L IN 24 HR. TOTAL RAINFALL

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

POLICE STATION

Rabiya

Al-Khadissiya

Al-Madena

Temperratures Temperatures MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction Direction Wind

Wind Wind Speed

partly cloudy

18 °C

12 °C

NW

12 - 35 km/h

14/02

cool + scattered clo clouds ouds

19 °C

09 °C

NW-VRB NW -VRB

06 - 26 km/h

15/02

scattered clouds to increase + scattere ed rain later on

21 °C

11 1 1 °C

VRB-SE

15 - 40 km/h

16/02

partly clo. to clo. + scattere ed rain+bl.du scattered

23 °C

14 °C

SE-NW

20 - 45 km/h

PRAYER PR RA AYER Y TIMES

RECORDED D YESTERDAY YESTERDA AY AT AT KUWAIT KUW WAIT A T AIRPORT AIRPORT

unless All times are local time un nless otherwise stated.

Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

00 mm

12/02/12 02:49 UTC

V1.00

T1.06

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345

Central African Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia

00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689

36

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

&

M o v i e s

Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Festival director Dieter Kosslick attend the premiere of the film “Don - The King Is Back” in Berlin on February 11, 2012. The 62nd Berlinale, the first major European film festival of the year, kicked off on February 9, 2012, with 23 productions screening in the main showcase. —AFP

Norwegians seek A-ha! moment Clooney, Pitt, Streep due at British film awards in North Korean music W I t’s not the face of North Korea the world is used to: five young musicians adding a playful twist to one of the most popular Western pop songs of the 1980s. On Saturday, an accordion quintet that gained unexpected YouTube fame with their cover of A-ha’s megahit “Take on Me” performed the song live at an arts festival in Kirkenes, on Norway’s Arctic border with Russia. “For many it is a revelation that North Koreans open up and play Western pop music with such great joy,” said Norwegian artist Morten Traavik, who recorded the video during a visit to the Kum Song school of music in Pyongyang in December. It has since been viewed more than 1 million times on YouTube.

ative and stigmatized,” he said. “I have a lot of good friends in North Korea. Like other people, they are proud of their country and nature. They are among the friendliest people I have gotten to know.”

However, he said North Koreans are marked by a “siege” mentality, from being cut off from the rest of the world by their own authoritarian regime. “It is important that they experience a very positive response during their visit here,” he said. “That they feel welcomed and taken care of.”—AP

The ensemble accepted his invitation to come to Norway, and their chords formed the musical backdrop Saturday as 250 Norwegian border guards holding colored flipboards tried to create a small-scale version of the giant human mosaics performed at North Korean mass games. It was choreographed by two North Korean directors, but instead of the patriotic motifs typical to those events, the display in Kirkenes featured local images, such as polar bears and reindeer herders, Traavik said.

It’s part of an art project that he’s labeled “The Promised Land.”“My idea is to challenge our perceptions of North Koreans, which is extremely neg-

ill the spies or the silent stars triumph? Espionage thriller “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and mute movie “The Artist” lead the race for British Academy Film Awards, Britain’s equivalent of the Oscars. “The Artist” has 12 nominations and “Tinker Tailor” 11, both including best picture and director. There are also multiple nominations for “Hugo,” “My Week With Marilyn,” “The Iron Lady” and “The Help.”

The British prizes, known as BAFTAs, are considered a strong indicator of likely success at Hollywood’s Academy Awards, and stars including Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Meryl Streep are due at the Royal Opera House ceremony. Director Martin Scorsese is due to receive a special award for his “outstanding and exceptional” contribution to cinema. —AP

British actor Sir Ben Kingsley and US director Martin Scorsese, left, pose for photographs during pre Bafta drinks reception for Scorsese at Claridges in London, Friday. —AP

In this frame grab from a December 2011 video provided by Morten Traavik of the Barents Spektakel festival, North Korean accordion players perform “Take on Me,” by A-ha, in Pyongyang, North Korea. —AP

The story of us: Lady Gaga and RedOne roducer RedOne says his goal in music was to “find the next Madonna or Britney (Spears).” Then he met an unsigned artist named Lady Gaga. The Morroco-born RedOne said he had been producing for 20 years and wanted his big break in America. He wasn’t interested in working with an unknown act, but went to the studio to meet the now-famous pop star.

Fast forward four years later, the two acts are multiple Grammy winners, and up for more awards at yesterday’s show. Lady Gaga’s latest album, “Born This Way,” is nominated for album of the year. It’s the singer’s third album, and third nomination for the top Grammy prize.

“She knows a lot about music,” said RedOne, born Nadir Khayat. “And we connected musically.” RedOne was just one of the hit songwriters on the BMI panel called “How I Wrote That Song” on Saturday at the Key Club in Los Angeles. He produced four songs on Lady

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Gaga’s latest album, including the Top 10 hit “Judas.” But it was “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” both No. 1 hits - that set the tone for RedOne, who has also lived in Sweden.

“I had this feeling that something was there,” RedOne said backstage before the event. “I’ve learned that anything is possible when you trust each other.” The panel also included Rev Run of Run DMC, Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan and hip-hop producer DJ Khaled, whose hit “I’m On One” with Lil Wayne, Drake and Rick Ross is nominated for best rap/sung collaboration at the Grammys. RedOne, who also produced hits like Jennifer Lopez’s “On the Floor” and Enrique Iglesias’“I Like It,” is currently working on Nicki Minaj’s sophomore album. “It’s a new sound for Nicki,” he said. “It’s her (on) the next level. You’re going to love it.” —AP

‘Phantom of the Opera’ marking 10,000 shows in NYC

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Nazis in space pack in the crowds at Berlin film fest sci-fi black comedy about Nazis from the moon invading Planet Earth is one of the hottest tickets at the Berlin film festival, which is better known for its gritty political fare. “Iron Sky”, a B-movie spoof drawing the crowds at the 11-day event in the German capital, imagines that Hitler’s surviving henchmen set up a lunar colony after the fall of the regime in 1945, biding their time to strike back. The opportunity comes in 2018 when a US astronaut exploring the dark side of the moon comes face to face with a Nazi soldier clad in a black uniform and a breathing mask.

Behind him, a secret military base shaped like a swastika looms into view, prompting giggles from the packed audience. The intergalactic farce produced mainly in Finland pits the would-be Fourth Reich against an America led by a Sarah Palin double, who is seen incessantly jogging in the Oval

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File photo shows singer Jennifer Hudson poses at The Pan African Film & Arts Festival’s opening night premiere of Screen Gems’“Think Like a Man” in Los Angeles. —AP

he Phantom of the Opera” is making musical history on Broadway. The production is celebrating its 10,000th performance Saturday in New York City’s storied theater district. The New York Times (http://nyti.ms/Ac4KnA ) reports that 2011 was the show’s highest-earning year. The newspaper says the show made a record $1.5 million in its best week last year, in December, and has made $845 million overall.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical opened on Broadway on Jan 26, 1988. It is an adaptation of the French novel by Gaston Leroux. The historic performance at the Majestic Theater included a giant cake and special curtain call. —AP

Office. “This basically came from a stupid joke dreamed up after a trip to the sauna,” said director Timo Vuorensola, who generated much of the financing for the film among fans online. “But we couldn’t get the idea out of our heads and we got more and more ambitious as we worked on the story.”

The film-makers see themselves as part of a long line of eccentric cinematic dreamers such as Ed Wood, the 1950s cross-dressing kitsch impresario immortalized by Johnny Depp in a 1994 movie of the same name by Tim Burton. Just over 90 minutes long, the film screening in the festival’s Panorama sidebar section shows the black astronaut’s skin being bleached white by a Nazi mad scientist, SS officer Klaus Adler, who dreams of becoming the next Fuehrer. The space Nazis use airships shaped like Zeppelin dirigibles and a giant craft called “Twilight

of the Gods” to launch a batty Blitzkrieg, while an Earth-based coalition of the willing deploys a navy cruiser called the USS George W. Bush.

The cast includes a host of camp regulars including Germany’s go-to psychopath, Udo Kier. The special effects are little to speak of compared to the film’s Hollywood antecedents but the 7.5-millioneuro ($9.9-million) movie is long on imagination.

Beyond the high concept, the film has also attracted attention for its innovative financing model: donations on the Internet, which ended up covering the total budget from supporters around the globe.Its producers say “Iron Sky” is one of the first films to successfully use “crowd sourcing” to generate cash, and are also launching a series of prequel comics, video games and licensed merchandise. The Berlinale, the first major European festival of the year, runs to February 19. —AP

Hudson, tattoo artist?

Could’ve happened f the whole singing and acting thing ever falls apart for Jennifer Hudson, you might find her working at a tattoo parlor.

The Oscar- and Grammy-winning performer was interviewed at the Grammy Museum on Saturday by Bob Santelli, the director of the museum. At one point, he asked her what she would be doing if she wasn’t able to pursue a career in singing or acting. “I promised myself a long time ago I would use my gifts and my talents,” she said. She added that she could draw: “(I’d) be a tattoo artist. I want to get a tattoo. I would give you one if you let me.”

Hudson also talked about her early musical influences and about one of the highlights of her career - being presented with a Grammy by her idol, Whitney Houston. “Who would present me with my first Grammy, Whitney Houston herself that almost overshadowed getting the Grammy,” she said. Hudson sang for the crowd before a brunch catered by

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Wolfgang Puck. The Grammy Museum event also celebrated the partnership between The Recording Academy and Gucci, which started in 2010.

The famed fashion house has created watches and jewelry in honor of the Grammys, with some of the proceeds benefiting the Music Preservation Program.

Working with the company Muzak, the organization aims to preserve music recordings. The Hudson event was one of several going on before the big awards show on Sunday. Across town at the Soho House, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation threw their annual pre-Grammy brunch with Nokia. Boldfaced names that showed up included Rihanna, Rashida Jones, Nicole Richie, Ellen Pompeo and Christina Milian.—AP

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

LIFESTYLE F a s h i o n

Rev up that little dr

with a heart-stopping h

Silk wrap dress: Milly.

Dress: St John, Neiman Marcus.

Fire up your Valentine’s Day soiree with a little dress that’s anything but black. We’re talking red bold, rich, vibrant, heart-stopping red.

—MCT photos

Fashion Week trends:

Dress: Stop Staring. ire up your Valentine’s Day soiree with a little dress that’s anything but black. We’re talking red _ bold, rich, vibrant, heart-stopping red. From flowing silk to a chic knit, red will always turn heads. It’s up to you to do the rest. l Dress: Stop Staring, $158, www.stopstaringclothing.com. Gypsy & Co. Earrings, $106, www.gypsyandco.com. Lane Knight Snakeskin cuff, $35, laneknight.com. l Dress: St John, $1,198, Neiman Marcus. “Palais” platform heels: Yves St Laurent, $720. Neiman Marcus. Earrings: Natasha, $25. Dillard’s. l Sequin shift dress: DKNY, $275, Neiman Marcus. Tights: Hue $12.50,

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Silk jersey dress: Ralph Lauren.

Military looks and drama ashion’s top brass seems to like the military look for next fall. Three days into the seasonal previews at New York Fashion Week Saturday, sharp-shouldered styles for the urban brigade have emerged as a trend.

Prabal Gurung, one of Michelle Obama’s favorite designers, opened his show with a sharp black cape - with a black patent-leather tank peeking out and black neoprene molded trousers.

The outfit oozed strength but it wasn’t overly tough, either. Alexander Wang had top model Gisele Bundchen in a military-inspired trenchcoat. It was a similar story at the Rag & Bone and Jason Wu shows a day earlier, which both took traditional military touches, including strong shoulders, epaulets, grommets and big buttons, and put them through a feminine filter.

Meanwhile, Tommy Hilfiger described his new men’s collection as “an academy look that is sophisticated, modern, a touch rebellious but buttoned up.” In the notes from Friday’s show he called the line “a personalized take on military precision.”

“Maybe there’s some subconscious thing with the troops coming out of Iraq,” said Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire. “There is a more positive spin on military, much more so than when we saw military after 9/11.” The look is a good one for consumers, she said. “Military is easy to wear. It smartens your outfit, chic-ifies outerwear and it’s a good color range of neutrals that are flattering.” Coles added, “The military is a well-oiled machine and military clothes reflect that. There’s organization and no room for doubt.”

But there’s a broad range of styles that tap into the trend, from crisp dress clothes inspired by officers to the more hipster interpretation of the urban warrior.

Gurung said his strong runway designs were more to make a statement and tell a story than some of his other looks for fall, which he described as “more wearable and sportswear-driven.” He said he didn’t have the first lady in mind when he conceived of the collection, adding, “I do hope she’s going to like something. But it’s more her effect has tremendous positive impact on my business.” Other Saturday shows included Christian Siriano, who’s zoomed to success since his 2008 win on the “Project Runway” TV show at age 22, showing winged dresses with a bat vampire theme; stylist-turned-designer Rachel Zoe with her trademark rockstar jetsetter look of thigh-high boots and faux fur coats; and Jill Stuart with sharp shoulders and dark floral motifs.

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Models showcase Fall 2012 fashion from Prabal Gurung during New York Fashion Week, Saturday.

—AP/AFP photos

Gisele Bundchen models Alexander Wang’s Fall 2012 collection.

Dillard’s. Lucite ring: Alexis Bittar, $112, www.alexisbittar.com. l Silk jersey dress: Ralph Lauren, $498, Neiman Marcus. Necklace: Anna & Ava, $28, Dillard’s. Ring: Anna & Ava, $15,.

Dillard’s Bourne “Adriana” silk and crystal heels: $250, www.bournecollection.com. l Silk wrap dress: Milly, $375, www.millyny.com. Silver and crystal necklace: Simon Sebbag Designs, $348, simonsebbag.com. Leather and rhinestone ring: House of Harlow, $49, select retailers including www.shopbop.com. —MCT

The Rachel Zoe fall 2012 collection is modeled.

PRABAL GURUNG Prabal Gurung offered sharp, edgy black outfits with strong silhouettes, slashed sleeves and high-gloss patent leather and ended with Oscars-worthy white gown gowns with feathers and gold lame. Somewhere in between, he fit in blouses and dresses in a recurring

print of a steer’s skull that sounds scary but was subtle and truly lovely. Gurung created hourglass shapes with sheer panels on models who sometimes looked like beanpoles. Some garments were molded to define silhouettes without making them clingy. Trousers were narrow but with boot-leg bottoms. Chic coats were also long and lean. He experimented with mixed textures, offering a patent leather coat embroidered with sheared mink loops, fox fur and tiers of goat hair, and on the other end of the spectrum, a white cocktail dress with a panel of gold tinsel and another of lame. A red carpet-ready black gown featured sheer tulle covered in beads and crystals.

ALEXANDER WANG Gisele Bundchen wore a military-inspired trenchcoat as part of an impressive group of top models on Alexander Wang’s runway, along with Shalom Harlow and Karolina Kurkova. The clothes including wool sweaters and tweed jackets were more straightforward than Wang’s recent cool-girl downtown vibe. The slick, glossy fall collection also featured looks in leather and chiffon, with colors like black, oxblood red and an optic white he called “peroxide.”

RACHEL ZOE Rachel Zoe has that old-school, rock-star girlfriend thing down. Zoe, best known as a celebrity stylist, flaunted the signature look that made her famous with a parade of faux fur coats, skinny-style tuxedos, maxi dresses and thigh-high boots that you imagine the young jet-set wearing as they shuttle from London to Los Angeles - perhaps with a stop in New York. They’re for the type of woman who can pull off gaucho pants, which were indeed part of the lineup. She said in her notes she drew inspiration “from the rock and roll glamour of London in the late ‘60s and such fashion icons as Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger.” —AP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

lifestyle

Whitney Houston looks over her shoulder as her husband Bobby Brown looks to her at the premiere of “The Wonderful World of Disney” movie “Cinderella,” at Mann’s Chinese Theater.

Whitney Houston and her husband, Bobby Brown, perform during the “VH1 Divas” duets.

Houston

recalled as happy in days W before death hitney Houston’s last days were spent surrounded by family, catching up with old friends and doing a bit of what she was best known for: singing. Her death Saturday afternoon in a Beverly Hills hotel room came hours before she was scheduled to appear at an annual pre-Grammy party that introduced her to the industry decades ago and was expected to honor the six-time Grammy winner. The 48-year-old singer had been making the rounds in the days before the event, appearing at rehearsals and offering advice to singers Monica and Brandy. On Thursday, she appeared with fellow singer Kelly Price on stage at a Hollywood club, where she sang the hymn “Yes, Jesus Loves Me” to loud cheers. With Houston’s daughter Bobbi in the audience, the women shared a long hug and talked about their lives and families throughout the night, Price recalled Saturday. Houston spent hours standing on the

In this Sept 10, 1998 photo, Mariah Carey, left, and Whitney Houston present the award for Best Male Video during the MTV Video Music Awards.

Dated May 28, 2003 filed photo shows US singer and actress Whitney Houston smiling as she walks with her husband Bobby Brown next in the old city of Jerusalem.

In this July 17, 1994, file photo, Whitney Houston performs before a sellout crowd at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif, during closing ceremonies for the final match that pits Italy against Brazil in the World Cup.

Whitney Houston performs “Until You Come Back To Me” during the 26th annual American Music Awards.

In this Nov 25, 2002, file photo, Whitney Houston, right, smiles at her husband, singer Bobby Brown, during a court hearing in Dekalb County State Court in Decatur.

side of the stage at the event honoring R&B music then joined partygoers on the dance floor, she said. “Whitney on Thursday night was one of the girls.”

“She was happy,” Price said. “She was the Whitney I always knew.” Soul singer Kenny Lattimore, who co-hosted the R&B event, said Houston seemed to be having a good time, making her sudden death “such a shock for me.” He said Houston didn’t appear to be having any issues. Houston struggled for years with addiction to cocaine, marijuana and pills and the years of hard-living took a toll on her once-pristine voice. During rehearsal for a pre-Grammy event Thursday, Houston appeared disheveled, sweated profusely and her breath smelled of liquor and cigarettes, said a source who was present but not authorized to speak publicly.

Despite more than a decade of problems, including her divorce from Bobby Brown and numerous instances of erratic behavior, Houston was working toward a potential comeback. She had just completed work on a remake of the film “Sparkle,” a project she’d worked to develop for years. Yet some speculated that she was under the influence after the Thursday club appearance, when paparazzi snapped photos of Houston leaving and looking disheveled. Price called the rumors “totally untrue.”

There was a family feel to the gathering, she said: “Our kids were there.” Price said she and Houston were planning another reunion, and that she was set to appear at the pre-Grammy gala thrown by her longtime mentor, Clive Davis, on Saturday night. Davis had expected that Houston would sing at the party, which went on as planned, he explained, because the diva would have wanted it that way.

It took place in another part of the hotel from where her body was being examined by coroner’s officials. “I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me,” Davis said. “She was full of life, looking forward for tonight. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music.” Officials have released few details about how Houston was found or what killed her. A member of her entourage found the singer and alerted hotel security and paramedics already on site for Davis’ gala. They failed to revive the singer. In the hours after Houston’s death, fans chose to remember the singer in better times, when her soaring voice introduced a new generation to the Dolly Parton song “I Will Love You” and propelled the film “The Bodyguard” into blockbuster status. —AP

In this Jan 16, 2010 photo, Whitney Houston accepts an award at the Warner Theatre during the 2010 BET Hip Hop Honors.

In this Sept 1, 2009 photo, Whitney Houston performs on ‘Good Morning America’ in Central Park in New York.

In this March 3, 1988, photo, Whitney Houston poses with her Grammy at the annual Grammy Awards presentation in New York.

In this January 1, 2000 photo shows American singer Whitney Houston performing at private function just after midnight 01 January 2000 in Hong Kong.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

lifestyle

File photo shows Artist Whitney Houston performing onstage at the 37th Annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles. — AP/AFP photos

Pre-Grammy gala celebrates Whitney Houston’s life Key dates from Houston’s life 1963: Whitney Elizabeth Houston is born in East Orange, NJ to gospel singer Cissy Houston on Aug 9.

1974: Starts performing as soloist in junior gospel choir at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, NJ. 1978: Sings backup on mother’s album “Think It Over,” beginning run of backup performances for artists including Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and Lou Rawls.

1983: Arista records executive sees her performing on stage with her mother, label head Clive Davis sees her soon after and signs her to contract.

1985: Debut album, “Whitney Houston,” is released, selling millions and spawning huge hits “How Will I Know,” “You Give Good Love,” “Saving All My Love For You” and “Greatest Love of All.” 1987: Multiplatinum follow-up album “Whitney” is released. Includes hits “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “So Emotional” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” 1988: Records theme song for Seoul Olympics, “One Moment In Time.”

1991: Returns to limelight with performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl during the first Gulf War. 1992: Stars opposite Kevin Costner in “The Bodyguard.”

The hit film makes Houston a Hollywood star and its theme song, “I Will Always Love You,” becomes a signature hit that tops charts for weeks and wins Grammys for record of the year and best female pop vocal.

1992: Begins high profile and tumultuous marriage to former New Edition member and soul-singing star Bobby Brown.

1993: Has daughter with Brown, Bobbi Kristina.

1995: Stars in movie “Waiting to Exhale.”

1996: Stars opposite Denzel Washington in “ The Preacher’s Wife.”

1997: Appears as fairy godmother in TV version of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.”

1998: Releases album “My Love Is Your Love.” Song “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay” brings Grammy for best female R&B vocal.

2003: Police respond to domestic violence call from Houston about Brown. Police find Houston with cut lip and bruised cheek.

2004: Briefly enters drug rehabilitation clinic.

2005: Returns to drug rehab under court order.

2005: Appears in reality TV show “Being Bobby Brown.”

2006: Files for legal separation from Brown.

2007: Divorces Brown.

2009: Comeback album “I Look To You” debuts at top of charts, eventually goes platinum.

2010: In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, declares herself drug free. She would return to rehab in 2011.

2012: Dies at age 48 in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, Calif, on Feb 11.

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t was a surreal scene: Whitney Houston had died at the Beverly Hilton, and hours later and a few floors below, her life was being celebrated at the event where her career was launched. On Saturday night, Clive Davis Houston’s mentor, producer, champion and longtime friend - memorialized her at his pre-Grammy gala, held downstairs in the same hotel where her body was being examined by coroner’s officials. Ray Davies and Elvis Costello took to the stage to perform as Los Angeles county coroner’s Capt John Kades arrived at the hotel. Alicia Keys arrived earlier and embraced Davis as he prepared for the show under extreme duress.

Media mobs a coroner’s van as it leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel, early yesterday.

Whitney Houston’s worldwide hits, albums Billboard number ones: * “Saving All My Love For You” (1985) - (1 week) * “How Will I Know” (1985) - (2 weeks) * “Greatest Love Of All” (1986) - (3 weeks) * “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (1987) (2 weeks) * “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” (1987) - (2 weeks * “So Emotional” (1987) - (1 week) * “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” (1988) - (2 weeks) * “I’m Your Baby Tonight” (1990) - (1 week) * “All The Man That I Need” (1990) - (2 weeks) * “I Will Always Love You” (1992) - (14 weeks) * “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” (1995) - (1 week)

Remembering Whitney Houston In New York City atmosphere at the Apollo Theatre on the streets of Manhattan on February 11, 2012 in New York City.

With celebrities including Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Dr Dre, Mary J Blige and Jennifer Hudson in attendance, a somber Davis, reading from a sheet of paper, said: “I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me. She was full of life, looking forward for tonight. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music.” He added: “Whitney was a beautiful person and she had a talent beyond compare. She graced this stage ... so many times. So simply put: Whitney would have wanted the music to go on.”

He dedicated the evening to her and asked for a moment of silence as a photo of the 48-year-old, hands wide open, looking to the sky, appeared on the screen.

Then, he said with excitement: “Now ladies and gentlemen, let the music begin.” Davis introduced Houston, a young woman with a scintillating voice, more than two decades ago at his annual pre-Grammy soiree. Bennett, the evening’s first performer, recounted other recent big-name deaths in the music industry.

“First it was Michael Jackson, then Amy Winehouse, now the magnificent Whitney Houston,” he said. “Let’s legalize drugs, like Amsterdam. It’s a very sane city now.”

He added that Houston was “the greatest singer I’ve ever heard in my life.” The scene was somewhat surreal given Houston’s shocking death only earlier in the day. But Grammy president and CEO Neil Portnow, who called Houston a friend, said “canceling the party was never an option.” “A lot of us holding hands tonight, on each other’s shoulders ... We’ll be celebrating,” he said. “The legacy she left will be here forever.”

He announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Houston at yesterday’s Grammys. Diddy gave his own memories of Houston, recalling her incredible smile and positive spirit. He said when he heard she died, “I was in a state of shock.” “Whitney Houston, simply put, had the greatest voice of the world,” he told the crowd. “Hearing her sing was like listening to magic. ... We lost an angel, and anytime we think of Whitney, we have to remember the positivity she gave us, when she performed, she per-

Albums: Flowers and candles are left by fans of US singer Whitney Houston on the street outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California late on February 11, 2012. formed 5,000 percent. She wasn’t a hater, she was a congratulator.” R&B singers Monica and Brandy, heavily influenced by Houston, were supposed to perform together at the event, but Davis said the singers were “too heart-stricken.” “I know the role Whitney played in their lives. Thank you for staying,” he said. Earlier in the evening, India. Arie said Houston “set the standard for what it is to be a great female artist.” Producer Jimmy Jam said her death was a “bittersweet irony” given that Davis heralded Houston as a great talent to watch when he had her perform at his party in her youth. “The fact that it happened on this day, this event is where Clive Davis introduced Whitney to the world. We said hello to Whitney at the Clive Davis (gala), it may be appropriate we’re saying our first goodbyes to Whitney at a Clive Davis event,” Jam said. “In a weird way it’s appropriate, the show must go on. I think Whitney would have wanted that to happen. ... Tonight I think we begin to celebrate and remember.”

Keys called the evening a “very special night” and, after singing a line from Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” noted how the late diva had inspired her. “You think about how this person touched you,” she said. “(Then) you form a friendship, a sisterhood, a bond. You see how incredible they really are. ... She was a sister to me.”

Moments later, she launched into her hit “No One,” saying: “This one’s for her. Let’s sing her into heaven.” — AP

* “Whitney Houston” (1985) * “Whitney” (1987) * “I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990) * “My Love is Your Love (1998) * “Just Whitney” (2002) * “One Wish: The Holiday Album” (2003) * “I Look to You” (2009). — AFP

This May 27, 2003 photo shows US singer Whitney Houston and her husband Bobby Brown in Jerusalem.

In this October 11, 1998 photo one of the world’s most popular US singer Whitney Houston, her husband, US singer Bobby Brown and their daughter Christina, arrive at the International Achievement in Arts Awards in Beverly Hills.

In this March 25, 2001 photo, Bobby Brown and his then wife Whitney Houston arrive at Vanity Fair’s Oscar party at Morton’s in Hollywood on Sunday, March 25, 2001.

In this Oct 21, 1998 file photo, former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali is greeted by Whitney Houston as he arrives on stage at New York’s Radio City Music Hall to accept a GQ “Men of the Year” Award.

Rev up that little dress with a heart stopping hue

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Brooke Shields, center, poses with models styled in Barbie’s most iconic looks on loan from the Albright Fashion Library at Barbie: The Dream Closet Fashion Week event, Saturday, Feb 11, 2012, in New York.

—AP photos

Barbie

celebrated at Fashion Week bash

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arbie threw open the sparkly, pink doors of her dream closet to rock a party she hosted for her fellow fashionistas. She (well, actually the Mattel marketing machine that has kept Barbie dolls a bestselling toy for more than a half-century) hired a DJ to keep the beat and made sure the drinks flowed Friday night as models - the real-life kind worked the balconies of a Lincoln Center atrium dressed in some of Barbie’s watershed looks. Guests mingled alongside a wall of pink-heeled pumps or stood before large computer screens to virtually rummage through the 53-year-old icon’s wardrobe, from career to couture. The technology produced parting gifts of photos for her New York Fashion Week friends to preserve their Barbie moments. The

A visitor chooses among outfits to be superimposed on her image at the Barbie Dream House.

A demonstrator takes a picture of herself using the new Barbie Photo Fashion Doll, available this fall.

Rows of shoes line a wall at the Barbie Dream House party. dream closet tech was a demonstration of what kids can do at home on their own computers if they visit BarbieWow.com and have webcams. “Everything’s awesome. I picked a pink dress. I have it at home,” said 7-year-old Amirit Small, who attended the packed party with her dad and 11-year-old sister, Leila. Dad was clearly enjoying the dad points he racked up for making it past Barbie’s sparkly pink door rope and onto her pink carpet. There were plenty of Barbie moments to go around among the crowd. Steven Stolman, president of the home decor and accessories line Scalamandre, is known more for his signature zebra prints than the Barbie he was asked to style as a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America several years ago. He chose a little black number.

“We tracked it down in a Target in Milwaukee,” said Stolman, whose two older sisters were Barbie fans growing up. Among girls growing up with

Barbie, who didn’t spend at least some time during the impressionable years styling or dyeing the doll’s hair? But what did Stolman do? What brothers are supposed to, of course: “I used to pull Barbie’s head off.” Stephanie Cota, Barbie’s senior vice president of marketing, has been rolling out her gal at Fashion Week for several years. There was a runway show in 2009 for the doll’s 50th anniversary, featuring outfits by 50 designers who included Vera Wang, Diane von Furstenberg and Calvin Klein.

“What better way to celebrate a fashion icon than here at Fashion Week,” Cota said. It was Ken’s turn last year. The Babs boyfriend was feted at Fashion Week in looks by Rag & Bone, Yigal Azrouel and others. In all, 75 couture designers have outfitted Barbie over the years. Cota and her Mattel crew were loaded with Barbie tidbits: There’s a “Barbie Pink” Pantone color and more than 1 billion outfits produced for her since she first hit stores as a “teenage fashion model” in 1959 wearing a black-and-white zebra stripe swimsuit. Barbie also has a shoe collection to die for with thousands of the tiny things that parents with vacuum cleaners love to hate.

On loan for the party from the city’s Albright Fashion Library were Barbie-inspired outfits worn by human models representing Barbie’s passage through the decades. One was 1959 Barbie in her first swimsuit, done by Liza Bruce, and another was “Black Barbie” of 1980 in an Alexander McQueen jewel-collared red wrap jersey dress. Dolce & Gabbana did “CEO Barbie” proud with a double-breasted wool gabardine suit in, you guessed it, pink. —AP

A model dressed as a Barbie doll poses for a picture at the Barbie Dream House party.