19 Feb 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

RABIA ALAWAL 27, 1433 AH

www.kuwaittimes.net

Syrian forces fire on funeral in Damascus

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

Chinese envoy urges end to violence

Tehran deploys warships to the Mediterranean TEHRAN: Iranian warships entered the Mediterranean after crossing the Suez Canal yesterday to show Tehran’s “might” to regional states, the navy commander said, at a time of simmering tensions with Israel. In Jerusalem, the foreign ministry said Israel will be watching the ship’s movements closely to ensure they do not approach its coast.

“The strategic navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has passed through the Suez Canal for the second time since the (1979) Islamic Revolution,” Admiral Habibollah Sayari said in remarks quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

He did not say how many vessels had crossed the canal, or what missions they were planning to carry out in the Mediterranean, but said the flotilla had previously docked in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. Two Iranian ships, the destroyer Shahid Qandi and supply vessel Kharg, had docked in the Red Sea port on Feb 4, according to Iranian media.

Sayari said the naval deployment to the Mediterranean would show “the might” of the Islamic republic to regional countries, and also convey Tehran’s “message of peace and friendship”.

The first Iranian presence in the Mediterranean in Feb 2011 provoked strong reactions from Israel and the United States, with the Continued on Page 15

DAMASCUS: Syrians play with snow yesterday as a wave of cold weather, snow and rain is gripping the area. — AFP

Max 20º Min 12º High Tide 10:51 & 21:20 Low Tide 03:47 & 15:10

AMMAN/BEIRUT: Syrian security forces fired on a huge protest against President Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus yesterday, soon after a Chinese envoy had appealed for a halt to 11 months of violence, opposition activists said. The shooting took place at the funerals of three youths killed on Friday in an anti-Assad protest that was one of the biggest in the capital since a nationwide uprising started. “They started firing at the crowd right after the burial,” said a witness, speaking to Reuters in Amman by telephone. People tried to flee and seek shelter in alleyways, he said.

The opposition Syrian Revolution Coordination Union said the gunfire near the cemetery had killed one mourner and wounded four, including a woman who was hit in the head. A shopkeeper told Reuters many protesters were arrested. Up to 30,000 demonstrators had taken to the streets in the capital’s Mezze district, near the headquarters of Air Force Intelligence and that of the ruling Baath Party, witnesses said.

Footage of the funeral broadcast on the Internet showed women ululating to honour the victims.

Mourners shouted: “We sacrifice our blood, our soul for you martyrs. One, one, one, the Syrian people are one”.

YouTube footage from another Damascus suburb, Douma, showed several thousand protesters at the funerals of two people said to have been killed there by security forces. The bodies were carried though a sea of mourners waving pre-Baath Syrian flags.

Assad described the turmoil racking Syria as a ploy to split the country. “What Syria is facing is fundamentally an effort to divide it and affect its geopolitical place and historic role in the region,” he was quoted by Syrian state television as saying after meeting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun. Continued on Page 15

Morocco democracy movement founders RABAT: Morocco’s pro-democracy February 20 movement spearheaded the country’s version of the Arab Spring and sent the centuries-old monarchy scrambling to reform. Now, a year after its birth, the youthled group appears to have lost its way. And while the movement struggles for relevance, Morocco’s problems are far from solved: Social discontent and clashes between police and unemployed graduates are on the rise as the economy suffers from the effects of Europe’s financial crisis. Like the Occupy movements in the United States, Morocco’s pro-democracy groups now need to find out if they can keep the fight going.

Today, the movement will try with countrywide anniversary demonstrations to rekindle some of the MANAMA: Thousands of anti-government protesters chant for the freedom of political prisoners yesterday during a rally organized by main political opposition societies. The Bahraini flag in foreground says “steadfast” on the image and “We are coming back” beneath it, referring to the heavily barricaded area that had been the main site of last spring’s pro-democracy uprising. — AP

Bahrain deports foreign activists DUBAI: Bahrain announced the deportation of four foreign activists for “taking part in illegal demonstrations,” bringing to 12 the number expelled over the past week.

The four were deported for “lying on immigration forms” as their “visas were issued for the purposes of tourism but all were participating in illegal demonstrations,” the official BNA news agency reported late on Friday. The news agency did not specify the nationalities of those deported but the main Shiite opposition group Al-Wefaq said they included one American and one Briton.

Last Tuesday marked the first anniversary of the launch of month-long Shiite -led pro-democracy protests that were bloodily crushed by the kingdom’s Sunni minority rulers with the help of a Saudi-led military intervention. On the anniversary, the authorities announced the expulsion of eight Americans. Three

days earlier, they deported two more. The authorities have multiplied restrictions around the anniversary not only for foreign activists but also the international media, denying press visas to several news organizations. Tiny but strategic Bahrain is the home base of the US Fifth Fleet.

But activists continued to stage protests in a cat-andmouse game with police to press their demand for democratic reforms that would give Bahrain’s elected parliament power to form governments. Shiites complain of political and economic marginalisation by the Sunni ruling Al-Khalifa family, an accusation the government denies. On Friday a group of about 150 women, led by two foreign activists, staged a protest, facing off for several minutes with lines of riot police that included a small women force.

Continued on Page 15

US arrests suspect in Capitol suicide attack plot

Woeful Arsenal dumped out of FA Cup, Chelsea held

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fire that at its peak in March put 800,000 people from all walks of life on the streets calling for an end to corruption, greater democracy and social justice. The protesters shook the cities of Morocco and achieved some of the things they wanted, bringing their country a new constitution and free elections. Since that time, however, the numbers at the weekly demonstrations have plummeted to a few thousand in the larger cities as ordinary people abandoned the movement, apparently satisfied with King Mohammed VI’s reforms, including granting more powers to elected officials ‚Ä” or scared away by a tougher response to the protests.

Continued on Page 15

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

LOCAL

Five phases plan for Kuwait metro project Move to address population growth challenges KUWAIT: The Partnerships Technical Bureau (PTB) in Kuwait is pushing ahead with its plans to develop a new metro system for Kuwait City with the higher committee approving the feasibility study recently. Director-General of PTB Adel Al-Roumi said yesterday, that Kuwaitís Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project (KMRT) is a key aspect of the countryís strategy to address population growth challenges and the current public transport deficit. KMRT is being implemented by the M inistr y of Communications under the auspices of PTB as per the PPP Law No.7/2008.

The project will involve the development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a full metro network that will be developed over five phases, Al-Roumi said Each phase will be subdivided into a number of separate procurements; each of these will be publicly tendered on a fair and transparent

basis in accordance with the PPP law, he added. He further said that the entire project consists of 69 stations, 16 percent of which underground, with total length of 160 km. PTB is currently focusing on delivering phase 1 of the project which will include the construction network of roughly 50 km, with 28 new stations, 30 percent of which will be underground.

The other four phases will be developed and constructed in future stages over the coming years as demand grows, he explained.

The PTB had appointed a transaction advisor y team of (Ernst Young), (Ashurst) and (Atkins) to prepare the feasibility study and to prepare for the procurement stage, including metro infrastructure, control systems, rolling stock, depot and operations.

The Higher Committee, chaired by the Minister of Finance, recently approved the fea-

sibility study of the project along with the procurement structure and packages.

These packages include a system integrator PPP company, four Infrastructure PPP companies and an operator.

In addition, the PTB has communicated to the Cabinet the recommended financing structure of the project that includes a government subsidy due to the size and strategic importance of the KMRT Project.

He further noted that the PTB will shortly issue expression of interest (EOI) for the procurement of the integrated rolling stock and PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) company.

The selected company will provide rolling stock and Metro systems to the entire network, across all five phases. The EOI will be followed in due course by procurements for civil infrastructure and operations for Phase 1, he pointed out. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Ali Ibrahim Al-Baghli, Sahar S. Al-Therban and Faisal A. Al-Surayye, during press conference at its headquarters in Kuwait City.

— Photo by Fouad Al-Shaikh

ABK unveils new CSR program

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: Iranian Ambassador Rohullah Qahramani held a ceremony at the Sheikha Salwa Al-Sabah Hall recently to celebrate Iran’s National Day. The event was attended by Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry undersecretary Khalid Al-Jarallah, as well as ambassadors, diplomats and other dignitaries. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

Recognizing SNC ‘a matter of time’ KUWAIT: It is only a matter of time before Arab countries recognize the Syrian National Council (SNC) as the official representative of the Syrian people, said Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry undersecretary, Khalid AlJarallah. He used the term “disappointing” to describe a veto used to

stop a United Nations resolution to condemn the violence in Syria.

“Arab countries should work on convincing Moscow to change its stance,” Al-Jarallah told reporters as he attended a ceremony held by the Iranian Embassy to celebrate Iran’s national day. The senior offi-

cial further indicated that talks based on mutual understanding are key to boosting relations between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries regarding all topics. These include “statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz”.

Meanwhile, Iranian ambassador Rohullah Qahramani described Kuwait as the “Arab’s gate to cooperate with Iran”. He revealed plans for a joint commission between the two countries to start talks about the disputed continental reef issue soon. —Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) announced its new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) slogan ‘Our Society ...

Our Responsibility’ at a press conference held recently at its headquarters in Kuwait City. Speaking at the press conference, Sahar S. Al-Therban, Public Relations Manager, Group Marketing PR said that the bank remains committed to corporate social responsibility, and is trying its best to enhance ABK’s CSR initiatives. “Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait has proven repeatedly that it is committed to providing its customers with the latest in the best banking products and services that meet the expectations of our customers and respond to all of their banking needs,” she said.

Al-Therban added that corporate duties do not stop with customers and is extended to the society we live in.

“We are determined to meet our social responsibilities and represent ourselves with pride in the field of banking in Kuwait,” she said. “We cannot achieve success without the support and dedication of our staff. Therefore, we are happy to have organized a selection of family-orientated activities like sporting events, health awareness campaigns, light entertainment and Islam-based events like Ghabqa in

Ramadan for all of our staff,” she added.

Al-Therban said even in the past, ABK continuously supported a variety of social activities by sponsoring economic symposiums, student conferences and exhibitions, as well as contributing large cash donations to non-profit organizations. “ We are proud of what we have achieved and contributed, and now we have gathered to share with you the new strategy that our Public Relations Department has designed. This is to make an even stronger mark on Kuwait’s society and the banking arena. AlTherban added, “We want to show the caring face of ABK, as it continues to play its role as a main contributor, standing by social responsibilities. According to AlTherban, the benefit of their campaign is not just for CSR per se, but they are also planning some valuable advertisements which will be posted across various media outlets that carry personal and educational messages.

ABK supports sports activities like football, basketball, volleyball, bowling, jet ski, diving and golf. Al-Therban also mentioned ABK’s continuing support to Kuwait’s youth education program. ABK’s CSR value increases ever y year.

According to Al-Therban, they are ready and committed to spend more for the benefit of Kuwait’s youth and its people.

Kuwait needs to improve business environment KUWAIT: The World Trade Organization (WTO) took into account the government’s ambitions to diversify sources of income and boost the private sector’s role in development, in preparing their recent report about commercial policies in Kuwait, said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy during a recent interview with a local daily.

“The report contains a number of recommendations which if Kuwait adopts could help the country improve its commercial system and create a more active economy”, Lamy said, explaining that these recommendations include enforcing regu-

lations to improve the business environment and eliminating routines that slow down work in state departments.

The report also includes recommendations to improve efficiency and transparency of the government’s management, as well as encourage the state to legislate more competition legislations with regard to state-owned facilities and projects, Lamy added. Furthermore, Lamy noted that Kuwait cannot expand its participation in the WTO as long as the economy continues to depend heavily on oil products. — Al-Watan

proposal to legalize dual citizenship KUWAIT: The house in Qurtuba in which fire broke out yesterday.

Three children die in Qurtuba fire

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Al-Shuhada Fire Center ’s control room received report of a fire that broke out at a house in Qurtuba. Firemen learnt that there were children trapped in the burning house. However, after beginning rescue opera-

tions, the bodies of three children were found and a fourth child, gravely injured, was rushed to the hospital. An investigation into the case was begun.

Gas cylinder explosion The Kuwait Fire Services Department (KFSD)

received a report that a gas cylinder exploded at a restaurant in Hawally. Accordingly, Hawally Fire Center responded and reached the scene.

Firemen evacuated the restaurant and rescued those that were trapped. The situation was brought under control. Only one Asian worker sustained a minor injury.

KUWAIT: Thirty-five MPs who form the majority bloc in the parliament will meet today at MP Mohammad Al-Dallal’s diwaniya to discuss their agenda of priorities. In the meantime, the remaining minority is reportedly working on forming a united front to formulate their own set of priorities, while aiming to cooperate with the majority.

“Several lawmakers are discussing the possibility of forming one or more blocs with coordinated priorities which represent all social categories”, said MP Ahmad Lari, adding that signs of said coordination are expected to appear before the next session of the parliament.

The majority during their meeting today

is expected to reopen several subjects they failed to pass against the pro-government majority in the previous parliament, including scrapping interests of citizens’ loans in local banks. “All efforts will be exerted to achieve ambitions of development, said Dr. Mohammad Al-Kandari in a statement.

In other news, MP Mohammad Al-Khalifa announced plans to submit a draft law to legalize dual citizenship for Kuwaitis. The lawmaker argued that dual citizenship brings “positive aspects” to the state’s economy when people who carry a Kuwaiti nationality along with their original ones are encouraged to invest in the country without restrictions.—Al-Qabas, Al-Watan, Al-Rai

Kuwait’s 50-year history backdrop in expat novel

By Sunil Cherian KUWAIT: Ahmadi Township in 1960s teeming with ficus plants, Bani Walid tribes of Saudi, expat Indians who numbered just below 30,000 (Kuwaitis topped the population in 1962 with 1,14,000 citizens and Palestinians totaled more than Indians) who came to Kuwait in ABC categories (ayah, butler, clerk) and the atrocities of Saddam Hussein who forced even 14-year-olds (with Kalashnikov in hand and slippers on feet) to fight in the arrogant wars constitute a novel - a historical, fictional narrative penned by Balagopalan, an Indian expat. The soon to be published mega novel, titled ‘The Saga of an Expat’, a trilogy with parts from 1962-1990, 1991-2003 and 2004 till date details the history of Kuwait, from a personal and positive perspective as

the first person narrator describes his eventful life in Kuwait.

“It’s part a memoir, part fiction and part history”, said Balagopalan who currently runs a business in Kuwait. “I also want to demystify what Saddam has done to Kuwait, expats, Kurds and millions of other lives”, he said. In the novel, the narrator writhes between his family who only wants his money and his Lebanese lover who was caught by the ogling eyes of Uday, Saddam’s notorious son. Part one of the novel is ready for publication in English and Malayalam, said Balagopalan who already has two non-fiction books in his writer ’s account. Those two world history books in Malayalam are published by DC Books, India. “The new work, The Saga will also be published soon by DC”, said the veteran author who is

considering a foreign publication for the English edition.

The 400-plus part one of the novel, in 50 chapters, portrays numerous characters: Indians, Kuwaitis, Lebanese and Pakistanis. The setting is Kuwait, Iraq, India and Netherlands. The story sketches the life of a young engineer, an employee at Kuwait Oil Company, as he by stands the events, in his and others’ life, unfolding through the corridors of history. The stream of consciousness-style book, peppered with Arabic proverbs and Hindi film songs, also has sharp observations on history: what if the 30 million Indians who fought for the British Empire changed their stance during World War II, and other philosophical undertones: The life of an expat is valued as long as he goes on giving (gifts to others) and why do people engage in war.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

local

Kuwaiti women express shock at absence on political scene ‘New stage will be detrimental’

By Lisa Conrad

KUWAIT: The drug dealers pictured after their arrest.

Arab drug dealers in police custody

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Detectives from General Department for Drug Control(GDDC) men arrested an Arab expat for dealing in drugs. After being tipped off on his drug smuggling activities, detectives closely monitored his movements. While transporting the contraband through one border checkpoint, he was arrested. Upon conducting a thorough search, five kettles stuffed with the drugs were seized from his possession. A total amount of 1.5 kilograms of ICE(drug) was found. During interrogation, he confessed to working with a bedoon, who was also caught. They recovered 50 grams of ICE and 200 hallucinogen pills upon searching the bedoon’s home in Sulaibiya.

At least 11,000 prescription drugs were found and 150 grams of ICE. He confessed to supplying them to customers through another partner. The confiscated drugs are valued at more than KD 100,000 in Kuwait. All suspects were referred to concerned authorities.

Smuggling attempt Kuwait airport customs men arrested an Asian expat who tried to smuggle one kilogram of mariguana while he was coming back from his homeland. Airport supervisor said that the Asian was arrested after he was suspected by customs men and that he was hiding the drugs inside his body. The suspect and the drug are being sent to concerned authorities.

Private party ends tragically KUWAIT: A man was hospitalized in a critical condition after being brutally attacked by two suspects. He reportedly asked them to leave a party he hosted at a rented villa in Al-Bedaa on Friday night. According to eyewitnesses, a raucous fight began when the suspects had to leave for displaying erratic behavior in an inebriated state. The host went out to calm the suspects when they began vandalizing vehicles in protest. The situation took an ugly turn when one of the suspects attacked the victim with a sharp object. The two then ran over the victim several times with the vehicle before driving away. The man miraculously survived the vicious attack and was admitted in an unconscious state to the nearest medical facility. Police launched investigations into the case.

Homicide Investigations are ongoing for a murder suspect who killed an Ethiopian woman and hung her body from a noose to make it appear as if she committed suicide. Police accompanied by crime scene investigators reached an apartment in Al-Nugra used by a recruitment agency that recruits domestic workers. A suicide case was reported.

After the body was removed from the scene, an autopsy confirmed that the victim was physically assaulted and strangled to death. The case was immediately changed into a homicide as investigations are underway in search of the prime suspect.

Five-star jail An investigation was opened into the case where two internet routers were found installed at two separate locations in the Central Jail. In a police crackdown, 35 smart phones with Wi-Fi capabilities were seized. According to sources, nearly half of the facility was covered by routers’ range. At least 12 inmates are being investigated and police are trying to uncover how routers are smuggled into the jail, installed and activated. Also, 12 grams of heroin were found during the crackdown, said sources.

Drunks arrested A drunk driver along with two female companions were arrested in Salmiya recently. Police were alerted at the sight of two women clad in revealing clothes dancing in an SUV being driven recklessly. Police approached the vehicle and arrested them. This is in addition to finding a liquor bottle in the car. They initially resisted arrest, but police overpowered them. They were referred to Al-Rumaithiya police station where the male driver was identified as an Iranian national. The women were identified as African nationals. Investigations revealed that the suspects were on their way to an apartment in the area where another male suspect was waiting. The three remain in custody pending further legal procedures.

Friend stabbed A search is currently ongoing for a male suspect who has been accused of stabbing his ‘friend’ during a fight in Abdullah Al-Salem. The victim was found bleeding at a location where paramedics and police rushed to, in response to an emergency call. He was rushed to Al-Amiri Hospital while police launched a search for the suspect who escaped. Meanwhile, police obtained information about the suspect from a third acquaintance who reported the fight, but could not provide any details about the motives behind the fight. The suspect faces attempted murder charge.

Cheating husband caught A Lebanese man ended up in police custody after being caught spending ‘private time’ with his housemaid in a car.

Patrol officers were on a routine mission in Salmiya when they spotted a couple in a compromising position in a parked vehicle. The two were arrested and taken to the nearest police station. During interrogations, the man confessed to being in an illegal relationship with his maid.

They remain in custody pending further action.

KUWAIT: One of the most poignant features of Kuwait’s political scene is undoubtedly the absence of women in both the Cabinet and Parliament. This has many Kuwaiti women asking how the gender imbalance may affect them. Many have come forward expressing shock and disappointment at what they describe as a ‘step-back’ for Kuwaiti women on the political scene: “I really cannot believe it.

Normally once that gender barrier gets broken the first time, you imagine that things will continue to improve from there. I am so disappointed. We are going backwards, not forwards,” said 49-year-old Lulwa, adding that the new political stage will be detrimental for women across Kuwait.

“There are still so many severe issues facing women in Kuwait in terms of equality and rights, and these results just add to the long list,” she said. Noura, a 37-year-old housewife,

agreed. “I am so frustrated because I feel that we have built ourselves up so much in recent years, and these results make me feel that men and women alike do not truly believe that women deserve a voice in politics,” she added, “had I had the opportunity to pursue further education, and the time, I would have loved to have been involved.” Aisha Al-Faraj, a graduate student, was also shocked by the results but, unlike Lulwa, does not think that they will hinder the development of gender equality. “Gender equality is developing regardless of how many women are in the Cabinet, because more and more women are realizing that their roles are not as restricted as they used to be,” she said. “The more I think about it, the more I believe that roles between the genders are overlapping in Kuwait. This could be just within my social circle; however, that is still a sign of progress.”

Although she expressed optimism for the continuation of better gender equality, Aisha

was still disappointed by the lack of female involvement in top political affairs. “I am extremely disappointed, I was especially fond of Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi and have been a fan of hers for quite some time,” she added. “But I do believe that we should give men a chance, since many are new to the Cabinet. There are a lot of new, young faces who are closer to our generation this time around.”

Lama Al-Haqhaq, a recent graduate, also expressed disappointment. “I was actually really surprised that none of the women were elected this time around, and a little disappointed because I know that some of them had some great suggestions for improving the country.” She added, however, that she does not think the imbalance will affect women’s issues in the country. “As I recall, a lot of the male candidates were suggesting enforcing improvements that will benefit women, so it is not as much a matter of gender as it is policy and vision.”

“I do not think the gender of politicians makes a difference as much as what they are willing to do to develop and better the country. There may even be male politicians who have bigger and better suggestions than female candidates did. It all depends on the person at the end of the day, not their gender,” she added. Whilst she was shocked, she said that she does not think the change will further impede women’s rights and issues in the country given the interest shown by certain male Cabinet members. Aisha agreed that generalizations are not the way forward. “I do not think it is wise to make generalizations based on gender since we have seen the good, the bad, and the very ugly from both genders in past years,” she said, “Women are already politically strong. They can choose to be stronger by caring more about voicing their opinions through voting, since having females in the Cabinet is not the only indication of women’s political strength.”

Masouma winner of Gulf Bank MasterCard draw KUWAIT: Gulf Bank announced Masouma Mohammed Ali Noureddin as the winner of its latest MasterCard promotion which enabled all the Bank’s customers holding a MasterCard to enter a draw to win one million air miles from Kuwait Airways. Gulf Bank MasterCard holders were automatically entered into the draw once they made a transaction of minimum KD 20.

Customers using their card locally received one chance to enter the draw.

If customers used their cards in Kuwait

Airways or abroad they received 2 chances to enter the draw. The air miles can be redeemed through Kuwait Airline tickets, ticket upgrades, extra luggage and many more attractive benefits. Aseel Al-Jassar, Manager, Consumer Banking Group at Gulf Bank said: “At Gulf Bank we strive to offer the most rewarding promotions to our loyal customers. Our partnership with Kuwait Airways was extremely successful and we are looking forward to providing additional promotions that

meet our credit card holders’ needs and requirements. On behalf of Gulf Bank, we congratulate Masouma Mohammad Ali Noureddin on her win and wish her all the best in her upcoming travels.”

To find out more about Gulf Bank’s most recent promotions, customers can either visit the Bank’s bilingual website at www.e-gulfbank.com, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805, or visit one of Gulf Bank’s 55 branches for assistance and guidance.

KUWAIT: Aseel Al-Jassar, manager, Consumer Banking Group congratulating Masouma Mohammed Ali Noureddin.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

LOCAL

Hundreds turn out to attend Concours D’Elegance 2012 ‘One of the greatest events for classical cars’

KUWAIT: Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah and other dignitaries at the Kuwait Concours D’Elegance 2012 at the Marina Crescent.

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Hundreds of fans attended the opening ceremony of the Kuwait Concours D’Elegance 2012 held at the Marina Crescent on Wednesday evening. The event, held for the third consecutive year, under the patronage and presence of former prime minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, is being organized by the Historical Vintage and Classical Cars Museum.

Amid a unique atmosphere filled with passion, energy and entertainment of classical and modern car lovers, the third competition, regarded as one of the greatest events for classical cars across the world, it will last until February 18.

On its second day, a cross country car tour took place, in addition to several other workshops and lectures delivered by leading car experts. This year’s jury comprises famous names, headed by the Concours’ Chief Judge Leonardo Fioravanti, Designer of the Ferrari Daytona 288 GTO, 308 GTB and F40 among others. Other notable judges include Sandra Button from

the United States, the Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance; Marek Richman Design Director at Aston Martin from the UK; Arab champion Mohammed Ben Sulayem from the United Arab Emirates; Andrea Zagato from Italy; Dr. Ulrich Bez CEO of Aston Martin, Horst Bruning from FIVA and Jurgen Lewandowski - Automotive Journalist from Germany; Rony Karam and Fersan Haddad from Lebanon; Jacques Braneyre, and Nicolas Marceau from France; Shiro Nakamura - Chief Creative Officer of Nissan-Infiniti from Japan; Raja Gargour Head of the Royal Cars Museum in Jordan; Christian Philippsen - Head of Louis Vuitton Classic from Belgium; Manvendra Singh from India and last but not least the designer of Mercedes-Benz Olivier Boulay.

Over the past years, the competition sustained a unique international presence and presented an annual event example that attracts classical and modern cars enthusiasts alike.

The launch of Kuwait Concours D’Elegance 2012 is distinguished.

Italian handmade cars of the mid 70s of the last century will be on display as well. ‘Kuwait Concours D’Elegance 2012 ’competition embraces various significant activities. These include the jury’s judgment of American Sports Cars, a lecture named ‘The Car that Changed My Life’ delivered by Leonardo Fioravanti to celebrate Ferrari F40 Silver Jubilee, a second lecture was delivered by Librus Meyers, and a third one named ‘Mercedes-Benz Green Cars Strategy,’

by Mercedes- Benz designer Oliver Boulay.

On its third day, the jury panel held a session to judge the participating cars, while on the fourth and last day, a documentary showing the history of the Concours D’Elegance will be held, in addition to announcing a prize. In addition, a lecture entitled ‘Car Culture in India from 1900 to 1940’ will be delivered by Manvendra Singh; as well as a parade for the event’s cars will take place at Marina Crescent. Starting in Paris during the 1920s just after ‘Belle Epoque’, the Concours d’Elegance is an automobile competition created to judge the

designs and styles of elegant sumptuous classic cars. The fame and popularity of the Concours d’Elegance spread across Europe as well as the United States until 1960s. With changing trends and times, many competitions ceased to exist as bespoke automobiles lost their popular appeal for many different reasons. In the 1980s, the Concours d’Elegance was revived, brought back by popular demand, and today these events have once again become the most exclusive and prestigious classic car celebrations worldwide. Organized by the Kuwait Historical, Vintage and Classic Cars Museum, the third Kuwait Concours d’Elegance, the only event of its kind in the Mideast today, has quickly established itself as a premier event giving Kuwait’s Concours a seat at the table of top-shelf automotive shows worldwide. Kuwait Concours d’Elegance is fashioned in the Italian style. The focal point of the show is hand-made classic cars featuring automobiles produced during the early stages of automotive industrial history to bespoke cars designed into the mid-1970s.

‘Church demolition illegal, unconstitutional’ KUWAIT: Curtailing Christians’ religious freedom by removing churches violates the country’s laws, and is an affront to the tolerant image of Islam and Kuwaiti society, said Jamaal Al-Shehab , Minister of Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. This was his first public comment to reports about a lawmaker’s plans to submit a draft law banning the construction of new churches.

Reassuring that the Constitution promotes free-

dom of religious belief and practice, Al-Shehab recognized MPs’ right to use constitutional tools, adding that religious scholars should be consulted to limit the number of churches operating here. AlShehab described the demolition of all churches in Kuwait as illegal, unconstitutional and in violation of Islamic regulations.

Islamist MP Osama Al-Munawer, on the other hand, clarified that he has not called for removing

the existing churches in Kuwait, but does not approve of building more Christian worship places.

“Kuwait already has enough churches to cater to the needs of the state’s Christian minority.” He clarified on Friday that the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has issued a license to construct a new church. Al-Munawer said that he plans to submit a parliamentary inquiry on the subject to minister Al-Shehab. — Al-Rai

UN panel satisfied with Kuwaiti positive steps GENEVA: The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination yesterday considered satisfactory the combined 15th and 20th periodic reports of Kuwait on how that country is implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Alexei Avtonomov, country rapporteur for Kuwait, said he was very satisfied with the open dialogue and appreciated the efforts of the Kuwaiti delegation to address all issues in the report and noted many of the positive steps taken within the country.

A number of areas of progress had occurred by the state party, especially related to establishment of a new human rights’ institution. Sadiq Marafi, head of the Kuwaiti delegation and Charge d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Kuwait to the United Nations Office at Geneva said he was grateful for the fruitful outcome of the session and noted that it was only through direct dialogue that mutual understanding could be achieved.

The delegation renewed the determination of the government to exert all possible efforts to combat racial discrimination and that as Kuwaiti society was steadily progressing, additional achievements would be made in the area of protecting and promoting human rights.

Earlier, Kuwait defended the label of “illegal residents” to describe those who are not citizens and do not have a valid

residency permit to reside in the country, at the United Nations on Friday.

The Kuwaiti law of foreigners stay No 17 of 1959 does not give foreigners the right of permanent stay in Kuwait without a valid visa and passport, Eman Abdullatif Al-Nasser, head of the technical office at the central committee for addressing the status of illegal residents in Kuwait, said while presenting Kuwait’s periodical report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

She added this label was given to those who enter the country by illegal means or those who fail to renew their visas because they are hiding their passports or official documents.

Al-Nasser explained that those people came to Kuwait for work, but after witnessing the advantages given by the state to citizens, concealed their passports and claimed to be indigenous people in order to gain the Kuwaiti nationality.

She pointed out that the number of illegal residents before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 amounted to 220,000, but this figure dropped to 117, 000 in 1992 as thousands returned voluntarily to their original countries.

Al-Nasser also refuted claims that these people are of tribal Bedouin decent (known for their constant travel across Gulf states) and that they were excluded from naturalization during the creation of the State of Kuwait. —KUNA

pratap

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

LOCAL

Private sector to help Kuwait to improve health care Agility bids KD25m for 26% stake in KHAC

Entertainment City celebrates National holidays KUWAIT: The Entertainment City will celebrate Kuwait’s national holidays by hosting special entertainment programs on Saturday, Feb 25 and Sunday, Feb 26, announced a senior Touristic Enterprises Company(TEC) official recently.

“The event will be held between 4pm and 8pm featuring special programs for children including caricatures of Pink Panther, Barney and Smurfs shows at the Entertainment City theater,” said Operations and Activities Manager Anwar Al-Nisf, adding that competitions will be held for people belonging to all age groups.

Moreover, national celebrations at the Entertainment City are scheduled to continue till Monday, Feb 27, the day reserved exclusively for female visitors.

Women-oriented programs will be held then, Al-Nisf said. Al-Nisf also announced that a fireworks display will be held at 8:15 pm on Kuwait’s National Day which falls on Februar y 25 and Kuwait’s

Liberation Day which falls on Feb 26.

The Entertainment City will remain open from 10am to 11pm on Feb 25, and from 10am to 10pm the following two days.

Anwar Al-Nisf

KUWAIT: Development of the health care sector remains a priority for Kuwait. The government recently signed two agreements with foreign educational institutions which aim to improve training for the country’s medical professionals.

While the goal of this type of international collaboration is to enhance the skills of local physicians who work at state-run facilities, the government is also taking steps to create private investment opportunities in the country’s health care sector. In late December, the Ministry of Health signed a five-year agreement with Johns Hopkins International (JHI) that will help Kuwait to improve health care at four of the country’s five secondary care public hospitals. JHI is the international division of US-based medical school Johns Hopkins Medicine.

In early 2012, JHI experts in clinical care, hospital administration and hospital management started to work with health care professionals at the Ministry of Health. Combined, the four local hospitals account for more than 40 percent of the public sector hospital beds in Kuwait. The collaboration will focus on medical issues in the fields of trauma, orthopedics, rehabilitation, diabetes, obstetrics, pediatrics and telemedicine.

The Ministry of Health is taking other steps to ensure that its physicians are well trained, including signing an agreement in December with the Faculty of Medicine at the King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia to provide emergency medical training to doctors in Kuwait.

Dr Khalid Al-Sahlawi, assistant undersecre-

tary for technical affairs at the Ministry of Health, said the purpose of this collaboration is to qualify a number of Kuwaiti staff to train other local medical professionals.

While these two recently signed agreements pertain to the training of staff in the public health care system, Kuwait is also planning to expand the role of the private sector in the provision of medical services, according to Waleed Al-Falah, the assistant undersecretary for planning and quality at the Ministry of Health.

“The Ministry encourages the participation of the private health sector as a partner and not a competitor, urging it to expand its services and to implement high-quality standards,” he said.

Currently, the private sector accounts for about 10 percent of the health care market in Kuwait. Government efforts have so far focused on the establishment of Kuwait Health Assurance Company (KHAC), a public-private partnership (PPP) that will be responsible for managing the health care needs of the majority of expatriates living in Kuwait.

At present, all expatriates who reside in Kuwait are required to purchase health insurance from the government, and can then seek medical attention at one of the state-owned medical facilities.

According to a presentation prepared by The Advisory Group, a consulting firm currently engaged in several health care projects in Kuwait, the target population for KHAC’s services amounted to about 1.5 million individuals in 2010. As envisioned by the government, KHAC

will sell health insurance to expatriates, and will then provide medical services for plan enrollees at facilities owned and run by KHAC. Health care economists call this type of system a health maintenance organization.

Facilities to be built include a network of 15 primary care centers, as well as three secondarycare hospitals to be located in Ahmadi, Farwaniya and Jahra. In total, the three hospitals will have more than 1200 beds.

The government is seeking a strategic investor for the project, who will hold 26 percent of KHAC. The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) will own a 24 percent stake, while the remaining 50 percent of the company will be sold to Kuwaiti nationals in a public offering. The 26 percent share is being sold by auction, which closed on Nov 29, according to KIA’s website. KIA is responsible for conducting and supervising the auction. Bidders for the 26 percent stake include the local Kuwait Finance House and KIPCO Asset Management Company, the US-based GE Health care and most recently Agility, the Kuwaiti logistics firm. On Dec 4, Agility announced that it had bid about KD25.6 million to acquire the 26 percent strategic stake in KHAC. The government expects that KHAC will launch by 2015. Once operational, this new entrant into the Kuwaiti heath care system will significantly expand the quantity of medical services available in the country and could well reduce the state’s cost of providing health care to its residents. — Oxford Business Group

Lulu Hypermarket launches Hala Festival with special festivities KUWAIT: Lulu Hypermarket, the lifestyle shopping destination of choice and the largest hypermarket in the country, celebrated the occasion of Kuwait’s Hala February, with a flurry of special offerings and promotions. The festivities were flagged off on Thursday at 7.30pm a t t h e Lu l u H y p e r m a r k e t ’s Q u r a i n branch by Sheikh Faisal Al-Humoud AlMalek Al-Sabah and the Management of Lulu Hypermarket, in the presence of a large gathering of shoppers and wellwishers.

The dignitaries were welcomed by a lively Ardha, the traditional Kuwaiti sword dance. To mark the occasion special themed decorations, balloons and buntings in the colors of the Kuwaiti flag decorated the venue. Following the cutting of the cake by Sheikh Faisal a cultural program was inaugurated with the national anthem and patriotic songs rendered by students of Carmel School, Kuwait.

Adding to the festival mood were face painting and henna painting booths as well as a large canvas that stretched across the foyer of the mall on which people could express their sentiments on the festivities and their love for the country. Another highlight at the Hypermarket was the display of vegetables that were sourced from local farms and the arrangement of these to depic t the national flag of Kuwait.

Speaking about the launch of this remarkable festival at Lulu Hypermarket, Sheikh Faisal said that he was extremely pleased at the initiative and thanked the management of the hypermarket for conduc ting the event. Sheik h Faisal expressed his special thanks Yusuffali MA, the Managing Director of Lulu Group for the efforts undertaken by him in supporting retail activities in the country and lauded his dedication to the best interests of Kuwait. He wished the festivities the best of success.

Several promotions and special offers are being held across Lulu Hypermarkets in the country to mark the joyous occasions. The overwhelming response to the ongoing promotions is a clear indication of the popularity of the Hypermarket and its continued initiative to always be a part of the country’s special occasions.

Lulu Hypermarket always aims to bring

the best of the world to their customers through providing the right products in the right place at the right time.

Lulu Hypermarkets have become the shopping destination of choice for discerning customers as they offer an ultramodern shopping ambience that integrates every conceivable need of consumers under one roof.

The highly popular and pioneer Lulu

retail chain in the Middle-East, caters to over 468,000 customers everyday and is ranked number one among the Middle East retailers, according to ‘The Grocer Middle-East’, a UK based retail magazine.

With an annual turnover of $4.1 billion and a multi-ethnic employee profile of more than 27,000 people from over 29 countries, the Group plans on opening its 100th store in the region by March, 2012.

KUWAIT: Sheikh Faisal Al-Humoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah touring different sections after inaugurating Hala February festivities at the Lulu Hypermarket’s Qurain branch.

NBK spends KD30 million on CSR initiatives KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has released its annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report 2011 recently.

NBK spent more than KD 30 million on CSR initiatives including annual donations to the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), recruiting and professional development for Kuwaiti youth, supporting NBK’s Children Hospital, organizing the annual NBK Walkathon and providing relief for victims of the Somalia famine.

NBK’s corporate social responsibility program for 2011 covered a range of education, environment, health, philanthropic, social and sports-related initiatives. NBK has a long tradition of supporting social and community oriented activities in the country.

In 2011, NBK actively recruited skilled graduates and young nationals. The Bank recruited approximately 900 young Kuwaitis during the last three years.

In addition to providing job opportunities to new graduates, NBK organizes an

annual summer internship training and recruitment program for Al-Azraq account holders. NBK hosted several school visits during which hundreds of students were invited to tour the bank and learn firsthand about banking procedures and practices.

Every year, NBK sponsors the annual conference for the National Union of Kuwaiti Students in the United States.

NBK is an environment-friendly bank and has launched a range of initiatives including beach cleanup, energy saving, paper recycling and desert campsite cleanup campaigns.

NBK strongly supports the country’s health care institutions. In a first-of-its-kind initiative launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Bank invited a British medical team from London’s world famous Great Ormond Street Hospital to treat children at the NBK’s Children Hospital suffering from blood disorders and cancer.

Throughout the year, NBK also organized several social awareness programs includ-

ing blood donation drives and breast cancer awareness campaigns.

For the 19th consecutive year, NBK organized Iftar banquets during the Holy Month of Ramadan at special tents around Kuwait for fasters.

The Bank also contributed to a cargo plane of emergency aid, foodstuffs and medical supplies for famine-stricken people in Somalia. NBK donated USD 500,000 to help the people in Somalia suffering from the famine, set up an account number and mobilized all its branches and channels including Call Centre and Watani Online to receive donations.

NBK’s Annual Walkathon in its 17th year attracted thousands of participants from all ages and both genders. The event was held in tandem with celebrations marking Kuwait’s 50th anniversary of Independence, 20th anniversary of Liberation and 5th anniversary of H.H. the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah assuming his post.

7

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

LOCAL Local Spotlight

The new invasion

in my view

Slotting into the system

By Lisa Conrad

Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

lisa@kuwaittimes.net

believe that an ‘invasion’ is not restricted to an enemy gious groups. There were some Jews here many years country’s military offensive. I think Kuwait is facing ago! Now some are calling for the destruction of an intellectual and cultural invasion that is turning churches. The Constitution clearly grants freedom of aggressive each day. So, we should not undermine the belief bearing in mind that there are Kuwaiti Christians, current symptoms, with calls being made for the best who are a minority group. Their rights should be protected. I don’t think they while only serving the have ever been a threat to interests of a fraction of Muslims! I completely society.

The repeated calls to amend the most believe that this is not about How can this invasion Constitution and marginalize women being a true Muslim destroy our life and future?

I believe infringing upon by encouraging them to not work by because Islam respects freedom of belief. the freedoms enjoyed by paying an allowance to remain at I would call this attitude people in Kuwait, guaranone of extremism. Such teed many years ago by home and receive no higher educaviews can be easily spread the Constitution - human tion are examples of a very regressive and misinterpreted to create rights, demands, achievesociety. The society dictates that all civil conflicts. ments, empowerment of The Arabs in countries women, and human develwomen be married off and completelike Syria, Egypt, Libya and opment - is the form of ly disregard single women that do not Tunis rebelled against dictainvasion we face now. tors. We don’t have dictaThe repeated calls to wish to marry, be educated, receive tors. The GCC has ‘rulers’ and amend the Constitution full education and be employed. we are very blessed here to and marginalize women by have a ruler who believes in encouraging them to not freedom of speech. work by paying an allowance to remain at home and receive no higher Extremists create confusion in the minds of Kuwaitis education are examples of a very regressive society. The and distract them. Amidst darkness, we still save oursociety dictates that all women be married off and com- selves by refusing to bow to such views that could ruin pletely disregard single women that do not wish to mar- and trash us as a nation. We could keeping writing and ry, be educated, receive full education and be speaking openly and firmly about the threat that can put an end to our existence if we let some powers employed.

Another worrying issue here is that Kuwait has been speak. If we stand silent, we will be trampled upon. I second home to expatriates belonging to different reli- know that some Kuwaitis want to make a difference.

I

in my view

Between genius and philosophical illusions

By Mohammad Al-Awadhi n his book ‘ The Grand Design’, released a year and a half ago, physicist Stephen Hawk ing argues that the presence of a creator is not necessary to explain the origins of the universe.

His arguments created strong reactions around the world, leading Hawking to clarify during a televised interview that based on his scientific research he does not personally believe in the existence of God. I asked Dr Amr Sherif, Chief Professor of the surgery department at Al-Ain Shams University in Egypt, for his opinion on the matter. Dr Sherif is an award winning author, whose notable publications include a translation of ‘There is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind’ by Antony Flew.

I asked Dr Sherif to comment on a few YouTube videos I sent him on a lec ture Stephen Hawk ing gave regarding his book . I recently received a response from him and I thought I would share what Dr Sherif had to say in this column: “Before I comment on the lecture, I would like to assert that I do not argue with Hawking’s scientific theories, but with the philosophical methods by which he attempted to explain these theories; which in turn could be subjected to favoring certain ideologies. The first thing I would like to comment on is that Hawking recognizes matter, energy and space as the three main elements for a universe to be created.

However, Hawk ing overlooked a very important aspect in the creation process, which is the knowhow. In order for these elements to converge and create something as complex as the universe, an enormous amount of information is needed for this process to go properly and achieve the required results.

Second, Hawking believes that laws of quantum physics explain alone how the Big Bang happened. I would like to ask this question: how were the laws of quantum physics shaped and utilized to create the Big Bang? In other words, who established these laws before the Big Bang even happened?

Hawking further argues that laws of quantum physics are capable of explaining how the universe could have formed out of nothing. But if

I

that is the case, have the laws of quantum physics also come out of nothing? This brings us to the question above on who put these laws before the creation of the universe.

And if matter can create itself out of nothing, would not that violate the law of conservation of mass, which implies that mass cannot be created or destroyed? I t requires divine capabilities to violate this law.

Furthermore, Hawking indicates that laws of nature explain how life exists without the need for a Creator. Hawk ing’s argument is based on the theory that the universe is either shaped by God or runs through laws of nature. This argument however overlooks the theor y that God utilizes laws of nature in the creation process, such as when rainfall leads to plants growing on barren land.

The fifth note I would like to comment on is Hawking’s theory that when positive and negative energy are combined together in the universe, the result will be zero, thus explaining that creation can come out of nothing without the need of a Creator. While I agree with Hawking that the universe was created from nothing (it is even mentioned in the Holy Quran), I do not find that this theory forms a basis to jump to the conclusion that God does not exist.

On the other hand, I believe that shaping a universe with such complexity and integrity requires divine powers to be make it out of nothing.

Sixth, Hawking says that time and space existed with the creation of the universe, which means that before the universe existed there was no time or place where God could be.

Believe me, Hawking actually said that! He of course overlooked the aspect that God’s realm is not controlled by the dimensions of time and space of the universe, because it is outside of it.

If Hawking’s theory was true; that there was no time or place before the universe for God to exit, should that not mean that there was also no time or place for laws of quantum physics to exist and trigger the universe’s creation process? Finally, I would like to reiterate that my objections are not to the scientific aspect of Hawking’s theories, but to the philosophical conclusions he arrived at from these theories”. —Al-Rai

uwait is the only country in the world with my fingerprints on record. Personally, I find the idea very unsettling. I first had the print of my right index finger taken at the airport, and it all went downhill from there. As any expatriate in Kuwait knows, you have to go and get your fingerprints formally taken if you want to stay here, eventually finding yourself in an office housing a winding line of nervous-looking expatriates slowly waiting for their un-traceability to be stripped away; forever. I understand why incoming expatriates are fingerprinted, but I would have liked to be unreasonably excluded from the procedure.

Now, anything I come into contact with is traceable back to me. For example, why is it any one else’s business, but mine, that I felt like prodding at an exceedingly expensive vase? I’m not suggesting that a mass-fingerprinting mission of vases across Kuwait is taking place (as far as I know) but the point remains that the act will forever be traced to me. I have no desire to partake in anything that will link me, some kind of wrongdoing and my newly-stored fingerprints together. Somehow, the very idea that they are stored is still unsettling.

On the solemn day they were taken, I was lulled into a short-lived sense of comfort as only the four fingers of my right hand were scanned on the rather futuristic fingerprint scanner. ‘Great,’ I reassured myself ‘I still have my left hand and two thumbs to commit crime/prod vases with.’ But, sure enough, the four fingers of my left hand had to go on the scanner, too. I had just two thumbs left, desperately clinging on to my fast-dwindling anonymity. Sure enough, my thumbs were also scanned. As I looked up and saw my prints staring back at me, along-

K

side a rather unflattering photo, I thought about the implications of having become officially traceable, while also pondering how often the scanner was disinfected.

Two very harrowing thoughts, indeed.

The rather simplistic process of having your prints taken slyly conceals the significance of what the whole process really means. It goes so quickly, and it’s almost surreal to think of how quickly you can suddenly be linked back to every single little thing you do. What if, for example, the overpriced vase was stolen by a crystalloving thief, thus sparking a nationwide search as crystal owners across the country demanded justice? What if the vase was later found, abandoned, but unharmed, with just my curious index finger print on it from the day I’d been unable to resist prodding at its sparkling beauty? There is certainly something mournful about being fingerprinted for the first time.

I had always been inexplicably proud that my fingerprints weren’t on record anywhere, reassured by the fact that I wasn’t one of the countless stored in mass databases, waiting to be wrongly implicated or, conversely, justly caught for their crimes. Despite the disturbing rise of surveillance technology, the electronics embedded in my passport and the ease with which personal information can be stolen, I still felt comforted by the slight sense of anonymity, not being fingerprinted gave me. Somehow, I’d deluded myself into believing that I had slipped through the tight grasp of Big Brother. I doubt that anyone truly can, and I certainly acknowledge the benefits of fingerprinting in helping to find criminals and solve cases. I much preferred, however, when I was the exception to the rule.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

400 Iranian exiles reluctantly relocate

Key political risks to watch in UAE

Page 9

Page 9

WASHINGTON: Capitol Police officer Trevor O’Neill stands on guard on the west side of the Capitol in Washington. A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested Friday in an FBI sting operation near the US Capitol while planning to detonate what police say he thought were live explosives. — AP

Moroccan plots to bomb Capitol Terror suspect arrested in FBI sting WASHINGTON: A Moroccan immigrant was in federal custody yesterday after he allegedly tried to carry out a suicide bombing at the US Capitol, under the watch of the FBI in a sting operation. The FBI said it conducted the undercover operation as part of a longstanding terrorism probe of the suspect, who was arrested blocks from the Capitol building as he planned to detonate what he believed to be live explosives in a vest he wore.

Both the explosives and a MAC-10 automatic gun were given to him by undercover federal agents, who had first rendered them inoperable, according to court documents. Because of that, the incident “posed no threat to the public,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The Justice Department identified the man as Amine El Khalifi, a 29-year-old immigrant from Morocco living illegally in the US state of Virginia, which borders the capital Washington. “Amine El Khalifi sought to blow himself up in the US Capitol Building,” US Attorney Neil MacBride said in a statement. “El Khalifi allegedly believed he was working with Al-Qaeda and devised the

plot, the targets and the methods on his own,” the statement said.

According to court documents, Khalafi attended a meeting in Arlington, Virginia, in January 2011 which included a “confidential human source” who reported to the FBI that Khalifi wanted to join an effort to stage attacks on US soil. An affidavit says Khalifi “sought to be associated with an armed extremist group,” and on December 1, was introduced to a man called “Yusuf” who was in fact an undercover agent. The Justice Department said Khalifi had originally considered several different targets, including US military offices, a synagogue and a restaurant frequented by US military officials, but eventually settled on the US Capitol. He spent nearly a month scoping out the building, venturing inside several times to conduct surveillance and asking a man he thought was an Al-Qaeda operative-but who was in fact a US undercover agent-to remotely detonate the bomb if he encountered problems with security officers. The Justice Department said undercover agents were with Khalifi on Friday when they drove to a parking garage,

where the suspect took possession of an automatic MAC-10 pistol “and put on a vest containing what he believed to be a functioning bomb.”

The statement said that unbeknownst to Khalifi, “both the weapon and the bomb had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement.” He then walked toward the Capitol “where he intended to shoot people and detonate the bomb,” but Khalifi was arrested and taken into custody before exiting the parking garage, the department said. Khalifi made an initial appearance Friday before a federal judge, where he was charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against US property.

He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.

Authorities briefed US lawmakers-who gather in the Capitol building to debate and vote on legislation-on the arrest. “The brazen nature of this plot-targeting the US Capitol building with the aim of killing innocent people and desecrating a symbol of our democracy-is disturbing,” Republican Senator Susan Collins said in a statement.

Collins, the ranking Republican on the

Homeland Security Committee, mentioned figures that show a sharp rise in thwarted terrorism plots in recent years. According to the Congressional Research Ser vice, between May 2009 and February 9, 2012, arrests were made in connection with 36 homegrown plots by Americans or legal permanent US residents, compared to 21 such plots between September 11, 2001 and May 2009.

Friday’s arrest was startling because it marked a plot by a US-based suspect apparently intent on blowing himself up, whereas several previous sting operations foiled plots that did not necessarily involve suicide attacks. While US authorities have been on alert to terrorism plots after the 9/11 attacks, in which terrorists flew hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, “I think we have this false sense that a suicide bombing... is unlikely to happen here,” said Frances Townsend, former homeland security advisor to president George W Bush. A White House spokesman said President Barack Obama was informed Thursday of the FBI’s plan to make an arrest. — AFP

Obama in hot water over shark fin soup SAN FRANCISCO: It was the sort of visit made for cameras, but President Barack Obama’s stop at a Chinese restaurant came under scrutiny on Friday after the menu showed that it served shark fin.

Obama, in San Francisco for fund-raisers, on Thursday surprised and delighted lunch-time diners with a surprise stop at a restaurant in Chinatown. He posed for pictures and paid in cash for two bags of take-out food. But a look at the menu of the restaurant, Great Eastern, showed that it offered soup from shark fin, a Chinese delicacy that environmentalists say is pushing the ancient fish to the point of extinction.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said that no one on the staff had been aware of the issue until seeing media reports on Friday and that Obama had not ordered shark.

“The president enjoyed his visit to Chinatown, and, as you know, ordered a lot of dim sum takeout.

“No soup,” Carney told reporters on Air Force One. Environmentalists say that tens of millions of sharks are killed each year as fishermen slice off their fins for dinner tables, leaving them to die in the water. Sharks have few offspring, compounding risks to their survival.

The United States banned finning in its waters in 2000.

Obama in January 2011 signed the Shark Conservation Act that toughened regulations by banning imports of fins that are not attached to corresponding shark carcasses. While the federal law did not ban shark fins themselves, California Governor Jerry Brown in October signed a bill that barred the sale, trade and possession of shark fins.

However, restaurants in San Francisco and elsewhere in California can still sell existing stocks of shark fin until July 2013.

Rebecca Regnery, deputy director of wildlife for Humane Society International, said that shark fin was still on offer at a majority of large Chinese restaurants in cities with large Asian populations. She said that her group had special cards which it encouraged diners to fill out and send to restaurants if they find shark fin.

“Usually the restaurants say we’re happy not to serve it, but then everyone is going to go to our competitor and because of demand we’re obligated to serve it,” she said. “If it’s the opposite, and people go to a competitor that does not serve shark fin, then it starts making economic sense to take it off the menu,” she said. — AFP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is framed by runway lights as he walks across the tarmac to Air Force One in this photo. — AP

News

in brief

Bahrain deports 4 activists DUBAI: Bahrain announced the deportation of four foreign activists for “taking part in illegal demonstrations,” bringing to 12 the number expelled over the past week. The four were deported for “lying on immigration forms” as their “visas were issued for the purposes of tourism but all were participating in illegal demonstrations,” the official BNA news agency reported late on Friday. The news agency did not specify the nationalities of those deported but the main Shiite opposition group Al-Wefaq said they included one American and one Briton. Last Tuesday marked the first anniversary of the launch of month-long Shiiteled pro-democracy protests that were bloodily crushed by the kingdom’s Sunni minority rulers with the help of a Saudi-led military intervention.

Palestinian rocket hits Gaza GAZA: A rocket fired at Israel yesterday by Palestinian militants instead hit a house in the Gaza Strip, but there were no casualties, witnesses said. It apparently exploded prematurely, damaging the house, the witnesses said, without being able to provide further details. Separately, police said three rockets were fired from Gaza at southern Israel but hit fields near Eshkol without causing any casualties or property damage.

That brought to five the number fired since Friday. In another incident, the military said an anti-tank rocket was fired at Israeli soldiers but damaged the security fence separating Gaza from Israel, Troops, who responded with tank fire, also neutralized an explosive device at the scene.

3 Qaeda suspects killed ADEN: Yemeni troops killed three suspected AlQaeda members during overnight clashes around the southern city of Zinjibar, which was seized by the group in May, a military source said yesterday. “Two members of Al-Qaeda, including a local chief, died when a rocket hit their position in the suburbs of Zinjibar,” the source said. In a separate incident, one Al-Qaeda fighter was killed and four others wounded in an exchange of small arms fire, the source added. In May, militants from the Al-Qaeda branch in Yemen who declare themselves the Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law), took control of Zinjibar, triggering months of fighting between militants and government troops.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

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

Collapse of arms treaty talks narrowly averted Syria, Arab Spring is the ‘elephant in the room’

BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces enter through the main gate of Camp Ashraf in Khalis, north of Baghdad, Iraq. — AP

400 Iranian exiles reluctantly relocate BAGHDAD: Lugging clothes, tables and whatever else they were allowed to bring, roughly 400 members of an Iranian exile group reluctantly moved yesterday from their camp in northwestern Iraq to a deserted military base outside the capital in what they called a show of good faith that they eventually will be allowed to leave the country peacefully. It was the first group to move of the more than 3,300 members of the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran who have lived at Camp Ashraf for three decades.

They left under pressure from the Iraqi government, whose army stormed Ashraf last April in a raid that left 34 of the exiles dead. The United Nations also wants the exiles to move to the Camp Liberty military base outside Baghdad, where they can be screened for asylum eligibility and, presumably, better protected. The process of moving the exiles to the new location has proceeded in fits and starts over recent months. Members had not left Ashraf for years and did not want to leave their home - a miniature city with parks and a university - for an abandoned military base.

Iraqi soldiers searched the exiles for almost an entire day before they left Ashraf, and they were searched again yesterday before they were allowed into Liberty. “This process is a humiliating and degrading treatment,” said Bahzad Saffari, 50, a camp resident since 2003 who was among the first group of exiles to

go. “We are very frustrated and have been going through this harassment for more than 24 hours now. The camp looks horrible - it is totally different from the photos that were provided to us.”

He said exiles were barred from bringing some of their heirlooms, including photographs, microwave ovens, satellite dishes for Internet access and, in one case, a pair of therapeutic socks. None of the exiles - three-quarters of them male, including a 70-year-old man - wanted to go but agreed to be among the first tranche when Ashraf’s leaders asked for volunteers, Saffari said.

Iraq’s government says the exiles are in Iraq illegally and yesterday’s move is a first step toward to sending them out of the country.

“Iraq inherited a number of problems and legacies left by the former regime, and they hurt Iraq and represent a source of tension in Iraq’s relations with neighboring countries,” Iraqi National Security Adviser Faleh Al-Fayadh told reporters. “We reject the presence of this unwanted organization on Iraqi soil since it infringes on Iraq’s sovereignty.” The People’s Mujahedeen, which seeks the overthrow of Tehran’s clerical rulers, has been labeled everything from a cult to a terrorist organization - although one that has provided the US with intelligence on Iran. The group says it renounced violence in 2001, after carrying out bloody bombings and assassinations in Iran in the 1980s.

Also known by its Farsi name, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, the group is the militant wing of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran. The US considers it a terrorist organization although the European Union removed it from its terror list two years ago. They were welcomed to Iraq by Saddam Hussein during the 1980s in a common fight against Iran. But since Saddam’s ouster they have been an irritant to the Iraqi government which is trying to build stronger ties with Iran. Last year, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki ordered Ashraf to close by the end of 2011. The UN, however, dubbed the forced removal of Ashraf residents as “ill-advised and unacceptable.” Ashraf is located in the desert near the Iranian border, about 60 miles northeast of Baghdad.

Until recently, the exiles refused to go. In December, the group’s Paris-based head, Maryam Rajavi, agreed to move 400 residents to Camp Liberty in a show of goodwill as the UN tries to broker a compromise between the two sides. In a statement last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Iraq’s government has agreed to let Ashraf stay open until April 30 to give the exiles more time to move. The UN mission in Iraq has been frantically working to relocate the exiles in other countries, and Ban has urged member states to take in the eligible Ashraf residents. Returning to Iran is unlikely because of their opposition to the regime. — AP

Key political risks to watch in the UAE DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates is vulnerable to any fallout from tension over Iran’s nuclear program, which has escalated after Tehran threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz and stop the flow of the bulk of the region’s oil. Any move to obstruct Hormuz could spark a wider military confrontation. The United States has said it would not tolerate the strait being blocked. On the domestic front, the UAE has escaped the upheaval that has shaken the Arab world, but the case of five activists convicted of insulting the country’s rulers suggests the oil producing state is not immune to calls for reform.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahayan pardoned the five, a day after a state security court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from two to three years. The case had been seen as a gauge of how the oil-producing Gulf Arab state, which allows no political parties, responds to hints of dissent after uprisings toppled other Arab leaders. The UAE has also shown little tolerance towards Islamists. It stripped six nationals suspected of links to an Islamist group of their citizenship late last year. The UAE is among the world’s top five oil exporters and its small local population has one of world’s highest per capita income, estimated at $66,625

in 2011, according to the IMF. Below are some of the risks facing the UAE: REGIONAL ISLAMIST MILITANCY The UAE has so far been spared any attack by AlQaeda. But Dubai, a business and tourism centre that attracts many Westerners, could make an attractive target for Islamist militants. In 2009, al Qaeda’s Yemeni and Saudi branches merged into a regional arm. They claimed responsibility for a failed plot in October 2010 to send two parcel bombs to the United States that were intercepted in Britain and Dubai. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has threatened to attack Westerners in the region and has said it sees the UAE as its fourth target after the United States, Saudi Arabia and Britain. UAE’s tight security may have helped it prevent attacks.

DOMESTIC UNREST Chances of protests in the UAE are widely considered lower than in other Arab states due to the small indigenous population and huge oil wealth, especially in the emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where the federal capital is located. But Emirati activists have been calling on the Internet for a greater say in government, legislative powers for the 40-member Federal National Council (FNC) and less censorship. In December last year, the UAE revoked the citizenship of six nationals whom it said posed a threat to national security. The men, affiliated with an Islamic organization, said they were being punished for demanding political reform.

Observers suggested that besides Iran, the UAE’s top security concern was a potential rise of political Islam.

Islamist parties won parliamentary elections in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco and are expected to play a major role in Libya. UAE rulers increased the number of handpicked voters for FNC elections held in September to 129,000 - or about 25 percent of would-be eligible voters - but did not grant the council binding legislative power. In December, the UAE set up a 10 billion dirham ($2.7 billion) fund to help pay low-income citizens’ debts and announced plans to raise wages of some state employees, which may support its economy but also increase the fiscal burden.

DUBAI DEBT, FINANCIAL WOES The UAE economy is expected to grow by around 3.1 percent last year, according to a Reuters poll in December, down from last year, but higher than the 1.4 percent in 2010 when Dubai struggled to restructure its debts. Dubai’s finances remain a concern after the global financial crisis burst its property bubble, shelving multi-billion dollar projects and leading to thousands of job cuts in 2008-09. The property sector is still suffering from over-supply, but the economy has picked up.

The emirate rattled markets in 2009 when Dubai World, one of the government’s three flagship holding companies, sought a delay in repaying $26 billion of debt linked mainly to property units Nakheel and Limitless. Abu Dhabi, home to most of the UAE federation’s oil wealth, lent Dubai $10 billion, helping avert default on a bond issued by Nakheel. Dubai World and Nakheel have both reached agreements to restructure about $41 billion in debt. — Reuters

UNITED NATIONS: Negotiators have narrowly averted the collapse of talks on a world arms trade treaty to regulate the $55 billion global weapons market, agreeing on ground rules for negotiations after days of procedural wrangling.

Delegates and advocates for tougher oversight of global arms sales said the agreement set the stage for a monthlong conference in July to draft the treaty. Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies as a result of armed violence and that a convention is needed to prevent illicitly traded guns from pouring into conflict zones and fueling wars and atrocities.

Earlier on Friday, arms control activists and diplomats said the talks were nearly derailed by disputes over procedure - above all whether participants can effectively veto an agreement in July although those issues were eventually resolved. There are also divisions over whether human rights should be a mandatory criterion for determining whether governments should permit weapons exports to

specific countries. Brian Wood of Amnesty International said Russia, China and several other armsexporting nations were “resisting proposals from the overwhelming majority for criteria in the treaty that would stop arms transfers” when there was reason to believe they could be used for serious human rights violations.

He said Washington also had misgivings and was concerned that human rights criteria would discourage states like Syria, a major purchaser of Russian arms, from joining the treaty. One diplomat described Syria’s 11-month crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrations, which has led to the death of over 5,400 people according to U.N. figures, and other Arab Spring uprisings as “the elephant in the room” as delegates ponder ways of halting arms sales to governments that kill their citizens. “It was in everyone’s minds as we discussed the need for the treaty,” a senior Western diplomat said.

US INSISTS ON VETO There was a long debate about

whether decisions at the July drafting conference in New York need to be made unanimously, which would give ever y countr y a veto. The United States, Russia, China, Syria, Iran and others pushing for unanimity have argued that the only way to ensure universal compliance is to get all countries on board. Those who dislike the virtual veto, like Mexico and some European countries, believe it could mean that whatever treaty is agreed on in July - if there is one - will be weak.

“As we have seen in the case of Syria, veto power leads to inaction and hampers the ability of the international community to prevent conflict,” said Jeff Abramson of the group Control Arms.

He was referring to Russia’s and China’s veto of two UN Security Council resolutions condemning Syria’s crackdown. In the end, participants at last week’s discussions at UN headquarters agreed that decisions at the drafting conference in July would be taken by consensus.

A senior US official described the veto as “the nuclear option” - a last resort. — Reuters

HK probes candidate’s ‘underground palace’ HONG KONG: Hong Kong authorities have launched an investigation into the wife of the man seen as China’s preferred choice to become the city’s next leader over an illegal “underground palace” at her home. In the biggest blow to his campaign so far, Henry Tang came under pressure to quit the race for the chief executive after an unauthorized basement den covering 2,250 square feet was found at the upmarket house.

Local media dubbed the basement an “underground palace”, which reportedly featured a wine cellar, entertainment suite and a workout room.

Many of Hong Kong’s seven million people live in spaces a quarter of that size.

The city’s buildings department has given the Tangs a week to remove the illegal structures, but it announced late Friday that it would probe Tang’s wife, Lisa Kuo, and others under offences of “knowingly” contravening the law, which requires that approval is obtained before building work starts.

The department did not name Tang specifically, who co-owned the house with Kuo until 2010.

Those found guilty under the offence face up to two years in prison and a fine.

The 59-year-old Tang tendered a public apology Thursday after saying the illegal structure was his wife’s idea, a scandal which angered Hong Kongers with some saying his credibility was “bankrupt”. The avid wine collector, who is the former number two in the city’s government, however refused to quit the March 25 chief executive polls, saying he should be judged by his business-friendly manifesto.

His comments—taking responsibility while blaming his wife—left many wondering if the man reported to be Beijing’s favorite for the chief executive job has what it takes to lead the southern banking and trade centre. Tang’s campaign was already beset by his frequent verbal gaffes and opinion polls putting him well behind his main rival, Leung Chun-ying. —AFP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

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

Kinky nuns, tattooed Christ, spark protests in Spain MADRID: Catholics and conservatives have denounced as blasphemous two recent exhibitions in Madrid featuring kinky nuns in lingerie and tattooed and near-naked Christ, demonstrating outside one gallery. Catholic group AES called a demonstration for Friday evening outside the Fresh Gallery in Madrid against its latest exhibition: “Obscenity ”, a collection of photographs by Canadian ar tist Bruce LaBruce. The 50 pictures on display include a portrait of Spanish actress Rossy de Palma in a black and white habit and see-through corset with a rosary between her teeth. One shows a well-known singer, Alaska, dressed as a sexy saint with a communion wafer on her tongue, while in another she hugs a tattooed Christ to her breast in a kinky tribute to Michaelangelo’s “Pieta” sculpture.

Around 50 protesters demonstrated outside the Fresh gallery Friday evening bearing placards reading “For a unified and Catholic Spain” and “God Exists”.

“Respect the sacred, no to blasphemy,” they shouted. “They don’t dare with the Muslims,” said 78-year-old Michel Soto, a retired engineer. “The dare with us because we are pacifists.” But on Friday afternoon somebody smashed the building’s skylight and threw two bottles filled with petrol inside, but the fire did not take. In a separate exhibition at the national Spanish Theatre, a photograph of an actor posing naked as Christ with a religious painting over his privates was branded blasphemous in a petition signed by over 40,000 Spaniards last month.

After the opening of LaBruce’s show this week, AES called for a demonstration “against blasphemy” outside the

gallery on Friday, “in defense of our Christian roots and the Catholic faith”.

“Blasphemous provocation threatens again,” a conservative campaign group, Make Yourself Heard, said on its website, in a statement that described the offending works in detail. “Gay-looking angels encouraging lechery, lascivious nuns posing in underwear, reveling with crucifixes or cradling a tattooed Christ between their breasts... this is the new content of the provocative exhibition ‘Obscenity,’” it complained.

The Francisco Franco Foundation, a group that campaigns to preserve the memor y of Spain’s former dictator, branded the exhibition “a virulent and morbid attack on the Catholic religion”.

Contacted by AFP, LaBruce himself was unrepentant. Responding to the Franco Foundation’s denunciation in an email, he said it was ironic that “a group that

supports fascism condemns the show.

“How can fascists attempt to assert any sort of moral authority over anything?”

“Everything I know about organized religion I learned from Joni Mitchell’s ‘ The Hissing of Summer Lawns’,” he added.

He quoted lines from “ The Boho Dance” and “Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow”, two tracks from the Canadian singersongwriter’s 1975 album. LaBruce, 48, whose work has often sparked protests and censorship, wrote on the gallery’s website that “the lives of the saints are full of ecstatic acts of sublimated sexuality”. “‘Obscenity’ presents a series of portraits that illustrate this most holy convergence of the sacred and the profane.” In the show at the theatre running until February 26, the offending image shows an actor preparing for his role as Christ with a reproduction of

“Christ Crucified” by the Spanish painter Diego Velazquez covering his genitals.

Conservative religious rights group Mas Libres, a branch of Make Yourself Heard, urged Madrid city hall to ban that work, by Spanish photographer Sergio Parra, from that municipal exhibition. The city hall refused. In a separate ar t controversy, the Franco Foundation also complained about an exhibit at last week’s ARCO contemporary art fair in Madrid: “Always Franco”

by Eugenio Merino, a sculpture of the dictator inside a soft drinks fridge. “The work generates hate and confrontation,” the vice president of the foundation, Jaime Alonso, was quoted as saying by Spanish media, threatening to sue Merino as well as the organizers of the fair. “We can’t ignore this because otherwise we will have increasingly coarse and scatological provocations.”— AFP

Pope leaves stamp on Church future Pontiff elevates 22 prelates to cardinals

ABUJA: Nigerian President and former ECOWAS chairman Goodluck Jonathan (left) shakes hand with his successor Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara at the closing ceremony of ECOWAS Summit in Abuja. — AFP

Ouattara takes up new regional role ABIDJAN: Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara has assumed a new regional leadership role less than a year after he assumed power following the bloody postelection conflict in his own country.

Ouattara was elected Friday to head the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a summit in Abuja, Nigeria. “It is a confirmation of the return of Ivory Coast to the international scene,” government spokesman Bruno Kone said in Abidjan. It would allow the country “to reinforce its position in the region, as well as beyond,” he added. Pro-Ouattara daily Le Patriote hailed it as “recognition of successful diplomacy.”

Ouattara, 70, a former International Monetary Fund economist, had been the favorite to take the key job, which carries a one-year mandate. “Politically, this is a strong signal because Ivory Coast is out of the post-election crisis,” said one West African diplomat. “It is a way of saying the community fully supports Ivory Coast.”

Ouattara came to power in April 2011 after a bloody standoff with his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo who had refused to accept defeat in a presidential run-off vote. The conflict between the rivals’ supporters left some 3,000 people dead. Gbagbo was eventually arrested and is now in The Hague awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the post-poll violence. Ouattara, after being sworn in as president in May last year, quickly relaunched Ivorian diplomacy, making visits around Africa and beyond. “Ivory Coast is back!” was a popular slogan at that time, to highlight the end to the isolation the west African country endured during the

Gbagbo years. His time in power was marred by battles with rebels in the north and constant delays in holding new elections. A visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in January, followed a few days later by Ouattara’s state visit to France, the former colonial power, by the new Ivorian president, put the seal on Abidjan’s diplomatic comeback.

In his new role at ECOWAS Ouattara will now be called on to play a mediation role in crises around the west African region, such as the new Touareg rebellion in Mali.

But some observers have expressed concerns about his willingness to take on new responsibilities. “It’s rather time-consuming,” said one source close to Ouattara who requested anonymity, noting all the demands he still faces within Ivory Coast.

For security is still a major concern in the country, despite improvements since the post-election crisis. Former rebels from the north, who largely backed Ouattara and are now in the regular army, continue to engage in sometimes deadly violence.

The country’s reconciliation process, which Ouattara promised his countrymen, has hardly got started. And Gbagbo supporters boycotted the December legislative polls amid enduring tension between the rival camps. A new government is expected to be formed in the next two months after partial legislatives polls on February 26.

Ouattara will have to decide whether to keep ex-rebel chief Guillaume Soro as prime minister or to appoint him head of the National Assembly and thereby honor his promise to give the premiership to the party of his key ally, former president Henri Konan Bedie.— AFP

Sunken treasures head back to Spain TAMPA: A federal judge has ordered a deep sea salvage company to turn over $500 million worth of Spanish coins it recovered from a shipwreck to the Spanish government within a week.

The ruling by US Magistrate Mark Pizzo ended a five-year legal battle between Odyssey Marine Exploration and Spain over the 594,000 gold and silver coins that were recovered from the wreck of the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes in 2007 off the coast of Portugal. The ship was sunk by the British in an 1804 battle and Spain said it retained ownership of the ship and its cargo.

A US judge ruled in Spain’s favor last year, and Odyssey Marine’s appeals were rejec ted by the US Supreme Court earlier this month. The coins have been held in a storage facility at an undisclosed location in Florida.

Pizzo said Odyssey Marine must provide an inventory of the coins to Spain

by Tuesday and turn over custody of the coins by Feb. 24. Spain will have to pay for the shipping costs. The company will abide by the ruling, even though it “flies in the face of all legal precedent,” Melinda MacConnel, vice president and general counsel of Odyssey Marine, told reporters after the hearing.

MacConnel said the ruling “undermined” the jurisdiction of US courts in naval affairs, and complained that Washington had influenced the case in Spain’s favor. “Clearly, the political influences in this case overshadowed the law,” she said. The ruling would also discourage other treasure hunters from reporting their finds, she added. “ The items will be hidden or even worse, melted down or sold on eBay,” she said. That certainly won’t happen to this treasure hoard, said Guillermo Corral, the cultural counselor at Spain’s Embassy in Washington, noting that the coins and other artifacts were part of Spanish heritage. “This is history,” he said. Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Javier Romero said the ship was a gravesite for the Spanish sailors who lost their lives in the battle. Mark Gordon, Odyssey Marine’s president, said the ruling would not affect current operations and business plans because all expenses of the project had already been passed through the company’s prior profit and loss statements. He said the company was planning for three shipwreck recoveries in 2012. “ The future of Odyssey Marine E x p l o r a t i o n s h a s n e ve r l o o k e d b r i g h t e r,” G o rd o n s a i d i n a s t a t e ment.—Reuters

VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict, putting his mark on his Church’s future yesterday inducted 22 men into the exclusive group of cardinals who will one day elect one of their own to succeed him as leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics.

Among the most prominent in the group is New York’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who is already being touted by some Vatican experts as a possible future candidate to become the first American pope.

Benedict, who turns 85 in April and is showing signs of his age, elevated the men to the highest Church rank below him at a ceremony in St Peter’s Basilica known as a consistory. “Cardinals are entrusted with the service of love: love for God, love for his Church, an absolute and unconditional love for his brothers and sisters, even unto shedding their blood, if necessary (in defense of the faith),” the pope told the new cardinals before giving them their rings and red birettas, or hats. “Furthermore, they are asked to serve the Church with love and vigor, with the transparency and wisdom of teachers, with the energy and strength of shepherds, with the fidelity and courage of martyrs,” he said.

The new cardinals are from the United States, Hong Kong, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, India, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Romania, Belgium, and Malta. Eighteen of them are aged under 80 and thus will be eligible to enter a secret conclave to elect the next pope from among their own ranks. Twelve of those are Europeans, bringing the number of “cardinal electors” from the continent to 67 out of 125. With the new appointments, Benedict, who was elected in a secret conclave in 2005, has now named more than half the cardinal electors. The others were named by his predecessor John Paul.

Compared to the 67 “cardinal electors” from Europe, Latin America now has 22, North America has 15, Africa has 11, Asia

VATICAN CITY: Italian Giuseppe Betori (left) receives his biretta’s hat from Pope Benedict XVI as he is appointed cardinal during the Consistory yesterday at St Peter’s basilica at the Vatican. — AFP has nine and Oceania has one.

Cardinals are the pope’s closest collaborators in the Vatican and around the world. They lead major archdioceses and run key Vatican departments that help the pope decide Church policy and doctrine that can affect the lives Catholics worldwide. “We’re very happy ...

Cardinal Dolan is going to be consequential in the Church in America, dealing with the White House, and he’s got a great sense of himself, a big personality,” said Mark Tooey, one of the more than 1,000 people who came from the United States to see Dolan installed.

At the ceremony, the pope told the new cardinals that while they will cooperate closely with him in “the delicate task” of governing the worldwide Church, they must first and foremost be men of religion.

“May your mission in the Church and the world always be ‘in Christ’ alone, responding to his logic and not that of the world, and may it be

illumined by faith and animated by charity which comes to us from the glorious Cross of the Lord,” he said.

Benedict also asked for prayers so that he can guide the Church “with a firm and humble hand”. The consistory, usually a joyful event, is taking place under a cloud because it follows a spate of leaked letters alleging corruption in the Vatican.

Numerically, at least, the pope has increased the chances that the next pontiff will be a conservative European but there have been surprises in past conclaves. The pope is a conservative on matters of faith and sexual morals such as birth control, homosexuality and the ban on women priests. Each time he names cardinals he puts his stamp on Roman Catholicism’s future by choosing men who share his views.

Besides Dolan, other prominent new cardinals are John Tong Hon, archbishop of Hong Kong, and Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Berlin in the pope’s native Germany. Seven of new “cardinal

electors” under the age of 80 are Italian - six of them members of the Vatican’s central administration and the other the archbishop of Florence.

Popes usually reign for life but in a book last year, Benedict said he would not hesitate to become the first pontiff to resign willingly in more than 700 years if he felt himself no longer able, “physically, psychologically and spiritually”, to run the Catholic Church. Several popes in recent history, including the late Pope John Paul, considered resigning for health reasons, but none did so. The last pope to resign willingly was Celestine V in 1294 after reigning for only five months. Gregory XII reluctantly abdicated in 1415 to end a dispute with a rival claimant to the Holy See. The Vatican says the pope’s health is good but he needs to conserve his strength. Last October he started using a mobile platform which aides use to wheel him up the central aisle of St Peter’s Basilica.— Reuters

Dutch prince ‘still not out of danger’ THE HAGUE: Prince Johan Friso, son of Dutch Queen Beatrix has spent a “calm night” in an Austrian hospital, but was still not out of danger yesterday after being seriously injured in an avalanche while skiing. Austrian prosecutors added they have launched a probe into Friday’s accident in the western Austrian ski resort of Lech in which the 43-year-old prince was seriously injured. “He is still not out of danger, but spent a calm and stable night,” in the intensive care unit at Innsbruck University Hospital, the Dutch Royal House said in a statement, issued in The Hague.

Prince Friso was skiing offpiste with an unnamed Austrian friend, according to varying Austrian media reports a 42-year-old hotel director, around noon Friday when the accident happened near Lech where the Dutch royal family traditionally take their winter holidays. Despite wearing a ski-helmet and an avalanche beeper, the prince nevertheless spent some 20 minutes under the snow before he was rescued and had to be resuscitated, Austrian news reports said. He was evacuated to Innsbruck by helicopter. “The doctors who are treating him said there was no change in his situation,” the statement added, but did not give details about his injuries. Doctors would only be able to make a prognosis “within a few days,” it said Friday.

Queen Beatrix, 74, as well as the prince’s wife Mabel Wisse Smit were joined Friday night by other members of the Dutch royal family including Johan Friso’s brothers, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, his wife Maxima, and younger brother Prince Constantijn with his wife Princess Laurentien. The Dutch royals regularly spend their ski holidays in the posh resort of Lech, in the westernmost province of

INNSBRUCK: Dutch Queen Beatrix and her daughter in-law Princess Mabel (right) arrive at the hospital in Innsbruck, western Austria yesterday, the day after Prince Johan Friso was rushed to the intensive care unit of Innsbruck’s main hospital after he was buried by an avalanche. — AP Vorarlberg. Meanwhile Austrian prosecutors tal. “Friso is a very experienced skier and announced they would investigate the acci- knows the area around Lech very well,” the dent. Prosecutors, who already began gather- paper said, while columnist Bert Wagendorp ing information on Friday, will examine in the same paper wrote: “I am not a supportamong other things who or what set off the er of the Royal Dutch House nor have any avalanche, but Austrian police added the interest in avalanches.” “But yet I phoned peoprobe was carried out in every accident of this ple to ask if they heard what happened, proof kind. At the time of the accident, the ava- that this type of news impacts on you. I bet lanche level in Lech-as in much of Austria-was he’s going to beat the avalanche.” “Fear of at four, the second highest.

Friso’s fate” the Christian daily Trouw said, The accident dominated headlines in the adding that Friso as “the Queen’s favorite son, Dutch media yesterday. “Friso’s condition criti- liked fast cars, golf, travel and diving. The type cal,” wrote the left-leaning daily De Volkskrant, of man willing to take risks outside clearly saying he was being kept in a coma in hospi- marked pistes.” — AFP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

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

Hints of plea deal for Gitmo captive Khan could help prosecute ‘bigger fish’

ALBEMARLE: This frame grab taken from an undated video posted on YouTube shows Tommy Jordan answering his teenage daughter’s Facebook complaints by firing several rounds into his daughter’s laptop as it lies on the ground. — AP

Laptop-shooting dad’s rant draws raves, reprimands NEW YORK: It’s classic parent-teenager strife, revamped for the Internet age: A 15-year-old takes to Facebook to curse her parents and complain about chores and the pressures of youth. Her disgusted father videotapes and posts a lengthy rebuttal punctuated by nine gunshots as he empties his pistol into her laptop. The bizarre incident in North Carolina has garnered more than 26 million views on YouTube and tens of thousands more on Facebook, touching a nerve with others tired of their kids’ attitudes but also drawing backlash from parents who have kept such desires in check, people who believe the father is the one being childish.

“It represents a fantasy scenario for parents,” said Anthony Rotolo, a professor who specializes in social media at Syracuse University in New York. “Most parents would not respond in this manner ... but many parents have certainly felt unappreciated and imagined taking similar action.” The furor began when Tommy Jordan of Albemarle, North Carolina, aired his feelings in the video he posted last week. Sitting in an Adirondack chair on an expansive stretch of grass, Jordan is wearing jeans, a plaid shirt and a widebrimmed hat, a lit cigarette between his fingers.

Then he launches into his diatribe, quoting from his daughter’s Facebook post, in which she told her parents “I’m not your damn slave,” “I’m tired of picking up after you,” and “You know how hard it is to keep up with the chores and schoolwork? It’s freaking crazy.” Jordan is clearly infuriated by his daughter’s suggestion that she be paid for her chores and disturbed by her decision to go public with her criticism.

“You don’t have to worry about buying a new laptop battery. You don’t have to worry about buying a new power cord. You don’t have to worry about buying a new camera. Because you won’t be using any of them till probably college,” he says in the video. “I don’t know how to say how disappointed I am in you and how disrespectful you were to every single adult in your life. But, kid, you’ve got it easy, way easy. It’s about to get harder.”

Rising from his chair and picking up the video camera, he settles the image on the laptop, set on a patch of dirt among the grass. He shows his .45-caliber gun for the camera, then fires nine rounds into the computer. “I hope it was all worth this,” he says to her. Jordan has not given any interviews to reporters. Other parents have been eager to weigh in on his outburst. Sonia Carballo, 37, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, found herself laughing aloud when she saw the video last week. Her three children - ages 9, 13 and 16 - air similar complaints that their mother is too strict, that she doesn’t understand, or that they have too many chores.

“He’s a parent after my own heart,” said Carballo, an insurance claims processor. “I thought he handled it better than I would have. She was completely out of line and disrespectful.” Michael Sands, 66, of Los Angeles, said he’s had similar arguments with his 16year-old son, whom he says he can’t peel away from the computer to do simple things like eat dinner or take a shower. Sands has been so frustrated that once, he tipped over his son’s computer tower. Another time, he flicked a switch on the circuit breaker to cut power to the computer.—AP

Defense spending on cyber, special operations stays flat WASHINGTON: Spending on two of the Pentagon’s top priorities, cybersecurity and special operations forces, would largely remain flat or dip slightly in 2013 under the Defense Department’s budget proposal, as officials beef up personnel and research but find savings elsewhere. Defense leaders have insisted that increased investments in these areas were needed to address future national security threats at home and abroad. Last year, top defense officials said they expected cyber spending to increase in 2013 because the threat is escalating at a dramatic rate, and terror groups and rogue nations are trying to acquire the ability to breach, destroy or take control of critical networks and military systems.

But demands to slash the military budget have made it difficult to make any substantial spending increases. So defense officials have scrambled to find savings while still meeting the nation’s warfighting needs. Spending on cybersecurity programs, which includes the military’s new Cyber Command, will be close to $3.4 billion, roughly what it was last year.

And funding for special operations forces will slip by about $100 million, to $10.4 billion.

“We are in the 21st century and we have to use 21st century capabilities,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told senators this week. “That’s the reason this budget invests in

space, in cyberspace, in long-range precision strike, and in the continued growth of special operations forces to ensure that we can still confront and defeat multiple adversaries even with the force structure reductions.”

While the reductions in special operations reflect overall efforts to trim the defense budget, officials said the bulk of the cuts are tied more directly to the wind-down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With the departure of special operations forces from Iraq last year, for example, officials could save money on fuel, aircraft and other support staff and facilities that had been needed there. At the same time, however, the role of special operations forces may expand in Afghanistan, but officials contend they have budget to support that. Panetta said the budget will continue planned increases in the number of special operations forces - which has been about 5 percent a year. There are currently about 61,000 special operations forces. Spending on cyber operations will increase in a few areas, but drop significantly in others. The $3.4 billion in cybersecurity is part of an overall $37 billion in computerrelated spending proposed for 2013. The larger number includes the thousands of computers, networks, digital systems and other equipment used by the military and its civilian workforce.—AP

MIAMI: For years there was no outward sign of an attempt to prosecute “high-value” Guantanamo prisoner and alleged Al-Qaeda operative Majid Khan. But a flurry of legal activity in recent days suggests a plea deal could be in the works for the former data programmer from Baltimore who once said his only knowledge of Al-Qaeda came from watching “too much Fox News.” If Khan pleads guilty to war crimes charges and agrees to cooperate with prosecutors, he could be a valuable witness in the upcoming prosecution of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-professed mastermind of the Sept 11 attacks. The charges against Khan allege he took orders directly from Mohammed, often referred to in legal circles simply as “KSM.” “He certainly was fairly close with KSM and could be helpful in that trial,” said retired Air Force Colonel Moe Davis, a former chief prosecutor in the war crimes tribunals at the Guantanamo Bay US naval base in Cuba. Khan, who will turn 32 on Feb 28, has denied involvement in terrorist attacks and suggested at an administrative hearing at Guantanamo in 2007 that his knowledge of Al-Qaeda was limited to what he learned from watching US television news. Only thanks to TV did he learn “that to become Al-Qaeda, a person needs to go to Afghanistan for training and take an oath to Osama bin Laden for the cause,” he told a panel of US military officers. “I’ve never been to Afghanistan or met (bin Laden). To prove it, I can take a lie detector test,” he added.

FINALLY FACING CHARGES Khan has been in US custody for nearly nine years, first in secret CIA prisons and then at Guantanamo since 2006. His lawyers have pleaded for years for his captors to charge him and put forth evidence against him, or let him go. US authorities have never given a reason for the delay. Both the Bush and Obama administrations have maintained the United States has the right to hold Guantanamo prisoners indefinitely without trial.

But on Monday, Khan was handed a list of sworn charges. On Tuesday, prosecutors sent them to the retired admiral at the Pentagon overseeing the Guantanamo tribunals. On Wednesday, the admiral approved the charges and referred them for trial without making any changes, an unusually rapid turnaround that suggests a deal has been made.

Officials on Friday set his arraignment for Feb 29.

Khan’s lawyers, who were at his side when the charges were handed to him in Guantanamo, issued a statement saying they would represent him through the process and that he was “doing well considering these challenging circumstances.” They declined further comment. A Pentagon spokesman, Army Lieutenant Colonel Todd Breasseale, said, “As to whether or not there’s some sort of plea deal, he certainly has the right to make one.” Khan faces five war crimes charges that could keep him locked up for life - conspiring with Al-Qaeda, murder and attempted murder, providing material support for terrorism, and spying on US and Pakistani targets.

He is accused of making a martyrdom video and strapping on a bomb vest in an attempt to blow up himself and former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf at a mosque in Karachi in 2002.

He is also accused of delivering $50,000 of AlQaeda cash to the group that drove a deadly truck bomb into the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in 2003. Eight people were killed in the blast and scores were wounded. Both acts were tests assigned to him by Mohammed in order to prove Khan’s commitment to martyrdom and his potential as an Al-Qaeda operative, according to a 2008 prisoner assessment prepared for the commander of the Guantanamo detention operation.

‘PSEUDO-ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT’ The charges say the assassination plot was foiled when Musharraf failed to show up at the mosque.

But the Guantanamo assessment called the incident a “pseudo-suicide assassination attempt,” and indicated Musharraf was never actually expected there.

Khan is a Pakistani citizen who moved to the Baltimore area with his family in 1996 at age 16, obtained legal residency and graduated from high school three years later. He worked at his family’s gas station, then for the state of Maryland and an electronic data company and taught database programming at a local Islamic center. According to the Guantanamo assessment, Khan met Mohammed after going to Pakistan in 2002 to attend family weddings and look for a bride of his own. — Reuters

Santorum surges but scrutiny intensifies COLUMBUS: Rick Santorum stole a key endorsement from chief rival Mitt Romney on Friday as polls in Ohio and elsewhere suggest the former Pennsylvania senator has seized the momentum in the rollercoaster Republican presidential contest. Amid the shift, however, are signs of stress within a disorganized Santorum campaign and intensifying questions about whether he can sustain a rise that has come and gone once before already. Romney’s mammoth political machine - coupled with new scrutiny - will give Santorum little margin for error.

He was all smiles at the Ohio State House on Friday afternoon as state Attorney General Mike DeWine formally shifted his allegiance from Romney to Santorum, a decision that comes just 18 days before Ohio and nine other states host critical Super Tuesday contests. “I just am very, very grateful that he would step forward in his fashion and lead a spark here in the state of Ohio that I think is going to deliver us a great victory on Super Tuesday,” Santorum said. But on what should have been an overwhelmingly positive day, Santorum could not escape a campaign misstep from the day before.

Foster Friess, the main donor behind Santorum’s “super PAC,” created a stir Thursday when he suggested on national television that aspirin used to be an acceptable method for contraception. “The gals put it between their knees and it wasn’t that costly,” he said. Friess apologized Friday in a blog post. But Santorum was repeatedly forced to dissociate himself from his surrogate’s comments, which he later described as “a bad joke.” Whether it was a joke or not, the comments drew unwanted attention to his own positions on contraception and women’s issues.

Santorum has said he wouldn’t try to take away the birth control pill or condoms but that states should be free to ban them. He told a Christian blog last year that as president he would warn the nation about “the dangers of contraception” and the permissive culture it encourages. Speaking to reporters after the DeWine announcement, he said he and his wife, as Catholics, don’t practice birth control. “To be attacked on that, which I have been, that somehow or another that just because I personally believe this, that somehow now I’m going to be

the uber-czar that’s going to try to impose that on the rest of the country, it’s absurd,” he said.

“It’s absurd on its face, and it’s absurd based on my record in the Congress.” The contraception flap, according to Republican observers, is evidence of an undisciplined campaign that is already stumbling under the weight of intensifying scrutiny.

Polling suggests that significant numbers of voters still don’t know Santorum well. And he may struggle to win over female voters in particular as they begin to pay more attention, according to Phil Musser, a GOP strategist who isn’t aligned with either campaign. “I think in the next couple days, we could start to see some serious erosion with respect for female support for

OHIO: Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen Rick Santorum signs autographs during a campaign stop in Georgetown, Ohio.— AP

Santorum in the Republican primary,” he said.

“And that is a short-term challenge for him as we head into Michigan and beyond. But secondarily, one of my big questions is could he compete aggressively against President Obama if he’s upside down on gender line?”

The Romney campaign countered on another front in a conference call at roughly the same time as Santorum’s DeWine announcement. It was the third consecutive day the campaign hosted such a conference call, although each featured Romney supporters from different states. John Sununu, a former White House chief of staff and a Romney supporter based in New Hampshire, described Santorum as “a candidate who loves spending and frankly supports liberal labor causes and liberal social causes, like giving voting rights to felons.” Actually, Santorum in the Senate supported restoring voting rights to felons once they had completed their sentence or parole.

He shrugged off DeWine’s defection, suggesting DeWine was upset by a Romney-friendly super PAC ad playing up the vote on felons.

Romney and his allies have flooded the airwaves in Michigan, which, along with Arizona, holds presidential primaries Feb 28. Santorum’s allies expanded their television presence in Michigan on Friday as well, raising the stakes for the looming contest in Romney’s home state. The proSantorum Red, White and Blue Fund political action committee disclosed to campaign regulators on Friday that it had purchased $668,500 in Michigan TV ad time. The group also spent about $135,000 on mail supportive of Santorum to the state’s Republican voters.

Despite being outspent so far, Santorum leads various recent polls in Michigan and Ohio.

Asked about the apparent shift, Sununu noted that Romney is holding a substantial delegate lead. “This is a long slog,” he said. “It’s not going to be decided early. Nothing’s changed in terms of strategy or tactics as we move forward.”

Michigan-based Republican operative Jeff Timmer, a former state GOP executive director, is among those who doubt Santorum’s staying power. “Santorum really hasn’t gone through much of a public vetting process outside of Iowa,” he said. “There will be a reality check. But I don’t expect that he will go away.”— AP

US gangs are a force in Central American prisons SAN DIEGO: The deadliest prison blaze in a century has drawn attention to an unfortunate US export to Central America: street gangs. Prisons in Honduras and elsewhere in Central America are teeming with inmates who belong to gangs that have their roots in Southern California. Refugees of the region’s civil wars sowed a new breed of violence on the streets of Los Angeles in the 1980s. When the US stepped up deportations of criminals in the 1990s, they brought their brutal habits with them to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, countries with weak law enforcement and an inadequate prison system.

The result was growing violence among gang members, and widespread police abuse as authorities rounded up suspects for having gang-affiliated tattoos. Some, like many of the 355 killed in Tuesday’s fire in Comayagua, were never even charged with a crime.

“It was just a perfect storm, where they arrived in a country that was unprepared and had no infrastructure,” said Los Angeles police Detective Frank Flores, who has been battling US gangs with Central American ties since 1999.

The victims of Tuesday’s blaze were still being identified, and it was unclear exactly how many inmates had ties to US-based gangs - the most widely known being Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, and 18th Street. But a Honduran government report, which was sent to the United Nations this month, said 57 percent of some 800 inmates of the Comayagua farm prison north of the Central American country’s capital were either awaiting trial or being held as suspected gang members. Alberto Mendoza, an inmate who survived the blaze, said Thursday that members of the MS 13 and

18th Street gangs got along well at the prison. He described himself as a former 18th Street member.

“We are part of the same community here, not enemies,” the 32-year-old Mendoza said. “(Gangs) are part

of the past. If someone brings it up, we send a message and they don’t bring it up again.” The gangs haven’t just spread from Los Angeles to Central America. They have spread throughout the United

TEGUCIGALPA: Photo shows unidentified members of the gang Mara Salvatrucha who are incarcerated in the National Penitentiary of Tamara, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. — AP

States. The MS-13 has an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 members and associate members worldwide, including 8,000 to 10,000 in the United States, according to the FBI’s most recent National Gang Threat Assessment in 2009. Its “cliques” operate in the Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, DC, areas. The 18th Street gang is believed to have about the same numbers, with a presence in 44 US cities spanning 20 states, according the FBI. When the Central Americans arrived in Los Angeles, the newcomers joined to protect their own from already established gangs. “When someone’s new to the area, they get picked on,” said Flores, who - according to a 2009 federal indictment - was targeted for assassination by the MS-13. “They formed out of selfprotection.” Flores believes their exposure to the atrocities of war back home may have made them more prone to violence. Jorja Leap, a professor of social welfare at University of California, Los Angeles, said the Central American gangs are unusually violent, slitting tongues of snitches and placing them on their corpses.

“These are gangs that are even feared among gangs,” said Leap, who has studied them extensively.

“The feds work very hard to deal with them, but they’re pernicious. They’re like Medusa. You lop off a head, and another grows back.” Jorge Ramon Hernandez, Honduran ambassador to the United States, didn’t respond to a message seeking comment Friday. Vivian Panting, the country’s consul general in Los Angeles from 1998 to 2009 and now a presidential aide for immigration affairs, acknowledged Honduras had been overwhelmed by the deportations, lacking prison space and trained police.— AP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 , 2012

NEWS

Revelers walk from house to house during a traditional carnival to celebrate the departing winter and forthcoming spring in the village of Vortova, Czech Republic, yesterday. — AP

Morocco democracy movement founders Continued from Page 1 Elections on Nov 25 were won by a moderate Islamist opposition party promising many of the things once shouted at demonstrations.

Moroccan authorities have trumpeted their “third way” of dealing with the Arab Spring, steering between revolution and repression in favor of reforms with stability. Social unrest has continued though, including violent clashes between police and unemployed graduates calling for government sector jobs.

The youth-led movement has had a hard time harnessing that simmering anger. “ The problem with February 20 is that it is elitist and doesn’t have a rapport with the people,” said Mouad Belghouat, a 25year-old rapper with February 20 whose songs excoriating the palace and social inequalities in the country became the soundtrack for the movement. The movement’s demands weren’t all realized, he said, “so we continue to go into the streets.”

Belghouat, who goes by the named El-Haqed, or the Enraged, was jailed for four months for getting into a fight with a regime supporter in the gritty, low income suburb of Casablanca where he lives. His supporters say the charges were trumped up. “You can’t talk to people about parliamentary monarchy, they think the king is sacred, so you have to talk to them about unemployment and those stealing the wealth of the country,” he said, explaining that he and his friends in the movement now go to neighborhoods and have discussions to raise people’s consciousness. It also helps that his rap songs appeal to the young, unemployed and disenfranchised youth that swell the crumbling slums surrounding Casablanca, Tangiers and other large cities.

The movement’s protests always had an artistic side to them, with street theater often accompanying the colorful marches through the streets. In one Casablanca protest, a man with the mask of a hated advis-

er of the king dangled a baguette on a fishing rod above the grasping hands of three ragged figures representing the people. There is no denying that in the initial months of the protests, February 20 achieved more than generations of party politics had accomplished in opening up Morocco. “It succeeded in breaking a taboo, it brought out into the open calls against corruption and the domination of certain figures on the economy,” said Omar Bendoro, a political analyst at Rabat University.

Close associates of the king from wealthy families are perceived to dominate the economy.

After years of repression, people are no longer afraid to make their discontent known, whether about lack of water, electricity or civil rights, he added. “Social problems have always existed, but now the people explode because there is a chance that the powers-that-be will take them seriously,” Bendoro said.

The king, due either to the street rallies or fears of Egyptian- or Tunisianstyle revolutions, agreed in March to amend the constitution, bowing to longtime demands from political parties.

Under the new constitution the prime minister has more powers and comes from the party that won the most votes, rather than whomever the king felt like choosing under the old system. Ultimate power, however, still rests with the monarch and his court of close advisers. Even as the concessions, including raising public sector wages, blunted popular anger, activists say there was a second, darker, prong to the official response - one that targeted the movement itself.

Starting in May, demonstrations began to be attacked by riot police and hired thugs, and some activists started receiving late night visits from security officers. “There were two levels at work, the institutional and the non-institutional, which was the intimidation, beatings and propaganda - particularly propaganda about the Islamists,” said activist Abadila Maaelaynine. State media

said the demonstrators were being infiltrated by radical communists and hardline Islamists from the banned Adl wal Ihsane (Justice and Charity) movement, which did have a big presence in the demonstrations.

The accusations stuck, further cooling public ardor for the movement, and soon the demonstrations became more of a weekly - later monthly - traffic nuisance than a real vehicle of political change. “We failed to become more innovative in what we were doing and it’s time to admit that,” said Zeinab Belmkaddem, a young activist with the movement, which is now looking to start a political party and build up a lasting network tied to the people. “We don’t want to just stay in the streets, we tried that for a year - been there done that - that’s it, but at the end of the day what happened is that others took advantage and that’s what happened with the PJD,” she said bitterly, referring to the Islamist party that won elections.

The party has been a clear beneficiary of the movement. “ The process of democratization in the country is moving in a good direction,” said Mustapha Khalfi, once the editor of the PJD’s newspaper and now the minister of communication and government spokesman.

“Moroccan society has the feeling that what is happening in politics has an impact on daily life and most importantly when they participate it can make a difference.”

Khalfi is quick to praise the February 20 movement for its early efforts, but noted that it has since lost momentum and popularity and it is the new government that is now looking to satisfy people’s demands for jobs. Activists, however, question whether the limited powers given to the new government will be enough to enact the deep reforms that the people crave - especially as daily frustrations mount. “Now the people are waiting to see what they can do,” said the rapper Belghouat. “They will be disappointed.” — AP

Syrian forces fire on funeral in Damascus Continued from Page 1 Zhai appealed for an end to violence from all sides, including the government and opposition forces. But his comments for the most part amounted to a show of support against world condemnation of Assad’s crackdown on the popular uprising.

The envoy said China backed Assad’s plan for a referendum on Feb 26 followed by multi-party elections to resolve the crisis. The opposition and the West have dismissed the plan as a sham. “China supports the path of reform taking place in Syria and the important steps that have been taken in this respect,” he said. The Chinese Embassy said Zhai held separate meetings with moderate opposition figures Qadri Jamil, Louay Hussein and Hassan Abdulazim, but gave no details.

“We told the Chinese envoy that most of the opposition accept a dialogue if that dialogue is serious and responsible, meaning that the Syrian authorities would implement what is agreed. But the problem with dialogue is that the authorities have lost credibility,” Hussein told Reuters.

Beijing and Moscow have been Assad’s most important international defenders during the crackdown which has killed several thousand people and divided world powers. The United Nations, the United States, Europe, Turkey and Arab powers want Assad to step down and have condemned the ferocious repression.

Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Feb 4 calling on Assad to quit and also voted against a similar, non-binding General Assembly resolution on Thursday.

In other strife across the country, government forces bombarded the opposition stronghold of Homs yesterday. A blanket of snow covered Homs, strategically sited on the road between Damascus and the commercial hub Aleppo, as rockets and artillery pounded mainly Sunni Muslim rebel districts. The troops were close to Baba Amro, a southern neighbourhood that has been target of the heaviest barrages since the offensive began two weeks ago, activists said. “There is no electricity and communications between districts are cut, so we are unable to get a death toll. There is no fuel in most of the city,” activist Mohammad Al-Homsi said from Homs.

The military has also opened a new offensive in Hama, a city with a bloody history of resistance to Assad’s late father Hafez, who died in 2000 after 30 years in power. Assad, who belongs the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiism, in a majority Sunni country, says he is fighting foreign-backed terrorists. “We said from the onset that the day when huge demonstrations will spill out in Damascus and (Syria’s second city) Aleppo, it will be the end of the regime,” said Agnes Levallois, a Paris-based Middle East exper t. The continuing onslaught on the rebel city of Homs “has spurred many Syrians, who were still hesitating, to join the protest movement,” said Levallois. “The wall of fear has really crumbled.”

The uprising began with civilian protests in March, but now includes a parallel armed struggle led by the loosely organised Free Syria Army, made up of army deserters and local insurgents. Syria’s other significant ally is Iran, itself at odds with the West. An Iranian destroyer and a supply ship sailed through the Suez canal this week and are believed to be on their way to the Syrian coast, a source in the canal authority said.

Iraq said yesterday it had reinforced security along its Syrian border to prevent arms smuggling after reports that fighters and weapons were crossing into Syria.

“Necessary measures have been taken to consolidate control over the borders with Syria which is witnessing turbulence that encourages infiltration and all kinds of smuggling, especially arms,” Prime Minister Nuri AlMaliki’s office said.

Iraq’s Shiites fear that if Assad fell, hardline Sunnis could come to power, a shift which could threaten their newly-acquired dominance since the 2003 USled invasion. The West is concerned that the conflict is sliding towards a civil war that could spread across the region’s patchwork of ethnic, religious and political rivalries. But it has ruled out Libya-style military intervention, instead imposing sanctions and urging a fragmented opposition, which includes activists inside Syria, armed rebels and politicians in exile, to present a common front against Assad. Tunisia, which is hosting a meeting on Syria next week, said on Friday Arab countries would encourage the opposition to unite before they would recognise them as a government-in-waiting. — Agencies

Iran poised for big nuke jump VIENNA: Iran is poised to greatly expand uranium enrichment at a fortified underground bunker to a point that would boost how quickly it could make nuclear warheads, diplomats told AP. They said Tehran has put finishing touches for the installation of thousands of new-generation centrifuges at the cavernous facility machines that can produce enriched uranium much more quickly and efficiently than its present machines. While saying that the electrical circuitry, piping and supporting equipment for the new centrifuges was now in place, the diplomats emphasized that Tehran had not started installing the new machines at its Fordo facility and could not say whether it was planning to.

Still, the senior diplomats suggested that Tehran would have little reason to prepare the ground for the better centrifuges unless it planned to operate them. They spoke in recent interviews - the last one yesterday. The reported work at Fordo appeared to reflect Iran’s determination to forge ahead with nuclear activity that could be used to make atomic arms despite rapidly escalating international sanctions and the latent threat of an Israeli military strike on its nuclear facilities. Fordo could be used to make fissile warhead material even without such an upgrade, the diplomats said.

They said that although older than Iran’s new generation machines, the centrifuges now operating there can be reconfigured within days to make such material because they already are enriching to 20 percent - a level that can be boosted quickly to weapons-grade quality. Their comments appeared to represent the first time anyone had quantified the time it would take to reconfigure the Fordo centrifuges into machines making weapons-grade material. In contrast, Iran’s older enrichment site at Natanz is producing uranium at 3.4 percent, a level normally used to power reactors. While that too could be turned into weapons-grade uranium, reassembling from low to weaponsgrade production is complex, and retooling the thousands of centrifuges at Natanz would likely take weeks.

The diplomats’ recent comments came as International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors are scheduled to visit Tehran today. Their trip - the second this month - is another attempt to break more than three years of Iranian stonewalling about allegations that Tehran has - or is - secretly working on nuclear weapons that would be armed with uranium enriched to 90 percent or more. Diplomats accredited to the IAEA expect little from that visit. They told the AP that - as before - Iran was refusing to allow the agency experts to visit Parchin, the suspected site of explosives testing for a nuclear weapon and had turned down other key requests made by the experts.

Iranian officials deny nuclear weapons aspirations, saying the claims are based on bogus intelligence from the US and Israel.

But IAEA chief Yukiya Amano has said there are increasing indications of such activity. His concerns were outlined in 13-page summary late last year listing clandestine activities that either can be

used in civilian or military nuclear programs, or “are specific to nuclear weapons”. Among these were indications that Iran has conducted high explosives testing and detonator development to set off a nuclear charge, as well as computer modeling of a core of a nuclear warhead. The report also cited preparatory work for a nuclear weapons test and development of a nuclear payload for Iran’s Shahab 3 intermediate range missile - a weapon that could reach Israel.

Iran says it is enriching only to make nuclear fuel. But because enrichment can also create fissile warhead material, the UN Security Council has imposed sanctions on Tehran in a failed attempt to force it to stop. More recently, the US, the European Union and other Western allies have either tightened up their own sanctions or rapidly put new penalties in place striking at the heart of Iran’s oil exports lifeline and its financial system. The most recent squeeze on Iran was announced Friday, when SWIFT, a financial clearinghouse used by virtually every country and major corporation in the world, agreed to shut out the Islamic Republic from its network.

Diplomats say the choke-holds are being applied in part to persuade Israel to hold off on potential military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities - among them Fordo, a main Israeli concern because it is dug deep into a mountain and could be impervious to the most powerful bunker busting bombs. Diplomats told the AP earlier this month that Iran had added two new series or cascades of old-generation IR-1 centrifuges to its Fordo operation, meaning 348 centrifuges were now operating in four cascades.

Olli Heinonen, who retired last year as the IAEA’s chief Iran inspector, recently estimated that these machines, and two other cascades at Natanz can produce around 15 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium a month, using Iran’s tons of low-enriched uranium as feedstock. The low and higher enriched uranium now being produced “provides the basic material needed to produce four to five nuclear weapons”, Heinonen said. But he suggested “an altogether different scenario” - a much quicker pace of enrichment to levels easily turned into weapons-capable uranium if Iran starts using newer, more powerful centrifuges at Fordo. That, said the diplomats, is exactly what Iran appears to be on the verge of doing by finishing preparatory work recently for new centrifuge installations.

Fordo, which can house 3,000 centrifuges, was confidentially revealed to the IAEA by Iran in 2009, just days before the US and Britain jointly announced its existence. Iran announced last year that it would move its 20-percent uranium production to Fordo from Natanz and sharply boost capacity. It started making higher grade material two years ago saying it needed it to fuel a research reactor. But the US and others question the rationale, pointing out that Iran rejected offers of foreign fuel supplies for that reactor and is making more of the higher-enriched material than that small reactor needs. — AP

Bahrain deports foreign activists Continued from Page 1 One of the protest leaders wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “unarmed civilian”, another potester shouted: “Sunnis, Shia - brothers”.

Riot police told them to break up the protest, then threw a round of stun grenades and teargas. One woman was dragged away by women riot police after she was pepper sprayed. “These women are protesting peacefully,” Medea Benjamin, an American with an observer group called Witness Bahrain, shouted as she was being dragged away. The other woman who was detained gave her name as Elaine Murthagh, an independent Irish-British activist.

Later Friday, hundreds of riot police and security forces used armoured vehicles, water cannon, teargas and stun grenades to disperse a march of more than 500 people in the Shiite district of Jidhafs. They were chanting against the government. The march followed the funeral of Hussein Al-Baqali, a 19-year-old who died this week from burn wounds sustained last month during tyre-burning by Shiites during an air show that Bahrain’s government saw as a showcase event. His family say he was unable to go to state hospitals for fear of arrest.

Sheikh Isa Qassim, seen as the most influential Shiite cleric in Bahrain, said in a sermon the protest movement would not give up. “The government’s methods will not affect the people’s push to get their rights,” he said on Friday, citing an attempt to clear the roundabout by security forces in February last year that killed four people. “You have the machinery of destruction, but you cannot silence the voice of the people.” Qassim is close to the biggest opposition party Wefaq, which has begun contacts with a senior official in the Al-Khalifa family on a possible political resolution to a crisis that has paralysed the tourism and banking hub’s economy.

The violence has escalated in the last two months, with

a marked rise in the use of petrol bombs against police while the number of dead, many from the effects of teargas, has risen to around 66, from 35 in June. Police use of teargas to handle street protesters has been controversial because activists say it is used indiscriminately and the cannisters are sometimes fired directly. On Thursday police said an improvised explosive device (IED) containing nails had been thrown at them in Sar, while in the nearby village of Bani Jamra, site of another protest, police said they had defused another IED. Two policemen were seriously injured in a petrol bomb attack in the flashpoint town on Sitra on Wednesday.

A medic said at least 120 protesters had been wounded this week. Medics and protesters say police are using birdshot, which the police deny. This week was the first time since a period of martial law last year that police use armoured vehicles and water cannon. The Interior Ministry has hired two “supercops” from the United States and Britain to help improve policing after a commission of international legal experts set up to investigate last year’s uprising revealed systematic torture and deaths in police custody during emergency law.

John Timoney, former chief of police in Miami, told Reuters last week that water cannon could be of some use but only in certain areas. He said teargas was preferred as the least harmful method of breaking up what police view as aimless riots. Activists accuse the government of using excessive force. Sayed Ibrahim, 30, said he was beaten by police after they took him inside a jeep following clashes this week in Barbar. He said they broke his arm and hand, which were both bandaged, and subjected him to sexual harassment. “When I got in the car one of them put his hand inside my trousers,” he said. “They pulled my arm back and asked if it was broken yet. They put my hand outside, then banged the door on it a few times, then hit my head with teargas canisters.” — Agencies

Tehran deploys warships to the Mediterranean Continued from Page 1 Jewish state putting its navy on alert. During the 2011 deployment, two Iranian vessels, a destroyer and a supply ship, sailed past the coast of Israel and docked at the port of Latakia in allied Syria before returning to Iran via the Red Sea. The latest announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, fuelled by a longstanding dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program and rising speculation that Israel might launch pre-emptive strikes against Iranian facilities.

Israeli officials are also accusing Tehran of orchestrating anti-Israeli bombings in India and Georgia as well as blasts in Thailand. Iran

denies the allegations. Israeli leaders has denounced the naval deployment as a “provocation” and a “powerplay”.

And yesterday, an official of the Israeli foreign ministry said without elaborating that “we will closely follow the movement of the two ships to confirm that they do not approach the Israeli coast”. Iran’s navy has been boosting its presence in international waters in the past two years, deploying vessels to the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden on missions to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates.

And Iran sent submarines to the Red Sea last June to “collect data”, its first such mission in distant waters, while its naval commanders

say they plan on deploying ships close to US territorial waters in the future.

Iranian naval forces are composed of small units, including speedboats equipped with missiles, which operate in the Gulf and are under the command of the elite Revolutionary Guards. The navy, using small frigates, destroyers, and three Russian-made Kilo class submarines, oversees high seas missions in the Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden. It now permanently has at least two vessels in those areas to escort merchant ships, and has been involved in more than 100 confrontations with armed pirates, according to the navy commander in December. — AFP

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

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Issues

Tensions with Iran raise US safety concerns

By Eileen Sullivan he government is worried that Iran will consider a terror attack on American soil, but it has no specific or credible threat about such a plot. Police from Los Angeles to New York City said they were anxious about the risks, even as a senior US intelligence official reassured Congress that it was unlikely Iran would attack. Law enforcement officials are keeping an eye out for potential Iranian operatives or anyone with links to the country’s proxy terrorist group, Hezbollah, as tensions escalate amid bombings overseas and tough talk from Iran’s government about its nuclear energy program.

Los Angeles, which has one of the largest Iranian communities outside Iran, has moved potential Iranian threats to the top of its intelligence briefings over the past few weeks. The New York Police Department said it assumes Iran would attack the city, with its especially large Jewish population. “The attacks overseas raises everybody’s anxiety level a little bit,” said Deputy Chief Michael Downing, commander of the Los Angeles Police Department’s counterterrorism and special operations bureau. In recent weeks, Iran has been blamed for bombings in India, Georgia and Thailand. “It’s been at the forefront,” Downing said.

Iran has accused Israel, its longtime adversary, of killing some of its nuclear scientists, while Israel has warned of a military strike against Iran’s nuclear energy program over concerns it could lead to development of a nuclear bomb.

Amid the tensions, Los Angeles increased its outreach to Iranian and Jewish communities, assuring them there is no reason to be paranoid or overly anxious, Downing said in an interview. The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep Peter King, said Hezbollah and Iran are capable of attacking inside the US. King said he received two intelligence briefs on the Iranian threat in the past two weeks. “We know they’re here, mainly facilitators and fundraisers, that type of thing,” King said. “How quickly they could be activated, what others there are here, that’s the unknown.” An unclassified US government intelligence bulletin circulated last week and obtained by AP warned, “We remain concerned Iran would consider attacks in the United States,” and predicted that domestic violent extremists “will continue to threaten and conduct isolated acts of violence against Jewish organizations.” But it acknowledged, “We have no specific information that Iran or its surrogates are targeting Jewish organizations, facilities or personnel in the United States.”

The head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt Gen Ronald Burgess, told Congress on Thursday that his agency believes Iran is “unlikely to initiate or intentionally provoke a conflict,” although he acknowledged that Iran could attempt to deploy terrorist agents around the world. Sen John McCain, similarly warned, “The rulers in Iran clearly pose a more direct threat to us than many would have assumed just a year ago.” In New York, the director of intelligence analysis for the New York Police Department, Mitchell D Silber, called the threat there “neither an idle nor a new threat”. “Iran’s next target could well be on American soil,” Silber wrote in an opinion piece this week in The Wall Street Journal.

Earlier last week, the NYPD increased security around synagogues as a precaution. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano conducted a conference call last week with 250 members of the US Jewish community to discuss the potential threat from Iran and urged them to remain on the lookout for anything suspicious, said Paul Goldenberg, director of the Secure Community Network, an organization that oversees safety for Jewish groups around the country. “At this juncture, we’re being very careful. This community is not operating in panic,” Goldenberg said. “I would not stop for a moment to go to synagogue on Saturday or to visit a Jewish federation on Sunday, and that is our message at this time.”

Iran was previously accused in a disrupted plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US here last year, a plan interpreted in the US intelligence community as a clear message that Iran is not afraid to carry out an attack inside this country. US officials long have worried that Iran would use Hezbollah to carry attacks into the United States. After a decade of investigations, the FBI has identified Hezbollah sympathizers and financiers, but current and former counterterrorism officials said there has been no clear evidence of an operational Hezbollah cell on US soil. The US considers Lebanon-based Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

“Their potential threat is greater than any other group out there,” said Andrew Arena, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Detroit. Hezbollah isn’t just a terrorism group, he said. “You’ve got to look at them militarily. —AP

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Blaze puts spotlight on Honduras meltdown

By Ioan Grillo t took just seconds to ignite the fire that killed more than 350 inmates in a Honduran prison on Valentine’s Day, but the country’s messy spiral into lawlessness has been years in the making. One of the world’s worst prison fires has turned a spotlight on the crime, corruption and weak government that has made Honduras a case study for a nation in crisis. Once a treasured hub for US geopolitical interests in Central America, it is better known today as the world’s most murderous country.

Rampant lawlessness, poverty and a crumbling justice system has left the coffeeexporting nation of some 8 million people battered by ultra-violent gangs and drug cartels. Gunmen have taken control of slums and villages, well aware that the police are ineffective and corrupt. “Our neighborhoods have become war zones,” says Jennifer Castellanos, whose son was gunned down in San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ most violent city. “Where is the government to protect us?”

Often, it is working with the perpetrators.

In November, President Porfirio Lobo of the conservative National Party, fired his police chiefs and arrested another 176 officers on murder, kidnap and drug charges. “We have to get rid of the rotten apples,” Lobo said. But critics say the corruption is systemic. Saddled with one of the weakest economies in the Western hemisphere, nearly 70 percent of the population live in poverty. Many see crime as their only option. Or they leave, making the long trek to the United States.

Street gangs known as Maras have morphed into deadly organized crime syndicates, while Mexican drug traffickers buy up land and recruit their own squads of killers. For those who run afoul of the law, justice can be a far horizon. Nearly half of the country’s prisoners have not been convicted and many

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wait years before they even get a hearing.

Others die in jailhouse stabbings, shootings or fires like the one which surged through the Comayagua prison, trapping prisoners screaming in their cells as they burned alive.

One bone-thin gang member calling himself Flavio is typical of a new generation of street thugs driving the violence in Honduras.

Growing up with a poor single mother in a slum in the bustling capital Tegucigalpa, Flavio joined a Mara gang and left home before he had barely entered his teens. Flavio became a leader in his crew, known as “the one that carries the voice”, and would co-ordinate with other bosses. “This is not just street gangs. This is organized crime,” Flavio says, his voice just above a whisper, betraying the melodic lilt of Honduran ghettos. He asked not to be identified for fear of assassination.

Mara gangs began as immigrants fighting for survival in Los Angeles in the 1980s. But as members were deported to Central America, they found hungry new recruits in their homelands. Flavio’s gang controlled rackets in their slum such as crack cocaine sales and car theft, which they defended with an arsenal of weapons including automatic rifles and plastic explosives. Maras used to adorn their faces with tattoos, but the new generation abandoned the practice, focusing on making money. “I don’t have visible tattoos and I just wear normal clothes. I want to look like anyone else,” said Flavio. Once you have joined the Maras you have to murder and intimidate just to survive, Flavio said. “This is the life of the streets,” he said. “Once you are in, you can’t get out of this.”

The transformation of Maras into more organized crime syndicates has been central to Honduras’ demise. As well as trafficking drugs, many gangs bleed businesses by levying a so-called “war tax” or extortion payments in the territories they control. Many taxi drivers are forced to pay criminals about

$30 a week, small shops about $50. Most Hondurans earn less than the official minimum wage of about $300 a month. War taxes became widespread in 2008 and have since mushroomed to endemic levels. “The Maras tax almost every taxi and bus in Honduras’ major cities,” says Congress’ vice president, Marvin Ponce, who sits on the security committee. “If you add it all up, you can see that it is a multi-million dollar business.”

Even more feared than the Maras are Mexican drug cartels, which in recent years have extended their reach in Honduras. Small planes fly cocaine from Colombia into airstrips hidden in Honduran jungle and old banana plantations, from where Mexican gangsters smuggle it on towards the United States. Mexico’s wealthiest Sinaloa Cartel and the notoriously violent Zetas gang have both built up empires in Honduras, recruiting local hitmen and buying up jungle properties.

Increasingly powerful and profitable, Mexican cartels spread their tentacles south as the government launched a military crackdown on them in their homeland five years ago.

“The drug war in Mexico is really hurting us,” said Ponce.

The rise in violence in Honduras has been steep. In 2004, Honduras had 32 murders per 100,000 residents, less than El Salvador, Jamaica, Colombia or Venezuela, according to the Honduran Observatory on Violence project. By 2008, the homicide rate had shot up to 58 per 100,000. But it was only after a military coup against a Stetson-wearing leftist president, Manuel Zelaya, in 2009 that Honduras became the most murderous country on the planet. In 2010, there were 82 homicides per 100,000, or more than 16 times the rate in the United States. Last year, the rate is believed to have increased to 85 homicides per 100,000.

A rough economic ride has also been major factor. Honduras has traditionally based its economy on vast fruit plantations,

inspiring the term ‘banana republic’ in the 1904 novel “Cabbages and Kings”. While it diversified to build sweat shops in the 1980s, its infrastructure was badly damaged by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The 2009 coup further shook the economy, with many countries slashing aid and trade to Honduras. “The international reaction to crisis in 2009 was extremely damaging to us,” says Jose Toribio, a congressional deputy. “We are just beginning to recover from it this year.”

Critics say the coup seriously exacerbated the problems in Honduras, with political violence adding to criminal killings. Several protesters were shot dead during confrontations over the coup in 2009 and scores of activists have been slain since. The motives for the killings were not always clear. Luis Sosa, a head of the teacher’s union, alleges that hit squads work for local power brokers to silence their critics. “There has been continued repression since the coup,” said Sosa, who is facing court charges of public disorder for leading anti-coup protests. “There is political terror in Honduras.”

Journalists have also been frequent targets. A Honduran press group lists cases of 24 journalists who have been murdered since 2003, making it one of the world’s most dangerous place for reporters. Local radio reporter Oscar Bonilla said journalists are mainly concerned about attacks by organized crime but also fear they could be gunned down by corrupt police. “It is a very violent and intimidating environment. You know what you say could cost you your life,” Bonilla said. “You often have to censor yourself and not tell the whole story.” The turmoil threatens a regional ally of the United States. With a strategic position in the heart of Central America, Honduras has long been valued by the US military. In the 1980s, it was used to train US-backed Contra rebels fighting a civil war next door in Nicaragua. —Reuters

Ahmadinejad seen big loser in election

By Parisa Hafezi oyalists of Iran’s supreme leader, who is implacably hostile to the West and its drive to curb Tehran’s nuclear work, look set to triumph in Iran’s parliamentary poll at the expense of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a contest among hardliners. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned against the man he backed in a disputed presidential vote in 2009 after Ahmadinejad challenged his authority over top government posts. Ahmadinejad, first elected in 2005, had shown signs of seeking real power for the presidency, which in the Islamic Republic has always played second fiddle to the supreme leader in all state matters such as nuclear and foreign policy.

But Khamenei remains in the driving seat and the outcome of the March 2 election is unlikely to alter Iran’s defiance of the West over its nuclear program, despite ever harsher sanctions and the possibility of an eventual military confrontation. An alliance of clerics, elite Revolutionary Guards and influential bazaar merchants has made sure many pro-Ahmadinejad politicians cannot register to run for the assembly.

Politicians say the Guardian Council, made up of six clerics and six jurists who vet candidates, has barred many Ahmadinejad supporters, forcing him to pick younger political unknowns. “They had no public link to Ahmadinejad’s camp, but the Council was wise enough to spot them and around 45 percent of his supporters have been disqualified,” said one official involved in the multi-layered vetting process. A list of qualified candidates will be announced on Feb 21.

With bruised reformists not involved, that should translate into a parliamentary majority for Ahmadinejad’s foes in a power struggle among Iran’s clerical and political conservatives.

Khamenei stymied Ahmadinejad’s tentative attempts, early in his presidency, to compromise in a nuclear dispute that has led to a tightening web of sanctions and threats of US or Israeli military action to stop Tehran from acquiring atomic bombs.

Iran says its nuclear program, begun under the US-backed Shah, is only for peaceful energy and medical purposes.

Dissension among hardliners came to the fore in April when Khamenei reinstated an intelligence minister the president had sacked, thwarting an attempt by Ahmadinejad to install his own man in the ministry, which also vets election candidates. Since then, lawmakers have threatened to start impeachment proceedings against Ahmadinejad while others have accused him of being in the grip of a “deviant current” of advisers seeking to undermine the role of the clergy in the Islamic establishment. “Such an attack is impossible without

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Khamenei’s green light,” said political analyst Hamid Farahvashian.

Ahmadinejad, an engineer and former Revolutionary Guard officer with no clerical background, has implemented populist policies to build his own power base. “Ahmadinejad’s camp knows that they have lost the votes of core supporters ... because of challenging the role of the clergy,” said a former official, who asked not to be named. “The 10 to 15 million core supporters of the system will vote for the Khamenei camp.

Ahmadinejad’s camp is after votes of nationalists,” he added.

With a corruption scandal lingering over his government, Ahmadinejad, who must step down next year after two terms as president, now looks unlikely to be able to install one of his

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flashes a victory sign as he waits for the arrival of Ismail Haniya, Palestinian Hamas premier in the Gaza Strip, for a meeting in Tehran on Feb 12, 2012. — AFP

loyalists in the post, analysts and critics say. The attacks on Ahmadinejad signal a turnaround from 2009, when Khamenei supported his re-election, which the reformist opposition said was rigged, igniting eight months of violent street unrest, the worst in the Islamic Republic’s history. The government put the uprising down by force, but Arab uprisings since then have revealed that authoritarian states can be vulnerable to popular anger fuelled by economic hardship.

Leading reformists are not taking part in next month’s poll, which they say will not be free or fair. Opposition leaders defeated in the 2009 presidential vote, Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, have been under house arrest for a year.

The process of vetting candidates, which includes checks on loyalty to Iran’s constitution and clerical leadership, is rooted in a theological debate once confined to Shiite religious seminaries but now increasingly out in the open. Hardline supporters of Khamenei accuse Ahmadinejad’s camp of pursuing an “Iranian” school of Islam, an ideology which some see as an inappropriate mix of religion and nationalism. Ahmadinejad accuses his rivals of breaking laws by insulting him and has threatened them with jail. Defaming top officials is a crime punishable by a maximum two-year prison sentence.

Politics in Iran are largely defined by attempts to claim the legacy of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, father of the revolution. Both camps portray themselves as the most capable of defending his commitment to Islam and social justice.

While Khamenei is only Iran’s second supreme leader, meant to be a neutral arbiter in political life and ultimate Islamic authority in matters of state, presidents have come and gone.

Khamenei, who survived an assassination attempt in 1981, may hope to secure the presidency for one of his own acolytes: his adviser Ali Akbar Velayati or Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi.

Velayati was foreign minister during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and shares Khamenei’s policy views, while Salehi has been a driving force behind Iran’s nuclear program.

Western sanctions aimed at forcing Iran to make nuclear concessions have started to hurt energy and food imports, but many Iranians blame Ahmadinejad’s policies for soaring prices. They say his cuts in food and fuel subsidies, replaced with direct monthly payments of around $38 per person, have fuelled inflation, officially running at around 20 percent, although some economists say it is more like 50 percent.

“Those in towns and villages support Ahmadinejad. They fear that if the rival camp wins, the subsidy cash distribution will be stopped,” said one analyst who declined to be named.

Ahmadinejad has also been tainted by Iran’s biggest fraud scandal, made public with Khamenei’s approval. —Reuters

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 , 2012

NEWS

Revelers walk from house to house during a traditional carnival to celebrate the departing winter and forthcoming spring in the village of Vortova, Czech Republic, yesterday. — AP

Morocco democracy movement founders Continued from Page 1 Elections on Nov 25 were won by a moderate Islamist opposition party promising many of the things once shouted at demonstrations.

Moroccan authorities have trumpeted their “third way” of dealing with the Arab Spring, steering between revolution and repression in favor of reforms with stability. Social unrest has continued though, including violent clashes between police and unemployed graduates calling for government sector jobs.

The youth-led movement has had a hard time harnessing that simmering anger. “ The problem with February 20 is that it is elitist and doesn’t have a rapport with the people,” said Mouad Belghouat, a 25year-old rapper with February 20 whose songs excoriating the palace and social inequalities in the country became the soundtrack for the movement. The movement’s demands weren’t all realized, he said, “so we continue to go into the streets.”

Belghouat, who goes by the named El-Haqed, or the Enraged, was jailed for four months for getting into a fight with a regime supporter in the gritty, low income suburb of Casablanca where he lives. His supporters say the charges were trumped up. “You can’t talk to people about parliamentary monarchy, they think the king is sacred, so you have to talk to them about unemployment and those stealing the wealth of the country,” he said, explaining that he and his friends in the movement now go to neighborhoods and have discussions to raise people’s consciousness. It also helps that his rap songs appeal to the young, unemployed and disenfranchised youth that swell the crumbling slums surrounding Casablanca, Tangiers and other large cities.

The movement’s protests always had an artistic side to them, with street theater often accompanying the colorful marches through the streets. In one Casablanca protest, a man with the mask of a hated advis-

er of the king dangled a baguette on a fishing rod above the grasping hands of three ragged figures representing the people. There is no denying that in the initial months of the protests, February 20 achieved more than generations of party politics had accomplished in opening up Morocco. “It succeeded in breaking a taboo, it brought out into the open calls against corruption and the domination of certain figures on the economy,” said Omar Bendoro, a political analyst at Rabat University.

Close associates of the king from wealthy families are perceived to dominate the economy.

After years of repression, people are no longer afraid to make their discontent known, whether about lack of water, electricity or civil rights, he added. “Social problems have always existed, but now the people explode because there is a chance that the powers-that-be will take them seriously,” Bendoro said.

The king, due either to the street rallies or fears of Egyptian- or Tunisianstyle revolutions, agreed in March to amend the constitution, bowing to longtime demands from political parties.

Under the new constitution the prime minister has more powers and comes from the party that won the most votes, rather than whomever the king felt like choosing under the old system. Ultimate power, however, still rests with the monarch and his court of close advisers. Even as the concessions, including raising public sector wages, blunted popular anger, activists say there was a second, darker, prong to the official response - one that targeted the movement itself.

Starting in May, demonstrations began to be attacked by riot police and hired thugs, and some activists started receiving late night visits from security officers. “There were two levels at work, the institutional and the non-institutional, which was the intimidation, beatings and propaganda - particularly propaganda about the Islamists,” said activist Abadila Maaelaynine. State media

said the demonstrators were being infiltrated by radical communists and hardline Islamists from the banned Adl wal Ihsane (Justice and Charity) movement, which did have a big presence in the demonstrations.

The accusations stuck, further cooling public ardor for the movement, and soon the demonstrations became more of a weekly - later monthly - traffic nuisance than a real vehicle of political change. “We failed to become more innovative in what we were doing and it’s time to admit that,” said Zeinab Belmkaddem, a young activist with the movement, which is now looking to start a political party and build up a lasting network tied to the people. “We don’t want to just stay in the streets, we tried that for a year - been there done that - that’s it, but at the end of the day what happened is that others took advantage and that’s what happened with the PJD,” she said bitterly, referring to the Islamist party that won elections.

The party has been a clear beneficiary of the movement. “ The process of democratization in the country is moving in a good direction,” said Mustapha Khalfi, once the editor of the PJD’s newspaper and now the minister of communication and government spokesman.

“Moroccan society has the feeling that what is happening in politics has an impact on daily life and most importantly when they participate it can make a difference.”

Khalfi is quick to praise the February 20 movement for its early efforts, but noted that it has since lost momentum and popularity and it is the new government that is now looking to satisfy people’s demands for jobs. Activists, however, question whether the limited powers given to the new government will be enough to enact the deep reforms that the people crave - especially as daily frustrations mount. “Now the people are waiting to see what they can do,” said the rapper Belghouat. “They will be disappointed.” — AP

Syrian forces fire on funeral in Damascus Continued from Page 1 Zhai appealed for an end to violence from all sides, including the government and opposition forces. But his comments for the most part amounted to a show of support against world condemnation of Assad’s crackdown on the popular uprising.

The envoy said China backed Assad’s plan for a referendum on Feb 26 followed by multi-party elections to resolve the crisis. The opposition and the West have dismissed the plan as a sham. “China supports the path of reform taking place in Syria and the important steps that have been taken in this respect,” he said. The Chinese Embassy said Zhai held separate meetings with moderate opposition figures Qadri Jamil, Louay Hussein and Hassan Abdulazim, but gave no details.

“We told the Chinese envoy that most of the opposition accept a dialogue if that dialogue is serious and responsible, meaning that the Syrian authorities would implement what is agreed. But the problem with dialogue is that the authorities have lost credibility,” Hussein told Reuters.

Beijing and Moscow have been Assad’s most important international defenders during the crackdown which has killed several thousand people and divided world powers. The United Nations, the United States, Europe, Turkey and Arab powers want Assad to step down and have condemned the ferocious repression.

Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Feb 4 calling on Assad to quit and also voted against a similar, non-binding General Assembly resolution on Thursday.

In other strife across the country, government forces bombarded the opposition stronghold of Homs yesterday. A blanket of snow covered Homs, strategically sited on the road between Damascus and the commercial hub Aleppo, as rockets and artillery pounded mainly Sunni Muslim rebel districts. The troops were close to Baba Amro, a southern neighbourhood that has been target of the heaviest barrages since the offensive began two weeks ago, activists said. “There is no electricity and communications between districts are cut, so we are unable to get a death toll. There is no fuel in most of the city,” activist Mohammad Al-Homsi said from Homs.

The military has also opened a new offensive in Hama, a city with a bloody history of resistance to Assad’s late father Hafez, who died in 2000 after 30 years in power. Assad, who belongs the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiism, in a majority Sunni country, says he is fighting foreign-backed terrorists. “We said from the onset that the day when huge demonstrations will spill out in Damascus and (Syria’s second city) Aleppo, it will be the end of the regime,” said Agnes Levallois, a Paris-based Middle East exper t. The continuing onslaught on the rebel city of Homs “has spurred many Syrians, who were still hesitating, to join the protest movement,” said Levallois. “The wall of fear has really crumbled.”

The uprising began with civilian protests in March, but now includes a parallel armed struggle led by the loosely organised Free Syria Army, made up of army deserters and local insurgents. Syria’s other significant ally is Iran, itself at odds with the West. An Iranian destroyer and a supply ship sailed through the Suez canal this week and are believed to be on their way to the Syrian coast, a source in the canal authority said.

Iraq said yesterday it had reinforced security along its Syrian border to prevent arms smuggling after reports that fighters and weapons were crossing into Syria.

“Necessary measures have been taken to consolidate control over the borders with Syria which is witnessing turbulence that encourages infiltration and all kinds of smuggling, especially arms,” Prime Minister Nuri AlMaliki’s office said.

Iraq’s Shiites fear that if Assad fell, hardline Sunnis could come to power, a shift which could threaten their newly-acquired dominance since the 2003 USled invasion. The West is concerned that the conflict is sliding towards a civil war that could spread across the region’s patchwork of ethnic, religious and political rivalries. But it has ruled out Libya-style military intervention, instead imposing sanctions and urging a fragmented opposition, which includes activists inside Syria, armed rebels and politicians in exile, to present a common front against Assad. Tunisia, which is hosting a meeting on Syria next week, said on Friday Arab countries would encourage the opposition to unite before they would recognise them as a government-in-waiting. — Agencies

Iran poised for big nuke jump VIENNA: Iran is poised to greatly expand uranium enrichment at a fortified underground bunker to a point that would boost how quickly it could make nuclear warheads, diplomats told AP. They said Tehran has put finishing touches for the installation of thousands of new-generation centrifuges at the cavernous facility machines that can produce enriched uranium much more quickly and efficiently than its present machines. While saying that the electrical circuitry, piping and supporting equipment for the new centrifuges was now in place, the diplomats emphasized that Tehran had not started installing the new machines at its Fordo facility and could not say whether it was planning to.

Still, the senior diplomats suggested that Tehran would have little reason to prepare the ground for the better centrifuges unless it planned to operate them. They spoke in recent interviews - the last one yesterday. The reported work at Fordo appeared to reflect Iran’s determination to forge ahead with nuclear activity that could be used to make atomic arms despite rapidly escalating international sanctions and the latent threat of an Israeli military strike on its nuclear facilities. Fordo could be used to make fissile warhead material even without such an upgrade, the diplomats said.

They said that although older than Iran’s new generation machines, the centrifuges now operating there can be reconfigured within days to make such material because they already are enriching to 20 percent - a level that can be boosted quickly to weapons-grade quality. Their comments appeared to represent the first time anyone had quantified the time it would take to reconfigure the Fordo centrifuges into machines making weapons-grade material. In contrast, Iran’s older enrichment site at Natanz is producing uranium at 3.4 percent, a level normally used to power reactors. While that too could be turned into weapons-grade uranium, reassembling from low to weaponsgrade production is complex, and retooling the thousands of centrifuges at Natanz would likely take weeks.

The diplomats’ recent comments came as International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors are scheduled to visit Tehran today. Their trip - the second this month - is another attempt to break more than three years of Iranian stonewalling about allegations that Tehran has - or is - secretly working on nuclear weapons that would be armed with uranium enriched to 90 percent or more. Diplomats accredited to the IAEA expect little from that visit. They told the AP that - as before - Iran was refusing to allow the agency experts to visit Parchin, the suspected site of explosives testing for a nuclear weapon and had turned down other key requests made by the experts.

Iranian officials deny nuclear weapons aspirations, saying the claims are based on bogus intelligence from the US and Israel.

But IAEA chief Yukiya Amano has said there are increasing indications of such activity. His concerns were outlined in 13-page summary late last year listing clandestine activities that either can be

used in civilian or military nuclear programs, or “are specific to nuclear weapons”. Among these were indications that Iran has conducted high explosives testing and detonator development to set off a nuclear charge, as well as computer modeling of a core of a nuclear warhead. The report also cited preparatory work for a nuclear weapons test and development of a nuclear payload for Iran’s Shahab 3 intermediate range missile - a weapon that could reach Israel.

Iran says it is enriching only to make nuclear fuel. But because enrichment can also create fissile warhead material, the UN Security Council has imposed sanctions on Tehran in a failed attempt to force it to stop. More recently, the US, the European Union and other Western allies have either tightened up their own sanctions or rapidly put new penalties in place striking at the heart of Iran’s oil exports lifeline and its financial system. The most recent squeeze on Iran was announced Friday, when SWIFT, a financial clearinghouse used by virtually every country and major corporation in the world, agreed to shut out the Islamic Republic from its network.

Diplomats say the choke-holds are being applied in part to persuade Israel to hold off on potential military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities - among them Fordo, a main Israeli concern because it is dug deep into a mountain and could be impervious to the most powerful bunker busting bombs. Diplomats told the AP earlier this month that Iran had added two new series or cascades of old-generation IR-1 centrifuges to its Fordo operation, meaning 348 centrifuges were now operating in four cascades.

Olli Heinonen, who retired last year as the IAEA’s chief Iran inspector, recently estimated that these machines, and two other cascades at Natanz can produce around 15 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium a month, using Iran’s tons of low-enriched uranium as feedstock. The low and higher enriched uranium now being produced “provides the basic material needed to produce four to five nuclear weapons”, Heinonen said. But he suggested “an altogether different scenario” - a much quicker pace of enrichment to levels easily turned into weapons-capable uranium if Iran starts using newer, more powerful centrifuges at Fordo. That, said the diplomats, is exactly what Iran appears to be on the verge of doing by finishing preparatory work recently for new centrifuge installations.

Fordo, which can house 3,000 centrifuges, was confidentially revealed to the IAEA by Iran in 2009, just days before the US and Britain jointly announced its existence. Iran announced last year that it would move its 20-percent uranium production to Fordo from Natanz and sharply boost capacity. It started making higher grade material two years ago saying it needed it to fuel a research reactor. But the US and others question the rationale, pointing out that Iran rejected offers of foreign fuel supplies for that reactor and is making more of the higher-enriched material than that small reactor needs. — AP

Bahrain deports foreign activists Continued from Page 1 One of the protest leaders wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “unarmed civilian”, another potester shouted: “Sunnis, Shia - brothers”.

Riot police told them to break up the protest, then threw a round of stun grenades and teargas. One woman was dragged away by women riot police after she was pepper sprayed. “These women are protesting peacefully,” Medea Benjamin, an American with an observer group called Witness Bahrain, shouted as she was being dragged away. The other woman who was detained gave her name as Elaine Murthagh, an independent Irish-British activist.

Later Friday, hundreds of riot police and security forces used armoured vehicles, water cannon, teargas and stun grenades to disperse a march of more than 500 people in the Shiite district of Jidhafs. They were chanting against the government. The march followed the funeral of Hussein Al-Baqali, a 19-year-old who died this week from burn wounds sustained last month during tyre-burning by Shiites during an air show that Bahrain’s government saw as a showcase event. His family say he was unable to go to state hospitals for fear of arrest.

Sheikh Isa Qassim, seen as the most influential Shiite cleric in Bahrain, said in a sermon the protest movement would not give up. “The government’s methods will not affect the people’s push to get their rights,” he said on Friday, citing an attempt to clear the roundabout by security forces in February last year that killed four people. “You have the machinery of destruction, but you cannot silence the voice of the people.” Qassim is close to the biggest opposition party Wefaq, which has begun contacts with a senior official in the Al-Khalifa family on a possible political resolution to a crisis that has paralysed the tourism and banking hub’s economy.

The violence has escalated in the last two months, with

a marked rise in the use of petrol bombs against police while the number of dead, many from the effects of teargas, has risen to around 66, from 35 in June. Police use of teargas to handle street protesters has been controversial because activists say it is used indiscriminately and the cannisters are sometimes fired directly. On Thursday police said an improvised explosive device (IED) containing nails had been thrown at them in Sar, while in the nearby village of Bani Jamra, site of another protest, police said they had defused another IED. Two policemen were seriously injured in a petrol bomb attack in the flashpoint town on Sitra on Wednesday.

A medic said at least 120 protesters had been wounded this week. Medics and protesters say police are using birdshot, which the police deny. This week was the first time since a period of martial law last year that police use armoured vehicles and water cannon. The Interior Ministry has hired two “supercops” from the United States and Britain to help improve policing after a commission of international legal experts set up to investigate last year’s uprising revealed systematic torture and deaths in police custody during emergency law.

John Timoney, former chief of police in Miami, told Reuters last week that water cannon could be of some use but only in certain areas. He said teargas was preferred as the least harmful method of breaking up what police view as aimless riots. Activists accuse the government of using excessive force. Sayed Ibrahim, 30, said he was beaten by police after they took him inside a jeep following clashes this week in Barbar. He said they broke his arm and hand, which were both bandaged, and subjected him to sexual harassment. “When I got in the car one of them put his hand inside my trousers,” he said. “They pulled my arm back and asked if it was broken yet. They put my hand outside, then banged the door on it a few times, then hit my head with teargas canisters.” — Agencies

Tehran deploys warships to the Mediterranean Continued from Page 1 Jewish state putting its navy on alert. During the 2011 deployment, two Iranian vessels, a destroyer and a supply ship, sailed past the coast of Israel and docked at the port of Latakia in allied Syria before returning to Iran via the Red Sea. The latest announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, fuelled by a longstanding dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program and rising speculation that Israel might launch pre-emptive strikes against Iranian facilities.

Israeli officials are also accusing Tehran of orchestrating anti-Israeli bombings in India and Georgia as well as blasts in Thailand. Iran

denies the allegations. Israeli leaders has denounced the naval deployment as a “provocation” and a “powerplay”.

And yesterday, an official of the Israeli foreign ministry said without elaborating that “we will closely follow the movement of the two ships to confirm that they do not approach the Israeli coast”. Iran’s navy has been boosting its presence in international waters in the past two years, deploying vessels to the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden on missions to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates.

And Iran sent submarines to the Red Sea last June to “collect data”, its first such mission in distant waters, while its naval commanders

say they plan on deploying ships close to US territorial waters in the future.

Iranian naval forces are composed of small units, including speedboats equipped with missiles, which operate in the Gulf and are under the command of the elite Revolutionary Guards. The navy, using small frigates, destroyers, and three Russian-made Kilo class submarines, oversees high seas missions in the Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden. It now permanently has at least two vessels in those areas to escort merchant ships, and has been involved in more than 100 confrontations with armed pirates, according to the navy commander in December. — AFP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

sp orts Telefonica back on top

Wust leads speedskating worlds MOSCOW: Defending champion Ireen Wust of the Netherlands took the lead after two races at the World Allround Speedskating Championships.

Wust had 79.818 points after finishing third in the 500-meter opener and second in the 3,000 yesterday at the Krylatskoye Ice Stadium oval.

World Cup overall leader Christine Nesbitt, who won the women’s 500, but finished sixth in the 3,000, was second with 79. 891 points. The Canadian was followed

by Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic at 80.610 points.

The Czech, who has been unbeatable at 3,000 meters this season, clocked 4 minutes, 01.80 seconds to claim her fourth victory at the distance. She edged Wust by 0.69 seconds at the finish line.

In the 500-meter sprint openers, Zbigniew Brodka of Poland was timed at 36.24 seconds to win the men’s race. He was just two-hundredths of a second ahead of Koen Verweij of the Netherlands.

Brodka’s fellow Pole Konrad Niedzwiedzki came in third at 36.32.

In the women’s sprint, Nesbitt finished in 38.30 seconds Saturday at the Krylatskoye Ice Stadium oval. Yekaterina Lobysheva of Russia was second, 0.65 seconds behind and Ireen Wust of the Netherlands finished third, 1.07 back.—AP

SANYA: Iker Martinez’s Telefonica spent two days in sailing’s version of the emergency care ward before the Sanya in-port race but still left their rivals trailing as the Volvo Ocean Race resumed on Saturday. The shore crew of Martinez’s apparently indestructible boat replaced the entire rigging after finding a mystery fault and the gamble paid off in style as the Spanish team beat US outfit Puma to extend their overall lead by three points.

The still unexplained problem discovered by Telefonica forced them to miss all the practice races on Thursday and Friday. The decision to replace the entire system at the last minute was understandable given that faulty rigging can cause a mast to break and the boats are heading out into 10 metre waves when they start Leg 4 on

Sunday. If their rivals thought the Spanish crew, which has won the first three of the nine-month race’s nine legs, would suffer in Saturday’s 10.8nautical mile race they were in for a rude shock as Martinez cruised home to a 41-second win over U.S.-led Puma.

“Today the tactics were what made the difference. We were really in the right place for the upwind legs and the first downwind too,” Martinez told reporters. “Even if we weren’t great at manoeuvres, we were in the right place and that’s what mattered.”

A bungled sail change from Telefonica saw Puma briefly close to within three seconds at the second turning mark but a wind shift in the Spanish team’s favor saw them restore their advantage.—Reuters

Kaneria denies match fixing ISLAMABAD: Pakistan legspinner Danish Kaneria on Saturday denied he had ever been involved in fixing matches. In sentencing Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield to four months in prison on Friday for on-field corruption, a judge in London accused Kaneria of pressuring teammates at the county side to fix matches.

“All these allegations are false,” Kaneria told The Associated Press. “I have not only been cleared by the British police, but also by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council.”

Kaneria has been suspended from international cricket by the Pakistan Cricket Board since 2010 soon after allegations of spot-fixing during a county match first surfaced.

He was named in the test squad for the series against South Africa in 2010, but was pulled out at the last minute after Westfield was charged for spot-fixing during a county match. However, Kaneria has been playing in Pakistan’s domestic tournaments. For the last two years Kaneria had been trying to clear his name in spot-fixing allegations and even appealed in the Sindh High Court at Karachi against his PCB suspension.—AP

Red Wings soar over Predators

New Jersey 3, Anaheim 2 (So); Carolina 3, San Jose 2; Montreal 4, Buffalo 3 (So); Washington 2, Florida 1; Detroit 2, Nashville 1; Winnipeg 4, Boston 2; Colorado 3, Edmonton 1. (SO denotes shootout win)

DETROIT: Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk scored with 5 seconds left to give the Red Wings their 22nd consecutive home victory, beating the Nashville Predators 2-1 in the NHL on Friday. Three nights after breaking the NHL single-season record for consecutive home victories, the Red Wings tied the mark for successive wins across two seasons. The Boston Bruins closed the 1929-30 season with 20 victories at home and won their first two the following season. Detroit can break the record Sunday against San Jose.

Datsyuk beat the goalie with a high wrist shot from the slot after eluding a defenseman. He also had an assist on Johan Franzen’s goal. Nick Spaling scored for Nashville.

NY Rangers Philadelphia New Jersey Pittsburgh NY Islanders Boston Ottawa Toronto Montreal Buffalo

Jets 4, Bruins 2 In Winnipeg, Bryan Little scored twice in the third period to help Winnipeg beat Boston. Blake Wheeler had a goal and two assists, and Alexander Burmistrov also scored for the Jets, who won on consecutive nights for the first time this season.

Jordan Caron and David Krejci scored for the Northeast Division-leading Bruins.

Capitals 2, Panthers 1 In Sunrise, Florida, Alexander Semin scored the tiebreaking goal with 6:33 to go, lifting Washington over Florida.

Semin took a slap shot from above the right circle, and the puck deflected off the stick of an opponent and past the goalie’s glove. Capitals goalie Tomas Vokoun made 22 saves against his former team while Alex Ovechkin scored his team-best 24th of the season for the Capitals, who moved to within two points of the first-place Panthers in the Southeast Division. Tomas Fleischmann scored for Florida.

Devils 3, Ducks 2 In Newark, Ilva Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias scored shootout goals as New Jersey beat red-hot Anaheim. Martin Brodeur made 36 saves and preserved the shootout win with a pad save on Ryan Getzlaf as the Devils handed the Ducks only their seventh loss since the start of the year.

Getzlaf appeared to score early in over-

NHL results/standings

Florida Washington Winnipeg Tampa Bay Carolina

MANITOBA: Winnipeg Jetsí Blake Wheeler (26) celebrates with Jim Slater (19) after scoring against the Boston Bruins during the second period of an NHL hockey game. — AP time, but a review showed he kicked the puck into the net. Anaheim’s Sheldon Brookbank had forced the overtime, scoring with 2:13 to play in regulation. It was his first goal in 167 games. Corey Perry, who hit a goalpost in the shootout, also scored for the Ducks, giving him six in four games. Adam Henrique and Alexei Ponikarovsky scored in regulation for the Devils.

Hurricanes 3, Sharks 2 In Raleigh, North Carolina, Jussi Jokinen scored on a deflection with 8:05 left to lift Carolina past San Jose.

Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk scored 3:03

apart in the first period for the Hurricanes, who let a two-goal lead slip away before regrouping to beat the Pacific Division leaders. The Southeast Division’s lastplaced team has earned points in six consecutive games. Dan Boyle and Brent Burns scored in a 2:26 span of the third for the Sharks.

Canadiens 4, Sabres 3 In Buffalo, Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais scored shootout goals, and Carey Price stopped both attempts he faced in Montreal’s victory over Buffalo. Chris Campoli, Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle scored in regulation to help the Canadiens

win their third straight road game. Montreal moved clear of a logjam of three teams on 56 points, and sit alone into 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings. Tyler Ennis, Tyler Myers and Robyn Regehr scored for the Sabres, who have not won in regulation in four games but at least salvaged a point after Ennis forced overtime by scoring in the third period.

Avalanche 3, Oilers 1 In Edmonton, Gabriel Landeskog and Mark Olver each had a goal and an assist as Colorado beat Edmonton. Erik Johnson also scored for the Avalanche. Ryan Jones scored the Oilers sole goal. — AP

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

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF 37 14 5 158 32 18 7 189 33 20 4 161 32 20 5 176 24 25 8 135 Northeast Division 35 19 2 190 30 22 8 179 29 23 6 176 24 25 10 159 24 27 7 142 Southeast Division 27 19 11 144 29 23 5 158 28 26 6 148 25 26 6 161 22 25 11 150 Western Conference Central Division 40 17 2 187 35 15 7 145 33 19 6 162 30 21 7 180 17 34 6 133 Northwest Division 36 15 6 183 27 22 9 141 29 26 4 150 25 23 9 129 22 29 6 151 Pacific Division 31 18 7 165 28 21 9 150 27 20 11 124 29 25 3 149 24 24 10 150

GA 114 171 158 150 165

PTS 79 71 70 69 56

130 183 174 161 173

72 68 64 58 55

160 161 169 194 177

65 63 62 56 55

137 114 152 176 186

82 77 72 67 40

140 155 163 150 172

78 63 62 59 50

139 146 125 162 168

69 65 65 61 58

Pearson dominates in Sydney track SYDNEY: Australia’s Sally Pearson, a strong favorite for Olympic gold in London later this year, thrilled a small but noisy crowd by scorching to her 21st victory in her last 22 races in the 100 metres hurdles at the Sydney Track Classic yesterday.

Pearson, silver medallist in Beijing four years ago, dominated the women’s sprint hurdles with 15 victories in 16 races last year, including at the world championships in Daegu.

On Saturday, she made a superb start and eased away from the field through the middle section of the race before finishing well clear in 12.66 seconds despite clipping the final hurdle.

“I’ve just got to stop hitting hurdles,” said the 25-year-old, whose time was her best ever in Australia.

“I’m running really well and then there’s always one hurdle.

“I’m in good shape. That’s my second race of the season,” she said. “I’ve got like about 15 more to go and that’s including the heats and finals at the Olympics. If it’s perfect now you’ve got nothing to work on.”

Olympic 800 metres gold medal favourite David Rudisha later opened his 2012 campaign with a second place finish at half his usual distance but was still all smiles at the Sydney Olympic Park.

World champion and world record holder over two laps, Rudisha had been looking for a time under 46 seconds in the 400m as he ponders a second medal bid in the 4x400 relay at the London Games.

He duly delivered in 45.82, just shy

of his personal best of 45.50 in the one lap race, to finish second behind Australia’s 4x400m Olympic silver medallist from Athens John Steffensen.

“I’m very happy to go under 46, I’ve good some good preparations but this was my first race and to go under 46 was a good performance,” Rudisha told Reuters.

“I was a little bit tired at the end because it was a faster race and my body was reacting a bit differently.”

Rudisha’s compatriot Asbel Kiprop, the Olympic and world 1,500 metres champion, also ran at a shorter than usual distance and held off a strong local challenge on the home straight to win the 800 metres in 1:45.91.

“I’ve raced in Australia twice before and never won so I wanted to win,” the Kenyan, who was handed the Beijing gold when Rashid Ramzi failed a dope test, told Reuters.

There were also victories for Olympic champions in two women’s field events with New Zealand’s world champion Valerie Adams winning the shot put in 20.67 metres and American Stephanie BrownTrafton taking the honours in the discus. “The win was great, I felt I had a few fouls that were further than my official throw,” Brown-Trafton, who threw 63.23 metres with her opening attempt to push 2009 world champion Dani Samuels into second place, told Reuters.

“This throw at this stage in the season is pretty good. This is my opportunity to have an awesome year.” —Reuters

Gulf Bank lead KBC League KUWAIT: The Gulf Bank moved to the top of the KBC League standings with a dominant win against the Industrial Bank, making the most out of the opportunity opened when former top spot holders Boubyan Bank were defeated in week five competitions.

Boubyan Bank led the league in its first few weeks before suffering a setback with their recent 1-0 loss from the National Bank of Kuwait; which in turn open the opportunity

for the Gulf Bank to take the lead spot. The Gulf Bank’s 7-1 win put them with 13 points on top of the standings, followed by Boubyab Bank and the Kuwait Finance House who maintained the third spot after defeating AlAhli United 3-1. Al-Ahli Bank defeated International Bank 2-0 in week five competitions.

The Gulf Bank looks to maintain its lead for the tournament organized by the Kuwait

Banks Club when it goes against the International Bank Tuesday in week six competitions which open today with a match between the NBK and Al-Ahli United.

The Boubyan Bank looks to recover from last week’s setback when it faces the Industrial Bank tomorrow, while KFH is set to face A-Ahli Bank on Wednesday. All matches take place at the Ministry of Information Stadium.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

sp orts

The human element in Super Bowl teams

By Ricardo Guerra

O

ne of the biggest challenges confronting head coaches in professional soccer today is managing different players’ personalities. In a society that worships individuals and deifies celebrities, there is perhaps no bigger task than convincing a superstar athlete with an oversized ego to favor the interests of the team above his own. The most successful coaches are the ones who are able to get the best out of these complicated individuals or who are able to recognize when such “divas” are irretrievably toxic to the team and drop them.

They also choose players who believe that playing for your country or team is an honor, which is why, no matter how talented, a player whose first priority is his own celebrity should not be selected for competition.

The most effective coaches also understand that qualities such as respect, empathy, pride, and selflessness must permeate the team and each of its players. A player will only come into full maturity once those core elements are acquired. You cannot

have the player without the human being.

What a shame, then, that some individual players on the international stage have recently shown themselves to be oblivious to this human element, displaying self-centered, diva-like behavior.

It is not uncommon these days to see professional teams in many sports, not just soccer, with players in their midst whose primary concern is self-promotion at the expense of the group. Such characters, in wanting to be the center of attention in a team sport, create havoc and, like cancerous cells, eventually contaminate the whole organism. The culture of sport, in its fascination with celebrity, has lost its appreciation for the human element.

The New England Patriots and the New York Giants, the two American football teams who met in this month’s Super Bowl, stand in admirable contrast to such trends. Notably, they were led by two outstanding head coaches with an “old-school” mentality characterized by a team-first attitude.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, who is known for his methodical training regimen and careful attention to detail, makes frequent references in his book and in interviews about the importance of

having a team-oriented, egoless mentality. Bill Belichik, the head coach of the Patriots, advocates a core philosophy embodied with very similar values.

Even Patriots president and team owner, Robert Kraft, has made that philosophy clear when asked on ESPN about the team foundation. He affirmed that the Patriots organization embraces a family spirit where all players are taught to subjugate their own egos in the interests of the team. As testament to this spirit, several Patriots players even paid tribute to Kraft’s late beloved wife Myra, who passed away early last year, by pointing to the sky whenever they scored.

Despite a victory in the AFC final against the Ravens, Patriots superstar quarterback Tom Brady was very self-critical of his performance.

He said, on live television, that he needed to do a better job and that his teammates had carried the team to the final. And Justin Tuck, the fearless Giants defensive end, always mentions the kinship among the players and how no one person is more important than the other.

Players on both teams understand and honor the sacrifices of previous generations by sacrificing

everything for their sides, knowing their responsibility, and putting the interests of the team above their own at all times. Their play is a display of guts, resilience, and the promise to each other in the field never to surrender. They fight and fight until the very end. They have a truly warrior-like, team-first mentality that is a pleasure to watch.

The camaraderie and cohesion of these teams was clear in the way the players spoke of one another in interviews, by the reactions of the bench players on the sidelines when a touchdown was scored, and by the way the players came together on the field. They also regularly praised and graciously addressed every opponent following matches. There is much wisdom to be gained from the coaching philosophies of Belichik and Coughlin.

They have been able to convince their players to subjugate their personal egos, at all times, to the interest of the team. Maybe it is time that coaches in other sports, like soccer, take a hard look at the unique philosophies behind these two winning teams in American football. As the on-field successes of the Patriots and Giants show, a team united is a particularly formidable competitor.

Mickelson stays ahead at Riviera

THAILAND: Ai Miyazato of Japan plays a shot on the fairway at the second hole during the third round of the LPGA Thailand golf tournament in Pattaya.—AP

Miyazato surges ahead in Thailand CHONBURI: Ai Miyazato shot a 7-under 65 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead over top-ranked Yani Tseng after the third round of the LPGA Thailand.

Miyazato, the Japanese player who won the 2010 tournament, birdied five of the first six holes on the back nine. She had a 14-under 202 total on Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course.

“I know everyone is going to try to be aggressive tomorrow,” Miyazato said. “If I can stay in my game until the last putt, I think I have a chance.”

Tseng, the winner last year, shot her second straight 65 after opening with a 73. The Taiwanese star had 12 worldwide victories last year, seven on the LPGA Tour.

“I really want to win this tournament,” she said. “To be a defending a champion would be great. I always really enjoy it out here to see a lot of fans and I’m very excited about tomorrow and looking forward to it.” Australia’s Karrie Webb and

South Korea’s Jiyai Shin were 12 under.

Webb shot a 71, and Shin had a 68.

Webb had a three-stroke lead yesterday after the completion of the lightning-delayed second round, playing the final four holes in 1 under after a 65.

Miyazato also returned early to finish the last five holes of her second-round 70. She has seven LPGA Tour victories, all in the last three seasons.

“It was a really, really long day for me,” Miyazato said. “I’ve been up since 4 o’clock this morning so it’s been a while.

But the temperature dropped down today so that helped a lot too. So that’s why I think I could control myself out there.”

South Korea’s Amy Yang was 11 under after a 68, and second-ranked Norwegian star Suzann Pettersen was another stroke back after a 69. Thai amateur Ariya Jutanugarn had two eagles in a 65 that left her at 9 under. Michelle Wie was even par after a 73.—AP

Kruger takes lead in Avantha Masters NEW DELHI: Jbe Kruger of South Africa shot a superb 6-under 66 in the third round to take a one-shot lead from a host of contenders in the Avantha Masters in Gurgaon.

Kruger fired two eagles and two birdies in a bogey-free round that helped him finish with 11-under 205 after three rounds, a stroke ahead of overnight leader Peter Whiteford of Scotland and two others.

Whiteford could only manage a par score while Marcel Siem of Germany shot a 68 and Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet a 69 to join him on 206.

A further stroke behind at 207 were six players including Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara, who returned the best card of the day at 64 with the help of nine birdies.

But the day belonged to Kruger, who sank a 20-foot putt on the par-five sixth for his first eagle and managed his second one on the par-four 15th.

“I got a little bit lucky on the sixth,” 25year-old Kruger said. “I used a six-iron and it landed about 20 feet which I managed to sink in. That was the longest putt

I made today and I was lucky it went in.”

Kruger, who parred all holes between his two eagles, finished off with a birdie on the 18th following a fine approach shot.

“On the 15th, I just drove it a little short of the green and I made a pretty simple putt. I judged it to perfection and it sank in. My putt shots have been good and I feel confident about them. The putts need to go in and I think that’s what defines the winner,” said Kruger, who is yet to win a European Tour title.

For the resurgent Siem, it was a dramatic turnaround during the day as he hit tree trunks on the opening two holes to double-bogey them both.

The 31-year-old followed with four birdies each on the outward and inward before finishing off in style with an eagle.

“It was a crazy day. All of a sudden I was four over, but luckily I kept my head and came back with eight birdies and an eagle,” he said. “It showed a lot of heart to come back from a start like that and keep going. And it’s great to finish birdie-eagle in any round. On the last, I hit a four-iron to about a foot for a tap-in eagle.”—AP

PACIFIC PALISADES: Twice champion Phil Mickelson, helped by the unexpected bonus of a late eagle, maintained a oneshot lead in Friday’s second round of the Northern Trust Open without playing at his best.

A stroke in front of the chasing pack when the delayed first round was completed earlier in the day, the American left-hander carded a one-under-par 70 in breezy sunshine at Riviera Country Club.

Mickelson, who won his 40th PGA Tour title at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Sunday, holed out with a lob wedge from the fairway to eagle the par-four eighth on the way to a six-under total of 136.

Pat Perez fired a six-birdie 65 to lie second, a stroke in front of fellow Americans Jimmy Walker (66), Jonathan Byrd (70) and Matt Kuchar (69), Swede Carl Pettersson (70) and Australian Jarrod Lyle (65).

Eight players were still out on the course when play was suspended in fading light, though all were well off the lead, and they will complete the second round early on Saturday.

“I probably didn’t play the greatest today, but I was able to kind of salvage a good round and had a good break on eight,” Mickelson, who also recorded two birdies and three bogeys, told reporters.

“That was kind of a nice little bonus.

“I left myself uphill par putts on seven and nine, and that’s really not a good thing to do here. If you’re going to make five or six-footers, you really have to have them uphill where you can hit them aggressive enough to hold the line.

“They just kind of wobbled off, so I ended up missing those,” added the four-times major champion, who totalled 25 putts while hitting only eight of 18 greens in regulation.

Asked if he was disappointed he had not taken greater advantage of calmer condi-

tions on Friday morning, Mickelson replied: “Maybe, but I also put myself in contention heading into the weekend, which is what my initial goal was.

“So with 36 holes to go I’m right in the thick of it,” added the American, champion here in 2008 and 2009. “I’ve got to go out and shoot some low scores because they’re out there, but I gave myself a good opportunity.”

Perez made the most of even more benign conditions on Friday afternoon, surging up the leaderboard with a flawless 66 that owed much to superb putting.

“I didn’t drive it all that great, the 35year-old American said after totalling only 25 putts but hitting just five of 14 fairways off the tee.

“I just scrambled well and I put myself in the right places to make par or birdie.

Overall I just putted pretty well. I made the putts I had to.”

Perez, who had to cope with strong gusting winds on Thursday morning in the opening round, was delighted to play in gorgeous afternoon sunshine on Friday with barely a breeze.

“It wasn’t even comparable,” he said.

“Yesterday was 40 (degrees) and blowing 50 miles an hour at 6:00 in the morning.

Today was warm and not much wind at all.

“When you’re not freezing to death and it’s not blowing 40, you think you can score pretty well.”

British world number one Luke Donald carded a 72 to end the day six strokes off the pace, level with champion Aaron Baddeley of Australia (69) and American Joe Ogilvie, who aced the par-three 16th en route to a 71.

The cut was projected to fall at threeover 145 with Riviera fan favorite and twice winner Fred Couples, Australian Geoff Ogilvy and 2006 champion Rory Sabbatini of South Africa all likely to miss out.—Reuters

LOS ANGELES: Jarrod Lyle, of Australia, reacts to a missed putt on the 14th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open golf tournament at Riviera Country Club.—AP

Britain sends records tumbling at velodrome LONDON: Britain’s Olympic track cycling preparations picked up pace on Friday as the home team enjoyed a record-breaking first night of finals in front of a sparkling velodrome filled to the rafters with raucous supporters at the London World Cup series.

The hosts broke two world records en route to victory on a super-fast track in the women’s team pursuit and team sprint finals, triggering celebrations among the 6,000 fans packed into a venue that will host the Olympic disciplines.

Victoria Pendleton rode a superb second lap to claim the team sprint gold in 32.754 seconds

with Jessica Varnish, taking 0.074 off Australia’s previous mark set earlier on Friday.

“It’s just unbelievable, this track is amazing,” Varnish told reporters before Pendleton said to her partner with typical understatement: “We were pleased, weren’t we?”

Australian world champion Anna Meares, who was beaten in the final after setting a new best mark with Kaarle McCulloch in the morning’s qualifying session, had mixed emotions.

“It’s a little bit bittersweet for us after a fantastic qualifying round,” she said. “I think the experience we can take from this is riding against a

LONDON: Britain’s Victoria Pendleton (left) and Jess Varnish race in a women’s sprint quarterfinal during the World Cup track cycling meeting at the London 2012 Olympic Velodrome at the Olympic Park.—AP

very loud British crowd.”

“The Olympics is shaping up to be a very interesting competition. I’m backing me and my team mate, they (Britain) are backing themselves, and it will just come down to race day.”

Britain’s Laura Trott, Danielle King and Joanna Rowsell then snatched gold in the team pursuit final by demolishing the world record which had been set just a few minutes earlier by their Australian rivals in the race for the bronze medal.

“It drives me on just having the crowd behind us, it’s amazing, I can’t wait to come back here,” said world champion Trott, whose team completed the 3,000 metres in 3:18.148.

“The last kilometre was so hard, but to have the crowd behind you is amazing. I was suffering so much but then they just spur you on.”

Britain beat Canada in the final with the deafening cheers of the crowd constantly reverberating around the velodrome.

“It was an intimidating atmosphere, going up against the home-town favourites. But the crowd were great,” said Canadian Gillian Carleton.

Chris Hoy, who won three of Britain’s seven track cycling gold medals at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, was all smiles despite only managing third place in the team sprint.

“I don’t think there’s been a track anywhere I’ve raced on in the world that had that kind of public support,” he said after Pendleton and Varnish joined the fans by shouting ‘Go Chris!’ as he whizzed past them while they gave interviews.

“What we’re seeing here is just a hint of what we can expect come the Olympics,” he added.

Germany claimed two golds with victory over France in the team sprint final and an individual title for Stefan Nimke in the 1km time trial ahead of Frenchman Mickael d’Almeida.

Australia also picked up a gold through Melissa Hoskins, who won the women’s scratch race, which is not an Olympic event. Spaniard Albert Torres Barcelo won the men’s points race in the last final of the day.—Reuters

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

S P ORT S

Heat scorch Cavaliers CLEVELAND: Miami’s LeBron James scored 28 points in his third game back to Cleveland as a visitor, leading the Heat to a 111-87 win over the Cavaliers in the NBA on Friday.

James, booed loudly every time he touched the ball by fans who haven’t forgiven him for leaving two years ago, scored 16 in the third quarter when the Heat opened a 34-point lead. James added four dunks, three 3-pointers, five rebounds, five assists and rested the entire fourth quarter.

Dwayne Wade added 22 for Miami, which has won five in a row, all on the road and by an average of 18.8 points.

The Heat moved back within half a game of Chicago for the Eastern Conference lead. The Cavaliers got 17 points from rookie Kyrie Irving.

Thunder 110, Warriors 87 In Oklahoma City, the hosts completed a season sweep of Golden State.

James Harden scored 25 points and Kevin Durant added 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Thunder, who lost Russell Westbrook to a sprained ankle in the third quarter.

Still, the Thunder improved to 23-7, the best record in the Western Conference, with their third win over the Warriors in 22 days. David Lee led Golden State with 23 points.

DOHA: Australia’s Samantha Stosur reacts after defeating France’s Marion Bartoli during their women’s singles semifinal match at the Qatar tennis open tournament. — AP

Stosur in Qatar final DOHA: Australia’s US Open champion Samantha Stosur advanced to her first final of the year when her French rival Marion Bartoli retired with a foot problem in the second set of their semi-final clash yesterday.

After losing the first set 6-3, Bartoli was serving in the first game of the second when she pulled out with Stosur on break point at 40-30.

Bartoli was bidding to reach back-to-back finals for the first time after finishing runner-up to German Angelique Kerber in Paris a week ago.

Stosur will play the winner of the second semi-final between top seed Victoria Azarenka and fourth seed Agniezska Radwanska of Poland.—AFP

Roddick ousted from SAP Open SAN JOSE: An injury-hampered Andy Roddick lost his composure and then the match, beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Denis Istomin on Friday in the quarterfinals of the SAP Open.

Hobbled by a fresh right ankle sprain and a troublesome hamstring that forced his retirement from last month’s Australian Open, Roddick lost every point in his first service game and never regained his rhythm. He slammed one racket, broke another, sailed a ball into the stands in frustration, argued with the chair umpire and even shouted at his own box.

“It would be abnormal if you weren’t frustrated,” said Roddick, who still plans to play at next week’s ATP Tour stop in Memphis.

“The question is, ‘How do you figure your way through it?’”

Earlier Friday, 19-year-old American Ryan Harrison closed in on his first ATP Tour singles title with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Bulgaria’s Dimitar Kutrovsky. Harrison will face defending tournament champion Milos Raonic in the semifinals Saturday. Raonic defeated Kevin Anderson 7-5, 7-6 (3).

Istomin’s semifinal opponent will be fifth-seeded Frenchman Julien Benneteau, who edged Belgium’s Steve Darcis 7-5, 7-6 (3).

Already slowed by injuries, Roddick struggled to cover the court against an opponent that found every angle.

He lost the first four points on his usual stout serve before saving three break points in his second service game. At 3-1 and 30all, Istomin’s shot caught the tape, flicking past Roddick for a winner that the American simply shook his head at.

After Istomin stuck a crosscourt forehand winner for a second break to go ahead 4-1, Roddick dropped his racket. When Roddick’s shot landed in the net in the next game, he sent a ball soaring into the curtains beyond the opposite baseline grandstand, receiving a misconduct warning from chair umpire Steve Ullrich - which infuriated Roddick more.

Roddick asked the umpire if the warning was for racket abuse.

Ullrich told him it was for the “ball.” Roddick responded, “I challenge you on that.” He never put up such a fight against his oncourt opponent.

The 29-year-old American chipped a racket after hitting another shot into the net at 40-30 and 1-all in the second set, yelling out profanity in the process. Roddick regrouped to go ahead 2-1, pumping his fist and screaming, “Come on!”

Istomin never wavered, running down every shot and waiting for the wounded Roddick to miss, which he did often. Roddick hit a backhand crosscourt wide and floated a forehand long to hand Istomin another break and a 3-2 lead in the second, and Istomin sat on his serve the rest of the way.

“I saw he got upset. Maybe it helped me,” Istomin said. “I just tried to play my game.” Roddick, who had a first-round bye and injured his ankle in a three-set victory over Denis Kudla on Wednesday night, is still recovering from a slight tear in his hamstring that forced his retirement in the second round of the Australian Open. In what was supposed to be the start of his return to full strength, Roddick leaves the Bay Area more hobbled than when he arrived.

“It was pretty ordinary all the way around,” said Roddick, a three-time champion in San Jose. “There’s certainly a significant gap from where I am and where I need to be.”

His younger compatriot Harrison - fresh off his Davis Cup debut last weekend that helped the U.S. sweep Switzerland - blew past Kutrovsky in 62 minutes. Harrison came from 2-0 down in the second set and took advantage of two calls overturned by replay to break Kutrovsky’s serve for the final time.

“To get out there today and have a match that lasted about an hour, it was a very good thing for me,” said Harrison, who has played three straight days since his long journey from Switzerland to San Jose.

Harrison moved into his third career semifinal at an ATP event he lost to Mardy Fish both times last year in Atlanta and Los Angeles. He does have one professional doubles championship, teaming with Australia’s Matthew Ebden last year in Newport, Rhode Island.

Harrison is the first teenager to reach the semifinals at San Jose since eventual champion Andy Murray in 2006 and 2007, and Harrison’s doing it all despite a body clock that’s still recovering from nine time zones away.

The semifinals will be a rematch from a more famous California tournament. Harrison beat Raonic 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-4 in the third round at Indian Wells last year. —AP

Grizzlies 103, Nuggets 102 In Memphis, Dante Cunningham tipped in a basket with less than a second left to lift Memphis over Denver.

Andre Miller’s inbounds pass with 0.2 seconds left for the Nuggets was batted away at the rim, allowing Memphis to win its third straight despite blowing a 23-point second-half lead.

Rudy Gay had 20 points to lead six Grizzlies players in double figures. O.J. Mayo finished with 17. Corey Brewer keyed the Nuggets’ rally by scoring a season-high 26 points, all in the second half, on 10-of-14 shooting.

Magic 94, Bucks 85 In Orlando, Dwight Howard had 26 points and 20 rebounds as Orlando rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Milwaukee.

It was Howard’s seventh 20-point, 20rebound game of the season. Ryan Anderson added 23 points, including four 3-pointers, for the Magic, who have won four straight overall and 12 in a row at home against the Bucks. Carlos Delfino’s 16 points led the Bucks, who have lost four in a row.

T’wolves 111, Rockets 98 In Houston, Kevin Love scored 33 points, including eight straight during a key fourth-quarter stretch, to lead Minnesota over Houston. It was Love’s fourth 30-point outing in five games.

Nikola Pekovic added a career-high 30 for the Timberwolves who saw their 14-point lead cut to one before Love took over. He scored eight points in a row, fueled by a pair of 3-pointers, to push Minnesota’s lead to 103-94 with 3 minutes left. Houston never threatened again.

Love also had 17 rebounds for his 27th double-double of the season, most in the NBA. Chandler Parsons scored 18 points for the Rockets.

Mavericks 82, 76ers 75 In Philadelphia, Dirk Nowitzki had 28

points and 12 rebounds as Dallas erased a 15-point deficit with a dominant second half against Philadelphia.

Dominique Jones added 12 points to help the Mavericks win their sixth straight game. Dallas snapped a tie early in the fourth with a 9-0 run, and that was more than enough with the 76ers losing their touch in the second half.

Nowitzki nearly beat the Sixers on his own in the second half, scoring 24 points to match Philadelphia’s total after halftime. Nik Vucevic had 16 points off the bench to lead the 76ers, who missed 13 of 14 attempts from 3-point range.

Lakers 111, Suns 99 In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 18 of his 36 points in the third quarter, guiding Los Angeles past Phoenix.

Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who reached the 100-point mark for only the fourth time this season.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping attended the game, capping a four-day visit to the U.S. He entered the arena on a red carpet during the second quarter and observed the proceedings from the second tier of luxury suites above the official scorer’s table and the players’ benches.

Marcin Gortat, the only player to start all 31 games for the Suns, led them with 21 points and 16 rebounds on his 28th birthday. Phoenix suffered a fourth straight defeat.

Hornets 89, Knicks 85 In New York, the amazing run of Jeremy Lin and New York came to an end with a defeat by New Orleans. Lin committed nine turnovers, tied for the most in the NBA this season, as the Knicks seven-game winning streak was halted.

Lin scored 26 points, but his turnovers nearly doubled his five assists and the Knicks lost for the first time since ‘Linsanity’ began, falling back below .500 heding into a matchup with defending champion Dallas on Sunday.

Trevor Ariza scored 25 points for the Hornets, who have won three in a row after a 4-23 start. Marco Belinelli added 17. Amare Stoudemire had 26 points and 12 rebounds for New York.

Jazz 114, Wizards 100 In Salt Lake City, Al Jefferson scored a season-high 34 points, including 26 in the first half, to lead Utah over Washington. The Jazz, who had lost five of six, broke it open in the third quarter.

Jefferson had eclipsed his season high of 30 points with nearly 5 minutes left in the third as the Jazz led by as many as 28. He finished 16 of 23 with 12 rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot. John Wall led the Wizards with 24 points. Paul Millsap had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Utah, which held a 70-44 advantage in the key.

Pistons 114, Kings 108 In Auburn Hills, Rodney Stuckey scored a season-high 36 points to drive Detroit past Sacramento. Rookie Brandon Knight added 23 points and 10 assists for the Pistons, who are finding form after a dire start to the season.

DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 26 points and 15 rebounds.

Bobcats 98, Raptors 91 In Toronto, Reggie Williams scored a season-high 22 points to help Charlotte

LOS ANGELES: Phoenix Suns guard Michael Redd (right) loses control as Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes looks on during the first half of their NBA basketball game. — AP snap a 16-game losing streak by beating Toronto.

All of Williams’ points came in the first three quarters. He did not play in the fourth. DJ Augustin had 11 points and 10

assists as the Bobcats won for the first time in more than a month. DeMar DeRozan scored 24 for the Raptors, who have lost four straight, and five in a row to Charlotte. — AP

NBA results/standings Orlando 94, Milwaukee 85; Dallas 82, Philadelphia 75; Charlotte 98, Toronto 91; Miami 111, Cleveland 87; Detroit 114, Sacramento 108; Oklahoma City 110, Golden State 87; New Orleans 89, NY Knicks 85; Memphis 103, Denver 102; Minnesota 111, Houston 98; Utah 114, Washington 100; LA Lakers 111, Phoenix 99.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT Philadelphia 20 11 .645 Boston 15 14 .517 NY Knicks 15 16 .484 Toronto 9 23 .281 New Jersey 8 23 .258 Central Division Chicago 25 7 .781 Indiana 18 12 .600 Milwaukee 12 18 .400 Cleveland 11 17 .393 Detroit 10 22 .313 Southeast Division Miami 24 7 .774 Orlando 20 11 .645 Atlanta 19 11 .633 Washington 7 24 .226 Charlotte 4 26 .133

GB 4 5 11.5 12 6 12 12 15 4 4.5 17 19.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 23 7 Denver 17 14 .548 Utah 15 14 .517 Portland 16 15 .516 Minnesota 15 16 .484 Pacific Division LA Clippers 19 9 .679 LA Lakers 18 12 .600 Golden State 11 16 .407 Phoenix 12 19 .387 Sacramento 10 20 .333 Southwest Division San Antonio 21 9 .700 Dallas 20 11 .645 Memphis 17 14 .548 Houston 17 14 .548 New Orleans 7 23 .233

.767 6.5 7.5 7.5 8.5 2 7.5 8.5 10 1.5 4.5 4.5 14

Vonn clinches title as Maria wins downhill

BULGARIA: Austria’s Marcel Hirscher (center) winner of an alpine ski, men’s World Cup giant slalom, celebrates on the podium with second placed Italy’s Massimiliano Blardone (left) and third placed Austriaís Marcel Mathis. — AP

Hirscher captures giant slalom BANSKO: Helped by the absence of his two main rivals for the overall World Cup title, Marcel Hirscher took full advantage yesterday to win the Bansko giant slalom.

Second after the first leg, the Austrian skied an impeccable second run to put maximum pressure on world champion Ted Ligety, the fastest man in the morning.

The American crashed out of contention, handing Hirscher his seventh victory of the season in a combined time of two minutes 25.35 seconds. Italy’s Massimiliano Bardone was second, 1.39 behind, for his third podium in succession in the discipline.

Twenty-year-old Austrian Marcel Mathis skied a sensational second run to earn his first World Cup top three spot. “I believe this is one of my very best giant slalom runs,” said Hirscher, who had been lucky to survive a fault in the morning leg. “There are grounds to believe I can win the (overall) World Cup but I take it one race at a

time. “I just play it safe, that’s the way to do it.

Every time I start a race, I close myself in, its just the piste, the skis and me.”

In the overall World Cup standings, Hirscher is now 118 points behind Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic, who is out for three weeks with a knee injury, and 48 behind Feuz. Italy’s Massimiliano Bardone was second, 1.39 behind, for his third podium in succession in the discipline. Twenty-year-old Marcel Mathis skied a sensational second run to earn his first World Cup top three spot. The result was all the more surprising as the young Austrian had arrived in Bansko at two o’clock in the morning after racing in a European Cup race on Friday.

American Bode Miller spectacularly bowed out of contention in the morning run. He narrowly avoided crashing and acrobatically wriggled his way through the last gates before finishing his course only centimetres from the line. A slalom on the same piste today could take Hirscher even closer to the World Cup top spot.— Reuters

KRASNAYA POLYANA: Lindsey Vonn clinched her fifth consecutive World Cup downhill title yesterday, although German rival and friend Maria Hoefl-Riesch won the race on the 2014 Sochi Olympics course.

For her second victory this season and first in downhill, Hoefl-Riesch clocked 1 minute, 49.17 seconds down the Rosa Khutor slope. Elisabeth Goergl of Austria finished second, 0.43 seconds behind, and Vonn was third, 0.59 back.

Vonn now holds an unassailable 231-point lead over HoeflRiesch in the downhill standings with two races remaining in the discipline this season and wins worth 100 points each.

“Downhill is my favorite event and it’s always nice to wrap up a title before the end of the season, before the last races,” Vonn said. “It puts a little less pressure on me.” Hoefl-Riesch also had a win in the test event for the 2010 Vancouver Games. “It’s really important,” the German said. “In Whistler, two years before the Olympics I won the super-combined and I (did well) in the downhill and I won two gold medals two years later. But it’s never a guarantee, it’s just good to know you can be fast on a special track where a big event takes place.” Vonn has an even bigger lead in the overall standings, where she is 448 points ahead of Slovenia’s Tina Maze and 486 points in front of Hoefl-Riesch, who ended Vonn’s run of three consecutive overall titles last season.

The start of the race was delayed by 15 minutes as organizers cleared overnight snowfall off the course. After several more mid-race delays due to clouds limiting visibility, the end of the race was interrupted and the final 15 starters - the lowest in the rankings, including all four Russians - did not get a chance to compete.

Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein finished fourth, Marion Rolland of France was fifth and Julia Mancuso of the United States was sixth. Also, Stacey Cook finished ninth and Alice McKennis was 10th as the U.S. Ski Team placed four racers in the top 10 for one of its best overall results.

Nadja Kamer of Switzerland and Lotte Smiseth Sejersted of Norway crashed, although both appeared to avoid serious injury. Like for the men’s races last week, the stands were only half full, although those that were in attendance were enthusiastic, singing and cheering on each finisher. Vonn started after a TV break and executed well on the upper portion of the course but lost some time on the bottom, and her lead only lasted slightly more than a minute because Hoefl-Riesch skied next and was faster at each checkpoint. —AP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

S P ORT S

Pietersen, Cook guide England to series win

DAYTONA BEACH: Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, practices for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway yesterday. —AFP

Rangers fall to Kilmarnock GLASGOW: Ten-man Rangers failed to give their fans something to cheer about as the crisis-stricken club ended a dreadful week with a 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock at Ibrox yesterday.

The largest crowd of the season crammed into Ibrox for the Scottish champions’ first game since they entered administration on Tuesday following the non-payment of around £9 million in tax after Craig Whyte’s takeover of the club in May 2011.

Manager Ally McCoist was desperate to give the fans something to shout about after events off the field saw his side docked 10 points by the Scottish Premier League to all but end the Ibrox club’s title hopes.

But the noisy Rangers support were silenced as early as the 12th minute when Dean Shiels finished low past Allan McGregor to give Kilmarnock an early lead.

David Healy’s 23rd minute effort was ruled out for offside before Sasa Papac saw red two minutes before the break for a lunging challenge on Liam Kelly.

Despite their numerical disadvantage Rangers had Kilmarnock pinned in their own half for the majority of the second half and thought they had equalised in the 68th minute when Lee McCulloch headed past Cammy Bell but referee Iain Brines ruled he had fouled the keeper in the build up.

Motherwell’s 3-0 win over Hearts saw them close the gap on Rangers to just six points - they also have a game in hand on the ailing Glasgow giants - while Celtic could go 17 points clear at the top if they defeat Hibernian today.

“It hurts an awful lot because we all really wanted to get three points for the supporters,” McCoist said. “It goes without saying we go out and try and do our best and try to win games at the best of times but today is really painful that we didn’t

manage to do it for the fans.” At Ibrox, the home side nearly got off to the perfect start when Maurice Edu connected with Sone Aluko’s corner but his header was stopped on the line by Ben Gordon in the eighth minute.

However it was Kilmarnock who made the breakthrough in the 12th minute when Shiels slalomed his way through the Rangers defence before slotting low past McGregor to bring silence to the charged atmosphere at Ibrox.

Rangers suffered another scare a minute later when Paul Heffernan beat the offside trap to run on to Jamie Fowler’s through ball but he sliced his effort wide.

Gordon then fired an angled shot over the bar after being set up by Garry Hay as Kilmarnock kept Rangers on the backfoot.

The Ibrox crowd erupted in the 23rd minute when Healy got on the end of Kirk Broadfoot’s pass to poke the ball under keeper Bell but their joy was short lived as his effort was flagged offside.

Dorin Goian limped off to be replaced by youngster Ross Perr y and he was relieved to see Fowler fire a low drive just wide of McGregor’s post moments later.

Things went from bad to worse for Rangers in the 43rd minute when Papac was shown a straight red card by Brines for a lunge on Kelly.

Rangers brought on Mervan Celik and Salim Kerkar to add some cutting edge up front but it was Killie who came closest to adding a second when Fowler headed Hay ’s free -kick across goal for Mohamadou Sissoko who fired his volley over the bar from six yards.

The hosts, being urged on by a passionate home crowd, had the ball in the net again in the 68th minute when McCulloch bulleted a header p a s t B e l l f r o m A l u k o’s c o r n e r b u t Brines ruled he had fouled the keeper in the build up.—AFP

DUBAI: Kevin Pietersen hit his eighth one -day hundred while Alastair Cook missed a third consecutive centur y as England crushed Pakistan by nine wickets in the third day-night match yesterday. The 31-year-old Pietersen notched an unbeaten 98-ball 111 while opening partner Cook hit 80 to help their team overhaul a modest 223-run target set by Pakistan with 12.4 overs to spare at Dubai Stadium.

The victory gave England an unassailable 3-0 win in the series, with the fourth and final match to come here on Tuesday.

Pietersen, whose last hundred came against India at Cuttack in November 2008, hit his 10th boundary to bring up the win.

Pietersen, who also hit two sixes, crossed the 4,000 one -day run mark when he reached 57, becoming the seventh England batsman to reach the milestone.

He pushed paceman Aizaz Cheema towards square-leg for two to reach his hundred off 93 balls, his first in 36 innings.

Cook, who hit a career-best 137 and then 102 in the first two matches, was shaping well for his third century but fell when he was caught behind off spinner Saeed Ajmal after a fluent 98-ball knock, hitting six boundaries and a six.

Pakistan’s bowlers looked helpless against some impressive batting by Cook and Pietersen who improved on the previous best opening stand of 147 against Pakistan, set by Michael Atherton and Robin Smith in Karachi in the 1996 World Cup. Cook fell with 53 still needed before Eoin Morgan (24 not out) helped Pietersen see off the target.

Cook said keeping Pakistan to 222 was fantastic. “It’s great to win the series,” said Cook, who took over in May last year. “Keeping Pakistan to 222 on this pitch was fantastic and our bowlers were outstanding. That total was below par.”

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq was disappointed with his team’s efforts. “Credit to England, they bowled well,” said Misbah, who lost his first one-day series after four wins. “England’s bowlers pressurised us and we lost wickets regularly.” Earlier, Shahid Afridi hit a 55ball 51 while Umar Akmal scored a 92-ball 50 during their 79-run sixth wicket stand which lifted Pakistan from a precarious 97-5 after Misbah-ul Haq won the toss and chose to bat. Pakistan lost Azhar Ali (five), Mohammad Hafeez (29) and Misbah (one) in the space of just

Luneng and Shanghai Shenhua.

He had taken money from Shenhua to help them win the 2003 league title, Xinhua said. He also did not intend to appeal.

The Tieling court read out trial verdicts and sentences to a total of 39 people, including Du Yunqi, former president of CSL club Qingdao, who received a seven-year sentence.

Former Liaoning Guangyuan Club general manager Wang Xin was also sentenced to seven years in prison while former general manager of Shaanxi Guoli Wang Po received a eight-year term.

Soccer fans set off fireworks outside the court to celebrate the rulings, Xinhua said. Chinese soccer has been dogged by match-fixing scandals for years which, along with violence on and off the pitch, has turned fans off the domestic game.

Four referees, including Lu Jun, a former World Cup match official once celebrated as China’s “Golden Whistle”, were handed jail terms of up to seven years on Thursday for match-fixing and corruption-related offences.

Two of the most prominent people caught in the anti-corruption blitz, former CFA heads Nan Yong and Xie Yalong, are yet to go on trial.

The verdicts have cast a cloud over the CSL ahead of its March 10 kick-off with administrators facing the embarrassment of a number of scandal-hit teams set to take the field.—Reuters

two runs. Two of these wickets went to paceman Stuart Broad, who finished with 3-42, while the impressive Steven Finn added Hafeez to his early breakthrough of Imran Farhat (nine) in this pacedominated period.

Finn, who took four wickets in both of the first two matches after sitting out the Test series, finished with 3-24 off 10 overs.

Afridi and Umar repaired the innings, with Afridi hitting three boundaries and a six. Broad returned for his second spell to dismiss Umar, caught by Samit Patel after hitting just one boundary.

Afridi followed four runs later when he failed to connect properly with a big drive off paceman James Anderson who finished with 2-52.

Pakistan, who made two changes from the second one-dayer, were forced to leave out experienced batsman Younis Khan who was suffering from a fever.

Asad Shafiq (18) added 46 for the fifth wicket with Umar before he was run out. Umar Gul made 27 not out to give some late momentum to the innings. Both teams will also play three Twenty20 internationals in Dubai (February 23 and 25) and Abu Dhabi (February 27).—AFP

SCOREBOARD DUBAI: Complete scoreboard in the third day-night international between Pakistan and England at Dubai Stadium here yesterday: Pakistan Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Finn 29 Imran Farhat c Kieswetter b Finn 9 Azhar Ali c Kieswetter b Broad 5 Asad Shafiq run out 18 Misbah-ul Haq c Swann b Broad 1 Umar Akmal c Patel b Broad 50 Shahid Afridi b Anderson 51 Adnan Akmal b Finn 9 Umar Gul not out 27 Saeed Ajmal b Anderson 4 Aizaz Cheema run out 5 Extras: (lb11, nb1, w2) 14 Total: 222 Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Farhat), 2-49 (Ali), 3-49 (Hafeez), 4-51 (Misbah), 5-97 (Shafiq), 6-176 (Umar), 7-180 (Afridi), 8-204 (Adnan), 9-209 (Ajmal), 10-222 (Cheema) Bowling: Anderson 10-0-52-2, Finn 10-1-24-3 (w2), Broad 10-2-42-3 (nb1), Swann 10-0-44-0, Patel 8-1-37-0, Bopara 2-0-12-0 Overs: 50 England A. Cook c Adnan b Ajmal 80 K. Pietersen not out 111 E. Morgan not out 24 Extras: (b3, nb4, w4) 11 Total: (for one wicket) 226 Fall of wickets: 1-170 (Cook) Bowling: Gul 7-0-59-0 (nb4, w1), Cheema 6.2-0-40-0, Ajmal 10-0-40-1 (w3), Hafeez 6-0-32-0, Afridi 8-0-52-0 Overs: 37.2 Result: England won by nine wickets

Grosskreutz keeps Dortmund on top

China jails top soccer officials BEIJING: A prominent former soccer boss and a referees director were handed long jail terms for bribery and match-fixing in China yesterday as part of a massive anti-graft drive aimed at cleaning up the corruption-blighted local game.

Yang Yimin, a former deputy-chief of the Chinese Football Association, was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison by a Tieling court in China’s northeastern Liaoning province, and ordered to pay a 200,000 yuan ($32,000) fine, state media reported.

Yang, one of the highest-ranking officials to be swept up in the probe launched over two years ago, had taken bribes totalling 1.25 million yuan on 40 different occasions from domestic clubs and individuals, Xinhua news agency said. Yang would not appeal the sentence, the agency quoted Yang’s attorney Wang Shujing as saying.

“The punishment isn’t harsh,” Wang said. “Yang took bribes as a government official and the harshest punishment for taking bribes as a public servant could be the death penalty.”

The court also sentenced the CFA’s former referees director Zhang Jianqiang to 12 years in jail, with a fine of 250,000 yuan. Zhang, in his capacity as referees director and in other prominent roles in women’s and amateur soccer, had taken bribes from a number of clubs in the topflight domestic competition, the Chinese Super League (CSL), including Shandong

DUBAI: England’s captain Alastair Cook (right) and Kevin Pietersen run between wickets during the third One Day International cricket match between England and Pakistan.—AP

BERLIN: Leaders Borussia Dortmund enjoyed a hard-fought 1-0 win at struggling Hertha Berlin yesterday to stay top of the German league thanks to a second-half strike from midfielder Kevin Grosskreutz.

After a bullet header from Poland striker Robert Lewandowski was parried by Hertha goalkeeper Thomas Kraft, Grosskreutz was on hand to hit an over-head shot on 66 minutes to finally break Berlin’s resistence after a brave display. Berlin’s Olympic Stadium was a 74,244 sellout and Dortmund were without injured Japan wing Shinji Kagawa with coach Jurgen Klopp starting Lucas Barrios as the lone striker.

“That was really hard work, the pitch was greasy and it was difficult to control the ball,” said Klopp. “The conditions were the same for both teams and I was thrilled by the will and attitude of the team. I think we deserved the win.”

Hertha, who sacked coach Michael Skibbe last Sunday after five straight defeats, remain 15th in the league and Otto Rehhagel, who led Greece to the Euro 2004 title, will take over on Sunday. With Bayern Munich at bottom side Freiburg on Saturday night, Borussia Moenchengladbach took their chance to take second place after a 2-1 win at Kaiserslautern.

The win came at a price as midfielder Patrick Herrmann scored Gladbach’s first goal after only nine minutes, but was later carried off with a broken collarbone and is expected to be out for the next six weeks.

Venezuela star Juan Arango made it 2-0 with a great strike on 14 minutes for the hosts, but Denmark defender Leon Jessen scored a consolation goal for Kaiserslautern, who battled until the end.

“It was no surprise to us how hard it was here,” said Gladbach’s Lucien Favre. “Luckily, we

BERLIN: Dortmund’s striker Kevin Grosskreutz (center) scores during the German First Division Bundesliga football match against Hertha BSC Berlin.—AP managed to create two goals, we wanted to get a third, but then we conceded one.

“At the end of the day, we are happy with the win, because it won’t be easy for the other teams to get three points from Kaiserslautern.” Werder Bremen earned the bragging rights in the north German derby with a 3-1 win at Hamburg.

The visitors took the lead through Bremen winger Marko Marin after nine minutes, but was he later hit by a full beer cup thrown from the stands while preparing to take a corner.

Bremen’s teenage midfielder Tom Trybull, 18, scored his first German league goal with a great header on the verge of half-time.

Hamburg striker Mladen Petric pulled a goal

back with a well-struck free-kick on 76 minutes before Austria striker Marko Arnautovic settled the issue on 86 minutes.

Bayer Leverkusen, who were beaten 3-1 at home by holders Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek, bounced back to stay sixth with a 4-1 win over Augsburg, who are second from bottom.

Nuremberg pulled themselves up to 12th and out of the relegation mire with a 2-1 win at home to Cologne, who drop to 14th, just two places from the relegation zone.

Today, Schalke 04 need a win at home to VfL Wolfsburg to stay amongst the title contenders while Hanover host Stuttgart. —AFP

Milan more motivated by Cesena than Arsenal ROME: Massimiliano Allegri insists AC Milan will not be lacking in motivation when they tackle lowly Cesena today following their thrilling dismantling of Arsenal in the Champions League.

The Serie A champions ripped apart the Gunners in a stunning 4-0 success at the San Siro on Wednesday. But Allegri says the more modest surroundings of a routine

league game in Cesena’s Stadio Manuzzi must not provoke a dip in intensity. “We must be just as motivated or even more so for tomorrow’s game compared to that against Arsenal,” said Allegri. “It’s the match before the top of the table clash against Juventus and we can’t mess it up. “Other than that, with (Adrian) Mutu and (Vincenzo) Iaquinta they have a top level

attack and if we do not play with concentration we will find ourselves in trouble.”

Although he demanded a professional and committed display from his team, Allegri isn’t prepared to risk certain players a week ahead of the top of the table encounter at home to Juve.

Centre-back Alessandro Nesta, striker Alexandre Pato and attacking midfielder

Kevin-Prince Boateng have all been left out of the squad as a precaution while Philippe Mexes is injured.

“Nesta’s knee sometimes acts up but he’ll definitely be fit for Juve,” said Allegri.

“Pato has muscle fatigue and it would be useless risking him at Cesena. “The same goes for Boateng who has felt a muscle. He trained yesterday (on Friday) and came off

after 10 minutes. “We’re doing some checks but we always knew we might come across these kinds of problems because we brought them back before schedule. “(Mexes) will be available in another three or four days while the medical team are evaluating Pato and Boateng and we hope we won’t have any complications.”—AFP

Pietersen, Cook guide England to series win

Vonn clinches title as Maria wins downhill

19

18

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

Britain sends records tumbling at velodrome

Page 17

LONDON: Arsenal’s Dutch striker Robin van Persie (second left) vies with Sunderland’s English defender Michael Turner (left) and Irish defender John O’Shea (right) during the English 5th Round FA Cup football match.—AFP

Sunderland shoot down Gunners LONDON: Arsenal’s season of woe took another miserable turn yesterday as the Premier League giants crashed out of the FA Cup in a 2-0 defeat at Sunderland.

Arsenal-all but eliminated from the Champions League in midweek following a 4-0 rout by AC Milan-saw their last realistic chance of ending a seven-year trophy drought snuffed out at the Stadium of Light. Kieran Richardson took advantage of a poor clearance to lash in Sunderland’s opener in the 40th minute before more shoddy Arsenal play culminated in a 77thminute own goal from Alex OxladeChamberlain.

The defeat means Arsene Wenger’s side are left with only qualification for next season’s Champions League to play

for this term, and provides further ammunition for Arsene Wenger’s growing legion of critics.

Wenger had uncharacteristically criticised his players in public following the Milan defeat and demanded a response against Sunderland.

However Wenger’s men were always struggling to impose themselves as Martin O’Neill’s advanced to the quarterfinals with an energetic display.

Elsewhere Saturday, Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas’ problems mounted after his side laboured to a 1-1 draw with lower league Birmingham.

Daniel Sturridge headed home a second-half equaliser to save Chelsea’s blushes at a restive Stamford Bridge after David

Murphy had fired Birmingham into a shock lead on 20 minutes.

Villas-Boas’ position has come under scrutiny following reports of a training ground mutiny by his senior players after last weekend’s Premier League defeat against Everton at Goodison Park.

His team have now won just one game in their last six games across all competitions and Villas-Boas was forced to watch as his side were booed off the field following another unconvincing display.

“It is a poor result of course. We had a better performance in the second half compared to the first half,” Villas-Boas said afterwards. “1-1 is not what we expected, but it gives us another chance at Birmingham as we try to win a trophy,”

added Villas-Boas, who insisted he enjoyed “unconditional” support from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Elsewhere in the last 16, Championship side Leicester claimed a Premier League scalp as David Nugent’s second half winner clinched a 2-1 victory at Norwich.

Nigel Pearson’s team made the perfect start through Irish defender Sean St Ledger, who headed in Ben Marshall’s corner in the fifth minute.

Norwich equalised in the 23rd minute when Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel gave away a penalty with a foul on Elliott Bennett.

Schmeichel saved Wes Hoolahan’s spot-kick, but couldn’t prevent the midfielder scoring from the rebound.

However, Nugent gave Leicester victory when the former England striker latched onto Jermaine Beckford’s flick and fired home in the 71st minute.

Japanese teenager Ryo Miyaichi inspired Bolton as the struggling Premier League side brushed aside Championship outfit Millwall 2-0 at The Den. Owen Coyle’s team, beaten semi-finalists last season, are second bottom of England’s top flight, but they quickly took control in south London as on loan Arsenal midfielder Miyaichi marked his first Wanderers start by sweeping a high finish past Steve Mildenhall in the fourth minute.

Former Liverpool striker David Ngog ended Millwall’s hopes of a replay when

India cruise in opening men’s Olympic qualifier NEW DELHI: Former Olymic champions India began their campaign in the Olympic men’s qualifying tournament with a 15-1 rout of Singapore here yesterday.

India, who failed to make it to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, proved too strong for an inexperienced Singapore side in a match between the highest and lowestranked sides.

There was also a convincing romp for Canada, who routed Italy 9-0. Singapore, ranked 41st, and Italy replaced the United States and Egypt who withdrew from the tournament.

In another encounter, France scored a narrow 2-1 win over Poland. In the women’s section, South Africa beat Poland 2-1, Italy drew 2-2 with Canada and India and Ukraine shared the points after a 1-1 draw.

One team from each section will qualify for the London Olympics. India, previously the super power in the sport with a record eight Olympic men’s titles, had the match wrapped up when they led 6-0 at half-time.

Gurwinder Singh Chandi led 10th-ranked India’s goal-spree with three goals, while Danish Mujtaba, Shivendra Singh and S. V. Sunil each scored two goals.

Sardar Singh, Birendra Lakra, Sandeep Singh, Yuvraj Walmiki, Tushar Khandekar and S. K. Uthappa scored one goal apiece.

“Of course we played well, oth-

NEW DELHI: Tushar Khandker of India (right) looks on as teammate Sunil Sowmarpet Vitalacharya (center) dribbles past Karleef Sasi Abdullah of Singapore during the men’s field hockey match at the FIH London 2012 Olympic Hockey qualifying tournament.—AFP

erwise we would not have scored so many goals. But at the same time, we made a few mistakes,” said India coach Michael Nobbs.

“It was not our finest performance. We were not even close to peaking but I don’t want the team to peak at this time.” Canada,

ranked 14th and strong contenders for an Olympic berth, toyed with 28th-ranked Italy.

Matthew Guest and Rob Short each struck twice for Canada, while Philip Wright, Scott Tupper, David Jameson, Iain Smythe and Hudson Stewart scored one goal

apiece.

France gained an early lead against Poland when Hugo Genestet scored a field goal in the ninth minute while Lucas Sevestre made it 2-0 by converting a penalty-corner in the 39th.

Szymon Oszyjczyk scored the

lone goal for Poland in the 41st minute. “It was a tough match, but the important thing is that we started the tournament with a victory. It will give us a chance to move forward,” said French captain Arnaud Becuwe, who was named the player of the match.

“I think our finishing should have been better.” The Indian women, ranked 13th, were in for a surprise when they were held to a draw by 26th-ranked Ukraine.

Maryna Vynohradova scored off a penalty-corner in the 26th minute before Soundarya Yendala equalised for India in the second half.

South African Pietie Coetzee, the highest goal-scorer in international field hockey who came out of retirement in 2010, scored the winner in the 53rd minute after Poland had made it a 1-1 through Magdalena Zagajska.

South Africa, strong favorites for the Olympic berth, opened their account in the 39th minute when Kate Woods converted a penalty-corner.

In another encounter, Italian Alessia Doriana Padalino scored the equaliser in the 63rd minute to help her team share points with Canada.

The Italians scored in the third minute when Agata Wybieralska converted a penalty-corner before Canada struck twice in the second half through Thea Culley and Brienne Stairs to gain the lead.—AFP

he claimed his third goal of the season with a powerful strike from just outside the penalty area in the 59th minute.

Everton took the express route into the last eight with a 2-0 win over Championship club Blackpool at Goodison Park.

It took only 49 seconds for David Moyes’ side to take the lead through Dutch forward Royston Drenthe’s emphatic finish and Argentine striker Denis Stracqualursi increased their advantage just five minutes later with a close-range finish.

Blackpool wasted a chance to reduce the deficit in the final minutes when veteran striker Kevin Phillips blasted a penalty over the bar.—AFP

Real go 13 points clear with win over Racing MADRID: Real Madrid went 13 points clear of Barcelona in La Liga yesterday as Karim Benzema grabbed a double in a 4-0 win over 10-man Racing Santander.

A Cristiano Ronaldo header hit the post as Real came out all guns blazing and after six minutes they were a goal up with Kaka crossing for Ronaldo to head in from less than a yard out.

The home side were given a further boost by the harsh dismissal of Domingo Cisma after 38 minutes when he was adjudged to have handled the ball.

On the stroke of half-time Benzema doubled the lead and after the break Real remained firmly in control with substitute Angel Di Maria and Benzema again completing the scoring.

Meanwhile, ten-man Espanyol moved into fourth place in La Liga yesterday despite being held 1-1 by mid-table Getafe. Espanyol were looking to bounce back from a surprise defeat against bottom side Zaragoza last week which brought to an end a seven-match unbeaten run, but they started slowly as Abdelaziz Barrada and Jaime Gavilan missed chances to put Getafe in front.

Espanyol had openings of their own with Philippe Coutinho in particular shooting just wide before the break.

Nicolas ‘Miku’ Fedor saw a header well-saved by Espanyol goalkeeper Francisco Casilla after 65 minutes before substitute Alvaro Vazquez clinically finished to give Espanyol the lead.

The advantage lasted less than a minute, however, as Miku was hauled down by Thievy Bifouma with Miku himself dispatching the penalty.

Casilla was the busier of the two keepers while Getafe were unable to take advantage when Espanyol defender Ernesto Galan was given a second yellow card with 10 minutes to go. Barcelona facing third-placed Valencia today.

Real have given Barca little margin for error having won 17 of the last 18 games since they drew 0-0 away to Racing at the end of September.—AFP

China home prices fall in major cities in Jan Page 22

Obama: US on track to doubling exports Page 25 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

KSE advances on new-found confidence Page 24

Burgan Bank Group reports KD 50.6m net profits for 2011 Page 23

TORONTO: An Infiniti Etherea Concept car on display at the 2012 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto on Friday. — AP

Kuwait eyes KD 10-12bn budget surplus NBK ECONOMIC REPORT KUWAIT: Key oil prices hovered around the $110 per barrel mark through most of January, holding on to the gains seen at the start of the month. The prices of Kuwait Export Crude (KEC) and Brent averaged $112 and $111, respectively, in January, representing an unusual reversal of the typical spread relationship between the two blends. Early this month saw Brent surge to $116, however, re-establishing a more traditional spread. By comparison, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) lost ground in January, averaging $100 pb through the month.

Fears about the impact on oil fundamentals of an EU embargo on oil imports from Iran have provided support for crude prices. In 2010, Europe purchased around one-third of Iranian crude exports of 2.3 million barrels per day (mbpd) and the embargo is due to be ‘phased in’ by July 1.

The implications however, are unclear.

In principle, lower European demand for Iranian oil could be offset by stronger purchases by Asia, leaving net global oil balances unchanged. But if non-European countries avoid purchasing spare Iranian crude, supplies will need to increase from elsewhere - possibly Saudi Arabia - in order to prevent the market from tightening. And even if Saudi Arabia were to increase supply, prices could still rise in response to the erosion of spare global oil production capacity. The nature and impact of any Iranian retaliation is also uncertain.

Note that the climb in Brent crude prices in early February was linked to two nonIran factors: expectations of higher oil demand due to the cold snap in European weather; and heightened concerns over supply vulnerabilities following outages in Africa, including a further bout of pipeline sabotage by militants in Nigeria.

Demand outlook Analysts’ forecasts for oil demand growth this year have drifted down over recent weeks, converging towards the 1 mbpd mark (around 1.1%). This is comparable to 2011 levels. The downward revisions stem less from a weaker than expected outlook, and more from data showing that global demand fell unexpectedly in 4Q 2011, generating a weaker starting point for this year. The International Energy Agency, for example, sees demand growth of 1.1 mbpd (1.2%), down from 1.3 mbpd (1.4%) previously. The Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES) continues to be more pessimistic, expecting growth of just 0.6 mbpd (0.7%). Weak growth and systemic risks in the Euro zone, modest growth in the US and a policy-induced slowdown in Chinese activity are seen as the main drivers of the demand story this year. Nevertheless, it should be noted that global demand growth of 1 mbpd is not far off the average seen over the past decade.

Supply outlook Crude oil output of the OPEC-11 (ie excluding Iraq) gained a strong 135,000 bpd in December, its 7th increase in the past 8 months. The rise was due to the continued recovery in Libyan output, which this time rose by 210,000 bpd to 0.77 mbpd. The Libyan National Oil Company has since announced that production has risen to 1.3 mbpd, closer to its 1.6 mbpd pre-war level. Saudi Arabian production, meanwhile, stayed close to its November peak of nearly 9.8 mbpd. Also notable, Kuwaiti production has moved to above 2.7

mbpd - its highest level for many years (at least, under the figures reported by OPEC. National figures show that this figure was briefly surpassed in 2008).

Total OPEC production (including Iraq) stood at 30.8 mbpd in December. This suggests that the organization may need to trim back output in order to meet the 30 mbpd target ceiling that it set in December.

If Libyan output returns to pre-war levels, other members - most probably in the GCC - may have to reduce output by as much as 1.6 mbpd in total. Some of this, however, may be accounted for by the loss of Iranian oil from the EU embargo.

Non-OPEC supplies are expected to rise by 0.8 - 1.6 mbpd in 2012, including around 0.5 mbpd from OPEC natural gas liquids (NGLs). This follows a disappointing increase of around 0.5 mbpd in 2011 (flat to negative if OPEC NGLs are excluded). If OPEC were to keep its output at current levels, total global oil supplies would climb by a hefty 1.6-2.4 mbpd in 2012, the latter based on upbeat assumptions for former Soviet Union and Latin American supplies.

The figures would be a still significant 1.22.0 mbpd if OPEC cut output to meet its target level by mid-year.

Price projections The supply and demand arithmetic above suggests that oil market fundamentals could weaken markedly this year.

However, given the tight starting point, the supply/demand balance needs to improve significantly just to avoid a repeat of last year’s stock draw. If both demand and nonOPEC supply growth come in at the lower end of expectations and assuming OPEC keeps output constant at near 4Q 2011 levels (i.e. an average annual increase of 0.8 mbpd), then we could see a modest stockbuild of 0.5 mbpd in 2012. In that case, the price of KEC could hold at its current levels for much of this year, before drifting down towards $100 pb in the second half.

If, on the other hand, demand growth turns out to be more in line with the consensus of 1 mbpd, global stock levels would not be significantly rebuilt and oil prices could quickly start to rise. The price of KEC could accelerate to above $140 pb by year end. However, this would probably crimp demand or prompt OPEC to raise output, reducing the chances of such a price rise being sustained.

Alternatively, if the rise in non-OPEC supplies this year is closer to the upper end of expectations (1.6 mbpd), then stock levels could rise substantially, pushing prices down heavily. In this scenario, the price of KEC could slide to $80 pb in 3Q 2011 and possibly further thereafter.

Budget projections As we are in the final quarter of fiscal year 2011/12, there is limited scope for the price scenarios above to affect budget outcomes for this year. The price of KEC should end up between $107 and $109 pb this year, an increase of 29-32% on a year earlier. If as we expect, spending comes in at 510% below the government’s forecast, the budget could see a surplus of between KD 9.6 billion and KD 11.5 billion before allocations to the Reser ve Fund for Future Generations. This is lower than the surplus of some KD 13.2 billion revealed by official figures for the first nine months of the year.

But spending usually accelerates towards the end of the year, pushing the surplus back down.

22

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

business

China home prices fall in major cities in Jan

tips for motivating staff Bayt.com report

R

esearch indicates that motivated employees work harder, smarter and are more productive. While some people are innately more passionate about their jobs than others, organizational structures and management styles can play a key role in tuning up the motivational barometer.

The key question then is how to transform a lukewarm workforce into an impassioned motivated one? Below are some key motivation pointers by career experts from Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Job Site:

Moves to cool market continues to bite BEIJING: Home prices in more than two thirds of China’s major cities continued their slump in January from a month before, the government announced yesterday, as moves to cool the market continued to bite.

Of 70 cities tracked by the government, 48 saw prices fall month-on-month, slightly fewer than the 52 cities that recorded negative house price growth in December, the National Bureau of Statistics said, while 22 were seen as stable.

Beijing has introduced a range of measures aimed at curbing the real estate market over the last year, such as bans on buying second homes, hiking minimum down-payments and introducing property taxes in select cities.

But analysts worry the correction could have broader implications for the world’s secondlargest economy, which is already widely forecast to slow this year from 9.2 percent growth in 2011.

Premier Wen Jiabao reiterated this week that the government had no plans to relax policy restrictions aimed at cooling the market.

Property analysts EC Harris said in a research note that the slowdown was likely to continue, while warning of the risks for the wider economy. “Property prices in the mid- to long-term will likely continue to decrease as long as the government’s current policies remain in place,” the firm said. “The Chinese government’s tightening policies have been effective at reducing fears of a property bubble.”

But the measures “could lead to a ‘cascading’ effect that causes the economy to slow down too much”, it added. China’s property market weakened last year, reflected in slower investment and sales, as the government sought to bring down runaway housing prices on fears of a speculative bubble.

Property developers have been hit hard by the policies and a lack of funds after the government hiked interest rates and restricted bank lending to rein in surging inflation and cool real estate prices.

In December, China moved to ease credit by trimming bank reserves but the property industry is waiting to see if the government might

relax measures aimed specifically at the sector.

China’s Renmin University has said the government will likely relax some market curbs in 2012 due to concerns that slumping prices could hurt growth.

Analysts forecast housing prices could fall even further when the measures are eased, as pent-up supply pours into the market. — AFP

1. Start Early Motivating employees starts as early as the interview stage. Make sure you identify the strengths a particular individual brings to the job and how these can be incorporated to meet the organizational targets and goals. Employees holding a clear vision of how their background, training and skills can be used reach the organizations goals will be far more motivated than those who are uncertain about how they fit into the organization’s plan.

2. Communicate Openly An easy way to keep employees upbeat and “in the loop” is to adopt an “open-door” management culture, in which communication with peers and superiors alike is facilitated and encouraged. The more employees feel they can approach each other as well as their management with ideas, problems or concerns, the less alienated they feel.

HEFEI: A laborer carries materials at the construction site of a new housing project in Hefei, in eastern China’s Anhui province yesterday. Home prices in more than two-thirds of China’s major cities continued their slump in January from a month before, the government announced, as moves to cool the market continued to bite. —AFP

3. Diversify the Work While some jobs can be repetitive and monotonous, management can try to lighten the workload, vary it and make it more appealing by allowing employees to participate in peripheral tasks or projects. Multi-disciplinary projects that include employees from different departments/teams are a great way of exposing employees to new methods and practices.

World Bank sets plan to China CB cuts bank reserve requirement pick Zoellick’s successor BEIJING: The Chinese central bank said yesterday that it

WASHINGTON: The World Bank plans to select its next president by the time of its spring meetings in late April, it announced.

The bank’s 25-member executive board said it will accept nominations until March 23. The board said it will choose up to three candidates to interview. It wants to finalize its selection by the time of the April 20-22 meetings of the World Bank and its sister lending organization, the International Monetary Fund.

Robert Zoellick, the current World Bank president, announced Wednesday that he will step down when his five-year term ends June 30. Since the IMF and the World Bank were created, the top IMF job has always gone to a European, and the World Bank post has gone to an American.

But China, now the world’s secondlargest economy, and other emerging economic powers such as Brazil and India have argued that they, too, deserve consideration for the leadership of the two organizations. The IMF and World Bank have adopted new selection guidelines aimed at ensuring a more open process. But in June, when the IMF chose a new leader, it selected another European, Christine Lagarde.

Lagarde, then the French finance minis-

ter, was chosen after Dominique StraussKahn abruptly stepped down from the IMF after being charged with attempted rape.

The charges were later dropped.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday that the Obama administration would put forward a candidate for the World Bank post. But he didn’t say whether the administration would consider promoting a non-American. Geithner said the United States wanted the World Bank’s board to engage in an “open and expeditious” process. Two Americans who have been mentioned for the post are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. — AP

Robert Zoellick, the current World Bank president

would cut commercial banks’ reserve requirement ratio by 0.50 percentage points from February 24 to ease restrictions on lending, state media reported.

The People’s Bank of China last announced a cut in the amount of funds that banks must hold in reserve on November 30, a move that took effect on December 5. The central bank said Saturday that it would reduce the ratio by a further 0.50 percentage points, effectively increasing the amount of money banks can lend, Xinhua news agency reported.

The rate for most large banks would thus decline to 20.5 percent, Dow Jones Newswires said.

The move is a sign the government is continuing to ease restrictions put in place to curb surging inflation and property prices. Credit restrictions had fuelled an explosion in underground lending as private firms borrowed money at high interest rates from informal lenders after being rejected by big banks who favor other state-controlled enterprises.

China, anxious about rising living costs, has pulled on a variety of levers to curb price rises over the past two years, including restricting the amount of money banks can lend and hiking interest rates.

Prior to the cut in December, the Chinese central bank had raised the reserve requirement ratio six times in 2011 and raised benchmark lending and deposit rates three times. — AFP

4. Delegate Responsibility Show your team-members that you trust them by giving them full responsibility for certain projects. Employees should have clear goals and should be allowed free rein to achieve these goals in the most efficient and innovative manner as long as the appropriate support is provided.

5. Challenge Set the bar high and allow a certain amount of freedom to take risk to encourage creativity, growth and innovation. Show you trust your employees’ judgment by allowing them this leeway to take calculated risks. While the risk of failure is always there, this freedom will provide a steep learning gradient and foster a mature ‘can-do’ attitude.

6. Listen and Learn Solicit feedback from employees on what they expect from the job and their management, as well as, what they have planned for their careers. Listen to employee’s opinions and give feedback actively.

7. Train Invest in top-caliber training and development programs that nurture staff, build their skills and allow them to learn and advance their careers.

8. Give Feedback Regular and constructive feedback encourages, motivates and guides your team. Have informal weekly meetings with your direct reports - the purpose of these meetings should not be to ‘criticize’ but to guide, assist, mentor and coach the individual to better performance levels.

9. Recognize and Reward Companies can be extremely creative in devising ways to recognize and reward talented team-members. Staff incentive schemes can be as varied as the accomplishments and can include anything from cash bonuses to days off, club memberships, awards or any other types of rewards.

10. Be Fair Make sure employees are competing with equal opportunities for progress and advancement and that the ‘rules of conduct’ i.e. the company’s expectations, goals, values and vision are clearly defined and transparent to all.

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 7 million registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

Argentine GDP surged 8.8% in 2011 BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s economy expanded a robust 8.8 percent in 2011, fueled by strong growth in the auto industry, construction, services and personal spending, the government said on Friday.

The reading on gross domestic product was the latest showing strong growth in the South American nation, which since a near-collapse a decade ago has been averaging nine percent growth since 2003, with

the exception of a modest 0.9 percent expansion in 2009, amid the global financial crisis. But 2012 may not be as rosy. The international Monetary Fund is predicting growth in Argentina will cool to 5.5 percent this year. The government is predicting 5.1 percent growth along with inflation of 9.2 percent. But the IMF and others have said the price data in the country have been unreliable. — AFP

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4330000 .3630000 .3000000 .2760000 .2960000 .0040000 .0020000 .0751050 .7317240 .3830000 .0720000 .7165140 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2771000 GB Pound/KD .4353240 Euro .3647190 Swiss francs .3018520 Canadian dollars .2766300 Danish Kroner .0490720 Swedish Kroner .0414680 Australian dlr .2960260 Hong Kong dlr .0357350 Singapore dlr .2193640 Japanese yen .0035580 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0752960 Bahraini dinars .7335810 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0737400 Omani riyals .7183320 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.598 5.337 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

.2805000 .4430000 .3700000 .3090000 .2840000 .3040000 .0070000 .0035000 .0765530 .7458310 .4000000 .0770000 .7303270 .0072000 .0500000 .2800500 .4396220 .3683920 .3051820 .2814570 .0495580 .0419850 .3012640 .0361190 .2223320 .0035650 .0057120 .0023550 .0030990 .0033830 .0762770 .7431340 .3961100 .0747000 .7276860 .0066160

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.500 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.282 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.272 Tunisian Dinar 189.860 Jordanian Dinar 392.670 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.865 Syrian Lier 6.003 Morocco Dirham 33.814 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 370.650 Sterling Pound 431.930 Canadian dollar 268.420 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 300.620 Australian dollar 277.000 US Dollar Buying 277.750 GOLD 315.500 159.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

COUNTRY

SELL CASH

SELL DRAFT

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal

302.400 740.540 3.610 282.900 546.900 45.400 50.600 167.800 48.130 371.500 36.600 5.840 0.032 0.195 0.245 3.690 394.890 0.188 94.330 46.500 4.280 236.900 1.804 49.500 723.280

300.900 740.540 3.328 281.400

222.400 46.144 370.000 36.450 5.660 0.032

10 Tola

75.820 278.400

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

278.350 282.160 438.700 367.070 303.835 737.105 75.760 76.405 74.185 391.815 46.135 2.317 5.662 3.076 3.313 6.523 682.780 3.640 9.110 5.860 3.625 92.380

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

304.31 284.63 308.70 370.54

443.00 3.70 3.550 5.800 2.650 4.250 3.200 76.45 741.86 48.00 395.00 728.00 77.25 74.85

278.300 3.061 5.650 2.345 3.320 6.595 75.875 74.370 739.900 46.063 443.800 3.190 1.550 372.100 283.500 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange

UAE Exchange Center WLL Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro

444.30 3.57 3.360 5.665 2.347 3.549 3.075 75.92 741.86 46.22 396.78 724.84 76.91 74.47

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 440.800 278.400

Sterling Pound US Dollar

Currency

723.100

306.000 4.200 9.240

Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

Currency

394.570 0.187 94.330 3.570 235.400

3.075 6.535 76.600 74.350 222.410 38.730 2.325 440.800

GOLD 1,800.350

Rate for Transfer

Bahrain Exchange Company

3.160 6.920 77.030 74.350 222.410 38.730 2.659 442.800 42.900 307.500 4.200 9.410 198.263 75.920 278.800 1.300

304.00 283.00 304.50 368.00

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

278.050 369.800 440.600 281.200 3.590 5.655 46.085 2.310 3.325 6.500 3.070 740.450 75.750 74.300

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

BUSINESS

Burgan Bank Group reports KD 50.6m net profits for 2011 A payout of 10 fils as cash dividend and 5% as bonus shares

Chairman of Burgan Bank Majed Essa Al-Ajeel

Euro-zone mulls tweaks to Greek PSI to close gap BRUSSELS: The euro-zone is considering tweaks to Greek debt restructuring terms for private investors among several options to further reduce Greek debt towards the target of 120 percent of GDP in 2020, euro-zone officials said.

Under the main scenario of a debt sustainability analysis by the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Greek debt will only fall to 129 percent of gross domestic product in 2020, assuming Greece has a primary surplus next year, one official said.

Euro zone leaders agreed in October that the debt should fall to 120 percent in eight years from 160 percent now, to be deemed sustainable.

They agreed to lend 130 billion euros to Greece to help finance the process, which also has to include private investors forgiving half of what Greece owes them in nominal terms. Senior euro-zone finance officials meet today to discuss the debt sustainability analysis and find ways to bring the debt closer to the 120 percent target ahead of a finance ministers meeting on Monday that is to approve the new financing package.

“If you do a number of things you can bring the 129 close to 120,” one euro-zone official familiar with the document said. “These are: restructuring the accrued interest on the privately held outstanding Greek bonds, cutting the interest rate on the euro zone bilateral loans to Greece and restructuring the bonds held by the national central banks in the investment portfolios,” the official said.

So far negotiations with private investors holding Greek bonds focused on halving in nominal terms the principal that Athens owes them. Now the investors may need to agree to forego some of the interest on these bonds as well, officials said.

National central banks hold an estimated 12 billion euros of Greek bonds, and if they agree to restructure them taking a loss like the private sector, it would reduce Greek debt further.

Bilateral euro-zone loans to Greece under the first, 80 billion euro bailout from 2010, carried a punitive interest rate. “If you do all these things, the ratio comes down to close to 120 percent. And the financing needs stay very close to 130 billion euros,” the official said.

If none of these measures are taken, the contribution from euro zone governments would have to increase to 136 billion euros from 130 billion-an option some governments would find difficult amid popular displeasure with bailing out Greece. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble mentioned the 136 billion as a possibility to German lawmakers on Feb 10.

Some governments are thinking of yet another possibility- to offer a smaller cash sweetener to investors for the bond swap that is to halve the nominal value of privately held Greek debt. Of the 130 billion euros that euro zone governments agreed to provide for Greece in October, up to 30 billion was to be earmarked for the sweetener.

“The sweetener is quite expensive,” a second euro zone official involved in the talks said. “If you would end up getting it right by making the sweetener 20 or 25 billion euros instead of 30 billion - do you really think that investors would say ‘let’s forget the whole deal’? There would be a hard default and they would lose much more,” the second official said.

“If we see that there is a shortfall for the Greek debt target, which is now obvious, how should we fill the gap?

Should it be just the euro zone giving more or should the burden be shared? We are in this boat together with private investors.”

Officials said the idea of reducing the sweetener, pushed by the Netherlands, had its supporters and its opponents in the euro-zone, but noted it came late, after a deal has already been reached with banks on the restructuring. “Putting this again on the table reopens the whole thing and then we have a problem because we are running out of time,” the first official said. “The restructuring of accrued interest can probably be done more easily,” the official said.

The bond swap deal must be completed before a March 20 redemption of 14.5 billion euros worth of Greek bonds if Greece is to avoid a default, meaning that effectively the restructuring offer has to be launched early next week.

A further contribution to lower Greek debt was likely to come from the ECB, which would forego profits on the Greek bond portfolio it has accumulated as a result of its bond market interventions.

“The ECB is ready to forego these profits, that if they make a profit they can return it to the national central banks and then it is for the national banks to decide what to do with it,” the first official said. “And then things become complicated, because each country has a different legislation when it comes to the transfer of profits from the national central bank to the national budget,” the official said.

“The second problem appears once the money is in the budget, because there has to be a decision to transfer that money to Greece. That’s where it becomes more complicated,” he said. Euro-zone officials will seek to solve these technical issues at their meeting today.

“There has to be a deal, because there is no plan B,” the official said. A third euro-zone official said “Most people are of the view that undoing the voluntary PSI, very carefully negotiated between Greece and the private sector investors, would be too risky.” — Reuters

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank Group announced significantly improved financial results for the year ended December 31, 2011. The group posted KD 50.6 million net profit, 10 times increase from the same period of 2010 reported at KD 4.7 million. Results reflect a successful turnaround process that delivered a robust financial year.

The bank has restored its pre-crisis profitability levels, and its regional subsidiaries have also recorded profits and continue to be on a growth trajectory. The Board of Directors recommended a payout of 10 fils as a cash dividend and 5 percent as bonus shares subject to the approval of the annual general assembly meeting.

Burgan Bank Group’s operating profits grew 15 percent from last year to reach KD 102 million, in 2010, Operating profits reported at KD 89 million excluding a onetime consolidation gain of KD 11 million. Earnings per share stood at 35.3 fils compared to 3.4 fils for the same period in 2010.

The consolidated financials include the results of the bank’s operations in Kuwait, as well as its subsidiaries, namely, Bank of Baghdad, Gulf Bank Algeria, Tunis International Bank, and Jordan Kuwait Bank, in which Burgan Bank has a majority stake. Majed Essa Al-Ajeel,

porate strategy. The results reiterate our foremost commitment to our shareholders as well as our customers, and we are optimistic that we will continue achieving sound results.” “On behalf of the board, I take this opportunity to thank the executive management team and staff led by

Majed Essa Al-Ajeel: The group is realizing the positive returns of its well-executed corporate strategy Chairman of Burgan Bank said: “The group’s performance during 2011 reflects the prudent approach we have been adopting as well as our focus on strategic goals. We have been able to build up a total of KD 16 million in provisions, and realizing the positive returns of the well-executed cor-

Eduardo Eguren, Chief Executive Officer of Burgan Bank, for their continuous hard work and delivery of strong results. I also take this opportunity to express our gratitude towards our customers and shareholders for their continued confidence in our capabilities,” added Al-Ajeel.

24

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

BUSINESS

KSE advances on new-found confidence BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the green zone. The price index ended last week with an increase amounted to 2.02%, while the weighted index raised by 0.64% compared to the closings of the week before.

Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 74.51%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 54.68 million, whereas trading volume average was 688.07 million shares, recording increase of 97.89%.

The price index was able, for the first time in five months, to break the 6,000 point limit going up in one of the sessions during the week.

This result came supported by the continued speculative behavior that

has been dominating the market for quite some time. On the other hand, the weighted index was able to realize some gains due to the activity return on some leading and operating companies’ stocks, as the relatively good announced results and distributions had positive impact on many traders’ spirits, who executed few buying deals on such stocks, thus positively affected the weighted index performance and the overall market performance.

However, the market witnessed some profit taking operations during the week, especially for stocks that realized some gains in earlier sessions, with focus on leading stocks in Banking and Services sectors. Such action limited the weekly

gains of the market indices, especially the weighted index.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 5,982.20 points, up by 2.02% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.64% weekly gain after closing at 405.97 points.

Sectors’ indices All of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone. Last week’s highest gainer was the Real estate sector, achieving 4.94% growth rate as its index closed at 2,134.7 points.

Whereas, in the second place, the Non Kuwaiti Companies sector’s index closed at 6,051.0 points recording 4.11% increase. The Investment sector came in third as

its index achieved 2.65% growth, ending the week at 3,771.5 points.

The Insurance sector was the least growing as its index closed at 2,601.5 points with a 0.26% increase.

Sectors’ activity The Investment sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 1.15 billion shares changing hands, representing 33.33% of the total market trading volume.

The services sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 24.16% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 831.19 million shares. On the other hand, the Investment sector’s stocks where the highest trad-

ed in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 83.77 million or 30.64% of last week’s total market trading value.

The services sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 70.64 million represented 25.84% of the total market trading value.

Market capitalization KSE total market capitalization grew by 0.58% during last week to reach KD 28.57 billion, as all of KSE’s sectors recorded an increase in their respective market capitalization except for one sector. The Food sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 703.62 million, increasing by 2.37%. The Non Kuwaiti

Companies sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 2.33% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 1.80 billion. The third place was for the Real estate sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 1.75 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 2.20%. The Insurance sector was the least growing with 0.32% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 299.01 million. On the other hand, the Banks sector was last week’s only decliner as its total market capitalization decreased by 0.34% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 12.67 billion. — Prepared by the Studies & Research Department Bayan Investment Co.

LENIN

25

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

business

Market faces tough time amid tepid growth WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK NEW YORK: If upcoming earnings from US retailers are as unimpressive as the rest of the profit season has been, Wall Street could face a tough time justifying a stock market at nine-month highs.

Even with a Greece deal now in the works and the US economic recovery showing stronger momentum, strategists think the market could face resistance in a push higher. Less than two months into the year, the benchmark Standard & Poor’s index is up more than 8 percent and has already exceeded many analysts’ forecasts for the year.

The problem is the market has not seen as much upbeat news out of this earnings season as it has in recent ones. “Earnings have generally come in more disappointing than they have been,” said Robbert Van Batenburg, head of equity research at Louis Capital in New York. “I don’t think there’s a lot of fireworks coming” from next week’s financial results.

The index ended Friday at 1,361, its highest since May 2011. That was above a Reuters poll forecast in December that the index would end 2012 at 1,340.

A break above 1,370 would put the S&P 500 at its highest since June 2008, before the September 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers. The Dow industrial average is fast approaching the key psychological level of 13,000, while the Nasdaq has been trading at its highest since 2000 and is near the 3,000 level.

S&P 500 earnings performance has so far trailed recent quarters in terms of beating Wall Street’s estimates. The percentage of companies beating analyst profit expectations is at 64 percent, according to

Thomson Reuters data. While that percentage has improved since the start of the earnings season, it’s below the average beat rate for the past four quarters of 70 percent, the Thomson Reuters data showed.

This week brings results from top retailers, including Wal-Mart and Home Depot. Companies in the con-

sumer discretionaries group so far have a beat rate of 70 percent, above the average for the S&P, but many retailers in the group have yet to report. The week is seen as one of the last big ones of the earnings period.

With results in already from 404 S&P 500 companies, investor focus already may have shifted away from

NEW YORK: Joseph Chirico (third from right), a trader with Cuttone and Company, is the center of attention as he speaks, as trading comes to a close at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday. — AP

earnings.

That leaves a lot of focus on the outlook for Europe and the US economy. Data on existing- and new-home sales is expected next week. News of a deal for Greece, expected to help the country avoid a messy default, has helped drive stocks higher this week as has stronger data on the US economy.

Euro-zone finance ministers are expected to meet tomorrow about the financial rescue for Greece. US markets will be closed for the Presidents Day holiday.

The market’s recent run higher has put it at some key technical levels that some say could cause it to stumble. “The market is likely to reach a short-term top,” said Bruce Zaro, chief technical strategist at Delta Global Asset Management in Boston.

The percentage of New York Stock Exchange stocks trading above their 50-day moving averages is in the 85 percent to 90 percent range, he said, which is typically a signal that the market is overbought. He sees a pullback to the 1,260 to 1,270 range on the S&P 500 in the near term. Some strategists said they would see a break above 1,370 as a key buying opportunity.

“You break out to 13,70 to 1,380 and then you have to say to yourself something real is happening here.

I’m kind of on the sidelines until I see that, but I will be jumping in if that starts happening,” said Stephen Massocca, managing director at Wedbush Morgan in San Francisco.

The CBOE Volatility index, Wall Street’s fear gauge, was down 7.5 percent for the day and has been below the 25 level for more than two months, sug-

Obama: US on track to doubling exports Businesses to be rewarded for job generation

MENLO PARK: Photo shows job postings at JobTrain employment center in Menlo Park, California. The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell to the lowest point in almost four years last week, the latest signal that the job market is steadily improving. —AP

Report: US job growth accelerating in 2012 WASHINGTON: US job creation will pick up this year as a moderate economic recovery continues, the White House said on Friday, but it faces a key risk from the debt crisis in Europe.

Stronger job growth may boost President Barack Obama as he seeks reelection in November, but his annual economic report warned that the road ahead could be bumpy. “Only a prolonged and robust expansion can eliminate the large jobs deficit that opened up during the recession, and the economy as a whole has considerable room to grow,” the report said.

The euro zone’s ongoing debt crisis also represented a potential threat to the US recovery, and the White House warned “significant risks” remain despite steps to tackle the crisis taken by European governments.

Europe’s leaders voiced optimism on Friday that Greece would secure a new rescue deal worth 130 billion euros ($171 billion) but cautioned urgent work was still needed. Still, recent better-than-expected labor market data have encouraged the White House to upgrade its forecasts for hiring.

Its latest estimate, released after news that US unemployment fell in January to 8.3 percent, projected average growth in US payrolls of 167,000 a month this year.

“At this pace, two million jobs will be created during 2012, an increase from 1.8 million in 2011,” the report said. The actual unemployment rate in 2012 was forecast at 8.9 percent, but the White House has already said this number is “stale” and instead highlighted private sector esti-

mates that the jobless rate could average between 8 percent and 8.6 percent this year.

No US president since World War Two has won re-election with national unemployment above 7.2 percent - the level of joblessness when Ronald Reagan secured a second term in 1984 after bringing the rate down from 9.5 percent. Alan Krueger, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, declined to spell out the administration’s forecast for the unemployment rate this year, as the president campaigns to win a second term in office.

The White House was slammed for predicting in 2009 that Obama’s emergency stimulus measures would hold unemployment beneath 8 percent. It subsequently peaked at 10 percent.

The council adjusts its economic forecasts twice a year - to prepare the president’s budget, which was released last Monday, and for an annual midsession review expected in August. Krueger said he would hold to that tradition.

The economy was projected to expand at a 3 percent pace this year and next, mirroring the assumptions of the budget. The White House views exports as an important engine for growth, in part because it expects domestic consumption to steady at the modest expected pace of income growth this year. Also, government spending will be held on a tight leash to control the deficit, a hot election year topic as Republicans try to paint the Democrat Obama as a tax-andspend liberal. — Reuter

Grains, beans rise on hopes for global demand NEW YORK: Prices for wheat, corn and soybeans rose on worries that bad weather may have damaged crops in Europe and South America. Investors speculated that demand for all three crops will improve. Wheat prices rose 2.4 percent, while corn and soybeans were up nearly 1 percent.

Global wheat supplies are plentiful so far, but there has been speculation that freezing winter weather hurt crops in parts of Europe, which could cut into stockpiles. Corn and soybeans supplies are already tight worldwide. Investors are speculating that inventories will shrink even more as details become available about potential crop damage from hot weather in Brazil and Argentina, Telvent DTN analyst Darin Newsom said.

In a report issued last week, the US Agriculture Department estimated global wheat stockpiles at 213.1 million metric tons by the end of the summer. Global corn supplies were forecast at 125.4 million metric tons and soybean stockpiles

were estimated at 60.28 million metric tons.

“The market itself believes it’s much tighter than what the government said and so that would indicate subsequent reports will show further tightening,” Newsom said.

Other commodities were mixed as investors re-evaluated their holdings as a precaution in case there are developments in the Greek debt crisis over the President’s Day weekend.

Negotiations over the best way to fix Greece’s financial troubles have weighed on the market most of the week. Finance ministers from countries that use the euro will meet Monday to discuss another bailout package for Greece. US markets will be closed Monday for Presidents’ Day. Investors have been concerned that Greece could default on its massive debt if the funding isn’t available before a deadline next month. That could cause slower economic growth and less demand for commodities. —AP

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said yesterday his administration was headed toward fulfilling its commitment of doubling US exports over five years and promised to reward businesses that created jobs at home with tax breaks.

“Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling US exports over five years,” the president said in his weekly radio and Internet address. “And we’re on track to meet that goal - ahead of schedule.”

The comments came after Obama visited a Boeing manufacturing facility in the northwestern state of Washington, which he hailed as an example of revitalized industry. At the end of a three-day tour that focused on US industry and fundraising for his November reelection bid, Obama promised not to stand by when US competitors don’t play by the rules, and benefit from what he called “unfair” trade practices.

In a cavernous Boeing hanger, Obama praised the company’s new Dreamliner aircraft, which made its first commercial flight in October and is now getting a string of orders from around the world after years of delays that cost the firm billions of dollars in lost or delayed orders.

The president repeated his praise of Boeing in his address, holding up the company as an example of a competitive business. “Companies like Boeing are realizing that even when we can’t make things cheaper than China, we can make things better,” Obama said. “That’s how we’re going to compete globally.”

The president also said he was against giving tax breaks to companies that ship out American jobs to other countries. “It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding businesses that create jobs here in America,” he said. “And Congress should send me that kind of tax reform right away.”

Obama called on Congress to extend the

EVERETT: President Barack Obama salutes upon his arrival at Paine Field, in Everett.

Obama is outlining new steps to boost US exports during a tour to a Boeing assembly plant in Everett. — AP Export-Import Bank’s authorization. White House officials said the bank will reach its lending limit at the end of March and Obama pointed to it as a key player in helping promote US exports.

At the same time, the White House announced that Boeing will participate in an Export-Import Bank program that helps companies advance money to suppliers on exportrelated contracts. Administration officials said Boeing would be committing to more than $700 million in short-term credit this year.

Officials said the arrangement would help Boeing compete for foreign clients against European jet maker Airbus.

Facing re-election, Obama has pointed to a decline in unemployment and trumpeted a recent boost in manufacturing jobs as an indicator of an economy on the mend. Republicans seeking the White House have accused Obama of failing to steer the economy out of a deep recession, setting up the health of the nation’s economy as a pivotal issue in the 2012 election. — Agencies

‘Ominous tirades’ alleged in insider trader case PORTLAND, Oregon: Federal prosecutors said that they received a series of threatening, bigoted and obscene voicemail messages from one of two suspects in an insider trading case, and he should be kept behind bars. John Kinnucan, of Portland, appeared in federal court in the Oregon city after he was arrested Thursday on conspiracy and securities fraud charges.

He didn’t enter a plea. US Magistrate Judge John Acosta said Kinnucan would remain jailed, and a detention hearing was scheduled for Wednesday. The government alleges that Kinnucan, as president of Broadband Research LLC, used inducements to pump information out of public company insiders. Then, the government said, he would sell the information to clients such as hedge funds and money managers as if it were the product of legitimate research.

In New York, a former employee of a California high-tech company pleaded guilty in the case Friday and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Kinnucan has been under investigation since 2010.

The government said in court papers that even though the charges are “nonviolent, white- collar offenses,” Kinnucan should be kept in custody until he stands trial because of the “ominous tirades” that began in December and ended on Sunday. Six assistant US attorneys got the abusive messages, prosecutors said in the court documents. Kinnucan also made threats to one cooperating witness and attempted to contact another, the filing said.

The filing contained excerpts from the voicemails consisting largely of obscenities and racial and ethnic epithets. “Yeah, too bad

This photo released by the Multnomah County Sheriff shows John Kinnucan. —AP Hitler’s not here. He’d know what to do with you,” it quoted a Dec. 5 message as saying.

Kinnucan was represented by a public defender, T J Hester, and Acosta said that could continue until Kinnucan files an affidavit about his finances. Hester said in court that he had just received the case and hadn’t fully reviewed the allegations. He asked for copies of the voicemails. Calls to him later for comment about the government filing were not immediately returned. Prosecutors want to transfer Kinnucan to New York for trial. In Manhattan on Friday, Donald Barnetson, a former employee

of California memory card maker SanDisk Corp., pleaded guilty in federal court to a conspiracy charge, agreeing to cooperate with federal authorities investigating insider trading.

Barnetson entered the plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud.

Authorities said he fed tips about SanDisk to Kinnucan’s company. US Attorney Preet Bharara said Kinnucan used financial incentives and fancy meals among other inducements to obtain company secrets. “He allegedly made a business model out of passing off those secrets to his hedge fund clients was legitimate research,” Bharara said. Janice K Fedarcyk, assistant director-in-charge of the FBI’s New York field office, criticized Kinnucan, saying: “That kind of information beats research every time.

The only problem is it isn’t legal.”

Kinnucan is accused of obtaining inside information about earnings reports from companies such as F5 Networks Inc., Sandisk and Flextronics International Ltd. between 2008 and 2010 and relaying the numbers to his clients.

Kinnucan faces separate civil charges that were announced simultaneously by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC says he was tipped off in July 2010 that a Seattle-based technology company was poised to report strong quarterly earnings. He passed the information to clients, who profited $1.6 million from illegal trades, the SEC’s complaint alleges. “Obtaining important and unreported financial results from company insiders and selling that information to hedge funds is not legitimate expert networking services - it’s oldfashioned insider trading,” SEC enforcement chief Robert Khuzami said in a statement. —AP

26

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

BUSINESS

KUWAIT: Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co, the authorized general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait, held a premiere of the new M-Class at the prestigious Concours d’elegance event in Marina Crescent, Marina Mall Kuwait. The premiere was attended by Bisher Albisher - Director Mohammed Albisher - Director, Michael Ruehle - General Manager, Ashraf Tamim - Snr Manager, Sales & Operation and Management of Albisher & Alkazemi Co in the presence of all the leading newspapers, magazines and other media of Kuwait. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

A generation ahead: The new Mercedes-Benz M-Class Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co premieres the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class in Kuwait KUWAIT: Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co, the Authorized General Distributor of MercedesBenz in Kuwait held the premiere of the new M-Class at the prestigious Concours d’elegance event in Marina Crescent, Marina Mall Kuwait.

The premiere of the M-Class was attended by Bisher Albisher Director Mohammed Albisher Director, Michael Ruehle - General Manager, Ashraf Tamim - Snr Manager, Sales & Operation and Management of Albisher & Alkazemi Co in the presence of all the leading newspapers, magazines and other media of Kuwait.

The new M-Class will officially go on sale from March 2012.

The third generation of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class combines the best of two worlds: the muchcoveted SUV not only boasts a strong off-road vehicle heritage, but its passengers also benefit from levels of comfort comparable to those of a premium saloon.

Turned aluminum or high-quality wood, finely detailed switches and highlights as well as exciting surfaces and powerful, harmonious lines help to create a high-quality sense of wellbeing in the interior for both the driver and passengers.

The Mercedes-Benz M-Class also scores particularly highly on outstanding energy efficiency, and on average the new model range consumes 25 percent less fuel than the previous models.

Further strengths of the premium SUV with permanent all-wheel drive include exceptional safety and well-balanced ride comfort as well as excellent driving dynamics both on and off the road. What’s more, the M-Class features an array

of new chassis developments and innovative dynamic handling control systems which further enhance both driving enjoyment and handling safety. A characteristic body design and a variable interior with a high wellness factor add to the richness of the driving experience in the new M-Class.

Even the standard version of the

new M-Class offers a high level of comfort, luxury, dynamic on-road handling and outstanding off-road capabilities. For the GCC region including Kuwait, the new M-Class comes standard with lot of equipment which are not available in any competitor models or a customer has to pay extra to get them,” said Micheal Ruehle General Manager

Commercial Bank rewards Tijari credit cards customers KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces rewarding its customers as promised after the end of the campaign “Shop with your Credit Card at Electrozan and The Visitor” to offer up to 20% cash back of the value of their purchases. All the cash back amounts ware credited by the bank to the customers’ Credit Cards.

The campaign launched by Commercial Bank of Kuwait in collaboration with Electrozan Co and Habshi & Chaloub in October 2011 achieved outstanding success, where multitude of CBK customers had shopping at Electrozan and The Visitor., On this occasion, Ramzi AlSabboury the Executive Manager for Marketing and Sales said that “This offer was a great success for Commercial Bank, Electrozan Co. and

Ramzi Al-Sabboury The Visitor, where our customers’ purchases with Electrozan Co and The Visitor increased. This proves that the campaign has achieved great success and we attained our objective for cus-

tomer convenience and satisfaction.

Al-Sabboury added that the campaign was highly commended by customers as it continued for 3 months and customer were given good chance to benefit from it while shopping using Al-Tijari cards to get cash back of the value of their purchases.

Al-Sabboury further added that a number of shopping campaign that aim at rewarding Al-Tiari credit cardholders are still in the pipeline, stressing that such campaigns will be organized, in cooperation with different companies which contribute to make such marketing program a success. Al-Sabboury stated, to attain customers’ utmost satisfaction, more promotional programs will be launched in coming months in view of customers’ interaction with such campaigns.

Bahrain Air daily direct flights to Trivandrum from March 15 KUWAIT: Bahrain Air announced that after months of speculation, it has finally won the rights to operate daily direc t flights from Bahrain to Thiruvananthapuram. These flights will commence from the 15th of March 2012. Flights will depart from Kuwait on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7.00 pm and arrive at 8.00 pm at Bahrain and leave from Bahrain at 9.30 pm, reaching early morning in Thiruvananthapuram International airport at 4.15 am. The return flight will depar t Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday and Saturday at 5.00 am and arrive at Bahrain International Airport at 7.30 am and leaving Bahrain at 8.30 a.m. and reaching Kuwait International airport at 9.35 am.

Bahrain Air CEO, Richard Nuttall, was upbeat and stated “We look forward in boosting our route network to the Indian Sub Continent. Our customers have been telling us that they want Thiruvananthapuram in our network for many months now. This is another step in our route expansion process this year.

We have several other destinations in mind, and these will be announced as and when market conditions and approvals allow.” he stated.

As per Bahrain Air Marketing Manager Naeem Mahamoor “Bahrain Air’s strategy is to develop as a regional carrier within the GCC, Indian Subcontinent and Levant regions.

Bahrain Air now provides most of the services of a full service carrier, with

affordable fares. Bahrain is an excellent choice for the passenger who does not want to compromise on service, but wants value for his money.

Bahrain Air’s goal is to be a favorite for passengers flying within the region.

Bahrain Air has always offered better prices and the difference with it is that they will fly direct to most of the destinations for the same price as other airlines that fly with a stop-over. Bahrain Air appointed Caesars International Travel Company as its General Sales Agent in Kuwait. For booking and further details, contact Bahrain Air office, 22261027/22261028/22261028 or your nearest travel agent. As the seats are limited towards this offer, the early bird will get the best deal.

Abdul Rahman Albisher & Ziad Alkazemi Co. He added “ The standard equipment on ML 350 includes AMG Spor ts pack age with 20 inch wheels, panaromic all-glass roof, 3tone ambient lighting, lift gate, LED daytime running lights, Attention Assist, pre -safe, Active Parking Assist, lane tracking package and

climatised cup holders.

For ML 500 the standard list of equipment includes Active parking assist, Active cur ve system, panaromic sliding roof, running boards, AMG sports package with 21 inch rims, Airmatic, COMAND Online and Seats with memor y package.

The new engines of M-Class are

more powerful and give more output .The output compared with the previous 200 kW (272 hp) model is increased by 12.5 percent to 225 kW (306 hp), while maximum torque has increased by 5.7 percent to 370 Nm (predecessor: 350 Nm) and now is available over a broader engine speed range from 3500 to 5250 rpm. In parallel with this substantial increase in power, Mercedes engineers have achieved an equally impressive reduction in fuel consumption. The model combines excellent consumption figures with dynamic performance, accelerating from standstill to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds, and with a top speed of 240 km/h.”

The technical highlights of the new M-Class are l AMG Sports Package - standard for all GCC vehicles l Panaromic glass sliding roof l New Engine line-up with superior power delivery with low fuel consumption and emission figures. l Enhanced 7G-Tronic plus for enhanced ride comfort l Permanent 4Matic all-wheel drive system l Brake Assist BAS PLUS l PRE-SAFE brake l Active Blind Spot Assist l Active Lane keeping Assist l Night View Assist PLUS l Active Bonnet l Active Parking Assist l New COMAND online l Eco Start/stop l Intelligent Light System l ACIVE CURVE SYSTEM (optional extra) l ON&OFFROAD package (optional extra) l Distronic Plus (optional extra) l Airmatic package (optional)

Mongolia: A bright spot in a dim global economy

By Fatema Akashah KUWAIT: When most of the world’s economies are facing slowing growth, and Europe a likely recession, Mongolia emerges as one of the few countries that will grow at a staggering pace. In 2011, we expect its economy to have grown 11.6% year over year, higher than 2010’s 6.4% and its highest annual rate in 21 years.

Traditionally, Mongolia was a herding and agricultural economy, but after the discovery of its vast mineral wealth, the economy has been catapulted into a major mining hub. The wealth of coal, copper, gold, silver and other minerals source 80% of Mongolia’s yearly exports; as new supply comes on stream, this share is expected to grow to 95%. Not only is Mongolia a resource-rich country, it is geographically well-situated; sandwiched between the largest countries in the world, Mongolia has China, the biggest consumer of commodities, as its neighbor. Soon, Mongolia will be one of the top five producers of copper in the world; its largest foreign investment project, the Oyu Tolgoi gold and copper mine, will propel the growth of Mongolia’s economy into above 20% annual growth in 2013. Over the next few years, the country will need to rapidly develop its infrastructure, financial sector, real estate and other industries to meet the growing needs of a nation on the path to becoming one of the richest in the world (in per capita terms). This bright future, however, is not without serious potential risks that stem from an overly rapid growth driven by resource-exploita-

tion. Indeed, Mongolia is highly susceptible to the “resource curse”, also known as the Dutch Disease: a country’s wealth in resources can stagnate the development of other industries that are independent of commodities; in addition, rapidly rising wealth and large exports push up inflation and make the national currency very expensive.

Gross domestic Product (GDP) is the sum of the values of all final goods and services produced by a country, in a given time period. The values depend on the quantities (volume) of the goods produced and their prices. Real GDP is a measure that holds prices constant and takes out the effects of inflation or deflation. GDP can be measured by sector output. The three main sectors are the primary (raw materials and basic industries such as agriculture, mining, etc); secondary (manufacturing, processing, construction, etc.); and tertiary (the services industry such as retail, transportation, entertainment, tourism, etc.). Mongolia’s economy used to be predominantly agriculture, but with the mining boom both extraction and the industries that support mining (such as transportation, processing, etc.) quickly took up the biggest shares in the economy.

Mongolia’s economic potential is enormous; the International Monetary Fund forecasts an average growth of 14% for the next five years.

Mining has opened the doors for investments in many of the economy’s sectors that are still quite underdeveloped. In a time when the developed economies are treading water, Mongolia is receiving massive foreign

investment inflows and is developing bilateral ties with countries like Kuwait and other GCC members to foster economic links. In this bright horizon, however, risks are looming.

Because mining is so significant, it has become a source of political tension. Mongolia’s democratic government will undergo elections in 2012 and populist movements have been pledging the nationalization of mining projects that had been promised to be open to foreign investment.

This can hinder the flow of investments into the country. There is a lot of doubt as to whether the government will be committed to spending wisely; it has already engaged in monetary handouts to the rich and poor alike. Although the government is trying to use its wealth wisely by creating a fund that will stabilize economic growth against the volatility of the commodity markets, it still faces the major task of steering Mongolia’s rapid growth and avoiding asset bubbles and high inflation. The dependence on Chinese demand is also risky.

China has a growing domestic economy, but it is still susceptible to rapid declines in foreign demand, especially from the West. The adverse effects would directly transfer to Mongolia.

The nature of the mining industry, however, allows a certain level of stability, as investments in mines take several years of development and orders for resources tend to be large.

Mongolia is a land of opportunity, but investors must be aware of the possible land mines along the way.

— Fatema Akashah, economist at KCIC, an investment firm specializing in emerging Asia investments.

27

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Digital technologies reversing extinction of languages VANCOUVER: Digital technologies are the new life-savers for languages on the verge of extinction, linguists said Friday as they announced eight new dictionaries at a major science conference in Vancouver.

“We’re turning the digital divide into a digital opportunity,” said David Harrison, a National Geographic Fellow at Swarthmore College near Philadelphia.

More than half of some 7,000 languages alive today were considered on the verge of extinction within a century, “threatened by cultural changes, ethnic shame, government repression and other factors,” the scientists said in a paper. But use of technologies, even by peoples without written languages, “is a heartening trend,” said Harrison. “Language

extinction is not an inevitability.”

“Using social media, Youtube, text messaging, to expand their voice, expand their presence (is) the flip side of globalization,” said Harrison. “You can have a language spoken by only 50 or 500 people, only in one location, and now through digital technology that language can achieve a global voice.” Languages matter, said Harrison, because linguists and other researchers “gain immense insight into human cognition, botany, pharmacology. All disciplines of scientific inquiry are immeasurably enhanced.”

Linguist Margaret Noori said languages are a gateway to so-called traditional knowledge. For example, an Ojibwe term for wetlands, translated as “‘where the land bleeds,’ shows a different way of understanding the sci-

Startup sends live local TV to the iPhone NEW YORK: A startup backed by media billionaire Barry Diller has launched a service that sends live local TV feeds to iPhones and iPads. But the service may be short-lived, since TV stations are likely to challenge its right to use their broadcasts.

The service, Aereo, launched in New York this week, but it is available only by invitation. It hopes to broaden access to more people next month, and then launch in other cities.

Subscribers pay $12 per month and use their web browsers to access streams from 27 local channels, including the major broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. For now, the service works only on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches, but Aereo is planning to make it accessible to PC browsers and Android-powered phones as well.

In a test by an Associated Press reporter, the service provided highquality streams over Wi Fi to an iPad, but often it wouldn’t show particular channels. The company says kinks are still being worked out of the system.

Aereo has more than $25 million in venture capital backing, with more than $20 million of it coming from a funding round led by InterActiveCorp, which owns Match.com, Ask.com and other websites.

Diller, the chairman of InterActiveCorp and the former CEO of Fox, says he’s “excited” about Aereo and the chance it has to disrupt the way TV is consumed. Aereo exploits what it believes is a loophole in the laws governing retransmission of local broadcasts. Yet TV networks and stations are unlikely to buy that legal justification, and could drag Aereo to court.

Representatives of CBS, NBC and ABC and the National Association of Broadcasters had no comment on Aereo’s launch. Cable companies pay local broadcast stations for the right to retransmit their signals to subscribers.

Aereo doesn’t, and founder and CEO Chet Kanojia says it doesn’t have to.

That’s because Aereo doesn’t use one big antenna to pick up the local broadcasts and relay them to the Internet.

Instead, it uses one tiny antenna for each subscriber that’s watching.

Aereo has created a dime-sized TV antenna, and crams hundreds and perhaps thousands of them into boxes the size of a dishwasher. The company places these boxes anywhere they can pick up local TV signals.

“Every one of these little antennas has a person’s name on it,” Kanojia says. However, he clarified that each subscriber doesn’t necessarily use the same antenna all the time. Subscribers do share antennas - they just don’t use the same antenna at the same time.

Kanojia reasons that because there’s one antenna per subscriber, Aereo is just an intermediary between a viewer and an antenna, sort of like a very long

antenna cable. That means, he says, that Aereo not a cable company and doesn’t have to negotiate with TV stations for the right to relay their signals, or pay them.

Scott Flick, a media lawyer and partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Washington, thinks Aereo is

skating on thin ice, legally speaking.

“When you take somebody’s programming and you make it available on some device that wouldn’t normally receive that, that sounds a lot like retransmission,” which means that Aereo should be paying the TV stations, he says. “The laws here are fairly tight. There’s not a lot of room for wiggle.”

The one-antenna-per-subscriber setup doesn’t look like much of a loophole, Flick says, since courts ruling on retransmission cases have “a fundamental history of saying over the years: ‘Look, if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it’s a duck.’” NBC, Fox and ABC make their shows available on iPads, iPhones and other tablets and phones through Hulu.com, which doesn’t have live programming or local news. And shows aren’t available on Hulu until the day after they air. Hulu charges $8 per month for access from mobile devices. Cable companies are also making some programming available on iPads and iPhones in the homes of people who subscribe to cable. Meanwhile, TV stations are trying to make their live feeds accessible on phones through special “mobile DTV” broadcasts. But to receive those, viewers would need phones with special antennas, and phone companies have shown no interest in carrying such phones. — AP

This Feb. 15, 2012 photo, shows the front view of a Playstation Vita, Sony’s new high-powered handheld console with a rear touchpad. — AP

ence of a place,” she told reporters.

Noori said that in North America’s Great Lakes region, apps for iPhones, a Facebook page, online lessons and a web site with dictionaries and songs are keeping alive the aboriginal Anishinaabemowin language.

Noori said new estimates show just 5,000 people in North America speak Anishinaabemowin, once the mother tongue of 200 aboriginal nations, known as tribes or bands. Before laws changed in the US and Canada, the language was almost eradicated by official government policies, including placing aboriginal children in church or state-run residential schools.

Noori, a professor at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, whose activist aboriginal parents raised her to speak her ancestral language, said the writ-

ten goal of residential schools was to “kill the Indian to save the man.”

She recalled being a child watching police raids of traditional drum circles and religious celebrations during America’s turbulent civil rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s, when police cracked down on the political American Indian movement.

Now schools and area universities are using digital technology to promote Anishinaabemowin, with a web site, http://www.umich.edu/~ojibwe/ that includes traditional poems put to music, the informal anthem of the American Indian movement, and a translation into the language of a candy ad shown during the US Superbowl football game and translated lyrics by pop stars.

She said she sees the change in her

own household. “I told my daughter ‘you can’t have an iPhone unless you text me in the App,’” Noori quipped.

Harrison released eight new “talking” dictionaries of languages at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Vancouver.

The dictionaries include Matukar Panau, an Oceanic language spoken by just 600 people in Papua New Guinea; Chamacoco, spoken by some 1,200 people in northern Paraguay; the Indian languages Remo, Sora and Ho; and Tuvan, used by nomads in Siberia and Mongolia; and a Celtictongue dictionary. The talking dictionaries are produced by National Geographic’s Enduring Voices project and the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. — AFP

Eastern Europeans fight for Internet freedoms Pact aims to fight intellectual property theft WARSAW: Eastern Europe’s tradition of political revolt has met the digital age. This time it’s not communists or food shortages fueling fury, but an international copyright treaty that opponents say threatens freedom on the Internet.

A grassroots protest movement erupted last month in Poland and spread quickly across the former Eastern Bloc and beyond.

The growing opposition against the AntiCounterfeiting Trade Agreement, or ACTA, has raised questions about the fate of the treaty, which is important to the governments of the United States and other industrialized economies.

There have been street protests across Eastern Europe, attacks on government websites in the Czech Republic and Poland, even a heartfelt apology from a Slovenian ambassador who signed it and then decried her act as “civic carelessness.”

In a region where people remember being spied upon and controlled by oppressive communist regimes, the treaty has provoked fears of a new surveillance regime. The pact aims to fight intellectual property theft - like fake Gucci handbags and violations of pharmaceutical patents. But it also targets online piracy - illegal downloads of music, films and software - and calls for measures that critics say would bring surveillance of Internet users.

“Most of the people who have gone to the streets are young and don’t remember communism themselves, but Polish society as an entity remembers,” said Jaroslaw Lipszyc, the president of the Modern Poland Foundation, an organization devoted to education and developing an information society.

“In Poland freedom of speech is of special value, and there is a history of fighting for it.”

Lipszyc, a prominent ACTA opponent, sees his work today as a natural extension of the same struggle for free expression that prompted his own family to illegally print anti-communist essays in their basement during the 1980s.

Eastern European countries, even those now in the European Union, are still much poorer than the West, and among critics are people who fear losing access to free - sometimes illegal - entertainment. With joblessness in Poland at 12.5 percent and the monthly minimum wage at just 1,500 zlotys ($465) pretax and average wages at 3,605 zlotys ($1,130), many say they can’t afford 20 zlotys ($6.30) or more for a movie ticket.

“People became furious,” said Katarzyna

Szymielewicz, director of Poland’s Panoptykon Foundation, which campaigns for privacy rights in a context of modern surveillance and opposes ACTA. “We have a history of rising up against injustice.”

ACTA went from being an obscure international agreement to a household term in Poland in mid-January when the government said it would sign it within days. Civil rights organizations like Panoptykon were outraged because the government failed to consult with them first.

Szymielewicz said they got word out on Twitter and other social forums, and soon Internet activists in Poland and abroad - some with the group “Anonymous” - waged attacks on government websites, including those of the prime minister and parliament, leaving some unreachable for days.

The anger drew on a broader frustration in society, especially among youth, over a lack of jobs and a sense of alienation from the political process. “This was the last drop that made it a flood,” Szymielewicz said. “The Internet is a space of freedom - something people feel really belongs to them - and suddenly the government interferes with this space.”

Poles and others were also primed to act because many had been following the opposition in the United States to two similar initiatives, the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect Intellectual Property Act - known popularly as SOPA and PIPA. American lawmakers shelved those bills after massive pressure that included a one-day blackout by Wikipedia and other Web giants.

Days later, Poles took to the streets across the country against ACTA - activism that spread to Berlin, Sofia, Bucharest and many other cities where thousands rallied last Saturday. More rallies are planned for Feb. 25.

Opponents are also angry that the treaty was negotiated for almost four years in secret without input from civic rights groups, giving them the impression that it is a backroom deal made on behalf of powerful industries.

The United States and other proponents of ACTA deny that it will be invasive. They argue that protecting intellectual property rights is needed to preserve jobs in innovative and creative industries. The online piracy of movies and music costs US companies billions of dollars every year.

Washington also vows that individuals would not be monitored online and that ACTA would instead target companies that

Apple gives surprise with new OS X version CUPERTINO: US computer company Apple surprised users Thursday with the announcement of a new version of its OS X operating system, to be named Mountain Lion, just eight months after the launch of its predecessor, OS X Lion.

The software, for the Mac family of laptop and larger computers, was unveiled by Tim Cook, chief executive of Apple, which is based in Cupertino, California.

The release, set for this summer, will put Apple head to head with Microsoft, maker of the world’s biggest operating system, which has flagged the launch of its Windows 8 for the same period.

Apple’s new Mac operating system is to adopt many of the innovations and functions from its iOS mobile operating system which runs on iPhone and iPad devices. Mountain Lion will also integrate computers more tightly with iCloud, the company’s online service, and with the social networking service Twitter. A new security feature named “Gatekeeper” introduces varying levels of security to prevent infection with malware. Apple said a “developer preview” release would be available to computer buffs and software engineers later in the day. The final version of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion will be sold online through the Mac App Store from summer. Apple did not specify the price of upgrading. Apple’s Mac operating system faded from widespread use at the end of the 1990s, with Windows adopted round the world as the common operating system for ordinary personal com-

puter users. Apple said Mac has outpaced average PC-industry growth and its market share has been growing for 23 quarters in succession.

Apple has won an important victory in its patent dispute with Motorola in Germany just days after filing a major patent violation case against Samsung in the US. The developments intensify the battle between Apple and Google over claims that Google copied aspects of the iPhone’s operating system when it developed its own Android operating system for mobile devices. Google is soon to complete a 12.5-billion-dollar takeover of Motorola, while Samsung is the largest manufacturer of Android-based phones.

In Munich, the District Court ruled Thursday that Motorola’s Android phones were a breach of Apple’s Slide to Unlock patent, giving the US company the ability to request an injunction against violating devices in Germany.

Motorola is expected to appeal the ruling or change its phones to circumvent the alleged patent violation.

Nevertheless, leading patent blogger Florian Mueller said the ruling shows “that the noose keeps tightening around Android’s neck in many ways.” “Today’s ruling is significant bad news for Android at large, and Google,” Mueller said.

Mueller also revealed that Apple had recently expanded its US patent violation case in northern California against Samsung from four to eight alleged violations, and from one to 17 products, including smartphones, media players and tablet computers. — dpa

profit from using pirated products like software. “Civil liberties would not be curtailed,” says the Office of the US Trade Representative, which signed ACTA in October.

But opponents say the agreement is worded so vaguely that it is unclear what would be legal and what not. Some people fear they could be prosecuted for, say, mixing home video footage with a Lady Gaga song and putting it on YouTube to share with friends.

“Because it’s unclear what is allowed, people will limit their creativity,” said Anna Mazgal, a 32-year-old Polish civil rights activist. “People could censor themselves out of fear because it’s so vague.”

Many opponents also fault ACTA for putting commercial values like profit above rights like freedom of expression. “It’s not surprising that European citizens are taking to the streets in the thousands to protest against an agreement that puts rightsholders’ private economic interests ahead of their fundamental rights,” said Gwen Hinze, the international intellectual property director with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based group that defends civil liberties on the Internet.

All the uproar has put ACTA’s supporters on the defensive, at least for now. The agreement has already been signed by the United States, Japan, South Korea and about 20 other countries. But some governments which have signed it now say they won’t ratify it, including Poland, Slovenia and Bulgaria. The Czech Republic says it needs to analyze the matter before deciding. A key test will come in the summer when the European Parliament will vote on it.

Germany says it supports ACTA as a way of defending intellectual property rights, but has promised to clarify doubts about it before signing it. Thousands protested last Saturday against ACTA across Germany, where data protection has long been a widespread concern and officials have clashed with Internet giants such as Google and Facebook over privacy issues.

The Slovenian ambassador to Japan, who signed it in Tokyo last month on behalf of her nation, later apologized, saying she had not understood at the time how it could limit freedom “on the most significant network in human history.” “I signed ACTA out of civic carelessness,” Helena Drnovsek Zorko wrote on her blog. — AP

News

in brief

How Facebook Timeline works BERLIN: Facebook users should take some time when switching their profile to the new Timeline version and carefully review the information made public. The new cover still displays the user’s own posts on their profile page but also shows dates such as his or her birthday or sibling’s birthday.

Users can add other events such as job changes or weddings while deleting unwelcome entries and decorating their profiles with a new large-format title picture. Until now, Facebook members have had the choice of retaining the old profile page or the new Timeline version, but the company has announced that all members will have to use the new profile. Posts are displayed in Timeline in two columns next to one another. The star in the upper right corner allows for individual entries to be emphasized more than others while the pencil next to it hides or deletes posts or adds information such as place or time. A small symbol appears next to the date of every entry, and clicking on the symbol can change the privacy settings. This allows information to be visible only to certain people such as friends or to all users. Users can also check in profile settings to see what the profile will look like for others.

Chrome browser updated Google has made available an important update for its Chrome browser. The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) recommends Chrome users install the update to close a number of security leaks. Users who have not deactivated or deinstalled automatic Google updates need not do anything as the update will be done automatically.

All other Chrome users should click on the wrench symbol in the upper right corner of the browser window and select “about Google Chrome.” Then the browser will check the version and offer the update.

28

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

health & science

EPA updates health risk of dioxins WASHINGTON: A long-awaited federal study on the health effects of dioxins was released yesterday and says the persistent contaminants at current exposures do not pose significant health risks. The analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency was more than two decades in the making. It sets the first benchmark for how much dioxin a person can be exposed to over a lifetime without potentially experiencing health effects other than

cancer. Those include damage to the immune and reproductive systems, skin rashes and liver damage.

During the Vietnam War, Dioxin was a major component of the substance called Agent Orange, which, US forces used to defoliate Vietnamese jungles and deny cover for infiltrating North Vietnamese soldiers and Viet Cong guerrillas.

The EPA already has a benchmark for cancer risk posed by dioxin, which

is a known human carcinogen. That risk level is being re-evaluated separately. The updated figure released Friday could lead to more stringent cleanup standards for hazardous waste sites and tighter limits on the amount of dioxin allowed in water and air.

“By releasing this important part of the scientific assessment, we can begin to develop a cohesive plan to safeguard American families from

dioxin exposure,” said Democratic Rep. Ed Markey, who wrote to the EPA last month pressing the agency to release the overdue assessment. It has been in the works since the mid-1980s.

Environmental groups blame industry opposition for repeated delays.

The American Chemistry Council, a chemical industr y trade group, said in a statement Friday that the EPA’s analysis was flawed and would provide no public health benefit,

since the “EPA contends that current levels of dioxin do not pose a health concern.”

Dioxin is released by coal-fired plants, burning waste and other industrial processes. People are exposed by eating fish and other animal fats, where it accumulates after falling to the ground. Since 1987, the amount of dioxide being released into the air has declined by 90 percent, according to the EPA. —AP

Nodding disease confounds experts, kill hundreds of kids Scientists are trying to find a cure since 2010 TUMANGU: Patrick Anywar, 14, lies curled up naked in the dust and midday heat of a Ugandan village, struggling to look up at his younger brother and sister playing in front of the family home. After a minute’s effort to face his siblings, Anywar’s head slumps onto his chest and his emaciated body is gripped by convulsions.

tims through debilitating seizures, stunted growth, wasted limbs, mental disabilities and sometimes starvation.

Anywar’s mother, Rugina Abwoyo, has already lost one son, named Watmon, to the disease in 2010. Now she says she can do little but watch on helplessly as another child slips away.

“There are 780 people living in this village and we have 97 cases of the disease. It has affected almost every family,” Otto, 54, told AFP. Whenever sporadic deliveries of medicine arrive at the local health centre several kilometres away, Otto pedals his bicycle to fetch the drugs. But he knows

TUMANGU: Patrick Anywar, 14, one of more than 3,000 children in northern Uganda who are suffering from a mystery ailment known as nodding disease, sits in the dust outside his family home in Tumangu village, in the northern Uganda Kitgum district on February 1, 2012. —AFP Anywar is one of more than 3,000 children in northern Uganda who are suffering from a debilitating mystery ailment known as nodding disease, which has touched almost every family in the village of Tumangu.

For several years, scientists have tried and failed to determine the cause of the illness, which locals say has killed hundreds of youngsters. What they do know is that the disease affects only children and gradually devastates its vic-

“Before he was walking and running like other children, but now someone always has to stay home to look after him,” Abwoyo told AFP. “The disease is terrible-it does not let him drink or eat by himself.”

Walking along footpaths cut through the sorghum plantations, Joe Otto, a volunteer health worker, explains how nodding disease has ravaged Tumangu, about 450 kilometres (280 miles) north of the capital Kampala.

that they only offer a short-term solution.

“We are giving out drugs for epilepsy, like carbamazepine, but this disease is different from epilepsy,” Otto said.

Instead, as the disease has torn through their community, local residents have moved from fear to a grim acceptance, Otto says.

“We started saying that the patient who had died was the one who had been cured, because finally they were at rest from this

painful disease,” Otto said.

‘We hope that our youngest can be saved’ Scientists are trying to find a cure: since 2010, researchers ranging from epidemiologists to environmental experts, neurologists, toxicologists and psychiatrists have carried out a range of tests.

Investigations have looked at possible links between the disease and everything from a parasite that causes river blindness, to malnutrition and the after-effects of a civil war that ravaged northern Uganda for decades.

“We looked at all this, but unfortunately we were not able to pinpoint any significant contributing or risk factors,” said Miriam Nanyunja, disease control and prevention officer at the World Health Organisation in Kampala.

“The search for the causative agent is still ongoing,” she added.

Often the results have thrown up more questions than answers.

Scientists do not know if the disease is linked to similar outbreaks in neighbouring South Sudan and Tanzania.

Efforts continue to understand if the disease is still spreading or has peaked-and why it is seems confined only to certain communities. Last month, after pressure from lawmakers from affected areas, Uganda’s health ministry produced an emergency response plan to try to identify and control the disease.

However, Nanyunja says that while the search for the cause and a possible cure goes on, for now, doctors can only focus on trying to alleviate the symptoms.

“There are many diseases that we continue to treat symptomatically, without knowing the exact cause,” Nanyunja said. But for Patrick Anywar, any attempts to curb or cure the disease may come too late. “We are hoping that the doctors work very hard to get the cure for this disease,” his mother Abwoyo says.

“There is no future for us as so many children have already been affected, but we hope that our youngest can be saved.” —AFP

Go-ahead for bird flu study publication after security check GENEVA: Bird flu experts meeting in Geneva on Friday ruled that controversial research on a mutant form of the virus potentially capable of being spread among humans should be made public. Security assessments must however be carried out first before the two studies can be published and the research can continue, scientists agreed at a two-day meeting at the World Health Organization.

“The consensus was that in the interest of public health the full papers should be published,” said Professor Ron Fouchier from the Institute of Virology in the Netherlands, the scientist behind one of the studies.

US bio-security chiefs urged in November that key details of the papers remain unpublished, citing fears of a pandemic should a mutated H5N1 virus escape the laboratory. Scientists agreed on January 20 to a 60-day moratorium on further studies.

That deadline will now be extended for an unspecified time to allow for a wider group of scientists to examine the risks and allow for public discussion, Fouchier said at a conference following the meeting. “This is very important research that needs to move forward,” he said. “The question is, how can it be done safely, what about bio-security, how do we prevent access to bad people?” “Once there’s agreement on all those issues then we can continue our work.” The 22 participants included the two teams of researchers and representatives of the scientific journals Science and Nature who were asked to withhold publication. The editor of the US journal Science said later Friday he

supports the decision of the bird flu experts in Geneva.

“The supreme court of decisionmaking on these things should not be me,” said Bruce Alberts, editor-in-chief of Science, which along with the British journal Nature had been on track to publish partial versions of the research in March.

Alberts said the two journals were working closely with each other and with authorities, and would await fur-

to the right people, and they came across all kinds of difficulties.”

The engineered virus, created by two separate research teams in the Netherlands and Wisconsin, was able to spread through the air among mammals, indicating it could potentially be deadly to humans on a massive scale.

Alberts said he hoped that the decision taken after the two-day Geneva meeting would lead to the

MANILA: A boy looks at birds inside a cage for sale in front of the Quiapo Church in Manila yesterday. Bird flu experts meeting in Geneva on February 17 ruled that controversial research on a mutant form of the virus potentially capable of being spread among humans should be made public. —AFP ther information before making plans to publish the manuscripts in full in the months ahead. “Many people in the government worked very hard to try to see whether they could develop a mechanism that could be used to selectively get redacted information

creation of an international body of scientists and biosecurity experts for making future decisions on such matters. “The very best possible outcome for this is the establishment of an international version of the NSABB,” he said, referring to the National

Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, a US advisory panel that urged the government, which had funded the research, to withhold key details from publication.

However, NSABB leaders said last year that an international decision was needed and that they would obey any decision agreed by the global science community. Avian influenza H5N1 is primarily transmitted between birds and very rarely to humans.

The Dutch team and another from the University of Wisconsin in the United States found ways late last year to engineer the virus so that it could be transmitted among mammals. The breakthrough raised alarm that the method could fall into the wrong hands and unleash a massive flu pandemic that could cost millions of lives. The WHO said 345 people have died from H5N1 from a total of 584 cases in 15 countries. The majority of victims have been in Indonesia.

“Given the high death rate associated with this virus all participants at the meeting emphasised the high level of concern with this flu virus in the scientific community and the need to understand it better with additional research,” said Dr Keiji Fukuda, WHO assistant director general of health security.

The body underlined the need to increase public understanding of the research and to review bio-security issues. The WHO will host further meetings “soon” with a wider range of scientists. “This was a group of experts on influenza research,” said Fouchier.

“We need to consult with the broader scientific community.” —AFP

Dar Al Shifa Hospital hosts seminar on plastic surgery KUWAIT: Dar Al Shifa Hospital recently held an interactive seminar in collaboration with Al Bisher & Zaid Al Kazemi Company, which focused on a leading facial and neck lifting procedure, the “Happy Lift”. The lecture was presented by prominent Italian plastic surgery professor Ciro Accardo, who gave an overview of the types of “Happy Lift threads used in the procedure and how they work, reasons for using the Happy Lift, anatomy and various techniques, combination techniques (short and long advantages), introduction to anchorage, along with main components, indications and protocols of wrinkles.

Dar Al Shifa Hospital’s Head of Plastic Surgery Department, Dr. Ismail Nada also presented a number of case studies which shed light on the importance of the Happy Lift technique. During his presentation, Dr. Nada highlighted that such procedures are adopted amongst leading medical organizations internationally, and provide a safe, fresh and efficient facial as well as neck lifting procedure to patients.

The “Happy Lift” is a soft surgical approach, permitting through a mini invasive surgical operation to practice a lifting without scars on the skin. This thread is used to support soft facial tissues without the necessity of a traditional lifting and can be used for flabby cheeks, or to provide harmony to bad contoured or flat face. The “Happy Lift” is made of a thread which is realized in polilatic acid, a usual component of surgical sutures and is widely used in general surgery for more than 50 years with an aim to sew wounded blood vessels.

The threads used in the “Happy Lift” are realized with little bidirectional cogs. When they’re inserted under the skin, the threads’ cogs then constitute a supporting structure for soft tissues of the face which prevents any shifting or movement of the thread.

Dr. Ismail Nada, Head of Plastic Surgery at Dar Al Shifa Hospital said: “The threads used in this procedure are invisible. The “Happy Lift” provides freshness and vitality to patients, where the threads can disappear after 12 to 18 months and don’t leave any effect. The procedure, which is considered to be one of the safest lifting techniques, does not require general anesthe-

sia, but only local or truncular anesthesia is required. This renowned technique approximately takes 10 to 15 minutes for smaller areas and about 30 to 40 minutes for the whole face.” “ We are proud to continue to offer added value benefits to our patients, in an effort to accommodate their needs and provide them with premium healthcare services,” added Dr. Nada.

Dar Al Shifa Hospital was established in 1963 as the first private hospital in the State of Kuwait. It began as a private maternity care hospital, and has since then

steadily grown to encompass a wide spectrum of healthcare services. In 2004 Dar Al Shifa Hospital established an affiliation with CARE-Fertility Unit, a leading independent fertility specialist in the UK. The hospital is distinguished by being the first and sole representative for CARE-Fertility’s in -vitro fertilization (IVF) unit in the Gulf Region and the Middle East. In 2007, Dar Al Shifa Hospital became the first hospital in Middle East to receive accreditation by the (CCHSA), and it continuously introduces healthcare services as well as the latest medical equipment.

NEW DELHI: Indian President Pratibha Patil (L) holds a child as Indian Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad (R) administers polio drops to a child during a Polio Free India campaign at the presidential palace in New Delhi yesterday. — AFP

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

health & science

Champneys brings expert formulas to Kuwait KUWAIT: Champneys, a world-class spa established in 1925 which has attracted the likes of Princess Diana, David Beckham, Kate Moss, and Simon Cowell, is bringing its rich 90 year heritage of health and beauty expertise to the Gulf with the introduction of a luxurious line of bath and body products. A seasoned expert in tranquility, Champneys is making it possible for people across Kuwait to experience the luxury of total relaxation in the comfort of their own home, every day.

Stephen Purdew, Director & CoOwner, Champneys Health Resorts, explains: “Motivated by the belief that everyone is entitled to serenity, the Champneys Collection was created alongside our world-class Spas and beauty therapists to formulate comprehensive products that range from lavish shower creams and scrubs to revitalizing hand and foot treatments.”

The collections within the Spa Indulgence and Spa Treatments were developed to help deliver the holistic benefits of visiting a Champneys Spa within the comfort of your own home.

Knowing that people love to feel truly pampered, and that this can be difficult to do at home,

Champneys developed the collections with the heritage and expertise of their Spa therapists to make everyday luxury attainable.

As one of the largest employers of therapists in Europe, Champneys holds its experts with the highest

Spa Director, asserts: ‘The quality of the Champneys Spa Collection is unmistakable; each and every product reflects the remarkable expertise of our therapists. With our massage therapists so intricately involved in the development of the

It is comprised of four collections: Oriental Opulence, Mediterranean Bliss, Exotic Retreat, and Thai Royale. l Oriental Opulence: Inspired by traditional oriental beauty rituals and characterised by a blend of silk proteins, warming ginseng, ylang

l Exotic Retreat: Marked by a rich blend of ylang ylang, coconut, and papaya that soothes the mind while nourishing the skin. l Thay Royale: Lemongrass, ginger, and calming vanilla combined with vetiver and white tea

—Photos by Joseph Shagra esteem and developed products that reflect their extensive knowledge.

All products in the collection are tested and approved by professionally trained expert Champneys therapists. Jo Parker, Champneys Group

collection, we’ve been able to create bath and body products that truly deliver the luxury spa experience to the mass market.”

The Spa Indulgence Collection is inspired by ancient global rituals intended to relax the body and mind.

ylang, calming sandalwood and fragrant patchouli. l Mediterranean Bliss: Reminiscent of the relaxed Mediterranean and sun-drenched climate of the Spanish hills, this range contains a blend of fig milk, olive leaf, and green tomato.

extract to calm your senses and allow your stress to slip away.

The Spa Treatments Collection is used by the expert therapists at Champneys Spas. Designed to pamper and soothe, they boast restorative properties and include

a variety of beautiful fragrances, as well as a range of hand and foot products. l Citrus Blush: Characterised by an invigorating blend of orange peel, lemon oil, sweet almond oil, shea, and cocoa butter to nourish and uplift. l Skin Comforting: A deeply nourishing collection contains a blend of sweet almond oil, chamomile, and wheatgerm extract to restore dry skin.

The bath and body collection is designed to deliver holistic wellbeing from the inside out, aiming to recreate the Champneys Spa experience. Global research suppor ts the physical and mental benefits gained through spa treatments. In a study on German data conducted by researchers from Florida State Universit y and George M ason Universit y, spa therapy was proven to have a positive effec t on overall health, reducing absenteeism from work and hospitalisations.

Launched in partnership with Boots, a premier UK health and beauty brand, Champneys products will be available exclusively in Boots stores nationwide, starting February 21, 2012.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

Announcements Kuwait Improv Fun lovers of Kuwait unite. A get together by people who love to surprise, be surprised and just be about at anything are welcome to Kuwait Improv, a gathering, reminiscent of the famous American TV program Whose Line is it Anyway, informally organized by American School of Kuwait teacher Brad Manker. No histrionic talent required, but a willingness to share. Please contact:mankerb@ask.edu Tulu speaking classes Here’s a great opportunity for parents who always wished their children could learn Tulu. Tulu Koota Kuwait, in its objective towards promoting Tulu language and culture, is pleased to announce the opening of Tutu Speaking Classes “Tulu Siri” at Indian Public School Salmiya @ 11:30 am. For more details kindly contact Ramesh Kidiyoor97204716/99596457,Shalini Vijay 66502369,Tharendra P. Shettigar 66757979,Jayalaxmi Karkal - 66958848, Sathyanarayana Salian - 66585077,Vanitha Dias94996459. And our Website: www.tulukootakuwait.org Email: info@tulukootakuwait.org Palpak 4th AGM Palakkad Pravasi Association of Kuwait (Palpak) is conducting its Fourth Annual General Body Meeting on February 24, Friday at Hiphop Auditorium, Fahaheel from 10 am. The main agenda include as following, annual report on the activities during the year of 2011, the audited accounts report for the year of 2011. All members of Palpak are kindly requested to treat this as an official Invitation and attend the said Annual Genera1 body meeting on time. For more details please contact President P.N.Kumar (99771830) and General Secretary Aravindha Shan (66535989).

Music festival On March 1, 2012, the “Blend Music Festival,” a mellow acoustic get-together of several local musicians, will take place in Bayt Lothan, the official sponsor, host, and curator of the event. This event will be FREE of charge and open to everyone to attend. We hope to see you all there, and here’s to a great start to 2012! The “Blend Music Festival” will be the first of many concerts to be held; there are a handful of musicians on board, and more will be added to the sets at a later stage. Here is the program for March 1st: 1- Ali Sleeq with Gary Ruston & Kevin Owen = JAZZ; 2Hadi Sarieddine, Bader Nana, & Sarj = ROCK; 3Lewis Chapman - FOLK / ROCK.

KNES mathematics quizzes

K

uwait National English School (KNES) celebrated a successful Mathematics Day on Sunday February 12.

Students and Staff at Kuwait National English School enjoyed a very successful Mathematics day. The whole Secondary Department used the afternoon to explore their knowledge of mathematics in competition with one another.

This has been an annual event at Kuwait National English School and is very much part of the calendar at the school. Students from every academic year group in the Secondary Department together with Year 6 from Primary took part in the Mathematics competitions involving feats of mental arithmetic that are very challenging and test the students to the utmost.

Madame Chantal, the School Director, praised the students for their competitive spirit and the excellence of their ability in Mathematics.

This year saw an impressive win by Year 6 - for the second year running. Also extremely impressive were the Girls of Year 11, who gave a reminder of the very

high caliber of student at Kuwait National English School.

Free Arabic language course IPC and all its branches are opening free Arabic language course for ladies accessible in beginners and advanced levels. Class will commence on March 2, 2012. Islamic and Quran courses are also presented in different languages.

Registration is on! Call the nearest IPC branch: Rawdah: 22512257 / 97290278; Salmiyah: 25733263 / 97533263; Mangaf: 23723002 ext.

124/123; Jahra: 24558830 / 97533948; Khaithan: 24730137.

Balakrishna to visit Kuwait Prominent Telugu film Hero Nandamuri Balakrishna coming to Kuwait on 5th April 2012 for 2 days upon the invitation of Pravasaandhra Telugu Desam, NBK seva samithi. Nadamuri Balakrishna is popularly known as “Balayya” and “NBK” by his fans and admirers. He is the son of the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Telugu film legend Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao. He then starred in many critical and commercial films and established himself as one of the leading contemporary actors of Telugu Cinema. In addition to films, Balakrishna is associated with several philanthropic and social organizations activities.

FCC symphony Mga Kababayan 2LOY- NA- 2LOY sa February 24, 2012 “Awitan at Indakan” As part of FCC culminating for the year 2012 and simple way of conveying, it’s sincerest thanks and gratitude to all those in one way or the other have been very supportive to FCC project and activities, FCC is organizing annual concert dubbed as “AN FCC SYMPHONY” on FRIDAY 24,2012 AT 5:00PM at Jabriya Medical Theater beside Blood Bank & Kuwait Dental Association. A conglomerate of a Filipino champions along with FCC Kids will bring back live on stage songs from Disney movies & Broadway musicals with concluding numbers from sixties.It is worthwhile mentioning that funds raised during the previous concerts were given our scholarship program in the Philippines.

This year, proceeds of the project will be donated to elementary school in Payatas in Manila were the Smokey Mountain is located. It is therefore our fervent hope that you will support this event, as it is an FCC’s ultimate goal to those who are lee privilege. Join us and be apart of this noble endevor. For more details call Bong (99530665) Cynthia ( 99169310).

KBC hosts spring camp Feb 24 The Kuwait Banks Club invites staff members of local banks and their families to its spring camp in Al-Julaiah for an open day to be held on Friday, February 24, 2012, announced social committee director Reem Al-Wuqaiyan. A special entertaining program is scheduled for the event featuring competitions for participants of all ages, AlWuqaiyan said in a statement made recently to the press. The open day is held simultaneously with Kuwait’s national celebrations at the end of the month.

Tamilosai meeting

T

he 70th monthly meeting of Kuwait Tamilosai Poets Association was held on 3/2/12 at old Thanjai Hotel. The meet was celebrated as a Valentineís Day special. The meeting was presided by poet Samsudin. Welcome address was given by Secretary Abu Thakir. The programme started with Tamilosai song sung by President Irudhayaraj Francis.

Sivakumar, Satyan, Manickam, Kavisekaran, Das,

and RaniMohan entertained the crowd with their songs. Anbalagan, Sadikbacha, Sivamani, Yakoobali, Ilangai Ganesh, Jayakumar and many more poets recited poems on different titles.

A special Kaviarangam was conducted on the heading of U K Sivskumar titled Adhalal Kadhal Seiveer which saw the participation of Sivamani Laila Majnu RaniMohan - Salim Anargali, Kavisekaran

- Ambikapathi- Amaravathi and Treasurer Ela. Karthikeyan. - Devadas -Parvathi. The Kaviarangam poets noted the memorable incident of these unforgettable love stories in their poems.

Many more patrons of Tamilosai attended the meet. The meeting came to conclusion with a delicious lunch. Vote of thanks was delivered by Treasurer.

DPS holds ASSET certification program

F

ahaheel Al Watanieh Indian Private School (DPS) organized an ASSET Certification Program on 7th February. Among many students receiving Outstanding Certificates Rahul Raju of Class-X and Yatharth Agarwal of Class- VII came out as two of the Middle East top ten students who appeared in the Asset Test of this session.

ASSET (Assessment of Scholastic Skills through Educational Testing) is the flagship product of Educational Initiatives, Ahmedabad - India. ASSET is a scientifically designed, skill-based assessment developed in India. This diagnostic test has come about after a detailed study of the syllabi of different curriculums and continues up gradation for the last 10 years.

Rather than testing rote learning, it focuses on measuring how well SKILLS and CONCEPTS underlying the school syllabus have been learnt by the student. The test provides detailed information on the strengths and weaknesses of individual students, mentions the misconception that each child has and possible remedial

action. The results also bring out a similar report for the entire classes. ASSET Question a Day (AQAD) triggers critical thinking that aims to make students more accustomed to skilled based questions on a regular basis.

The Principal of the School- Mrs Anju Dheman expressed her pleasure at the performances of her students. In her brief speech she has shown enough confidence on her students to come out with much better result on the coming sessions. She expressed Asset as a unique and outstanding methodology to diagnose the strength and weakness of the students and to work on it. The Educational Advisor of Kuwait on behalf of “Educational Initiatives”- Miss Sanghita Deb, congratu-

lated all the students participating in the ASSET test. She narrated ASSET as a reinforcing method of education which supports the usual curriculum of studies in the schools. She expressed her strong expectation of much more participation and much more brilliant results from the students in the sessions to follow. All the ASSET Coordinators of the School - Mrs Sheeja, Mrs Harvinder and Paul. were also certified for their hardwork and also praised for the performances of their students.

Established in 2001, Educational Initiatives believes in making a difference in education through personalized learning and ensuring that students learn with understanding. Educational Initiatives has

over 15 years of expertise in education, with a deep understanding of child psychology and efficient methods of teaching. This is based on detailed research and formidable database of student learning through ASSET. EI, over the last 10 year, has developed several other products that address the various needs of assessments like the interactive internet based tools Mindspark; a solution for continuous and comprehensive evaluation - Detailed Assessment; CCE Certificate Course; Teacher Evaluation Program, Teacher Sheets and more. El is also working with leading organizations like World Bank, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Google, Azim Premji Foundation, Duke University, USA and is doing large scale assessment projects with various State Governments. El is also recognized as an official Supplement Education Service provider in Texas, USA. Apart from the offices in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad, EI also has presence in UAE, Kuwait, Singapore, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

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W H AT ’ S O N

BSK visited by Paul Dryden, Head of Visa Section at British Embassy

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency.

S

tudents of the Upper Department (Y9-Y11) at The British School of Kuwait were fortunate to receive a visit from Paul Dryden, the Head of the Visa Section (Border Immigration) at the British Embassy in Kuwait during one of their regular Departmental assemblies.

Being responsible for issuing 2 000 student visas annually and with 22 years experience in the British Civil Service, Mr Dryden is perfectly placed to advise the students at BSK on the benefits of studying in Universities in the UK and elsewhere around the world.

Anecdotes of a life in the Civil Service and advice about career opportunities in Government captivated and amused the audience. Whilst many students had already considered such a career path, it was evident at the end of his presentation that many more had had their appetites wetted as they pressed Dryden with further questions.

A regular feature of an assembly is a Tutor Group presentation based upon the work students are currently studying as part of their Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) programme. PSHE aims to equip students with important life skills and to inform them of issues that will allow them to lead full and enriching lives.

Several Y11 students who had just completed training in First Aid as part of their PSHE course were invited by

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

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EMBASSY OF BANGLADESH The Embassy will remain closed on 26 and 27 Februar y 2012 on the occasion of National Day and Liberation Day of the State of Kuwait. nnnnnnn

Dryden to help look after the wellbeing of participants in the forthcoming Sponsored Walk organised by the British Embassy. Such training is an invaluable skill and for those selected,

the experience of possibly putting theory into practice is keenly anticipated as they consider future careers in medicine.

Visits from outside speakers are an

integral and welcome event at BSK as they enable our students to relate their academic studies more closely both to their further and higher education and ultimately to a career.

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca.

The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref.

New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturdays to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on the following dates during the month of February 2012.

National Day of Kuwait - Feb 25, - Saturday.

Liberation Day of Kuwait - Feb 26, - Sunday. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy will move its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location from 26 January, 2012. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, e-mail:myankuwait11@gmai1.com nnnnnnn

New Sara Palace residents host fusion 2012

A

great carnival of India was celebrated by the residents of New Sara Palace at Salmiya, Block-10.

The residents of this building already earned a great reputation for organizing colorful cultural and festive events throughout the year. The theme was “Unity in diversity”. The residents arranged Food Stalls and Game Stalls.

Guests from different locations in Kuwait were invited. Ambassador of India Satish Chand Mehta and Ambassador of Switzerland invited with their families and they enjoyed their time getting the taste of food, culture and heritage of the different Indian states.

The candid and flamboyant kids of New Sara Palace costumed glamorously, presented the orthodox dances of different states of India with perfection. The kids entertained the guests - performing dances from- Rajasthan, UP, West Bengal,

Maharastra, Gujarat, Punjab, Goa and Tamil Nadu. Some of the kids played beautiful music.

The stall owners decorated their stalls very colorfully. Choki Dhani was adjudged as the best decorated stall.

Royal Bengal Sweets with a handful of Bengali sweet items became the highest crowd puller. “R”s stall of Pasta and Barbecue, Rock and Roll, Daggu Chat, Sara Chat.. all the stalls carried different taste and flavor.

The Game Stalls like Mini Vegas, Ball and Socket, Dart board, Soft toys and others were so attractive and fascinating that the guests enjoyed it at their fullest. The entire environment was extremely colorful and joyous. The DJs served exquisite music. A colorful souvenir was launched by the New Sara Palace residents and it is worth reading with brainstorming puzzles, travel expe-

riences, food recipe, articles on games, senses, mind and personality development, technical vision and so on.

The residents of New Sara Palace are proud to organize this kind of cultural events throughout the year.

US Embassy announces Ask the Consul Program

P

lease join the US Embassy on Wednesday February 22 at 14:00, as we launch a monthly, online question and answer session on consular issues on the US Embassy Facebook and Twitter pages. We invite anyone living in Kuwait who has consular questions to logon on to our social media pages on Wednesday at 14:00 to ask their questions. A dedicated Consular Officer will be on hand t&~ answer your questions directly through Facebook and Twitter.

Through the #Ask the Consul program, we are excited to provide answers on a range of

consular issues, including visa questions related to those seeking to study, work, and live in the United States. We can provide information on services for U.S. citizens such as notarials and passports as well as information on tourist visas, visa processing times, as well as the various visa classifications and their requirements. Anyone with questions on immigrant, non-immigrant, or American citizen services may submit a question. While we cannot discuss the status of individual visa cases in a public forum, we hope to provide as much clarification as possible.

EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES For emergency, please contact the Consular hotline at 65184433. The Philippine Overseas Labor Office and other attached agencies shall continue to operate and hold office in Jabriya until 15 March 2012. All your passports and other consular concerns will be processed at our new location, except of course labor issues.

Regular working hours of the Embassy shall resume in Faiha. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF RUSSIA Embassy of the Russian Federation invites all the Russian residents in Kuwait to visit the Consulate for registration and updating your database. This information is necessary for prompt notice, assistance and warning in case of emergency. The consulate reception hours: 10:00 - 13:00, Sunday - Wednesday. The Embassy is located in Kuwait City, Daiya, Block 5, Diplomatic campus, Plot 17. Tel: (+965) 22560427, 22560428. Fax: (+965) 22524969, e-mail: rusposkuw@mail.ru, consdepkuw@mail.ru Information also available on the website: www.kuwait.mid.ru nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF VENEZUELA Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, request Venezuelan citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy.

This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Venezuelan citizens in cases of emergencies.

Registration Information 25324367 or by email: embavenez@gmail.com. From Sunday to Thursday from 8.30am till 2 pm.

Write to us

CSK holds condolence meeting

C

hittagong Samity Kuwait held a condolence meeting to pay tributes to Haji Wahidur Rahman (school teacher of Khulna Shipyard High School) who died in a Bangladeshi hos-

pital recently. He was the father of Mahfuzur Rahman Mahfuz (President of CSK, Kuwait). The meeting took place on 31 January.

The condolence meeting was

presided by Shamsul Hoque and conducted by Haroon Ali Rashid, on behalf Of CSK members, Mohammad Jahangir Mia (General Secretary) expressed their deep shock at the death of Haji Wahidur

in his speech. They prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed their sincere sympathies to the bereaved family members.

Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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00:20 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 Face To Face With The Polar Bear 03:35 Karina: Wild On Safari 04:30 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 04:55 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 05:25 The Animals’ Guide To Survival 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 Dolphin Days 07:10 Animal Cops Houston 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 09:15 Crocodile Hunter 10:10 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 11:05 The Really Wild Show 12:00 Gorilla School 12:25 Project Puppy 12:55 Corwin’s Quest 13:50 Almost Human With Jane Goodall 14:45 Amba The Russian Tiger 15:40 Wildlife SOS 16:05 Wildlife SOS 16:35 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 17:00 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 17:30 Must Love Cats 18:25 America’s Cutest...

19:20 Big Five Challenge 20:15 World Wild Vet 21:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 22:05 Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous...

23:00 Wild France 23:55 Crocodile Feeding Frenzy

00:00 00:50 01:40 02:05 02:35 03:20 04:00 04:20 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:05 05:25 05:35 05:50 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:45 06:50 07:10 07:20 07:35 08:05 08:50 09:35 10:10 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:45 13:35 15:35 16:05 16:50 17:20 17:50 18:40 19:10 20:00 20:50 21:40 Tests 22:35 23:25

00:40 01:30 03:20 03:50 06:50

Alan Carr - Tooth Fairy Born and Bred Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show Supernova Doctor Who The Weakest Link Balamory Charlie and Lola The Large Family Bobinogs Poetry Pie Fimbles Little Robots Nina And The Neurons Balamory Charlie and Lola The Large Family Bobinogs Poetry Pie Fimbles Little Robots Nina And The Neurons Big Top The Weakest Link Doctor Who After You’ve Gone Casualty Chimp Family Fortunes Big Top The Weakest Link Lark Rise to Candleford Doctors Doctors Doctor Who Big Top After You’ve Gone Monarch Of The Glen Chimp Family Fortunes Lark Rise to Candleford Survivors Waking The Dead The World’s Toughest Driving Red Cap The Weakest Link

What Not To Wear Masterchef Masterchef Bargain Hunt Bargain Hunt

07:35 08:00 08:25 12:50 13:40 16:15 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 21:40 22:00 22:55 23:45

Indian Food Made Easy Indian Food Made Easy Masterchef Australia Masterchef Australia Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix What Not To Wear What Not To Wear Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA Masterchef Masterchef Cash In The Attic USA

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:00 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:25 08:55 09:20 09:50 10:40 11:05 11:30 12:20 12:30 14:00 14:25 14:50 15:40 Doo 16:05 16:30 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:40 19:30 19:55 20:20 20:45 21:05 21:30 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:35 Doo

Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics Wacky Races Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Wacky Races Scooby Cinema Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Scooby-Doo And ScrappyA Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Kids The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Scooby Doo Show The Scooby Doo Show The Jetsons Pink Panther & Pals The Garfield Show Duck Dodgers The Flintstones Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch Popeye Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-

00:40 Samurai Jack 01:05 Samurai Jack 01:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 02:20 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:45 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 03:10 Best Ed 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Adventure Time 04:50 Generator Rex 05:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 05:40 Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy 05:55 I Am Weasel 06:55 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 07:20 Powerpuff Girls 07:45 Angelo Rules 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:25 Casper’s Scare School 08:55 Angelo Rules 09:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

Years

10:20 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 10:40 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 11:05 Gumball 11:30 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 11:55 Adventure Time 12:20 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:10 Ben 10 13:35 Ben 10 14:00 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 14:50 The Amazing World Of Gumball 15:15 Generator Rex 15:40 Generator Rex 16:05 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 17:20 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 17:45 Adventure Time 18:35 The Amazing World Of Gumball 19:00 Regular Show 19:25 Regular Show 19:50 Generator Rex 20:15 Generator Rex 20:40 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:30 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 21:55 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 22:20 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 22:40 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Ben 10 23:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog

00:40 Spy Wars 01:35 Ross Kemp On Gangs 02:30 How It’s Made 03:00 How Does It Work?

03:25 How It’s Made 03:55 How Does It Work?

04:20 How It’s Made 04:50 How Does It Work?

05:15 How It’s Made 05:40 How Does It Work?

06:05 How It’s Made 06:35 How Does It Work?

07:00 How Does It Work?

07:25 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 08:15 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 09:10 Wheeler Dealers 10:05 Auction Hunters 11:50 Auction Hunters 12:20 Border Security 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Cash Cab Us 16:25 Cash Cab Us 16:55 Cake Boss 18:45 Cake Boss 19:10 Nextworld 20:05 The Future Of...

21:00 Mythbusters 21:55 Mud Lovin’ Rednecks 22:50 Deception With Keith Barry 23:45 Deception With Keith Barry

00:40 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 01:05 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 01:35 Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman 02:25 The Tech Show 02:50 How the Universe Works 06:15 How the Universe Works 07:10 Science of Star Wars 08:00 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 08:55 Head Rush 08:58 Sci-Fi Science 09:25 Weird Connections 09:55 Smash Lab 10:45 Scrapheap Challenge 11:35 How the Universe Works 12:25 How the Universe Works 13:15 How the Universe Works 14:05 Stephen Hawking’s Universe 14:55 Stephen Hawking’s Universe 15:45 Head Rush 15:48 Sci-Fi Science

FIGHTING ON OSN ACTION HD

16:15 Weird Connections 16:45 The Tech Show 17:10 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 18:00 Science of the Movies 18:50 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 19:15 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 19:40 Meteorite Men 20:30 Human Body: Ultimate Machine 21:20 Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman 22:10 Tech Toys 360 22:35 Tech Toys 360 23:00 Meteorite Men 23:50 Human Body: Ultimate Machine

00:20 REPLACEMENTS 00:45 REPLACEMENTS 01:10 Fairly Odd Parents 01:35 Fairly Odd Parents 02:00 A Kind Of Magic 02:20 A Kind Of Magic 02:45 STITCH 03:10 STITCH 03:35 REPLACEMENTS 04:00 REPLACEMENTS 04:25 Fairly Odd Parents 04:50 Fairly Odd Parents 05:15 STITCH 05:35 STITCH 06:00 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 06:25 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 06:35 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 06:45 THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY 07:10 SO RANDOM 07:35 FISH HOOKS 07:55 TIMON AND PUMBAA 08:20 Good Luck Charlie 08:45 SHAKE IT UP 09:10 PHINEAS AND FERB 09:32 HAVE A LAUGH 09:40 A.N.T. FARM 10:05 FISH HOOKS 10:30 GEEK CHARMING 12:15 FISH HOOKS 12:25 SHAKE IT UP 12:50 Good Luck Charlie 13:15 A.N.T. FARM 13:40 RECESS 14:00 TIMON AND PUMBAA 14:25 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 14:50 SO RANDOM 15:15 FISH HOOKS 15:30 HANNAH MONTANA FOREVER 15:55 SHAKE IT UP 16:20 Good Luck Charlie 16:45 MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE 17:10 FISH HOOKS 17:30 A.N.T. FARM 18:00 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 18:20 PHINEAS AND FERB 18:31 PHINEAS AND FERB 18:45 RECESS 19:10 SO RANDOM 19:30 READ IT AND WEEP 20:55 HAVE A LAUGH 21:05 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 21:25 MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE 21:50 Good Luck Charlie 22:15 SHAKE IT UP 22:40 FISH HOOKS 23:05 THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY 23:30 HANNAH MONTANA FOREVER 23:55 SONNY WITH A CHANCE

00:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 00:40 Special Agent Oso 00:55 Little Einsteins 01:20 Timmy Time 01:30 Jungle Junction 01:45 Handy Manny 01:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:20 Special Agent Oso 02:35 Special Agent Oso 02:50 Jungle Junction 03:05 Jungle Junction 03:15 Little Einsteins 03:40 Higglytown Heroes 03:55 Higglytown Heroes 04:10 Jo Jo’s Circus 04:30 Special Agent Oso 04:45 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Jungle Junction 05:15 Jungle Junction 05:25 Little Einsteins 05:50 Higglytown Heroes 06:05 Higglytown Heroes 06:20 Jo Jo’s Circus 06:40 Special Agent Oso 06:55 Special Agent Oso 07:10 Jungle Junction 07:25 Jungle Junction 07:35 Little Einsteins 08:00 Higglytown Heroes 08:15 Higglytown Heroes 08:30 Jo Jo’s Circus 08:50 Jungle Junction 09:00 Jungle Junction 09:15 Higglytown Heroes 09:30 Higglytown Heroes 09:45 Handy Manny 10:00 Special Agent Oso 10:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 10:40 Timmy Time 10:55 Little Einsteins 11:20 The Hive 11:30 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 11:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 12:00 Jungle Junction 12:10 Handy Manny 12:25 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 12:45 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 12:50 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:15 Mouk (Cema) 13:30 Mouk (Cema) 13:45 Art Attack (Cema) 14:10 Imagination Movers 14:30 The Hive 14:40 Little Einsteins 15:05 The Hive 15:15 Mouk (Cema) 15:30 Mouk (Cema) 15:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:00 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:15 The Hive 16:25 Timmy Time 16:35 Special Agent Oso 16:50 Handy Manny 17:05 The Hive 17:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 17:40 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 18:05 Mouk (Cema) 18:20 Mouk (Cema) 18:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:50 Jungle Junction 19:05 Handy Manny 19:20 Little Einsteins

19:45 Art Attack (Cema) 20:10 Imagination Movers 20:35 Jungle Junction 20:50 The Hive 21:00 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:15 Handy Manny 21:30 Handy Manny 21:45 Jungle Junction 22:00 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 22:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 101 Dalmatians 22:40 101 Dalmatians 22:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 23:05 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 23:20 The Hive 23:30 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:35 A Poem Is...

23:40 Animated Stories 23:45 Mouk (Cema)

00:25 Fashion Police: 2008 Grammy Awards 01:25 E!es 01:50 E!es 02:20 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Wildest TV Show Moments 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Extreme Close-Up 09:45 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 THS 11:10 Ice Loves Coco 11:40 Ice Loves Coco 12:05 E! News 13:05 Fashion Police: 2008 Grammy Awards 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Dirty Soap 15:55 Dirty Soap 16:55 Behind The Scenes 17:25 Behind The Scenes 17:55 E! News 18:55 Scouted 19:55 Kendra 20:25 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 20:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 21:25 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:40 A Haunting 01:30 A Haunting 02:15 The Haunted 03:05 Ghost Lab 03:50 A Haunting 04:40 A Haunting 05:25 On The Case With Paula Zahn 06:15 Disappeared 07:10 Mystery ER 08:00 On The Run 08:50 Forensic Detectives 09:40 Murder Shift 10:25 Mystery ER 11:10 Real Emergency Calls 11:35 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

11:55 On The Case With Paula Zahn 12:40 Disappeared 13:25 Murder Shift 14:15 Mystery ER 15:00 Real Emergency Calls 15:25 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

15:50 On The Case With Paula Zahn 16:35 Disappeared 17:20 On The Run 18:10 Forensic Detectives 19:00 Murder Shift 19:45 Real Emergency Calls 20:10 Mystery ER 20:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

21:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 22:10 Disappeared 23:00 The Will: Family Secrets Revealed 23:50 Kidnap And Rescue

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 08:45 09:15 10:10 11:05 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Alaskan Killer Shark Great Migrations Planet Carnivore Cameramen Who Dare Ninja Shrimp Shark Men Shark Men Amazonia’s Giant Jaws Outback Wrangler Monkey Thieves Monkey Thieves Hooked Monster Fish Wild Chronicles Wild Chronicles Amazonia’s Giant Jaws Animal Extractors Monster Fish Triumph of Life Intimate Enemies Killer Shots Fish Warrior Monster Fish Triumph of Life Intimate Enemies Killer Shots Fish Warrior

00:00 Carriers-PG15 02:00 Brotherhood-PG15 04:00 Blank Slate-PG15 06:00 Ip Man-PG15 08:00 Dick Tracy-PG15 10:00 Arctic Predator-PG15 12:00 Fighting-PG15 14:00 Dick Tracy-PG15 16:00 You Got Served-PG15 18:00 Fighting-PG15 20:00 The Spirit-PG15 22:00 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within-PG

01:00 Broken Embraces-18 03:15 Paranormal Activity 2-18 05:00 Prom-PG15 07:00 The Nanny Express-PG15 09:00 Certified Copy-PG15 11:00 Love The Beast-PG 12:45 Letters To Juliet-PG15 14:45 Alabama Moon-PG15 16:45 Love The Beast-PG 18:30 Eat Pray Love-PG15 21:00 Battle: Los Angeles-PG15 23:15 Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs.

Evil-PG15

LETTERS TO JULIET ON OSN CINEMA

03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 2 Broke Girls 04:00 Dharma And Greg 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 06:00 Malcolm In The Middle 08:30 The Simpsons 12:00 Malcolm In The Middle 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:30 Just Shoot Me 14:00 2 Broke Girls 16:30 How I Met Your Mother 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 Modern Family 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 20:00 Whitney 20:30 Wilfred 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Criminal Minds C.S.I. Miami Breakout Kings Off The Map The View Good Morning America Tower Prep Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Criminal Minds Breakout Kings Tower Prep C.S.I. Miami Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Unforgettable The Closer Top Gear (US) Off The Map

00:00 Smallville 01:00 Top Gear (UK) 02:00 Criminal Minds 03:00 C.S.I. Miami 04:00 Breakout Kings 05:00 The Gates 06:00 Smallville 07:00 Parks And Recreation 07:30 Coronation Street 08:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 09:00 Top Gear (UK) 10:00 Breakout Kings 11:00 C.S.I. Miami 12:00 Parks And Recreation 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 15:00 Smallville 16:00 Parks And Recreation 16:30 Coronation Street 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 Parenthood 19:00 Body Of Proof 20:00 Unforgettable 22:00 Top Gear (US) 23:00 Sons Of Anarchy

01:00 Blood Out-18 03:00 Blank Slate-PG15 05:00 The Haunting Of Molly Hartley-18 07:00 Drunken Master-PG15 09:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 11:00 X-Men-PG15 13:00 The Sorcerer’s ApprenticePG15 15:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 17:00 Behind Enemy Lines-PG15 19:00 Madso’s War-18 21:00 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within-PG 23:00 Sleep Dealer-18

00:00 Revenge Of The Bridesmaids PG15 02:00 Out Cold-PG15

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:00

Cats & Dogs-PG Rat-PG Molly-PG15 Lost In Yonkers-PG Happy Ever Afters-PG15 Tooth Fairy-PG Revenge Of The Bridesmaids -

01:15 03:30 PG15 05:45 07:30 09:15 11:15 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:15 21:00 23:00

Jungle Fever-18 The Hunt For Red OctoberThe Public Eye-PG15 Private-PG15 Simon Birch-PG Bond Of Silence-PG15 Greener Mountains-PG The Moveon.Org Story-PG15 I Am Sam-PG15 American Son-PG15 I Capture The Castle-18 Sideways-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 18:45 21:00 23:00

Handsome Harry-18 At Risk-PG15 Hurricane Season-PG15 The Bounty Hunter-PG15 Leap Year-PG15 Flicka 2-PG15 Too Big To Fail-PG15 City Of Life-PG15 Leap Year-PG15 Shutter Island-18 Get Him To The Greek-18 The Last Word-PG15

Bob Roberts-PG15 She’s Out Of My League-18 Hot Tub Time Machine-18

00:00 Supertramps-PG15 02:00 A Christmas Carol-PG 04:15 Tom Tom & Nana-FAM 06:00 Christopher Columbus-PG 08:00 Little Bee 2-PG15 10:00 The Karate Kid-PG 12:30 How The Grinch Stole Christmas-PG 14:30 Christopher Columbus-PG 16:30 Quest For Zhu-PG 18:00 The Karate Kid-PG 20:30 Shipwrecked-PG 22:30 How The Grinch Stole Christmas-PG

00:15 PG15 02:15 04:15 06:15 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 23:45

The Haunting In ConnecticutSleeping Beauty-PG15 Ticking Clock-PG15 A Family Thanksgiving-PG15 Double Wedding-PG15 The Lizzie McGuire Movie-PG That’s What I Am-PG15 Get Low-PG15 The Lizzie McGuire Movie-PG The Fourth Kind-PG15 The Last Word-PG15 Frenemy-18 Tyson-18

01:00 04:45 06:15 14:30 15:00 16:00 19:30 21:00 22:00

European PGA Tour Volvo Ocean Race Live Cricket ODI Futbol Mundial Volvo Ocean Race Live Snooker The Welsh Open ODI Cricket Highlights Volvo Ocean Race Live Snooker The Welsh Open

01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:45 09:45 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 23:00

WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed WWE Experience WWE This Week Live Volvo Ocean Race Live PGA European Tour Power Boats UIM Power Boats UIM Power Boats UIM WWE Experience WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE This Week Live Super League WWE SmackDown

01:00 Trans World Sport 02:00 Snooker The Welsh Open 05:00 ODI Cricket Highlights 05:30 ICC Cricket World 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 Snooker The Welsh Open 10:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 11:00 Super League 13:00 Pro 12 Celtic League 15:15 Scottish Premier League Highlights 15:45 Live Scottish Premier League 18:00 Live Scottish Premier League 20:00 Top 14 22:00 Scottish Premier League

01:30 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 09:00 11:00 11:30 14:30 16:30 17:00 19:00 19:30

Pro 12 Celtic League ODI Cricket Highlights ICC Cricket World Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial FIVB Beach Volley Ball FIVB Beach Volley Ball Super League Pro 12 Celtic League ICC Cricket World Snooker The Welsh Open Top 14 Top 14 Highlights Live Top 14 ODI Cricket Highlights european PGA Tour

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Engineering An Empire Ancient Discoveries The Crusades America: The Story Of The Us Monumental Challenge Modern Marvels Engineering An Empire Ancient Discoveries The Crusades America: The Story Of The Us Monumental Challenge Modern Marvels Engineering An Empire Ancient Discoveries The Crusades America: The Story Of The Us Monumental Challenge Modern Marvels Engineering An Empire Ancient Discoveries Mud Men Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens The Universe

00:05 Clean House: New York 01:00 Wicked Fit 02:00 Homes With Style 02:25 Open House 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 Big Boutique 09:00 Videofashion Daily 10:00 Homes With Style 10:55 Open House 11:50 Videofashion News 12:50 Glam Fairy 21:20 Fashion Police: The 2012 Grammy Awards 22:15 Tia And Tamera 23:10 Giuliana & Bill

01:00 All Fall Down 02:50 Honkytonk Man 04:55 Home From The Hill-PG 07:30 TCM Presents Under...-PG 08:00 Northwest Passage-PG 10:05 The Unfinished Dance-FAM 11:45 Royal Wedding-FAM 13:15 Guns For San Sebastian-PG 15:05 High Society-FAM 16:55 Hot Millions-FAM 18:40 Bonnie Scotland-FAM 20:00 The Day They Robbed The Bank Of...-FAM 21:25 On The Town-FAM 23:00 Wild Rovers

Classifieds SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines LMU AFR JZR QTR KAC JZR JZR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD RJA GFA KAC DHX FCX JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB MXU IRA GFA FCX IRC JZR IRA RBG MEA SYR MSR JZR RKM KAC KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL QTR SVA RJA ABY KAC KAC QTR JZR JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA ABY JZR ALK JZR RBG FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI JZR OMA AFG AXB MLR KAC DHX GRF MEA GFA QTR UAE KAC JZR AIC KAC JZR UAL DLH

Arrival Flights on Sunday 19/2/2012 Flt Route 1109 ALEXANDRIA 6708 PARIS 185 DUBAI 138 DOHA 154 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 148 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 382 DELHI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 676 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 535 MUMBAI 603 SHIRAZ 213 BAHRAIN 203 DUBAI 6801 AHWAZ 165 DUBAI 615 SHAHRE KORD 3553 ALEXANDRIA 404 BEIRUT 341 DAMASCUS 610 CAIRO 201 DAMASCUS 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 672 DUBAI 744 DAMMAM 219 BAHRAIN 774 RIYADH 57 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 123 SHARJAH 788 JEDDAH 550 SOHAG 134 DOHA 561 SOHAG 535 CAIRO 213 DEIREZZOR 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 227 COLOMBO 177 DUBAI 3557 ALEXANDRIA 63 DUBAI 502 BEIRUT 542 CAIRO 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 166 PARIS 102 NEW YORK 562 AMMAN 61 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 787 RIYADH 647 MUSCAT 405 KABUL 389 KOZHIKODE 1407 COLOMBO 512 TEHRAN 372 BAHRAIN 81 BAGHDAD 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 172 FRANKFURT 135 BAHRAIN 981 CHENNAI 678 MUSCAT 239 AMMAN 981 BAHRAIN 636 FRANKFURT

Time 0:01 0:10 0:20 0:20 0:35 0:45 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:20 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:15 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:30 9:40 9:55 10:30 11:10 11:20 11:35 11:35 11:55 12:35 12:55 13:00 13:10 13:20 13:25 13:25 13:45 13:50 14:05 14:20 14:30 14:40 14:45 14:50 15:15 15:25 16:10 16:25 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:15 20:30 20:30 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:45 21:55 22:05 22:05 22:45 23:00 23:50

Airlines AXB UAL LMU AIC BBC DLH AFR ETH THY GRF FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR QTR JZR GFA RJA JZR FDB BAW KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC JZR JZR UAE ABY KAC ETD FDB QTR KAC IRA GFA KAC MXU FCX KAC IRC JZR RBG KAC IRA MEA KAC SYR KAC JZR MSR RKM GFA FDB KAC KAC UAL KAC ABY RJA SVA KAC KAC QTR JZR JZR QTR ETD JZR UAE GFA ABY SVA JZR JZR RBG ALK FDB JZR KAC KAC FDB DHX KAC JAI OMA MLR KAC DHX MEA GFA FCX QTR KAC UAE KAC JZR KAC JZR KAC KAC AFG

Departure Flights on Sunday 19/2/2012 Flt Route 394 KOCHI 981 WASHINGTON DC 1110 ALEXANDRIA 976 GOA 44 CHITTAGONG 637 FRANKFURT 6708 DUBAI 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 94 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 200 DAMASCUS 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 549 SOHAG 671 DUBAI 171 FRANKFURT 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 560 SOHAG 212 ALEPPO 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 117 NEW YORK 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 773 RIYADH 602 SHIRAZ 214 BAHRAIN 743 DAMMAM 536 ABU DHABI 204 DUBAI 541 CAIRO 6802 AHWAZ 776 JEDDAH 3558 ALEXANDRIA 103 LONDON 614 SHAHRE-KORD 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 342 ALEPPO 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 561 AMMAN 673 DUBAI 982 BAHRAIN 677 MUSCAT 124 SHARJAH 641 AMMAN 503 MADINAH 617 DOHA 511 IMAM KHOMEINI 141 DOHA 786 RIYADH 238 AMMAN 135 DOHA 304 ABU DHABI 538 CAIRO 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 134 BAHRAIN 3554 ALEXANDRIA 228 DUBAI 64 DUBAI 184 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 361 COLOMBO 62 DUBAI 171 BAHRAIN 351 KOCHI 571 MUMBAI 648 MUSCAT 1407 COLOMBO 543 CAIRO 373 BAHRAIN 403 BEIRUT 218 BAHRAIN 102 BAHRAIN 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 860 DUBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 554 ALEXANDRIA 343 CHENNAI 502 LUXOR 415 KUALA LUMPUR 411 BANGKOK 406 DUBAI

ACCOMMODATION Time 0:05 0:45 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:20 1:55 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:40 5:40 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:40 10:40 10:45 11:30 11:45 12:00 12:10 12:15 12:15 12:30 12:35 12:55 13:00 13:35 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:10 14:20 14:35 14:45 15:05 15:20 15:25 15:25 15:35 15:45 15:50 16:25 16:30 17:00 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:35 18:45 19:05 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:15 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:20 23:30 23:35 23:45 23:55 23:59

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

To let from March 1, 2012, 1 semi furnished big room with attached toilet from a 3 bed room spacious flat in B’neid Al-Ghar. Ideal for executives. Rent KD 75/- for single occupancy and KD 95/- for double occupancy.

Contact: 60914165. (C 3868) Sharing available for Christian family, C-A/C, room + bathroom, near Learners Academy, Abbassiya. Small family or two bachelors. Contact: 66265733 / 24346514.

(C 3869) 12-2-2012 Sharing accommodation available for decent executive bachelor in Abbasiya near United Indian School.

Separate toilet, bedroom & balcony with coolpex & AC, new building. Contact: 97208351. (C 3866) 9-2-2012 Immediate sharing accommodation available for a decent Indian Christian bachelor or couple near Salmiya Garden. Contact: 66884273 / 25657832.

(C 3862)

FOR SALE 2005, Chevy Trail Blazer XL, 7 seater, maroon, good condition, lady driven, brand new tires, KD 2500. Call 67005485.

(C 3875) 19-2-202012 Chevrolet Optra 2009 is on immediate sale for KD 2,350/- as expat leaving Kuwait. Showroom maintained and in excellent condition. Contact: 99754454.

(C 3867)

SITUATION WANTED Diploma Engineer/ 16 years project sales experience (9 yrs in Kuwait) seeking suitable position from reputed companies. Contact: 55339596/ 99759183. (C 3860) 7-2-2012

SITUATION VACANT A Kuwaiti woman is looking to hire a driver. No residency transfer required. Contact: 99215511. (C 3872) 16-2-2012 A Kuwaiti woman is looking to hire a driver. No residency transfer required. Contact: 99215511. (C 3872) 16-2-2012 MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for a Keralite C.S.I. boy (31, 5ft 7”) studied B.Com, presently well employed in own business seeks alliance from God fearing Keralite girl (C.S.I / Martomite) from India or residing in Kuwait. Contact: thjo53@yahoo.com with full details.

(C 3864) Orthodox parents in Kuwait invites proposals for their daughter (26 / 165 fair) B.Tech, B/B and currently working in Kuwait, from a well qualified/ employed Orthodox/ Marthoma boys.

Contact: invitesproposal@yahoo.com (C 3865) 9-2-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Medamalli Venkata Subbaiah, holder of Indian Passport No: F4933824, resident of S/o M. Subbaiah, Kuppavari Palli ( Village), Seetharampuram (Post), Rajampet (Mandal), Kadapa District, Andra Pradesh, have changed my name to Medamalli Sreenivas.

I, Anis s/o Ali Mohammed, holding Indian Passport No.E1091168, R/o 147/10 Najampura, Bohrawadi, Udaipur (RAJ ), have changed name to SHABBIR ALI MOHAMMED s/o Ali Mohammed in future be called and known by new name. (C 3873) I, Pappu Lal s/o Mohan Lal, holder of Indian Passport No. E5530889 hereby change my name to KAMALESH DEVRA. (C 3874) 16-2-2012

MISCELLANEOUS Original guaranteed Palestinian virgin olive oil, large black and green olives for sale. Tel: 66517417 Whole Floor or small villa needed for rent in Shaab, Mansoriya, Nozha, Abdullah Al-Salem or Shamiya. Direct contact with owner. Tel: 9989018-99169016 A camp for rent in Kabed including five tents with all services. Complete privacy + game arcade. Tel: 97177714 Size 36 air pressure gun for sale in addition to a scope, safety lock. Shooting range 350 meters +bag+25 shots.

Price KD 70. Tel: 97790478

No: 15364

A 3700 watt, 2012 model ASTRA generator for sale.

Japanese parts assembled in China with pressure and gas meters. Price KD 85. Tel: 60066891 For rent in Hawalli a one bedroom (4x4m) and a 7x3.5 m reception+ terrace, fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Tunis street, behind Al-Andalus pharmacy. Tel: 99683200 A 2008 white, 1600 CC Nissan Sunny. Price KD 1700. Tel: 99553221 A 2008 dark blue 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with Beige sued interior, low mileage, touch A/C, CD, cruise control, front and rear sensors for sale. Price KD 6650. Tel: 99275550 A 2009 white, 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with 40,000 mileage touch A/C, CD, cruise control, front and rear sensors for sale. Price KD 7850. Tel: 9747750855809093 A 2009 YUKUN Suburban GMC XL with low mileage and beige sued interior, electric seats, cruise control, super headlights, rear camera, remote recording and rear sensors. Price 8550. Tel: 99301914 For rent a two storey villa and a basement in Mangaf including 8 rooms, laundry room, yard, parking. Rent value KD 1000. Tel: 97996900 A storey and half for rent in Mangaf including two 3 bedroom apartments with 2 baths, reception, kitchen, driver room each. Tel: 66989887 For rent a ground floor in Qurain comprising of four rooms, large reception, 5

baths, maid room, courtyard, parking. Rent value KD 550. Tel: 66989887 A fully central air-conditioned two room annex in Mangaf with separate exit and shaded car parking for rent to expatriates. Tel: 67753557

TUITION Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels. Over 10 years experience.

Call 66495951. (C 3817) Mathematics teacher, Intermediate and secondary Exams models, Easy method, Exams from past years with solutions. 97301901 English teacher (3) years experience, looking for a job and ready to start with all educational stages.

55963993 Mathematics teacher for Universities, Institutions, Foreign Schools, Administrative, American, English, Australian, Bahrain, Electric and Gulf Sciences, Algbra Prel, Mathematics, intermediate, gmat, sat college, math98, 110 pre calculus geometry. 97619261 A Syrian Arabic language teacher. Masters in methods of teaching and follow up of 10th grade and 11th grade students. 97934291

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 593

CALVIN & HOBBES

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) Your energy is high and your creative mind is busy, ready to be applied to your hobby or any chore that needs tending just now.

You are full of confidence in how you will succeed. Make sure both your expectations and abilities are realistic before diving into something you may not want to complete. If you give your best effort, considerable success will follow. Companionship is most rewarding to you; you make a relationship strong. Later, you may spend an excessive amount of time working out a budget; you might be too thrifty. Young people are involved in your evening and this may create a need to supply a solution to many different problems—relax. Analyze your thoughts objectively, confiding only in those people you respect.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

4. A former unit of electric current (slightly smaller than the SI ampere).

10. A nucleic acid that transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm.

13. A spring-flowering shrub or small tree of the genus Crataegus.

14. A degenerate neutron star.

15. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

16. Lower in esteem.

18. Similar or related in quality or character.

19. (psychophysics) The difference between two stimuli that (under properly controlled experimental conditions) is detected as often as it is undetected.

20. Common Indian weaverbird.

23. Mosses similar to those of genus Bryum but larger.

25. In addition.

28. A member of a people who have no permanent home but move about according to the seasons.

30. Sweet liqueur made from wine and brandy flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels and bitter almonds.

32. Of the appetites and passions of the body.

36. A Kwa language spoken by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria.

37. A steep descent of the water of a river.

38. A region whose eastern part is Bangladesh and western part is included in India.

41. (South African) A camp defended by a circular formation of wagons.

42. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

44. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

47. The ball-and-socket joint between the head of the femur and the acetabulum.

53. Short and fat.

55. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group.

56. The hair growing on the lower part of a man's face.

57. An awkward and inexperienced youth.

58. Relating to or containing acetic acid.

61. The cry made by sheep.

62. Grass mowed and cured for use as fodder.

63. A Greek island in the southeast Aegean Sea 10 miles off the Turkish coast.

64. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

DOWN 1. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

2. A small cake leavened with yeast.

3. Distant in either space or time.

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

5. The 12th letter of the Greek alphabet.

6. Windowpane oysters.

7. A member of a people inhabiting the Arctic (northern Canada or Greenland or Alaska or eastern Siberia).

8. A sudden short attack.

9. Bulky grayish-brown eagle with a short wedge-shaped white tail.

10. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

11. Wife of Balder.

12. A unit of dry measure used in Egypt.

17. A constitutional monarchy on the western part of the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific.

21. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

22. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

24. A member of the Siouan people of the Kansas river valley in Kansas.

26. A body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land.

27. make senseless or dizzy by or as if by a blow.

29. (trademark) An antacid.

31. Emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design.

33. A periodic paperback publication.

34. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice.

35. (Irish) The sea personified.

39. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth and mother of Cronus and the Titans in ancient mythology.

40. A gonadotropic hormone that is secreted by the anterior pituitary.

43. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfections of the skin.

45. A shade of blue tinged with green.

46. Having any of numerous bright or strong colors reminiscent of the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies.

48. Profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger.

49. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

50. An amino acid that is found in the central nervous system.

51. Toward the mouth or oral region.

52. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

54. A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

59. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances.

60. (Greek mythology) A maiden seduced by Zeus.

Yesterday’s Solution

The need for emotional security is emphasized at this time, though you should not pressure a partner into doing things just to please and satisfy you. A little extra energy is available today to sort out the relationship problem. Better deal with it or it could make you irritable. You should take the time to clearly express your desires to loved ones. Keeping secrets now from a friend could prove disastrous.

Later today is a good time to sit down alone and get many things accomplished— tax papers, phone calls, letters, etc. Fun conversations can be enjoyed with all the members of your household. Laughter is healing. Take extra care with pets today—it may be very cold or dry in your area and water is a necessary item.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your energy and optimism go hand in hand today to help you grasp the big picture. Do not forget, however, that the whole is made up of many parts. Each part must be considered and none can be missing. This is a good day for long-range planning; however, flexibility will grease the wheels. This is not one of those days to accomplish several things at once. You may want to note the necessary chores on your calendar for future reference. You will at least have a reminder that these chores or goals are coming due and you need to pay attention to them. This will help you to stay in touch, on top of and in control of your business and or personal goals. Perhaps a movie, dinner out, bowling, walk at the mall, etc., are choices that can help create a fun evening.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You will enjoy being around people today but the rapport between you and your loved one is especially strong. Now is the time to ask that special favor from someone if you were too shy to ask before. Just be sincere, you will be understanding. If you are unattached, you could be viewing the opposite sex with renewed interest. This may be a time that you have chosen to help a family member by watching his or her pets or kids. You could find yourself actually enjoying the games that young people can invent. You enjoy good relations with family members. Friends and family relationships are strong and carefree during this time. Also, love is in full bloom and it’s a good time to fully demonstrate the depth of affections to a special loved one.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

ZITS

Quiet time today morning is one of the best parts of this day. As you relax and think about your plans for the day or for next week, you may notice that you have more involvement in activities that have less challenge. Enjoy these less challenging times and know that life never stays the same . . . there will be new opportunities to grow and learn in the future. The difficult times of the past are fewer and further apart. You could stretch occasionally and learn something new that would challenge your mind and perhaps your body as well. Learn a new sport or take a trip with other bicyclists, etc. The number of your friends continue to increase; good for you. You are either entertained or will entertain this evening—enjoy!

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

A change of some sort could create some worry today. This could mean a friendly neighbor decides to move or perhaps you have a new job that requires you to work today. You were hoping to putter around the house, but relax; this work is temporary. Bigger and better paychecks are ahead! You will also experience an easier time working, as you adjust to some changes. Your curiosity, intuition and your desire to achieve will help you be successful. If you are not working today, you will be helping some friends. You could be impulsive and may find yourself doing things you normally would not attempt— careful. This evening, someone may make you an offer that you might not want to refuse—refuse it anyway. Lucky you!

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Your energy is high! You feel vital and in harmony with the universe.

Others can feel this, so they in turn are drawn to you, making this a successful day for any kind of group endeavor. You may decide to secure your surroundings by putting in better locks, changing the batteries in the smoke detector, or adding insulation or new heaters. Perhaps you will choose a better insurance company. Visitors in your home this afternoon send plenty of compliments your way. You may become involved with some fun group activity later today with a lot of giveand-take. This may mean some form of sports. Laugh . . . it is food for the spirit. A lingering hot bath and some of your special music will help to bring a peaceful completion to what has been a very busy day.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) It may be a good thing you are not working today—it could be difficult to concentrate just now. You and your friends may get together for a day in the snow or a day of sports. There is not only a desire for outdoor, physical activity at this time, but there will most likely be ample opportunity to partake in it. However, you should be careful about taking any undo risks or thrill seeking stunts at this time. Giving flowers or some other token of your esteem to a loved one under this energy period will bring rich rewards. Now is an extremely creative period in your life and you should take full advantage of this. If your relationships are less than idyllic, this is probably as good a time as any to resolve any difficulties. Your sense of humor is a good thing.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) The law, religion or getting published is an interest that may occupy your mind today. Perhaps it is time to assess your goals and what you would like to accomplish this year. Could it be that by writing two pages a day you will have a book by the end of the year? Consider plans to update or revise your bank accounts, loans or investments. Obtaining and exchanging information takes on more emotional significance for you now. A common interest in spiritual and mystical values among family members may occur at this time. You are concerned about the future of a romantic associate now and may give this relationship a great deal of thought. Avoid extravagance. This is a time when your powers of creativity are great—your problem-solving skills come easily.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Somehow, fun seems more important than work at this time, so do not schedule too many tasks for yourself just now. You simply have a real need for people. You feel genuine warmth and affection for all of your loved ones, including the kids. If you cannot find a party, consider setting one up—careful, you may be tempted to overindulge. It is also a good time to think about beautifying your surroundings. This could mean something as simple as new bed sheets. You do not need to paint the bedroom, however. This evening, Lady Luck smiles brightly on you—you may, however, have to move quickly in order to secure a tidy profit. There are now opportunities for financial growth that were not previously available. Write, paint or dance this evening!

Yesterday’s Solution Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You have tremendous mental energy today. Take care to avoid being temperamental and touchy. If you channel this energy successfully, you can be very influential today. Your mental faculties are inspired at this time. It is best to rely on facts rather than feelings; especially when an expensive mistake might be the outcome. This is a time that signifies an interest in the motivations and desires of friends and family. This is an excellent time to get to know someone better. This evening, a gathering of friends may become involved in conversations regarding religion and philosophy with many questions being raised about mysterious topics such as the purpose each of us have in life. Talk among friends is usually serious but also fun at this time.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

This is not a good time to make any concrete decisions. You should find constructive ways to release the tremendous energy that you feel at this time. You may decide to reupholster a couch or refinish a piece of wood furniture. Help may be hard to find, so this is a good time to learn and throw yourself into your work by yourself. Applying this energy constructively can bring much praise or even rewards for the result of your abilities. You are invigorated and encouraged by finding a safe outlet for your energy. Later today there is energy for carefree activities with friends that have often brought you many pleasant memories.

Reconstructing the past from pictures and school yearbooks will help you prepare for an upcoming reunion.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE STATE ST TAT TE OF K KUWAIT KUW WAIT A

112

Tel.: T el.: e 161

DIRECTORA DIRECTORATE ATE T GENE GENERAL ERAL OF CIVIL A AVIATION VIA V AT TION DEPARTMENT METEOROLOGICAL DEP D PARTMENT A DAY: DA AY: Y Saturday

WWW .MET.GOV V.KW . W WWW.MET.GOV.KW

18/02/2012

Ministry of Interior

Issue Time Time

07:00

Expected Weather Weather for the Next 24 4 Hours Partly cloudy and visibility will decrease deecrease due to dust later on with w moderate to fresh south easterly changing to nort north th westerly wind, with speed d of 25 - 50 km/h

BY Y DA DAY: AY:

website: www.moi.gov.kw

Dust will w subside gradually with fresh frresh to moderate north westerly westeerly wind, with speed of 20 - 40 km/h and clouds will appear some scattered s

NIGHT:: BY Y NIGHT

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

No Current Warnings Warnin a gs

WARNING W ARNING A STATION ST TATION T

MAX. EXP EXP. P.

MIN.. REC.

KUWAIT KUW WAIT A CITY

23 °C

15 °C

24812000

KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT KUWAIT AIRPORT

24 °C

12 °C

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUW WAISEEB A NUWAISEEB

22 °C C

14 °C C

Maternity Hospital

24843100

WAFRA W AFRA A

24 °C

11 11 °C

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

24 °C

11 11 °C

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDALY ABDAL LY

25 °C

11 11 °C

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

ALIYAH JAL ALIY YA AH

23 °C

13 °C

Adan Hospital

23940620

FAILAKA F AILAKA A

22 °C

14 °C

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

PORT AHMADI POR RT

21 °C

16 °C

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

UMM AL-MARADEM M

20 °C

16 °C

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

WARBA BUBYAN W ARBA A A - BUBY YA AN

23 °C

15 °C

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

Ext.: 2627 262 27 - 2630

Fax: 24348714

Clinics

SFC. CHAR CHART T

18/02/2012 0000 UTC

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya Keifan

T emperratures Temperatures DA DATE AT TE

WEA WEATHER ATHER T

Sunday

19/02

24848075

Monday

24849807

T uesday Tuesday

Shamiya

24848913

W eednesday Wednesday

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Fajr

05:05

MA AX. T emp.

MAX. Temp.

22 °C

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Sunrise S i

06 24 06:24

MI IN T IN. emp.

MIN. Temp.

14 °C

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Zuhr

12:02

MAX. RH M

84 %

Asr

15:14

MIN. RH M

25 %

Sunset

17:39

MAX. Wind MA AX. W ind

N 39 km/h

Isha

18:57

TOTAL RAINFALL T OT TA AL L RAI INF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

DAY DA AY

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

POLICE STATION

4 DA DAYS AYS Y FORECAST

Rabiya

Al-Madena

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Dir ection Wind Direction

Wind Wind Speed

partly cloudy + raising dust over o open area

19 °C

10 °C

NW

20 - 40 km/h

20/02

cold+ raising dust over open area

18 °C

07 °C

NW

20 - 40 km/h

21/02

Dusty

17 °C

05 °C

NW

25-50 km/h

22/02

cold +scatt. clouds la ater on later

18 °C

06 °C

NW

20 - 40 km/h

PRAYER PR RA AYER Y TIMES

RECORDED D YESTERDA YESTERDAY AY A AT T KUWAIT KUW WAIT A T AIRPORT AIRPORT

unless All times are local time un nless otherwise stated.

Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

.26 mm

18/02/12 02:50 UTC

V1.00

T1.06

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

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

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

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 Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345

Central African Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia

00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689

36

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

lifest yle G o s s i p

he 77-year-old actress admits she is suffering with “macular degeneration” and can no longer see clearly, meaning her 39-year-old daughter Finty needs to read screenplays to her because she cannot do it by herself. She said: “I can’t read scripts any more because of the trouble with my eyes. And so somebody comes in and reads them to me, like telling me a story. It’s usually my daughter or my agent or a friend and actually, I like that, because I sit there and imagine the story in my mind. “I’ve got what my ma had, macular degeneration, which

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you get when you get old.” The ‘Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ star is trying to not let the condition beat her, but finds it gets her down when she cannot do a crossword. She told The Daily Mirror: “You get used to it. I’ve got lenses and glasses and things and very bright light helps. “I can do a crossword if it’s bright sunshine but if a cloud comes out the next minute I can’t see anything.”

he 27-year-old star admits she was upset by Kris - who was married to her sister Kim for just 72 days last year from the first time she met him because he was quick to discuss her own one-month pre-marriage relationship with now husband Lamar Odom. She said: “I personally didn’t mesh well with Kris before they got married. The very first time I met him he said, ‘No one gets married after 30 days.

How much longer are you gunna put up with this charade for?’ That’s kind of rude.

He just rubbed me up the wrong way. My guard was up because I wasn’t crazy about him.” However, she admits she did tell Kim who has been married once before - she

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he 50-year-old star - who scooped the Best Actor prize for his role in ‘The Descendants’ at the recent ceremony - stayed at the ceremony’s official afterparty for a brief time before heading back for a private bash at his home, and sent his assistants to a nearby McDonald’s to stock up on his favourite fast food to serve to his guests. A source said: “George rarely eats fast food but he has a thing for Big Macs and the craving hit after the Globes. “He did the obligatory hand-shaking, hobnobbing and posing for photos after the show but by 10 o’clock he was ravenous. He looked at his girlfriend Stacy Keibler and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this, but I’m having a Big Mac attack!’ “Stacy looked concerned until she realised George was craving greasy food. He doesn’t like hanging out at industry parties too long and he’d invited a bunch of friends to his house. So he told two assistants to pick up 100 Big Macs.” The assistants had to visit three of the fast food outlets before fulfilling the mammoth order and then delivered them back to his house. The source added to the National Enquirer magazine: “George celebrated his big win with Stacy, some close friends, crew members from the film and his Big Macs - just like a normal guy.”

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he ‘If I Had a Gun’ singer is envious that his brother Liam managed to convince all of the other final members of Oasis - bassist Andy Bell, guitarist Gem Archer and drummer Chris Sharrock - to form a band with him because he wanted Gem to be in his solo project The High-Flying Birds. Noel - who left the group in 2009 following a bust-up with Liam said: “I should have had custody of Gem, and I’m jealous that he’s in Beady eye and no in the High-Flying Birds, I’ve gotta say. He’s my mate, but no. “I left with dignity and grace and everybody did their own thing.”

Oasis experienced several line-up changes over the years but Noel believes if the band ever reformed, only

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he 27-year-old actress - who has been dating her ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ co-star, Dev Patel, since they worked on the Oscar-winning movie together in 2007 - has learnt how to deal with her dark periods and likes to use them as inspiration for film roles. She said: “I do go through a lot of down moments. I have plenty of those. OK fine, poor girl, whatever! But I do have those moments and I think it’s perfectly fine for me to have them. “I have found a way of dealing with those

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did not think he was the one for her. She added: “I gave my opinion. Which everyone saw in the wedding special! We’re sisters.

I’m very honest, I’ll tell you how I feel. With Kim I said my piece. I want her to be happy, and if that makes her happy then fine.”

Khloe is now keener on her sister Kourtney’s partner Scott Disick because she thinks he has worked on his issues. She added on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’: “Scott and I, we’ve been very honest. But he’s worked very hard to be back in our good graces.”

he 31-year-old star - who is married to Mariah Carey - went into hospital with blood clots on his lungs last week, and after successive medical issues, including mild kidney failure earlier this year, he has been advised to cut back on his workload, meaning he will no longer present his US drive-time show on 92.3 NOW FM. He said in a statement released on the radio’s website: “Under doctor’s orders, I have been asked to put my health first and cut back on some of my professional commitments in order to allow my body to get the rest that it needs to keep up with the demands of my multi tasking schedule. “It has been an absolute pleasure working with CBS Radio and 92.3 NOW morning show team and I would like to thank them for their unwavering support.” Nick continued to voice his disappointment on his twitter page claiming it would be a “wrap” if he didn’t “slow down”. In a series of tweets, he said: “A bitter sweet morning. I have to stop my radio show. Doctors orders. The Doctors found blood clots in my lungs and said if I don’t slow down and stop working so hard then it’s a wrap! I guess I can’t drive at 200 mph for the whole road trip. Time to put the car in cruise control. Even Super Man had to sleep!(sic)” It is expected Nick will continue to present ‘America’s Got Talent’.

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he British comedian - who has become best known for his acerbic put-downs when presenting the Golden Globes - decided to lose weight a few years ago because he was scared one too many of the meaty treats might lead him to have a heart attack. He said: “It wasn’t a vanity kick. It was a health kick. I’ll tell you, the truth was it was Christmas. I was 48 a couple of Christmases ago. And I had 11 sausages. And I sat there feeling ill. The number of times I’ve said, ‘I’m having a heart attack. I’m having a heart attack.’

“And I thought, ‘You know what? Life is good. And I don’t want to blow it. I don’t want to go.’ “ However, Ricky admits he still eats too much and needs to go to the gym regularly to keep his new trim physique.

Speaking on ‘Piers Morgan Tonight’, he added: “I’ve done it by working out. I still eat too much. I still drink too much. But the next day, I punish myself in the gym. I work out like Rocky. And then I feel great. You know, it makes you feel better.”

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the final incantation of the group would be involved.

He said: “It would be the last line up. We always used to say whoever was onstage that night, that was the definitive line up. “The last gig we ever did. To me, is the definitive line-up. So it’s always me, Gem, Andy, Liam and Chris Sharrock.” However, the rocker doesn’t believe a reunion will ever happen. He told NME magazine: “I don’t think either Oasis or The Smiths will reform. I think Morrissey and Marr, probably, but I don’t think The Smiths will ever reform. And Oasis, at the moment, no. Morrissey and Marr is probably more on the cards.”

moments and using them in film sometimes. Every experience is one for the diary.” The Mumbai-born actress admitted she is still trying to find a place to settle after moving to London from India when she shot to fame following the worldwide success of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Freida explained: “My heart will always be in Mumbai, but I’ve kind of moved to London. That’s my second home. I love London. Love the city, love the people there. When I’m in London I stay at my friend’s

apartment, but whenever I need to recoup, India is the place to go and be with my family. “I still haven’t splurged on anything since ‘Slumdog’ was a hit. I used my first big pay-cheque to put a deposit on a flat in Mumbai, but that fell through - so I’m still looking for that one place to put my feet up.”

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

lifestyle

The Galo da Madrugada street carnival band parades with frevo music as background yesterday in Recife, northeastern Brazil. The frevo style of music typical of Recife and Galo da Madrugada performs along the city’s streets followed by some two million dancers. —AFP

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he Berlin film festival lived up to its reputation as a champion of world cinema in 2012, bringing tragic tales from China, France, the Philippines and beyond to the big screen. But a local production is the narrow favorite to win the Golden Bear for best picture at an awards ceremony late yesterday, bringing the curtain down on the 10-day cinema showcase. “Barbara”, set in a secluded East German village in 1980 where a doctor has been sent as punishment for wanting to travel to the west, examines the country’s recent political past and the limits to freedom the old system imposed.

With prizes handed out just a stone’s throw from where the Berlin Wall once stood, the award would have extra resonance for the festival and would be the first home victory since 2004. Barbara is one of 18 movies in the main competition eligible for honors, decided by an eight-member

jury led by British director Mike Leigh. But hundreds more have screened in cinemas across the city, to journalists and critics, members of the public and industry executives looking to buy and sell titles on the European film market.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt walked the red carpet when she presented her Bosnian war drama “In the Land of Blood and Honey”, and “Twilight” heart-throb Robert Pattinson gave Berlin a late boost by presenting his film “Bel Ami”. Meryl Streep also flew in to receive a lifetime achievement award on Valentine’s Day and was presented with flowers, a gift and a kiss by reporters at an unconventional press conference.

At the closing ceremony, the focus is on the competition which forms the spine of the festival — 18 entries which have ranged from hits to flops with just about everything in between. Festival director Dieter Kosslick chose a

high number of unproven directors this year, raising eyebrows among regular Berlin attendees, but the consensus is the gamble paid off. Alongside Barbara, two titles widely tipped for the big prize are “Caesar Must Die” by veteran Italian brothers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani and “Tabu” by Portugal’s Miguel Gomes.

Caesar Must Die is a black-and-white docu-drama filmed in a tough Italian prison near Rome where inmates rehearse for and perform a jail production of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”. Mafiosi and murderers are among the cast, and the verse carries extra weight when coming from men whose sentences range from 14-years to life. Tabu is a romance set first in modern-day Lisbon, where old lady Aurora gambles away her money, and then in Africa decades earlier where a younger Aurora embarks on an illicit affair.

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US actress and director Angelina Jolie, center, Zana Maranovic, left and Goran Kostic pose for photographers as they arrive for the screening of Jolie’s movie “In The Land of Blood and Honey”, in Zagreb, Croatia, Friday.—AP

Jolie launches movie in Croatia

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ollywood star Angelina Jolie on Friday attended Croatia’s premiere of her directorial debut “In the Land of Blood and Honey”, a wartime love story situated in neighboring Bosnia. Unlike in Sarajevo, where Jolie attended a gala showing of her film before several thousand people on Tuesday, the Croatian launch was more intimate, in a movie theatre to some 500 VIP invitees.

However Jolie, who arrived to Croatia without her partner Brad Pitt, had to leave shortly after walking the red carpet, to travel to France, local media said. Dressed in a long-sleeved orange evening dress, the 36-year-old Oscar-winning actress greeted several hundred fans and gave autographs before the screening. Jolie’s film, shot in 2010 with a number of actors from the former Yugoslavia, tells the story of a Muslim woman and a Serb man who have a fling before Bosnia’s 1992-1995 war.

They meet again when she has been taken prisoner by a Bosnian Serb army unit commanded by her former lover. It had sparked controversy in Bosnia as a number of war victims’ groups had voiced concern that it would not correct-

ly present their plight. But after seeing the movie most eventually hailed it as objective and sincere.

However many Bosnian Serbs reacted angrily, accusing Jolie of being biased against them and portraying them only as villains.

Bosnia’s war between its Croats, Muslims and Serbs claimed some 100,000 lives. Some 20,000 women were raped during the conflict, according to the government’s estimates. “It is not an artistic master-piece but it is important since it brings into focus an important and very painful issue of women raped during war,” said Damjan Horvat, a 40-year-old lawyer. Mirjana Buric said the film was “very touching but sometimes even brutal”. “We also went through war so it might be better understood” in the region, the 35year-old told AFP. Croatia was the scene of a brutal four-year war in the 1990s, when Zagreb forces fought against Belgrade-backed rebel Serbs who opposed the country’s independence.— AFP

e has barely begun learning guitar, but already six-year-old Xcaret Gonzalez is dreaming big. He aspires to play well enough some day to form his own band-one playing the mariachi music that is an important part of his Mexican background, and which has been declared part of world cultural heritage. “This is my first year,” the young boy from the Bronx said during a break in his lessons at the Mariachi Academy of New York.

“I like to both sing and to play the guitar,” Xcaret said at the music school which holds kids’ classes three times a week in the uniquely Mexican musical artform. All told, there are some 120 children, most between the ages of seven and 17, enrolled at the decadeold music school in the Harlem neighborhood of northern Manhattan. A brassy, driving form of music, mariachi began as ranch music during colonial times, with some experts putting its origins as early as 1850. One of the most identifiable styles of Latin American music exported around the world, up-tempo mariachi typically features several musicians, playing violins, guitars and trumpets. Ramon Ponce, the director of the school who also teaches guitar there, said he has a mission to spread the joy of mariachi in his adopted homeland.

“We wanted to bring the music of Mexico to the community here in New York,” he said, adding that he had decided to open the school after receiving accolades for his own touring mariachi troupe. “We’ve been playing for 20 years and every time we performed, children came up to us and asked us about the music,” Ponce said.

He said that his school teaches mariachi music for various instruments, adding harp last year, as well as musical theory. Born in the center-west state of Jalisco, mariachi has spread over the generations, and now is heard across Mexico and around the world in bars, restaurants, even at weddings and bar mitzvahs-anywhere a celebration is going on.

‘It’s keeping the tradition going’ So beloved is this unique style of music that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) last year designated mariachi music as part of world

Gomes, who used to be a film critic, plays with cinematic conventions-sound and silent, colour and black-andwhite, 35 mm and 16 mm-and his inventiveness struck a chord in Berlin. Another African tale, “War Witch”, was warmly applauded and drew an impressive performance from young Congolese newcomer Rachel Mwanza as a child soldier. “Sister”, which features French actress Lea Seydoux in one of her two starring roles in Berlin, was generally popular, telling a touching story of a young boy who steals ski equipment from a smart Alpine resort to make ends meet. — Reuters

cultural heritage. In its application for the UNESCO designation, Mexico said the singular musical style, although emblematic of many of the country’s culture, is at risk of being drowned out by pop music and less folkloric musical styles. UNESCO said in a statement last year that putting mariachi on the list of protected cultural art forms would increase awareness-both within and outside of Mexico-of the cherished

in Harlem, where 50 students are divided into three separate classrooms, during simultaneous lessons of guitar, violin and voice. “They’re a little out of tune because their strings are new and a bit hard to press down,” Ponce told AFP as his dozen guitar students struggled somewhat to master the chords.

During their lesson, the children repeated the names of the musical notes written on a small chalkboard,

musical form.

“Learning by ear is the main means of transmission of traditional mariachi, and the skill is usually passed down from fathers to sons and through performance at festive, religious and civil events,” it said. The UN group also noted that mariachi had “crossed borders and become a symbol of Mexico.” The Paris-based UNESCO said that “immigrants, descendants of Mexicans living abroad, as well as Latin Americans, have made the modern mariachi a symbol of community identity, because it is a bond linking them to their roots,” and called it part of Mexico’s “cultural patrimony.” That heritage is kept alive in schools dotted across Mexico and increasingly institutes that are run overseas, like the one

and the corresponding chord progressions on their instruments. One sevenyear-old child, Luz Lopez, said she loved the sound of mariachi guitar, but especially enjoyed knowing that she was learning music that is “part of Mexico.”

“I like to hear the music, to play the instruments. Usually I dance,” the child confided to AFP. Likewise, one mother, Marta Herrera, 34, said she was gratified to know that she was passing on her love of her native music and culture to her young daughter. “It’s keeping the tradition going,” Herrera said.

— AFP

Students wait for the start of their guitar class at the Mariachi Academy February 6, 2012 at St. Paul School in Harlem, New York.

—AFP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

lifestyle F A S H I O N

Models present creations from the Jasper Conran 2012 Autumn/Winter collection during his catwalk show at London Fashion Week in London yesterday.

London takes over fashion from New York

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ondon Fashion Week kicked off with a splash of color, a touch of fall and a dose of fun yesterday as the first of dozens of catwalk shows got under way. Turkish-born Bora Aksu dressed his models with leaf-inspired headpieces and sober, wintry dresses set off by fanciful patterned tights and lace-up, high-heeled boots. There were bold and colorful pieces from London duo Antoni & Alison as well as more adventurous creations from the talented students of Central Saint Martins - London’s premier arts and fashion school.

The shows - which drew hordes of buyers, journalists, and scouts to London’s Somerset House - follow Thursday’s conclusion of New York fashion week and precede expositions in Milan and France as fashion season crests. The centerpiece yesterday was a show by the up-and-coming designers from Central Saint Martins. With alumni like Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane and the late Alexander McQueen, it’s no surprise that the crowds outside the show were the largest of the day.

Long one of the most famous arts and fashion schools in London, the show is always packed with buyers, journalists and talent scouts looking for the next big thing. There were no disappointments yesterday night as the show featured bold and brash dresses and ensembles, offering more spontaneity than many of the more polished shows that preceded it on the opening day lineup.

There were some signs of nerves and a few amateurish touches - including a dress that draped far too low, causing the model to trip - but this was more than made up for by the

willingness to shake convention and try something new. There were radical shapes, three dimensional dresses with protruding blocks, hats that obscured the face, fluffy outfits for men that made them look like cuddly teddy bears, and sexy dresses with cutouts and cellophane skirts. There were yellow space age outfits with oversize cutouts that looked straight out of Star Trek, or Woody Allen’s “Sleeper,” and some dresses that resembled elaborate lamp shades.

A few models wore black, kimono style dresses with wooden neck braces that made them look a bit like whiplash vic-

tims, others wore shimmering metallic evening dresses layered with odd, sculptural shapes. Overall, it was a cacophony of styles presented by a variety of designers, most of them about to graduate and descend on the hotly competitive fashion field. Some seem destined for greatness; others are likely to be forgotten before next season.

The Central Saint Martins show capped a festive opening day that included shows by Bora Aksu, Felder Felder, PPQ and others, with Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Burberry and others to follow in the coming days. At his standing-roomonly show, Bora Aksu used waistcoats, jackets and capes to spice up his fall and winter collection.

The models wore leaf-inspired headpieces to keep their hair in place, with many dresses featuring a white, gray and pink motif. There were a few forays into sherbety orange and fuchsia, but most of the collection had a sober, wintry feel set off by fanciful patterned tights and lace-up, high-heeled boots. The dresses featured beautiful, ornate detailing. The Turkish-born Aksu, a London favorite for 15 years and also a graduate of Central Saint Martins, drew a standing room-only crowd.

His show started a few hours after fashion week opened with a promise from Topshop boss Philip Green to do more to help young Britons develop their clothes design and manufacturing skills, with an emphasis on actually producing more goods in Britain rather than overseas. “We are ourselves manufacturing more goods in the UK these days, and if we can help get more capacity here, I believe those retailers will tell you there is now the opportunity to be competitive and produce in the United Kingdom,” he said. — AP

A model displays a creation by designer House of Holland during a fashion show.

Jasper Conran

Models present creations from the Jasper Conran 2012 Autumn/Winter collection during his catwalk show at London Fashion Week in London yesterdfay.

A model displays a creation by designer Aquascutum.

Jasper Conran A model displays a creation by designer House of Holland during a fashion show at London Fashion Week yesterday.—AP / AFP photos

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

lifestyle

Hong Kong’s last Cantonese opera house saved H

ong Kong’s last dedicated Cantonese opera theatre won a new lease of life yesterday after it was saved from closure by a feng shui master who struck a deal with the property owner. The 1,000-seat Sunbeam Theatre has been synonymous with the operatic heritage of China’s southern Cantonese-speaking minority for 40 years since it opened in 1972, and has earned landmark status on Hong Kong’s art scene.

The opera house had been due to close down following its final show today after the theatre operator decided to discontinue the lease, a move seen by fans as another nail in the coffin for the 300-year-old Chinese art. But in a dramatic turn of events, feng shui master Li Kui-ming, who also runs the Prime Splendor Theatrical Troupe, said he had signed a four-year lease with owner Francis Law at a rent of HK$1 million ($129,000) a month to keep the Sunbeam open.

“This is a breakthrough in the negotiation. We really want to keep this 40-year-old landmark theatre,” the troupe’s director Yuen Hoi told AFP. “We will carry out some renovation works at the theatre and we’re aiming to re-open Sunbeam in late April,” Yuen said, adding that Li and Law met several times before signing the lease. “The owner is a Cantonese opera fan.

He has commercial considerations but he is hoping to keep the theatre too and therefore he wants to pick a tenant who is really serious about preserving and promoting Cantonese opera,” said Yuen.

Businessman Law bought the 80,000-square-foot (7,400square-metre) theatre in 2003, reportedly with plans to replace it with a shopping mall. The Sunbeam escaped the bulldozers initially, but has been fighting soaring rents ever since and was nearly shut down twice. The theatre operator had been paying almost HK$700,000 a month since 2009, when the lease was renewed but the rent more than doubled.

There are other all-purpose venues around Hong Kong for opera performances, but none has dedicated itself exclusively to Cantonese opera like the Sunbeam. The news was lauded

by Cantonese opera fans. “We are so glad. We were planning a farewell ceremony at Sunbeam tomorrow but now we are going to turn it into a celebration party instead,” said lawmaker Jennifer Chow, herself an amateur Cantonese opera performer. Chow, a district councillor who launched a signature campaign to save the theatre, said the government should step up efforts to come up with a long-term solution in view of the Sunbeam’s plight. “The government needs to do something, it needs to build a dedicated theatre for Cantonese opera in order for us to preserve the art,” she added.

Cantonese opera-where actors wear elaborate costumes and make-up, and must be adept at elaborately choreographed martial arts as well as singing — was recognised as “intangible cultural heritage” by UN cultural agency UNESCO in 2009. Other than its southern dialect, Cantonese opera differs from mainland operatic traditions in its use of percussion instruments such as gongs and cymbals. — AFP

This file photo taken on February 11, 2012 shows traffic passing in front of the Sunbeam theatre, a location famous for showing Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong. —AFP

At Reed Krakoff, the sensual meets the structured

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Stasi drama, Shakespeare in prison tipped for Berlin gold

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haunting drama about a woman plotting to escape communist East Germany and a story of hardened Italian inmates who stage Shakespeare behind bars were tipped to win the Berlin film festival yesterday. While the 11-day event failed to produce a front-runner like last year’s harrowing Iranian family drama “A Separation” which captured the Golden Bear top prize and is now nominated for two Oscars, critics found several gems. “Barbara” by Germany’s Christian Petzold stars his frequent muse Nina Hoss as a doctor banished from Berlin to a rural clinic after she applies to the authorities for the right to leave the communist East for good.

Once there, she is drawn to a friendly doctor who may or may not be working for the Stasi secret police and she begins to question her plan to flee. The tautly paced film topped reviewers’ polls in both the British trade magazine Screen International and the Berlin daily Tagesspiegel.

Industry bible Variety called the picture a “subtle thrill”. In a close second place was “Caesar Must Die” by Italy’s veteran film-makers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, a docu-drama about inmates at a high-security prison in Rome putting on a production of “Julius Caesar”.

Critics also swooned over Portuguese film-maker Miguel Gomes’s “Tabu”, an inventive two-part black-andwhite melodrama set in contemporary Lisbon and colonial Mozambique about an illicit love affair. Danish costume drama “A Royal Affair”, starring James Bond villain Mads Mikkelsen in the true story of the physician of mad king Christian VII who seduces his queen and with her conspires to introduce reforms inspired by the Enlightenment, drew cheers. Another stand-out was “Sister”, about a young Swiss boy who steals skis from a posh Alpine resort to support himself and his older sibling, which included a dramatic twist that packed an emotional punch.

And critics also praised “Just the Wind” about Roma killings in Hungary and “War Witch”, a Canadian production about a child soldier filmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both films starred amateur actors and appealed to the kind of politically driven, activist cinema frequently rewarded at the Berlinale, the first major European film festival of the year. Another of the three German entries, “Mercy”, sharply divided critics, with some calling the tale of forgiveness and redemption set in the Arctic Circle a masterpiece and others dismissing its plot as implausible.

And Wang Quan’an’s ambitious epic “White Deer Plain” about the bloody upheavals in the Chinese countryside before the rise of communism also provoked ambivalent reviews. Two keenly awaited pictures, the festival opener “Farewell My Queen” starring Diane Kruger as Marie Antoinette and “Captive” featuring Isabelle Huppert as an aid worker kidnapped by Islamist rebels in the Philippines, proved critical disappointments. And there were a handful of duds including Billy Bob Thornton’s first directorial effort in more than a decade, “Jayne Mansfield’s Car”, an allstar Vietnam-era movie. —AFP

sk a designer what the inspiration was for their collection, and the answers can run the gamut: An obscure, long-ago film, a modern painting or sculpture, a historical figure, even a comic book. For Reed Krakoff, it’s a lot more down-to-earth. His goal for his luxurious yet casual fall/winter collection was simply to combine two competing ideas, he said: toughness and sensuality.

“I explored those two ideas more deeply this time,” Krakoff said backstage after his runway show Wednesday at a Chelsea art gallery.

“It’s a contest between sensuality and architecture. It’s tough, but also sensual and feminine and fluid.” Usually in the same outfit. A shiny black leather jacket, for example, was paired with a dainty dress. A black beaver shearling coat had a black silk-layered paneled dress underneath, and the same idea was repeated later in ivory. A sleeveless black leather vest was worn over a sheer longsleeved blouse, making a striking contrast between torso and arms.

The show’s color scheme was simple: Blacks followed by reds, followed by ivory and bone. Krakoff, whose fans include actress Julianne Moore - she was seated in the front row - is never one to skimp on materials, and this collection was no exception, with lots of lush leather, python, and alligator (bags and shoes are always an important element for Krakoff, who also is executive creative director for Coach.)

After a series of sleek looks in black, a scarlet shearling vest matched with crimson T-shirt and skirt seemed overly flashy.

But a crimson wool twill coat was sharp, and the best of the red looks was a delicate scarlet layered paneled Tshirt dress. In the whites, luxurious looks included an alabaster python dress, and a camel hair and mink sweater over ivory wool pants. To complete the sumptuous outfit, the pants and sweater were paired with painted pearl python boots, and a beige alligator satchel. —AP

Cirque du Soleil to perform at Oscars show S

pectacular Canadian-based Cirque du Soleil will perform as part of this year’s Oscars show, organizers said Friday. The one-off performance, part of the February 26 Academy Awards show, will feature the largest Cirque cast ever assembled for a single act, with over 50 artists involved. They will perform to music by Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman, who scored the Cirque du Soleil’s show cinema-themed show “IRIS,” currently being performed at the Kodak Theatre, where the Oscars are put on. The 84th Academy Awards will take place next Sunday at the theater on Hollywood Boulevard, with a string of A-list celebrities among those on stage, as well as in the audience. Veteran Oscars host Billy Crystal will steer the evening’s entertainment, after stepping in when actor Eddie Murphy quit in November due to a row over anti-gay remarks by a producer, who also left.

The Kodak Theatre, which has hosted the Academy Awards for the last decade, will no longer bear the Kodak name as a result of the iconic photographic company’s bankruptcy, a court ruled this week. The Academy-which is still referring to the Kodak Theatre in its press releases-also announced Friday that Muppet A-listers Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy will present at this year’s show. Others already lined up to present include Ben Stiller, Bradley Cooper, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Halle Berry, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lopez and Melissa McCarthy.

Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” is nominated in the most categories, with 11 nods, followed by 10 for silent film hit “The Artist.” Other films up for Best Picture include “The Descendants,” “The Help,” “Moneyball,” “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” “The Tree of Life,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” and Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris.”— AFP

London’s top fashion school shows off students

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ith alumni like Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane and the late Alexander McQueen, it’s no surprise that the hottest ticket at London Fashion Week’s opening sessions Friday was for the catwalk show by the imaginative students at Central Saint Martins. Long one of the most famous arts and fashion schools in London, the show is always packed with buyers, journalists and talent scouts looking for the next big thing.

There were no disappointments Friday night as the show featured bold and brash dresses and ensembles, offering more fun and more spontaneity than many of the more polished shows that preceded it on the opening day lineup. There were some signs of nerves and a few amateurish touches - including a dress that draped far too low, causing the model to trip - but this was more than made up for by the willingness to shake convention and try something new.

There were radical shapes, three dimensional dresses with protruding blocks, hats that obscured the face, fluffy outfits for men that made them look like cuddly teddy bears, and sexy dresses with cutouts and cellophane skirts. There were yellow space age outfits with oversize cutouts that looked straight out of Star Trek, or Woody Allen’s “Sleeper,” and some dresses that looked a bit like elaborate lamp shades. —AP

Handout photo provided by Reed Krakoff the Reed Krakoff Fall 2012 collection is modeled during Fashion Week in New York. —AP Dancers take part in the “Diablada” (Devils’ dance) in the mining town of Oruro, 240 km south of La Paz yesterday. The Carnival of Oruro was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. —AFP

London takes over fashion spotlight from New York

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012

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A fire eater entertains the crowd during a procession ahead of Shivratri festival, in Jammu, India yesterday. Shivratri, a festival dedicated to the worship of Hindu God Shiva, will be marked across the country today. —AP

Family and friends gather for

Houston goodbye W

hitney Houston’s flower-covered casket arrived yesterday at the church where her powerful voice first wowed a congregation as family made final preparations to remember the pop superstar in her hometown.

Mourners at the New Hope Baptist Church, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, fell quiet as three police officers escorted Houston’s silver casket, draped with white roses and purple lilies, a couple of hours before the service. Whiterobed choir members began to fill the pews on the podium. As the band played softly, the choir sang in a hushed voice, “Whitney, Whitney, Whitney.”

Family prepared a service where singer Dionne Warwick, Houston’s cousin, music mogul Clive Davis, who shepherded Houston’s career for decades, actor Kevin Costner and sister-inlaw Patricia Houston were to speak; and Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly and gospel stars CeCe and Bebe Winans were to sing. Houston’s voice, a recording of her biggest hit, “I Will Always Love You,” was to be played at the end.

Close family friend Aretha Franklin, whom Houston lovingly called “Aunt Ree,” was expected to sing at the service, but she is too ill to attend, said a person close to the Houston family who was not authorized to talk about Franklin’s decision and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The service marks exactly one week after the 48-year-old Houston - one of music’s all-time biggest stars - was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel in California. A cause of death has yet to be determined. To the world, Houston was the pop queen with the perfect voice, the dazzling diva with regal beauty, a troubled superstar suffering from addiction and, finally, another victim of the dark side of fame.

To her family and friends, she was just “Nippy.” A nickname given to Houston when she was a child, it stuck with her through adulthood and, later, would become the name of one of her

companies. To them, she was a sister, a friend, a daughter, and a mother. “She always had the edge,” Jackson said outside church yesterday.

“You can tell when some kids have what we call a special anointing. Aretha had that when she was 14. ... Whitney cultivated that and took it to a very high level.”

A few fans gathered yesterday morning

were more entrepreneurial, setting up card tables to sell silk-screened T-shirts with Houston’s image and her CDs. But only the invited would get close to the church; streets were closed to the public for blocks in every direction.

Elton John, Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce and JayZ, actor-producer Tyler Perry and “American Idol” musical director Rickey Minor were all expected

Candles burn at a memorial at a memorial to Whitney Houston outside New Hope Baptist Church in Newark yesterday. —AP

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, center, leaves Whigham Funeral Home after visiting with the family of Whitney Houston before going to the New Hope Baptist Church for her funeral. —AP hours before the service as close as they could get to the church, some from as far away as Washington, DC, and Miami. Bobby Brooks said he came from Washington “just to be among the rest of the fans.” “Just to celebrate her life, not just her death,” said Brooks, “just to sing and dance with the people that love her.” Others

to attend yesterday’s invitation-only service. Her ex-husband Bobby Brown also is expected to attend, along with the couple’s only child, Bobbi Kristina. Houston’s death marked the final chapter for the superstar whose fall from grace while shocking was years in the making. Houston had her first No 1 hit by the time she was 22, fol-

A coffin holding the remains of singer Whitney Houston is carried into the New Hope Baptist Church before her funeral services in Newark, NJ yesterday. —AP

lowed by a flurry of No. 1 songs and multi-platinum records.

Over her career, she sold more than 50 million records in the United States alone. Her voice, an ideal blend of power, grace and beauty, made classics out of songs like “Saving All My Love For You,” “I Will Always Love You,” “The Greatest Love of All” and “I’m Every Woman.” Her six Grammys were only a fraction of her many awards.

But amid the fame, a turbulent marriage to Brown and her addiction to drugs tarnished her image. She became a woman falling apart in front of the world. Her last album, “I Look To You,” debuted on the top of the charts when it was released in 2009 with strong sales, but didn’t

have the staying power of her previous records.

A tour the next year was doomed by cancellations because of illness and sub-par performances. Still, a comeback was ahead: She was to star in the remake of the movie “Sparkle” and was working on new music. Her family, friends and hard-core fans were hopeful. The funeral is for invited guests only. Houston is to be buried next to her father, John Houston, in nearby Westfield, N.J. — AP

The hearse carrying the body of singer Whitney Houston leaves the Whigham Funeral Home yesterday in Newark, New Jersey, en route to a private funeral at the New Hope Baptist Church. —AFP