19 Nov

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Big funeral for Hindu extremist leader Thackeray

New leader of Egypt Coptic Christians enthroned

150 FILS NO: 15632 40 PAGES

The staying power of ‘Gangnam Style’

8

12

www.kuwaittimes.net

MOHARRAM 5, 1434 AH

Czechs beat holders Spain to win Davis Cup

37

20

Israel kills kids as Gaza assault rages Obama fully backs Israel • Truce efforts intensify

Max 24º Min 16º High Tide 02:25 & 16:46 Low Tide 09:29 & 21:29

conspiracy theories

Jailed and massacred

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

can’t even begin to describe what is going on in Gaza now. I am lost for words. No words can express the sorrow, sadness and pain that have fallen on innocent civilians, most of whom are women and children. Just look at some of the pictures and they tell the story of grief. These images speak for themselves.

This is the fifth day the Israelis are shelling besieged Gaza using all kinds of sophisticated weaponry which the West and the Israelis have ever invented. What hurts more is when you hear big countries that are expected to play a pacifying role in conflicts add salt to the wound.

Instead of asking both sides to stop, they say instead: “Israel has the right to defend itself.”

Does that mean that the Gaza people have no rights at all?

According to the Israelis, with the current attack they want to teach Gaza a lesson because previously Hamas and some of its fac tions launched home -made rockets against the Israelis. But at the same time, Israel assassinated the influential Hamas commander Ahmad AlJaabari.

Excuse me, but this is not a balanced war. It is like a wrestling match between an elephant and a turtle. Even Hamas missiles hardly hit anybody. Of how many years you can count any casualties of these rockets on your fingers?

Today, in comparison, a strike on Gaza massacred a whole family.

First of all, Israel does not exist on its land. It occupied that land in 1948. These people, when they throw simple and trivial missiles, the West and the whole world should ask: “Why?” On top of that, their land is occupied and they live in constant agony. Most of the politicians have visited Gaza and know the situation there. Gaza has been under siege for ages. Poverty prevails all over. There is no infrastructure or electricity for half the year. There is no proper food or medicine. There are no jobs and no freedom. Gaza is literary a big jail. One day the border crossing Rafah is open and another 10 days later it is closed. Even when it is open, people have to provide millions of documents to pass. It is not a walk in the park.

Imagine if you live in such conditions. What will happen to your mind? People who live in big cities and have all luxuries lose it. Put yourselves in Gaza’s shoes and tell me what would happen?

Will you ever come up with the response that Israel has the right to defend itself.

Forgive me Gaza, this is the least I could do for you!

GAZA CITY: (Left) The bodies of four children from the Al-Dalu family lay in a hospital after an Israeli missile struck their home killing at least eight members of the family yesterday. (Right) A Palestinian man cries next to the body of a dead relative in the morgue of Shifa Hospital yesterday. — AFP/AP

40 candidates disqualified Liberals reaffirm boycott • Tweeters remanded

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The newly-established National Election Commission yesterday disqualified 40 candidates including several former MPs over a variety of reasons - mainly over not keeping good conduct - but many of them said they will challenge the decision in court and were confident they will nullify the decisions. The commission, established by an Amiri decree last month, comprises nine top judges and is independent. Its decisions cannot be appealed but can be challenged in the administrative court.

Prominent among those disqualified are former MPs Youssef AlZalzalah, Saleh Ashour, Khalaf Dumaitheer, Askar Al-Enezi, Khaled AlAdwah, Saadoun Hammad Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Supporters of liberal groups gather in Irada Square opposite the National Assembly yesterday. — AP

GAZA CITY: Israeli air strikes yesterday killed 21 Palestinians in the bloodiest day so far of its massive air campaign on the Gaza Strip, as diplomatic efforts to broker a truce intensified. With Egypt at the centre of efforts to broker a ceasefire, Palestinian officials said it was possible a deal would be reached “today or tomorrow”. But there was no letup in the bloodshed in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, with medics saying women and children accounted for most of Sunday’s 21 killed, among them four toddlers, in Israeli strikes from the air.

In the day’s most lethal raid, at least eight members of the same family - four of them children - were among 11 civilians killed when an Israeli missile destroyed the Dalu family home in Gaza City, the health ministry said. At the scene, medics and bystanders all pitched in to remove the rubble to dig out the bodies in the futile hope of finding survivors, as people watched in shock, some weeping openly.

Israel’s chief military spokesman said Yihia Abayah, a senior commander of rocket operations in the Gaza Strip, had been the target. The spokesman, Yoav Mordechai, told Israel’s Channel 2 television he did not know whether Abayah was killed, “but the outcome was that there were civilian casualties”. He made no direct mention of the destroyed dwelling. “The massacre of the Dalu family will not pass without punishment,” Hamas’s armed wing said in a statement. The latest violence hiked the Palestinian casualty toll to 67 dead and more than 600 injured Continued on Page 13

Iran warns against arming Syria rebels

TEHRAN: Representatives of the Syrian government and opposition listen to Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (unseen) speak ahead of a ‘national dialogue’ meeting yesterday. — AFP

Blaze guts Dubai high-rise DUBAI: Rescue crews in Dubai safely evacuated a 34-storey residential tower yesterday after a fire gutted portions of the building, police said. The blaze charred the outside of the structure and send gray smoke drifting over a major development known as Jumeirah Lakes Towers, a cluster of high-rise apartment buildings and shops on the southern edge of Dubai. Residents, some wearing pajamas and clutching passports and other belongings, stood on roadways watching flames pour from windows on high floors. Pieces of fiery debris fell from the facade.

A statement from Dubai Police said the fire was brought under control and no casualties were reported. The blaze, however, is likely to add to calls for greater fire safety and evacuation planning in the United Arab Emirates, where hundreds of thousands of people live in high-rise buildings.

The UAE is considering bans on flammable panels DUBAI: Flames engulf the Tamweel residential tower at Jumeirah Lakes Towers yesterday. — AP in high-rise buildings. — AP

TEHRAN: Iran yesterday warned against sending weapons to Syrian rebels battling its ally in Damascus, saying that this would threaten regional stability and increase the “risk of terrorism”. “Some countries envisage arming the opposition with heavy and semiheavy weaponry,” Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in a speech to open an inter-Syria dialogue in Tehran. “In reality, they seek to legitimise publicly what they have been doing in secret,” Salehi said, without naming any country.

Today, EU foreign ministers at talks in Brussels are due to discuss lifting a strict embargo on arms deliveries to Syria. France has publicly said it favours sending “defensive” weapons to the Syrian opposition. The initiative would allow the arming of the National Coalition of opposition groups formed in Doha on Nov 11. Salehi said such arms deliveries would set a “dangerous precedent” and constitute “a clear interference in the affairs of an independent country”. “It will spread insecurity, the risk of terrorism and

organised violence in all of the region,” he said. Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime and its main allies, Iran and Russia, accuse some Arab and Western countries of having secretly provided weapons to Syrian rebels for months.

Russia has warned that providing the coalition with weapons would be a “gross violation” of international law. In a message to the Tehran meeting, Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia and Iran “shared a common position on the crisis in Syria,” the official IRNA news agency reported.

Lavrov also warned against the risk of weapons ending up in the hands of “Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups” which he said were seeking to seize Syria. No representative from the Syrian opposition coalition attended the Tehran meeting, as it rejects dialogue for as long as Assad remains in power. Iranian media said the meeting brought together some 200 representatives of the Syrian government and different political, religious and ethnic groups. — AFP

Bahrain bans Gaza marches DUBAI: Bahrain rejected requests by several groups to organise a pro-Gaza march yesterday, after a protest ban announced last month, but instead allowed sit-ins in office buildings, the interior ministry said. “Several political associations asked that they be allowed to organise a march to the UN offices in Manama this afternoon (Sunday) under the slogan ‘Save Gaza’,” a ministry statement received by AFP said. Bahrain’s interior ministry “told the organisers that their requests for a march have been rejected in order to preserve security in implementation of the decision to ban demonstrations and gatherings,” it said. Instead, it “suggested holding solidarity sit-ins in the headquarters” of these groups, it said. Late last month, Bahrain banned all protests and gatherings to ensure “security is maintained,” after clashes between Shiite-led demonstrators and security forces in the Sunni-ruled country. — AFP

BANI JAMRA, Bahrain: Bahraini Shiites chant anti-Israeli slogans as they wave Palestinian and Bahraini flags west of the capital of Manama yesterday, defying a government ban on protests. — AP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

LOCAL

Kuwait to protect social media users KJA hosts forum for female journalists

KUWAIT: The Saudi delegation including Asma Al-Ghamdi, Muna Al-Shirif, Nawal Al-Rashid, Rima Al-Mukhtar, Aliya Al-Hajiri and Bashaqir Al-Marwan. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

By Nawara Fattahova

Adnan Al-Rashid, Member of the Secretary General of Kuwait Journalists Association is seen addressing the forum yesterday.

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) held a two-day forum for female journalists from the GCC countries. Twenty-five journalists from six countries came to Kuwait to attend this forum held at the Sheraton Hotel.

During the opening ceremony yesterday, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, Sheikh Salman AlHumoud Al-Sabah, said that the Ministry will be setting up a Media Center for the coverage of the coming elections which will be held on Dec 1, 2012. “This center will be launched on Nov 21 and will provide all media services, including organizing conferences that will serve all the bodies involved in the elections.

“The Ministry will invite international media to cover the elections of 2012.

Also, a special channel will be allocated to broadcast coverage of events related to elections. In addition, a radio station will be launched before the end of this month. Furthermore, the Ministry will organize a course for journalists regarding professional media coverage of elections, which will be the first of its kind. We will also be cooperating with international experts who will provide professional services to different media,” Al-Humoud said at the inaugural ceremony yesterday.

On the issue of social media and internet publishing, he noted that this is a new kind of media. “The whole world is suffering from shortage of laws and legislation that governs this kind of media. The Ministry submitted a project to the Cabinet more than a year ago about how to administer the electronic publications and websites, but the situation prevailing in the country delayed its approval. The Ministry is cooperating with the Information Ministries in various GCC countries in the field of awareness about the new media,” he added.

“The Ministry is keen to protect the freedom of the users of social media, especially Twitter. After all, there are citizens involved there who care for their country. It is not a question of formulating sanctions but rather cooperation among all stakeholders. The litmus test should be public benefit, especially because young people are impetuous and zealous, and may not have a clear vision of what is happening. They may need awareness. And it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Information to be a part of such an awareness program,” he pointed out.

The forum of the female journalists from the GCC countries is a chance for exchange of experiences among journalists from these countries. “Women have a great role in raising social awareness, especially in the new media which

is still in a developing mode,” he concluded.

On his part, the President of the Gulf Press Association, Turki Al-Sudairi, noted that the number of female journalists working in this field is now big. He said the responsibility has increased, especially during the current crisis and the violence in the Arab world. The media should be the second power beside the military power to protect the future of the GCC unity,” he stated.

Nasser Al-Othman, Secretary General of the Gulf Press Association, stressed that the idea of organizing this forum was born four years ago. “This idea finally was realized due to Kuwait’s efforts, particularly the efforts of the KJA. I thank Kuwait for organizing this forum,” he said.

Adnan Al-Rashid, member of the Secretariat General of KJA, noted that supporting and sponsoring this forum by the Ministry of Information proves the cooperation existing between the private and public media.

During this forum, each of the participating female journalists had the chance to speak about her experience and the circumstances in which she worked in this field, which is called a ‘job full of troubles’. This forum also aims to teach the participants to overcome some of the obstacles they face in their line of duty.

KUWAIT: Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud awarding Turki Al-Sudairi.

Turki Al-Sudairi and a participating Saudi journalist are seen at the forum yesterday.

(From left to right) Badrya Darwish, columnist and General Manager of Kuwait Times, Ahmad Behbehani, President of Kuwait Journalists Association, Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Information Ministry Undersecretary, Nawal Al-Darweesh, Nadeera Al-Awadhi and Abeer Al-Juma’a at the forum.

KUWAIT: Collective photo of the participating female journalists with officials at KJA, GPA, and Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

LOCAL

Senegalese president visits Kuwait

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and other dignitaries receiving the President of Senegal Macky Sall yesterday.

KUWAIT: The President of Senegal Macky Sall arrived here for an official visit yesterday accompanied by a delegation of officials, and is to hold official talks with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

during his three-day stay.

Greeting the dignitaries upon arrival at the airport was His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah along with His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,

Deputy Chief of the National Guard Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Premier Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and the First Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Sheikh

Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Jaber AlSabah.

Also meeting the state’s guests were Deputy Minister for Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah AlSabah and senior state officials, along

with senior commanders of the army, police, and national guard. The accompanying honorary delegation is presided by Amiri Diwan Advisor Dr Mohammad Aboul Hassan.

The S enegalese delegation

accompanying president Sall includes the foreign minister, the economy and finance minister, the women and child labor and affairs minister, and other senior officials. —KUNA

Constitution, cornerstone of Kuwait social stability Election campaign heating up KUWAIT: Jassem Al-Jadie, candidate for the National Assembly 2012 Elections from the first constituency, said yesterday the Kuwaiti Constitution was the mainstay of social stability and national unity. Speaking to reporters here, Al-Jadie highlighted the importance of commitment to the provisions of the constitution and adapting the laws to the constitution while bearing in mind the new changes in the society.

He voiced hope that the coming parliament would cooperate with the government in adopting legislations that could ensure stronger combat against corruption, and better educational, healthcare services. “ The issues of woman political empowerment and “Bedoun” (stateless residents) have to be prioritized in the coming stage of political action in order to advance the country’s march towards prosperity and progress,” he stressed.

Al-Jadie also called for building more hospitals, promoting human development, and creating more jobs for the youth.

Meanwhile, Mubarak Al-Bathali, candidate for the National Assembly 2012 Elections from the second constituency, highlighted the importance of cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities in serving the higher interests of the nation.

Addressing supporters at launch of campaign, the hopeful said both authorities have to focus on addressing the issues of common concern for the public rather than achieving political gains. “Among the key issues that affect large segments of the people are the housing, employment, healthcare, education and development issues,” Al-Bathali pointed out.

He urged modernizing education through adapting curriculums to the targeted age categories and improving the skills of students and building the capacity of teachers.

He voiced hope that the mass media will be able to shed light on the issues that could benefit the society and cement the national unity.

First constituency Forty-eight parliament members succeeded in representing the first constituency, which is one of the most significant constituencies that represent the government, in the past ten councils since 1981 and until 2012.

Adnan Sayyid Abdulsamad was the most winning representative of all candidates in this constituency, representing it for eight legislative sessions, which included chambers 1, 4, 8, 12 and 13 in the constituencies’ division of 25 chambers.

Abdullah Yousif Al-Roumi, who represented the first constituency for seven legislative sessions, came second, followed

by Hassan Johar, Hussain Ali Al-Qallaf and Saleh Ahmed Ashour who won for six sessions, then came Salim Abdullah Al-Hammad, Mukhlid Rashid Al-Azmi who succeeded in five sessions. Nasser Abdulaziz Sarkhouh, Abdulmohsin Mudij AlMudij, Ahmed Abdulmohsin Al-Mulaifi, Salah Abdulredha Khorshed, Abdulwahid Al-Awadhi and Hussain Al-Huraiti represented the first constituency for three years, followed by Mohammad Hassan Al-Kandari, Faisal Saud Al-Duwaisan, Khalid Al-Jumaian, Yaqoub Mohammad Hayati, Ahmed AlRubie, Abbas Al-Khudhari, Jamal Al-Kandari, Ahmed Haji Lari and Yousif Zilzilah for two years.

In addition, Faisal Al-Qudhaibi, Badir Al-Mudhaf, Ahmed AlTukhaim, Eissa Al-Mazidi, Murdhi Al-Uthaina, Khalid Al-Wasmi, Nasser Al-Roudhan, Abdullah Al-Nafisi, Rashid Al-Juwaisri, Ali Al-Baghli, Ismail Al-Shatti, Humoud Al-Ruquba, Jassim AlMudhaf, Abdulmohsin Jamal, Ahmed Al-Shuhoumi and Masouma Al-Mubarak represented the constituency for a single session.

According to the current division, the first constituency had the highest share among the others in terms of assigning its MPs as ministers since the last government formation, in which they reached 11 ministers since 1981.

Eissa Mohammad Al-Mazidi was in charge of the Ministry of Transportation and Khalid Al-Jumaian, of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor in the Cabinet of 1985.

With the return of the parliamentary life in 1992, Ahmed Al-Rubie held a position as Minister of Education and Higher Education, while Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli was named Minister of Oil, and after his resignation; Abdulmohsin Al-Mudij took over his position.

Jassim Abdullah Al-Mudhaf was appointed Minister of Commerce and Industry in the cabinet of 1996, while Humoud Al-Ruquba was named Minister of Electricity and Water and Minister of Public Works in the cabinet of 1998.

In the 2001 Cabinet, Salah Khourshed was appointed the Minister of Commerce and Industry, while Yousif Zilzilah took over the same position in 2006.

Abdulwahid Al-Awadhi was named Minister of State for Housing Affairs in the cabinet of 2007 as well as Minister of Transportation and Minister of National Assembly Affairs after the cabinet changes that were carried out in June 2007.

In addition, Hussain Al-Huraiti was named Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in the cabinet of 2008-2009. No MP of the first constituency, from the January 2012 council, which was rescinded by the Constitutional Court ruling, was appointed by the government in any ministry. —KUNA

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

LOCAL

KD one billion allocated for building nine new hospitals PM honors postgraduate medical students KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah honored postgraduate medical students in a ceremony held here on Saturday. The ceremony, held under the auspices of the premier, was attended by several cabinet ministers, advisors and senior officials of the Premier’s Diwan, the Middle East regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) and senior officials of the Ministry of Health.

ny, HH the premier voiced much confidence in Kuwaiti youth who have proved high efficiency in diverse fields, saying they are the real fortune of Kuwait.

He also thanked the doctors who have acquired doctorates in various medical areas for their great efforts and hard work in coping with scientific advancement and medical development.

Sheikh Jaber expressed his support for Kuwaiti youth to get involved in national

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah pictured during the ceremony.

Minister of Health Ali Saad Al-Obeidi gave a speech read out by Secretar y General of the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS) Ibrahim Hadi. The event was also addressed by the representative of postgraduate medical students Dr. Bashayer Al-Kandari.

The minister of health presented a memorial shield to HH the premier in appreciation for his sponsorship and attendance of the event. Following the ceremo-

building and development in their country.

He described human development, training and development as the optimum investment of the nations to enter the age of science and technology.

“The government spares no effort to encourage its sons whom it considers the best investment, and whom it seeks to involve in their country’s renaissance and development and to put them on the right

direction which we all aspire for,” he said.

Kuwait boasts its excellent sons who make great scientific achievements in many fields.

For his par t, the minister of health addressed the ceremony by saying HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah has instructed a new 1,000-bed Jahra Hospital to be built.

He thanked HH the Amir for this “paternal and human initiative” for the inhabitants of Jahra Governorate.

He congratulated the honored medical students on their excellence, and urged them to work hard to help in the scientific and medical development in their nation.

He uncovered a KD-one-billion plus budget has been allocated for building and equipping nine new hospitals with a combined capacity of 5,800 beds.

The minister added the contract for the first such hospitals will be signed within a few weeks. Furthermore, he praised the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization for helping and training 212 doctors who have finished their postgraduate studies at the facility. He added that his ministry is keen to qualify specialized medical and human cadres in order to provide health care to patients in Kuwait.

He noted the plan for specialized medical scholarships and programs for the coming years involves as many as 1,000 new graduates for the five years to come.

In his speech at the event, Secretary General of the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization Ibrahim Hadi said the design of a new building for his institute has been finished. A tender is to be announced for specialized companies soon, he said, adding that the estimated cost of the project is KD 24 million. He said the honoring-ceremony for postgraduate medical doctors shows the ministry and institute’s belief in, and recognition of, the value of excellence, hard-work and dedication. It is an incentive for all doctors to keep on learning in order to reach high scientific and practical levels, he said.

For her part, the representative of postgraduate study medical students, Dr Bashayer Al-Kandari voiced much gratitude for their nation which provided them with all their needs of knowledge and science.

She promised that she and her colleagues would do their best to contribute to the development of their country under the leadership of HH the Amir. — KUNA

Amir visit to cement Kuwait-British ties LONDON: Forthcoming visit by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Britain will give significant boost to distinguished bilateral relations bounding the two friendly countries in various sectors, said the ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the United Kingdom.

Ambassador Khaled Al-Duwaisan said the visit, scheduled to be held from Nov 27 to 29, would constitute substantial honoring for His Highness by Queen Elizabeth, in light of their friendship, backed up with the solid ties between the two states.

Dean of the diplomatic corps in the UK affirmed great interest on part of British officials in the upcoming visit, considering that it would strengthen further the historic relations between the UK and the State of Kuwait. The British-Kuwaiti relations were established in 1899, when London and Kuwait City signed a treaty according to which Britain would protect the Gulf country against any expansionist schemes by the Ottoman empire or Russia.

Al-Duwaisan expressed satisfaction at substantial development of the relationship since times of World War II, when British companies were the first to set foot on Kuwaiti territories to explore oil. Some 30,000 Kuwaitis visit the UK every year, and there is a large number of British businessmen in the Gulf country.

Kuwait and Britain, during His Highness’ visit, will celebrate the 60th anniversary of establishing the Kuwait Investment Office

in London, Al-Duwaisan added.

Britain, which solidly stood on Kuwait’s side in face of Iraqi threats in the 60s, heavily backed the country against the 1990 Iraqi aggression, and took part with a large military force in the international operation that drove the occupiers out of the country.

Moreover, the veteran Kuwaiti diplomat elaborated, officials and leaders of the two countries hold regular consultations on issues of common concern, namely Gulf security. He also indicated at London’s “initiative” to cement further the ties with the GCC countries, citing in this respect, visits

by Prime Minister David Cameron to the regional states, including Kuwait.

Shedding more light on HH the Amir’s visit to the UK, the ambassador noted the prime role of the Baroness, Margaret Tatcher, during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the 1991 liberation of the country.

The two sides will sign several agreements during the visit, he revealed, however he stopped short of elaborating on nature of the forecast accords.

HH the Amir is well known in the UK decision-making quarters, namely his past marathon service in the diplomatic sector that had lasted for 42 years.

On the Queen’s invitation to HH the Amir for Royal Audience and residency at the ancient Windsor Castle, he affirmed that such special invitation signaled the Queen’s personal pride of receiving such a leader of particular eminence.—KUNA

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

LOCAL

Foreign money used to prevent voting

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: First constituency candidate Saleh Ashour accused “Islamic groups boycotting the elections” of using money received from foreign sources “to stop people from voting” in the upcoming elections. In a statement yesterday, he indicated that the unnamed groups have allegedly started their activity in the fourth and fifth constituencies.

“These practices need to be tackled because they deprive citizens from exercising their right to vote,” Ashour said, calling the alleged financial incentives “a violation of the election law which criminalizes any action that prevents people from voting.”

Supporters of evil A prominent Saudi cleric accused individuals who instigate Gulf communities against their leaders of committing actions that amount to calling for disorder.

“Claims of people questioning the qualification of Gulf states’ leaders from a Sharia standpoint are baseless, and are only made by those advocating evil and disarray,” Sheikh Saleh Al-Fouzan said during a lecture at the Imam Terki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia recently.

Sheikh Al-Fouzan, a member of Saudi Arabia’s ‘Senior Scholars Committee’, also described staging marches in markets that lead to discomfort for people there as pressure tactic to press for release of prisoners as something “removed from Islam”. “If someone was imprisoned unjustifiably, the leader can be approached with the matter and asked to release the prisoner without any need to carry out demonstrations and protests,” he said.

Rome praises Kuwait role in boosting Gulf security Italian premier in town

Kuwait calls for quick actions to stop Israeli assault in Gaza CAIRO: Kuwait has called on Arabs to reassess the way the international community’s handling of the Palestinian cause amidst the Israeli ongoing assault on Gaza Strip.

“The tragic conditions in Gaza and the Israeli ongoing aggression require consultations and discussions between all Arab foreign ministers and through the Arab League,” Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said following an one-day extraordinary meeting of the Arab foreign ministers, and before leaving Cairo.

He expressed sorrow for the bloody developments in Gaza which was in violation of all international laws and agreements.

Sheikh Sabah urged Arab countries to re-evaluate the way the international community was handling the Israeli practices.

He said the Arab countries should review the principles of the 1991 Madrid peace conference, the Arab peace initiative and the Quartet.

Sheikh Sabah said the foreign ministers formed two committees, one tasked with humanitarian aid to Gaza and the other to review the international community’s handling of the Palestinian cause.

The Palestinian people have been deprived of their rights and their properties and lands were violated over the past 64 years, said the Kuwaiti minister who asserted that it was time that the Palestinians have their own state.

Sheikh Sabah thanked Egypt for opening of crossing with Gaza and receiving the wounded from the strip. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, accompanied by a delegation of officials, arrived in the country yesterday starting a two-day official visit. A formal reception was held at Bayan Palace for the premier. The premier’s delegation was received by HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Ahmad AlKhalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid AlHamad Al-Sabah, Sheikhs, governors and senior state officials.

ROME: The Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti stressed the importance of his visit to Kuwait yesterday, which aims at boosting bilateral cooperation, discussing regional issues and promoting dialogue for the stability of the Gulf. “My visit to Kuwait emphasizes Italy’s interest in developing our bilateral relations and economic cooperation to intensify our economic and commercial relations,” the premier said, noting that he will meet with officials from the biggest investment funds in the country, oil companies and companies that operate in the area of privatization.

The second aspect of the visit has a political nature, which is to discuss regional issues with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister and Kuwaiti officials, the Italian prime minister added.

Bilateral relations have evolved significantly in recent years, a fact attested by the recent successive visits of the Italian foreign, defense and economic ministers to Kuwait as Italian companies and institutions are gaining interest in investing in the Kuwaiti market.

In addition, Italian exports have witnessed strong growth in the first half of 2012, with an increase of 66 percent while imports have witnessed a growth of 17 percent, which demonstrates an increase in commercial relations between the two countries.

“In the light of the large contracts accomplished by Italian companies in Kuwait, I am looking forward to strengthening economic relations and growing cooperation on several fields such as infrastructure, industry and energy, as our countries recently signed a significant memorandum of understanding for defense cooperation, which will allow Italian companies to further continue strengthening our relations,” the premier concluded.

The Italian Premier Monti underlined the importance of cooperation between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states to help global economy overcome current daunting challenges.

In this regard, Monti pointed out that his government is taking all necessary measures to get rid of the crippling bureaucracy and allure Gulf investors, particularly Kuwaitis, to pour more cash into Italian market.

The government has also made strides in increasing competitiveness of Italian products, fighting corruption and promoting transparency in state agencies, he said.

Monti said that his year-long government is exerting relentless efforts to address the budget deficit, create more jobs and achieve social justice among citizenry.

The Italian PM lauded the role of Kuwait, under the leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in retain security and stability in the resources-rich Gulf region.

Monti unveiled that his talks with HH the Amir and other Kuwaiti officials will touches upon the Iranian nuclear file.

“Italy and GCC states believe that dialogue and diplomacy should be prioritize in handling the Iranian nuclear file,” he said.

“Italy supports the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) efforts to get clarifications about the Iranian nuclear program and urges Iran to comply with all related UN Security Council’s resolutions.” — KUNA

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

In my view

The diplomat’s comments

The battles US generals can’t win

By Abdulatif Al-Mulhim

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf uwait’s record in human rights is not very positive, especially when it comes to hardworking expatriate low-wage workers. The government is very much aware of violations committed by many companies which recruit workers in large numbers who live in conditions so miserable that at times some have to subsist on leftover food in hospitals, something I have seen personally.

Also, we cannot ignore the terrible mistreatment of housemaids in Kuwait, something for which human rights groups and foreign governments often criticize the state for. The governments of the countries from which the housemaids come from often call upon Kuwaiti government to ensure better treatment of their citizens. They argue that Kuwait must stop the maltreatment that is often justified by arguing that the little money they make and the poor conditions that they face here are still better than what their compatriots have to live with back home.

Workers are human beings who deserve to enjoy treatment in keeping with the norms of the country in which they live and work. They also need better legal protection and laws safeguarding their rights.

While doing so is necessary to stop those violations of law that actually go against them, it is also required to stop the violations that they are forced to commit against their employers. At times, some even commit suicide when driven to a completely hopeless situation.

But all of this has not succeeded in making the ministers even think about taking any effective steps to end the ordeals of those found in shelters allocated for workers who run away from abuse, or are held inside police stations. Nothing has been done for the housemaids at the deportation jail where they often end up after fleeing the maltreatment meted out by their sponsors.

I decided to write about this issue after listening to comments made by a member of Kuwait’s permanent mission to the United Nations in which he urged Sri Lanka to respect human rights. The Kuwaiti representative ought to have been making his recommendations, instead, to his own government. I am not trying to defend Sri Lanka’s human rights’ record - especially not in the wake of the civil war after which the Tamil minority still faces discrimination - but maybe the Sri Lankan government has its own reasons. What are our excuses? What prevents us from treating housemaids more humanely? How many citizens voluntarily increased their maids’ salaries after the government enforced salary increases for public sector employees?

Kuwait needs to improve its human rights’ record, and it seems that this cannot be achieved unless foreign governments and international human right organizations intervene as I have lost hope in our local organizations. — Al-Qabas

F

K

kuwait digest

Fireworks of constitution

By Mohammad Al-Sabti hortsightedness is not a problem that only affects one’s vision, but also the heart and mind.

Reading what some oppositionists had to say about the celebrations of the Constitution Day on Nov 11 reveals two distinct sides of the opposition: they have a weird case of intellectual shallowness, and they suffer from inferiority and hatred.

After the end of the celebrations and fireworks display, the oppositionists made statements describing the show’s KD4 million deal as a theft.

They claimed it was “signed to benefit people with influence,” similar to the deal they allegedly claim was signed to buy batons used by the police to disperse unauthorized demonstrations.

It is normal that such people would not understand connotations and meanings. It is hard for a team used to destruction and creating troubles to understand the meaning of building something. It is hard for a team used to destroy to understand the meaning of construction. It is hard for a team used to divide to understand the meaning of unity.

They are the same group of people who stormed into the parliament’s building, and later said that the lock can be replaced with a new one bought for only a quarter of a dinar. It is the same group which entered the parliament’s building at midnight, then projected the entire incident as ‘the breaking of a glass of water worth only 200 fils’. A group with this kind of mindset is, of course, incapable of understanding meanings and connotations such as celebrating national occasions.

It is difficult for them to understand that the parliament is the symbol of modern Kuwait. It is difficult for them to understand that the Abdullah Al-Salem Hall (the main hall in which parliament sessions are held) is a symbol for each Kuwaiti house, and that breaking into it is a violation of our properties, privacy, security and stability. They do not understand that standing on top of the parliament speaker’s desk is an insult to the entire nation.

That is why I say that they have only seen the Constitution Day celebrations as a massively overpriced fireworks show. They cannot understand that it was a day of unity for all Kuwaitis, a day sans discrimination, a day when a new life based on freedom of opinion and the right to live with dignity and right of self-determination was created.

They cannot understand that the fireworks have lighted the darkness that Kuwaitis have been living in for half a century, and that the music played that night was the melody composed by the forefathers who put together the constitution by which we can remain safe and united in a region that was rife with waves of killing, destruction, and hate. It is hard for those motivated by

S

ormer American President Dwight Eisenhower was one of the most admired and respected general during WWII. Later on he became the president and the commander in chief. But, would he reach the rank of colonel if his associates had Internet at that time and what if there was Internet in the FBI offices many years ago, would Edgar Hoover survive 37 years as the top American policeman and the most annoying person for six American presidents, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon?

After the resignation of the four-star general, David Petraeus, many people outside the United States of America asked what makes American military so transparent and so powerful that it can afford to lose a very talented, patriotic and intelligent general like Petraeus?

There was no breach of national security and he wasn’t caught in the act. But, military people know that gossip and loose lips can sink ships.

The irony of this is when the outside world sees the director of the CIA being forced to step down for a personal act, the American military does the best public relations job because it tells the world that no one is above the law in the military ranks, even a four-star general and the keeper of the American secrets.

In the American military we have seen uniformed men and women rise and fall. During the American war in Afghanistan, I read about a US Navy lieutenant, Michael Murphy, who saved his SEAL comrade and died in the process. He wasn’t forgotten. The US Navy named a ship in his honor. This act by an American branch of the military makes the American soldiers and sailors enjoy the highest morale, even during the time of battle. So, what does the American war machine means for the outside world?

The American generals and admirals do hold the highest authorities among the world military. In the battlefields they make military and political decisions without the need to call Washington. In peace or war, one single American general or admiral has more firepower under his command than many other countries.

America is very powerful and it doesn’t have to go to war to win. All they have to do is show up at the battlefront with visible aircraft carriers and invisible nuclear submarines and fly over by the fifty years old B-52s bombers and the battle will be over before it starts.

America is the only country in the world that gives a young air force officer a noninsured one billion dollar toy and no one even can put him on trial if he breaks it. This toy is simply a box that carries lethal bombs. It is the B-2 Bomber. It is designed by the most intelligent Ph. D. holders, flown by young bachelor degree graduates and maintained by 19 years old high school teenagers.

The United States Armed Forces is the only force capable of invading another country 10 thousand miles away and still can feed its soldiers fresh baked apple pies. It has a navy that is seen at all enclosed waterways or open oceans.

Each single navy aircraft carrier has more firepower than many countries and each single nuclear submarine is considered the second most powerful navy in the world.

American military didn’t affect the world in the military side only. American military didn’t only fight wars. It had many affects on civilian lives all over the world. American military is what made Starbucks what it is today. It was the American Army that invented the instant coffee.

And American radars are seen in every kitchen under the name of microwave oven. The American military used anesthesia by using the chloroform during the civil war, introduced computers, Internet and satellite technology.

This is why it is very ironic that American generals and admirals can face and beat any enemy the battlefield, but can’t face or win when facing their closest friends and associates.

I still remember the first American female B52 pilot, Kelly Flinn, whom the US Air Force gave the biggest bomber in its arsenal and she was fired (resigned) because she couldn’t control her emotions. And how about the American general who was nominated to become the joint chief of staff, but, he had close relations with a woman whom he planned to marry, but, he was separated from his wife in the state of Virginia.

The law in Virginia requires a one-year separation before the divorce is final.

In 1991, the world saw some of the best American admirals lose their stars even when they had nothing to do with a minor incident which hit the US Navy during a five-day celebration. It was the tail ook scandal that took place at the Las Vegas Hilton. The irony of this scandal is that it happened in Las Vegas, where everything is legal (almost everything). There are many generals and admirals who were in the hot seats at the American Air Force Academy in Denver, West Point in New York and the naval academy in Annapolis. All the scandals at these academies were committed by very young teenagers, but, it was the American top brass that lost their jobs.

The saddest tragic story I have ever heard of an American top brass was not because he had emotions for the other sex. It was because of his love of his uniform.

The story of America’s top Navy officer Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda who committed suicide in 1996 was heartbreaking. He was investigated and being accused of wearing the wrong navy medal on his uniform. This confirms that American top brass will survive the battlefront, but will not be able to handle the glamour that comes with the uniform. In 1969, America saw the birth of the peace festival called Woodstock which took place in White Lake, New York. It called on soldiers to fall in love instead of waging war. Apparently in the year 2012 it is safer to wage a war than to fall in love.

kuwait digest

Leading from behind

By Ali Ibrahim he world is waiting to see the signals regarding what direction that President Barack Obama’s foreign policy will take in his administration’s second term in office. This is a fact reflected by dozens of analyses and opeds published over the past few days following the announcement of his presidential election victory, particularly with regards to the Middle East and the intensifying situation in Syria.

It is ironic that in just one day, two political analysts - one in London and another in Washington - wrote completely opposing opeds regarding US involvement in international affairs, particularly regarding the Middle East. This reflects the ongoing state of uncertainty and controversy that is present in America’s foreign policy approach.

In a Washington Post article carried by Asharq AlAwsat on Monday, US writer David Ignatius wore about the foreign policy tests facing the Obama administration, calling for an abandonment of the cautious approach that the president followed during his firm term in office which has been described as “leading from behind” in relations to a number of pressing foreign issues. He said that Obama should instead lead from the front, particularly in the Middle East which Ignatius described as the region where “presidents make their legacies and shed their tears.”

Whilst in The Independent, a British writer with long experience in the Middle East, Patrick Cockburn, wrote a piece inspired by the game of snakes and ladders.

Cockburn wrote that snakes exceed ladders for the US in the Middle East, and that in light of the complexities in the Middle East and West Asia, it would be better for the US and other foreign powers to avoid getting involved there.

It is clear that the axis of controversy is revolving around the Obama administration’s approach to international disputes during its first term in office following its involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, with this approach being described as “leading from behind”.

Libya was a model of this approach under NATO cover, and this saw intervention from afar and a quick withdrawal immediately following Gaddafi’s fall. Critics of this approach have said that it contributed to creating a vacuum following the collapse of the regime that was filled by undisciplined armed militias, as well as

T

the appearance of jihadists with extremist views.

At the time same time, it would have been possible - through direct assistance - to rebuild the new state’s security forces as occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan within the framework of direct intervention that characterized the policy of former President George W. Bush. So there has been a huge human and financial cost behind Obama’s cautious approach since he first entered the White House.

Of course, everybody is now looking at Syria, where the fire that is raging in the country has seemingly reached a dangerous point where it is threatening to expand outside Syria’s borders, which is something that has dangerous regional and international implications. So will the US administration continue to follow the approach of “leading from behind”, leaving other NATO partners to take a leadership role along the lines of what happened in Libya?

If we take into account that each crisis is unique in terms of its implications, it is striking that there is a similarity in the manner in which the Syrian and Libyan regimes responded with systematic violence towards its people’s demands regarding freedoms and living standards.

However there are also stark differences in terms of geography, regional entanglements and risks which means that the manner that each crisis is dealt with must be different. This explains the American and Western caution in the previous period, and why it granted the Damascus regime numerous opportunities, all of which al-Assad failed to take advantage of.

Will this change? Evidence indicates that this has been happening for months, and this depends largely on the ability of the opposition and revolutionary forces to present itself as a responsible entity that is capable of overcoming differences and representing all components of Syrian society, as well as securing a strong presence on the ground.

This will determine the size and form of the assistance that is likely to continue in an indirect manner.

Unless there are dramatic developments on the ground, we do not expect the Obama administration to change its approach of “leading from behind” towards crises, which it followed during its first term, because its priority now is the US economy.

kuwait digest

Gaza: A proxy war?

By Dr. Wael Al-Hasawi witnessed the destruction left by the Zionist regime in Gaza in 2008 during a visit to the strip as part of a Kuwait Journalists Association team less than two years ago. We heard stories from Gazans about the number of raids and assaults that affect every family living there.

Since then, people of Gaza have put in a lot of effort to rebuild their homes, using material smuggled from Egypt through tunnels. I remember that when we met Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, I told him how I believe firing rockets against the Zionist entity was wrong as long as Hamas and other Palestinian factions continue to be incapable of waging a war against them as equals.

“The Jews follow a precise plan against the people of Gaza, and are using the rockets as an alibi to continue their attacks against us despite our efforts to stop firing rockets against them,” Haniya answered.

Nearly four years later, the Zionist regime renewed its assault against Gaza, which could even be more vicious than the previous one. If we try to speculate the reasons behind the recent assault, we find that it started after the US presidential election so that it does not result in any pressure on Obama as it would have had it come during the election campaign.

We also find out that the Israeli election, which Netanyahu is expected to win, is right around the corner. And what I personally find most important is

I

the fact that the assault coincided with the unification of Syria’s opposition which almost signals the end of Syria’s tyrant regime. If we try to read the Iranian and Israeli axes together, we find that the assault on Gaza could be an attempt to make up for what is happening in Syria.

But aside from that, there are some recommendations I would like to make. First, I urge the leadership in Gaza to maintain composure and stop firing rockets against the Zionist regime as long as the war remains unbalanced. They cannot allow hundreds of innocent civilians in Gaza to be killed on the pretext of self-defense.

I also urge the leadership in Gaza to avoid following the Iranian leadership which tries to drag them into a war with the Zionist regime using Iranianmade rockets, in order to serve their agenda in the region which includes taking attention away from Syria. Gazans must not be allowed to be used as a laboratory for experiments by either Iran or Israel.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, needs to realize that making fiery statements against the Israeli aggression and withdrawing the Egyptian ambassador are not enough in such a long drawn war, unless he has a comprehensive plan to defend the Palestinians that starts with ending the blockade, opening the border to allow for arms and aid to enter Gaza and then canceling treaties with Israel if the aggression continues. — Al-Rai

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Leader of Egypt Coptic Christians enthroned

Angry Chinese protesters overturn police vehicles Page 11

Page 8

BANGKOK: US President Barack Obama (right) and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra review an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at Government House yesterday. — AFP

Obama calls for more Myanmar reform Fresh from re-election, Obama heads to Asia BANGKOK: US President Barack Obama denied yesterday his upcoming trip to Myanmar was an endorsement of the government there, calling it an acknowledgement of the progress made in shaking off decades of military rule and encouragement for it go further. Today, Obama will become the first serving US president to visit Myanmar, also called Burma, part of a three-country Asian tour that, as his first post-election trek abroad, will show he is serious about shifting the US strategic focus eastwards.

Some human rights groups object to the Myanmar visit, saying Obama is rewarding the country’s quasi-civilian government before democratic reforms are complete.

But he told a news conference in Thailand he knew there was much still to do. “I don’t think anybody is under the illusion that Burma’s arrived, that they’re where they need to be,” he said. “On the other hand, if we waited to engage until they had achieved a perfect democracy, my suspicion is we’d be waiting an awful long time,” he added. “One of the goals of this trip is to highlight the progress that has been made and give voice to the much greater

progress that needs to be made in the future.” Late yesterday, state television in Myanmar said 66 more prisoners would be released today, bringing to 518 the number released over the past week. The previous batch did not appear to include any political prisoners, but a senior prison department official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters that Myint Aye, a prominent human rights activist, would be among those freed today.

It was not clear if other political detainees would be included. Obama has made the freeing of all political prisoners one of the conditions for the full lifting of sanctions imposed on Myanmar for rights abuses under the junta. Obama will meet President Thein Sein, a former junta member who has spearheaded political and economic reforms since taking office in March 2011, and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the struggle against military rule and, like Obama, is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is now a lawmaker.

“I’m not somebody who thinks that the United States should stand on the sidelines and not want to get its hands dirty when there’s an opportunity for us to encourage

the better impulses inside a countr y,” Obama said. “And, in part, I’m taking my guidance from what Aung San Suu Kyi, who I think knows quite a bit about repression in Burma, sees as the best means to continue the development and progress that’s being made there.”

White House officials have said Obama would press Myanmar’s leaders to restore calm to the western part of their country and bring instigators of ethnic violence there to justice. After a recent meeting with senior Obama aides, rights activists left satisfied that Obama wanted to push hard on human rights and political and economic reform in closed-door talks with Thein Sein and in his public remarks, including a speech.

After Myanmar, Obama will attend an East Asia summit in Cambodia as he seeks to recalibrate US economic and security commitments to counter China’s influence at a time when America is disentangling itself from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But his attention will be divided during his travels as he faces a simmering crisis in the Gaza Strip pitting Israel against Hamas militants, plus economic problems at

home.

Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent part of his youth in Indonesia, has called himself America’s first “Pacific president ”. The US administration regards Thailand as a key ally for advancing the “Asia pivot” that Obama announced last year with an eye to an increasingly assertive China. At a joint news conference with Obama, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced Thailand would join talks on deeper trade ties with the United States and other countries under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The TPP is a trade pact being negotiated between the United States and Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei plus, more recently, Canada and Mexico. It aims to tear down barriers to trade, going further than existing bilateral and other pacts, although some in Thailand worry that its provisions could conflict with rules governing a Southeast Asian economic community to be established in 2015.

As part of the itinerary in Bangkok, a monk in bright orange robes gave Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a

Rebels in Congo reach Goma’s door

RUMANGABO: M23 rebels conduct training exercises in Rumangabo, eastern Congo. — AP

GOMA: A Rwandan-backed rebel group advanced to within 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of Goma, a crucial provincial capital in eastern Congo, marking the first time that rebels have come this close since 2008. Congolese army spokesman Col Olivier Hamuli said the fighting has been going on since 6 am yesterday and the front line has moved to just a few kilometers (miles) outside the city. After more than nine hours of violent clashes the two sides took a break, with M23 rebels establishing a checkpoint just 100 meters (yards) away from one held by the military in the village of Munigi, exactly 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) outside the Goma city line.

Contacted by telephone on the front line, M23 rebel spokesman Col. Vianney Kazarama said the group will spend the night in Goma. “We are about to take the town. We will spend the night in Goma tonight,” said Kazarama. “We are confident that we can take Goma and then our next step will be to take

Bukavu,” he said mentioning the capital of the next province to the south. The M23 rebel group is made up of soldiers from a now-defunct rebel army, the National Congress for the Defense of the People, or CNDP, a group made-up primarily of fighters from the Tutsi ethnic group, the ethnicity that was targeted in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. In 2008, the CNDP led by Rwandan commando Gen. Laurent Nkunda marched his soldiers to the doorstep of Goma, abruptly stopping just before taking the city.

In the negotiations that followed and which culminated in a March 23, 2009 peace deal, the CNDP agreed to disband and their fighters joined the national army of Congo. They did not pick up their arms again until this spring, when hundreds of ex-CNDP fighters defected from the army in April, claiming that the Congolese government had failed to uphold their end of the 2009 agreement. Reports, including one by the United Nations Group of Experts, have

shown that M23 is actively being backed by Rwanda and the new rebellion is likely linked to the fight to control Congo’s rich mineral wealth. The latest fighting broke out Thursday and led to the deaths of 151 rebels and two soldiers. On Saturday UN attack helicopters targeted M23 positions in eastern Congo. Also on Saturday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon had called Rwandan President Paul Kagame “to request that he use his influence on the M23 to help calm the situation and restrain M23 from continuing their attack,” according to peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous who spoke at the UN headquarters in New York on Saturday.

North Kivu governor Julien Paluku said Saturday that the Congolese army had earlier retreated from Kibumba, which is 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Goma, after thousands of Rwandans, who he says were backing the rebels, attacked early Saturday.— AP

tour of the centuries-old Wat Pho temple, taking them past its massive reclining Buddha. Somehow, the fiscal problems back in Washington came up. “We’re working on this budget. We’re going to need a lot of prayer for that,” Obama was overheard telling the monk, a light-hearted reference to a fiscal showdown in Washington over tax increases and spending cuts that kick in at the end of the year unless Obama and congressional Republicans can reach a deal. Security had been tight at Bangkok’s old Don Muang airport for Obama’s arrival but was far less visible in the historic centre of the city at the temple, although roads around the building were closed and tourists were not allowed in.

From there, Obama left for an audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 84, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, who has been in hospital recovering from an illness since September 2009. The king’s softly spoken words made Obama smile at one point. “Elections in the United States are very long but it’s very gratifying to know people still have confidence in me,” the president responded. — AP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

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

Video shows Nigerian troops shooting captives KADUNA: A video obtained by Reuters shows Nigerian troops shooting unarmed captives in broad daylight by the roadside in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, the bastion of an Islamist insurgency. Nigeria’s military has long been accused of human rights abuses, including summary executions, in the troubled north but there has been no video proof since the first crackdown on the Islamist sect Boko Haram in 2009. A spokesman for the army said it was “impossible” for Nigerian troops to do such a thing.

Boko Haram is fighting to carve an Islamic state out of Nigeria, and its fighters have killed hundreds in bomb and gun attacks, many of them from the security forces, since beginning the uprising three years ago. The video was taken by a soldier who said

he was present while the shootings took place two weeks ago. The soldier, who requested anonymity, passed it to Reuters yesterday.

In the grainy footage, a man sits down next to three or four corpses piled together on the roadside. He pleads for his life while soldiers shout at him and a crowd looks on a few metres away. “Please don’t fire,” the man says in pidgin English. He tries to stand up and get onto the back of a pick up truck to the left. A Nigerian soldier shouts “come out”, and drags him off it, shoving him on the ground.

One of them kicks him in the head.

Then he and another soldier aim assault rifles at him. Four gunshots are heard and the man lies still next to the others. Nigerian army spokesman Colonel Mohammed Yerima said he had not seen the video but that the

events must have been staged.

“How can they do that? It is not possible. This is the Boko Haram tactics,” He said. “They will do the killing, say it’s the military and then Amnesty International and so on will blame us.

It’s not possible for Nigerian troops to act in this way.” Nigerian forces have repeatedly denied accusations of such abuses, saying the only times they kill suspected militants is during combat.

Those captured are questioned or freed, they say.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Michael Posner said on Friday that the United States was seriously concerned by reported abuses committed by Nigerian security forces in their efforts to quell the insurgency. Such alleged abuses usually occur shortly after members of the security forces have

been killed or wounded in an attack by the sect. The killings in this video happened after a bomb attack on a military patrol further up the road, the soldier who provided the footage said.

Another video from the same source, which he said was taken after the executions, shows soldiers piling up about two dozen bodies in two bloody heaps on the ground from the back of a military truck.

The videos could spur renewed calls for Nigeria’s security forces to change their approach to the insurgency, which critics say is prompting desperate, angry youths to join Boko Haram and encouraging the northern population to shelter them. That uprising was sparked by a military crackdown on the sect in which hundreds were killed, including its founder and spiritual leader

Mohammed Yusuf, who died in police custody. President Goodluck Jonathan has been accused of treating the conflict as a security problem that can be solved with force alone, rather than addressing the root causes of the insurgency. Amnesty International issued a report this month in which it said human rights abuses committed by security forces were fuelling the conflict they were meant to end.

The report said a “significant number” of people accused of links with Boko Haram had been executed after arrest without due process, while hundreds were detained without charge or trial and many of those arrested disappeared or were later found dead.

The Nigerian military rejected that report, including accusations that they execute suspects, as “biased and mischievous.” — Reuters

Kurdish militants end hunger strike in Turkey Appeal fuels hopes of fresh bid to end conflict

CAIRO: Pope Tawadros II (left) who was enthroned as the new leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority listens as the caretaker of the Coptic Church Bishop Pachomius (right) delivers a speech during his enthronement ceremony at the Saint Mark’s Coptic Cathedral yesterday. — AFP

Leader of Egypt Coptic Christians enthroned CAIRO: Pope Tawadros II was enthroned as the new leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority yesterday in a ceremony at Cairo’s St Mark’s Cathedral attended

by Prime Minister Hisham Qandil. Dozens of Coptic clerics in flowing robes took part in the ceremony, the first in four decades, as the Muslim premier watched on. Tawadros received the crown and crucifix from Bishop Pachomius, who had served as the church’s interim leader, before ascending the huge wooden throne of St Mark embossed with lions.

Arabic, English and Greek mingled with the ancient Coptic language of the church’s liturgy in the psalms and prayers of the service and the tributes of wellwishers. Tawadros, 60, was chosen on November 4 to succeed Pope Shenuda III, who died in March after four decades on the patriarchal throne. He was chosen after a blindfolded altar boy picked his name from a chalice, according to church custom.

He becomes spiritual head of the largest Christian minority in the Middle East and 118th pope in a line dating back to the origins of Christianity and to Saint Mark, the apostle and author of one of the four Gospels, who brought the new faith to Egypt. Shenuda, a careful, pragmatic leader, died at a critical time for the increasingly beleaguered minority, which has faced a surge in sectarian attacks after an uprising overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

The pope leads the country’s Coptic Orthodox community. Christians make up between six and 10 percent of Egypt’s

83-million population. Amid increased fears about the community’s future after the overthrow of Mubarak, Tawadros will be its main contact with Islamist President Mohamed Morsi. The rise of Islamists after the revolution sparked fears among Copts of further persecution, despite Morsi’s repeated promises to be a president “for all Egyptians.”

Copts have suffered sectarian attacks for years, but since Mubarak’s overthrow several dozen have been killed in sectarian clashes and during a protest in October last year crushed by the then ruling military. Morsi sent Qandil to the ceremony as his representative. The church had initially said Morsi himself would attend, but then said he would be absent as he dealt with the crisis in Gaza.

Tawadros’s official biography stresses his wish for good relations with Muslims, saying he has warned that a draft constitution would be unacceptable if it enshrined a “religious state.” Egypt’s three main churches have withdrawn their representatives from the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly preparing the controversial new charter to replace the one suspended after Mubarak’s overthrow.

Under Mubarak, the constitution vaguely stipulated that the main source of legislation were principles of Islamic law. The draft charter is set to clarify that article with a stricter interpretation.

Tawadros also advocates further unity between Egypt’s Copts and those of the diaspora, whose leaders have often been more outspoken against abuses suffered by the Christians in Egypt. — AFP

Rebels shell near Sudan’s Darfur KHARTOUM: Insurgents have shelled near the capital of Sudan’s troubled North Darfur state for the second time in less than a month in an attempt to disrupt government air raids, a senior rebel said yesterday. Residents of El Fasher confirmed they heard explosions for about one hour around midnight on Friday. “Basically it sounded like mortar fire,” which appeared to be coming from just west of the town, one resident said, asking not to be identified. The Sudan Liberation Army’s Minni Minnawi faction claimed responsibility, saying it had targeted a military facility on the edge of El Fasher airport, where air force planes are based.

“We want to stop these airplanes which are escalating bombing in East Jebel Marra,” a mountainous area about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of El Fasher, said Hussain Minnawi, a member of the rebels’ political bureau. The airport remained open yesterday.

A similar attack by the insurgents

happened less than a month ago, Minnawi told AFP. Sudan’s army spokesman could not be reached for comment. El Fasher is the headquarters of the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the world’s largest peacekeeping mission, which last week expressed “grave concern” about escalating violence.

Since July, civilians have been increasingly at risk from inter-communal fighting, harassment by militia groups and sporadic clashes between rebel and government troops, particularly in North Darfur, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said in a quarterly report issued on October 16.

The Sudan Liberation Army and other ethnic rebels began their uprising against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in 2003. Though violence is down from its peak, various overlapping conflicts continue in the form of banditry, inter-Arab and tribal disputes as well as government-rebel clashes in the farwest region. — AFP

ISTANBUL/DIYARBAKIR: Hundreds of Kurdish militants ended a hunger strike in jails across Turkey yesterday in response to an appeal from their leader, fuelling hopes a deal had been struck that could revive talks to end a decades-old conflict. Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his supporters to end their protest after holding a series of discussions with Turkish MIT intelligence agency officials, according to one media report. Top MIT officials have held secret meetings with senior PKK representatives in Oslo in recent years and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in September more talks were possible.

More than 40,000 people have been killed in 28 years of fighting between Turkey and the PKK - designated a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Ocalan’s call for an end to the hunger strike, which militants staged to demand an end to his isolation in an island prison south of Istanbul, was announced by his brother on Saturday.

“On the basis of our leader’s call ... we end our protest as of November 18, 2012,” Deniz Kaya, a spokesman for the jailed PKK militants, was quoted as saying in a statement by an association representing the inmates’ families.

The announcement was welcomed by the government, which had been increasingly

worried any deaths during the hunger strike might provoke more violence.

“I hope we will not face such protests from now on. Turkey is a democratic country,” Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc was quoted as telling reporters by state-run Anatolian news agency. “Whatever demands the people have, the government and politicians can air them in parliament,” he added. A newspaper said yesterday talks between Ocalan and Turkish intelligence officials over the last two months had paved the way for his appeal to end the protest, which lasted 68 days. “A delegation went to Imrali on three occasions. A senior MIT official joined one of these visits and Ocalan’s intervention was sought to end the hunger strike,” the liberal daily Radikal said. It did not identify its sources. Fighting between the PKK and Turkish forces surged over the summer. Ankara has linked the renewed hostilities to the conflict in neighbouring Syria and accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of arming the PKK. In the latest violence, five Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes with PKK fighters in Hakkari province near the border with Iraq yesterday, security sources told Reuters.

Most demands not met Ocalan, imprisoned on Imrali island in the Marmara Sea south of Istanbul since his cap-

ture in 1999, has significant support among Kurds but is widely reviled by Turks who hold him responsible for the conflict since the PKK took up arms in 1984. According to justice ministry figures, about 1,700 people had been taking part in the hunger strike. Kurdish politicians said the inmates were now receiving medical treatment.

There was no indication their demands had been met. As well as end to Ocalan’s isolation and limited access to lawyers, they had demanded greater use of the Kurdish language in schools and other institutions.

Erdogan’s government has boosted Kurdish cultural and language rights since taking power a decade ago. But Kurdish politicians are seeking greater political reform, including steps towards autonomy for mainly Kurdish southeastern Turkey. Addressing one of the protesters’ demands, the government has submitted to parliament a bill allowing defendants to use Kurdish in court testimony.

Seven leading Kurdish politicians, mostly from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), had joined the hunger strike over the last week. “We hope this call will pave the way for the next process, which is to end (Ocalan’s) isolation ... The Kurdish problem should be resolved by dialogue and deliberation,” BDP leader Selahattin Demirtas told reporters late on Saturday. — Reuters

Weary Gazans have learned to expect the worst always GAZA: The defiance of Palestinians in war-struck Gaza bombards the senses in the city streets. Shrieks of outgoing rockets from downtown launch-pads receive an encore of whistling youths, honking horns and celebratory calls of “God is Great” from mosque loudspeakers.

Martial songs blare “Strike Tel Aviv!” from one of the few cars daring to chance the roads.But fatalism rather than triumphalism defines Gazans’ reaction to the Israeli air assault that began on Wednesday, and a feeling that no matter how deep the pain, their experience is not without precedent and will not soon end.

Israel said it launched the operation in the enclave on Wednesday to stop rocket attacks by Hamas militants opposed to its existence.

A man was executed in the street this week accused of spying for Israel. Hamas has warned that price-gougers trying to exploit the coming shortages of food and medicine will be dealt with harshly.

Hardship is neither new nor shocking. Gaza has seen it all before. The last Gaza war, a lopsided threeweek-long Israeli air blitz and ground invasion in 2008-2009, left more than 1,400 Palestinians dead, mostly civilians.

Israel, which pulled its troops and settlers out of the territory in 2005 and carried out the campaign with the declared aim of curbing cross-border rocket-salvoes, lost 13 killed. Whole city districts were flattened by giant Israeli army bulldozers clearing a firebase for invasion troops and tanks. Factories were destroyed, concrete houses were pancaked, with their dismal owners cooking over campfires in the ruins.

In such situations, the need for food and shelter is paramount, and Gaza’s Islamist Hamas authorities know it. Patrons of the few stalls still open in Gaza City’s Firas souq don’t flinch at the buzz of Israeli surveillance drones overhead or the occasional crash of air strikes.

They are inured to the clash of war.

But the prospect of another long round of fighting and another Israeli invasion is casting a shadow of worry over shuttered businesses and cash-strapped families. “When it all started we bought enough to feed our family for a week. Food

BERLIN: A father and his son attend a rally to show their support for the Palestinians yesterday. —AFP could run out or get so expensive we can’t afford it. No one can say when it will end. What can we do?”

Ahid Fadl, 18, whispered amid the muddy, open-air shops.

Warning to traders Hamas police officials have attempted to soothe nerves by promising government and market supplies can withstand what may be a punishing days- or weeks-long round of combat, and passed blame for painful prices on rogue merchants and profiteers. “ The Palestinian police considers anyone who tries to monopolize goods or inflate prices a partner of the (Israeli) occupation’s aggression and we will deal with these traders firmly,” said Hamas police chief Tayseer Al-Batsh. Such announcements have spooked store-owners, caught between the scorn of customers with little money and a wartime government, they have little recourse but to protest their patriotism and blame Israel.

“We praise the government for its steadfastness and its position,”

said Ali Jarrousha, standing before his sacks of grain emblazoned with international aid agency. “Of course some prices have changed around due to the situation, but we Palestinians have experienced worse aggression at Israel’s hands, and we’ll persevere,” he said. The crowd of shoppers around him appeared unmoved. Eighty percent of residents in the coastal enclave livebelow the poverty line and real wages have declined by ten percent since 2005, according to the UN. Deprivation is nothing new to Gaza’s population, mostly descended from refugees, and even peacetime brings no abundance to one of the most densely populated plots in the world. But times of extraordinary hardship like these appear to be testing the patience of a blockaded territory that the UN predicts will be “unliveable” by 2020, unless there is radical infrastructure and economic development. The long-standing shortfall in medical supplies is biting just as Gazans need them most, and threatens to further exasperate

families dealing with wounded members. “There isn’t enough medicine, and in this situation, we don’t know how long it will stay like that,” said Um Ahmad Hasan, a Gaza resident whose child was wounded during the strikes, as she waited anxiously in a Gaza hospital.

Horrific scenes take on an a surreal aspect. Doctors displayed the body of boy-locals said he was killed by an Israeli airstrike-holding his lifeless body and dangling limbs at arm’s length in front of the frantic camera shutters and video lenses of the Gaza press corps. Then he is whisked away, the dispersing crowd careful not to slip in the bright red blood on the tile floor.

Surveying the damage to his land at daybreak on Friday following withering aerial attacks by Israel, Gaza city resident Abu Shadi showed little emotion. “We were surprised that the explosion was so big,” he said, standing next to a deep crater. “It destroyed the grapes, the iron and all the land. We really lost a lot. But in the end, Thank God we lived.”— Reuters

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

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

NJ puts trains in flood zone despite warnings NEW YORK: New Jersey Transit’s struggle to recover from Superstorm Sandy is being compounded by a pre-storm decision to park much of its equipment in two rail yards that forecasters predicted would flood, a move that resulted in damage to one-third of its locomotives and a quarter of its passenger cars. That damage is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars and take many months to repair, a Reuters examination has found.

The Garden State’s commuter railway parked critical equipment - including much of its newest and most expensive stock - at its low-lying main rail yard in Kearny just before the hurricane. It did so even though forecasters had released maps showing the wetland-surrounded area likely would be under water when Sandy’s expected record storm surge hit.

Other equipment was parked at its Hoboken terminal and rail yard, where flooding also was predicted and which has flooded before.

Among the damaged equipment: nine dual-powered locomotive engines and 84 multi-level rail cars purchased over the past six years at a cost of about $385 million. “If there’s a predicted 13foot or 10-foot storm surge, you don’t leave your equipment in a low-lying area,” said David Schanoes, a railroad consultant and former deputy chief of field operations for Metro North Railroad, a sister railway serving New York State. “It’s just basic railroading. You don’t leave your equipment where it can be damaged.”

After Reuters made numerous inquiries to state and local officials this week about the decision to store equipment in the yards, an unidentified senior transportation official told the New York Post that NJ Transit had launched an internal probe, the Post reported on Saturday. NJ Transit Chairman James S. Simpson, the state’s transportation commissioner, told Reuters on Saturday he knew of no such investigation. NJ Transit spokesman John Durso said the agency had not launched a probe but would examine its response to the storm, as “is standard procedure following any major incident.”

The Post said it stood by its story. As of Friday, almost three weeks after the storm, the agency was still struggling to restore full service for its 136,000 daily rail commuters, running just 37 trains into New York Penn Station during the morning rush hour, rather than its usual 63. More service will be restored on Monday. The disruptions have caused long delays and crowded trains for Jersey residents who work in the biggest US city. James Weinstein, NJ Transit’s executive director, said he did not expect the loss of equipment to have a significant effect on service in the coming weeks and months.

Sandy was a storm of rare ferocity, and some damage was inevitable. High winds and a crushing storm surge damaged every conceivable element of the rail system. The massive, slow-moving storm, which came ashore near Atlantic

City, sent boats crashing into a key rail bridge and gigantic trees toppling onto wires and tracks. A rush of seawater washed out miles of coastline track and a switch that directs some of NJ Transit’s most heavily traveled rail lines into New York City. Floodwaters zapped the computer system that guides trains and alerts passengers; damaged a substation that powers much of the agency’s main artery into the city; coursed into one of the two tunnels that funnel its trains under the Hudson River; and left a major hub in Hoboken under nine feet of water and five feet of mud. Still, some of the damage could have been avoided with better planning, railroad experts say.

Yard in a swampy crook Most of the avoidable damage came at NJ Transit’s Meadows Maintenance Complex, a sprawling 78-acre network of tracks and buildings in an industrial area of Kearny that is surrounded by wetlands. The complex is the primary maintenance center for the agency’s locomotives and rail cars, with both outdoor and indoor equipment storage; repair, servicing, cleaning, inspection and training facilities; and the agency’s rail operations center, which houses computers involved in the movement of trains and communication with passengers. The yard sits in the swampy crook where the Passaic and Hackensack rivers come together. Elevation maps show that it lies between 0 and 19 feet above sea level. The National Hurricane Center was

HAITI: Haitians left homeless by Hurricane Sandy, sit in the Nippes section of Haiti. — AP predicting a storm surge of 6 to 11 feet along the New Jersey and New York coast on top of an unusual tide that already had the rivers running high.

Forecasts were that the storm would make landfall on Monday, Oct 29, somewhere along the New Jersey or New York coast. On Friday, Oct 26, executives from the New York City subway system and all of the region’s commuter rail systems NJ Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro North Railroad - decided they

would halt all service Sunday night. NJ Transit’s last trains left their originating stations at 11 p.m. on Sunday, and workers spent the next 12 hours securing equipment, said Weinstein.

At NJ Transit’s emergency command center, reports streamed in from the governor’s command center in Trenton, county emergency management officials and the National Weather Service, which provided frequent updates on the storm’s progress. —Reuters

French opposition votes for Sarkozy successor Popularity of France’s Hollande continues decline

PARIS: Protestors hold placards reading “A family, 1 dad + 1 mom” and ‘For me a dad and a mom’ during a demonstration denouncing same-sex marriages. —AFP

100,000 march against gay marriage in France PARIS: French opponents of same-sex marriage and adoption staged their first major protests Saturday, rallying more than 100,000 people nationwide as police used tear gas against counter-demonstrators in one city. Wearing pink scarves and T-shirts and carrying pink balloons with the image of a man and woman holding two children’s hands, demonstrators marched against plans by the socialist government to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption.

Demonstrators rallied under slogans such as “Pro-marriage, not anti-gay” and “Long live the true family”. And a Catholic humorist who goes by the name of “Frigide Barjot” opened the Paris protest. “This is a great movement that is being launched,” she told the crowd through a megaphone.

“We are born from a man and a woman.

“The problem for us is the end of civil marriage for everyone.”

Some 70,000 people joined the Paris rally, police said-though organisers put the figure at 200,000 — while more than 30,000 others held similar protests in towns around the country. Police in the southwestern city of Toulouse used tear gas against a group of several hundred activists who tried to confront the main rally of several thousand in a counter-protest. A further 22,000 people protested in the southeastern city of Lyon, police said. Officers

there detained around 40 would-be counter-demonstrators who had come to oppose the main rally. Up to 8,000 marched in the southern city of Marseille, where they too were confronted by supporters of gay marriage. There were other protests in in the northwestern towns of Rennes and Nantes, and another in the northern town of Laon.

French President Francois Hollande’s government has come under fire from Catholic groups and the right-wing opposition over the bill. The marches came as Pope Benedict XVI called on the French church Saturday to make its voice heard on social issues. Organisations backing the rallies included a group of homosexuals opposed to the bill called More Gay Without Marriage; a leftwing group called Left for Republican Marriage; and a French Muslim group called Sons of France.

In Paris, protesters brandished posters with slogans such as “Homo marriage is wrong, long live the true family ” and “Everyone comes from a man and a woman”. Protester Beatrice Bodji said she had come because “children are taken hostage” if same-sex marriage and adoption are allowed. “It’s scandalous that the government wants to institutionalise a state lie by hiding the fact that the basis of every child is a dad and a mom,” Jean-Marie Barbiche, who came with his wife and four children, told AFP. — AFP

Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream gets reality check TBILISI: Georgians celebrated in the streets when billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili won power last month but his Georgian Dream coalition has since had to wake up to the reality of government. After promising social justice and better living standards, new Prime Minister Ivanishvili faces huge expectations from voters, and a wave of strikes and regional protests in the weeks since his government took office has highlighted public impatience for change.

“Many people think he will take care of them and solve their problems immediately but it is totally unrealistic to think that he can fulfil all the hopes he has raised,” said Tbilisi-based analyst Ghia Nodia.

Ivanishvili’s bloc has a majority in parliament but many key powers are still held by his bitter rival President Mikheil Saakashvili, who remains in office for another year despite his party’s defeat in the October parliamentary polls.

The election was widely praised as the first peaceful transfer of power since Georgia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. But tensions between the cohabiting opponents have escalated with the arrest of several top officials from

the former Saakashvili government which has raised concerns among the ex-Soviet state’s Western backers.

The political rivalry between Ivanishvili and Saakashvili was evident when they made simultaneous but separate trips to Brussels this week, where they were told that Georgian democracy was still a work in progress despite the relatively fair polls.

Their meetings with EU and NATO leaders were overshadowed by the prosecution on abuse of power charges of Georgia’s former defence minister Bacho Akhalaia and army chief of staff Giorgi Kalandadze.

“I am concerned if these trials are perceived to be politically motivated,” NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after meeting Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili denied allegations of political revenge but insisted that former officials’ misdeeds would be “definitely be punished”-a move that is popular with his supporters who are keen to see alleged rights violators jailed.

“If they do not prosecute those who have committed crimes and just let them go, society will constantly live with a sense of injustice,” said Marina Muskhelishvili of the Centre for Social Studies.— AFP

PARIS: France’s opposition UMP party was voting yesterday for a successor to ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy in a race between his former prime minister Francois Fillon and Jean-Francois Cope, the party’s populist secretary-general. The vote comes six months after Sarkozy’s presidential election defeat to Socialist Francois Hollande, who is now battling a slump in his popularity ratings over the parlous state of the French economy.

The UMP leader, who will be elected for three years, will be tasked with organising opposition to Hollande and containing the advance by the far-right National Front, which garnered 18 percent of the votes in the presidential election. The cautious and staid Fillon, who was prime minister for five years until Sarkozy was ousted by Hollande in May, is leading the opinion polls and portraying himself as a unifier.

He is squaring off against Cope, a champion of the party’s right flank. The man closest to the hear ts of UMP followers remains Sarkozy himself, according to an IFOP opinion poll which found that two-thirds hope he will make a comeback and run for the presidency in 2017. Sarkozy has hinted he might do just that, but in his absence it is Fillon who is favourite to take a majority of the

300,000 votes of UMP members.

The 58-year-old is conservative on economic issues but inclusive on social matters.

He argues that Cope’s bid to attract the five million French who voted for the National Front in the presidential election risks splitting the UMP. Cope, 48, has taken up where Sarkozy left off, unabashed in his bid to woo voters from the National Front, whose historically strong score at the polls split the rightwing vote and torpedoed Sarkozy’s re-election bid.

His rallies have focused on themes that Sarkozy relentlessly pushed, such as immigration and the growing number of Muslims in France, which has Europe’s biggest Islamic community. He last month published “A Manifesto for an Uninhibited Right”, in which he argued that the poor immigrant suburbs of French cities had become havens of “antiwhite racism”.

Cope, whom critics dub “Sarkozy light” and who has promised to stand aside if his mentor seeks re-election in 2017, followed that up with a tweet about a boy who had his chocolate cake snatched from him by “thugs” who were apparently enforcing the Muslim Ramadan fast. Cope’s provocative rhetoric shocks many centre-minded UMP

supporters, as did Sarkozy’s before him.

Many of them believe the future of the UMP is much safer in the hands of the restrained and urbane Fillon, who shares Cope’s views on economic policy and the European Union but who wants to steer the party more toward the centre. “Some people think they can win France by taking all the turns to the right,” Fillon, who remained popular while Sarkozy’s prime minister even as his boss hit record lows in the polls, told a campaign rally on Monday. “But I am convinced that it will be won by the right, by the centre, and even by the left,” he said.

The UMP election battle comes as the popularity of Hollande’s government tumbles in opinion polls as it struggles to rein in a huge budget deficit and deal with economic crisis. Hollande’s popularity ratings have fallen to an all-time low, with only 36 percent of the French expressing confidence in him in November, according to a TNS Sofres-Sopra poll for Le Figaro magazine. His score in the six months after a presidential election is the lowest since Jacques Chirac tallied 37 percent in 1995.

Hollande’s predecessor Sarkozy was polling 57 percent support in 2007 six months into his presidency. — AFP

House women defend Rice over Libya remarks WASHINGTON: Republican senators’ angry criticism of UN Ambassador Susan Rice over her initial account of the deadly Sept 11 attack in Libya smacks of sexism and racism, a dozen female members of the House said Friday. In unusually personal terms, the Democratic women lashed out at Sens John McCain and Lindsey Graham who earlier this week called Rice unqualified and untrustworthy and promised to scuttle her nomination if President Barack Obama nominates her to succeed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. “All of the things they have disliked about things that have gone on in the administration, they have never called a male unqualified, not bright, not trustworthy,” said Rep Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, the next chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. “There is a clear sexism and racism that goes with these comments being made by unfortunately Sen. McCain and others.”

At a Capitol Hill news conference, the female lawmakers, the majority of them African American like Rice, suggested that the Republicans are bitter about Obama’s re-election and taking it out on UN ambassador. “To batter this woman because they don’t feel they have the ability to batter President Obama is something we the women are not going to stand by and watch,” said Rep Gwen Moore, DWis. “Their feckless and reckless speculation is unworthy of their offices as senators.”

For weeks, the criticism of Rice has focused on her comments about the Libya attack. The lawmakers’ contention that the ambassador’s race and sex are factors come just over a week after an election when women and minorities heavily favored Obama and Democrats. The Democratic

women directed particular ire against McCain, who said Rice was “not being very bright” in her comments. The women pointed out that Rice was a Rhodes scholar who graduated tops in her Stanford University class whereas McCain was in the bottom of his class at the US Naval Academy.

McCain, who was attending the Halifax International Security Forum, was questioned about the lawmakers’ criticism. “I think they are entitled to their opinions,” he said. A spokesman for Graham had no immediate reaction to the remarks. In a separate appearance after a briefing on Libya, Sen Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif, the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the growing criticism of Rice “is almost as if the attempt is to assassinate her character.”

McCain, Graham, R-S.C, and Sen Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H, also have been pressing for a Watergate-style special congressional committee to investigate the Libyan raid. On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev, rejected the idea, saying the ongoing investigations by House and Senate committees are sufficient and should be allowed to proceed. “The elections are over; it is time to put an end to the partisan politicization of national security and begin working together to strengthen our efforts to dismantle and destroy the terrorist networks that threaten us,” Reid wrote in a letter to McCain.

At issue are Rice’s statements in a series of television interviews five days after the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Republicans insist that she should have labeled the incident an act of terrorism rather than cite a protest over an anti-Muslim

WASHINGTON: This file photo shows US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice listening during a news conference. — AP video that had roiled cities in the Schiff, D-Calif, a lawmaker who Middle East. Rice said at the time attended the session. The female she was providing the “best infor- House members argued that Rice mation and the best assessment would have no motivation to mislead the American people. we have today.”

The Democratic women also “In fact this was not a preplanned, premeditated attack. That contrasted McCain and Graham’s what happened initially was that it criticism with their defense of forSecretary of State was a spontaneous reaction to mer what had just transpired in Cairo as Condoleezza Rice, who had a consequence of the video,” she warned of weapons of mass said. “People gathered outside the destruction in pressing for war in embassy, and then it grew very vio- Iraq that killed more than 4,400 lent. Those with extremist ties Americans. No weapons of mass joined the fray and came with destruction were found. “It’s interheavy weapons, which unfortu- esting to me that we’re not disnately are quite common in post- cussing another Rice who went revolutionary Libya, and that then before all of the talk shows some years ago,” said Rep. Jan spun out of control.”

CIA acting director Mike Morell Schakowsky, D-Ill. The Dem cratic has told congressional committees women demanded that McCain this week that Rice was relying on and Graham retract their criticism. an initial intelligence assessment “It is a shame that anytime somethat eventually proved incorrect. thing goes wrong, they pick on Former CIA Director David Petraeus women and minorities,” Fudge told congressional committees said. Said Del. Eleanor Holmes Friday that Rice’s comments Norton, D-D.C: “We will not allow a “reflected the best intelligence at brilliant public servant’s record to the time that could be released be mugged to cut off her considerpublicly,” according to Rep. Adam ation to be secretary of state.” —AP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

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

Angry Chinese protesters overturn police vehicles BEIJING: Thousands of residents have protested in a southeastern Chinese city after a traffic accident, smashing police cars and overturning three police vans, police and residents said yesterday. The reason for the protest in Fuan city in Fujian province was unclear. Police said the incident was instigated by “a handful of lawless people.” One resident said people became angry because police and paramedics took nearly an hour to arrive to help the injured, while a Hong Kong-based human rights group said it was to do with corruption. But such protests have become increasingly common in China, and Saturday’s violence is another reminder that the country’s new leadership has to deal with underlying social discontent that often boils over. People are fed up with corruption and high-handed officialdom, pensions that have not kept

pace with inflation, and families being forced from their homes to make way for developments.

Residents said police were stopping cars and checking people for driving after drinking on Saturday evening when the accident happened on a main road in Fuan. Wanting to avoid being tested, a driver in a sedan accelerated away and police started chasing the car, said a resident, who would give only his surname, Lin. About three motorcycles were hit during the chase, said Lin, adding he wasn’t sure who hit them. “About 10,000 to 20,000 onlookers became angry because police officers and paramedics took nearly one hour to arrive,” said Lin. He estimated that 1,000 to 2,000 people clashed with police and overturned three police vans. Photos carried by online southeastern news sites showed hundreds of people swarming

across a wide street with two vans thrown onto their sides. In one photo, three people stood on top of an overturned van. The official Fuan city police microblog said yesterday that a sedan had collided with a car and three motorcycles just before 8 pm Saturday, leaving five people injured.

“The accident made a small number of local people dissatisfied, so they smashed police vehicles and overturned three police vans,” said the statement.

An initial investigation found that a person with no driving license surnamed Jiang had caused the accident and was in police detention, it said. It said the driver wasn’t drunk but had accelerated to avoid a patrol vehicle and aroused attention. It said four of the injured were in stable condition and the other one had been discharged from hospital.

Later yesterday, the propaganda department of Fuan’s Communist Party committee put out a statement countering accusations police and paramedics had been slow to respond.

It said police had immediately called paramedics and traffic police after the collisions, and a patrol car drove to a hospital to pick up three doctors. The five injured were taken to hospital 40 minutes after the accident happened, it said.

“As the rescue work was going on, some relatives of the injured people and onlookers got out of control,” said the statement. “They started to push and shove the doctors and knock the ambulance and so the ambulance left the scene under police escort.” It said “a handful of lawless people misled some people who didn’t know the truth” and they began targeting police vehicles.

The Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said about 10,000 people clashed with police, and that 10 police vehicles had been smashed, three overturned and 20 people injured. The scenes were triggered by the local police corruption, the center said in a faxed statement that didn’t cite any sources.

It alleged that Fuan’s traffic police were illegally registering license plates to vehicles from outside their jurisdiction for 50,000 yuan ($8,000) and that local residents suspected the sedan had such a license. Calls to Fuan’s transport bureau rang unanswered. A man at Fuan’s local government propaganda department didn’t answer questions but referred to a press release on a local news portal which said the same as the Fuan police microblog. — AP

Myanmar forces accused of attacks on Muslims HRW claims govt not helping Rohingya

BEIJING: A woman sits outside an aquarium in Beijing yesterday. — AP

SE Asia leaders ink human rights pact PHNOM PENH: Southeast Asian leaders endorsed a controversial human rights pact yesterday at an annual summit in which they also sought to step up pressure on China over a bruising territorial dispute.

Heads of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hailed their declaration on human rights as a landmark agreement that would help protect the region’s 600 million people.

“It’s a legacy for our children,” Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told reporters after the signing ceremony. But critics said it allowed too many loopholes for ASEAN, which groups a diverse range of political systems ranging from authoritarian regimes in Laos and Vietnam to freewheeling democracies such as the Philippines. “Our worst fears in this process have now come to pass,” said Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson.

On the day the pact was signed, leaders were having to discuss the ethnic violence in ASEAN member Myanmar, where clashes in Rakhine state between Muslim and Buddhists have left 180 people dead since June. ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan told AFP yesterday that the violence was disturbing and risked destabilising the region. He said leaders would discuss the bloodshed and potentially include

a statement referring to it in their end-ofsummit communique.

The ASEAN event will be expanded into a two-day East Asia Summit starting Monday that includes the leaders of the United States, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Russia.

US President Barack Obama is due to arrive in Phnom Penh on Monday after making an historic visit to Myanmar. Obama decided to make the trip to Myanmar, the first by a sitting US president, to reward and further encourage political developments by the new reformist government there.

However the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which on Saturday described the Muslim Rohingya minority as victims of “genocide”, has urged Obama to pressure Myanmar’s government to stop the bloodshed. During their summit on Sunday, ASEAN leaders forged a united position on negotiating with China over competing territorial claims to the strategically vital South China Sea. China insists it has sovereign rights to nearly all of the sea, including waters near the coasts of its Asian neighbours. ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, also have sometimes overlapping claims to the sea.—AFP

China 2022 leadership clues already on show BEIJING: Even as Xi Jinping was unveiled as China’s new leader, clues on who will take over from him a decade down the line in the long-planned Communist succession system were already being revealed.

Analysts say the front runners for 2022 are Hu Chunhua, a literature graduate who cracked down on protestors in Tibet, and Sun Zhengcai, who spent time as an agricultural researcher in the British countryside. The two men, both 49, were named to the all-powerful 25-strong Politburo, the nation’s second most powerful committee, after last week’s pivotal Communist Party congress.

Many believe they are now headed for the inner circle of Chinese politics, the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee which Xi is expected to lead for the next decade. Xi’s own ascension had been expected since 2007, when he was given a position on the standing committee. Aside from Xi and number-two Li Keqiang, its other members will have to step aside at the next congress in 2017 after they reach retirement age, clearing the way for the next generation to step up.

At the same time Hu and Sun’s Politburo colleagues are all significantly older, meaning many will be out of the running for the highest posts in 2022. “There is a big possibility that both will become China’s top leaders in 10 years time as they are the youngest on the Politburo,” said Zhang Xin, a political scientist at People’s University in Beijing. “ They are in good position for advancement, but they still have to prove themselves in the coming years.”

China’s choreographed Communist successions are a start contrast to the boisterous elections of Western democracies, and critics say they are out of place in a fastmodernising society with aspirations for greater transparency. “Today, China still has not been able to leave behind authoritarianism, power monopolies, rampant corrup-

tion... the root of these weighty social problems is autocracy,” rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong said in an essay ahead of the congress.

But in recent decades the system has enabled China to avoid the frequently violent political purges that were routine during the rule of Mao Zedong, and the continuity has also been a part of the nation’s economic transformation.

“The party over the last 20 years has sought to institutionalise a smooth and predictable leadership transition,” said Joseph Cheng at City University of Hong Kong. Hu, currently the party leader in Inner Mongolia, comes from a poor background and cut his teeth cracking down on antiBeijing demonstrators in Tibet in the late 1980s along with outgoing president Hu Jintao, who was then party secretary for the region. Although they are not related, the younger Hu has long been seen as a protege of his namesake, so much so that he has been dubbed “Little Hu”. Tibetans regularly protest against what they say is marginalisation and discrimination by Beijing, and the party congress was marked by a spate of self-immolations. Maintaining stability is a key issue for the Communist Party.

“Hu Chunhua has shown that he can handle ethnic relations and has made achievements in maintaining ethnic unity,” said Zhang. “You can say that he has good experience and has made results in cracking down on separatism... the strict way he has handled separatism is an important part of his political achievements.” Sun’s promotion to the Politburo is largely based on his expertise in agriculture-a key sector in a country that needs to feed 1.3 billion people. He graduated from Beijing Agriculture University in 1987 and later spent a year as a visiting scholar at Britain’s Rothamsted Experimental Station, which is based at a manor house in the Hertfordshire countryside north of London. Later he served as minister of agriculture for three years.— AFP

BANGKOK: A leading international rights group yesterday accused Myanmar security forces of supporting some of the brutal anti-Muslim violence last month that forced 35,000 people from torched homes. The government rejected the allegations, which came one day before President Barack Obama’s visit to the Southeast Asian nation after a year and a half of unprecedented democratic reforms there. Human Rights Watch said soldiers in some parts of western Rakhine state also tried to stop Buddhist attacks and protect Muslim civilians, known as Rohingya. But the group said the government needs to do much more to protect the stateless minority, who are denied citizenship because they are considered foreigners from Bangladesh.

The New York-based rights group also released new satellite imagery detailing the extensive destruction of several Muslim areas, including a village attacked

by Buddhist mobs armed with spears and bows and arrows where adults were beheaded and women and children killed.

Violence in June, and again in late October, has killed around 200 people on both sides and displaced more than 110,000 people, the vast majority of them Muslims.

“The satellite images and eyewitness accounts reveal that local mobs, at times with official support, sought to finish the job of removing Rohingya from these areas,” Human Rights Watch’s Asia director, Brad Adams, said in a statement. “The central government’s failure to take serious action to ensure accountability for the June violence fostered impunity, and makes it responsible for later attacks not only when security forces were directly involved, but also when they weren’t,” he said. “This is crunch time because Burma’s failure to contain sectarian violence ... calls into question the Burmese government’s stated goal of becoming a rights-respecting, multi-ethnic state.”

Myanmar is also known as Burma. Rakhine state government spokesman Win Myaing

YANGON: In this file photo released by the National League for Democracy-Liberated Area, a Buddhist monk walks past a motorcycle which got burned in Myanmar. — AP said he strongly rejected charges that local authorities and security forces supported the violence in October. “We tried our utmost to resolve the problems with fairness in the interest of the welfare of both communities,” Win Myaing told The Associated Press.

“Both sides accused us of supporting either side, but we tried our best to protect both communities. We stationed more security to protect the mosques.”

The Associated Press has also interviewed victims in Rakhine state who accused security forces of taking part in the violence or of doing little to stop it, but it was not possible to verify the claims.

On Friday, the United Nations announced it had received a letter from Myanmar President Thein Sein pledging to consider new rights for the Rohingya for the first time and condemning the “senseless violence” that has battered Rakhine state. But the letter stopped short of a full commitment that citizenship and other new freedoms would be granted, and gave no timeline.

The White House says Obama will press the matter Monday

with Thein Sein, along with demands to free remaining political prisoners as the nation transitions to democracy after a halfcentury of military rule that ended last year. The UN has called the Rohingya - who are widely reviled by the Buddhist majority in Myanmar - among the most persecuted people on Earth.

Myanmar denies the Rohingya citizenship, even though many of their families have lived in Myanmar for generations. The government considers them to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh, but Bangladesh also rejects them, rendering them stateless. The satellite images released by Human Rights Watch showed before and after scenes of burned areas in Pauktaw, Mrauk-U and Myebon townships.

It had earlier released similar images of Kyaukphyu township, where ethnic Kaman Muslims were also forced to flee, indicating the conflict has widened.

While Muslim zones in those areas were destroyed, one village in Mrauk-U called Yan Thei was almost 100 percent destroyed.

Human Rights Watch cited wit-

nesses as saying that mobs of Buddhist Rakhine “armed with swords, spears, homemade guns, bows and arrows, and other weapons descended on the village on Oct 23, and fighting ensued.”

“The Rohingya were ultimately surrounded and overwhelmed, and survivors fled by land to an area outside the village,” the rights group said. “Gruesome casualties were sustained on both sides, including beheadings and killings of women and children.”

According to the report, displaced Rohingya and Kaman Muslims also said some state security forces fired shots in the air to fend off mobs and provided water and food to them on their offshore boats after they were initially denied permission to come ashore in the regional capital, Sittwe. Authorities were concerned their arrival could overwhelm already packed displacement camps. “But these instances of protection were offset by violence committed against the Rohingya and Kaman by other groups of security forces,” the rights group said. — AFP

Tibetan woman dies after self-immolation BEIJING: A Tibetan taxi driver has set herself on fire and died in the latest of dozens of protests against Chinese rule over the Himalayan region, overseas rights

groups said. Chagmo Kyi, a mother of two, self-immolated Saturday afternoon in a square in Tongren county in western China’s Qinghai province, the

DHARAMSALA: Exiled Tibetans participate in a candlelit vigil to display solidarity towards Tibetans who have self-immolated protesting China’s rule in India. — AP

eighth self-immolation in the Tongren area since Nov. 4, the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet said in an email. According to the group, 75 people have self-immolated in ethnically Tibetan areas since February 2009, and most of them have died. Tibet support groups overseas say an increase in protests the past two weeks was meant to highlight Tibetans’ unhappiness with Chinese rule as the country ’s leaders handed over power to younger successors at a Communist Party congress in Beijing.

Tibetan delegates attending the congress told reporters they believed much of the blame for the spate of self-immolations fell on the Dalai Lama, Tibetans’ spiritual leader, and his associates, whom they said were instigating the protests. The Dalai Lama and representatives of the selfdeclared Tibetan government-inexile in India say they oppose all violence.

The International Campaign for Tibet reported that hundreds of Tibetans were surrounded by

troops as they attended Chagmo Kyi’s cremation at a site normally used for the cremation of monks and lamas. The group said the woman had frequently driven between Tongren and Xining, the provincial capital, and was also a farmer.

London-based Free Tibet also reported the self-immolation, and said at least 20 trucks, each carrying 20 armed police officers, were stationed at intersections in Tongren’s capital, Rongwo, where people have previously selfimmolated in protest. It also said there were reports of cars, each with about five government officials inside, positioned every 20 paces along most streets, monitoring the population.

Authorities in Tongren and Huangnan prefecture, which oversees the county, either refused to comment or said they hadn’t heard about the selfimmolation. Calls to Tongren police rang unanswered.

Independent verification of events and conditions in Tibet is nearly impossible because of restrictions on travel. — AP

12

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

international

India’s govt faces stormy parliament NEW DELHI: India’s fragile government heads into what promises to be a stormy new parliament session this week, fighting to keep its reform agenda on track while dodging attempts to force fresh elections. The government’s decision in September to raise fuel prices and allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector ended months of policy drift but provoked fierce protests from allies, opposition parties and trade unions. Amid the outcry, the coalition led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lost its majority when the regional Trinamool Congress walked out, leaving it dependent on outside parties whose backing in parliament is not guaranteed.

The push for pro-market

reforms comes as the government faces a slowing economy, a ballooning fiscal deficit and stubbornly high inflation which have piled pressure on the left-leaning Congress party-dominated alliance. India’s gross domestic product expanded at its slowest pace in three years in the second quarter of the year and data for the July-September period expected at the end of the month will underline the extent of the downturn.

“This government is facing a serious crisis of credibility at the moment, especially as inflation and unemployment remain high,” Zoya Hasan, professor of political science at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, told AFP. “There is some uncertainty about this

government’s fate. If the opposition decides to call for a (no-confidence) vote over retail FDI, the government is in a very vulnerable position.”

A host of political parties, including the Communist Party (Marxist) and Trinamool led by former ally Mamata Banerjee, have indicated they will move a noconfidence vote against the government after parliament opens on Thursday.

Among the market-opening measures, the decision to allow foreign supermarkets into the retail sector did not require a vote to be pushed through. But opening up the insurance market and pensions will require parliamentary approval.

Banerjee, a populist who

decries moves to cut subsidies or invite in foreign investors like US giant Walmart as “anti-poor”, put an end to her uneasy time inside the coalition on September 21. To survive a no-confidence votewhich could prompt early elections-the coalition will have to rely on outside parties, many of which are also hostile to foreign investment.

Although the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has so far shied away from calling for a noconfidence vote, they have vowed to use parliament as a staging ground for their protest against retail reform. Demonstrations by BJP lawmakers forced adjournments almost every day and meant the last session of parliament was a wash-out, with only

four bills passed by both houses.

Devika Malik, an analyst with PRS Legislative Research, a New Delhi-based think-tank, told AFP that disruptions have been the trend since 2009. “We see the government bringing an extensive agenda of bills and very few are passed,” she said. The wasted timewhich included a full winter session in 2010 when no legislation was passed-has created a considerable backlog, according to PRS. The 102 bills still pending include important legislation on issues like land acquisition, access to food, affirmative action for women and a host of anti-corruption initiatives. During the last session, three of the four bills passed were cleared in just 20 minutes with no discussion, according to

PRS. The continuing legislative deadlock coupled with the pressure to sell contentious, longdelayed economic reforms to a sceptical public has left the government in a tough spot.

B.G. Verghese, an analyst at the Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research, told AFP: “The opposition will do their best to bring parliament to a standstill, but their song and dance doesn’t absolve the government of responsibility.”

He warned that the government could no longer afford to be passive onlookers and deepen the impression of a country in economic and political drift. “If they don’t lead now, if they don’t act, they will have to pay a price when the next elections are held,” he said. —AFP

India bids farewell to firebrand Thackeray Hundreds of thousands of mourners witness funeral MUMBAI: Huge crowds gathered in Mumbai yesterday to witness the funeral procession of Bal Thackeray, chief of the Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena party and one of India’s most divisive politicians. Thackeray, who called his followers “Hindu warriors” and was widely accused of

heaving throng. Authorities placed a massive police force on the streets in a bid to avert trouble following the death of the politician whose party has a reputation for intimidation and unrest.

Thackeray was accused by an official probe of inciting violence

mation later in the day.

“I will be privileged to pay respects to my god. We have lost our godfather,” Ganesh Sawant, an office assistant in the city, told AFP. Jyotsna Parab, a housewife, said her life would “never be the same” as she wiped away tears. “I cannot

MUMBAI: (Top) Udhav Thackeray, the son of Hindu hardline Shiv Sena party leader Bal Thackeray carries flowers past his body during his funeral yesterday. (Bottom) Indian mourners walk beside a truck carrying the body of Hindu hardline Shiv Sena party leader Bal Thackeray during his funeral. —AP

stoking ethnic and religious violence, died aged 86 on Saturday, triggering a virtual shutdown of the city.

Hundreds of thousands of mourners lined the route to catch a final glimpse of Thackeray, still wearing his trademark sunglasses as his body, covered in the Indian flag, was driven slowly through the

against Muslims in riots that claimed more than 1,000 lives in Mumbai in the 1990s, although he was never charged. He won devotion from his Hindu working-class followers, who showered the hearse with flowers as it travelled to central Shivaji Park, where the public could pay homage before his last rites and cre-

accept that he is no more. This was a man whose entire world revolved around protecting our rights,” she said.

Commercial establishments across Mumbai were expected to remain closed until after Thackeray’s cremation with some owners saying they feared they could be targeted

by Shiv Sena supporters if they did

not shut. Newspapers dedicated pages of coverage to the man who dominated the city’s politics for decades.

“Mumbai loses its boss,” ran the headline of the Mumbai Mirror, below a picture of an imposing, cigar-smoking Thackeray. “Many hated him. Many feared him. Many loved him for what he stood for,” said a tribute in the Mid Day newspaper. Thackeray vociferously sought to defend the rights of local Marathi-speaking “sons of the soil” against “outsiders”-whether Gujaratis, north Indians or Bangladeshis-who came to work in Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra state.

Despite Thackeray’s polarising career, tributes poured in for the politician who gave Bombay the new name of Mumbai in a bid to rid the city of its British colonial past and emphasise its Marathi roots. “He was a consummate communicator whose stature in the politics of Maharashtra was unique,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.

As his cortege progressed through Mumbai, police advised residents to travel only in emergencies. Taxis went off the roads, and shopkeepers and restaurants stayed shut since news of his death spread across the city. Several buses were damaged on Saturday evening, but there was no widespread unrest.

While Thackeray was a hero to many working-class Hindus, his politics and the hold that his party exerts over India’s financial capital angered many others. “Why is Shiv Sena holding the city to ransom. Is that the only way?” asked leading film director Anurag Kashyap on Twitter.

Thackeray was never a lawmaker-preferring to dominate from behind the scenes-but his party held power for five years from 1994 at state level and is still in the coalition ruling Mumbai’s governing civic body. Thackeray had been in frail health for months, with a trail of Bollywood stars visiting him in his final days. He appeared to followers by videolink in October asking them to “take care” of his son Uddhav, the executive president of Shiv Sena, whose political fortunes have ebbed since Thackeray’s nephew Raj set up a rival party. —AFP

Roadside bombs kill 5 in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani pedestrian walks past a portrait of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ahead of a D-8 group of developing nations conference yesterday. —AFP

MIRANSHAH: Roadside bombs killed a total of five people and wounded 10 yesterday in two separate blasts in Pakistan’s lawless tribal zone near the Afghan border, officials said.

One of the improvised explosive devices was planted along the route of an army convoy in the Mir Ali area 35 kilometres (21 miles) east of Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan district, they said. “The explosion killed at least two soldiers and injured seven others,” a security official in Miranshah said on condition of anonymity.

Another local security official confirmed the attack and said two of some 10 to 15 vehicles in the convoy were severely damaged. In the Shin Qamar area of the Khyber tribal region, at least three labourers were killed and three wounded yesterday in an explosion caused by a roadside bomb, said senior local official Nasir Khan. He said the bomb went off as the labourers, who were

carrying construction materials on mules, passed by. Local intelligence officials also confirmed the incident.

Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt is made up of seven districts. In North Waziristan, Taleban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants have carved out strongholds used to plot attacks across the border in Afghanistan. The AlQaeda-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan, blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan, is one of the thorniest issues in relations between Islamabad and Washington.

Washington has long demanded that Pakistan take action against the Haqqanis, which the then-top US militar y officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, last year described as a “veritable arm” of the Pakistani intelligence service. Pakistan says it will act according to its own needs and priorities and not on the wishes of a foreign government. —AFP

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi resident sits on charred debris in a slum yesterday. —AFP

Bangladesh slum fire kills 11 DHAKA: At least 11 people, all women and children, died in Bangladesh as a fire swept through one of the biggest slums in the capital Dhaka early yesterday, police said. Officials said the blaze started in a rickshaw garage as thousands of residents in the Boubazaar shanty town were sleeping.”The victims were five women and six children. They were burnt to death,” local police chief Rafiqul Islam told AFP from the scene. “The fire service

and the locals have brought the blaze under control. Scores of people were also seriously injured,” Islam said. A stove or a cigarette end was suspected to have sparked the fire, he said, adding that residents were scouring through the debris and ashes in search of their possessions.

More than 120 people were killed in June 2010 when a fire at a wedding party destroyed six buildings in the denselypopulated old part of Dhaka. —AFP

AMRITSAR: Member of the Sikh Nihang Army - traditional Sikh religious warriors - Baba ‘Jagir’ Singh wearing a turban of some 300 metres in length pays homage at the Sikh Shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar yesterday on the occasion of Martyrdom Day - Jyoti Jot Divas - of Guru Gobind Singh and Sikh warrior, Shaheed Baba Deep Singh. —AFP

Lanka military recruits 100 Tamil women from war zone COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s militar y has recruited 100 women soldiers in the biggest single intake of ethnic Tamils from the island’s former war zone, a spokesman said yesterday. The women, who come from the northern district of Kilinochchi where Tamil Tiger rebels had their political headquarters before they were defeated in 2009, were enlisted on Saturday. “These women soldiers will be deployed in the same area after completing a four-month training,” Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya told AFP. “There are no former Tiger combatants among the new recruits.”

He said the Sri Lankan army already had nearly 4,000 women soldiers. “We have not discriminated on ethnic lines in

recruitment, but we focused the enlisting in Kilinochchi where we have set up a training camp and the local population there is Tamil,” Wanigasooriya said. The new recruits will initially be asked to “assist civil-military coordination work” in the region, according to the Sri Lanka army website.

The number of minority Tamils joining the military declined during the height of fighting between troops and Tamil rebels, who campaigned for an independent homeland in the island’s northeast. The guerrillas were crushed by security forces in a massive offensive in May 2009 after decades of fighting that claimed more than 100,000 lives, according to UN estimates. —AFP

Skin-lightening factory busted in Bangladesh DHAKA: Authorities in Bangladesh said yesterday they had sealed off a cosmetics factory in Dhaka for using harmful chemicals including mercury in skinlightening creams. A mobile court that disperses instant sentences sentenced the owner of the Botanic Aroma company to two years in prison and ordered the seizure of all of its products. “They were putting the health of many young people under threat by luring them with claims about the magical skin-lightening power of their products,” magistrate Anwar Pasha told AFP. He said the raid

on the factory followed extensive laboratory tests on four types of creams that the company produced. In Bangladesh, neighbouring India and many other Asian countries, there is a strong cultural preference for fairer skin. Bangladesh banned the use of mercury in skin care products in 2006. According to the World Health Organisation, the main adverse effect of the inorganic mercury contained in skin-lightening soaps and creams is kidney damage. It may also cause skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring. —AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

NEWS 40 candidates disqualified Continued from Page 1 and Mubarak Al-Khrainej, all of whom were incidentally questioned over allegations that they received millions of dinars in illegal deposits into their bank accounts. The public prosecution however halted investigation into the major corruption case and shelved the lawsuit, saying existing Kuwaiti laws were insufficient to prosecute the former lawmakers. The commission also disqualified former MP Khudair AlEnezi and members of the scrapped 2012 National Assembly Nabeel Al-Fadl, Mohammad Al-Juwaihel and Abdulhameed Dashti. All those who were disqualified were described as pro-government candidates and specifically supporters of the former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah. Adwah, Hammad, Dashti, Ashour, Fadl and Juwaihel all said they will challenge the decision in the administrative court today and were confident the decisions will be nullified. Under Kuwaiti law, candidates for general elections must have a clean record of good conduct and should have not been condemned on criminal charges unless they have been repatriated. Opposition members however were skeptical about the decision, saying that it raised many doubts.

In another development, the opposition decided yesterday to hold six public gatherings from today until election day to urge voters to shun the ballots after no opposition member registered to run for seats in the next Assembly. Following a meeting at the diwaniya of former speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun, the opposition announced that the gatherings will be held in all the

five electoral districts, with two gatherings in the fourth constituency and the final gathering on Friday, Nov 30 on the eve of the election. Nothing was mentioned about any opposition plan to stage a procession.

Former MP Musallam Al-Barrak said it was decided that diwaniyas supporting the boycott will hang orange colour banners as a sign of their rejection to the election. The opposition has also started activating the Popular Committee for Boycotting the Election which has already established sub-committees in all the five constituencies. Barrak said the sub-committees have already started an awareness campaign to explain to the people why they should boycott the election. He charged that a large-scale vote-buying operation was taking place in all the areas, with some candidates coordinating the process and held the interior ministry responsible for not curbing such corruption. Later in the day, hundreds of people, including several former opposition MPs, gathered at the Irada Square opposite the Assembly to encourage people to boycott the polls. The gathering was organized by liberal groups that are not part of the opposition but are against the amendment of the electoral law.

Representative of students Mishari Al-Ibraheem reiterated the liberals’ total rejection to the change in the voting system, which he described as an attempt to stage a coup against the constitution. Ibraheem said the boycott of the election aims at achieving the downfall of the next Assembly through the power of the people.

Liberal rights activist Ebtihal Al-Khateeb said that the crisis in Kuwait is caused by the number of govern-

Israel kills kids as Gaza... ments that were formed in the past few years in Kuwait. She said that the ongoing youth and people movement is peaceful and historical to build a real constitutional and democratic state and not an autocratic country. Former liberal MP Saleh Al-Mulla said the Kuwaiti people are united in the defense of its freedom and all its sections and groups have decided to boycott the election. Mulla said that challenging the amendment decree in the court “is our last choice to reject the regime’s individualism”.

Meanwhile, the public prosecution yesterday ordered the detention of four Twitter users for 10 days for allegedly insulting HH the Amir, a rights group said.

The four were arrested on Wednesday and remanded in police custody pending further investigation before the prosecution issued its detention order, Kuwait Human Rights News Centre said on its Twitter account.

Three other Twitter users, including a woman, who were arrested with them were each freed on bail of KD 1,000. The seven, described as opposition sympathisers, were interrogated on allegations of tweets deemed offensive and critical of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The clampdown on users of the social network was strongly criticised by opposition figures, with Hamad Al-Matar, a member of the scrapped 2012 parliament, saying Kuwait was becoming a “police state”. Last week, the secret service police detained for two days two members of the Al-Sabah ruling family on accusations of writing tweets deemed offensive to the Amir.

Several former opposition MPs and activists are facing trial over similar charges.

Continued from Page 1 in almost 100 hours of raids, while three Israelis have been killed and more than 50 injured by rocket fire since Wednesday. With Israel warning it could further escalate its operations in Gaza, US President Barack Obama yesterday said it was “preferable” for the Gaza crisis to end without a “ramping up” of Israeli military activity. “Israel has every right to expect that it does not have missiles fired into its territory,” Obama said in Thailand.

“If that can be accomplished without a ramping up of military activity in Gaza, that is preferable.”

In Cairo, senior Hamas officials said Egyptian-mediated talks with Israel to end the bloodshed were “positive” but now focused on the possible stumbling block of guaranteeing the terms of a truce. An outcome acceptable to Hamas would involve assurances about the United States, Israel’s main backer, being the “guaranteeing party,” one official said on condition of anonymity. Security officials in Cairo said an Israeli envoy also arrived in the Egyptian capital yesterday for the talks.

Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi, meanwhile, met with both Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal and Islamic Jihad chief Abdullah Shalah to discuss “Egyptian efforts to end the aggression”, his office said without giving details. But Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman insisted that “the first and absolute

condition for a truce is stopping all fire from Gaza,” and that all armed groups would have to commit to it. Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel was ready to “significantly expand” its operation against Gaza militants ahead of talks with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, on a whirlwind truce mission of the region. “The army is prepared to significantly expand the operation,” Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting, expressing appreciation for what he said was world leaders’ “understanding of Israel’s right to self-defence.”

Early yesterday, Israeli aircraft hit two media centres in Gaza City, wounding at least eight journalists, one of whom lost a leg, health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra told AFP. Press rights group Reporters without Borders condemned the attack which it said “constitute obstruction of freedom of information”. But the military defended the strike, saying it had targeted Hamas operational communications and sought to minimise civilian casualties.

Amid the truce efforts, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said “a ground invasion of Gaza would lose Israel a lot of the international support and sympathy that they have in this situation.” But senior cabinet minister Moshe Yaalon denied Israel was under any pressure from Western allies to agree to a ceasefire. “We don’t feel like we’re under pressure,” he said. — Agencies

14

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

ANALYSIS

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 FAX : 24835620/1 CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 ACCOUNTS : 24835619 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait.

E MAIL :info@kuwaittimes.net Website: www.kuwaittimes.net

Issues

Absence of Gulf aid hits Jordan king

By Alistair Lyon ith protesters baying for his overthrow, Jordan’s King Abdullah might be wondering why his fellowdynasts in Gulf Arab states are not providing the cash that could calm the trouble. After days of demonstrations against fuel price rises in provincial towns, Muslim Brotherhood supporters joined crowds in Amman on Friday in a rare focus of anger on the king. “The people want the downfall of the regime”, about 3,000 people chanted, in an ominous signal to a US-backed monarchy accustomed to juggling internal rifts between its tribal East Bank and Palestinian citizens, as well as rivalries among its stronger neighbours Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Exposed to the bloody upheaval in Syria, dependent on Iraq for its oil supplies and on Saudi Arabia for funds, Jordan, with its majority Palestinian population, is also sensitive to actions by Israel, which is now bombing Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Instability in Jordan, one of only two Arab countries to sign a peace treaty with Israel, would be alarming for its Western patrons and its conservative Gulf Arab allies. “Gulf countries must be very worried about any signs of the collapse of the Jordanian monarchy, which would be the first one to fall in the Arab Spring context,” said Valerie Yorke, a London-based expert on Jordan. The kingdom has long relied on Western support and intermittent dollops of Gulf financial aid to survive. But Saudi Arabia, Amman’s main donor, is not known to have provided money since a $1.4 billion infusion in late 2011 to stave off a previous dire economic crisis in the kingdom. What makes this puzzling is that last year the Saudis had seemed to be trying to draw Jordan into a closer embrace. In May 2011, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) accepted Jordan’s application to join, after snubbing it for 15 years, in what was seen as a gesture of monarchical solidarity in face of a wave of popular revolts sweeping the Arab world. The Saudi-led GCC, which also invited distant Morocco to join, may have wanted Jordanian and Moroccan security help in damping unrest in its own backyard, especially Bahrain, where Saudi and other Gulf troops helped the Sunni Muslim king crush Shiite-led prodemocracy protests in March 2011. Saudi Arabia, eager to counter the influence of Shiite heavyweight Iran, was also looking to reorder its alliances after the shock of seeing its longtime Egyptian partner, Hosni Mubarak, overthrown with no U.S. effort to save him.

For now, Jordan is grappling alone with a budget shortfall that prompted Tuesday’s fuel subsidy cuts, which the IMF demanded among its conditions for a proposed $2 billion loan. Anger over the price rises ignited protests similar to those in 1989 when the late King Hussein responded with a political opening that led to a remarkably free election and made Muslim Brotherhood-linked Islamists the biggest bloc in parliament. Since then, electoral rules have been revised to produce a succession of tame assemblies dominated by the monarchy’s tribal, East Bank power base. Political reform projects launched by King Abdullah since he took power in 1999 have faltered.

Gulf Arab rulers, who permit few if any constitutional limits on their own power, might not look kindly on any major political reform or greater freedom of expression in Jordan.

King Abdullah accepted constitutional changes in August that devolved some of his powers to parliament and paved the way for a prime minister chosen by the assembly rather than by him. But for all his reform talk, there has been no big overhaul of the electoral law to govern an election in January, which the Muslim Brotherhood plans to boycott in protest at perceived discrimination against its mainly urban and Palestinian base. Liberals and Islamists have long pushed for peaceful change, not revolution, in Jordan, but the latest unrest has spawned slogans that echo those aimed at other Arab rulers seen by some of their people as corrupt, oppressive puppets of the West. It also reflects the wrath of East Bankers who fear the king might enact reforms at their expense and who resent austerity measures that reduce the patronage, state jobs and other perks that have come their way from the palace in the past.

Rhetorically, the West backs democratic reform, but it also values a monarchy that has long kept Jordan stable in a volatile region, where it provides a buffer on Israel’s eastern border. The United States and its allies are having to come to terms with new realities in Arab republics like Tunisia and Egypt, where Islamists won elections after autocrats were overthrown. Arab monarchies have survived so far, but their future poses a familiar dilemma for the West, whose desire for reliable allies in the Middle East has frequently outweighed concern for democracy or human rights, as in oil giant Saudi Arabia and in troubled Bahrain, which hosts the US Fifth Fleet. —Reuters

W

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

The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.

Roots of Gaza crisis in crossed red lines

By Douglas Hamilton and Nidal Al-Mughrabi aza’s Hamas movement wanted a showdown with Israel because its leaders are high on something called the Arab Spring and competing to become martyrs to the Palestinian cause. Or, from another perspective, cynical Israeli politicians think a Gaza offensive will be a walkover that will assure re-election in January and at the same time provide a death-blow to Palestinian statehood moves at the United Nations.

Those are two ends of a spectrum of theories among Israelis and Palestinians about what has propelled the two sides towards their second war in four years, escalating a low-level, slap-for-slap conflict to the brink of an Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Without going back 2,000 years to the origins of the dispute, the roots of the latest high-explosive crisis can be traced in a series of “red lines” that have been crossed.

Specifically: firing a Russian Kornet anti-tank missile on Nov 10 against Israeli soldiers; Israel’s assassination of top Hamas commander Ahmed Al-Jaabari on Nov 14 after both sides appeared to have agreed to a tacit ceasefire deal, and then Hamas firing longrange rockets at Tel Aviv on Nov 15. These were big steps that wrecked a fragile status quo.

Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip seven years ago and has regularly used its airpower to deter Hamas and other Islamist groups from firing their rockets into the Jewish state.

The militants do not recognise Israel’s right to exist. In a bruising 2008-2009 three-week campaign, Israel first bombarded then briefly invaded Gaza, hoping to put a halt to the rockets for once and all. Operation Cast Lead left 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead. For a while, there was quiet, then the round of retaliations resumed. Missiles were fired, Israel

G

struck back, sometimes targetting empty smuggling tunnels, sometimes targetting rocket crews. Palestinian civilians were also getting killed.

Both sides speak of “the rules of the game”.

And now both sides accuse the other of “stepping over the red line”. Palestinian analysts agree Hamas has the wind in its sails since the Arab Spring swept away pro-Western autocracies and replaced them with Islamists, especially in neighbouring Egypt where the ruling Muslim Brotherhood is their spiritual mentor.

“Of course, Hamas feels empowered by the change in the Arab countries around them and many believe Israel cannot isolate it anymore,” said a source close to Hamas who did not wish to be identified.

But while Hamas craves the legitimacy it needs to assume moral leadership of the Palestinian national movement from those it considers Western poodles chasing peace with Israel, it shares Gaza with armed salafist groups intent on violence. “Hamas has been under continuous blackmail from other factions since it has been more interested in calm in order to preserve its authority in Gaza,” Hani Habib, a political analyst in Gaza told Reuters.

Trying to face both ways, Hamas abandoned efforts to stop these groups firing rockets at Israel and last month joined in, to show it was not getting soft in the chair of office. In so doing, it tried to change “the rules of the game” but overplayed its hand, triggering a massive Israeli operation for which the military planning was sitting ready in a drawer. It came far faster and much heavier than Hamas expected. “While they thought revolutions in Arab countries served their aims and would make them stronger, they were not looking for war with Israel, not now, despite the fact they have been preparing themselves for one since the 2009 round ended,” said the source close to Hamas.

For Israel, a security situation that had been contained and politically tolerable - zero or very infrequent rocket attacks on the south by groups other than Hamas - tilted with Hamas’ decision to start shooting again, and with new weapons. Israel says the aim of Operation Pillar of Defence is not to re-occupy Gaza, or root out Islamists. It is to destroy long-range rockets such as the Fajr 5 from Iran that Hamas has acquired since 2009 and to disable Gaza’s rocket capacity “for a very long time”, said foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.

Could there be ancillary motives? Alastair Newton at Nomura Global Markets writes in a note to clients that “militants in Gaza have been building up stocks of missiles...and there does appear to have been an up-tick in missile attacks”. “However,” he adds, “an Israeli general election is now just two months away ... Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has historically benefited from pre-election security concerns, which this latest conflict is likely to exacerbate.”

Although a vast majority of Israelis supports the operation, a high body count could reduce popular backing. Another vote is also looming - one that the secular government of President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank wants to bring in the United Nations General Assembly by the end of November to give the Palestinians a diplomatic upgrade.

Israel says this drive for UN recognition of a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem is “diplomatic terrorism”. It has threatened to topple Abbas, who is regularly derided by Hamas for not supporting their armed resistance.

Abbas himself is convinced the Gaza campaign is designed to sink his initiative, but has vowed to plough on. “Everything that is happening is in order to block our endeavours to reach the United Nations,” he said on Friday. Israeli columnist Uri Dromi says Israel

should remember that its Palestinian neighbours in the West Bank “are still committed to a two-state solution, namely, sharing the neighbourhood”. “If we lose them, then we are left with the others only.”

Hamas has courted Egyptian support assiduously since the election of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in June. Morsi, however, has so far made clear that while denouncing Israeli “aggression” he will not go beyond diplomatic pressure. The nuances of Gaza’s militant politics are fine but provide some clues as to how the showdown has escalated. “Hamas did not claim the Kornet hitting the (Israeli army) jeep. The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) did,” said the source close to Hamas. “It is true Hamas did not condemn it.” He did not deny that Hamas wanted to change the rules of the game whereby Israel decides when a round of violence will end. “But assassinating Jaabari was like giving the go-ahead to all Hamas cells to use the equipment, weapons and training they had prepared for a possible war,” he said.

Hamas official and columnist Mustafa Assawaf said Hamas was “not interested in silence forever, or a big escalation”. A shaky new truce was in place thanks to Egyptian mediation, he noted, when Jaabari ventured out fatally onto Gaza’s streets. “Israel did not respect deals and understandings and after killing Jaabari tough reactions were inevitable even if it would lead to broader confrontation,” he said. Hamas used greater force to “establish a new formula that Israel is not the only party that owns power and that the resistance has its own tools that can be painful to Israel”. Assawaf rejected the suggestion that an internal leadership struggle within the movement motivated the rocket gamble. “Hamas leaders are competing, but not for seats. They are competing for who dies as a martyr and gets into a coffin.” —Reuters

Morsi has scarce room for action on Gaza

By Marwa Awad gypt’s ruling Islamists are working for a truce in Gaza to show off their regional clout and reassure major donor the United States, but stern rhetoric against Israel to appease an angry support base is unlikely to translate into serious action. Formulating a response to Israeli strikes on Gaza presents a dilemma for the Muslim Brotherhood, the group which propelled President Mohamed Morsi to office and spent years criticising ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak for cosying up to Israel. The Islamists now have to live up to their decades-old opposition to Israel but balance that with the realities of running a nation by avoiding escalating tensions on the border or angering Washington, a major benefactor to Egypt’s army.

Those realities of office will for now prevail over decision making, even if some Brotherhood sympathisers harbour longer-term dreams of renegotiating a 1979 peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt. Morsi, who took office in June, has recalled his ambassador to Israel and his prime minister visited Gaza on Friday in a show of solidarity. But even Mubarak pulled out his envoy from Tel Aviv twice without putting the treaty at risk. “The current leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood are not willing to jeopardize relations with America,” a senior Muslim Brotherhood official with close ties to the presidency but who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters. “Gaza will remain a national security issue that Egypt’s general intelligence services are in charge of. The presidency follows this arrangement for now,” he said. The army, which receives $1.3 billion in aid from the United States each year, remains in the driving seat over national security issues such as ties with Israel, even if Morsi clipped the military’s wings in August by sacking some top generals. US officials in Washington told Reuters Morsi had spent months trying to pin down a date to meet US President Barack Obama so he could burnish his credentials

E

as a moderate Islamist, without success. Following his phone call with Obama, Morsi issued the decision to send his prime minister to Gaza, a move US officials said may have stemmed from Obama’s push to do everything possible to defuse the situation. Egyptian officials briefed on the call said the presidents did not see eye to eye over who was responsible for the situation in Gaza but agreed that the escalation must stop. Israeli officials say privately that security contacts between Egypt and Israel have continued since Mubarak was toppled and even under Morsi, even if Israel’s ties with Cairo, which were never warm, have turned even cooler. “In the end, it is up to both sides to come to an agreement ... which would be in every-

body’s interest,” said a security official in Cairo, adding that Egyptian officials were working on reinstating a broken truce between Hamas and Israel. A delegation of Egyptian intelligence officials met with Hamas representatives in Gaza on Friday, along with Prime Minister Hisham Kandil.

Presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said diplomacy to “reach a truce” was one of the main tracks Egypt was following. “Egypt is following several paths to end the violations and aggression of Israel on Gaza. At the forefront is intensive diplomacy involving the most effective countries in the Arab world and abroad,” he said. Egypt has limited options beyond largely symbolic measures such as recalling its ambassador from Tel Aviv or rallying support at the Cairo-based Arab League, where it can try to rebuild a reputation as a regional diplomatic powerhouse, a status that waned under Mubarak. “Recalling the ambassador is a classic symbolic move by Morsi to prevent an outburst from Islamists at home,” said Khalil Anani, Egypt analyst at Britain’s Durham University. “The truce he is trying to establish shows the Brotherhood leadership to be realistic and pragmatic, able to put aside its ideology for the sake of maintaining a steady foreign policy.”

Even some of the most outspoken voices among Brotherhood sympathisers have urged caution from the group’s backers, albeit couched in more confrontational language for the longer term. “Be patient as the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) have been patient in their time,” said preacher Safwat Hegazy, who backed Morsi’s election, telling followers “we are building a state that needs years and years of intense efforts.” “The Egyptian army cannot intervene in Palestine now. We cannot go to Jerusalem to fight,” he said in remarks on Facebook.

However, Egypt may have room to put extra pressure on Israel, such as threatening

to ease restrictions on passage into Gaza. Until now, Morsi’s government has shown little interest.

It has even smashed some tunnels used to smuggle supplies and people to and from the enclave.

Israel Hasson, former deputy head of Israeli internal security and a lawmaker with the Kadima party who has handled sensitive mediation with Egypt, said Egypt could act without cutting ties. “They could certainly come along and say that agreements which deal with the border crossings are not currently in force and they are opening the border and beginning to move things on behalf of their fighting Hamas brothers,” he said. Senior Muslim Brotherhood member Medhat El-Hadad also indicated that Egypt would seek to act “without severing ties”. “While he cannot change the compass of relations right away ... he is calling world leaders to ensure Gaza is a priority for them as well,” said Haddad.

For years, the cornerstone for Mubarak’s foreign policy was the peace treaty with Israel, used as a tool to speak to all sides in the conflict and act as a mediator. Though the treaty with Israel has kept the peace for more than three decades, many Egyptians grumble about some of its provisions, including limits to the security forces Egypt can deploy in the Sinai border region. During Egypt’s presidential election, several politicians ranging from Islamists to leftists and liberals suggested the treaty should be amended but few said it should be torn up.

Morsi has rarely even referred to Israel by name in his public comments. The Brotherhood, from which he resigned on becoming president, calls it a racist and expansionist state, describing it in public documents as the “Zionist entity”. But, with an economy on the ropes, Morsi has little interest in being distracted by an escalation with Egypt’s neighour, although he is now having to focus more closely on those ties. “He is trying to avoid the Palestinian-Israeli issue. But now he has to face it,” said Anani. — Reuters

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

sp orts ‘Unbuyable’ Ronaldo always welcome back, says Ferguson LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo would always be welcomed back to play for Manchester United but manager Alex Ferguson doubts he will return because the Real Madrid man is now “unbuyable”.

The Portuguese forward, 27, joined United for 12 million pounds ($19 million) from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and left for Real Madrid for a world record fee of 80 million in July 2009.

Coincidentally, he will be playing again in Manchester on Wednesday but for Real at Manchester City in the Champions League. “I’d like to think the door would always be open for him to come back, but I don’t think it will happen,” Ferguson told British Sunday newspapers.

“You’re talking about incredible amounts of money now. What would you think his value would be? “He’s definitely unbuyable. Who could afford to buy him? There’s talk of the Russians perhaps. — Reuters

NBA results/standings Boston 107, Toronto 89; Utah 83, Washington 76; Memphis 94, Charlotte 87; Dallas 103, Cleveland 95; Milwaukee 117, New Orleans 113; San Antonio 126, Denver 100; Miami 97, Phoenix 88; LA Clippers 101, Chicago 80.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB NY Knicks 6 1 .857 Brooklyn 5 2 .714 1 Boston 6 4 .600 1.5 Philadelphia 5 4 .556 2 Toronto 2 7 .222 5 Central Division 6 2 .750 5 4 .556 4 6 .400 2 7 .222 1 9 .100

1.5 3 4.5 6

Southeast Division 8 3 .727 4 4 .500 4 4 .500 3 5 .375 0 8 0

2.5 2.5 3.5 6.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 7 3 .700 Minnesota 5 4 .556 Utah 5 6 .455 Portland 4 5 .444 Denver 4 6 .400

1.5 2.5 2.5 3

Milwaukee Chicago Indiana Cleveland Detroit

Miami Charlotte Atlanta Orlando Washington

LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Phoenix Sacramento

Pacific Division 7 2 .778 5 4 .556 4 5 .444 4 7 .364 2 7 .222

2 3 4 5

Memphis San Antonio Dallas Houston New Orleans

Southwest Division 8 1 .889 8 2 .800 6 5 .545 4 5 .444 3 5 .375

0.5 3 4 4.5

Broner stops DeMarco to take the WBC title

Brazil break Spanish hearts BANGKOK: Holders Brazil claimed their fifth Futsal World Cup title with a nerve shredding 3-2 extra-time final win in Bangkok to break Spanish hearts for a second successive tournament. In a pulsating end to three weeks of competition, Neto was the night’s hero, scoring the winner-his second goal of the game-with penalties looming.

Brazil’s talisman Falcao, playing his fourth World Cup, had earlier forced the game into extra time with a late equaliser which stung Spain, who had looked set for victory after two second-half strikes from Aicardo and Torras.

Facing defeat the defending champions launched a barrage of attacks culminating in Falcao’s equaliser with minutes of normal time on the clock. The European champions were distraught at the end of a match they dominated for long periods with Neto’s lastgasp goal condemning the Spaniards to a second final defeat to Brazil on the spin. Brazil won the 2008 edition on penalties after another thrilling 2-2 draw in normal time.

The champion’s free-scoring streak, which saw 42 goals in five games propel them to the final, appeared to have deserted them at the wrong time. But Falcao’s equaliser sparked an extra-time surge against the deflated Spaniards in a match to delight fans of the indoor game. —AFP

ATLANTIC CITY: Adrien Broner stopped Antonio DeMarco in the eighth round to take the WBC lightweight championship Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall.

Broner (25-0, 21 KOs) dominated from the outset, punishing DeMarco (28-3-1, 21 KOs) until DeMarco’s corner mercifully threw in the towel. Referee Benji Esteves stopped the fight at 1:49 of the eighth round. Broner, 23-years-old, uncorked a left uppercut that thudded against DeMarco’s jaw and sent the 27-year-old Mexican to one knee. While Broner danced his way into a neutral corner, Esteves moved in to start counting. DeMarco’s corner signaled him to stop the bout over DeMarco’s mild protest.

“I’m proud of DeMarco for fighting the way he fought,” DeMarco’s promoter, Gary Shaw said.

“But Broner’s the total package. He could be the next Floyd (Mayweather, Jr.).” Broner took control in the fifth, punishing DeMarco with uppercuts and straight rights that thudded against DeMarco’s face and produced a bruise under his left eye to match the one under his right. — AP

Grizzlies maul Bobcats CHARLOTTE: Mike Conley scored 20 points and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Charlotte Bobcats 94-87 on Saturday night for their eighth consecutive victory.

Zach Randolph added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and three other players scored in double figures for the Grizzlies, who own the NBA’s best record at 8-1.

Rudy Gay had 16 points and Marc Gasol and Tony Allen scored 12 apiece.

Memphis led by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Byron Mullens scored 18 points and Kemba Walker added 17 for the Bobcats, who cut the Grizzlies’ lead to five points three times in the final period, the last at 92-87 on Bismack Biyombo’s dunk with 13 seconds remaining. Charlotte had won three straight.

Celtics 107, Raptors 89 In Boston, Rajon Rondo tied his season high with 20 assists, and Jason Terry scored 20 points to help the Celtics get the victory.

Rondo appeared at full strength after sitting out a loss at Brooklyn on Thursday night because of a sprained right ankle.

He had seven assists in the first quarter and 11 at halftime, extending his streak of consecutive games with double-digit assists to 33.

Rondo’s streak is the third-longest in NBA history and puts him within four games of tying John Stockton. Magic Johnson holds the record at 46 consecutive games with 10 or more assists. Paul Pierce added 19 points for Boston (6-4).

Rookie Jared Sullinger had his first doubledouble with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Andrea Bargnani and John Lucas led Toronto (2-7) with 15 points apiece.

Mavericks 103, Cavaliers 95 In Cleveland, OJ Mayo scored 19 points and the Mavericks used a pair of 9-0 runs in the fourth quarter to secure the road win. Chris Kaman scored 15 points while Vince Carter and Darren Collison added 14 apiece for Dallas, which won on the road for the second time in six games.

Kyrie Irving, who left briefly in the third quarter with a finger injury, led Cleveland with 26 points, but the Cavaliers lost their

fifth straight game. Mayo hit a 3-pointer and a layup down the stretch to spark Dallas, which outscored the Cavaliers 2822 in the final period. The Mavericks had six players score in double figures. Dion Waiters and Daniel Gibson had 16 points apiece for Cleveland.

Jazz 83, Wizards 76 In Washington, Al Jefferson scored 21 points, Gordon Hayward added 15 in his

than 4 minutes while building their first double-digit lead of the game. Utah had nine offensive rebounds in the quarter.

Jordan Crawford scored 20 points for the Wizards.

Clippers 101, Bulls 80 In Los Angeles, Blake Griffin scored 12 of his 26 points in the final six minutes and grabbed 10 rebounds, helping the Clippers earn their fifth straight victory.

PHOENIX: Suns guard Goran Dragic (1), of Slovenia, makes the pass against the Miami Heat in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game. —AP Reserve Jamal Crawford scored 17 of first game as a reserve this season, and his 22 points in the second quarter for the the Jazz kept the Wizards winless.

The Jazz committed 19 turnovers but Clippers, who lead the Pacific Division pulled away in the fourth quarter while with a 7-2 mark. It’s their best record after closing a four-game road trip with a slop- nine games since 2005-06, when they py performance - and got away with it won nine of their first 11, finished 47-35 because they were playing the Wizards. and came within one victory of the Washington became only the second Western Conference finals.

Los Angeles’ reserves outscored the team in NBA history to start 0-8 in backstarters 35-18 in the first half and 53-48 for to-back seasons.

The game was tied at 65 early in the the game. The Bulls, who blew an 18fourth when the Wizards went cold, scor- point lead in their previous game on ing only 13 points in the final period. The Wednesday at Phoenix before beating the Jazz held Washington scoreless for more Suns 112-106 in overtime, got 22 points

and 12 rebounds from Carlos Boozer on the second leg of their annual circus road trip.

Heat 97, Suns 88 In Phoenix, Chris Bosh scored 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, ailing LeBron James added 21 and the Heat closed a six-game road trip with a victory over the Suns.

The Heat, playing without Dwyane Wade for the second game in a row because of a left foot injury, led by as many as 15 in the third quarter and were up by nine with 51/2 minutes to play. The Suns cut it to two before Miami scored the game’s final seven points.

James, who missed the morning shootaround with flu-like symptoms, made only 8 of 20 shots but still reached 20 points for the 11th time in 11 games this season. James’ effort helped the Heat finish 4-2 on the road trip. Markieff Morris scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half for Phoenix.

Spurs 126, Nuggets 100 In San Francisco, Manu Ginobili had 20 points and the Spurs set a season high for points. DeJuan Blair added 19 points and Danny Green had 15 for San Antonio (82). Tony Parker and Tim Duncan each scored 14 points while playing 25 and 23 minutes, respectively.

Danilo Gallinari scored 15 and Kenneth Faried finished with 14 for Denver (4-6), which has lost three straight games for the second time this season. The Spurs shot 53 percent from the field, including a 16-for-27 performance from 3-point range.

Bucks 117, Hornets 113 In Milwaukee, Monta Ellis scored six of his 22 points in the final 2 minutes to help Milwaukee hold off New Orleans.

Brandon Jennings also had 22 points, and Mike Dunleavy added 17 for Milwaukee, which improved to 6-2 in its best start since opening 9-1 in 2001-02.

Top overall draft pick Anthony Davis had a season-high 28 points and tied his season high with 11 rebounds for New Orleans. Ryan Anderson added 20 points for the Hornets. —AP

Southee spearheads N Zealand fightback GALLE: Seamer Tim Southee spearheaded a great fightback by New Zealand on day two of the first test against Sri Lanka to leave the match fascinatingly poised yesterday. Southee’s four for 46 was crucial in helping to restrict the home side to a first-innings lead of 26 as they were bowled out for 247. Although New Zealand then lost Brendon McCullum (13) in their second innings, they were still able to close on 35 for one - a lead of nine.

Southee started the day with a burst of three for 18 from seven overs and with Trent Boult (two for 46) at the other end providing excellent support, Sri Lanka

were reduced to 50 for five having resumed at nine for one. The Kiwis made 221 first up.

“We were disappointed with our batting in the first innings and we knew the bowlers had to step up to get us back into the game,” Southee told reporters. “We had to make the most of the new ball as it was swinging, we put it in the right areas and deserved our wickets.

“The bowlers did an outstanding job and we have grabbed the game back and now I hope we can put up a decent total.” The fact Sri Lanka were able to secure a lead was due almost entirely to an outstanding partner-

ship of 156 for the sixth wicket between captain Mahela Jayawardene (91) and his deputy Angelo Mathews (79).

Jayawardene, who became the second player after former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming to top 1,000 runs in tests between the two sides, hit 11 fours and a six during a stay of 176 balls.

He was eventually dismissed gloving an attempted sweep off spinner Jeetan Patel (three for 55), well caught by the tumbling Kruger van Wyk behind the stumps. It was the sixth time Jayawardene has been dismissed in the 90s in tests but he still had the satisfaction of extending his remarkable record at Galle, where he has scored 2,284 of his 10,631 test runs.

Mathews faced 154 balls and hit 12 fours and a six before edging a loose drive to become James Franklin’s first test wicket since April 2009. The sixth wicket stand occupied 49 overs and was in stark contrast to the chaos of the first hour of proceedings when wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

Southee struck with the third ball of the day when he dismissed Tharanga Paranavitana, bowled off the inside edge for a duck. The bowler then had nightwatchman

Suraj Randiv (9) caught by Martin Guptill at second slip the delivery after McCullum dropped a regulation edge at third slip.

Left-armer Boult then joined in by dismissing Kumar Sangakkara (5), who edged a perfectly pitched awayswinger to McCullum in the slips as the home side tumbled to 20 for four.

Thilan Samaraweera (17) and Jayawardene tried to see off Boult and Southee’s onslaught but Samaraweera was eventually dismissed leg before wicket to Southee, offering no shot to a ball that seamed back into the right-hander.

Once Mathews was dismissed the innings subsided meekly with the final five wickets falling for 41 runs. “We were hoping for a bigger lead but you can’t be greedy after being 20 for four and 50 for five,” said Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford.

“Credit to the New Zealand bowlers, they bowled fantastically well up front and it was a tough day for our batsmen. “We looked like being a long way behind but a fantastic partnership between Mahela and Angelo got us right back into the game.” —Reuters

SCOREBOARD GALLE, Sri Lanka: Scoreboard at stumps on day two after New Zealand began their second innings against Sri Lanka during the first test at Galle International Stadium yesterday.

GALLE: New Zealand’s wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk (right) watches the ball before completing a catch to dismiss Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene (left) during the second day of their first Test cricket match. —AP

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat.

New Zealand first innings (221 all out) Sri Lanka first innings Paranavitana b Southee 0 Karunaratne lbw b Southee 0 Randiv c Guptill b Southee 9 Sangakkara c McCullum b Boult 5 M.Jayawardene c van Wyk b Patel 91 Samaraweera lbw b Southee 17 Mathews c van Wyk b Franklin 79 P.Jayawardene c Bracewell b Patel 4 Kulasekara c & b Patel 8 Herath not out 11 Eranga c Bracewell b Boult 4

Extras (b-9, lb-8, nb-2) 19 Total (all out, 80.2 overs) 247 Fall of wickets: 1-2 2-9 3-18 4-20 5-50 6-206 7-215 8229 9-242 10-247 Bowling: Boult 16.2-3-46-2 (nb-2), Southee 18-4-46-4, Bracewell 16-1-67-0, Franklin 7-2-16-1, Patel 23-7-55-3.

New Zealand second innings Guptill not out 13 McCullum c Kulasekara b Herath 13 Williamson not out 9 Total: (1 wicket, 10 overs) 35 Fall of wickets: 1-18 Bowling: Kulasekara 4-0-17-0, Eranga 1-0-4-0, Herath 4-0-13-1, Randiv 1-0-1-0.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

sp orts

NFL safety not just a current issue NEW YORK: Roger Goodell’s timing seemed odd, with his Harvard School of Public Health speech on player safety coming after a week in which three starting NFL quarterbacks were knocked out of games with concussions.

No matter, because the NFL commissioner is nothing if not a spin doctor extraordinaire. He cited the fact the quarterbacks were all removed from games as evidence of the progress the NFL has made in identifying head injuries and trying to limit their impact.

“The simple truth is that any physical activity comes with risk and reward,” Goodell said. “Head injuries occur in sports.”

They do, though the NFL sure took a long time to admit it. For years the league insisted there was no link between what happened on Sundays on the field and what happened to the brains of players afterward.

The culture has changed, and Goodell wastes no chance to remind us of that. His speech Thursday night touched on everything from player

safety in the days before the NFL even existed (18 college players died in 1904 alone) to what the league might be doing in the near future (different helmets for each position, weight limits on kickoff teams) to help prevent devastating head injuries.

The NFL is helping fund studies on concussions, giving $30 million to the National Institutes of Health and teaming with players for another $100 million in similar research over the next decade. There are 100 former NFL players taking part in research led by Boston University to find a diagnosis for the degenerative brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, more commonly known as CTE. New kickoff rules are working to reduce concussions, and others are under consideration. Violent collisions will always be the attraction of the game just as knockouts are in boxing, but it’s Goodell’s contention that big hits can be managed more safely without changing the game so much that fans won’t watch.

Meanwhile, not a game goes by

without someone in the announcer’s booth talking about the dangers of helmet-to-helmet hits. “Players and coaches have adjusted. They always do,” Goodell said. “We now see fewer dangerous hits to the head and noticeable changes in the way the game is being played.”

The good news for today’s players is that there have been some real changes and they’ll have a better chance of having a decent life after football than players did before them.

That’s especially true when it comes to the condition of their brains, though the risk of long term injury remains very real. Football is still a hurt business, and always will be. Nothing will make it completely safe, especially in an era when players seem to get bigger and faster every year.

But there might come a day when there’s enough research and information available so a parent can make a decision on whether their child plays football or not. There might be a time when players themselves can assess their future health risks and decide

whether to continue their careers. That will be good for the game itself, and certainly good for the NFL, which rode the wave of big hits to become by far the most popular sport in the country.

No one can guarantee player safety, but it’s hard to argue with the league itself making it a priority.

Left unsaid in Goodell’s speech, though, was what to do with the players of the past. Not the college players of 1904, but the NFL players of recent decades. Goodell didn’t mention them, and with good reason. Thousands of them are suing the NFL over brainrelated injuries, and the NFL is fighting them with all the lawyers it can muster at every turn.

These aren’t just practice squad members or fringe players trying to cash in on short careers. There are some big names among the 3,500 plaintiffs, including Tony Dorsett and at least 26 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One of the plaintiffs, former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, committed suicide in April at age 62, and an autopsy found he had

CTE. His widow and the other plaintiffs claim the NFL not only exposed players to risk they shouldn‘t have taken, but deceived them and club doctors by insisting repeatedly that head trauma carried little long-term risk.

“On the NFL’s watch, football has become the site of perhaps the gravest health crisis in the history of sports,” lawyers for the former players argued in motions last month asking a judge to reject the NFL’s efforts to dismiss their suits. The suits have the potential of costing the NFL money, and lots of it.

That’s why the league has fought them so hard, no matter how at odds the stance is with the current push toward safer play. One of Goodell’s mantras in his speech at Harvard was that the game is evolving, and for the better.

Change, he said, can only improve the sport and the league along with it.

He’s right about that. But there’s something else the NFL can change, too. Doing something to improve the lives of the guys who helped get the league where it is today would be a good place to start. —AP

Scott masters Poulter to claim Melbourne victory

HONG KONG: Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain holding a trophy poses for the photographers after winning the Hong Kong Open golf tournament. Jimenez, at age 48 years and 318 days, created history in becoming the oldest-ever European Tour winner in capturing the Hong Kong Open. —AP

Jimenez wins in Hong Kong FANLING: Miguel Angel Jimenez fired a final round five-under 65 to become the oldest player to record a European Tour victory with a one-stroke triumph at the Hong Kong Open yesterday.

The Spaniard completed the tournament on 15 under par to edge out Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed, who had earlier shot a 64, and secure a hattrick of Hong Kong titles at the age of 48 years and 318 days.

Jimenez is 284 days older than Irishman Des Smyth was when he won the 2001 Madeira Islands Open and his triumph comes a week after Italy’s Matteo Manassero became the first teenager to claim a hat-trick of European Tour titles at the Singapore Open.

After also winning the Hong Kong title in 2005 and 2008, Jimenez saw off the challenge of joint-overnight leader Michael Campbell when the New Zealander fired a disappointing two-over 72 to slip down into a tie for eighth.

As Jimenez gleefully accepted the Hong Kong Trophy for a third time, he refused to rule out adding further victories to his 19 European Tour triumphs. “I hope its not the last one,” he said at the victory ceremony. “The way I am playing and handle myself I can be fit to win another one.” Jimenez admitted the Hong Kong Golf Club, with its tree-lined fairways, was totally suited to his shotshaping golf game and he made only two bogeys in four rounds. “Distance does not matter here,” he said. “I controlled the ball well and gave myself

many chances for birdie which you have to do here.”

Andersson Hed chased Jimenez all the way to the wire with two runs of three birdies on the trot as he ended the tournament with an impressive six-under-par final round.

However, there was disappointment for Campbell, who had gone into the final round looking to end a winless streak stretching back to 2005 when he won the US Open and World Match Play Championship. After opening with a birdie, Campbell’s round began to unravel when he dropped a shot at the parfive third hole and his misery was completed when he made a double-bogey after driving into trees at finding the water on the 18th.

Third place went to Australia’s Marcus Fraser after he matched Anderson Hed’s 64 to finish three shots behind the leader. Stephen Gallacher of Scotland, Peter Lawrie of Ireland and Manassero tied for fourth place, a further shot adrift.

As the tournament was drawing to a close, the European Tour announced that the Hong Kong Open would not be included in the 2013 Race to Dubai schedule.

A change of date to December next year would see it as one of the first tournaments on the 2014 tour calendar.

It also emerged that American John Daly will face disciplinary action after throwing his putter across the 11th green following a double-bogey there in Friday’s second round. —Reuters

Clerc inspires France to victory over Pumas LILLE: France won their second successive test on Saturday following up victory over the Australians with a deserved 39-22 win over traditional bogey team Argentina here. The French outscored their opponents by three tries to one including a double by Vincent Clerc, who moved onto 34 for his country, passing coach Philippe Saint-Andre’s total of 32.

The Toulouse flyer’s brace came at an opportune moment as the Pumas — who had beaten France in eight of their last 12 meetings - had stormed into an early 13-3 lead.

However another try by his teammate Yannick Nyanga in the first-half and 24 points from the boot of the mercurial Frederic Michalak rounded off a terrific win for the French.

France will try and make it three wins from three with their final match against Samoa next Saturday at the Stade de France and all but assure themselves of a top four seeding for December’s draw for the 2015 World Cup. Michalak had opened the scoring

in the third minute with a crisply taken penalty but the Pumas replied in style a couple of minutes later.

Marcelo Bosch ran in to touch down after a great break in midfield by Nicolas Sanchez and some poor French tackling saw Gonzalo Tiesi offload to the Biarritz back, and Bosch playing his 18th international went under the posts to touch down.

Sanchez converted and then added a penalty — French No8 Louis Picamoles showed his frustration by subsequently tackling the fly-half when he was still in the air and received a ticking off from referee Steve Walsh.

Sanchez’s faultless night with the boot continued as he slotted another penalty - Walsh penalising the French for offside - in the 14th minute for a 133 Pumas lead. With the crowd starting to boo the French produced a brilliant try, which involved among others man of the match Picamoles and Maxime Mermoz before the latter’s wild pass inside had the good fortune to be picked up by Clerc. — AFP

MELBOURNE: Local favorite Adam Scott cruised to a four-stroke victory in the $1 million Australian Masters yesterday as Ian Poulter’s title defence fizzled out with a bogey-strewn back nine at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath Golf Club.

The world number five Scott showed great composure on a windy day to shoot fiveunder 67 for a 17-under total of 271 and clinch his first tournament win OF the year after a frustrating season of near-misses.

“To have it out with a world-class player and come out on top is very satisfying,” the 32-year-old Scott told reporters, donning the winner’s ‘Gold Jacket’, a nod to the more salubrious green-colored one handed to victors at Augusta.

“Probably it’s the only week of the year... where I’ve put four really solid rounds together and the result shows, so I’m really, really happy with what I was able to do this week and especially today.”

With daylight separating Poulter and Scott from the rest of the field, the final round was reduced to a match-play battle, and the Australian raised the pressure on his playing partner with a pair of birdies in his opening holes to snatch the lead.

But any hopes of a repeat of Saturday’s thrilling shootout, when they plundered the famed sandbelt course for 17 birdies, were extinguished early in the back nine when Poulter made a hash of the par-fives at 12 and 14. The Englishman found a fairway trap and then a greenside bunker to bogey the 12th, then overcooked an approach shot two holes later to slip three strokes back with four to play.

The Ryder Cup hero clawed a stroke back with a birdie on the sixteenth to pull within two but was kicking himself after he missed a two-foot tap-in when reaching over Scott’s line.

That bogey allowed Scott a care-free stroll up the last and the affable Australian finished in style, punching the air after curling in a 10foot putt for birdie to the soundtrack of a roaring home gallery.

Scott came to Melbourne desperate for success after a consistent season tinged with frustration, and with queries over his mental fortitude in the wake of his spectacular collapse at the British Open.

earlier this month. But the Briton’s aggression ultimately punished him as he came unstuck when attacking the pins on the back nine.

“I did make a couple of mistakes, so Adam, he played very solid and forced me into a cou-

MELBOURNE: Adam Scott from Australia poses with the trophy for photographers after winning the Australian Masters golf tournament at Kingston Heath Golf Club. —AP Scott had blown a four-stroke lead at ple of silly mistakes, but a worthy winner how Lytham with bogeys on his last four holes, but he’s played today,” said the 36-year-old, the the Australian showed ice in his veins at overnight leader by a stroke.

Kingston Heath where he holed nine straight “It’s a good week, it was good to try and pars, including a 15-foot clutch-putt on the defend. I’m obviously just a little disappointed 11th to cling to his lead. that I wasn’t slipping another jacket on.”

“I didn’t want to let another opportunity to Gareth Paddison shot a 68 to finish joint third slip by,” Scott said. “It was good to get back in with fellow New Zealander Mark Brown, eight that position and close a tournament out. strokes behind Scott.

That’s what I need to do and I’m very happy Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell shot with that.” a 71 to finish joint eighth, a further seven Poulter had been in white-hot form after strokes adrift. “I’m not quite sure whether I inspiring Europe to victory in the United had it on the greens here to really compete,” States in September and winning his second the 2010 U.S. Open champion McDowell said World Golf Championship title in Shenzhen greenside. —Reuters

Stenson ends 3-year drought EKURHULENI: Sweden’s Henrik Stenson won the SA Open at the Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate yesterday to celebrate a psychological break-through in his first victory in over three years.

Stenson played an on-par final round-his worst of the tournament-for a 17-under-par 271 to beat South Africa’s George Coetzee, who at one point was tied with the Swede in the lead.

The Swede’s performance had fallen steadily since his last victory at the 2009 Players Championship, when he was ranked world number four.

“When it takes that long between wins you wonder if there will be another. You’ve just got to fight hard and put the work in. In this game you need to put a lot of effort in to get something back.

I’m very relieved to have won this one,” said the 36-year-old in Ekurhuleni east of Johannesburg.

His victory at the tournament, cosanctioned by the European and Sunshine tour, books his space in the Race to Dubai, where he is 45th on the list. The cut-off is 60.

“I was 59th in the race to Dubai so I needed a good week,” he said.

His current world ranking at 113 will also now improve. After a steady lead in the first eight holes Stenson double-bogeyed the parthree ninth, when his tee shot went into the water. Coetzee parred the hole to share the lead.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. There was a firm breeze out

there and I had a few guys on my tail. Then I threw two shots away on nine. But I wasn’t panicking. I felt I had to keep playing my own game and try and produce chances out there,” said Stenson.

The par-three 15th hole became the decider when the 26year-old South African’s turn came with a double bogey. He ended

with fourteen-under-par 274.

Stenson birdied the 16th and the 17th to widen his lead to three strokes, finishing the 18th on par as late-afternoon raindrops started to fall.

“I played aggressively coming in and made the birdies, and luckily George didn’t. But George played well and will get that win

JOHANNESBURG: Sweden’s Henrik Stenson holds up the trophy after winning the South African Open golf championship. —AP

sooner or later,” said the winner.

His victory in the 102nd edition of the world’s oldest championship after the British Open had a special meaning after 12 worldwide and six European tour titles, he said. “I’ve won some great tournaments in my career but winning these traditional championships is always special. It’s very humbling to get your name on a trophy that has so many great champions.

Gary Player is on there 13 times, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to match that,” he laughed.

South Africa’s Thomas Aiken tied for third place with former world number one Martin Kaymer from Germany, with thirteenunder-par 275 after the final round.

Masters 2011 champion Charl Schwartzel, also from South Africa, sunk seven birdies to end fifth with five-under-par in the final round and a 277-total. Defending champion Hennie Otto meanwhile equalled Coetzee’s Saturday course record of 63 in his final round. The improvement on his 71, 72, and 75 in previous rounds pulled him to a 280 total, nine behind the winner.

It was a dismal day for Sweden’s Magnus A Carlsson, who was tied with Coetzee in second at the start of the round, but shot four over par to end sixth with 279. Branden Grace, currently sixth in the Race to Dubai after his four European Tour wins this year, ended eightover-par with 296. —AFP

17

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

S P ORT S

Don’t write off Nuerburgring for 2013 — owner FRANKFURT: The owner of Germany’s Nuerburgring motor racing track has said the popular Formula One venue could still host the German Grand Prix next year despite uncertainty linked to the track’s insolvency.

The current operator NAG, which has leased the facilities from the owner, is in talks with F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone to secure the race and keep him from awarding the July event to Hockenheim — which alternates each year with its rival.

“If the issue over whether there will be a Formula One race at Nuerburgring in 2013 is sorted out by year-end, that would still be early enough,” Thomas

Schmidt, the managing director of track owner Nuerburgring GmbH, told Reuters.

Nuerburgring GmbH - 90 percent owned by the German regional state where the track is based - ran into financial trouble amid a dispute with operator NAG over leasing fees.

The German state of RhinelandPalatinate has sought to restructure the company with the help of a bridge financing package but EU competition regulators in August stepped up their investigation into state aid.

The state is under pressure to make the track pay after pouring millions of euros into a racing-themed amusement

park there. Nuerburgring, located in a rural area about 120 km northwest of Frankfurt, is adjacent to the famous Nordschleife circuit.

That track, dubbed “the Green Hell”, holds allure for F1 drivers and viewers alike and it was the scene of the 1976 fiery crash of then reigning world champion Niki Lauda, which almost killed the Austrian.

It is also used by automakers including BMW and Toyota to test cars and amateur racers pay to take their sports cars on laps around the dangerous but exhilarating circuit.

Nuerburgring managing director Schmidt, who runs the company with

an insolvency administrator, said he had met with Ecclestone in London, “but only to get to know one another”.

NAG, owned by hotelier Joerg Lindner and real estate investor Kai Richter, for now remains at the negotiation table with the F1 supremo. Even though Schmidt is relying on NAG’s fortune to secure the race, he is fighting for NAG’s lease to expire by year-end.

Apart from the spat over the lease payments, he is keen for NAG to cede the operating licence because NAG itself plans to bid for the track when it is put up for auction in February or March and that could be seen as an unfair advantage in the bidding.

“We have to sell the Ring in a panEuropean, transparent and discrimination-free auction. Otherwise the buyer could face EU demands for repayment of subsidies,” Schmidt said.

But the two quarrelling parties will put their differences aside when it comes to persuading Ecclestone. “We have agreed with NAG to plan for 2013 regardless of our dispute. Next year is shaping up to be a good year for the Nuerburgring,” Schmidt said.

Germany’s Formula world champion Sebastian Vettel has yet to win his home grand prix and was stripped of second place at Hockenheim this year for an overtaking infringement. —Reuters

AUSTIN: Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland steers his car during the qualifying session for the Formula One US Grand Prix auto race. —AP

Vettel sweeps to pole

AUSTIN: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel (center) of Germany, the pole leader, McLaren Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton (right) of Britain, second fastest time and Red Bull driver Mark Webber of Australia, the third fastest time, pose for photographers after qualifying for late yesterday’s Formula One US Grand Prix. —AP

AUSTIN: Sebastian Vettel will line up for his 100th Formula One race in pole position late yesterday after dominating Saturday’s United States Grand Prix qualifying session with a dazzling display of pace in his Red Bull car.

The 25-year-old German, who needs to out-score nearest rival Fernando Alonso of Ferrari by 15 points to become the youngest triple champion in F1 history, was fastest thoughout the session after topping the times in all three practice sessions.

He clocked a final best lap time of one minute and 35.657 seconds in the final seconds of a closely-fought hour of speed to leave nearest rival Lewis Hamilton adrift by a tenth of a second in his McLaren.

Vettel’s Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber was third fastest ahead of Romain Grosjean of Lotus, but the latter will have to drop five places because his team fitted a new gearbox to his car before the session.

That meant that Alonso, who qualified ninth, will move forward one place to eighth on the grid for the penultimate race of the season at the new Circuit of the Americas, 25 kilometres out of downtown Austin.

It was Vettel’s sixth pole this season and

the 36th of his remarkable career, and to mark the occassion, he added a Texan lone star to his helmet design. “ We’re ver y pleased,” said Vettel.

“We started on the right foot in first practice. It was extremely slippery to start with.

The circuit is brand new and it takes a while to come in, but it was quite a lot of fun to slide a couple of corners.

“In the final section, I would have loved to have gone a bit quicker. It was a bit closer than I wanted, but it is fantastic for me to start on the front and on the clean side.”

Hamilton said: “I’m not really concerned about the first corner, I’m more concerned about being on the dirty side of the grid.

“I did a launch there earlier and it was quite slippery. My aim is to get a good getaway. I don’t want to get in the way of Sebastian’s race, but I do want to win. I will try my best to get through the first turn cleanly.”

Webber, who starts third and may play an important role in defending Vettel’s position, said: “I’m happy with qualifying. I was pretty happy with the last part of Q3.

“I had to manage a little problem with the

car, but the two guys ahead of me were pretty quick and did ver y strong lap times.

“Overall, I’m happy to be third on the grid.

We can have a strong grand prix from there.

It’s a great job by the team. We’ve got our eye on the constructors’ championship and trying to put that to bed.”

Despite his low grid position Alonso remaiend optimistic. “I’ll try to move up the grid and I still believe I can score more points than Sebastian, I need to keep my confidence.” Kimi Raikkonen, who won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix two weeks ago, was fifth for Lotus ahead of retirement-bound seventime champion Michael Schumacher in his Mercedes.

Alonso’s Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa qualified seventh ahead of ever-improving Nico Hulkenberg of Force India, with Alonso ninth and Pastor Maldonado 10th for Williams.

Briton Jenson Button, in the second McLaren, failed to make the cut to the topten shootout after losing power due to a throttle pedal problem in Q2 on a day of clear skies and rising temperatures following a cold morning. —AFP

Notre Dame stay unbeaten

SOUTH BEND: Everett Golson threw touchdown passes of 50, 34 and 2 yards, Cierre Wood scored on a 68yard run and Notre Dame finished the season undefeated at home for the first time since 1998.

The Fighting Irish improved to 110 for the first time since 1989 and need to beat Southern California to finish a regular season undefeated for the first time since 1988, the last time they won a national championship.

Stanford 17, Oregon 14 Jordan Williamson hit a 37-yard field goal in overtime and Stanford upset Oregon, denying the Ducks a chance to clinch the Pac-12 North and derailing their straight shot at the BCS championship game.

If Stanford and Oregon finish with wins in their final games next weekend, both will finish with one conference loss, which means Stanford will win the head-to-head matchup and go to the Pac-12 championship game for a chance to play in the Rose Bowl.

Stanford will visit No. 17 UCLA, which defeated No. 21 USC 32-29 earlier in the day to claim the Pac-12 South. Oregon will play rival Oregon State in the annual Civil War rivalry game in Corvallis. The loss ended a 13-game winning streak for the Ducks, which was longest current streak in the nation. It was Stanford’s fifth straight win.

Baylor 52, Kansas State 24 At Waco, Texas, Glasco Martin ran for three touchdowns, Lache Seastrunk had 185 yards rushing with an 80-yard score and Baylor upset the BCS picture with a late-season victory.

Collin Klein may no longer be a Heisman Trophy front-runner after throwing three interceptions while being pressured and harassed all night by Baylor. He threw for 286 yards, but had only 39 yards on 17 carries for Kansas State. Nick Florence, the successor to Heisman winner Robert Griffin III threw both of his touchdowns in the first half when the Bears jumped out to a 28-7 lead.

Hyde scored on a 2-yard run in overtime and the Buckeyes stayed perfect.

The Buckeyes clinched the Leaders Division title outright with the win.

But they are ineligible for the postseason as part of their punishment for NCAA violations under former coach Jim Tressel.

Lsu 41, Mississippi 35 At Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jeremy Hill scored his third touchdown with 15 seconds left to lift LSU to a victory. Odell Beckham Jr.’s 89yard punt return for a score tied the game at 35, but LSU still needed a pair of clutch sacks by Anthony

Alabama 49, Western Carolina 0 At Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Eddie Lacy rushed for three first-half touchdowns and AJ McCarron set Alabama’s single-season record for passing TDs. The Crimson Tide rebounded from a loss to No. 9 Texas A&M last week by building a 42-0 halftime lead against the Catamounts, with McCarron completing all six of his attempts for 133 yards and scoring his 21st touchdown before exiting midway through the second quarter.

Georgia 45, Georgia Southern 14 At Athens, Georgia, Aaron Murray threw four touchdown passes and Todd Gurley became only the second true freshman in Georgia history to rush for 1,000 yards. Murray completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Mitchell with just 4 seconds left in the half, sending Georgia to the locker room with a 17-7 lead. In the third quarter, Murray hooked up with Chris Conley on a pair of scoring passes, sandwiched around a 43-yarder to Tavarres King, to give Georgia its tenth win of the season.

Ohio State 21, Wisconsin 14 At Madison, Wisconsin, Carlos

LINCOLN: Minnesota’s Troy Stoudermire (bottom) and Mike Rallis (26) tackle Nebraska’s Quincy Enunwa (18) in the first half of an NCAA college football game. At right is Minnesota’s Aaron Hill. —AP Florida 23, Jacksonville State 0 At Gainesville, Florida, touchdowns to Mike Gillislee and Jonathan Bostic proved enough, as No. 7 Florida’s strong defensive effort shut-out Jacksonville State. Caleb Sturgis added three field goals from 21, 44 and 47 yards out to complete the scoring.

Johnson and Lavar Edwards to drive Ole Miss out of routine field goal range later in the fourth quarter, setting up the winning drive.

Texas A&M 47, Sam Houston State 28 At College Station, Texas, Johnny Manziel threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 100

yards and two more scores for Texas A&M.

Florida State 41, Maryland 14 At College Park, Maryland, Devonta Freeman ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns as Florida State earned a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

UCLA 38, USC 28 At Pasadena, Californiam Brett Hundley passed for 234 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two more scores as UCLA clinched the Pac-12 South title and ended a five-game losing streak in the crosstown rivalry.

Clemson 62, North Carolina State 48 At Clemson, South Carolina, Tajh Boyd threw for five touchdowns and ran for three more scores to lead Clemson to a share of the ACC’s Atlantic Division title.

Utah State 48, Louisiana Tech 41 At Ruston, Louisiana, Kerwynn Williams scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to give Utah State a lead in overtime and the Aggies stopped Louisiana Tech on four plays to clinch at least a share of the Western Athletic Conference championship.

South Carolina 24, Wofford 7 At Columbia, South Carolina, Kenny Miles rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown and South Carolina pulled out a closer-thanexpected 24-7 win over an FCS opponent.

Rutgers 10, Cincinnati 3 At Cincinnati, Savon Huggins ran for a career-high 179 yards, and Rutgers’ defense had another shutdown showing and the Scarlet Knights stayed in control of the Big East.

Oklahoma 50, West Virginia 49 At Morgantown, West Virginia, Landry Jones threw six touchdown passes, including a 5-yarder to Kenny Stills with 24 seconds left, to lift Oklahoma to a wild win.

Michigan 42, Iowa 17 At Ann Arbor, Michigan, Devin Gardner accounted for six touchdowns to help Michigan rout Iowa.

Oregon State 62, California 14 At Corvallis, Oregon, Sean Mannion passed for 325 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 15 Oregon State routed California.

Oklahoma State 59, Texas Tech 21 At Stillwater, Oklahoma, Isaiah Anderson had a career-best 174 yards receiving and caught three long touchdown passes from Clint Chelf in his final home game for Oklahoma State.

Nebraska 38, Minnesota 14 At Lincoln, Nebraska, Taylor Martinez threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns to Kenny Bell while becoming Nebraska’s career passing leader.

Kent State 31, Bowling Green 24 At Bowling Green, Ohio, Dri Archer had two long touchdown runs and finished with 241 yards rushing, leading Kent State to its first Mid-American Conference title game. —AP

18

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

SPORTS

Hughes close to exit as QPR flounder in EPL

KUWAIT: The ICSK under-19 boys team pose for a photograph with school officials and guests.

ICSK crowned CBSE champions Captain Sherwin steers school to glory KUWAIT: Marking an extraordinarily proud moment in the history of the Indian Community School, Kuwait , the Under-19 boys team of ICSK won the CBSE Kuwait cluster basketball tournament.

The tournament was held at India International School from November 6-8.

The victorious team of ICSK defeated Carmel School Kuwait with a lead of nine scores to lift the coveted trophy. The ICSK team had earlier defeated United Indian School and Jabriya Indian School to reach the finals. The champions from ICSK will be

proceeding for the National meet to be held at Jaipur, India.

The ICSK under-19 team comprises Sherwin Titus Fernandes (XII F)-Captain, Rohan Paul (XIA)- Assistant Captain, Anwar Mazhar (XII A), Vishnu A .P (XII C), Leander Rodrigus (XI I), Kevin Antony (XI G), Nathen Sujin (XI F), Mathew Kurian (XI B), Abdullah Rafat (XI B) Amit Anooj (XI A) and Israr Mazar (XE).

This victory is the result of grit and determination of the team members; hours of training untiringly provided by Mrs. Rajam and Joseph — the Physical Education teachers; unstinted

Indian Strikers team

support of the management; the encouragement provided by Dr. Binumon, Principal, ICSK Senior; and the vital backing of the parents.

This occasion also calls for a very special thanks to Archie Menezes for his plentiful support to the team during the entire tournament.

The Management and Staff of ICSK extend hearty congratulations to the entire team for this glorious victory. ICSK students are encouraged to participate in sports and games not only for fitness but to also learn the importance of team-spirit and discipline. With such values, ICSK students are sure to succeed in life.

LONDON: As Mark Hughes trudged off down the tunnel following another humiliating loss, a band of frustrated Queens Park Rangers held aloft a banner that read “Harry Come And Save Us.” Is it time for Harry Redknapp, who was fired by Tottenham in June, to come to the rescue of the Premier League’s last-place team?

Redknapp did little to dampen speculation late Saturday, when asked on live television about the possibility of him replacing the beleaguered Hughes. “It wouldn’t be fair to comment about it until something happens,” he said. “We will wait and see.”

Hughes’ uneasy 11-month stint at Loftus Road could be ending after fans turned on him following the abject 3-1 loss to fellow struggler Southampton, leaving QPR four points adrift in the standings and the only side still without a win after 12 matches.

Ominously for Hughes, QPR owner Tony Fernandes has seemingly lost the appetite to defend his manager, as he has done stridently in recent weeks. “I feel gutted,” Fernandes wrote on Twitter. “I have put my heart and soul into this with my other shareholders. And done all we can to give support to players and all management. I can only apologise to the QPR fans.

We keep fighting.”

Fernandes, a Malaysian entrepreneur who is the chief executive of AirAsia and the team principal of Caterham in Formula One, wasn’t there on Saturday to see QPR’s latest collapse.

Southampton came to west London with the worst away record in the division - five straight defeats - but pierced QPR’s porous defense with ease. The score could have been worse for the hosts.

“The team totally underperformed and they have held their hands up and accepted that,” Hughes said in an honest assessment. “Maybe it’s a watershed moment because we can’t get any lower.”

It wasn’t just Hughes, who is a massive favorite with British bookmakers to be the first manager sacked in the Premier League, that was the target of abuse from QPR fans. The players also received their fair share, with the chant of “only here for the money” resounding out.

Hughes overhauled the squad in the offseason, bringing in the likes of Park Jisung from Manchester United, Jose Bosingwa from Chelsea and Julio Cesar from Inter Milan among 11 signings.

Esteban Granero, the midfielder signed from Real Madrid, has been one of the few successes.

Gelling so many new players has been Hughes’ main problem. He has rarely been able to field the same team, because of injury and with his players having a penchant for getting sent off - nine were redcarded last season and two more have been dismissed so far this campaign.

QPR has also been poor defensively, with 35-year-old New Zealand international Ryan Nelsen attempting to hold up a brittle back four. The squad has decent strength in depth but Hughes hasn’t been able to find the right formula.

“The fans are well within their rights to criticize me,” he said. “I can understand the reaction, it was exactly my reaction to that performance. I don’t run away from situations or challenges. I came into this with my eyes wide open and it’s my intention to see it through.” With the 65-year-old Redknapp lying in wait, he might not have the chance.

Harshly fired by Spurs despite guiding them to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, he appeared to pay the price for not getting the club back into the Champions League. In normal circumstances, Tottenham would have qualified for the preliminary rounds with fourth place but that was lost when Chelsea won the competition against all odds last season, dropping Spurs into the Europa League.

Redknapp was widely regarded as the leading contender for the England job after Fabio Capello’s resignation in February, but was overlooked as Roy Hodgson was hired.

Since leaving Tottenham, Redknapp has taken on a non-paid advisory role at third-tier Bournemouth and become a television pundit with the BBC, where he reacted to QPR’s demise and supporter misery on Saturday. “That was my wife with the banner at QPR - she just wants me out the house,” Redknapp quipped.

It’s no laughing matter for Hughes, though, as he battles to stay in charge for another week. Next up for QPR - a visit to Manchester United, where Hughes spent 13 years as a player across two spells.

“Let me tell you,” Fernandes said in a follow-up tweet, “fans come first. Everyone including me let the fans down. “Many of us need a hard look at themselves. QPR has amazing fans. They deserve better.” —AP

Man of the match Cruzedio Rodrigues

Kerala Challengers, Navelim and United Goans Centre win Real Betalbatim and Indian Strikers settle for draw KUWAIT: With just two weeks of matches left to complete the league stage of the JP D’Mello memorial Rolling Trophy, the picture is still not clear as to who will qualify for the quarter finals of the KIFF league, with only Kuwait Goan Association having confirmed their place in the last sixteen.

The quality of the teams and soccer has been exceptional this year and Kerala Challengers once again confirmed they are the team to beat with their third straight victory, while Navelim Youth Centre and United Goans Centre also collected full points in the sixth week of matches played at the MOH Grounds in Kuwait in the KIFF league organized by the Kuwait Indian Football Federation Kuwait.

In the first match of the day, Kerala Challengers proved their class when they overwhelmed Santos United 3-0. Noufam Esmail opened the scoring for the Kerala team in the 15th minute of the first half and Arun Appukuttan and Shabeerali scored the second and third to complete the rout. Kerala

Challengers now have nine points from three matches and have virtually qualified for the quarter finals with one more match still to play.

The match was officiated by Sharma and ably assisted by Sarto Baptista and Michael on the lines.

Noufam Esmail was declared the Man of the Match and received his award sponsored by Integrated Logistics Company, from Derrick Gomindes, Vice President of KIFF. In the second match at 8:15am, Real Betalbatim and Indian Strikers slugged it out for a 1-1 draw, thus throwing group A wide open. Real Betalbatim with their dashing forward Denzil Jadhav in fine touch scored first when Denzil’s power packed shot on goal from just outside the penalty area of an indirect kick pass, went past the outstretched hands of the Indian Strikers goalkeeper in the 20th minute of the first half.

Indian Strikers threw in all they had, and were lucky to get the equalizer in the second half when Lawrence’s try missed the feet of at least four defenders in the Betalbatim goal area and found the

Man of the match Denzil Jadhev

net. Denzil Jadhev of Real Betalbatim was declared the man of the match for the third time this season and received his award from William the President of Indian Strikers. The match was officiated by Julio Cardoso and assisted by Sharma and Michael on the lines.

Cruzedio Rodrigues once again showed why he is the most feared striker in Kuwait when he scored a fine hat-trick to help demolish YRC Rising Stars 5-0 in an all important match Navelim Youth Centre (NYC) had to win to stay in contention to qualify in group B. Rising Stars who have now lost all their matches and have no chance of qualifying started the game in attacking mode, but it was their defense that let them down.

The hat trick by Cruzedio and two more by Duarte Ferrao playing in an unusual role of a forward were scored when the Rising Stars defense was split with precise through balls. Man of the match was rightly given to Cruzedio for his fine hat trick and the award was given by Francis Fernandes the President of IFRA. The match was

Man of the match Noufam Esmail

officiated by Sarto Baptista and assisted by Julio Cardoso and Alvaro on the lines.

In the last match of the day, United Goans Centre (UGC) finally got on the points tally and kept their chances alive in group A when they beat Malabar United FC 1-0. Both the teams had their share of chances and the only goal of the match came when a Malabar defender blasted the ball into his own goal when trying to make a hasty clearance in a goalmouth melee. Ruzario Braganza who was a constant threat to the Malabar defiance was declared the man of the match and received his award from KIFF PRO Julio Cardoso.

Alvaro Dias was the center referee and ably assisted by Vincy and Nikush on the Lines.

LONDON: Fulham’s Colombian forward Hugo Rodellega (right) vies for the ball with Sunderland’s Irish defender John O’Shea (left) during the English Premier League football match. —AFP

Sunderland get back on track Fulham 1

Sunderland 3 Matches scheduled on Friday 23/11/2012 06:45am Curtorcares United v/s United Goans Centre 08:00am YRC Rising Stars v/s Santos United 09:15am Malabar United v/s Real Betalbatim FC 10:30am Goa Maroons v/s FC Sparks

Man of the match Ruzario Braganza

LONDON: Sunderland registered their first Premier League away win since February and ended a run of five games without victory by overcoming 10-man Fulham 3-1 yesterday.

Brede Hangeland was sent off for Fulham after half an hour, but although Steven Fletcher’s opener for the visitors was cancelled out by Mladen Petric, goals from Carlos Cuellar and Stephane Sessegnon gave Sunderland the win.

With 10 goals to their name, Martin O’Neill’s side are no longer the lowestscoring team out of England’s 92 league clubs. Victory lifted the Black Cats above Wigan Athletic into 15th place, three points above the relegation zone, while Fulham remain ninth.

Dimitar Berbatov headed wide from Damien Duff’s cross after five minutes at Craven Cottage, but the first half was a sleepy affair until Hangeland was sent off by referee Lee Probert.

The Norwegian was shown a straight red card for jumping in two-footed on Lee Cattermole-himself no stranger to full-blooded challenges-and despite Fulham coach Martin Jol’s incredulous reaction, the decision was correct.

A pivotal 14-second passage of play

tipped the balance of the match in Sunderland’s favor after five minutes of the second period. Fulham left-back John Arne Riise hit the Sunderland bar with a deflected shot but Sunderland broke quickly, with Adam Johnson’s fine, sweeping cross freeing Fletcher to toe the ball past Mark Schwarzer.

Petric came on for the injured Bryan Ruiz and lifted a chance over the bar shortly after making his entrance, while at the other end, Schwarzer produced a full-stretch save to repel Johnson’s curler.

Fulham drew level a minute later, Petric steering the ball into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box after Duff drilled a low cross across the face of goal from the left.

The teams were not level for long, however, with Spanish centre-back Cuellar heading Sunderland back into the lead from Johnson’s corner only three minutes later to register his first goal for the club.

Sessegnon put daylight between the teams with a superb goal in the 70th minute, rolling his marker and unleashing a glorious strike from 25 yards that found the net via the inside of the right-hand post.

Fletcher was denied a second goal by the assistant referee’s flag, while Sunderland were indebted to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who saved b r i l l i a nt l y f r om S t e v e S i d w e l l a nd Petric to preserve the visitors’ twogoal cushion. —AFP

19

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

SPORTS

British duo look to reach last 16 the hard way PARIS: Holders Chelsea and Scottish champions Celtic can seal their places in the Last 16 of the Champions League tomorrow but they will have to do it the hard way by winning away from home.

Chelsea’s task looks harder as they travel to Serie A leaders Juventus but Celtic’s away form in the Champions League is woeful so they will have to repeat their outstanding performance in the home win over Barcelona against a talented Benfica side.

Bayern Munich, the team that Chelsea beat on penalties in last season’s final, also have a tricky trip to Spanish side Valencia, in a rematch of the 2001 final which the Germans won in a penalty shootout.

Bayern and Valencia are locked on nine points apiece, but with Belarus side BATE Borisov breathing down their necks on six points and all but guaranteed

three points when they host pointless and hapless French side Lille neither can afford a slip-up.

A win for either Valencia or Bayern would see the victor join the one side playing tomorrow already assured of a place in the Last 16, Manchester United, who are also certain to top their group.

Chelsea have made hard work of their group, with a fortunate last minute win over the highly-talented Shakhtar Donetsk last time out setting them up nicely for the trip to Turin.

However, they come into it in the worst possible fashion having been beaten by West Brom, managed by former Chelsea coach Steve Clarke, on Saturday and having taken just two points from their last 12 in the Premier League.

Chelsea boss Roberto di Matteo admitted he would have to rein in his more expansive tactics he has used this

season as his defence was becoming an increasing worry. “We have played differently this season, but we might have to go a little bit tighter to win games and make sure we don’t concede,” he said.

“Maybe it is time to look at it, change it, and get a win. We have massive games coming up, but we have players with a lot of experience in these situations. “We will look at the set-up of the team and maybe sacrifice a little of the attacking options.”

With Shakhtar — who trail Juventus and Chelsea by a point — likely to come away with three points when they play minnows Nordsjaelland in Copenhagen, it is vital for the holders to take if not the win then at least a point from the Italian champions.

Celtic’s victory over Barcelona restored the ‘thunder’ to Parkhead according to manager Neil Lennon, but

that will be quickly forgotten should they fail to progress to the knockout stages.

Given that their 3-2 win in Moscow over a 10-man Spartak side was their first ever away win in 21 Champions League away trips it hardly augurs well for their visit to Lisbon and a Benfica team that still harbours hopes of qualifying themselves.

Celtic presently trail Barcelona by two points but hold a three point advantage over the Portuguese outfit while Spartak, who host the Spanish giants, are a further point adrift.

Lennon was relieved Celtic ended a run of three games without a win on Saturday when they beat Aberdeen 2-0 but said it had little relevance to the challenge facing them in the city where the Scottish side’s predecessors became the first British club to lift the European Cup in 1967. “This game will be our

toughest in the group. We are going to come up against a very motivated team at home,” Lennon said.

“They are very impressive at home and are going well domestically. They got a good result in their last game against Spartak and will be very motivated to beat us. “We’ll need to match their match their intensity of play. They’ll come for us I’m sure in the first 15 or 20 minutes and we’ll have to meet that head on.”

Bayern can fancy their chances of taking something from the Valencia game as they have lost just once in their eight previous meetings with the Spanish side.

Valencia coach Mauricio Pellegrino, who will be relying on in-form striker Roberto Soldado to test the Bayern defence, summed up what the match meant to him. “The match here against Bayern will be a final.”—AFP

Wolfsburg stun Hoffenheim

FRANCE: Lyon’s Argentinian forward Lisandro Lopez scores a goal during the French L1 football match Olympique Lyonnais (OL) vs Stade de Reims. —AFP

Lyon beat Reims to claim top spot PARIS: Olympique Lyonnais climbed to top spot in Ligue 1 after they easily defeated Stade Reims 3-0 at home yesterday. An Anthony Weber own goal just before the break and two second-half strikes sent the seven-times French champions up to 25 points, two clear of Paris St Germain who lost 2-1 at home to nine-man Stade Rennes on Saturday.

Olympique Marseille are third behind PSG on goal difference and could become leaders if they win at seventh-placed Girondins Bordeaux later on Sunday (2000 GMT). Reims are 13th on 15.

“I do not know for how long we will stay atop, if it will be two hours, two days, two weeks or two months,” Lyon coach Remi Garde told a news conference. “There is no point in hiding our ambitions or delight being top at the moment.”

“But I prefer when we are here because it brings confidence. We just enjoy being there. We will keep the top spot if we deserve it.” Lyon dominated possession

throughout the first half but failed to create clear-cut chances and were condemned to harmless long-range efforts.

They broke the deadlock on the stroke of halftime after a great Anthony Reveillere effort in the box prompted centre back Weber to accidentally poke the ball into his own net. Lyon kept control of the game after the break, without really threatening goalkeeper Kossi Agassa.

Bafetimbi Gomis, who handed France a 2-1 victory in Italy in their friendly on Wednesday, eventually doubled the lead with 17 minutes to go with a powerful volley after a Steed Malbranque cross had hit the crossbar. Lisandro Lopez wrapped it up late on.

Nice clinched a 1-0 home victory against Toulouse thanks to a second-half goal by striker Dario Cvitanich. They climbed to 11th on 16 points while Toulouse, who have lost for the fourth consecutive time in all competitions, stay ninth on 19.—Reuters

BERLIN: VfL Wolfsburg celebrated their first Bundesliga win under new director of sport Klaus Allofs with a 3-1 victory at Hoffenheim yesterday while leaders Bayern Munich finished the weekend eight points clear.

After 13 years as Werder Bremen’s general manager, Allofs announced on Wednesday he had moved to the 2009 German champions and Wolves earned their third win in four league games to move up to 13th and away from trouble.

Allofs has not said who will work underneath him, but Wolves’ caretaker coach Lorenz-Guenther Koestner was rewarded for naming the same team for the third straight game, something which Wolfsburg have not done since April 2009.

Wolfsburg needed just seven minutes to open the scoring as Japan midfielder Makoto Hasebe headed home before Dutch striker Bas Dost added the second on 24 minutes then defender Naldo netted from an indirect free-kick on 77 minutes. Swiss striker Edin Derdiyok scored a late consolation goal for Hoffenheim, who drop to 15th.

Earlier, ten-man Werder Bremen came from behind to beat Fortuna Duesseldorf 2-1 at home. It has been a turbulent week for Bremen as Allofs quit after 13 years working alongside coach Thomas Schaaf, but Werder won as Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne - on loan from Premier League side Chelsea hit the 82nd-minute winner.

“It was clear in advance that the events of the past week wouldn’t impact on the team, you could see that from the way they fought,” said Schaaf, whose team finished seventh with Duesseldorf now 16th, amongst the bottom three.

“Fortuna had lots of ball possession, but still didn’t do much with it”. Bayern had their five-match winning away streak broken on Saturday as they were held 1-1 at ten-man Nuremberg.

Mario Mandzukic’s early goal for Munich was cancelled out by a strike from Nuremberg’s former Bayern midfielder Markus Feulner, but the point Bayern took from their Bavarian neighbours proved to be enough to extend their lead.

Second-placed Schalke 04

GERMANY: Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper Diego Benaglio in action during the German Bundesliga football match against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. —AFP slumped to a 2-0 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen with Germany midfielder Andre Schuerrle and striker Stefan Kiessling scoring either side of half-time.

Royal Blues’ coach Huub Stevens angrily insisted he could have changed nine players during the game and sent both midfielder Lewis Holtby and Peru striker Jefferson Farfan to the dressing room after pulling them off with 30 minutes left.

Germany’s top clubs are all bid-

ding for top place in their respective Champions League groups this week as Schalke 04 host Olympiakos, while Bayern are at Spain’s Valencia and Borussia Dortmund travel to Amsterdam to face Ajax.

There were three goals in the first 15 minutes at Dortmund as the defending champions prepared for their trip to Holland by running out 3-1 winners over second-from-bottom Greuther Fuerth. Eintracht Frankfurt stayed up with the league

leaders in third by claiming a 4-2 win at home to bottom side Augsburg having taken an early 2-0 lead. A second-half own goal by Dutch defender Roel Brouwers handed VfB Stuttgart a 2-1 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Hamburg enjoyed a 1-0 win at home to Mainz as South Korea striker Son Heung-Min scored the contentious winner in the 63 minutes after being set up by a pass from midfielder Maximilian Beister.—AFP

German League results/standings Werder Bremen 2 (Petersen 51, de Bruyne 82) Fortuna Duesseldorf 1 (Langeneke 10-pen); Hoffenheim 0 VfL Wolfsburg 3 (Hasebe 7, Dost 24, Naldo 78).

German League table after yesterday’s late match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Bayern Munich 12 10 1 1 33 5 31 Freiburg 12 4 4 4 16 Schalke 12 7 2 3 22 14 23 Borussia 12 4 4 4 18 Eintracht 12 7 2 3 25 18 23 VfB Stuttgart 12 4 4 4 14 Dortmund 12 6 4 2 26 13 22 VfL Wolfsburg 12 4 2 6 12 Leverkusen 12 6 3 3 21 17 21 Hoffenheim 12 3 3 6 18 Hanover 12 5 2 5 25 20 17 Nuremberg 12 3 3 6 10 Werder Bremen 12 5 2 5 20 18 17 Duesseldorf 12 2 5 5 11 Mainz 12 5 2 5 15 14 17 Greuther Fuerth 12 1 4 7 10 Hamburg 12 5 2 5 12 14 17 Augsburg 12 1 3 8 8

14 23 20 19 26 18 18 23 22

16 16 16 14 12 12 11 7 6

Adebayor sorry for red card that cost Spurs at Arsenal SHANGHAI: China’a Wang Xiaoli (right) and Yu Yang pose with their champion trophies during the women’s doubles award ceremony of the China Open World Superseries Premier badminton competition. —AP

Controversial Chinese women win China Open Playing-to-lose scandal SHANGHAI: Chinese women’s doubles team Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli won the China Open yesterday in their first tournament together since being booted out of the Olympics in a playing-to-lose scandal that rocked the London Games.

The second-seeded pair bested No. 6 seeds Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna 21-19, 14-7 after the Japanese duo retired from the match when Suetsuna indicated she could not continue due to pain in her back following a fall.

Yu called it a “good restart” for the pair.

“We have won many titles before, but we’re extremely happy with this one. It is a huge boost to our confidence,” China’s Xinhua news agency quoted her as saying.

In women’s singles, Chinese Olympic champion Li Xuerui beat Ratchanok Inthanon of Thailand 21-12, 21-9, while in the all Chinese men’s singles final top-seed Chen Long edged compatriot Wang Zhengming 21-19, 21-18.

In men’s doubles, top seeds Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark beat Ko Sung-Hyun and Lee Yong-Dae of South Korea 21-15, 21-14. Ko and Lee were newly matched after Lee’s former partner retired following the Olympics.

Yu and Wang were were among eight players disqualified from the 2012 Olympics for attempting to drop roundrobin games in a bid to secure a favourable quarter-final draw. Yu said she would retire, but resumed playing for the Super Series Premier event in Shanghai, after being cleared by sporting authorities.

All the players involved in the Olympics scandal have been cleared to resume competition except the four from South Korea who remain barred from their national team. In mixed doubles at the China Open, top seeds Xu Chen and Ma Jin of China knocked off No. 5 seeds Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia 21-15, 2117.—AFP

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s Emmanuel Adebayor, sent off after 17 minutes of the north London derby on Saturday, has apologised for the red card that turned the match Arsenal’s way but says there was no malice in his challenge on Santi Cazorla.

Adebayor had scored his first goal of the season to put Spurs 10 up after 10 minutes at the Emirates Stadium, but his sending off seven minutes later changed the course of the match which his former side Arsenal won 5-2.

Going in high for a loose ball in midfield, the striker caught Cazorla with his studs up and was shown a straight red card by referee Howard Webb. Accepting he let his team mates down, Adebayor told British daily The Sun: “I completely understand my sending off changed the entire outcome of the game and I whole-heartedly apologise to my team mates, the manager and all the Tottenham fans for letting them down.

“But I must stress that my challenge was not malicious in any way whatsoever. “I was genuinely trying to win the ball and probably stretched my foot out a bit too far in the heat of the moment. “Nobody could have felt more devastated than me as I

walked off the pitch. I so much wanted to help Tottenham win and thought for a moment that I’d actually set that win up when I scored, but football changes so quickly. One minute a hero, the next a villain.”

Spurs manager Andre Villas-

Boas refused to blame the Togo international, telling reporters: “The red card did not change the game. Ade did not go in to harm Cazorla. Cazorla is quick, he reacted and took the ball away before Ade’s feet met his foot.”

It was the second succes-

sive season Spurs have lost 52 at Arsenal after taking the lead in the north London derby which has now produced 121 goals in 41 meetings since the Premier League began in 1992-93 — more than any other fixture.—Reuters

BRAZIL: Tennis player Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, kicks the ball during the Game of the Stars friendly soccer match with former Brazil soccer stars in Rio de Janeiro. —AP

Controversial Chinese women win China Open

Jimenez wins in Hong Kong

19

16

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

British duo look to reach last 16 the hard way

Page 19

PRAGUE: Czech Republic’s Davis Cup team (left to right) Ivo Minar, Lukas Rosol, Radek Stepanek, Tomas Berdych, and Jaroslav Navratil pose with a trophy after defeating Spain in their Davis Cup finals tennis match.—AP

Czechs beat Spain to win Davis Cup PRAGUE: The Czech Republic won the Davis Cup after Radek Stepanek stunned Spain’s Nicolas Almagro in the decisive rubber of the 100th final here yesterday.

Stepanek, the world number 37, beat 11th-ranked Almagro 6-4, 7-6 (7/0), 3-6, 63 in three hours and 52 minutes in a clash of the teams’ number-two players on the hardcourt of Prague’s O2 Arena.

The Czech Republic lifted their first Davis Cup since gaining independence following a 1993 split with Slovakia. The former Czechoslovakia won the trophy in 1980.

The victory has also handed the Czechs a rare team double after their women lifted the Fed Cup here two weeks ago-a feat last achieved by the United States in 1990.

“It’s amazing, we’ve written history here in our country,” a jubilant Stepanek said after the game. “I cannot describe

what I’m feeling right now,” added the 33year-old. “There are no words to say.

Undescribable. This is the best thing that can be,” said Tomas Berdych, his teammate. In yesterday’s key rubber, a wild home crowd of more than 14,000 fans was all that Stepanek needed to shake off the fatigue from Friday’s singles and Saturday’s doubles.

His game against a rested Almagro went with serve until Stepanek capitalised on a single set point to break the Spaniard for a 6-4 win in the first set. “I came on the court with a mindset that I have to stay calm, hungry, motivated, concentrated, and always know what I’m doing. And that’s what I did,” Stepanek said.

The crowd got even louder as Stepanek, combining patience with aggressivity, pulled off a series of winning volleys as he came back from 4-2 down in the second set.

He failed to convert four set points but then thrashed Almagro 7-0 in the tiebreak. “I played very aggressive today, I didn’t want to leave anything behind, I wanted to be the one who is active, who is controlling the game,” Stepanek said.

Almagro fought back and held on to his serve to take the third set. But Stepanek, red hot and propelled by the crowd, refused to bow and took the fourth and decisive set after breaking Almagro’s serve once again.

In yesterday’s first match, Spain’s David Ferrer beat Berdych in straight sets. Ferrer, the world number five, needed just two hours and 25 minutes to see off sixthranked Berdych 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.

The 27-year-old Berdych got off to a slow start, losing his opening service game in the first set and then another to let Ferrer, 30, move ahead without too much trouble. “I played very focused, very

aggressive, I started really good and maybe that was the key,” Ferrer said, praising his first serve and forehand.

Ferrer broke Berdych’s serve early in the second set for a 3-0 lead that prompted Berdych to take a bathroom break. But even that did not help - Berdych was flat and allowed Ferrer to gain the upper hand in long exchanges and finally take the second and third sets too.

“It’s very difficult to beat Tomas in three sets but I played one of the best matches of my career in Davis Cup,” said Ferrer.

Berdych said he was upset he had failed to decide the tie. “In Davis Cup this year, I have lost only one rubber and it was the last one,” he said. “Ferrer played an excellent game and I was always way behind him,” Berdych added. On Friday, Ferrer beat Stepanek 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and Berdych then put the Czechs level after

Davis Cup winners PRAGUE: Recent winners of the Davis Cup following the 2012 final between the Czech Republic and Spain: 2012: Czech Republic 2011: Spain 2010: Serbia 2009: Spain 2008: Spain 2007: United States 2006: Russia 2005: Croatia 2004: Spain 2003: Australia

beating Almagro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 63. In Saturday’s doubles rubber, Berdych and Stepanek beat Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 for their 12th victory in Davis Cup doubles against a sin-

Nerazzurro derby last week with defeat to Atalanta.

Stramaccioni was also red carded for protesting towards the end of the game, and club president Massimo Moratti hit out at what he said was another questionable refereeing decision.

“That’s three games in a row we’ve suffered injustice and not got the result we deserved because of a refereeing decision,” he told Sky Italia. “I can’t get over it. The penalty was as big as a house!”

Inter ’s first draw in 13 matches left them in second place on 28 points, four adrift of Juventus but one ahead of Fiorentina and Napoli, who were held 2-2 at home by AC Milan on Saturday. Fiorentina maintained their impressive push up the table under coach Vincenzo Montella with a one-sided win over their visitors from Bergamo.

The hosts took a fifthminute lead when a freekick whipped in from the left evaded the entire Atalanta defence to land at the feet of Gonzalo Rodriguez, who slammed the ball into the net from close range.

Atalanta have been on good form of late and levelled just after the half hour when

1992: United States 1991: France 1990: United States Most victories 32: United States 28: Australia 9: France, Great Britain 7: Sweden 5: Spain

gle loss. Spain, who had won the Davis Cup three times in the past five years, were missing world number four Rafael Nadal, who is recovering from a knee injury.—AFP

Levante down Deportivo

Cagliari stun Inter, Fiorentina advance MILAN: Cagliari turned on the style to hold Inter Milan to a 2-2 draw at the San Siro yesterday as Fiorentina hammered 10-man Atalanta 4-1 at home to take over third place from Napoli.

After leaders Juventus were held to a scoreless draw at home to Lazio on Saturday Inter had a chance to close the gap on the Serie A champions. But despite Rodrigo Palacio giving the hosts an early lead, a superb double from striker Marco Sau had the Sardinians in front and it took an own goal from Davide Astori for Inter to pull level. Inter had several chances to score, notably through Diego Milito, in a lively second half.

But the Argentine striker missed two clear chances from close range and was denied a third time by alert Cagliari ‘keeper Michael Agazzi. In the closing minutes Inter piled on the pressure and were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when midfielder Walter Gargano was hauled down inside the box.

Cagliari held on and in the end were worthy of a share of the points. Inter handed Juventus their first defeat in 50 games two weeks ago but came up shor t in the

2002: Russia 2001: France 2000: Spain 1999: Australia 1998: Sweden 1997: Sweden 1996: France 1995: United States 1994: Sweden 1993: Germany

ITALY: Inter Milan’s defender Andrea Ranocchia (center) jumps and kicks the ball during the Serie A football match between Inter Milan and Cagliari at San Siro Stadium. —AFP

Giacomo Bonaventura slammed the ball home from close in after it had ricocheted around the Fiorentina area.

But Fiorentina regained the lead before the interval when Alberto Aquilani sent a sublime freekick from the edge of the area past a static Andrea Consigli in the Atalanta goal.

Atalanta were then reduced to 10 when Luca Cigarini hauled down Juan Cuadrado as the Colombian midfielder ran down on goal and Fiorentina made the visitors pay immediately when

Aquilani beat Consigli from close range following a corner in first half injury time.

Former Italy striker Luca Toni added a fourth goal with a header four minutes into the second-half to consign Atalanta to their fifth defeat of the season and leave Fiorentina in dreamland. “The scudetto? The fans are dreaming of it, but let’s kep our feet on the ground and keep on working as we have been,” said Montella Struggling Bologna, meanwhile, beat Palermo 3-0 at home to move a point clear of the relegation zone in a lively

match which saw three players red-carded, including the visitors’ Albanian goalkeeper Samir Ujkani.

Udinese were held to a 2-2 draw at home by mid-table neighbours Parma, while Siena secured only their fourth win of the campaign with a 1-0 win over Serie A new boys Pescara which moved them off the bottom.

Genoa prop up the table with only nine points from 12 games, but can move out of the relegation places if they beat third from bottom Sampdoria in the Genoa derby later yesterday.—AFP

BARCELONA: Levante moved up to fourth place in the Spanish League yesterday after winning 2-0 at Deportivo La Coruna in an eventful match that both teams finished with 10 men.

Obafemi Martins gave visiting Levante the lead in the 40th minute when he latched onto a long ball, dribbled past goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia and rolled in his fifth goal in eight league appearances.

The contest appeared to have swung in Deportivo’s favor when Pedro Lopez was sent off for his second booking for handling the ball in the area. But Ivan “Riki” Sanchez missed the resulting 55thminute penalty. Aranzubia was then red carded for fouling Martins in the 69th.

Having already made all three substitutions, Deportivo used midfielder Alejandro Bergantinos as stand-in goalkeeper, and Levante forward Jose Barkero sealed the win with a long strike in the 82nd.

“We are very happy,” said Levante coach Juan Ignacio Martinez. “(But) we have to acknowledge what happened. Our rival had to substitute both center backs and then tried to go for the game by making a third change. The penalty could have made it 1-1 and the sending off of their ‘keeper conditioned the match.”

Also yesterday, Getafe scored twice in four second-half minutes to edge out Valladolid 2-1, while Mallorca broke a six-game losing streak by drawing 1-1 at Celta Vigo.

Oscar Gonzalez punched in a rebound for his sixth goal of the season to give Valladolid the lead at Getafe’s Alfonso Perez stadium just before the halftime whistle. But Getafe rallied after Valladolid’s Omar Ramos hit the crossbar to earn its first win in three rounds.

Getafe defender Alexis Ruano first headed in Pedro Leon’s corner kick at the far post in the 74th, and moments later substitute Angel Lafita cut between two defenders before curling in the winner from the left corner of the area.

In Vigo, forward Tomer Hemed scored his seventh league goal to give Mallorca the lead in the 22nd, before Park Chu-young met Iago Aspas’ low cross to tap in the hosts’ equalizer in the 56th. Later, Sevilla hosts Real Betis in the always heated Seville-derby, and second-place Atletico Madrid visits Granada.

On Saturday, league leader Barcelona beat Real Zaragoza 3-1 to remain unbeaten and extend its club-record start, while Real Madrid routed Athletic Bilbao 5-1 to strengthen its hold on third place.

Valencia downed Espanyol 2-1, and Malaga drew 0-0 at Osasuna.

Rayo Vallecano visits Real Sociedad today to close round 12.—AP

Business

Facing austerity, Europe’s bureaucrats chafe Page 24

Asia-Pacific to launch talks on giant free trade zone

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Page 25

Turkmenistan pushes trans-Afghan pipeline

Greek program should be ‘rooted in reality’: IMF

Page 22

Page 23

BAGHDAD: An Iraqi vendor sells Shalgham, Syrian turnip, on a street in the capital Baghdad yesterday. The price of the turnip doubled over the past year due to the ongoing conflict in Syria, reaching a new high of 1000 Iraqi Dinars ($0.85), a vendor said. — AFP

Fiscal cliff negotiators face hurdles Petrified by fiscal cliff? Relax, it’s just a slope WASHINGTON: White House and congressional negotiators will have to clear a series of high hurdles to avert a package of tax increases and spending cuts by year’s end. Arguments over tax rates top the list.

President Barack Obama says the richest Americans must pay higher tax rates. Republicans say they’ll block such efforts. Other hurdles have been erected by powerful lobbies to protect everything from benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare, to tax deductions for interest on home mortgages and contributions to charities. Republicans from safe, conservative districts see little political incentive for compromising with Obama even though he won re-election.

Politicians in both parties dread imposing painful changes on Americans who for years have enjoyed high levels of government service at historically low tax levels.

The “fiscal cliff” sounds like a scary place.

Headlines about “taxmaggeddon” are flashing on TV screens, next to clocks ticking down to Jan 1.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has skidded more than 7 percent over the last month, largely due to concerns about the standoff in Congress over how to stop a barrage of tax hikes and spending cuts. But some major investors say the doomsayers are getting too much attention and

cliff watchers should relax a bit. These investors argue that the US economy does not face immediate disaster if lawmakers can’t reach a deal by the end of the year, and there will still be time for Washington to come up with a deal in early 2013 before major damage starts to be done. “It is not impossible at all that they miss by a little and then come back and get it,” said billionaire investor Ken Fisher, whose firm Fisher Investments oversees about $38 billion in equities. “There’s a minor risk ... but getting it done 10 days later is not really a big deal.”

Others say Washington has more time than that. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, long supportive of higher taxes for America’s super-rich, told CNN this week that lawmakers could have as much as a couple of months next year to reach a deal. “The fact that can’t get along for the month of January is not going to torpedo the economy,” he said. Chief executives warn of the damaging effects of uncertainty on their investment and hiring decisions. Many investors have focused on the risk of a new recession if the cliff is not addressed.

And tumbling stock prices can add to the sense of panic and hurt both business and consumer confidence. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the tax hikes and spending cuts would amount to $600 billion in 2013 and could cause

the U.S. economy to contract by nearly 3 percent in the first half of the year. But that does not mean the pain begins automatically at the start of January. For example, there could be a long lag, possibly lasting several months, between Jan. 2, when the budgets of government agencies would be cut, and the actual implementation of those cuts to programs ranging from research grants to court room security. On the tax side, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have flexibility as to when to implement new, higher taxes. And even if higher withholding rates do take effect in January, they could be retroactively reversed later in the year.

In short, what has been dubbed a cliff is more like a fiscal slope that gets steeper as time goes on. How far the US economy slides down it will depend on how quickly lawmakers in Washington take to do a deal. A lot will depend on whether talks between administration officials and Congressional leaders can remain cordial and appear to be making progress, even if that progress is slow. They got off to what seemed to be a good start on Friday when both Democratic and Republican Congressional leaders came out of a meeting with President Barack Obama talking about the need for a deal, giving a boost to US stock prices. But some are skeptical. J Dan

Denbow, a fund manager at USAA in San Antonio, Texas, has been watching the value of his precious metals funds tank as fears of a U.S. recession dent the asset class. He thinks Congress will end up going over the cliff and that markets are in for a lot more volatility. “Everybody’s playing nice in the same sandbox,” said Denbow of the recent round of cross-party meetings at the White House. “But they don’t tell you what kind of cat fights they had behind closed doors.”

Stephen Fuller, an economist at George Mason University, said it could take until the end of March before spending cuts begin to be implemented. The government’s budget managers appear to be in no hurry to take out their scissors.

The Office of Budget Management, the executive branch tasked with overseeing the cuts, has issued a report detailing how they will affect 1,200 government agency accounts. But breaking this down to a program-by-program plan is proving “challenging,” given the scale of the task, the OMB said. By the end of October the OMB had not advised agencies how to prepare for the so-called sequesters, or automatic spending cuts, according to a government budget expert who had talked to staff at OMB as well as agency budget offices.

The expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the OMB was still waiting for lists of programs

from the Defense Department.

The agencies “would see the reduction in the funds that they have in Treasury immediately but obviously it takes a while for all that spending to occur so that’s why people are talking about the fiscal slope in terms of the sequestration cuts,” the budget expert said.

A more immediate concern in terms of the economic impact is the expiration on Jan. 1 of the Bush-era tax cuts and the lower payrolls tax cuts which were introduced in early 2011. If they lapse, American consumers could see an immediate bite out of their take-home pay as tax rates revert to higher levels. However, government tax lawyers, speaking off the record because they were not authorized to talk publicly, said the US tax code gives the Treasury and the IRS some flexibility when deciding withholding levels appropriate to tax law. If legislation was in progress to restore all or some of the tax cuts early in 2013 they might be able to hold off on increasing withholdings from paychecks, they said.

There is also the option of cutting taxes retroactively after the new higher rates have been introduced. This could end up in rates lower than current level to make up for any temporary payment of higher tax rates, giving a boost the economy once applied, experts say. —Agencies

ME stocks fall on political conflict MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

MADRID: Protestors march during a demonstration against government-imposed austerity measures and labor reforms in the public health care sector in Madrid yesterday. —AP

Jordan unions protest fuel price hikes AMMAN: Jordanian unions held a strike yesterday to protest fuel price rises, two days after thousands of demonstrators in Amman called for the King to go, an official told AFP. “All 15 unions except the nurses’ union stopped working between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm (0800-1100 GMT) yesterday,” said Mahmud Abu Ghunayma, head of Jordan’s 15-member professional associations body. “This is a message to the government, to tell them that the situation is snowballing and the king must intervene to reverse this decision (to raise fuel prices),” he said.

The head of the doctors’ union, Ahmed AlArmuti, said the strike had excluded “emergency sectors,” including midwifery and nursing. The teachers’ union told AFP it struck work yesterday, with spokesman Ayman Al-Akur saying “the strike was observed by 70 to 75 percent of schools across the country”.

Thousands of people staged an unprecedented protest on Friday calling for King Abdullah II to go, expressing anger at the price hikes, which will see the cost of household gas rise by 53 percent. —AFP

DUBAI: Regional markets lost ground yesterday as investors reduced risk across the board after Israel bombed Palestinian militant targets in the Gaza Strip for a fifth day.

Egypt’s benchmark, amongst the world’s best performing markets this year, tumbled 3.3 percent to its lowest close since Nov 5. Israel bombed Palestinian militant targets in the Gaza Strip from air and sea for a fifth straight day yesterday, preparing for a possible ground invasion while also spelling out its conditions for a truce. Egypt’s Palm Hills dropped 5.8 percent after the developer posted a net loss of 83.3 million Egyptian pounds in the first nine months of the year.

Citadel Capital declined 5.4 percent and Orascom Telecom slipped 3.8 percent.

“The regional picture looks bleakunless we get some clarity on the regional political tension, as well as economic policy future in US, I don’t think we’ll see much buying momentum,” said Amer Khan, fund manager, Shuaa Asset Management.

US stocks have posted two consecutive weekly losses as worries about the US government’s fiscal problems and weak global economic growth weighed on sentiment.UAE markets also fell with Dubai’s

index slumping 1 percent to its lowest close since Sept. 30.

Dubai’s Drake & Scull dropped 5.1 percent. The contracting firm reported a 93 percent plunge in third-quarter profit, widely missing analysts’ forecasts. Dubai Islamic Bank slipped 1 percent, while builder Arabtec and Dubai Financial Market each fell 2.5 percent. Shares in Dubai-based Islamic mortgage provider Tamweel dropped 3.9 percent, underperforming the property sector after fire damaged parts of the 34-storey, mixed-use Tamweel Tower in Dubai. Tamweel said it would provide hotel accommodation to residents who needed it. There were no reports of casualties.

“UAE... is not at a point where bargain hunters will return. Bluechips will have to fall before people will buy on valuations,” said Khan.Abu Dhabi’s benchmark shed 0.4 percent, down for a third session since Monday’s 16-month high.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia’s bourse fell to a near four-week low as banks extended losses and insurance stocks dipped. “Local investors have been and will be mainly following renewed political escalations in the Middle East as tensions rise and oil soars,” a Riyadh-based trader said.

Banks fell with Samba Financial Group

and Alinma Bank closing 2.2 and 1.2 percent lower. The sector’s index lost 0.7 percent, while the petrochemical index shed 0.2 percent.

Insurance stocks dominated trade and the sector’s index fell 1.1 percent. The kingdom’s benchmark slipped 0.4 percent to 6,765 points, its lowest close since Oct. 23. “The index found some resistance at 6,950 points,” said Mohabeldeen Agena, head of technical analysis at Cairo’s Beltone Financial.He said the market will move sideways between 6,700 and 6,950 in coming sessions as bulls absorb the selling pressure from the 7,200-7,500 points range.

In Qatar, the index fell 0.8 percent to its lowest close since Aug. 7 and made its biggest one-day decline since June 3.

Qatar Electricity and Water lost 1.2 percent, Qatar National Bank declined 0.7 percent and Doha Bank dropped 2.5 percent. Analysts had been expecting Doha’s market to rally as the year-end nears, with investors positioning for dividend payouts.

But banks raising capital may deter the tradition. Doha Bank announced plans in October to increase its share capital by 50 percent in the first quarter of next year, raising about $1.6 billion. — Reuters

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

BUSINESS

News

Turkmenistan pushes trans-Afghan pipeline

in brief

Dana Gas discussing new sukuk terms DUBAI: The board of Dana Gas is meeting yesterday morning to discuss progress in restructuring the company’s $920 million Islamic bond which matured last month, the company said in a stock exchange statement. Natural gas producer Dana, headquartered in the emirate of Sharjah, said on Nov 7 it had reached an agreement in principle with creditors on restructuring the sukuk, and would pay holders a mix of cash and two new bonds. The new bonds would be a sukuk and a convertible sukuk.

Detailed terms of the restructuring and the proposed new sukuk are yet to be made public. The Dana Gas board will also discuss the company’s projects in Egypt, Iraq’s Kurdistan and the United Arab Emirates, the statement said.

KFIC reports KD11.8m rise in income for 9 months KUWAIT: Kuwait Finance and Investment Company (KFIC) reported a gain of KD 11.8 million, about 50.1 fils per share, for the first nine months of 2012 compared to last year’s loss of KD 4.9 million, some 51 fils per share, for the same period. Reporting through the website of Kuwait Stock Exchange, the company said shareholders’ equity totaled KD 33.2 million for the said period, compared to KD 42.3 million last year. Total assets came to KD 75.7 million, whereas liability came to KD 39.2 million, compared to last year’s KD 122.2 million. KFIC is a Kuwaiti shareholding company incorporated under the Commercial Company Law No. 15 of 1960 and amendments thereto. The company is registered with the Central Bank of Kuwait as an Investment Company with a license to conduct both Finance and Investment Services. KFIC was listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange in 2003 with paid up capital of KD 41.9 million.

Viability of project still a concern ect will give an impulse to the development of the countries taking part in the project and will also strengthen stability in the region as well as creating new jobs,” he said. The 1,700-kilometre (1,050mile) pipeline aims to transport more than 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually from Turkmenistan to consumers in Pakistan and India and relieve shortages in Afghanistan. Turkmenistan in May inked sale-purchase agreements with India and Pakistan for the yet-to-be-built pipeline in a move hailed by the United States as a boost for regional integration.

Much of the pipeline will go through Afghanistan which neighbors both Turkmenistan and Pakistan but remains wracked by violence and instability.

According to the ADB, the TAPI in 2008 was estimated to cost at least $7.6 billion (6.0 billion euros) and the partners now face the task of attracting commercial partners to build, finance, and operate the pipeline.

The project enjoys the support of the United States, which is keen to deter subcontinent states from dependency on energy supplies from its arch foe Iran.

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan is pushing ahead with plans to build a hugely ambitious pipeline to transport its gas through conflict-torn Afghanistan to India and Pakistan, despite concerns about the viability of the project.

Turkmen officials speaking at this week’s Oil and Gas Conference in Ashgabat took every opportunity to talk up the pipeline while showing less interest in a similar project that would transport gas across the Caspian Sea to the EU. The TAPI (Turkmenistan-AfghanistanPakistan-India) natural gas pipeline, which is backed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is regarded with suspicion as a wildly ambitious pipedream by some analysts.

“The realization of the TAPI pipeline project will allow an increase in exports of Turkmen gas,” President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov was quoted as saying in a formal statement for the conference. Sakhatmurad Mamedov, head of the state-owned company Turkmengaz, announced that the project had been “successfully pushed forward” in roadshows held in September with potential investors in Singapore, New York and London. “The realization of the TAPI proj-

‘A long road ahead’Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US

State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Lynne Tracy told the conference that Washington welcomed the progress made on the project even if the road ahead was a long one. “The road ahead is long for this project, but the benefits could be significant and are certainly worthy of the diligence demonstrated by these four countries so far,” she said. She said the project would diversify Turkmenistan’s energy market options, provide revenue and jobs for Afghanistan and bring clean fuel to the growing economies of Pakistan and India.

According to British auditors Gaffney, Cline and Associates, Turkmenistan has the second largest gas reserves in the world.These are being eyed eagerly not just by Asian states but also the EU which wants to reduce its dependence on Russian imports. Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and the EU are continuing to negotiate an agreement for construction of a TransCaspian pipeline for exports of Turkmen gas to Europe and the EU’s special representative for Central Asia Patricia Flor urged an acceleration of progress.

She said it would be better to sign long term contracts now than in five

Land Rover, Chery plan China plant BEIJING: Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and China’s Chery Automobile said yesterday they laid the foundation stone for a joint-venture plant in China to build JLR vehicles and new models in the world’s biggest auto market. The companies, which recently got approval from Chinese authorities for the venture, can now speed up work on the factory in the eastern city of Changshu near Shanghai, JLR said in a statement.

“Together, we will now begin working in close collaboration ... to produce relevant, advanced models for Chinese consumers,” it quoted JLR CEO Ralf Speth and Chery CEO Yin Tongyao as saying.

Dubai Drake Q3 net profit falls 93%

Dollar stable against dinar KUWAIT: Exchange rate of the US dollar stood at 0.282 Kuwaiti dinar yesterday. The euro was up to KD 0.359, compared to Wednesday’s figures, said the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK).

The exchange rate of the Sterling pound stabilized at KD 0.448. The Japanese yen remained unchanged, at KD 0.003, while the Swiss franc rose to KD 0.298. On the international market, sentiments of uncertainty persisted among investors regarding the issue of the so-called US “fiscal cliff,” in addition to the British inflation report which confirmed that “the next would be worse regarding land ownership,” along with European reports confirming Europe was gripped with recession. For Greece, sentiments of disappointment prevailed among investors regarding delay the release of the second tranche of the rescue plan to 2022, amid lack of confidence in Greece’s ability to reduce public debts by 120% of the GDP. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stressed necessity to adhere to the deadline of 2020. — KUNA

years time and there was no need to “excessively drag out the talks”.

Yet discussion of the TrasnCaspian pipleline, a project that would be a rival for Russia’s South Sream, was absent from the speeches of Turkmen officials, in contrast to their enthusiasm for the TAPI project. Tracy said the United States also supports this pipeline and in a veiled reference to Russia said that if Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan agree on a pipeline crossing only their territorial waters, no other country has veto power over that decision. Turkmenistan is also keen on diversifying its export routes which remain dependent on its former Soviet master Russia with whom it has occasionally had prickly relations and has already begun exporting gas to China.

Berdymukhamedov has embarked on cautious economic reforms and sought to attract foreign investment in the energy sector since becoming president following the death of his eccentric predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov in late 2006.

Yet the country remains one of the world’s most isolated states with opaque decision making and Berdymukhamedov has faced criticism for failing to implement extensive political reform after the excesses of the Niyazov era. — AFP

BEIJING: A man looks at himself in a cracked mirror as he tries on a jacket at the Panjiayuan market in Beijing. President Hu Jintao recently called for a new Chinese growth model, marked by greater domestic demand and private enterprise, to ensure the long-term health of the world’s second largest economy. —AFP

DUBAI: Dubai’s Drake & Scull International’s thirdquarter profit plunged 93 percent, widely missing analysts’ forecasts as the contracting firm was hard hit by higher costs and falling contract revenue.

The company, which specializes in mechanical, engineering and plumbing operations, posted a third-quarter net profit of 3.9 million dirhams ($1.06 million), compared with a profit of 57.5 million dirhams during the same period in 2011, it said in a bourse statement yesterday.

The quarterly profit missed the average forecast of six analysts polled by Reuters, who expected a profit of 40.6 million dirhams for the third-quarter.

Drake said contract revenue for the quarter was 622.8 million dirhams percent, a 26.5-percent drop from the 846.7 million dirhams revenue for the year-ago period.

Expenses rose to 81.5 million dirhams from 68.7 million dirhams a year ago, Drake said in the statement. Drake has been gradually expanding its operations outside of Dubai following a slowdown in the emirate’s once-booming real estate sector, last week announcing three contracts worth a total of $86.7 million in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia.

The company last week also said it had signed a $120 million equivalent loan facility to support its growth into other markets.

Goldman Sachs Inc acted as a coordinator for the loan facility. Its shares have risen 5.3 percent yearto-date, underperforming the wider benchmark which has gained 19.5 percent during the same period. —Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds

.2740000 .4440000 .3550000 .2940000 .2800000 .2910000 .0040000 .0020000 .0764600 .7449300 .3870000 .0720000 .7302720 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2816500 GB Pound/KD .4467530 Euro .3571040 Swiss francs .2964420 Canadian dollars .2816080 Danish Kroner .0478830 Swedish Kroner .0415540 Australian dlr .2930570 Hong Kong dlr .0363400 Singapore dlr .2302000 Japanese yen .0035510 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0767130 Bahraini dinars .7473800 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0751270 Omani riyals .7318440 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

3.559 5.147 2.947 2.172 3.223 232.110 36.502 3.452 6.834 9.199 0.271 0.273

.2850000 .4590000 .3690000 .3070000 .2910000 .2990000 .0067500 .0035000 .0772290 .7524170 .4070000 .0770000 .7376110 .0510000 .2837500 .4500840 .3597670 .2986530 .2837070 .0482400 .0418640 .2952420 .0366110 .2319170 .0035780 .0051870 .0021810 .0029700 .0034870 .0772840 .7529520 .4013440 .0756870 .7373000 .0069520

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 75.470 77.763 735.090 751.690 77.063

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.900 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.327 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.320 Tunisian Dinar 178.150 Jordanian Dinar 399.150 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.899 Syrian Lier 3.870 Morocco Dirham 33.088 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.900 Euro 364.940 Sterling Pound 452.500 Canadian dollar 284.890 Turkish lire 153.750 Swiss Franc 301.920 Australian dollar 294.220 US Dollar Buying 281.700 GOLD 332.000 167.000 86.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

SELL CASH

296.400 752.600 3.710 286.400 555.800 46.100 49.700 167.800 48.060 364.700 37.210 5.560 0.032 0.162 0.249 3.580 401.040 0.191 95.430 45.000 4.350 233.700 1.833

50.100 735.100 3.090 7.070 78.280 75.560 232.350 34.600 2.695 452.800 42.700 302.900 4.100 9.580 198.263 77.160 283.400 1.370

10 Tola

GOLD 1,829.750

Sterling Pound US Dollar

734.920 2.965 6.875 77.850 75.560 232.350 34.600 2.178 451.800 301.400 4.100 9.410 77.060 283.000

COUNTRY

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 451.800 283.000

SELL DRAFT

296.900 752.600 3.457 284.900

232.400 46.399 363.200 37.060 5.145 0.031

SELL DRAFT

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

297.06 287.10 304.07 363.79 282.55 452.47 3.56 3.466 5.141 2.177 3.214 2.953 77.00 752.33 46.35 402.54 735.36 78.02 75.56

SELL CASH

296.000 285.500 304.000 362.500 283.000 451.600 3.690 3.580 5.550 2.310 3.650 3.150 77.500 750.000 47.950 400.000 740.000 77.850 75.850

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 401.000 0.190 95.430 3.240 232.200

Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

282.900 283.545 449.810 360.780

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

299.490 748.975 77.000 77.650 75.405 398.790 46.394 2.171 5.149 2.945 3.462 6.828 693.960 4.555 9.305 4.390 3.310 92.315

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar 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

282.900 2.947 5.151 2.180 3.466 6.885 77.130 75.600 752.100 46.366 454.900 2.990 1.550 367.000 288.500 3.345

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

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

282.300 363.000 451.550 284.700 3.550 5.142 46.305 2.172 3.453 6.835 2.948 752.350 77.020 75.520

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

BUSINESS Weekly commodity update

Brent hovers, gas spikes and copper stabilizes

By Ole S Hansen

R

isk adversity caused by worries about the outlook for global economic growth continues to set the agenda for most financial markets. On-going concerns about the US President’s ability to reach an agreement with Congress on how to avoid the now famous fiscal cliff are very much in focus. If this issue is not resolved before the January 1 deadline it could trigger a return to recession not only in the US but across the world. During the past week the S&P 500 index dropped to a three-month low and the dollar rose against an index of currencies.

These market movements created a lot of headwind for commodities with only a handful managing a positive return during the past week. As a result, the DJ-UBS index keeps hovering near a four-month low with the agriculture sector, especially grains, continuing to show weakness. The energy and industrial metals sectors showed small gains primarily driven by natural gas and aluminium respectively.

Middle East tensions briefly gave crude oil a lift this week but overall the focus remains on the weak economic outlook and general risk adversity that is currently driving most asset classes. As a result Brent crude continues to trade in its now well established range between $105 and $112 /barrel, the latter being the 200 DMA. Likewise, we see WTI crude trading around $85 /barrel hovering just a few dollars above levels where new extraction techniques begin to make less sense from a profitability point of view.

The International Energy Agency’s latest World Energy Outlook triggered some headlines by its bold prediction that the US, due to the shale oil revolution, would overtake Saudi Arabia and Russia to become the world’s largest global oil producer before the end of this decade. But as mentioned above, shale oil extraction comes with a much higher price tag than Saudi oil. High oil prices will be required to make shale oil extraction both profitable and expanding. Only then can the prediction come true. In the same report the IEA also lowered its 2012 demand forecast as weak global economic activity combined with the impact of hurricane Sandy will weigh on US consumption.

Natural gas spikes US Natural Gas was another strongly performing commodity. It rallied particularly before the weekly inventory data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) which showed the first decline of the season as below-normal temperatures have increased demand. The withdrawal of 18 billion cubic feet from underground storage was the earliest seasonal decline since 2007 compared with a fiveyear average injection of 17 billion cubic feet for this particular week.

Forecasters are expecting the coming US winter to be colder than last year, which should help support prices as stockpiles will be reduced, especially during January and February when gas consumption for heating peaks. That said, the price will likely remain within a $3.5 to $4.25 range as coal to gas switching would be negatively impacted above $4.25 because natural gas needs to remain competitive against US coal. Last winter was the fourth warmest on record and it helped trigger the collapse in natural gas prices earlier this year as inventories were not withdrawn at the normal speed. This raised worries that maximum storage capacity would be breached during this year’s injection season from April to November. As we all know, this did not materialize as an unprecedented switch from coal to natural gas helped stabilize prices and inventory levels.

Inadvertently, this switch from dirty to cleaner fuel has made the US the 2012 global champion of reducing carbon emissions. The EIA estimates that this year’s expected CO2 emissions will drop to the lowest level in 20 years and will be 14 percent below their 2007 peak. Natural gas emits less than half the carbon per energy unit than coal and the reduction in the use of coal has been unprecedented.

Gold and silver up The strong rally following the US election ran has run out of steam as both metals looks for a driver to move the price forward. Until a driver emerges, they are both back to being just another risky asset taking direction from weaker equity markets and a dollar which rose to a ten-week high against a basket of currencies. ETF investors are undeterred by these current headwinds and have now taken their total gold holding to a new record of 2600 metric tons (Bloomberg). Leveraged investors continues to sit on the fence waiting for a clearer picture to emerge but will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on the market impact of a break out of the current range between 1700 and 1740 USD/oz.

The once-in-a-decade handover of power in China occurred this past week and with a new leader and a new Politburo in place expectations have been raised that additional stimulus could be announced thereby supporting demand from the world’s biggest consumer of copper. A recent improvement in economic data out of China together with speculation that Japan could be considering further means of stimulating its ailing economy also helped copper to halt its six-week slide. Whether this recent price action is a sign that we have reached a turning point is still too early to say but traders will be keeping an eye on trend line support at $3.40 /lb. which stands in the way for further losses while a move above $3.51 /lb. will further help sentiment.

Cocoa is another top performing commodity despite hitting some profit taking towards the end of the week.

Two pieces of news have been supporting the bean.

Initially the price began to recover following reports that cocoa grinders have increased production by the largest amount in two years to meet record demand for chocolate, especially from developing nations. Reduced supply from West Africa could lead to the first shortage of beans in three years. The rally gathered pace on Wednesday when it jumped by $70 to $2457 /MT after the President of the Ivory Coast dissolved the government after it rejected a bill proposing that woman would have the same rights as men to head a family.

This once again highlights the volatile political state of the Ivory Coast, which continues to be the world’s biggest and most important supplier of cocoa and currently accounts for 37 percent of global supply. A civil war less than two years ago triggered a spike in cocoa to a 32-year high and this is still fresh in the minds of consumers and traders hence the reaction in the market. The speculative interest in cocoa has gone from a bet on falling prices up until June after which point net-long positioning has risen to levels almost equalling what was seen during the civil war induced price spike in early 2011.

Confidence in KAMCO continues to grow KUWAIT: KAMCO (KIPCO Asset Management Company KSCC) has reported its financial results for the third quarter of the financial year ended September 30, 2012. The company recorded a net loss of KD 9.8 million with earnings-per-share (EPS) at -41.2 fils for the nine month period ended September 2012.

These figures are a result of the restructuring plan the company is undertaking in order to bring the company back to profitability. The restructuring, as was previously announced, will focus on reducing KAMCO’s assets and concentrating on increasing operational revenues from Asset Management and Investment Banking Advisory Services provided to clients. Despite the losses, on the operational side, KAMCO has been able to increase its fee revenues by approximately 21% when compared to the same period last year. In addition, KAMCO’s Assets Under Management increased by nearly 11% to KD 2.4 billion since the beginning of the year - compared to the KD2.17 bil-

lion under KAMCO’s management as of December 31st 2011.

During the year, the KAMCO corporate finance team has successfully executed a number of major transactions. The most recent of which in the third quarter was acting as a buy side financial advisor to one of its clients for the acquisition of a significant equity stake in one of the leading educational provider in Kuwait. This was one of the largest merger and acquisition deals to take place in the education sector in the Gulf region during 2012.

Commenting on the results, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Faisal Mansour Sarkhou said: “Despite the losses we have incurred as a result of our restructuring plan which started almost a year ago which is moving according to plan, our clients’ continuing and growing trust in us coupled with the positive operational key performance indicators from our Asset Management and Investment Banking practices are evidence of our capability in bringing KAMCO’ overall performance

back to profitability in the near future.

This is already visible with our assets under management growth and a 21% increase in our fee income to September 2012 when compared to the same period last year. This I believe is an important achievement, despite the continuing adverse economic conditions facing the Kuwaiti economy and the investment sector. We continue to expand the company’s range of services and offerings of financial & investment products for our clients and are also in the process of evaluating a number of new investment products for our clients.”

Established in 1998 with the mission to significantly alter the local and regional investment landscape, KAMCO is a premier investment company based in Kuwait. A subsidiary of United Gulf Bank (UGB) - the investment banking subsidiary of Kuwait Projects (Holding) Company (KIPCO) - KAMCO was listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) in 2003.

After more than thirteen years of con-

ducting business in Kuwait’s dynamic investment industry, KAMCO has successfully established a robust reputation for solidity, characterized by its prudent, conservative investment philosophy which has consistently commanded the goodwill of a wide patron-base.

KAMCO’s Asset Management Division specializes in customized portfolio management, access to IPOs, and local and international fund management. The Investment Advisor y and Research Division tracks the latest directions and trends across regional and local economies as well as equity markets and offers a range of customized services that focus on maximizing returns, mitigating risks, and maintaining capital appreciation for individual and institutional clients. The Company ’s Financial Ser vices and Investment Division offers a full range of advisory services on mergers and acquisitions, underwriting, private placements, debt issuance and restructuring, and private equity management.

Greek program should be ‘rooted in reality’: IMF Lagarde skips last leg of Asia trip MANILA: An agreement among Greece’s creditors on how to reduce its large debt pile should be “rooted in reality and not in wishful thinking,” the head of the International Monetary Fund said as she heads into a tense meeting with European leaders.

Christine Lagarde, the IMF’s managing director, canceled the last leg of her visit to Asia, skipping a Southeast Asian summit in Cambodia, to return to Brussels for a meeting on Tuesday of the Eurogroup on Greece. As she left the Philippines, Lagarde told Reuters she would push for a permanent solution to Greece’s debts to avoid prolonged uncertainty and further damage to the Greek economy. To Lagarde, that means countries in the euro zone should send a strong signal they remain committed to Greece by agreeing to reduce the debt Athens owes them. “I am always trying to be constructive but I am driven by two objectives,” she said in an interview, “to build and approve a program for Greece that is solid, that is convincing today, that will be sustainable tomorrow, that is rooted in reality and not in wishful thinking.

“The second objective is to maintain the integrity, credibility and quality of advice that we are giving, not for the Fund itself, which obviously is a concern of mine, but to lend that to the Europeans because that is what they are interested in,” she said late on Saturday. In an unusually public airing of disagreement that flared during a news conference in Brussels on Nov. 13, JeanClaude Juncker, who chairs the Eurogroup of finance ministers, said the target of reducing Greece’s debt to 120 percent of gross domestic product by 2020 should be moved by two years to 2022.

Appearing surprised by Juncker’s statement, Lagarde disagreed, insisting the target of 2020 should remain. The stand-off threatens to further delay the next 31.5 billion euro tranche of Greece’s bailout, pushing the country close to bankruptcy.

Greece’s successive bailouts have already suffered setbacks from elections and resistance to reforms.

“They might resent me ... but that is in their interest,” Lagarde said of the European creditors. “The two objectives are critical for me, both of them.”

Taking a hit on Greek debt is politically difficult for politicians like Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, facing an election in 2013.

Greece is heading into its sixth year of depression that has wiped a fifth off its economic output and sent unemployment to a record high-one in four Greeks are out of work. Bickering among its creditors could cause more economic damage for Greece if markets do not believe that Athens has the support of Europe and is concerned about the IMF’s commitment to the bailout.

Lagarde has previously said the IMF does not walk away from countries, but without a European deal on Greece’s debt and financing she cannot take the matter to the IMF board of member countries for approval.“(Markets) are not going to be convinced today that the solution holds in the medium term,” she said of Greece’s debt problems. “And that is what we need to focus on.”

One option is for euro zone countries to agree on cutting the interest rate on outstanding Greek debt-some have suggested reducing it to zero. Another option is combining interest rate reductions with prolonging the repayment period, a move that could calm markets since the bulk of the debt matures in 2021/2022. “ The sense I have ... is that the Europeans have taken the view that the zone has to stay a zone of 17 member states,” Lagarde said of Europe’s political commitment to Athens. Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann, who is also a member of the European Central Bank’s governing council, said on Friday that Greece levels were unsustainable but that it would have to earn a writedown by getting its budget into shape.

The IMF’s role in the European debt crisis has forced it into new territory. It has operated alongside the European Union

Demonstrators hold banners and chant slogans as they march in Megali Panagia, northern Greece yesterday during a protest against efforts by Hellenic Gold, a subsidiary of the Canadian firm Eldorado Gold, to mine the Skouries quarry on Mount Kakkavos. — AFP and European Central Bank as part of a “troika” of emergency lenders to Greece, Ireland and Portugal. The row with Europe over how to deal with Greece’s debt is a test for the credibility-and independenceof the IMF. In Malaysia and the Philippines last week, where the IMF’s prescriptive policies were blamed for exacerbating the 1997/1998 Asian financial crisis, Lagarde was confronted with questions about how tough she was prepared to be with Europe and the United States.

While acknowledging the IMF’s mistakes in Asia, she said the Fund could use its surveillance to pressure countries to act. “I am not just concerned about the perception of the Fund’s credibility, I’m concerned about the real credibility of the Fund,” Lagarde said. She said it was important that the IMF remained even-handed in its advice. “The real credibility is not for ourselves, not for

the satisfaction of the egos of Mr So-andSo, or Mrs So-and-So, but for what goodwill we have to offer to the membership,” she said. Lagarde expressed confidence that the United States would be able to avoid its looming budget crisis and said the IMF would press Washington to act. “We are going to be there, maybe discreetly to begin with as we do, and maybe more publicly,” she added. US President Barack Obama and his Republican rivals are in talks aimed at avoiding what has been dubbed “a fiscal cliff” at the end of the year, which economists have warned could push the economy into recession. Without an agreement by Congress, the economy will be pushed over the “fiscal cliff” of spending cuts and tax increases worth about $600 billion. “It will take time because people are going to want to save face and reach out and close as much as the gap as they can,” she added. — Reuters

Miles: more scope for QE if growth stays weak

MADRID: A Barclays bank banner is seen as a police officer wears a hat with a banner reading, “Urban guards in conflict” during a protest against government’s austerity measures and the elimination of their Christmas bonus pay, one of 14 paycheques that most Spanish civil servants get each year, in Madrid. — AP

Afghanistan begins trial over huge bank fraud KABUL: Afghanistan has put on trial nearly two dozen suspects accused of involvement in the massive Kabul Bank fraud that pushed the nation’s once-biggest private lender to the point of collapse.

The 22 suspects include the bank’s founder and chairman Sher Khan Farnoud and CEO Khalilullah Ferozi, who are accused of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars through off-book loans. The hearing, which is being handled by a special tribunal set up by President Hamid Karzai earlier this year, is seen as a crucial test of the government’s commitment to crack down on rampant corruption.

The scandal, which first broke in 2010, prompted the International Monetary Fund temporarily to suspend hundreds of millions of dollars of international aid to Afghanistan. Renamed New Kabul Bank, the institution was bailed out by the gov-

ernment after its former bosses failed to return $900 million they had allegedly taken in secret loans. Farnoud and Ferozi first appeared before the tribunal on Wednesday, when they swapped insults and accusations over who was responsible for the fraud. Yesterday, 10 bank employees and central bank staff were accused of negligence, failing to report wrongdoing at the bank and withholding information. They denied the charges against them. One said he lacked “experience” in identifying wrongdoing at the bank. “That can’t be an excuse,” one of the three judges snapped.

Former central bank governor Abdul Qadir Fitrat has also been charged in the case. He now lives in the United States and the court heard his denial of the charges through a state attorney appointed on his behalf. The hearing is expected to continue for a month. —AFP

LONDON: Britain’s central bank still has the firepower to boost a sluggish economy and has scope for further stimulus with more asset purchases, Bank of England policymaker David Miles said yesterday.

“If growth does stay very weak and inflation stays low and close to the target level there is more that we can do, we have not run out of ammunition,” he told Sky News. “There is the scope for more quantitative easing ... it remains a powerful weapon.” Miles has been the strongest supporter of quantitative easing asset purchases on the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) since the departure of policymaker Adam Posen earlier this year.

It will become clear when the MPC’s latest minutes are published on Wednesday whether Miles backed the committee’s decision earlier this month to cease further asset purchases beyond the central bank’s current total of 375 billion pounds. Miles said the central bank was running the most expansionary monetary policy in its history and the positive effects would become evident.

“I expect we will see growth pick up from the very low levels we have seen over the last year or so,” he said.

He forecast the economy would eventually return to trend growth rates, but that it would take some time.

“It may not be in the very near term, it may not be three (or) six months, but if you look beyond that, a year, 18 months, two years, I would expect that we will get back to more normal rates

of growth,” he said.

Rises in commodity prices had hit Britons’ spending power over recent years but Miles said he was “guardedly optimistic” that the period of sharp falls in real disposable income was over.

“I hope that is right, and if it is we will see consumer spending a bit stronger over the next few years than we have seen in the past few years,” he said. The Bank of England was able to maintain its expansionary monetary policy because of muted growth in wages, which Miles said he regarded as the most important domestic source of inflation pressure. At some stage the central bank would have to raise interest rates and reverse some of its bond purchases, but when to do that was a “tricky judgement” and Miles indicated that such a move was some way off.

“It would be a mistake though to try and get back to more normal monetary policy too quickly when the recovery that we have seen has been pretty anaemic,” he said.

Britain has not fully recovered the output lost in the wake of the financial crisis, while the euro zone’s debt problems, government tax hikes and spending cuts to reduce the budget deficit and banks’ reluctance to lend are all weighing on the economy.

Inflation hit a five-month high of 2.7 percent in October, and Bank of England Governor Mervyn King warned last week that the economy may shrink again at the end of this year, just one quarter after it exited recession. — Reuters

24

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

business

Facing austerity, Europe’s bureaucrats chafe BRUSSELS: Workers protesting austerity on the streets of southern Europe weren’t to know it, but earlier this month there was also a strike at the heart of the European Union - by bureaucrats fighting possible cuts. For an increasing number of Europeans, cuts in Brussels are what is needed.

The European capital has told member states to reduce spending, but as millions in Spain, Portugal and Greece feel the pain in pay, pensions, and social services, people are looking to the centre and finding what looks like fat.

Britain has led the way.

Newspapers there have for decades carped at cosy ‘eurocrats’, as they call Europe’s civil servants.

Prime Minister David Cameron need only mention the EU and generous spending to produce a sea of nods and chants of “hear, hear!” around parliament. “ We can’t have European spending going up and up and up when we’re having to make difficult decisions in so many different areas,” Cameron told reporters at the last summit of EU leaders in October, going on to express his frustration at the salaries of civil servants in Brussels.

Now, doubts are mounting in other member states. Such concerns have held up talks over the

EU’s long-term budget, a financial program worth more than 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) over the next seven years. EU leaders hope to reach a deal at a summit on Nov 22-23.

The problem is that governments from Helsinki to Madrid are freezing spending or cutting it by 5 percent or more a year, but the European Commission has asked for a 6 percent increase over 20142020. An influential group of eight EU countries, including Germany and France as well as Britain, wants the Commission to save between 5 and 15 billion euros over the period.

The Commission argues that it has already made cuts. But in politics, symbolism matters, and numerous examples appear to contradict the claims of restraint: The European Parliament shifts its base once a month from Brussels to Strasbourg in France, at an annual cost of 180 million euros ($230 million). The European Council, which represents member states, is building a new ‘Europa’ headquarters right next door to its existing marble-andglass building, at a cost of 310 million euros.

The European Cour t of Auditors, another EU institution, announced on Nov 6 that 4 per-

cent of spending in the last EU budget had been “irregular ”, although this was largely due to mismanagement by member states. EU civil servants get generous health and pension benefits and free private education for their children in Brussels’ leafy neighborhoods.

EU institutions have cellars stocked with nearly 47,000 bottles of red, white and sparkling wine with a total value of 515,000 euros, according to a response to questions from German Member of the European Parliament Martin Ehrenhauser.

Cayo Lara, the leader of Spain’s left-wing Izquierda Unida party, puts it succinctly: “While Brussels applauds, Spain bleeds,” he said.

Until the financial crisis hit, polls

by EU opinion monitor Eurobarometer showed Europeans liked the EU significantly more than their own governments. But the latest, published in May, showed just 31 percent trusted the EU the lowest level ever, and just three points above trust in national governments.

“The EU started out with the best of intentions,” said Memnon Prokopiou, 76, a retired lawyer, leaning on a walking stick in central Athens. “But its leaders need to show more solidarity to the

people of the south. There is huge inequality in Europe and they are responsible for this.”

Cameron is under pressure at home, and finds a convenient and familiar scapegoat in Brussels.

Hitting out at EU spending casts him in a role played with success

by Margaret Thatcher, a Conservative predecessor who in 1984 famously won a rebate after threatening to halt payments to the EU budget.

Britain, Cameron said in October, had cracked down on central administration, “and we need to see in the budget proposals that sort of rigorous approach.”

The bill for Brussels is not actually enormous. The entire cost of running the EU and all its development, aid, research and subsidy programs amounts to only 1 percent of the bloc’s gross domestic product. In most member states, government spending takes up nearer 40-50 percent of GDP. Administration is just 6 percent of the EU budget, and there is evidence the Commission has cut back. Officials say they began tightening their belts long before the crisis. A fraud and cronyism scandal in 1999, which forced all the EU’s commissioners to resign, triggered a shake-up of how the institution and its administration is run.

“Unlike the member states, we didn’t wait for a crisis,” says Antony Gravilli, the Commission’s spokesman for administration and related costs.

From 2004, entry-level pay was lowered, officials had to contribute more to pensions and tax, and automatic pay rises were capped. The Commission started to employ contract staff who do not receive the EU’s full benefits and now make up 20 percent of its 33,000-strong workforce.

The changes triggered a decline in the purchasing power of EU officials, according to figures provided by the Commission.

Now it says it doesn’t pay enough to attract as many qualified staff from richer western European countries as it needs. The Commission has proposed to peg its administrative costs to inflation for five years, and aims to cut staff by 1 percent a year, saying this will help save one billion euros by 2020.

Felix Geradon, 53, a translator at the Council who helped lead the recent strike, said EU institutions wouldn’t be able to function properly after significant cuts. He is planning another strike for Wednesday. He said politicians seeking EU budget cuts were mainly out to please domestic political audiences, but top officials in Brussels could learn from ministers in countries such as France who have taken pay cuts: “There could, or should, be gestures from the top of our institutions.”

Even though the European Commission has cut administrative costs, a little-known study carried out on its behalf suggests EU pay is still broadly better than for officials in most member states.

The study, prepared for the Commission by management consultants in 2009 but not published before now, compared net pay and conditions in the Commission with that of 26 other organizations, many of which declined to be named, but which included NATO. It found EU officials in general did much better than all but the most senior national civil servants,

though they were less well paid than people in international organizations. A married financial officer at the Commission is paid between 45,000 euros and 105,000 euros, compared with between 18,000 euros and just under 50,000 on average in a national civil service, the report said.

The study did not include the salaries of contract staff at the Commission, and the Commission said it did not publish the results

being built in Brussels on the initiative of the European Parliament.

It will feature exhibits on postwar history and is scheduled for completion in 2015 at a cost of more than 50 million euros.

“The EU operates in a sort of bubble,” says Open Europe researcher Pawel Swidlicki.

“There’s less accountability to the public.” Nations with directly elected governments can pressure governments to rethink costly schemes, he says. Probably

MADRID: A police officer wears a hat with a banner reading, “Urban guards in conflict” during a protest against government’s austerity measures and the elimination of their Christmas bonus pay, one of 14 paychecks that most Spanish civil servants get each year, in Madrid. —AP because the consultants had not unearthed enough comparative data.

Comparison is complicated.

Changes in EU civil servants’ pay are dictated by a formula based on what public officials in member states earn. The EU pay moves in line with the average, but lags by a year. That meant EU staffers were due a raise last year, just as some national officials were suffering cuts.

Britain, France and Germany have refused to grant the formulabased increases. The Commission has taken them to the EU’s top cour t, the European Cour t of Justice.

The case is pending. “In politics you need visible gestures, and there should be some more of these,” said Stephan Keukeleire, a professor of politics at the University of Leuven who is a specialist in European policy.

Cyprus holds the rotating presidency of the EU. It has proposed cutting at least 50 billion euros from the next long-term budget by reducing administrative costs.

There appears to be broad agreement among member states that this will be the deal hammered out later this week.

In May, Open Europe, a London-based think-tank which is skeptical of Brussels, suggested cuts to reduce the total EU budget by 30 percent. These would come partly in development and agricultural subsidies that it says are ineffective, and partly from scrapping projects it believes are not needed.

One of these, the Committee of the Regions, has an 80 million euro budget to provide a voice for sub-national authorities from places such as Catalonia.

Another project the think-tank would scrap is the House of European Histor y, a museum

Europe’s most bizarre set-up is the 500-million euro parliament building in Strasbourg.

The parliament’s 754 members meet 12 times a year there, even though they also have a complex in Brussels. Each time the parliament moves to Strasbourg, more than 5,000 people travel the 350 km (217 miles) from Brussels, many of them in two specially laid-on high-speed trains or on charter flights. A lorry picks up a trunk of documents from each lawmaker ’s Brussels office on Friday evening and delivers it to his or her office in Strasbourg’s gleaming, glass parliament by Monday morning.

The arrangement drives many parliamentarians nuts. “I’ve yet to go to a meeting in my constituency where someone doesn’t say, ‘Why on earth do you still go to Strasbourg and Brussels?’” says Edward McMillan-Scott, the British leader of a campaign to abolish the Strasbourg seat. He commissioned a 2011 study that put its total cost at 180 million euros a year.

But the system is written into the EU’s treaties. This year, parliament cut back one trip. France said that was against EU treaties, and Paris took the parliament to the European Court of Justice. A preliminary opinion sided with the French, and a final judgment is expected in the next few weeks.

Not everyone is complaining.

At Strasbourg’s Chez Yvonne, a restaurant, the takings go up 30 percent when parliament comes to town.

The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, who is a former prime minister of Portugal, is a regular, according to manager Julien de Valmigere. He produces a hand-written note from Barroso. “Obrigado!” it reads Portuguese for thanks. — Reuters

Greeks remember crushing of 1973 student uprising ATHENS: Thousands of Greeks marched behind a blood-stained national flag on Saturday to commemorate the violent suppression of a 1973 student uprising against a US-backed military junta. The bloodied flag that flew over the Athens Polytechnic on the night of November 17, 1973 — seen as a key moment in the restoration of democracy to Greece-was carried as usual at the head of the annual demonstration in memory of those who died.

Student associations, members of the main opposition party, the radical left Syriza, and other leftist groups were among those who took part in the march through Athens.

Police said about 20,000 people marched in total in the capital.

The message of the Polytechnic is more current than ever,” said a 28year-old jobless man, Sotiris

Lambrou, in Athens.

Lawmakers recently voted a new round of painful austerity measures that have caused widespread discontent amid the country’s ongoing economic crisis.

“Only now the tanks have been replaced by the memorandums,” Lambrou said, referring to the agreements between the heavily indebted country and its EU-IMF creditors.

“I think the situation now is worse than back then... back then people were not hungry,” added a pensioner who gave her name only as Georgia.

The Communist Party also held its own demonstration. Shouting chants about the economic crisis such as “write off the debt” and “capitalists should pay for the crisis”, protesters walked towards the US embassy, the traditional culmination of the demonstration.

Outside the embassy, some of the protesters set fire to an American flag. Security forces blocked the road to prevent demonstrators continuing on to the Israeli embassy to protest against recent air raids in the Gaza strip. The road was later opened and protesters walked to the embassy where some set fire to an Israeli flag. Nearly 7,000 police were deployed from early on Saturday to prevent any violence and only minor clashes were reported. In the northern city of Thessaloniki, about 12,000 people marched in commemoration of the uprising, with some minor clashes also reported according to police. In the western city of Patras, police responded with tear gas after a group of young people damaged a bank and parked cars, according to the Athens News Agency. — AFP

25

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

business

Global markets worried over the fiscal cliff NBK ECONOMIC REPORT KUWAIT: Since the end of the US election, the US dollar index failed to make news highs despite the sharp drop in stocks. The weakness in currencies last week was in commodity currencies and the Yen. Indeed, equity markets sold off heavily during the week on worries that the US politicians would not be able to solve the fiscal cliff. The main game in the US remains the ongoing painfully slow negotiations between both parties while the end of the year is approaching quickly and investors continue their profit taking.

Over in Asia, market attention turned this week to Japanese politics, where opposition leader Abe called for “unlimited” monetary policy easing while Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda dissolved the parliament ahead of a general election. In China, the Chinese leadership transition continues while Asian markets remain skeptical about the potential reforms.

As European headlines took a backseat last week, the Euro remained resilient as European politicians continue to negotiate another Greek debt relief program and announced that they agreed to give Greece two more years to meet their budget deficit targets. The Euro range traded this week started Monday at a low of 1.2714, reaching a high of 1.2802 after the Greek decision however could not maintain gains to end the week at 1.2743 After starting the week on a positive note, The sterling pound dropped after Bank of England Mervin King mentioned that they had decided to freeze their main stimulus program due to the higher inflation in the UK. The pound ended the week at 1.5883.

On the commodity side, the mounting tensions in the Middle East are worth watching closely, as while the impact on energy prices has so far been limited due to the slower global growth; a sharp spike is the last thing a fragile world recovery needs.

US housing market In a speech delivered on Thursday in Atlanta, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, said the improving housing market is “far from being out of the woods.” and “Although there are good reasons to be encouraged by the recent direction of the housing market, we should not be satisfied with the progress we have seen so far.”

He also noted that tighter credit standards were an appropriate response to the peak in house prices and Americans remain worried over the labor market, housing prices, and the economy in general, which in turn is keeping potential homebuyers on the sideline.

QE3 to continue According to Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams, the Central Bank will continue its WE3 program well into 2013 even if the economic outlook improves, as employment growth remains fragile.

Additionally, Richmond Fed president reiterated similar comments this week as he mentioned that the uncertainty over the US fiscal policy is holding back business investment and hiring, though he expects “meaningful progress” on budget issues now that the election is over.

Retail sales US Retail sales fell in October by the most since June, hurt by the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Retail sales dropped 0.3% last month, while economists had expected a smaller 0.1% decline.

The data released also showed a weak consumer demand in a number of areas as retail segments, and auto dealers where sales sank 1.5% in October, marking the biggest drop in more than a year. Excluding the auto sector, retail sales were unchanged even though most segments reported a drop in business. If service stations were omitted, retail sales fell a sharper 0.5% in October. Analysts have argued

however that the hurricane has made it difficult conclude any trends from the October retail report. The storm has distorted a number of economic reports and it may take several months for the effects to dissipate.

Europe & UK With Greece at the center of attention again this week, the European Finance ministers praised reforms taken by the country and gave them two more years to make budget cuts; a concession that is expected to require additional funding of nearly 33 billion Euros. A German newspaper reported that Germany ’s finance minister Juncker implied that the troika report on Greece was largely “positive” in tone. However, no final decision has yet been made on the payout. Merkel added on Thursday that she expected next week’s Eurogroup/ECOFIN meeting to decide on the next steps for Greece in terms of a disbursement and debt sustainability.

On the latter, a German newspaper reported that EU leaders are considering retroactive interest rate reductions to Greece’s debt, with the EFSF/ESM potentially funding Greece below its own funding costs. The Euro-area governments would subsidize the difference, as the EFSF/ESM is forbidden from lending at below its own-cost rates.

Greece also issued on Thursday an additional EUR937m of one and threemonth T-bills, bringing the proceeds from the past week’s auction to EUR 5bn. Tensions however continue between Jean Claude Juncker of the EU and IMF president Lagarde on Greece’s debt-sustainability target, with Juncker saying that Greece should be given until 2022 to cut debt to 120% of GDP while Lagarde said that target should be by 2020.

Spain inflation The Spanish annual inflation reached 3.5% in October, highest rate

since May 2011. The increase was attributed to the increasing prices in education, personal care services, leisure and culture, food and soft drinks, many affected by the sales tax increase from 18 to 21% in September.

If the November rate remains high, the government could face a shortfall of around 5 billion Euros more in order to maintain pensioners’ purchasing power. Additionally, with Spanish unemployment at record high, the high inflation combined with t a negative growth has a double effect on the economy and could eventually force the government into asking for a full bail out.

German ZEW Survey, a gauge of the economic sentiment fell to -15.7 points in November, from -11.5 points registered in October. Analysts had expected an increase to -7 points, making investors worried that Germany is starting to feel the effect from the ongoing crisis.

Additionally, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.2% in the third quarter, beating economists’ estimates of 0.1% gain. The figure, however, is slightly lower than the 0.3% increase posted in the second quarter, which add to the concerns that the country’s activities has slowed down in the third quarter. The government also cut its growth forecast next year to 1% from 1.6% last month. Main reasons for the changes were the ongoing euro zone debt crisis and slowing growth in emerging economies in Asia and Latin America.

BOE Gives a bleak outlook In its quarterly inflation report, the Bank of England lowered its growth forecast but raised its inflation outlook.

The bank projected annual growth of around 2% in two years. It also indicated that inflation is likely to be around 1.8% in two years’ time, slightly above Augusts’ 1.7% forecast. Additionally, the Bank of England governor, Mervyn King stated that the UK faces an ‘unap-

pealing combination’ of a subdued economic recovery and above-target inflation.

Meanwhile, Moody’s Credit Rating agency stated that it would revisit the UK’s ‘AAA’ government debt rating and the current ‘Negative’ outlook next year.

Asia Japan’s finance minister Koriki Jojima said it was up to the Bank of Japan to decide whether to implement unlimited monetary easing, as the opposition leader Shinzo Abe called for on Thursday. Meanwhile, Abe said in separate comments that a change to the BoJ law was a possibility in order to implement bold easing steps. Other news reports suggested that Abe was prepared to establish a foreign bondbuying fund composed of the Bank of Japan, the government and private investors. This move would be a significant step as it would translate in JPY weakness, and the market was currently pricing little chance of it happening.

On Friday, Japan’s government cut its economic forecasts for the fourth straight month in its monthly economic report. Japan’s economy ‘shows weakness recently due to the deceleration of the world economy,’ while exports to Asian and European economies will remain sluggish Oil markets Although tensions have been escalating in the Middle East, with reports that Israeli government may imminently begin ground operations in Gaza to neutralize the threat of further rocket attacks, oil prices remain subdued as investors continue to fear the repercussion from the US economy falling off the Fiscal Cliff. Oil remained below the $90 level for a second week.

Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar at 0.28230 The USDKWD opened at 0.28230 yesterday morning.

Asia-Pacific to launch talks on giant free trade zone Plan to ease region’s reliance on ailing Europe

BEIJING: A property development is seen beside a canal in Beijing yesterday.

President Hu Jintao recently called for a new Chinese growth model, marked by greater domestic demand and private enterprise, to ensure the long-term health of the world’s second largest economy. —AFP

China says new home prices rose in October BEIJING: More Chinese cities reported rises in new home prices in October than in September, data showed yesterday, the first gain in three months as the government works to keep the property market in check. Prices in 35 out of 70 cities tracked by the government rose month-on-month, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement, up from 31 cities in September and the first increase since July. Prices of new homes dropped in October in 17 cities and remained unchanged in the remaining 18 cities, it said.

China has implemented measures to control property prices for more than two years, including bans on buying second homes, raising minimum down-payments and levying property taxes in some cities. Officials have said the measures are aimed at bringing down home

prices to a “reasonable” level. China’s slowing economy has recently showed signs of a turnaround, with exports, retail sales and industrial production data all showing renewed vigor. Expansion in the world’s second-largest economy slowed for seven straight quarters through the end of September, but economists are expecting growth to accelerate during the current three-month period through December.

Beijing expects gross domestic product to grow 7.5 percent in 2012, a marked slowdown from the 9.3 percent recorded in 2011 and 10.4 percent in 2010. The government is aiming to rebalance the economy away from reliance on exports and more towards domestic demand in coming years, in hopes it can steer growth onto a stable and sustainable track. —AFP

Daimler plans board member for China business BERLIN: German auto giant Daimler plans to expand its board to include a member solely responsible for the company’s China business to help iron out management troubles, a German magazine reported yesterday.

News weekly Der Spiegel said in its issue to hit newsstands Monday that Daimler planned to fill the newly created eighth seat on its board from within and would approve the position at the next supervisory board meeting.

When asked about the report, a company spokesman told AFP: “We do not comment on speculation.” While fellow German luxury car manufacturers Audi and BMW have raced ahead in the increasingly important Chinese auto market, Der Spiegel said Daimler’s

Mercedes-Benz models had been slipping behind for a few years despite steady sales growth.

Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche will have difficulty realizing his goal of selling more cars worldwide than Audi and BMW by 2020 without boosting the company’s position in China, according to the report. Der Spiegel said a key factor holding Daimler back in China was the fact it had two separate distribution networks there that had failed to work together.

One sells cars from a GermanChinese joint venture and the other automobiles imported from Germany.

Daimler posted 11.1 billion euros in sales in China in 2011, up 22 percent from the previous year. — AFP

PHNOM PENH: Southeast Asian nations will launch talks this week for a giant free trade pact with China, Japan, India and other neighbors aimed at easing the region’s reliance on the struggling West.

The planned zone would span across 16 countries of the Asia-Pacific that currently account for a third of global trade and economic output, making it the biggest free trade area outside the World Trade Organization. Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS Global Insight, described the initiative as strategically very important to the Asia-Pacific as it would help offset weaknesses in the United States and the European Union.

“Fast growth in trade within the Asia Pacific region could significantly mitigate the weak growth prospects in Asia’s traditional growth markets in the EU and US,” he told AFP. “The (pact) could provide the framework for accelerating regional trade and investment flows, reducing the dependence of East Asia on the traditional EU and US export markets and boosting trade amongst Asian developing countries.”

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will launch the start of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on Tuesday in Phnom Penh on the final day of a regional summit. The RCEP would bring together the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with

China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said a successful RCEP would further cement a shift in global economic power from the West towards Asia. “The trend is already here. It’s how to consolidate. This one is going to be a big leap forward if we can make it,” he told AFP in an interview on Sunday on the sidelines of an ASEAN leaders’ summit.

Diplomats and analysts said the RCEP could also serve as a “counterbalance” to the Trans-Pacific Partnership ( TPP), another planned free-trade grouping currently being negotiated by the United States and 10 other countries.

US officials hope that the TPP will eventually snowball into a free trade area of the AsiaPacific that will link economies spanning Latin America and Asia via the United States.

But in one significant difference, the TPP excludes China while the world’s secondbiggest economy is foreseen as being a major player in the RCEP. China has been reluctant to join the TPP, preferring to focus on a freetrade arrangement centered in Asia where it has a bigger influence.

“You can read between the lines,” a Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP in regards to China focusing on a free trade pact that does not include the United States. Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, said it was

only interested at this point in the Chinadominated pact.

“We’re only going to be focused on the RCEP,” Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan told reporters in Phnom Penh.

There are some concerns that a raft of maritime territorial disputes between the major players in the proposed RCEP could hinder the negotiations. Diplomatic and trade between Japan and China have been severely shaken this year amid an escalating dispute over islands in the East China Sea. Japan and South Korea have been locked in a similar dispute over different islands, while China and some ASEAN members have also seen tensions soar over competing claims to the South China Sea. But Surin said the disputes could be managed separately, and that the trend toward closer economic and trade ties could not be stopped. “The effort is to try to isolate the two issues... economic cooperation, community building in East Asia will have to go forward because everybody is going to benefit from this new architecture,” he said.

Surin said the RCEP had a head start compared with the TPP because ASEAN already had existing free trade pacts with China, India, Japan, South Korea Australia and New Zealand to build on. Nevertheless, there has been no timeframe set for when the pact should be finalized. — AFP

Facts and figures on EU 2014-2020 budget BRUSSELS: Europe’s leaders gather in Brussels for an extraordinary two-day European Union summit Thursday aimed at agreeing the bloc’s next trillion-euro budget for 2014-2020.

The budget comprises three main parts-the Common Agricultural Policy which covers farm aid, Cohesion Funds which help poorer member states catch up with their peers, and programs to boost innovation and jobs.

Herewith the facts and figures behind the spending plans.

REVENUE to finance the sevenyear budget comes from three main sources: Contributions from each of the 27 member states based on their Gross National Income (GNI). This is the largest source, accounting for 68 percent of revenue.

Customs duties on imports from outside the EU alongside a “sugar” levy, accounting for 12.9 percent of revenue. EU governments keep 25 percent of the monies raised to cover the cost of collection.

A levy on the VAT base of each

member state, capped at 50 percent of their GNI. This accounts for 11.4 percent of all revenue.

Cash left over from previous years and fines for breaching EU rules and regulations make up the rest of the EU’s resources.

The seven-year budget, known

as the MULTIANNUAL FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK (MFF), sets spending priorities over the period after the bloc’s leaders negotiate national contributions and ceilings for each of the five broad categories of expenditure.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, cover-

MADRID: A man reacts as the riot police search for protestors during a general strike in Madrid. Spain’s main trade unions stage a general strike, coinciding with similar work stoppages in Portugal and Greece, to protest government-imposed austerity measures and labor reforms. — AP

ing spending in favor of growth and employment, as well as cohesion policies. This accounts for 48 percent of all spending.

PRESERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES which includes the Common Agricultural Policy, fisheries and the environment. The category accounts for 37 percent of total expenditure, and the CAP is the single largest budget item.

CITIZENSHIP, FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE which covers consumer protection, health, border protection, immigration and asylum policy. This accounts 2.0 percent of spending.

EU AS GLOBAL PLAYER covers foreign policy, humanitarian aid, human rights, development assistance, enlargement and neighborhood policy, taking 6.0 percent of the budget.

ADMINISTRATION covering wages, pensions and other administrative costs including EU-run schools represent 6.0 percent of spending.

The budget works out at 0.64 euros per day for each of the bloc’s 500 million citizens. — AFP

26

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

BUSINESS

Rolls-Royce hosts Karl Lagerfeld photography exhibition Karl Lager feld visited Rolls-Royce Motor Cars yesterday to present his photography exhibition, entitled ‘A Different View’, in the latest of the luxury manufacturer’s Icons of Art series.

Lagerfeld presented the exhibition, which comprises his own unique photographs of Rolls-Royce motor cars, to private guests at the Home of RollsRoyce at Goodwood, West Sussex. The event was compered by Peter York, the esteemed media commentator, journalist and author.

Every Rolls-Royce motor car is an inspired, one-of-a-kind work of art.

Throughout 2012, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has hosted the Icons of Art series - a succession of private talks by contemporary artists in tribute to the impeccable artistry behind each RollsRoyce motor car. The series provides an opportunity to share passion for innovation and artistic merit, exploring innovative canvasses for artistic creation and modern day excellence.

Besides his work as a fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld has extensively pursued his passion for photography since 1987. His images

have been shown in several international exhibitions, from the Langen Foundation in Neuss, to the Museum del Bramante Cloister in Rome.

His latest work explores a fascination with textures, surfaces, shapes and abstractions that transcend his highly acclaimed position in the fashion world. Photography provides an ideal platform from which to appreciate the finest of details and facilitates the juxtaposition of automobile, light and nature. Lagerfeld’s exhibition explores these themes by connec ting and contrasting the forms visible before the camera and shaping a different view.

Talking about the exhibition, Lagerfeld said, “I can no longer view life without juxtaposing its abstraction. I view the world, fashion and automobiles through my camera lens. That allows me to keep a critical distance to my work. This approach serves me more than I had ever thought possible in my view of reality. Each of my shots of the Rolls-Royce is the abstract representation of a concrete reality. The technical medium of photography is a

welcome means for my artistic work, creating my different view.”

Speaking at the event, Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “It is a great honor to wel-

come Karl Lagerfeld and to host this unique photographic exhibition. His inspirational work demonstrates passion, innovation and attention to detail, values that we embrace every day at

Rolls-Royce.” Previous Icons of Art include John Zinsser, Marie-Jo Lafontaine and Isaac Julien. The series concludes this December at Art Basel Miami.

ABK announces 6th draw winners ‘Update your Info’ campaign

QInvest arranges $106.7m finance for Mazaya Qatar Dual currency Islamic facility to build Sidra Village KUWAIT: Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company QSC has signed a dual-currency, $106.7 million8-year syndicated facility to finance the development of the Sidra Village Residential Project.

QInvest acted as Financial Advisor to Mazaya QatarReal Estate Development Company and Sole Bookrunner for the facility. Qatar Islamic Bank took the Investment Agent and Mandated Lead Arranger roles and was joined in the facility at MLA level by a group of regional financial institutions comprising ABC (through Arab Banking Corporation and ABC Islamic Bank), National Bank of Abu Dhabi, and First Gulf Bank, with Ahli United Bank taking a Lead Arranger role.

Mazaya QatarReal Estate Development Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Qortuba Real Estate Investment LLC, is developing the Sidra Village, for the purpose of providing quality accommodation facilities to the employees of the Sidra Medical and Research Center. Sidra Village Residential Project will consist of two-storey

buildings, green spaces and a community club. Each building will host one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Upon completion, the project

will offer 1,165 residential units.

Speaking on the occasion of the signing ceremony, Seraj Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Mazaya QatarReal Estate Development

Company, commented: “We are pleased to sign this transaction as it represents a milestone agreement towards the financing of one of our

landmark projects, and allows Mazaya QatarReal Estate Development Company to establish solid relationships with a wide group of renowned financial institu-

tions”. Ahmad Meshari, Acting Chief Executive Officer of QIB, commented: “We are pleased to be part of such a landmark transaction, reflecting our strong commitment to the State of Qatar, and the confidence we have in Mazaya QatarReal Estate Development Company as a valued client”.

Shahzad Shahbaz, Chief Executive Officer of QInvest, commented: “QInvestis honored to have advised Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company on this prestigious transaction and further the QIB Group’s solid relationship with Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company. The success of this transaction is a testament to the strength of the QInvest financing franchise and ability to leverage its relationships with regional financial institutions to support Qatari clients and projects. The strong market reception of this transaction is demonstrated by the diverse group of regional banks that are participating, as well as the continued interest in participating in Qatar’s story”.

KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait announced the sixth draw winners of its “Update your Info Campaign”. The lucky winners were Rania Sayed Mohammad faried from University Branch (Khaldeya) who won Samsung Galaxy S lll and Farag Azmy Mosad from Shuwaikh Branch who won iPad 3.

Stewart Lockie, General Manager of the Retail Banking Division said, “Customers that update their personal information at any ABK branch will automatically enter into a draw for a weekly chance to win an iPad 3 or a Samsung Galaxy S III and a monthly draw to win cash prizes. There are 5 more weekly draws coming up until 23rd December so I would suggest for everyone to update their info as soon as possible, so as to get a chance to win any of these valuable prizes.”

For more information regarding updating your information or to learn about any of ABK’s services, please visit

Stewart Lockie www.eahli.com to talk directly with one of our Account Managers through Al Ahli Chat Service or call Ahlan Ahli on 1899899.

Al-Tijari announces winners of Daily Draw with Najma Account KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account Daily draw on 18th November 2012. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Mishal Al-Saber.

The winners of the Najma daily draw are: Eman Hassan Eissa — KD 7000, Nadiah Saad Hamed Al-Humedi — KD 7000, Ali Ibrahim Hassan— KD 7000, Manar Khaled Hussin AlWazan— 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 differ-

ent 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 organized manner.

Global economy in 2013 and outlook for stock markets

By Hayder Tawfik The US economy will carry on where it finished in 2012. It will be the best performing economy within the developed world. Thanks in advance to Ben Bernanke and his upcoming 3rdQuantitative Easing. He has spent US$2.3 in the first two QE buying different kind of securities. The measures taken by the US Feral Reserve have been very effective in avoiding the second recession, which was talked about during 2012. One noticeable effect has been on the housing markets that have been on slow but sustainable recovery thanks again to the lowest interest rates on record engineered

by Ben Bernanke and his team at the Fed. The Federal Reserve Bank will announce its third Quantitative Easing measures sometime in January and it will expand on its securities buying operation to protect growth, after doing so throughout 2012. American companies are in healthy shape and their stocks priced at attractive valuations. If only the global outlook was as bright for equities.

The outlook for the euro-zone is less bright than the US as latest figure has shown that the euro-zone has entered recession. Unfortunately, the bickering among the European politicians will not solve the economic problems that will again in 2013;

Germany will not be excluded this time. The scale of the economic problem is so big it should not be left in the hands of persons like the German Chancellor or the French president.

European Central bank and the bank of England should take the cue from Ben Bernanke and start freely printing money on a much bigger scale and should not wait for the politicians to come up with any credible answers. I do sympathies with some who says that unstrained printing of money has led to problems on many occasions through history, but with inflation on a downtrend and the risk of deflation hovers around plus the big rise in unemployment throughout the euro-zone with politicians simply have no idea what to do about all of these, it is better to print money and keep rates low till economic activity picks up. So 2013 will see either a speedier credible push towards European fiscal integration or the dismantling of the single currency. Unfortunately, Germany is the key to the fate of the euro-zone, where a recession is already underway. A reckoning in Europe whichever way it goes - will have significant effects on the rest of the world’s economy.

The main issue for investors is whether the US economy will maintain its positive but rising momentum. The ongoing arguments about the US deficit is always played dur-

ing any election and carry on after the election then suddenly all get sorted at the last minute. It is pure US real politic. It is absolutely clear that the US economy is in the hands of the Federal Reserve and not the

politicians. Europe should learn for once from the US how to be real when faced with economic crisis and take decisive actions. The deficit and fiscal policy is unlikely to have much effect on US growth. It is unlikely to see more fiscal stimulus or any of the spending cuts and higher taxes that are needed to fix US government finances over the medium term. If the US economy needs more help, it will again have to come from the

Federal Reserve. If it acts, the Fed will most likely purchase residential mortgage-backed securities, to lower mortgages for homeowners.

As for the second biggest economy, China by the time this article is

written will have a new president who will act quickly to get some credit and will put some measures in place to make sure that the economy picks up again. Some housing measures and government spending will be forthcoming to calm investors but the real issue about the Chinese currency and beefing up domestic consumption will have to wait to another day not much expected from China to help with

the world economy. Let’s not forget that the policy clash in China between reformers of the domestic economy and the provincial authorities, who support reflationary policies. The outcome has obvious implications for China’s demand for raw materials hence the impact on some ram materials producers such as Russia and Australia.

What about stock markets?

Just like this year investors have concerned themselves too much with the macro-ball gazing and missed some good performances in some stock markets such US and Germany. The US Federal Reserve is comfortable with its policy of keeping interest rates at record lows for few years to come. This policy has indeed helped the housing market and put it on a multi-year sustainable recovery. Housing related stocks done very well this year and I think will continue into next year with the impact filtering down to a wider sectors. Companies such as Home Depot Inc, Lowe’s, should continue delivering good earnings growth next year and beyond. Some banks that have big exposure to the mortgage market will benefit too but it will not be good news for retail banks. Also, the retail sector should do well too as the discounting and the affordability by people at work will help spending either to be sus-

tainable or most likely to pick up from this year. I think the winners of this year will march on into next year and they will deliver a very good performance relative to the others.

Technology and consumer electronics stocks such as Apple, Google, Samsung and IBM are well positioned to carry on dominating their markets and producing top quality products. One surprise in 2013 might be a rebound in some European stock markets most likely will be the ones that suffered a lot this year such as Spain, Greece and France.

I expect we will see some big shift in asset allocation away from bonds and into equities on a global scale.

This will be a very healthy move and will lead to a steeper yield curve that will normalize the yield curve and will encourage lending by banks. In 2008, investors experienced the downside of holding equities. Now the stock market offers reasonable valuations, yield support, solid fundamentals and the potential to reflect reflationary policy moves.

These factors suggest that at some point in 2013 we may experience something similar to the rebound in 2009. So the biggest gamble of all next year might be not holding international equities. — Hayder Tawfik is Executive Vice President of Asset Management, at Dimah Capital

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Google’s Android is eating Apple’s lunch SAN FRANCISCO: Smartphones and tablets powered by Google’s Android software are devouring the mobile gadget market, eating into Apple’s turf by feeding appetites for innovation and low prices, analysts say.

The Android operating system powered nearly three out of four smartphones shipped worldwide in the recently ended quarter as the mobile platform dominated the market, according to industry trackers at IDC. “Android has been one of the primary growth engines of the smartphone market since it was launched in 2008,” said IDC’s mobile phones research manager Ramon Llamas.

“In every year since then, Android has effectively outpaced the market and taken market share from the competition.”

In tablets, Apple’s market share has fallen to just over 50 percent from 65 percent in the second quarter as Android devices gain ground, according to IDC figures.

“Having a lot of people building a lot

of things covering a lot of price points with multiple brands in multiple places makes a big difference,” said NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker.

“Variety is strength when it comes to moving units.” Android smartphones shipments surged to 136 million, topping those in the same three-month period last year by slightly more than 90 percent, IDC reported.

Samsung’s Galaxy S3 overtook Apple’s iPhone 4S in the third quarter to give the South Korean firm the world’s best-selling smartphone model for the first time ever, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.

“The pace of innovation in Android is faster than Apple,” said Gartner vice president of mobile computing Ken Dulaney.

“They are just trying harder; Apple is way behind in that area.”

Android is benefiting from being an “open-source” platform that gadget makers use free of charge and improve as they deem fit, providing Google with insights along the way. Apple tightly

controls its products from the software to the hardware and even the online shop for music, books, games or other content.

“What you get with Android is this incredible feedback loop with developers, equipment makers, customers, and designers,” Dulaney said.

“At Apple, as long as they have a great vision internally it is fine but they don’t have the feedback Android does.”

Having thousands of different Android devices vying for consumers’ cash is a strength when it comes to market share but puts hardware makers into a fiercely competitive arena, Baker noted. “Other than Samsung, I don’t know if other Android guys are making money,” the analyst said.

Google gives Android away free, but the platform is crafted to make it easy for people to use the California Internet titan’s money-making services such as search and maps, and get content at its online Google Play shop.

Forrester analyst Charles Golvin said

that forces powering Android momentum include changing demographics of smartphone buyers.

Early adopters of smartphones focused more on new technology than on price, but the devices have gone mainstream with cost increasingly important to shoppers, according to Golvin. “People are more inclined toward the Android platform because there is more choice and most of that choice is low price,” Golvin said.

The open nature of Android and the myriad models offered by gadget makers serve as a “double-edged sword,” warned the analyst.

Apple pushes annual updates of iOS mobile operating system out to its devices, while new versions of Android hit more often but must get through hardware makers and telecom services to get onto people’s handsets.

“You have this lengthy chain of intermediaries who are delaying the delivery of that new software and its innovations to existing devices in the market,” Golvin

said. He backed his point by noting that many Android devices in use still run on generations-old versions of the operating system.

Android gadget variety can also make it tough to design accessories or even “apps” that can be used across the array of devices.

For its part, Google has done an excellent job of improving the “ecosystem” of music, films, apps, books and more available for Android-powered devices, according to analysts.

In the red-hot tablet market effectively created by the iPad, strong growth is being seen by Android rivals including Amazon’s popular Kindle Fire and Nook devices from Barnes & Noble, which run custom versions of the software.

Analysts believe that the Googlebacked operating system is likely to spread to typically “dumb” gizmos like appliances.

“These platforms are becoming the molecule elements for building all kinds of hybrid devices,” Dulaney said. —AFP

Words, names ‘least secure passwords’ Long string of characters a safe option

ALLAHABAD: In this Nov. 17, 2012 photograph, an Indian village woman makes mud stoves on the banks of the River Ganges in Allahabad. — AP

Pinball wizard puts Facebook users on Yellow Brick Road SAN FRANCISCO: Pinball and slot machine wizard Joe Kaminkow is working his magic on the social games scene pioneered by Zynga and taking Facebook users along the yellow-brick road as his opening move.

Kaminkow and his small team at startup Spooky Cool Labs got a blessing from Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment to make “Wizard of Oz” game for play at the leading social network complete with clips from the classic film. “We’re proud to have created such an immersive experience based on the greatest, most-watched movie in history,” Kaminkow said.

“Players get to enjoy interacting with Dorothy, Glinda The Good Witch, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and all of the other characters people have loved for years.” Players land in a 3-D world, in the role of the Dorothy character made famous by Judy Garland, to find their virtual farmhouse has crash-landed atop a wicked witch in Munchkinland. The thrust of the game is to build a thriving Munchkin town with happy little residents and then pave a yellow-brick road that leads to Dorothy’s tin and lion cohorts, and the Emerald City of Oz. “You aren’t just building a city; there is an adventure to go on down the road,” said Spooky Cool Labs chief creative officer Brian Eddy. “ We expect people to be playing this for months and months to get to the Tin Man, then the Lion,” he continued. “This game could easily go on years.”

Game industry veterans at the Chicagobased startup wove in winning elements of console play such as side missions and being able to navigate the virtual world from any angle including a first-person perspective called “munchkin-cam.”

Tower defense game features were added for help repelling attacks by the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys. “We have great respect for companies like Zynga that pioneered the space but we wanted to reset the genre and make something more compelling, based on better technology,” Kaminkow said with a nod to titles such as ‘FarmVille.’

The number of players has climbed quickly since “The Wizard of Oz” game opened to the public in test mode at the start of November. It had been downloaded more than 100,000 times at Facebook as of Saturday.

Kaminkow ’s legacy stretches back

decades to the glor y days of pinball arcades with a long list of creations that included machines themed after blockbuster films “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park.”

He was inducted into the Pinball Hall of Fame in 2004. During a long stint at casino game maker IGT, Kaminkow unleashed a flood of popular slot machines including “Ghostbusters” and “Sex And The City.”

He holds more than 150 patents and has been ranked among the most important people in the history of slot machines.

“If you’ve ever gone to Las Vegas and used a slot machine, there is a high probability you’ve played a game I invented,” Kaminkow said. He has produced Broadway plays and reality television shows, and has a stake in a minor league baseball team. “I am so not the norm in the social games industry,” Kaminkow quipped.

“I don’t come to work on a skateboard,” he continued. “I feel like I am in a Tom Hanks movie where there are these old guys who get together and say ‘Let’s show these young kids how to do it.’”

Hearst Corporation early this month announced a minority equity investment in Spooky Cool Lab but financial terms of the arrangement were not revealed.

The infusion of funds was billed as backing for the startup’s mission to create social games based on top entertainment brands for play in online communities and on mobile devices. The launch of The Wizard of Oz online at apps.facebook.com/wozgame was timed to coincide with the celebration of the film’s 75th anniversary.

The game industr y reputations of Kaminkow and his Spooky Cool partner Larry DeMar were cited as the reasons Warner trusted them to make a game based on the film. “Joe and Larry are two of the best land-based casino and pinball game developers in the world,” Hearst Entertainment and Syndication president Scott Sassa said when the investment was announced.

“We plan on pairing our intellectual property and access to third-party intellectual property with the game development expertise of Spooky Cool to build a big presence in this space.”

The Oz game is free to play, with Spooky Cool Labs making money from optional in-game transactions such as purchasing decorative buildings, better defenses against the witch, or extended sessions. —AFP

BERLIN: User’s online identities are usually not well protected, with a password of a few characters standing between their private data and hackers. But creating a password no one can guess means coming up with something that’s next to impossible to remember.

Security experts almost unanimously advise against using words that can be found in the dictionary - word and names are the most common, but least secure passwords, able to be broken quickly by hackers employing attacks that keep trying out different combinations until successful. One safe option is a long string of characters.

Word-based passwords are a necessary evil, according to Norbert Pohlmann, director of the Institute for Internet Security at the Gelsenkirchen University of Applied Sciences in Germany. “ This is the least-suited mechanism for authentication that one could imagine.” But there isn’t really another option. “We have to learn to work with this as users and make the best of it.”

The best password has at least 10 characters including special ones - plus capitalized and lower-cased letters and numbers.

“This way the key space is so big that (an) attacker would need more than 200 years to crack the code,” explains Pohlmann. “But a lot of people use bad passwords, because they take the name of their girlfriend or company.”

Any password that can be found online or in a dictionary is bad as a password. Also avoid anything that relies on a pattern, such as 12345 or qwerty.

But how to remember a complex password?

Germany ’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) says users need to come up with their own cheat phrase. Thus “I have 100 secure passwords to register myself online” becomes Ih100sP,torMo. Avoid special characters, since they don’t appear on all keyboards. Never use years or birthdates for a PIN. Passwords should be changed every six months and users can never let down their guard against phishing attacks.

It’s a bad idea to use the same password for every account, even if it’s a good one. If someone gets it, they ’ll have access to all your accounts.

“Ideally, you should have a separate password for every account,” says Melanie Volkamer of the Centre for Advanced Security Research at the

Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. “But no one can remember 30 random character strings.”

A good password can be adjusted for different sites, sometimes by adding different strings of characters that have to do with the service’s name. And since every account isn’t equally important, there’s also the option of creating password groups - a compromise between security and user-friendliness. Thus, one password can be used for social networks, another for online shopping, a third for banking and a final one for email. The email account password is especially important, says Pohlmann. “A lot of services have created a reset mechanism linked to an email address.”

Password management services that store multiple codes are of limited value. They can quickly prove to be a security problem if used with unsecure computers.

Images are another option. “You can use graphic passwords, since our memory works better with pictures,” says Volkamer. Some require a series of pictures to be identified in the right order. “I don’t have to repeat it, I just have to recognize it.” But these are not very common yet.

How one engineer’s birdwatching made Japan’s bullet train better TOKYO: What is the connection between an engineer going bird watching and his saving millions of dollars for his company?

Or, what does catching flies have to do with preventing plane crashes? How will locust swarms change the nature of our highways? Can a mold do a better job of plotting our mass transit systems than a team of engineers and planners?

The common thread in all these scenarios: Deep observation and analysis of the natural world can lead to amazingly creative innovations. I will write about all these things in this series on transportation, but first let’s take a look at a how a couple of interesting birds inspired a sleek design.

Eiji Nakatsu was the general manager of the technical development department for the so-called “bullet” trains of Japan, famed for their speed and safety record. After attending a 1990 lecture on birds by an aviation engineer, Nakatsu, who is also an engineer, realized studying the flight of birds could bring his train, and us, into the future. The Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen Lines, operated by Japan Railway West, connect western Japan’s two biggest cities, Osaka and Fukuoka, and are an extension of the older Tokaido Line from Tokyo to Osaka.

The 515-kilometer Tokaido Shinkansen is the world’s busiest high-speed-rail line, having moved 4.9 billion passengers from its opening in 1964 (for the Toyko

TOKYO: A bullet train passes through the Ginza district near Tokyo.

Olympiad) to 2010. Indeed, more people move by train in Japan — an estimated 64 million a day-than anywhere else in the world.

Making his trains faster was one of Nakatsu’s goals, but to do that, he needed to first make them quieter. The trains ran through dense neighborhoods and many tunnels.

The loudest noise came from the connections to overhead wires

(pantographs), and the emergence of the trains from the tunnels on the line. This dynamic was so forceful that it was creating sonic booms heard by residents 400 meters away.

In the case of the pantograph noise, air rushing over the struts and linkages in the mechanism was forming into so-called Karman vortices, also known as a Karman vor-

tex street, and this turbulence was causing most of the noise. Karman vortices are created at all scales, from islands in the ocean to car aerials, and are manifested wherever a single bluff body separates the flow of a fluid. Alternate and opposite eddies swirl downstream of the obstruction, swinging back and forth as the force of one dominates and then the other.

Singapore seeks a breakthrough to call its own SINGAPORE: The software that entrepreneur Terence Swee ships around the world was developed in Singapore, but you would never know it.

His company, Muvee Technologies, which creates software that automatically edits videos to the beat of a music soundtrack, is vague about the exact address of its headquarters. It uses American English in its ads and holds sales on Thanksgiving rather than Chinese New Year.

Its office is retrofitted with a 1950s-style American diner. “We don’t explicitly state that we are from Singapore,” Swee says. “The world is still more comfortable buying software from the USA.” Singapore is known for being hospitable to innovation. But underneath the success lurks an identity crisis: it has never had a blockbuster

invention or technology it can call its own.

That’s a stain on what’s otherwise a Cinderella story of how a small island-less than half the size of London-transformed itself from a colonial backwater into one of the world’s most affluent, most fully wired places in half a century. That rise is attributed to luck and smart planning by a government that has plowed billions into infrastructure, R&D subsidies, and tax breaks to lure multinational corporations. Yet Singapore’s own ideas and startup companies are struggling to define themselves in the shadow of big names that have set up shop on its shores, such as Google, Hewlett-Packard, and Procter & Gamble. There’s no company that jumps out as a Singaporean success in the same way that South Korea’s Samsung or Japan’s Sony does. Despite heavy investment in biomedical

research, there’s still no Nobel Prize, either. The country’s most famous entrepreneur may actually be Eduardo Saverin, the Facebook cofounder who renounced his U.S. citizenship and took up residence in a Singapore penthouse. That there’s no distinctly Singaporean brand of innovation looks to some like an unintended consequence of too much government stimulation. Business leaders now publicly wonder whether Singapore’s top-down approach, its obsession with standardized tests, and its lawand-order ways (bubble-gum sales are banned) are leading to a society that can produce no truly significant new ideas.

Such cultural clichÈs, however, fail to touch on the most important of Singapore’s economic realities: the country’s tiny size. That, say entrepreneurs and government officials, means

Singapore must cater to global standards and markets or doom its businesses to irrelevance. In other words, the very same pragmatism that put Singapore on the international map may now explain why it doesn’t stand out.

“It makes no sense to attempt a Yelp or a GrubHub for Singapore-the scale is just too small,” says Darius Cheung, a 31-year-old who sold a mobile security company, tenCube, to McAfee in 2010. “So startups are forced to choose other kinds of innovation that can achieve larger scale across borders, such as something that is truly culture- and locationagnostic.” Cheung’s most recent venture, an English-language phone app called BillPin, lets friends track shared expenses like rent bills. It’s the kind of thing that could get big, but only if it tops similar apps being written in San Francisco,

New York, or London.

Singapore’s economic takeoff began in the 1960s after the country gained independence.

Attractive for its multiculturalism and its opendoor banking policies, it added government incentives for aerospace and biomedical research. It has designated $12.9 billion to fund R&D from 2010 through 2015. “Whenever one of my corporate clients around the world is thinking about establishing a new research hub in Asia, Singapore is always on the shortlist,” says Andrew Taylor, a managing director at the Boston Consulting Group who coauthored a 2010 study that ranked Singapore as the most “innovation friendly” country in the world, ahead of the United States and Israel. But in terms of actual innovation-output of ideas-the record is more mixed. — MCT

28

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

health & science

GAINESVILLE: Ambre Sheehy, a fitness coordinator with the University of Florida, demonstrates a snatch and throw with a ViPR in Florida. The movement begins in a squat with hands on the double grips of the ViPR and ends with a fluid throw above the head. — MCT photos

A pull through exercise. The movement begins in a squat in front of the ViPR and ends with a lifting toss in front of you.

The warrior exercise. The movement begins with the ViPR standing and a big right step back, the body and ViPR are tilted forward before bringing it back in a stretch.

A snatch and throwexercise. The movement begins in a squat with hands on the double grips of the ViPR and ends with a fluid throw above the head.

A skaterexercise. The movement begins with the ViPR held evenly in both hands and mimics skating as the bar is brought above the grounded foot at each side.

A shuffle tilt exercise. The movement begins with the ViPR standing and a two step side shuffle to drop it to the ground as you squat.

Fitness in a tube: Weighted pipe puts new bite into strength training here’s a new piece of workout equipment on the market, and this one is a multitasker. The ViPR (pronounced “viper”) can be used to build strength, increase stamina and improve flexibility. You can throw it, drag it, toss it, lift it or collapse on top of it when you’ve had enough. The ViPR is available in a range of weights, but if you’re new to this tool your best bet is to stick with the 22-pound ViPR, which can be purchased through viprevolution.com for about $230. (The ViPR is priced according to weight, and they start at 9 pounds for $155, and go up to 44 pounds for $330.)

Once you’ve got a ViPR, try this workout created by Ambre Sheehy, coordinator of fitness programs for the University of Florida, and an instructor of group ViPR classes. You’ll need a space that’s at least 10-by-10 feet square. The ViPR can be used on a wooden floor or on a mat because it’s made out of rubber and shouldn’t scratch. Do as many repetitions of each exercise as you can for 40 seconds, and then rest for 20 seconds before

T

starting the next exercise. After you complete all seven exercises, rest for 60 seconds before doing the circuit again.

Snatch and throw Start standing with the ViPR on the ground in front of your feet. Lower your hips down and back into a squat position, and place your hands on the double grips of the ViPR. Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, push through your heels to lift the ViPR up the front of your body, and throw it in the air above your head. As soon as you release the ViPR above your head, take a quick, big step forward and let the ViPR fall to the ground behind you. Turn around to face the ViPR and repeat the movement.

Reverse bear crawl Begin bent over on your hands and feet with your hips in the air and knees slightly bent. Place the ViPR on the ground in front of you, extending away from your body. Grab the closest grip of the ViPR and pull it toward

your body so it slides beneath you. Bear crawl backward until the ViPR is just barely within your reach, and then grab the closet grip and pull it back through to the start position. Try to complete this movement quickly.

Skater While standing, hold the ViPR with both hands in front of you. Step to the right, putting all your weight onto your right foot while trailing your left foot behind the right.

Bring the left end of the ViPR toward your right foot. Without pausing, press of your standing foot onto the opposite foot, also moving the opposite side of the ViPR to that standing foot. Repeat the movement, with an emphasis on making your motions very wide while keeping your chest lifted and your core tight.

Plank pull-through Start from a plank position (the “top” of a pushup) with the ViPR on the ground

beneath your chest, placed horizontally.

Reach your left hand beneath you and pull the ViPR to the left of your body. Adjust your position left or right so that you can reach your right hand beneath you to pull the ViPR out to the right side of your body. Keep your wrists aligned beneath your shoulders and your core activated.

Pull-through Straddle the front end of the ViPR placed lengthwise, lower down into a squat and reach both hands down to grab the top edge of the ViPR (not the handle grip). Pull the ViPR out in front of you as you stand up so that you throw it onto the ground in front of you.

Run forward to the same position and repeat the motion, moving forward as you complete each repetition. Remember to keep your knees behind your toes and your back straight as you squat.

Shuffle tilt Start from a standing position with the

ViPR standing on one end in front of you.

Shuffle two steps the side, keeping one hand on the ViPR. Then, lower your hips into a squat, tilting the ViPR toward the ground as you squat. Push ViPR back up to standing and shuffle to complete the move on the opposite side.

ViPR warrior Lunge forward with your left foot in front of your right. The ViPR should be standing on one end next to your left foot.

The bottom of the ViPR should be planted on the ground throughout this move. Only the top should be moving. With your right hand on the ViPR and your core activated, tilt the ViPR out in front as you hinge at the hips and reach the ViPR forward. Next, tilt the ViPR out to the right side of your body, opening your chest and feeling a stretch in your hip flexor. Then, tilt the ViPR toward the back of your body to challenge your core stability. Repeat on the opposite side. —MCT

How ‘Hungry Girl’ got trim isa Lillien is the go-to girl for people who want to have their cake - and cheeseburgers and chili fries - and eat them, too, without getting fat. But 10 years ago, Lillien says, she was just another 30-something LA “Hungry Girl.” Someone who needed to drop 15 or 20 pounds (7-9 kg) and would do so periodically by following an all-liquid diet or a onemeal-a-day diet or whatever other weight-loss regimen was in vogue.

Afterward, she’d return to her beloved jam-slathered bagels and french fries and gain it all back. “Then one day I just woke up and I said, ‘You know what? That’s not the way to tackle a weight problem,’” says the trim but not skinny Lillien who, presides over a multimillion-dollar empire of Hungry Girl cookbooks, low-calorie recipes, specialty products and T V shows, all of them geared to letting people eat the junk food they love and not get fat.

The trick is discovering why you’re eating too many calories, says Lillien, as she dashes from a couch at Hungry Girl headquarters to the kitchen, to help an assistant whip up baked potato skins stuffed with cheese and meat. In her case and, she believes, most everybody else’s, too many people are unwilling to give up comfort foods like pizza, spaghetti, cookies and cake in the name of better health.

Neither is Lillien, who likes to joke there was a time when she’d climb over a table to steal a companion’s french fries. These days she just remakes them - and a thousand other foods.

Her baked potato skins, for example, are really made out of zucchini stuffed with low-calorie cheese and bacon flavoring. She bakes her chilicheese fries and uses butternut squash, not potatoes. They clock in at 268 calories (1122kj), about a quarter the amount in traditional fries.

L

Recipes for those and other feelgood foods like lasagna, pizza and spongecake have placed Lillien atop a brand that has grown phenomenally in the eight years since the former TV executive came up with the name (it just popped into her head one day) and blasted a daily email to 75 people. Today, 1.2 million subscribers get a mix of recipes, advice and ads for food companies like Star Kist and General Mills, whose products she endorses.

Lillien, who started the business at home, now oversees a staff of 12 at a sprawling office in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. To some extent, the headquarters more closely resembles a huge teenage girl’s room with a kitchen thrown in.

Pillows and cushions scattered about are decorated with pictures of Tootsie Rolls, Sweet Tarts and other candies. Cans of soup, packages of nuts, bowls of chips and other ingredients are stacked here and there. On one wall a silk-screen depicts a can of Campbell’s Soup, with Dino the dinosaur from “The Flintstones” TV show, on the label.

It’s here that Lillien and her staff experiment, mad-scientist-like, she says, with thousands of recipes. The result is Italian, Mexican, Chinese and even unique Hungry Girl food, the latter including all kinds of eggwhite concoctions that can be microwaved in a mug. That came about because even before she began counting calories she was often too lazy to pull out a skillet and fry anything. The recipes she whips up can be found on her Food Network and Cooking Channel TV shows and in her seven books, which have sold more than 2.5 million copies, according to her publisher, St. Martin’s Press. Her latest, “Hungry Girl to the Max: The Ultimate Guilt-Free Cookbook,” debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times best-seller list for

paperback advice books last month.

Although food bloggers sometimes snipe about her recipes being as low in nutritional value as they are in calories, Matthew Shear, St Martin’s executive vice president, says she “speaks to an audience that loves to eat and is looking for a way to eat the things they love at a fraction of the calories.”

That audience, he adds, includes himself. He professes to be a big fan of her Lord of the Onion Rings recipe (155 calories) and her various mug cake desserts (you microwave them in a mug). Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian who has published her own cookbooks, calls Lillien’s recipes low-calorie junk food.

But, Blatner quickly adds, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“Two out of three people in this country are overweight. Do they need fewer calories? Is her whole enterprise teaching ways to achieve that? Yes,” says Blatner from her Chicago office. For people who won’t give up pizza and cheeseburgers, the Hungry Girl diet might not be a bad alternative.

Even Blatner says she’s sampled some of Lillien’s recipes, although she stays away from ones that use processed food products, preferring fresh fruit and vegetables. “ The spaghetti squash and butternut squash, the fun things she does with apples, I get most excited about those,” she said.

Lillien believes her lack of credentials as a dietitian or a nutritionist actually gives her more credibility with her audience, which realizes she’s one of them, just another foodie who doesn’t want to sacrifice taste for trimness. “If I’m helping people turn boxes around and turn cans around and read labels and understand what it means and learn how to maintain a healthier weight, then I’m doing good work,” she says. —AP

LOS ANGELES: File photo shows ‘Hungry Girl’ Lisa Lillien poses in her office in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. —AP

health & science

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Increasing number of Iraq, Afghanistan veterans suffer spinal pain MILWAUKE: Andrew Bouwma worried he wouldn’t be able to pick up his 3-year-old daughter and newborn son. His back was killing him. An Army infantryman who served a tour in Iraq, Bouwma wore an extra 50 to 60 pounds every day on foot patrols. Clad in helmet and body armor weighted down with a medical kit and extra ammunition pouches,

spine pain are by far the most common cause of evacuation from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Among the key findings in studies published in a recent edition of The Spine Journal: There have been 10 times as many longterm spinal pain casualties unrelated to combat injuries among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans compared with blast injuries. After

MILWAUKE: Andrew Bouwma, of Racine, Wisconsin, center left, has been suffering from severe lower back pain after doing a tour of Iraq in 2006, and having to wear 50-60 pounds of body armor and gear. He is pictured with his wife Julia, right, daughter Malia, 3, left, and son Maddox, 10 weeks. —MCT photos Bouwma crouched inside Stryker vehicles and jumped out small hatches, contorting his body. He also was shot in the hip in 2006 in Mosul and began favoring one side during rehabilitation, adding to his back pain.

“There’s a lot of things I’m not really able to do anymore,” Bouwma said. Bouwma, 27, of Racine, Wis., is part of an alarming rise in the number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffering from spine pain. While amputations and traumatic brain injuries from improvised explosive devices have become the signature wounds of those wars, musculoskeletal and

being medically evacuated from Iraq with non-battle-related spinal pain, patients have less than a 20 percent chance of returning to their unit and regular duty. Sixty percent of veterans seeking care for spine problems have serious psychological distress.

“We see quite a bit of spine pain among returning veterans,” said Tom Kotsonis, a staff physician in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Zablocki Veterans Administration Medical Center in Milwaukee. “The vast majority of young combat veterans we see are suffering from neck and back pain.” The number

of people getting evacuated from war zones for back pain has been as high as 60 percent of the wounded, said Eugene Carragee, a physician who edited The Spine Journal’s September issue, which was devoted to the casualties of war.

That’s a huge problem for commanders worrying about troop strength in war zones.

And it’s a problem for the military members when they come home and try to resume their lives. “These numbers were shocking to us,” said Carragee, who retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2010 and served as command surgeon for a special operations unit in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“That’s completely different from anything seen before. In Vietnam and Korea it was mainly infectious diseases and heat and cold injuries as the reasons why people were evacuated. This isn’t taking people off the line for a few days, these are people air- evacuated to Landstuhl” Regional Medical Center in Germany, Carragee said.

The studies noted that combat casualties decreased and spine pain casualties dramatically increased in Iraq in 2005 and ‘06, while back pain casualties dropped by a third during the surge in 2007.

Carragee, who earned a Purple Heart in a suicide bomber attack in Iraq in 2008, said the vast majority of troops in war zones suffer from bad backs, a reflection of the heavy loads they carry and their high-intensity activity. But the studies noted that back injuries were found not just in front-line troops but also among all deploying military personnel, even those with desk jobs.

“It didn’t correlate with combat intensity either, which is when you think people would get more knocked around and more likely to wear their body armor 24/7 and carry more ammunition. It was the inverse. It was the slow times when (medical evacuation for noncombat spine pain) was higher,” Carragee said.

“I don’t think the soldiers are fabricating the back pain or malingering. I think it’s much more complex. But when soldiers are really in the fight, they do their duty and take care of the people around them. They’re very resilient,” Carragee said.

Hariharan Shankar, director of the pain clinic at Milwaukee’s VA hospital, estimated that three-quarters of the veterans seeking help at the pain clinic suffer from back pain, specifically lower back troubles. Of that amount,

about a third are recent combat veterans.

The causes for their back pain range from heavy lifting, trauma and falls in combat zones to a genetic predisposition for weaker spines.

Usually by the time veterans show up at the VA hospital in Milwaukee, they already have seen their primary care physician for help and tried physical therapy or medication or both.

When their backs continue to hurt, they’re referred to the musculoskeletal or pain clinics at the VA. “Ninety percent of back pain gets better in three months without treatment. We tend to get the 10 percent suffering from acute pain,” Kotsonis said. Treatment includes physical therapy and exercise, bracing, medication, injections and acupuncture as well as surgery for severe cases. At Milwaukee’s VA, patients can take yoga classes to strengthen their back and core muscles, and the hospital is planning on offering tai chi classes soon, said Judith Kosasih, chief of the polytrauma support clinic team. For Bouwma, who played volleyball at

Racine Park High School and enjoyed playing softball and football, his lower back pain, as well as the gunshot wound that passed through both hips, means he can no longer play sports.

“Walking long distances or playing any sports is kind of out of the question,” Bouwma said. “The one time I tried to play flag football I ended up using a cane for two weeks.”

Bouwma, a patient of Kotsonis’, performs exercises, Pilates and stretches to alleviate pain in his back muscles. He sometimes takes ibuprofen and Tylenol. So far he has been able to avoid surgery.

More important, Bouwma is able to bend down to hug and pick up his children, 3-yearold Malia and 2{-month-old Maddox. “When I first started to seek help here in Wisconsin, I was recommended to Dr Kotsonis,” Bouwma said. “My wife had just become pregnant and one of my fears was I wouldn’t be able to do that, but since I’ve seen him I’m able to play with my kids and keep up with them.” —MCT

INDIA: An Indian health worker administers pulse polio drop to a child in Kolkata, yesterday.

India marked a major success in its battle against polio earlier this year by being removed from the World Health Organizationís list of countries plagued by the crippling disease. The country must pass another two years without new cases to be declared polio-free. —AP

30

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

WHAT’S ON

MMF Kuwait media conference on Nov 30 SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! This summer, let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

W

Announcements

alayali Media Forum (MMF), Kuwait will hold ‘MMF Media Conference 2012’ on Friday, November 30, 2012 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan auditorium, Abbassiya.

Renowned Indian journalist J Gopikrishnan, the first man to unearth the massive 2G Spectrum scandal in India, will be the chief guest of the event.

The conference will spotlight the emerging trends in media world with special focus on Indian media especially in the context of the growth of social media networks. The conference will consist of two sessions.

The first session ‘Media Seminar 2012’ will be held on Friday, Nov 30 from 10

M

am till 12.30 pm at the Caesars Dakshin Restaurant, Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh.

J Gopikrishnan

Gopikrishnan will deliver his keynote speech on ‘Indian Media: Challenges and Opportunities.’ In addition to MMF members, prominent Indian community representatives and business leaders will be invited to attend the seminar. The session will conclude with lunch. The session is exclusively for MMF members and invited guests.

The second segment will be a ‘Media Conference’ consisting of a public meeting and a cultural show. It will be held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan auditorium, Abbassiya on Friday, Nov 30 from 5.30 pm till 9.30 pm. Gopikrishnan will speak on the ‘Journalism: Challenges and Opportunities’ with special emphasis on

corruption in high places. Media experts and community leaders will also address the conference which is expected to cover a wide spectrum of issues relating to media, culture and social life in India.

A dance and musical show will be an added attraction of the conference. This session will be open to general public.

Established in 2007, Malayali Media Forum (MMF), Kuwait is a socio-cultural grouping of the Malayali media persons working in Kuwait. Over the last five years, MMF Kuwait has organized conferences, interactive sessions with prominent media persons from India and many family entertainment programs.

Basketball Academy he new Premier Basketball Academy offers coaching and games every Friday and Saturday from 10 am onwards for 6 to 18 year olds, boys and girls. Located in Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. Free Basketball and Tee Shirts for all participants, with certificates and special awards on completion of each 6 week course. Qualified and experienced British and American Coaches, Everyone Welcome.

T

Goan Culinary Club he Goan Culinary Club - Goa encourages you to log on to their website where you can find a video of Odette and Joe Mascarenhas sharing their thoughts on Goan cuisine. These videos were recorded at the launch of the Goan Culinary Club in Goa on March 3, 2012. Thanks to support from all at the Goan Culinary Club, we have made great progress in six months.

T

Suhaani Shaam

Pravasi Deseeya Cultural Congress held a memorial ceremony in honor of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister on his birth anniversary on Nov 14.

fter hosting ‘Bappi Lahiri Live Concert’ Indian Cultural Society brings you live excitement & entertainment with renowned young Ghazal Maestro Jaswinder Singh for romantic geet & ghazal.

An evening accompanied by laughter machine & Hindi poet sardar Manjit Singh. Special guest of honor & attraction from Bollywood will be famous film actress Raveena Tandon. Join us on 30th Nov at 7 pm at Dr. Kamil Al Rays Auditorium AIS - near police station Maidan Hawally, Kuwait.

A

Arabic courses WARE will begin Winter 1 Arabic language courses with new textbooks and curricula will begin on December 2, 2012 until January 24, 2013.

AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. For more information or registration, please log-on to our website.

A

Winter 2012 AMIE examination

T

he AMIE Winter 2012 examinations will be held between Dec 01-07, 2012 as follows:

Section A (Diploma) - December 1-4, 2012 Section A (Non-Diploma) - December 1-7, 2012 Section B - December 1-7, 2012 The last date for submission of examination application forms are given hereunder: Candidates not appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Aug 21 - Sept 21, 2012 Candidates appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Sept 21 - Oct 19, 2012.

Candidates who intend to appear for the Winter 2012 examination must apply directly to Kolkata by filling the prescribed application form along with requisite amount of demand draft in favour of The Institution of Engineers (India), payable in Kolkata.

KALA holds painting competition for children iram 2012 - B Natural “, the popularly known painting competition was held at Indian Community School, Khaitan by Kala (Art) Kuwait on Friday, November 9, 2012.

Niram 2012, was held as a part of Children’s Day celebrations marking the

“N

123rd birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

There were more than 2,400 entries out of which 2,115 children took part in the competitions. The parents actively participated in the open canvas and clay sculpture was also an item for students. Different gift

packets were distributed to all children immediately after the competition.

Chako Georgekutty inaugurated the program while Sreenivasan inaugurated the open canvas painting.

The result of the Competition will be announced by organizing committee as

well as the judging committee on Nov 25, 2012 through leading newspapers and websites. Prize distribution ceremony will be held at Indian Community School Khaithan on December 7, 2012 at 3pm.

Agility introduces Arabic website gility, a leading global logistics provider, launched its Arabic-language website on October 30, to cater to Arabic-speaking customers, partners, and shareholders in the Middle East and North Africa. The website has been designed to allow Arabic speakers convenient access to the latest company news, range of products and services, specialized solutions, and other related business and investor information. “We are a global company that operates in more than 100 countries, but we have strong local roots in the countries in which we operate. This is especially true in the Middle East, where we got our start as a company. Our Arabic website is part of our ongoing commitment to serving our customers in the Middle East and North Africa, and to maintaining open communication with our shareholders and partners,” said Elias Monem, Agility’s CEO for the Middle East and Africa.

With the newly introduced Arabic version, Agility’s website is now available in four languages, including English, French and German.

A

IKEA Family cardholders guaranteed exciting meal offers

O

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

wing to the benefit of the IKEA Family cardholders, IKEA Kuwait Restaurant recently introduced a new and special offer designed solely to complement the IKEA Kuwait Loyalty program. As a means to accommodate its customer’s most popular tastes, the meal prices have been subsidized to less than the usual rates for the whole family to enjoy.

IKEA Family Card shoppers can now exclusively look forward to a delicious family meal, consisting of Swedish meatballs, penne pasta with grilled chicken breast, and kid’s meal chicken nuggets with fries and kid’s meal chicken sausages with mashed potato for the children; all of it for only KD 4.500 instead of its original price of KD 5.950.

Artist Johnarts presents a caricature of visiting Congress party leader PC George in a recent function.

IKEA Family Card grants its customers in-store and out-of-store benefits, member privileges, added savings and convenience as well as improve their overall customer shopping experience.

Cardholders could get instant discounts throughout the year on the exclusive IKEA Family product range in the IKEA Family Shop. Families can also look forward to receiving 10 percent discounts on a selected range at the Swedish Food Market. Moreover, individuals seeking a healthy diet can enjoy their meal with a 15 percent discount on the entire ‘Healthy Range’ in the restaurant. For more information on the family card offers, IKEA cardholders are urged to visit the IKEA Kuwait store or log on to our website or call us.

31

WHAT’S ON

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office).

In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

■■■■■■■

America’s best seafood restaurant Red Lobster now in Kuwait ed Lobster is famous for its delicious seafood menu that suits every taste. The secret behind its delicious taste is in its unique woodfire grill technique that gives the dishes the perfect flavor in a great atmosphere and affordable price. Whether you like lobster, shrimp, Crab, seafood pastas or fresh fish, your best choice would be Red Lobster. at the Avenues Mall - stage 3 (Grand Avenue Red Lobster holds many international awards for culinary success, such as, “The Best Seafood Restaurant in America” and ‘The MenuMasters Award’.

The first Red Lobster opened in Florida in 1968 by Bill Darden to offer his customers the best possible taste in seafood. Since then, Red Lobster has grown to more than 702 restaurants throughout the United States and Canada.

Darden Restaurants, Red Lobster’s parent company, recently entered into an agreement that gives Kuwait Food Company, Americana the franchise rights to share Red Lobster’s irresistibly delicious flavors with seafood lovers across the Middle East. The service industry giant also signed a formal area development agreement with Americana to further expand Red Lobster to the region.

R

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Canadian Embassy in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 7:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed for lunch from 12:30 to 13:00. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday.

■■■■■■■

The first Red Lobster in the Middle East opened in Dubai in 2011, followed by Qatar and now Kuwait and Americana plans to open another 22

Red Lobster restaurants in seven countries, namely Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and Lebanon. The upcoming Red Lobster

restaurants opening will be in Arabella Mall in Kuwait.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on short-stay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes. Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database. Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, first-time applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on Nov 25, 2012 - Sunday on account of Muharram.

■■■■■■■

Almass Kuwait holds general body meeting, honors Sunny Thomas Indian Embassy Announcements Indian Embassy passport and visa Passports and visa applications can be deposited at the two outsourced centers of M/S BLS Ltd at Sharq and Fahaheel. Details are available at www.bls-international.com and www.indembkwt.org.

and 2pm to 4:30PM, Sunday to Thursday) provides guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal and other issues. It also provides workers assistance in filling up labour complaint forms.

For any unaddressed issues, the concerned attachÈ in the Labour section and the head of the Labour Wing can be contacted.

Consular Open House Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizens on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the Consular Officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall at the Embassy. For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) can be contacted. Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances.

Legal Advice Clinic Free legal advice is provided on matters pertaining to labour disputes, terms of contracts with employers, death/accident compensation, withholding of dues by employers, etc. by lawyers on our panel, to Indian nationals on all working days between 1500hrs to 1600hrs.

Indian workers helpline/helpdesk Indian workers helpline is accessible by toll free telephone number 25674163 from all over Kuwait. It provides information and advice to Indian workers as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters.

The help desk at the Embassy (Open from 9am to 1pm

Ambassador’s Open House The Open House for Indian citizens by the Ambassador is being held on all Wednesdays at the Embassy for redressal of grievances. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day.

lumni Association of St Stephen’s College Uzhavoor (Almass, Kuwait) conducted its first general body meeting and honored Prof Sunny Thomas, India’s icon of shooting and former HOD English, St Stephen’s College, Uzhavoor at Al-Jawhart Arabic School Auditorium, Near Ramada Hotel, Reqai, Kuwait.

Jenny Joseph introduced the chief guest and all dignitaries to the stage and the meeting started with a prayer song of Sandra Siby.

The meeting was presided over by the Adhoc Committee convener Siby Chavarattu. Joint convener Philip Simon welcomed the dignitaries and members. Prof Sunny Thomas inaugurated the function by lighting the traditional lamp. After his short speech, he introduced the logo and officially declared the association name as ‘Almass Kuwait.’

Felicitation speeches were given by Kerala govt chief whip PC George, different alumni association representatives Binoy, Maxi Mani, comedian Sajan Palluruthi, Kalashala Kuwait president Chessil Ramapuram and Hamsa Paynnoor.

A vote of thanks was proposed by joint convener Jose Tom. Prof Sunny Thomas was honored with a memento. The first election of the association was conducted by the presiding officer Jose Monippally and following were elected as follows. Siby John Chavarattu (chairman), Roby John (general secretary) and Maducudanan Nair (treasurer).

A

EMBASSY OF LEBANON Due to exceptional circumstances Lebanon is going through currently, a mass celebration that was planned on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at the Lebanese Embassy’s garden has been called off. Ambassador of Lebanon to Kuwait Dr Bassam Al-Nu’mani welcomes well wishers on the occasion of Independence Day at his residence on Thursday, Nov 22, 2012 between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk.

■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait would like to remind that the external polling station No 90046 was created in the Embassy’s premises at the following address: Hawalli, Jabriya, bl.10, str. 6, build. 5. The working hours of the polling station: Sunday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Monday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Tuesday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Wednesday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Thursday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Friday from 10.00 to 13.00 pm; Saturday from 10.00 to 13.00 pm On October 28, 2012 the working hours of the polling station from 8.00 am to 20.00 pm. Please be advised to refer to the Embassy to check your data in the Electoral Register as well as to pick up your personal invitation from the polling station if you did not receive this document by post.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

TV PROGRAMS 18

00:50 I’m Alive 01:45 Animal Cops Phoenix 02:35 Amba The Russian Tiger 03:25 Into The Lion’s Den 04:15 The Magic Of The Big Blue 05:05 Wild France 05:55 Animal Cops Phoenix 06:45 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 07:35 Wildlife SOS 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 Pandamonium 09:15 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 10:10 Your Pet Wants This 11:05 Wildest Latin America 12:00 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 12:55 Dolphin Days 13:50 Wildlife SOS 14:15 E-Vets: The Interns 14:45 Animal Cops Phoenix 15:40 Wildest Latin America 16:35 Orangutan Island 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Must Love Cats 18:25 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous 19:20 Dogs 101 20:15 Monkey Life 20:40 E-Vets: The Interns 21:10 Wild Britain With Ray Mears 21:35 Orangutan Island 22:05 Wildest Latin America 23:00 Baboons With Bill Bailey 23:55 Trophy Cats 23:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:00 Come Dine With Me 02:40 MasterChef Australia 09:20 Fantasy Homes In The City 10:45 Bargain Hunt 11:30 Antiques Roadshow 12:20 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 13:00 Baking Made Easy 13:30 Come Dine With Me 14:20 Gok’s Fashion Fix 15:05 Gok’s Fashion Fix 15:55 Bargain Hunt 16:40 Antiques Roadshow 17:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 18:15 Come Dine With Me 19:00 Baking Made Easy 19:30 The Hairy Bakers 19:55 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 20:50 Come Dine With Me 21:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 22:25 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt

09:10 The Hive 09:20 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:50 Handy Manny 10:05 The Hive 10:15 Animated Stories 10:20 Mouk 10:30 Mouk 10:45 The Hive 10:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 11:45 Art Attack 12:10 Imagination Movers 12:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 13:10 Handy Manny 13:25 Jungle Junction 13:40 Imagination Movers 14:05 The Hive 14:15 Special Agent Oso 14:30 Lazytown 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 15:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:00 Mouk 16:15 The Hive 16:25 Art Attack 16:50 Doc McStuffins 17:05 Art Attack 17:30 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 17:45 Art Attack 18:10 Mouk 18:25 Mouk 18:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:10 The Hive 19:20 Handy Manny 19:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 20:00 Animated Stories 20:05 Timmy Time 20:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:25 Doc McStuffins 20:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:10 The Hive 21:20 Timmy Time 21:30 Mouk 21:45 Handy Manny 22:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 The Hive 22:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:00 Timmy Time 23:10 Animated Stories 23:15 A Poem Is...

23:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 23:30 Jungle Junction 23:45 Handy Manny 23:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

EditionEdition

ecial Agent Oso 23:50 Lazytown

00:40 Dynamo: Magician Impossible 07:00 Street Customs 07:50 Mythbusters 08:45 Ultimate Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Scrappers 10:30 How Do They Do It? 10:55 How It’s Made 11:25 Machines Of Glory 12:20 World’s Top 5 13:15 Wheeler Dealers 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Scrappers 15:05 Auction Kings 15:30 Ultimate Survival 16:25 Wheeler Dealers 17:20 Robson Green’s Extreme Fishing Challenge 18:15 Mythbusters 19:10 How Stuff’s Made 19:40 How It’s Made 20:05 Border Security 20:35 Scrappers 21:00 Auction Kings 21:30 Outback Truckers 22:25 Deadliest Catch 23:20 An Idiot Abroad

00:30 01:25 02:20 03:15 04:10 06:00 08:00 08:55 09:50 10:45 11:40 12:35 13:30 14:25 15:20 16:15 16:40 17:10 17:35 18:05 19:00 19:55 20:50 21:45 22:40 23:35

Asiemut TNA: Greatest Matches M1 Selection 2010 Transworld Sessions Mantracker AMA Motocross 2011 Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 X Games Heroes Ticket To Ride – 5 2012 AMA Motocross 2011 Fantasy Factory Pro Bull Riders 2011 Mantracker Danger Men World Combat League Fantasy Factory Fantasy Factory X Games Heroes X Games Heroes Ticket To Ride – 5 2012 Mantracker Pro Bull Riders 2011 Danger Men World Combat League Monster Jam Enfusion

23:20 Surviving Disaster 00:15 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 01:05 The Colony 02:45 Weird Or What?

03:40 Punkin Chunkin 2010 04:35 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 05:25 Brave New World 06:15 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding Greensburg 07:05 Meteorite Men 08:00 Punkin Chunkin 2010 08:50 How Do They Do It? 09:40 Head Rush 09:43 Things That Move 10:10 How Stuff’s Made 10:40 How The Universe Works 11:30 Gadget Show - World Tour 11:55 How Tech Works 12:20 Mighty Ships 13:10 Da Vinci’s Machines 14:00 Building The Future 14:50 Sport Science 15:45 How Do They Do It? 16:35 Weird Connections 17:00 Head Rush 17:03 Things That Move 17:30 How Stuff’s Made 18:00 Gadget Show - World Tour 18:25 How Tech Works 18:50 Mighty Ships 19:40 How The Universe Works 20:30 Brave New World 21:20 Prototype This 22:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 22:35 How Tech Works 23:00 Brave New World 23:50 How The Universe Works 20:20 Bang Goes The Theory 00:20 Little Einsteins 00:50 Special Agent Oso 01:15 Lazytown 01:40 Jungle Junction 02:10 Handy Manny 02:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:55 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 03:00 Lazytown 03:25 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Imagination Movers 04:20 Handy Manny 04:40 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Timmy Time 05:10 Lazytown 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 06:50 Special Agent Oso 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Little Einsteins 08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

00:40 Guy’s Big Bite 01:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:30 Heat Seekers 01:55 Food Network Challenge 02:45 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:35 Food(Ography) 04:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:50 Heat Seekers 05:15 Guy’s Big Bite 05:40 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 06:05 Unwrapped 06:30 Iron Chef America 07:10 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 08:00 Food Network Challenge 08:50 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 09:40 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 10:30 Kelsey’s Essentials 10:55 Cooking For Real 11:45 Food Crafters 12:10 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 12:35 Heat Seekers 13:00 Iron Chef America 13:50 Guy’s Big Bite 14:15 Cooking For Real 14:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 15:30 Food Crafters 15:55 Unique Eats 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:50 Heat Seekers 19:15 Guy’s Big Bite 19:40 Unique Eats 20:30 Chopped 21:20 Iron Chef America 22:10 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 23:00 Andy Bates Street Feasts 23:50 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam

00:15 00:45 01:40 02:35 03:00 03:30 03:55 04:25 04:50 05:20 05:45 06:15 06:40 07:10 07:35 08:05 09:00 09:55 10:20 10:50 11:15 11:45 12:10

Delinquent Gourmet Endurance Traveller Don’t Tell My Mother Street Food Around The World Market Values Travel Madness Travel Madness Weird & Wonderful Hotels Weird & Wonderful Hotels Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 Kimchi Chronicles Delinquent Gourmet Endurance Traveller Don’t Tell My Mother Street Food Around The World Market Values Travel Madness Travel Madness Weird & Wonderful Hotels Weird & Wonderful Hotels

12:40 13:35 14:30 15:25 16:20 17:15 17:40 18:10 18:35 19:05 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:55 23:50

Danger Beach David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 Delinquent Gourmet Endurance Traveller Hugh’s Three Hungry Boys Street Food Around The World Market Values Travel Madness Travel Madness Weird & Wonderful Hotels Weird & Wonderful Hotels Delinquent Gourmet Delinquent Gourmet David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 Street Food Around The World

21:00 Outcast-R 23:00 Wake Wood-PG15

00:00 02:15 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Coldblooded-PG15 Zero Effect-PG15 Stealing Harvard-PG15 Fat Albert-PG Just Go With It-PG15 Can’t Hardly Wait-PG15 The Marc Pease Experience The Beverly Hillbillies-PG15 Can’t Hardly Wait-PG15 Stuck On You-PG15 The Switch-18 Killing Bono-18

23:00 Naked Science 22:00 Frenemy-18 00:00 Cougars: Ninja of Jackson Hole (aka American Couga 01:00 Ape Genius 01:55 Secrets Of The Mediterranean 02:50 Croc Labyrinth 03:45 Caught In The Act 04:40 Africa’s Lost Eden 05:35 World’s Deadliest Animals 06:30 Secrets Of The Mediterranean 07:25 Croc Labyrinth 08:20 Caught In The Act 09:15 Killer Shots 10:10 Lion Battle Zone 11:05 Animal Autopsy (AKA Inside Nature’s Giants) 12:00 Octopus Volcano 13:00 Built For The Kill 14:00 Crocodile King 15:00 Caught In The Act 16:00 Mysteries Of The Moose 17:00 Valley of The Wolves 18:00 Animal Autopsy (AKA Inside Nature’s Giants) 19:00 Secrets Of The Mediterranean 20:00 Croc Labyrinth 21:00 Caught In The Act 22:00 Killer Shots 23:00 Lion Battle Zone Zoo Confidential 23:00 Dangerous Encounters 00:00 The Heavy-18 02:00 AVP: Alien vs Predator-PG15 04:00 True Justice: Angel Of DeathPG15 06:00 Lords Of Dogtown-PG15 08:00 Hurricane Season-PG15 10:00 Fright Night-PG15 12:00 Law Abiding Citizen-18 14:00 Hurricane Season-PG15 16:00 Rocky v-PG15 18:00 Law Abiding Citizen-18 20:00 Saving Private Ryan-18 23:00 Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans-18 22:00 13 Assassins-1822:00 Homecoming-18 00:00 Napoleon Dynamite 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Enlightened 02:00 Hung 02:30 Family Guy 03:00 Happy Endings 03:30 Hot In Cleveland 04:00 Samantha Who? 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Seinfeld 06:00 Seinfeld 06:30 Friends 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Samantha Who? 08:30 Happy Endings 09:00 Seinfeld 09:30 Seinfeld 10:00 Two And A Half Men 10:30 Parks And Recreation 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Samantha Who? 13:00 Seinfeld 13:30 Seinfeld 14:00 Hot In Cleveland 14:30 Parks And Recreation 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Friends 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Breaking In 18:30 Hot In Cleveland 19:00 Modern Family 19:30 Best Friends Forever 20:00 The Cleveland Show 20:30 Napoleon Dynamite 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 Don’t Trust The B In Apartment 23 22:30 Eastbound & Down 23:00 Family Guy 23:30 The Cleveland Show Fall on 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

01:00 03:00 PG15 05:00 07:00 09:00 PG15 11:00 13:00 15:00 PG15 17:00 19:00

Body Of Proof The Killing True Blood Justified Bones The Killing Body Of Proof Emmerdale Coronation Street C.S.I. New York The Ellen DeGeneres Show The River Bones Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show C.S.I. New York Body Of Proof Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show C.S.I. New York Bones Revenge Justified Boardwalk Empire Strike Back

A Dangerous Man-18 True Justice: Angel Of DeathMen In Black-PG15 The Reunion-PG15 True Justice: Lethal JusticeMen In Black-PG15 Blank Slate-PG15 True Justice: Lethal JusticeTransporter 2-PG15 Malibu Shark Attack-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 PG15 11:00 13:00 15:00 PG15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Blue Valentine-18 I’ve Loved You So Long-PG15 Cruel Intentions-18 Freakonomics-PG15 Swansong: Story Of Occi ByrneI’ve Loved You So Long-PG15 Miles From Nowhere-PG15 Swansong: Story Of Occi ByrneChasing 3000-PG15 Bright Star-PG15 Fargo-18 Square Grouper-18 Square Grouper-18

01:15 I’ve Loved You So Long-PG15 03:15 Les Miserables 25th Anniversary-PG15 06:15 Justice For Natalee Holloway 08:00 Into The Wind-PG15 09:00 The Dragon Chronicles: Fire & Ice-PG15 11:00 Red-PG15 13:00 Bound By A Secret-PG15 15:00 Take Shelter-PG15 17:00 The Dragon Chronicles: Fire & Ice-PG15 19:00 The Adjustment Bureau-PG15 21:00 The Inbetweeners-PG15 23:00 Meet Monica Velour-R

01:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes-FAM 02:45 Despicable Me-FAM 04:30 The Ugly Duckling Goes On Holiday-FAM 06:00 Freddy Frogface-PG 07:45 Winner & The Golden Child: Part I-FAM 09:30 Cars 2-FAM 11:15 Arrietty-FAM 13:00 The Three Bears: The Amazing Adventurers-FAM 14:30 Despicable Me-FAM 16:15 Olentzero And The Magic LogFAM 18:00 Cars 2-FAM 20:00 The Nutty Professor-FAM 22:00 Olentzero And The Magic LogFAM 23:30 The Three Bears: The Amazing Adventurers-FAM

01:00 01:30 03:30 05:30 06:00 08:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 20:00 22:00

04:00 06:00 07:00 11:30 16:00 18:00 20:30 23:00

00:00 02:00 04:00 05:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 21:00 22:00

00:30 02:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 22:00 23:00

ICC Cricket 360 Rugby Union International Rugby Union International ICC Cricket 360 Rugby Union International Live PGA European Tour Rugby Union International Rugby Union International Live Grand Slam of Darts Rugby Union International Live Grand Slam of Darts

Anglo Welsh LV Cup Trans World Sport PGA European Tour PGA European Tour Grand Slam of Darts NFL NFL Trans World Sport

Grand Slam of Darts Anglo Welsh LV Cup Trans World Sport The Ryder Cup Official Film Total Rugby Golfing World Rugby Union International Modern Penthalon Modern Penthalon Sea Master Sailing Show Jumping La Baule Top 14 Highlights Trans World Sport Golfing World Rugby Union International Beijing Marathon Golfing World Rugby Union International

NHL V8 Supercars UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience V8 Supercars V8 Supercars European Le Mans Series European Le Mans Series WWE This Week WWE NXT WWE SmackDown UFC Prelims UFC V8 Supercars V8 Supercars

00:05 Jerseylicious 01:00 Jerseylicious 02:00 Empire Girls: Julissa And Adrienne 02:55 Videofashion Daily 03:50 Videofashion News 04:20 How Do I Look?

05:15 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

06:10 Married Away 07:05 Clean House 08:00 Videofashion News 08:30 Videofashion News 09:00 Videofashion Daily 10:00 Open House 10:30 Big Boutique In The City

KNCC PROGRAM FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (15/11/2012 TO 21/11/2012) SHARQIA-1 SINISTER (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-2 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-3 FLIGHT (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-1 HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) ALEX CROSS (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

2:00 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

MUHALAB-2 MISS MOMMY (DIG) 2:00 PM JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 4:00 PM NO FRI (16.11.2012) Special Show “JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI)” for Western Union 4:00 PM FRI (16.11.2012) FLIGHT (DIG) 7:30 PM MISS MOMMY (DIG) 10:00 PM FLIGHT (DIG) 12:05 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-3 WRECK-IT RALPH (DIG-3D) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-1 MISS MOMMY (DIG) SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) THE SWEENEY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-2 SINISTER (DIG) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) SINISTER (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-3 JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 12:45 PM JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 4:15 PM NO FRI (16.11.2012) Special Show “JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI)” for Western Union 4:15 PM FRI (16.11.2012) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 7:45 PM JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 11:00 PM NO SUN+TUE+WED TAKEN2 :2D 11:00 PM SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-4 LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-5 FLIGHT FLIGHT FLIGHT FLIGHT FLIGHT NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:30 PM

AVENUES-4 JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 4:45 PM 8:15 PM 11:45 PM

AVENUES-5 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG)

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM

3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-7 ALEX CROSS (DIG) ALEX CROSS (DIG) TAKEN2 :2D ALEX CROSS (DIG) ALEX CROSS (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

AVENUES-8 TAKEN2 :2D SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-9 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) 1:30 PM LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR (DIG-3D) 3 : 3 0 PM WRECK-IT RALPH (DIG-3D) 5:45 PM HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) 8:00 PM THE SWEENEY (DIG) 10:15 PM THE SWEENEY (DIG) 12:30 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-10 JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 12:30 PM JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 4:00 PM NO FRI (16.11.2012) Special Show “JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI)” for Western Union 4:00 PM FRI (16.11.2012) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 7:30 PM JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 11:00 PM NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-11 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

360 º- 3 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) TAKEN2 :2D JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) NO SUN+TUE+WED TAKEN2 :2D SUN+TUE+WED 360 º- 4 HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED 360 º- 5 WRECK-IT RALPH (DIG-3D) THU+FRI+SAT THE SWEENEY (DIG) THU+FRI+SAT WRECK-IT RALPH (DIG-3D) THE SWEENEY (DIG) THE SWEENEY (DIG) THE SWEENEY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

1:15 PM 3:45 PM 6:15 PM 8:45 PM 11:15 PM

2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 1:00 AM

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 11:00 PM

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

1:45 PM

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM

360 º- 7 MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

360 º- 8 JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 1:30 PM JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 5:00 PM NO FRI (16.11.2012) Special Show “JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI)” for Western Union 5:00 PM FRI (16.11.2012) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 8:30 PM JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) 12:05 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED 360 º- 9(VIP-1) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 4:00 PM 7:30 PM 11:00 PM

360 º-10(VIP-2) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO THU (15.11.2012) Special Show “THE TWILIGHT SAGA : BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG)” THU (15.11.2012) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED 360 º- 11 SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) 360 º- 12 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED 360 º- 13 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (IMAX) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (IMAX) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (IMAX) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (IMAX) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (IMAX) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (IMAX) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 11:00 PM

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:30 PM 9:00 PM 11:30 PM

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

360 º- 14 MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

360 º- 15 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 (DIG) SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) SON OF SARDAR (DIG) (HINDI) PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.1 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) WRECK-IT RALPH (DIG-3D) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.2 MISS MOMMY (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.3 ALEX CROSS (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) ALEX CROSS (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.4 HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) TAKEN2 :2D THE SWEENEY (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) THE SWEENEY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

12:30 AM 360 º- 6 LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR WRECK-IT RALPH (DIG-3D) LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG)

NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM

AVENUES-6 SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:15 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-2 FLIGHT (DIG) THE SWEENEY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

360 º- 2 ALEX CROSS (DIG) ALEX CROSS (DIG) ALEX CROSS (DIG) JAB TAK HAI JAAN (DIG) (HINDI) ALEX CROSS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

9:30 PM

10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-3 FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:05 AM

7:00 PM

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-1 MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG) MISS MOMMY (DIG)

AVENUES-2 HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG)

360 º- 1 FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) FLIGHT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

MARINA-1 HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) ALEX CROSS (DIG) HERE COMES THE BOOM (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) SINISTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

MARINA-3 WRECK-IT RALPH (DIG-3D) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA(DIG-3D) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

MISS MOMMY (DIG MISS MOMMY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

BAIRAQ-1 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) 12:30 PM LEGENDS OF VALHALLA: THOR (DIG-3D) 3 : 0 0 PM THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) 5:00 PM THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) 7:30 PM THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) 10:00 PM THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (DIG) 12:30 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED

C lassified s

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines PIA JAI THY JZR JZR QTR ETH QTR GFA UAE ETD FDB MSR QTR DHX THY JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC UAE GFA KAC ABY QTR FDB ETD KAC GFA BAB KAC IRC JZR MSC MEA UAE MSR FDB KNE KAC KAC SVA QTR JZR JZR QTR OMA JZR KAC UAE ETD RJA GFA SVA JZR QTR ABY UAL KAC JZR KAC BAB FDB MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB JAI AXB MSR ABY QTR MSC ALK MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE JZR JAI FDB DHX AIC TAR JZR GFA JZR UAL DLH

Arrival Flights on Monday 19/11/2012 Flt Route 205 LAHORE 574 MUMBAI 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 6130 DOHA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 157 LONDON 412 MANILA / BANGKOK 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 855 DUBAI 223 BAHRAIN 284 DHAKA 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 352 COCHIN 213 BAHRAIN 436 BAHRAIN 344 CHENNAI 6521 LAMERD 165 DUBAI 403 ASSIUT 404 BEIRUT 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 672 DUBAI 546 ALEXANDRIA 500 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 561 SOHAG 257 BEIRUT 134 DOHA 645 MUSCAT 535 CAIRO 118 NEW YORK 857 DUBAI 303 ABU DHABI 640 AMMAN 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 777 JEDDAH 144 DOHA 127 SHARJAH 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 542 CAIRO 177 DUBAI 786 JEDDAH 438 BAHRAIN 63 DUBAI 405 SOHAG 618 DOHA 742 DAMMAM 104 LONDON 674 DUBAI 774 RIYADH 647 MUSCAT 61 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 389 MANGALORE 618 ALEXANDRIA 129 SHARJAH 146 DOHA 401 ALEXANDRIA 229 COLOMBO 402 BEIRUT 136 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 307 ABU DHABI 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 576 COCHIN 59 DUBAI 372 BAHRAIN 975 CHENNAI / GOA 327 TUNIS 239 AMMAN 217 BAHRAIN 185 DUBAI 981 BAHRAIN 636 FRANKFURT

Time 0:15 0:30 0:35 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:45 1:45 1:50 2:35 2:45 3:05 3:10 3:45 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:55 8:40 8:45 8:45 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 10:05 10:40 11:10 11:20 11:30 11:55 12:50 13:05 13:50 14:10 14:10 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:50 15:05 15:30 15:40 16:25 16:35 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:45 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:45 19:15 19:20 19:30 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:25 20:35 20:45 20:50 20:55 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:30 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:05 23:25 23:55

Airlines AIC AFG UAL DLH JAI PIA ETH THY QTR FDB UAE ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA THY KAC JZR FDB BAW JZR JZR GFA KAC ABY UAE FDB ETD QTR GFA BAB KAC KAC IRC JZR KAC MSC MEA KAC JZR MSR UAE FDB KAC KNE SVA KAC QTR KAC KAC OMA JZR ETD JZR QTR UAE RJA GFA JZR SVA ABY QTR JZR UAL FDB BAB MSC KAC FDB OMA KAC KAC JAI ABY MSR MSC DHX ALK MEA ETD QTR GFA KAC FDB KAC UAE JAI KAC DHX QTR JZR TAR GFA KAC

Arrival Flights on Monday 19/11/2012 Flt Route Time 982 AHMEDABAD / HYDERABAD / CHENNAI0:05 406 KABUL 1:00 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 1:10 637 FRANKFURT 1:20 573 MUMBAI 1:30 206 PESHAWER / LAHORE 1:35 621 ADDIS ABABA 2:45 773 ISTANBUL 2:55 6131 DOHA 3:15 68 DUBAI 3:45 854 DUBAI 3:50 306 ABU DHABI 4:00 613 CAIRO 4:10 139 DOHA 4:50 149 DOHA 6:05 164 DUBAI 6:55 212 BAHRAIN 7:00 771 ISTANBUL 7:35 545 ALEXANDRIA 7:45 560 SOHAG 8:15 54 DUBAI 8:25 156 LONDON 8:45 256 BEIRUT 9:05 534 CAIRO 9:15 224 BAHRAIN 9:30 671 DUBAI 9:35 122 SHARJAH 9:45 856 DUBAI 9:55 56 DUBAI 10:00 302 ABU DHABI 10:05 133 DOHA 10:10 214 BAHRAIN 10:40 437 BAHRAIN 10:50 541 CAIRO 11:30 165 ROME / PARIS 11:50 6522 LAMERD 12:10 776 JEDDAH 12:15 103 LONDON 12:20 406 SOHAG 12:30 405 BEIRUT 12:55 785 JEDDAH 13:00 176 DUBAI 13:50 611 CAIRO 14:05 872 DUBAI 14:15 58 DUBAI 14:30 673 DUBAI 15:05 473 JEDDAH 15:10 501 JEDDAH 15:45 617 DOHA 15:45 141 DOHA 16:15 773 RIYADH 16:25 741 DAMMAM 16:30 646 MUSCAT 16:40 238 AMMAN 17:15 304 ABU DHABI 17:35 538 CAIRO 17:40 135 DOHA 17:45 858 DUBAI 17:50 641 AMMAN 17:55 216 BAHRAIN 18:15 184 DUBAI 18:30 511 RIYADH 18:35 128 SHARJAH 18:40 145 DOHA 18:50 134 BAHRAIN 19:05 982 BAHRAIN 19:10 64 DUBAI 19:25 439 BAHRAIN 19:30 404 ASSIUT 20:15 283 DHAKA 20:30 62 DUBAI 20:40 648 MUSCAT 20:55 331 TRIVANDRUM 20:55 351 COCHIN 21:10 571 MUMBAI 21:10 120 SHARJAH 21:15 619 ALEXANDRIA 21:25 402 ALEXANDRIA 21:50 171 BAHRAIN 21:50 230 COLOMBO 21:55 403 BEIRUT 22:20 308 ABU DHABI 22:20 137 DOHA 22:25 222 BAHRAIN 22:30 301 MUMBAI 22:35 60 DUBAI 22:40 361 MUSCAT / COLOMBO 22:40 860 DUBAI 22:50 575 COCHIN 22:55 205 ISLAMABAD 23:00 373 BAHRAIN 23:00 147 DOHA 23:10 502 LUXOR 23:35 328 DUBAI / TUNIS 23:45 218 BAHRAIN 23:50 411 BANGKOK / MANILA 23:55

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

SITUATION WANTWestern educated “Project Manager” with 2 Engineering-Degrees (Civil/Elec.), 4-Master Degrees (Project Mgmt/ Engineering/ Education & Training/ MBA), plus 17-years experience in Middle East/ Australia, seeking Executive Position.

Contact: 65695468 email: rav@engineer.com (C 4195) FOR SALE Jeep Kia sportage 2010, white color, excellent condition, 42,000 km, price KD 2,450/-. Contact: 50699345.

(C 4220) 19-11-2012 Mitsubishi Galant, 2006 model, silver color, beige interior, 1,25,000 km, serviced by dealership, owned

by American lady, price KD 1,500/-. Contact: 99405067.

(C 4218) 15-11-2012 MATRIMONIAL Seeking proposal for daughter age 26, Msc., 5.6 heights, fair, slim, born & brought up in Kuwait, Pakistani Muslim family, current Kuwait resident.

Contact: pkproposal22@gmail.com (C 4219) 15-11-2012 CHANGE OF NAME I, Madhavan, holder of Indian Passport No. H5961296, son of Muthukrishanan, converted to Islam and do now hereafter be known by my new name MOHAMED SHARIF. (C 4217)

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

Prayer timings

112 Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

Fajr:

04:49

Duhr:

11:32

Asr:

14:33

Maghrib:

16:55

Isha:

18:14

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 13

ACROSS 1. Male red deer.

5. Inability to stand due to muscular incoordination.

12. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

15. A town in Hawaii on the island of Hawaii.

16. Canadian writer noted for his analyses of the mass media (1911-1980).

17. A master's degree in fine arts.

18. A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically.

19. A coarse lace.

20. An ugly evil-looking old woman.

21. A canvas bag that is used to feed an animal (such as a horse).

23. The executive agency that advises the President on the federal budget.

25. A family of North American Indian language spoken in southwestern United States.

27. The eighth month of the civil year.

28. A state in southeastern United States.

29. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan.

31. A correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence).

34. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

38. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

39. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

40. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

43. A state in east central United States.

44. An explosive device fused to denote under specific conditions.

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

48. The magnetic field strength 1 cm from a unit magnetic pole.

51. Type genus of the Anatidae.

52. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in a mosque.

54. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

55. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

56. Uttering in an irritated tone.

58. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

61. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

63. A reproach for some lapse or misdeed.

64. Small tree of dry open parts of southern Africa having erect angled branches suggesting candelabra.

66. The basic unit of money in Zambia.

69. One who is playfully mischievous.

72. Soft suede glove leather from goatskin.

76. An organic compound that contains a hydroxyl group bonded to a carbon atom which in turn is doubly bonded to another carbon atom.

77. A human limb.

78. A battle between the French and an alliance of Spaniards and Swiss and Venetians in 1512.

80. (Babylonian) A goddess of the watery deep and daughter of Ea.

Word Search

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Yesterday’s Solution

81. The compass point that is midway between north and northeast.

82. (zoology) Lacking a tail or taillike appendage.

83. Situated in or facing or moving toward the east.

DOWN 1. A line that forms the length of an arrow pointer.

2. Infections of the skin or nails caused by fungi and appearing as itching circular patches.

3. Not contained in or deriving from the essential nature of something.

4. Prolific Italian dramatist (1707-1793).

5. The capital and largest city of Jordan.

6. A narcotic that is considered a hard drug.

7. Considerate and solicitous care.

8. The first light of day.

9. Adopted in order to deceive.

10. (prosody) Of or consisting of iambs.

11. Used of a single unit or thing.

12. A member of the Semitic speaking people of northern Ethiopia.

13. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great distance.

14. A feeling of intense anger.

22. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

24. (Scotland) Made of sheep's or calf's viscera minced with oatmeal and suet and onions and boiled in the animal's stomach.

26. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

30. The United Nations agency concerned with civil aviation.

32. Nicaraguan statesman (born in 1945).

33. Soviet physicist who worked on low temperature physics (1908-1968).

35. Very dark black.

36. Any of various hard resins from trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae and of the genus Agathis.

37. Roman general who commanded the fleet that defeated the forces of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium (63-12 BC).

41. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

42. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

45. A bachelor's degree in architecture.

47. Before noon.

49. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali metal group.

50. An Australian state on the island of Tasmania.

53. All of the inhabitants of the earth.

57. The world's largest desert (3,500,000 square miles) in North Africa.

59. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

60. From 40 million to 58 million years ago.

62. Bound by or as if by an oath.

65. A mouth or mouthlike opening.

67. The highest level or degree attainable.

68. Cheese containing a blue mold.

70. A mound of fatty tissue covering the pubic area in women.

71. Make a plat of.

73. Any of various coarse shrubby plants of the genus Iva with small greenish flowers.

74. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

75. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

79. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

Yesterday’s Solution

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is a great time to be with others and to work together. Just being yourself, living your life for the moment and being here now is your attitude. In some sense, just being you is both the goal and the means of traveling to that goal. Others sense that your life is important. You are your own reason for being. You are yourself—both the end that you are heading for and the way or vehicle that gets you there. You are very sensitive and maybe a bit vulnerable when it comes to expressing yourself. Periods of intense creativity enable you to go through changes and inner growth. This creative intensity is good for music, poetry and art—particularly today. You could be on top of the roof later this afternoon—decorating for the upcoming holiday season.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Something you have always wanted to do may finally be presented to you today. Taking chances can bring big rewards. Your preoccupation with this new hobby or adventure may cause a temporary lapse of concern for those around you. You could find that you lack depth, feeling and the ability to move or communicate with others. This may only mean that you get to drive a boat or ride a horse and everybody else has already experienced those experiences and wants your attention. Do not worry too much about who did not get your attention—they will understand. This is a very nice day, perhaps filled with some renewed appreciation for all that is beautiful and fine. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others this evening.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Gossip, jealousy and petty conversations around your neighborhood just go right over your head. After you stop the conversations before they get too involved, you may finish what you started and cleanup the yard, plant bulbs, etc. You find it easy to work with fragile plants and you might set up a winter area to plant a few vegetables. New technical tools are calling your name and you enjoy the calculating, planning and work that it takes to grow a successful little garden. You may even decide that large pots work better than the hard, hard ground. If you have a bookstore or unread books on your book shelf, this afternoon is perfectly complete with a good book to read. You may encourage others to also read. Your inner resources and emotions are accented today.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You appreciate a winner and are drawn to the successful and the powerful. You make your living by virtue of your good taste, sense of quality and discrimination. New ways to organize and discipline yourself is possible now. Here is an opportunity to get some insight into a personal problem or two and find the responsible response that may prove very valuable in the years to come. A new cycle begins for you, signaling a greater than usual interest in relationships, social connections and the arts—on a more intellectual level than in the past, most likely. Seeing both sides of an issue and figuring out resolutions to opposing views take importance in your life. You are determined to break up old habits—get out of ruts, and help others in any way you can.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Religious, philosophical and cultural matters are likely to have a special appeal. A meeting with someone older or in authority is in order early this afternoon. The ability to listen and express your thoughts in clear messages is important now. You will be pleased with your success in getting messages across to others convincingly. Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find you most spontaneous and alive. This afternoon you can relax and just sit back and enjoy what you have—to live life.

Your desires are strong, and you will want to enjoy yourself. Relationships are harmonious. Spend time with the people that you enjoy the most. There is a basic drive to appreciate and taste life. Romance is very possible this evening.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You may decide to decorate for the holiday today with colors and smells that you particularly like. This may mean some odoriferous woods like pine and cypress. You have a lot of enthusiasm for improving your surroundings. You are very motivated to repair, hang, decorate, etc.

There could be some hard feelings, especially from young people, if you become too aggressive. Make sure you have consideration of other people’s space before you begin to move things around. You tend to be radical when it comes to self-analysis—which means health care, food, physical wellbeing, etc. You and a loved one may visit a nearby vegetable market in order to stock up on the seasonal vegetables and fruits. Caring for yourself and family keeps you busy.

Libra (September 23-October 22) Chores are performed and shopping is accomplished by early evening. You shop early and put forth much effort not to spend your money on the fancy little shiny things that catch your eye—this can be a financially favorable period. Having and appreciating things of beauty are temptations you try to avoid. You may have had plans to pay a visit to a museum or show a visitor your city. You are faithful to your friends and today some occasion occurs that calls for you to demand the same kind of faithfulness. Lovers, children and other people or things dear to your heart get your attention all day long. You may want to relax early this evening. A candlelight dinner can be a marvelous way to end a very busy weekend.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Finances remain a bit fuzzy so you may want to set aside a little time later today to go over your accounts. After some time with the accounts you and the rest of the family may enjoy playing games. You may have to go over the rules to some of the old games but all of this brings back memories of times past when you were young and the family of your youth gathered and played games together. The usual popcorn, fruit, cheese or some special treat may steal the show for a while. You love life and family and all the things it takes to bring people together. Psychic hints of a future to come, worldviews and impressions from others fill your conversations.

You may read palms or tell fortunes by the tarot cards. You enjoy the chance to be a little unconventional.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) A searing vision that cuts through what passes for conventional religion comes to your attention this morning—perhaps a vision of the endless process of life is on your mind. There is great acceptance and faith in the natural process and next generation. Your love of children and animals shows today as you take care of their upkeep. Invitations are beginning to come in with regard to the next upcoming holidays and you do some careful planning. There is always the push to reciprocate—picking and choosing becomes an important issue. You have a renewed appreciation for the commitment of a relationship and will do everything in your power to make things positive in the family. Your own growth may be linked to questions of security.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Adventuresome is your name . . . at least for today. A new walking, biking trail may have opened up near you and you have been thinking for some time that you might like to check it out. You like the alone experience but you might decide the family dog would enjoy the outing as much as you. Family or friends seem fairly busy today anyway so you gather up what you think you might need and head out the door. Other people that you usually see on this day of the week will return to home around the same time that you will return and there will be some future adventures together.

Later this afternoon while visiting unexpectedly with a friend, you may find yourself reflecting on your own youth or some event from the past. Pleasant moments need a picture.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

You may be able to enjoy and value your own life situation today, particularly if you just take the time to breathe in a big breath of fresh air. Look around—look for nature, colors and a clean environment. It would not hurt to add this to your everyday routine. More oxygen is needed! A visitor in your home today may compliment you on your tastes or belongings.

You are unusually motivated or driven in new and unexpected directions.

You could receive unexpected backing and, in general, your efforts are quite successful. New and unexpected emotions may arise. There is an urge to change and try new things. This could be a longing for a soul mate or a yearning to save the world. Love and poetry is possible.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Faith, optimism and a yearning to explore all kinds of new horizons are some of the focal points in your life. Travel, education and other ways to stretch your horizons open new doors of opportunity. You may meet someone that talks you into working with him or her this winter. A short trip to the country is likely—a specialty shop. Religious, philosophical and cultural matters are likely to have special appeal. 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. Your support system becomes more secure. You encourage better support.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

inform ation For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

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

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

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

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

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. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Duchess Catherine returns kim’s clothes uchess Catherine Middleton returned clothes sent to her by Kim Kardashian. The British royal is known for championing high street as well as designer fashion, but didn’t accept a package sent by the reality TV star and her sisters Khloe and Kourtney from their new Dorothy Perkins range. A source told The Examiner magazine: “Kate is hardly going to turn up for an event with the queen in a cheap leopard-print miniskirt or gold sequined jacket.” Kim was also said to be keen to meet with Catherine - known as Kate Middleton before marrying Prince William - while she was recently in London, inviting her for tea. A source said: “The Kardashians want to be as big in the UK as they are in America, and think associating themselves with the Royals, especially Kate, will help them achieve that. “She hoped Kate might be seen wearing one of the designs out in public, which would give their fashion credentials a huge boost.”

Kim, 32, has been vocal about how much she loves Catherine’s fashion choices in the past. She said: “Kate seems like a really sweet person and she’s a princess. We love her sense of fashion. She could wear our looks and team it with one of her hats.” A representative for the Duchess made clear most gifts she is sent are returned. They told website MailOnline: “In general terms, the policy of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is not to accept any unsolicited gifts unless the sender is known personally to His or Her Royal Highness. “Any such gifts are returned to the sender with thanks and an explanation of Their Royal Highnesses’ policy.”

D

Tulisa

was ‘forced into’ her solo career

Brand

becoming yoga teacher

ussell Brand is training to become a yoga teacher. The ‘Get Him to the Greek’ star - who was previously married to Katy Perry - is a huge fan of the Indian exercise and wellbeing practice and even thinking of opening his own studio in Los Angeles with the help of his instructor Tej Kaur. A source told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “His teacher at Goldenbridge Yoga is in charge of teacher training at the centre and has encouraged Russ to take the course. “He decided to give it a go. The pair have become good friends and Russell relies on Tej to bring calmness into his often crazy life. “Once he’s finished his course next Spring, he’ll set up his own studio in Los Angeles.” Former sex and drugs addict Russell, 37, may even use the centre to help those less fortunate than himself.

R

The source added: “He has this idea of an all-giving studio where teachers work for their own fulfillment and those in need such as the homeless and addicts in need of finding their spiritual soul. “He wants to create his own mantra and take his teachings round the world like other renowned teachers he’s learned from in the past. “It’s all part of his dream of building his own community and he would like to offer free classes to those in need. “It would also include meditation, cooking classes, lectures and aromatherapy classes.” Russell had also planned a trip to Rishikesh, India to practice advanced yoga skills early next year, but couldn’t make it because of work commitments in the US.

he ‘Sight of You’ singer was part of hip-hop group NDubz with her cousin Dappy and their friend Fazer until 2011 - when they went on hiatus - and while she has gone on to have a solo career, it wasn’t the path she wanted to follow. She explained: “I didn’t want to go solo, it was Dappy that wanted to go solo, I was forced into it. I remember at the time, thinking, ‘What am I going to do?’ because I wanted to be in a group and I wanted it to be like N-Dubz when we were 16 years old and we all got on so well and everything was great. I miss it, I miss it so much, every time I’m on stage.” However, Tulisa, 24, is sure the group will get back together soon, as the bond between them runs so deep. She added: “People don’t realize how young we were when we got together and how long we were grafting for.

You can Google the pictures of us at 11 years old in the studio and we look like little babies. “It’s just something untouchable when something has happened far that many years and we’ve been on our journey together, and into our 20s still in a group, to then selling out arenas. It’s a bizarre thing for us.” Tulisa’s debut album, ‘The Female Boss’, is out on November 26.

T

Conor Maynard

Daniel Craig’s

goes out in disguise he 19-year-old singer gets mobbed wherever he goes, so has resorted to covering his famous features in a bid to get some privacy. He said: “I wear a disguise so I don’t have to fight off girls in the street. I might use a mask or glasses and a big hat.” However, he admits his tactic isn’t always a success. He added to Now magazine: “Sometimes it doesn’t work and I do get chased.” Conor recently admitted he is amazed that fans wait outside his tour bus hoping to catch a glimpse of him or even an invite onto the vehicle. He said: “It’s kind of crazy how my fans will come to the show and they’ll literally wait outside till about 2 or 3am.

When we actually leave and get ready to go, they’ll still be outside waiting for a picture, or an autograph, so it is very insane.” When asked how he would react if he found a fan hiding in his hotel room on his tour bus, Conor admitted he would probably flee in fear. He said: “I’d probably just run. I think, if they’ve broken into my room, I wouldn’t be very welcoming. I think I’d probably just be really scared and start crying. I’d find my manager or security and get someone to save my life!”

T

Naomie cover-up aniel Craig kept taking the blame whenever Naomie Harris messed up a scene in ‘Skyfall’. The pair hit it off while filming the latest installment in the James Bond franchise and Naomie explained Daniel - who plays the suave spy - was a gentleman in real life too as he tried to hide her mistakes. She said: “Daniel is really hot but he’s also a nice guy. Whenever I would mess up, he’d say ‘Actually that was me, I didn’t hit my mark.’” Naomie loved working on the movie and credits it with improving her driving skills after she took lessons for a particular scene. She said: “I can parallel park and do three point turns.

Before, I had six car accidents. I’m much better now.” Naomi, 36, also enjoyed how physical the role is although she admitted to still hating the gym. She said: “For someone who doesn’t do any exercise. Having to do physical work for two months, five days a week of combat training and running, was hell. Once I got past the pain I started to love the benefits but I still hate exercising.”

D

Boy George

sober realization

oy George kicked his drug habit when he realized he hadn’t seen a tree in three years. The 51-year-old singer quit his deadly habits three years ago after an “emotional” epiphany when he suddenly discovered he was missing out on life and was out of touch with the world. He said: “I woke up one morning and realized I hadn’t seen a tree in about three years and got quite emotional. It’s like I had a pair of dark glasses on and hadn’t seen things properly for a while. “I don’t think I was happy with what I had before. I felt something was missing. When you’re sober, you see how other people behave and realize you don’t want to be like that.” The flamboyant star has rubbed shoulders with the likes of George Michael and Madonna and sold more than 50 million albums over the years, but confessed one of his most memorable career landmarks was finally being acknowledged by Tom Cruise on twitter. He revealed: “I got a tweet from Tom Cruise last year I said, ‘Tweet me. I’ve been a fan of yours since ‘Risky Business’. He didn’t respond.

Then I said, ‘John Travolta blew me a kiss at the Grammys once, you could at least say hello!’ He replied, ‘We’re dialling you in on Pandora [US music site] now.’ “I like Tom Cruise. I don’t care that he’s a Scientologist - as long as you don’t hurt animals or children and you’re nice to your mum!”

B

Blanchett

would like to star in a TV series

he Oscar-winning actress - who once voiced a character in ‘Family Guy’ - would like to experience the world of television but needs the right project as she wants to fit her family life around it. Cate - who has children Dashiell, 11, Roman, eight, and Ignatius, four, with husband Andrew Upton - said: “I think there’s some great writing being done in television at the moment. It’s a constantly evolving medium and I’d love to experience that. “But it’s all about timing and people. The school lets out at 3pm, so something to take me away from that would have to be pretty good.” Australian-born Cate would also consider learning more about vegetable growth if she had the time. She added: “What else have I not yet done? I’ve never grown my own vegetables. And I really know nothing about animal husbandry. Should bone up on that.” —Bang showbiz

T

Stewart doesn’t enjoy fame risten Stewart doesn’t “get off” on being famous. The 22-year-old actress - who has reconciled with boyfriend Robert Pattinson after cheating on him with ‘Snow White and The Huntsman’ director Rupert Sanders - has become a more open person since the ‘Twilight Saga’ franchise propelled her to international stardom, but won’t give up her personal life for the sake of her public image. Kristen said: “The spotlight is not something I get off on.

You can’t let it stunt you. Though, that’s the thing. It’s a huge change that I’ve definitely noticed within myself from the beginning to the end of this - that I’m more comfortable with walls being down. “Because you can actually have human experiences and not deprive yourself of a normal life. You get too caught up in what other people think of you, and then who are you? You start to become a really disjointed persona and everyone’s perception is their own.” Kristen’s top tip to survive becoming “exceedingly famous” is to just not over think it and ignore other people’s opinions. She explained: “If you’re considering other people’s opinions about your life, that they really know nothing about, you are going to live a very disjointed, really unsatisfying, awful existence. “You should probably be a bit more concerned about how you feel about yourself. It sounds completely cliche, but it’s true, so you probably shouldn’t think about it.”

K

37 The staying power of ‘Gangnam Style’

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

LIFESTYLE

M u s i c

resident Obama, the mayor of London, China’s top dissident artist and Madonna-every time someone signals the death of “Gangnam Style” up pops another high-profile figure to keep the phenomenon alive. In the four months since the music video by South Korean rapper Psy went viral on YouTube, it has been name-checked and imitated by an impressive roster of global notables from world leaders to sports stars and business tycoons.

And the public has joined in with tens of thousands turning out for giant flashmob performances of Psy’s horse-riding dance in cities like Paris and Rome.

While many believe Gangnam Style will ultimately prove to be a one-hit wonder, the song has shown surprising staying power and an unlikely ability to penetrate international corridors of power. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called it a force for world peace. On the morning of the US presidential election, Barack Obama told a local radio station that he was confident he could match Psy’s dance moves. “But I’m not sure that the inauguration ball is the appropriate time to break that out. Maybe do it privately for Michelle,” he said.

British Prime Minister David

P

Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson performed a joint Gangnam Style dance spectacular for their wives in September during a private gathering in the premier’s country retreat Chequers. Johnson went on to reference the event in his keynote speech to the ruling conservative party’s annual conference. If politicians have appropriated the song in an effort to boost their populist credentials, others have used it to drive home an anti-establishment message-most notably renowned Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei.

Banned from traveling abroad, Ai posted a Gangnam Style dance parody on YouTube, during which he brandished a set of handcuffs in a clear reference to Beijing’s efforts to silence his outspoken views. The video was removed by China’s Internet censors, prompting the Indian-born British sculptor Anish Kapoor to gather 250 art world luminaries at his London studio this week to film their own Gangnam video in support of Ai. “Yes, it is desperately silly, but what is the paradigm of the artist?

The artist does stupid things with serious intent,” Kapoor said. Silly or not, Psy’s influence has spread to some of the world’s most famous academic institutions. Earlier this month,

&

M o v i e s

the 34-year-old rapper was invited to follow the likes of Ronald Reagan and the Dalai Lama in addressing the 189year-old Oxford Union club at Oxford University.

And a Gangnam Style video parody made by students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, featured cameos by Eric Lander, one of the principle leaders of the Human Genome Project, and Noam Chomsky. “Oppan Chomsky Style,” the 83-year-old father of modern linguistics deadpanned into the camera while sipping a cup of coffee.

For some commentators, it has all become a bit too much. “Can anyone kill Gangnam Style?” Britain’s Guardian newspaper asked recently.

After Google chairman Eric Schmidt gave a rather awkward horse-riding performance during a visit to Seoul, Time magazine declared the Gangnam Style craze “officially over”but that was way back in September.

If anything, Psy has since gone from strength to strength-gaining the ultimate showbiz accolade this week by performing a mash-up of Gangnam Style with pop icon Madonna during her concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden. —AFP

This file picture shows South Korean pop sensation Psy , whose real name is Park Jae-Sang, performing for fans at a promotion by the Sunrise breakfast television show in central Sydney. —AFP

James Bond Rocky the Musical premieres with Klitschko, Stallone villains are “R the heroes of new exhibit here would James Bond be without Dr No, Goldfinger or the statuesque May Day? Agent 007 may be a hero, but in this new exhibit in the US capital the bad guys are the stars of the show.

“Exquisitely Evil: 50 years of Bond Villains,” which opened Friday for a two-year run at the International Spy Museum, recounts a half century of these infamous adversaries, from Dr No in the 1962 film of the same name, to Raoul Silva in “Skyfall,” the just-released 23rd Bond film. Reflecting the real-life Cold War animosity between the United States and the Soviet Union, the evil Blofeld, head of the global crime network SPECTRE, tried to pit the superpowers against each other.

In the 1970s, Karl Stromberg and Hugo Drax threatened the world with nuclear weapons in “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker,” while drug kingpins reigned in “Live and Let Die,” and “License to Kill.”“Where Bond remains the same, over 50 years the villains have changed-they’ve changed to reflect changing times,” said Meg Simmonds, archive director at Eon Productions, the company that makes the films and an advisor for the exhibit.

Well, not changed in all respects, she acknowledged. Each Bond villain is “wealthy, intelligent, charming on occasion, yet devious, depraved and deranged.” To illustrate each theme, excerpts from the Bond films play next to displays connecting the plot to events at the time the film was made, or to the individual who inspired the character. The hundred or so items on display include the weapon-concealing high heels of a real-life Rosa Klebb, the deadly spy from “From Russia With Love,” and the bullet that inflated and exploded Dr. Kananga, the bad guy in “Live and Let Die.” Also on display are costumes worn by dozens of anonymous henchmen, though “why minions are so easy to recruit is an open question,” the exhibit notes humorously, pointing out “they labor long hours, earn no vacations and the separation clause to their contracts has only one provision: early death.”

While Bond may be a poor depiction of the life of a real spy-”he never does anything secretly,” former CIA analyst Mark Stout complained-the bad guys are “are exaggerated but most have a basis in reality.”

In the most recent films, the heroes take on terrorists, where “you never quite know who is a member and who isn’t. That’s quite similar to Al-Qaeda,” Stout said. In “License to Kill,” the cocaine king Franz Sanchez, iguana perched on his shoulder, was modeled after Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, who raised hippopotamuses on his property, he added. But not all the villains have roots in real life, British espionage expert Chris Moran laughed, citing in particular Jaws, the giant, metal-mouth assassin from “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker.”

“When you’re seven feet five inches (2.3 meters), it’s impossible to operate in the shadows,” he grinned. “Henchmen, to kill spies, need to blend in,” he said. And the femme fatale Bond girls? “During the Cold War, the KGB and the GRU were regularly sending female agents into the USA and the UK hoping to honey trap civil servants with access to atomic secrets or defense secrets,” Moran said, referring to the Soviet secret police and the Russian foreign intelligence service. The blockbuster 007 movies, full of special effects and cheesy lines, may seem over the top, but real-life villains “are just as bad, if not worse, than Bond villains,” said Tony Mendez, whose story inspired the recent non-Bond spy thriller, Argo. —AFP

W

ocky - The Musical”, the song-anddance version of the iconic movie boxer’s rise to the world title, hits the stage in Germany yesterday with both reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko and Hollywood heavyweight Sylvester Stallone in its corner.

Klitschko, the undisputed world heavyweight champion, and Stallone, who wrote the screenplay and starred in the 1976 hit movie, both lent their support to the staging, which will have its world premiere in Hamburg, northern Germany. Although the musical is in German, Vienna-based American actor Drew Sarich plays the lead role in the story of the club fight-

er who rises to defeat fictional world champion Apollo Creed.

Stallone was part of the casting process and opted for Sarich, who has punched his weight in lead roles in German before, while Dutch actress Wietske van Tongeren plays the role of Rocky’s shy wife Adrian. Hamburg-based Stage Entertainment, which brought both “The Lion King” and “Tarzan” to the stage, have adapted the original script with 20 new songs packed into the musical and 20 tonnes of steel used for the set. “Rocky is not about boxing, it’s about the longing for dignity and the desire to be happy,” said the 66-year-old Stallone, who will

attend the evening premiere along with Klitschko.

“To find a guy like Rocky is very difficult.

“This was a real challenge for the casting team.

I saw a lot of candidates on video and I was surprised about the great talent pool in Germany.”

The original cult “Rocky” movie won three Oscars in 1976, for best picture, best director and best film editing, while Stallone played the lead role in a total of six Rocky films. Around 15 million euros ($19 million) have been invested in the stage adaptation with a special sound system fitted in the Hamburg auditorium. The audience is ringside for the final scene to cap-

ture the atmosphere of a world title fight.

“The fans are sure to be thrilled,” said Hamburg-based Wladimir Klitschko, a co-producer along with brother Vitali, the WBC heavyweight champion. “Rocky is just a normal person. He wasn’t very confident, basically a loser, but he fought his way up. “Whether you’re a man or woman, in sport or in all sections of society, everyone can manage it and be successful,” Klitschko said. “Like Rocky said: ‘Adrian, I did it!’” —AFP

7th Rome Film Festival

Director Larry Clark poses for photographers with the best movie”Golden Marc’Aurelio” award he just received for “Marfa Girl”.

Jeremie Elkaim poses for photographers with the “Marc’ Aurelio” award as best actor.

Bollywood actresses Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma pose on the stage of television show “India’s Got Talent” to promote their Hindi film “Jab Tak Hai Jaan”in Mumbai late November 17, 2012.

Shah Rukh Khan poses on the stage of television show “India’s Got Talent” to promote the Hindi film “Jab Tak Hai Jaan”in Mumbai.

—AFP Photos

Edward Norton, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Matt Dillon Left to right, actors Edward Norton, Gael Garcia Bernal, Matt Dillon and Diego Luna pose together at the Baja International Film Festival Closing Night Awards Gala, Saturday in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. —AP

Egyptian actresses Yusra , and Nelly Karim sit alongside Tunisian actress Hind Sabry during the Doha Tribeca Film Festival in the Qatari capital, yesterday. —AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

lifestyle

Culture shock awaits Somali returnees

Ayan Hussein a London stylist originally from Somaliland, talks with customers inside her cafe, the Akulan Coffee shop, in Somaliland’s capital Hargeisa. — AFP photos wo years ago, fashion designer Ayan Hussein left the high-end stores of Britain’s capital for a stab at promoting fashion that was in line with Muslim tradition in her Somali homeland. But she and her family, along with thousands of other Somalis who have returned in the hope of drumming up business or out of nostalgia, often find themselves facing culture shock. “It is not the same as in London... not the slightest,” says Hussein’s 18-year-old son Guled, who does not speak a word of Somali. “There is dust everywhere. You can’t skate here,” he says in impeccable English.

It is Somaliland, an autonomous territory of around four million people in the north of Somalia along the Gulf of Aden that has played host to many returnees in recent years. The region, which declared self-rule in 1991, has provided a haven of relative peace and stability in a land otherwise known for decades of brutal war. Ayan Hussein was only a young woman when she left Mogadishu in 1997. Now in her late thirties, she decided to return to the land of her birth in 2010 to look after her ailing mother as well as to venture into business. But in making the switch from Britain’s high-end fashion industry to a boutique in Hargeisa, the worldly and sophisticated Londoner had to make some sacrifices.

Her clothes stock is now limited only to long flowing robes as per Muslim custom, albeit in loud colors. “We have to convince our clients that they are not obligated to be in all black,” she explains to AFP recently, her hair neatly tucked under a flaming red head scarf. Directly

Ayan Hussein, folds a shawl that she sells to local Muslim women, inside her clothing store.

expect us to be like them,” adds another young woman on condition of anonymity. “This poses some difficulties.”

T

‘Give back to my country’ Twenty doctors and health workers have taken from six months to one year off work in Finland, their country of exile, to work in Hargeisa’s public hospital and provide training to local staff. “This was an opportunity for me

to give back to my country and also show my gratitude to Finland,” says Ahmed Abukar, a nurse. But the first month of interaction between the local staff and the returnees was sometimes tense. “At the beginning there was a bit of an issue because we needed to get to know each other,” says Abukar.

“Of course there is always a bit of a clash, the locals fear they (diaspora members) are taking over... they feel threatened,” says Ayan Rabi,

Ayan Hussein shows dresses she sells to local Muslim women, inside her clothing store. opposite the clothes shop, on the noisy and dusty main street, another new business venture is trying to establish itself. Hussein has just opened a coffee shop that has become the rendezvous point for Hargeisa’s affluent class, who come complete with sunglasses and smartphones to sip on their cappuccinos while exchanging gossip in English. And indeed the differences between those who stayed in Somalia and the returnees go beyond the language used.

“It is like we have two different societies here,” explains one returnee from Britain, who came back to work at a recently opened soft drinks plant. “Because we are Somali, they

Ayan Hussein stands at the counter of her cafe, the Akulan Coffee shop.

who is in charge of the program, backed by the International Organization for Migration. “But they are all Somalis and after a while, all this goes away,” Rabi adds. The trip home has also offered some interesting lessons for the returnees too.

“Appreciating the simple life is one of the things you learn here,” Abukar says. For the new general manager of Somaliland’s state television Ali Hassan Khader, coming back home has allowed him to better understand the importance of the clan dynamics that form the base of traditional Somali society. “In one way it is an insurance policy in a country where there is none,” he says. “If I injure somebody, if I have a car accident, I know the clan will step in.”

However, even with a boom in returnee numbers, Somaliland’s much coveted status of being an island of peace in a tumultuous country is slowly being challenged by an emerging Mogadishu, the capital in southern Somalia.

Once a byword for anarchy, the war-ravaged seaside capital has enjoyed a degree of relative stability since Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents fled from fixed positions there in August 2011. Ibrahim Chama, 32, left his job as a government employee in the Welsh capital Cardiff to set up and manage a grocery store in Hargeisa. “We are trying to settle down before it becomes too crowded and businesses stop doing well,” says Chama, who left in 1988.

“Now Somalia is getting better, maybe we might try to set up something in Mogadishu as well,” he adds. — AFP

Top chefs work Mediterranean magic at Monaco pow-wow op chefs from across the globe rustled up a mouth-watering lesson in Mediterranean cuisine on Saturday, at a pow-wow for 240 food stars hosted in Monaco by France’s culinary “godfather” Alain Ducasse. Ducasse was feting a quarter century at his first three-star eatery, the Louis XV in Monaco, by holding a three-day chefs’ summit in the principality, with a local producers’ market on Saturday a highlight of the event.

Boasting a combined 300 Michelin stars among them, the chefs from 28 countries headed down to the market, specially convened in the waterside Sporting Monte Carlo complex-where 14 of them set to work for lunch.

The two-star Californian Daniel Patterson grated generous slivers of Italian white truffle onto an oyster-flavored einkorn risotto, as fellow chefs eagerly snapped pictures and jotted down notes. David Chang-the KoreanAmerican chef named one of the world’s 100 most influential figures by Time Magazine in 2010 — drew crowds for his miso soup of fermented green French lentils, with black truffle.

“I’m just trying to cook food, trying to make people happy, we’re not rocket scientists,” he joked. While he ranks among the hottest chefs of his generation, the 35-year-old said he found it “humbling” to be invited to the Monaco event. “It’s a hangout, it’s an invitation from the chef Ducasse, it’s like the pope asking you to come visit or the president, you have no choice,” Chang said. “I have to pinch myself to realise this is happening because a lot of theses guys are my heroes.” Lebanon’s Maroun Chedid conjured up a risotto of olive oil-poached seabass putting a new twist on a classic Lebanese dish called Sayadieh.

“We don’t cook lamb in Japan, so I wanted to try it with a sake-soy sauce and cane sugar. It’s crunchy on the skin side, but juicy inside,” explained Hiroyuki Kanda, who holds three stars in Tokyo.

And Scotland’s one-star chef Tom Kitchinwhose speciality in Edinburgh is rolled pig’s head with crispy ear salad-wrestled a Mediterranean octopus into a carpaccio with fennel compote and tomato confit.

His one-time mentor Guy Savoy warmly

T

approved: “The octopus is beautifully tender, there’s a very nice balance of textures and complex flavours-just a little acidity from the Menton lemon.”

Around the corner, the Japanese-born Australian Tetsuya Wakuda marvelled at a stall of orange-capped Caesar’s Mushrooms, a Mediterranean delicacy: “I’ve never tasted these, I’d just heard about them.” “It’s unbelievable,” said the American Frank Decarlo, before a glistening display of red mullet, octopus, squid and shellfish fished that morning just offshore. Further along, the pastry chef Pierre Herme bit into a selection of local almonds, approving with a connoisseur’s nod. “Mindsets have changed, chefs used to be jealous of one another-now they share what they know,” summed up the Neapolitan Gennaro Esposito, whose apron was covered with his fellow chefs’ autographs “as a souvenir”.

(From left) Helene Darroze, Elena Arzak Espina, Johanna Maier, Clare Smyth, Giuseppina Beglia, Nicole Rubi, Anne Sophie Pic, Angels Serra Santamaria, Nadia Santini and Josy Bandecchi pose during the 25th anniversary of French chef Alain Ducasse’s restaurant Le Louis XV. — AFP photos

French chef Alain Ducasse poses during the festivities marking the 25th anniversary of Ducasse’s restaurant ‘Le Louis XV’.

Ducasse arrived at the Louis XV in 1987, earning three stars in 1990. He arrived in Paris in 1996, and clinched three stars there too the following year. In 2005 he became the first chef to hold three stars in three different places by adding New York, a triumph all the sweeter since the restaurant had been panned by critics

when it opened five years earlier.

Today, aged 56, he sits at the helm of a global empire with 21 Michelin stars to his name, and fingers in dozens of pies: from space flights to the Eiffel Tower’s eatery, all under the umbrella of Alain Ducasse Entreprise (ADE). His Louis XV has trained hundreds of chefs in the Ducasse style, acting like an incubator and feeding a vast global culinary network. “He’s shown that you can take being a chef to a completely other level and being a really great ambassador at that,” Chang said of his host. “I’ve never worked for chef Ducasse, but I’ve worked for people that have worked for him. I think people don’t realise the impact he’s had on gastronomy worldwide. He’s set a level.” — AFP

(From Left) Prince Albert II ofMonaco and his wife Princess Charlene, French chef Alain Ducasse, and Princess Caroline of Hanover pose during the festivities marking the 25th anniversary of Ducasse’s restaurant ‘Le Louis XV’ in Monaco. — AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

lifestyle F E A T U R E S

Introducing Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig in SKYFALL wearing OMEGA Seamaster 3.

Daniel Craig with Planet Ocean 42mm SKYFALL.

Daniel Craig in SKYFALL wearing OMEGA Seamaster 2.

The world’ s best-known secret agent, James Bond ames Bond has sported an OMEGA wristwatch since Golden Eye in 1995 and in the five following films he relied on his timepiece throughout numerous action scenes and daredevil feats. In SKYFALL, Bond will wear the

J

steel-on-steel OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m 42mm with a matt black unidirectional rotating divers’ bezel.

As an award-winning actor who is highly regarded for taking on a variety of roles, OMEGA ambassador Daniel Craig

embarks on yet another thrilling adventure as the legendary James Bond. In SKYFALL, Bond’s loyalty to M (Judi Dench) is tested as her past returns to haunt her.

007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

The Bond actresses in SKYFALL I

ter who couldn’t be stereotyped. It should not be obvious immediately what kind of person she is.” She adds, “Daniel Craig has added something special with James Bond - he’s both tough and vulnerable and it’s not always clear what he’s thinking. I want to do the same thing with SÈverine - she’s not just on the screen to be saved by Bond.”

Naomie Harris has acted in films and on television since she was a child but attracted international attention when she starred in the Danny Boyle film, 28 Days Later. She also appeared in the sec-

The Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M’SKYFALL’limited Edition n SKYFALL, James Bond will take to the screen for the 23rd time with Daniel Craig reprising the role of the world’s favorite secret agent for the third time running. And once again, agent 007 will wear an OMEGA Seamaster. To celebrate the launch of SKYFALL, OMEGA is launching the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M”SKYFALL” Limited Edition watch.

Like every Planet Ocean, the new watch is ready for underwater adventure. Equipped with a unidirectional rotating diving bezel and a helium escape valve, the watch is water resistant 60 bar / 600 metres / 2000 feet.

The watch has a 42 mm brushed and polished stainless steel case and a matching patented screw-and-pin bracelet whose divers’ clasp is engraved with “007”. The rotating diving bezel is distinguished by its matt black ceramic ring with a chromium nitride diving scale.

The applied indexes on the matt structured black dial are coated with white Super-LumiNova emitting a blue light as are the polished, facetted rhodium-plated hands. The exception is the minute hand which emits a green light, as does the dot on the diving bezel. This feature makes it easy for divers to keep track of their time at a glance. At the 7 o’clock position is a 007 logo and at 3 o’clock, there is a date window.

I

Naomie Harris B’r’niceMarlohe ond and third Pirates of the Caribbean features. The Cambridge University graduate studied acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and in addition to numerous film and TV roles has also distinguished herself as a stage actress.

In SKYFALL, Naomie Harris’ character Eve will be wearing an OMEGA Aqua Terra with a black dial, a stainless steel case and a matching bracelet.

BÈrÈniceMarlohe’s character Severine wears an OMEGA De Ville Prestige with a mother-of-pearl dial, a stainless steel case and a stainless steel bracelet.

Dry, breaking, slow-growing lashes? ou probably apply a night cream on your face every night but have you thought of giving a similar solution to your eye-lashes, which have suffered even more than your skin?

Mavala Switzerland and Al-Jothen are delighted to introduce an exclusive effective

Y

eyelash growth solution all the way from Switzerland to Kuwait. MAVALA has been developing a variety of products for eye care since 1967 and DOUBLE-LASH has been used by millions of people ever since. We, at AlJothen, are very excited to offer this solution to all the ladies in Kuwait especially that it has

been very popular amongst women in the US and Europe and endorsed by many celebrities.

DOUBLE-LASH is a perfect solution for the growth and strengthening of eyelashes. We recommend Mavala DOUBLE-LASH to clients who favor the use of mascaras to lengthen and thicken lashes. Clients who have used DOUBLE-LASH stated that they prefer strengthening eyelashes for healthier and maximum growth as opposed to applying mascara for its superficial lengthening of lashes.

“I decided to try the Eyelash growth solution by Mavala and found that I would rather flaunt my real, healthy looking eyelashes, than always applying mascara because I felt self-conscious about how beautiful my eyes would look like. I gave it an opportunity and I was impressed! My eyelashes look fabulous,” stated Afaf Kidissi, Skin Care Consultant. The application may be familiar to mascara wearers because it is with the use of a wand similar to that of a mascara brush. A tube can last about 28 days, if applied every day.

DOUBLE-LASH is a nutritive solution for lashes that helps them grow, strengthens and protects the lashes while giving them a natural and silky luster. Its rich formula adds brightness and thickness to lashes. Apply at night on clean lashes. Leave on all night. Your lashes will become healthy, long and strong in no time.

Bjork picky about cover jork will only let certain people cover her songs. The ‘Mutual Core’ singer chooses artists she thinks will do a fresh take on her tracks to record their own versions. She said: “I’m in a protected situation. I’ve already done my version the way I want it to be. I ask people I already like, it’s not like I’m asking just anybody. “I sometimes compare it to jazz standards. You hear two different versions of ‘My Funny Valentine’ by Billie Holiday and Miles Davis and neither of them are correct. “I like the

B

plines including starring roles in TheGirl with the Dragon Tattoo and Cowboys & Aliens, theatre performances on Broadway and roles in various television series such as Our Friends In The North, Archangel and Copenhagen.

Celebrating the new James Bond film:

Introducing Marlohe and Harris:

n SKYFALL, the 23rd film in the franchise, two actresses will charm the world’s favourite spy; BÈrÈniceMarlohe who plays the glamorous, enigmatic Severine and Naomie Harris, plays Field Agent Eve. Like James Bond himself, both Eve and Severinewear OMEGA wristwatches in their on-screen roles.

SKYFALL marks the English-language acting debut for BÈrÈniceMarlohe whose previous film roles have been in her native French. About her role, the French actress said, “I wanted to create a charac-

Daniel Craig was selected as the sixth actor to play James Bond in 2005 and since then he has starred as 007 in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. In addition to his role as Bond, Daniel Craig has worked across all of his profession’s disci-

remix platform.

There are invisible rules but a lot of freedom.” Bjork also said she’d like to work with dubstep star Skrillex, adding to NME magazine: “The dubstep sounds appeals to me. I like it because it’s quite prankster-like, it’s trying to surprise you. “I bumped into Skrillex at a festival. We did talk about maybe doing remixes, so I don’t know, but sometimes after a few drinks there’s a lot of talk.”-Bang Showbiz

The Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M SKYFALL Limited Edition is powered by OMEGA’s exclusive new Co-Axial calibre 8507. SKYFALL 007 is on its rotor in black-varnished engraving. The movement is visible through sapphire crystal in the brushed screw-in caseback.

Along with OMEGA’s industry-changing Co-Axial technology, the watch is equipped with an “Si14” silicon balance spring. The combination is so stable and reliable that the Planet Ocean comes with a full four-year warranty.

The Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M SKYFALL wristwatch is being produced in an edition limited to 5,007 pieces and is delivered in a special presentation box.

Diesel founder considering jewellery and Japan to beat slowdown iesel brand founder Renzo Rosso is considering expanding into jewellery and launching a new project in Japan to fuel growth at his fashion group despite the global economic turmoil. Known as the “king of high-end casualwear”, the rockstarlooking businessman is one of the most dynamic figures in a fashion industry threatened by a slowdown in its core markets. A painful recession in southern Europe and a slowdown in China are forcing European brands to come up with new ideas to lure consumers back into their stores.

Accessories, which, like leather belts and perfumes, are more affordable than evening dresses, are the fastest-growing category in a luxury industry expected to grow 5 percent this year from 13 percent in 2011 at constant exchange rates, according to consultancy Bain & Co. Italian designer Giorgio Armani said in September he would boost sales of accessories.

Rosso, who also owns youngfocused brands such Maison Martin Margiela and Viktor & Rolf, said he expected the recession to continue to hurt Italy well beyond 2013. “There is a deep crisis and I believe it will remain serious for two other years,” Rosso said on the sidelines of the IHT summit on Friday afternoon.

“We need to take care of our licences for sunglasses, watches and perfumes. A world that fascinates me is jewellery. With my brands I want to enter this category too,” he said. A visionary entrepreneur, Rosso was the first to turn stone-washed denim into a premium category in the 1980s. His holding “Only The Brave” - which includes his brands as well as Staff International, a company that produces under licence for Just Cavalli, Vivienne Westwood Red Label,

D

DSquared and Marc Jacobs Men - had revenues of around $2 billion in 2011.

Denim king Rosso said he finds inspiration for new projects from travelling and working with his international team.

“I went to Japan with my daughters for three days and I came back with an incredible idea about a business that is totally different from what I do but related to clothing,” he said.

Rosso said nobody really understood him when he started to age his jeans by washing them with stones. His products are now sold worldwide, mostly in Japan. “Japan is a country where fashion is extreme, more than elsewhere. I also love London,” curly haired Rosso said.

“Russia is going very well, like the Arab countries. Another growing market is Brazil, where people enjoy life,” he said. Rosso, who works hands-on in Diesel but leaves designers at his other brands complete autonomy, has interests spanning from wine to eco-friendly technologies.

On Friday, Rosso announced a partnership with his friend rockstar Bono to sell in Diesel stores fashion products, sourced or entirely made in Africa under an Diesel+Edun label.

Through his Red Circle investment arm, Rosso is also the single-biggest shareholder with a stake of around 9 percent in growing Italian online fashion retailer Yoox. Rosso has also invested in an Italian start-up incubator called H-Farm and in a maker of electric vehicles.

Rosso, whose thought-provoking slogans “Be Stupid” and “For Successful Living” have inspired books, did not rule out other investments in the future.—Reuters

Top chefs work Mediterranean magic at Monaco pow-wow

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

38

A gallery assistant poses for a photograph with work entitled “Forehead” by British visual artists Jake and Dinos Chapman on display during an exhibition at the Royal College of Art in London. —AFP

Learning the art of giving, Japanese-style hat matters at Christmas time is the spirit, right? For those yet to be convinced, a tiny Japanese pavilion in Paris offers to initiate Westerners to a 700-year-old gift-giving ritual known as Origata. You could hardly be further from the push and shove of the holiday shopping

W

“It’s a window onto a side of Japan that is inaccessible to most people.” Chief among these customs is the Origata gift ritual, rooted in traditional Shinto culture, which has been practiced primarily for the Japanese imperial family since the 14th century. “It all starts with a tea ceremony, using water exported from Japan,” Larroumec said. “We listen to the person, to the meaning they want their gift to have, how they want the recipient to feel, and then there are a whole set of codes that determine the way we wrap it, the different paper, knots and folds.

“The aim is to put meaning back into the art of giving.” Except for the word “ori”, meaning to fold, Origata bears no relation to the paper-folding craft of origami. Since the 14th century, Keishosai Ogasawara’s family have held the keys to the art as chiefs of protocol for the imperial family, handing down its codes generation to gen-

Japanese Soke Ogasawara attends a ceremony of Origata, Japan’s art of gift wrapping during the opening of the “Miwa” pavillon in Paris. — AFP photos eration and-in recent years-sharing them with the public. She travelled from Tokyo to witness the opening of the pavilion, which was ceremonially inaugurated by two Shinto priests.

A woman prepares an Origata, Japan’s art of gift wrapping.

Season: the tiny wood-panelled cubicle in the city’s Latin Quarter is like a hybrid of concept store, art gallery and miniature temple. Opened this month by Japanese businessman Takeshi Sato together with a young Frenchman, Joan Larroumec, the Miwa pavilion is billed as an exclusive members’ club, offering a gateway to Japanese high culture.

“It’s a business venture, but one that also aims to spread knowledge of traditional Japanese culture,” explained Larroumec.

Japanese Soke Ogasawara attends a ceremony of Origata.

‘Exact opposite of email’ “Origata is about putting your feelings into an object,” she explained to AFP, infinitely soft-spoken and clothed in a pale pink kimono. “The knot represents the bond between two people.” “In a world of email and instant communication, this is the exact opposite,” added Larroumec. In Japan, Sato’s firm Rightning specializes in running craft-based projects for the likes of Louis Vuitton, or telecoms giant Docomo, for whom he created a phone made of Japanese cypress, or hinoki, the wood used for temple-building. For the Miwa project he drew on his contacts in traditional craft circles, from Ogasawara herself, to the artisans who built it from hinoki.

Ogasawara trained the two mistresses of ceremonies who will officiate at the pavilion-a basic three-week course, they admit, compared with the three to five years needed to perfect the art. The organic washi paper used for the ceremony comes from a craftsman with the honorific Japanese title of “Living National treasure”, bestowed on one member of a generation for any given field. The room’s central counter is made from a single slab of 300year-old hinoki, without a single knot”which means 16 generations of gardeners took turns to remove the young shoot from the tree,” said Larroumec.

A gift display table was recreated using plans salvaged from centuries-old Origata manuscripts. A tiny steel and hinoki paper knife was made by a centuries-old samurai sword manufacturer.

The wood-paneled walls are covered with tiny cubicles concealing ritual objects or ones for sale. “It all stems from the Japanese notion that perfection requires hundreds of imperceptible details,” said Larroumec. Such refinement comes with a hefty price tag, though. For an annual fee of 1,000 euros, members can book an Origata ceremony any time they like. They can also purchase artefacts rarely seen outside Japan, from 3,000-year-old Jomon vases, to 19th-century kimonos worth up to 80,000 euros.

A fortnight after its launch, Miwa had signed up two dozen Japanese members, and a dozen French ones, all recruited in exclusive French-Japanese cultural circles in Paris. It aims for 100 members within a year.

“The membership fee might seem steep, but not when you consider people are getting access to collectors’ objects worth 20,000 to 80,000 euros,” explained Larroumec. Among the Japanophiles Larroumec has approached is former president Jacques Chirac-a well-known admirer of the culture.

He has yet to respond. — AFP

Moctezuma headdress stirs passions in Mexico, Austria teeped in myth and legend, the “Penacho,” a feather headdress supposedly worn by Aztec emperor Moctezuma II, continues to stir up passion in Austria and Mexico as it goes on display again after a years-long restoration. Some say it was brought to Europe by Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, others that it was used by an Aztec high priest. In any case, the vibrant green-and-blue headpiece-the only one of its kind still in existence-remains at the centre of a tug-of-war between Mexico, which wants to bring it home, and Austria, which argues it is too fragile to be transported. “This is only the beginning,” Alfonso de Maria y Campos, director of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), said this week at a presentation of the restored Penacho in Vienna.

“The initial thought behind this project continues to be the exhibition of this piece in Mexico,” he added. First documented in 1596 in the collection of Tyrolean archduke Ferdinand II, the Penacho is one of the few surviving examples of ancient Mexican feather art, experts say. And despite being almost 500 years old, it has retained its brilliant colors. Some 450 iridescent green tail feathers from the rare quetzal bird were knotted together to form the 1.5-metre (five-foot) wide Penacho, embellished with gold adornments and smaller turquoise, red and brown

S

feathers. This method of assembly means the headdress could easily fall apart during transportation or if exposed to vibrations, according to a new study by Vienna’s University of Technology. And this is the “key issue” at the centre of any restitution or loan debate, Austria’s foreign ministry says. “Everything depends on the question of whether it is transportable. If the answer is no, there is no second or third question” as to whether Austria would be willing to send the Penacho back to Mexico, ministry spokesman Martin Weiss told AFP. But de Maria y Campos, the INAH director, remains undeterred. “Mexico should be able to share the piece, granted that we find the best way to send it to Mexico fully protected of any harm,” he told AFP. “We don’t dispute the property or the possession.” But “if we worked together to restore and study it, we can find a way to send it to Mexico to be exhibited.” Gerard van Bussel, curator of the new Penacho exhibit at Vienna’s Museum of Ethnology, agreed: “At the moment, it’s unfortunately impossible, but who knows what might happen, what might become possible.”

Moctezuma’s headdress: truth or myth?

Supporters of a loan note the Vienna university study focused on transportation by

plane, leaving other options still open, and that changes in technology could facilitate shipment in the coming years. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox appealed to his Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer to send the Penacho back during the latter’s visit to Mexico in 2005, and indigenous Mexicans have repeatedly demanded the return of what they consider the “sacred crown of Moctezuma.”

Moctezuma II-the now preferred name for Montezuma II-was the last emperor of the Aztecs, ousted after the Spanish conquest of present-day Mexico. But Mexico has stopped short of a formal request for permanent restitution, with the INAH’s director pushing instead for a “long loan.” For him, the Penacho “belonged to Moctezuma, there is no doubt.” It is also “most likely” that it was brought to Europe by Cortes.

Visitors look at the Penacho feather headdress allegedly worn by Aztec emperor Moctezuma II.

Other experts aren’t so certain. “That’s a myth, a fable. There’s no evidence this is true,” said van Bussel, who says the headdress was more likely used by a priest. While its origins remain a mystery, nobody denies the headpiece’s beauty and uniqueness.

Over the last two years, a large team of historians, archaeologists and ornithologists from Austria and Mexico have studied the Penacho, cleaning and preserving it for the future. It is now being exhibited alongside other rare featherworks from ancient Mexico, including a shield, a large fan and intricate religious images. It is the first time in eight years the headdress has been put on display.

But the fragile headdress, held in a display case specially built to compensate for any movement caused by museum visitors walking around, remains the highlight of the exposition. “It’s as if you see the Mona Lisa: it’s crafted so particularly well, it’s so beautifully done that it outshines the other objects,” said de Maria y Campos.

The return of the Penacho will likely continue to be discussed at bilateral meetings between Austria and Mexico, and a new treaty on cultural exchanges between the two countries is in the works. In the meantime, the continued presence in Vienna of the headdress-a copy of which exists in Mexico City’s Museum of Anthropologycould have its benefits. —AP